Prophets, while they spoke for the LORD, often had faults we do not expect from’godly’ messengers. Elijah fled from Jezebel’s threats 1 and Elisha had his Gehazi 2 and God had to warn Jeremiah of identifying too much with the faults of the Jews 3 so it should come as no surprise that once Jonah is obedient to deliver the word of the LORD to the Ninevites, he is woefully dismayed when they repent and judgment does not fall. But, godly man that Jonah is, he does not take his frustration up with God but rather takes it out on a plant.
God is faithful to put Jonah’s frustration into an eternal perspective. While Jonah is riled up over his discomfort under the sun (and more likely, the repentance of the Ninevites), the LORD points to the crux of the matter, the 120,000 innocents and even the livestock that have been saved from disaster. How difficult is it for us to see our disagreements with God in the light of who He is and His eternal concerns rather than our momentary discomforts? How often to we not understand what or why He is doing His acts of mercy towards others because we are caught up in our personal drama? Do we see God’s values and interpret accurately what He is accomplishing instead of what we expect or want?
May God be God and not what we want Him to be.