We come to the heart of the record of Jonah’s mission to Nineveh and his running away from his commission. Having just witnessed one of the greatest displays of mercy and grace known amongst men and having his preaching owned by God in a signal manner, Jonah is angry and vexed with the outcome of his visit to Nineveh! 

Everyone was pleased, the Lord, the Ninevites BUT not Jonah!

Why was that so?

Though we may not see it, in Jonah’s reaction to God sparing Nineveh there is a reflection of ourselves, each and everyone of us!

I. LET US SAY THIS IN JONAH’S FAVOUR. 

He records for us his attitude of heart and the rebuke that he received from the Lord. Here we are some 2900 years later reading about Jonah’s wrong attitude in BC 862! 

The Bible tells its stories ‘warts and all’ - (Oliver Cromwell)!

II. THE ATTITUDE JONAH DISPLAYED

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live,” verses 1-3.

This is how vexed Jonah is with the Lord’s dealings with Nineveh.

1. Jonah was displeased. His displeasure was deeply felt, “greatly”. David likewise was annoyed with the Lord, 2 Samuel 6:8. How wrong we may be about the Lord and how wrong it is to ‘judge’ the Lord!! Calvary was the chief example of man getting God purpose wrong, Luke 24:25-27.

2. It was the underlying motive for his first disobedience. The experiences in the great fish are forgotten and his heart reverts to its former error.

3. His despair was so deep he wished to die. Here is the depths of the prophets feelings. He was like others before and after him, 1 Kings 19:4 - Elijah (BC 906); Jer 20:7-18 - Jeremiah (BC 605).