Jonah 4:9-11
A while ago I found a five dollar bill after the snow started to melt. It was soaking wet and dirty. I had never found any thing larger than a quarter until that day. My regular finds were made up of simple pocket change. Did I really want it? How much is a dirty and soaking wet five dollar bill worth? It is still worth five dollars. I realized the value of my find, cleaned off some of the mud and brought it home. After it had dried I was able to take it to the store, spend it, and no one knew that it was unpresentable just a few days ago. Are we thankful that God does not treat us as our dirty sinful lives deserve? The book of Jonah displays a contrast between God’s response to the sinful city of Nineveh and Jonah’s response. God’s perspective of Nineveh’s sin caused the people to respond and turn from their sin (3:9). God in turn relented from bringing judgment on them (3:10). However, Jonah was angry at God’s gracious response (4:1-2). Jonah angrily wanted calamity on the sinful, but God displayed compassion (4:11). God’s grace made the difference for the sinful people of Nineveh. Out of his holiness, God would have been justified to display his anger in judgment on their sin. Jonah had no such foundation to provide righteous judgment. He acted in anger because he did not get to see sinners punished. God responded in grace and gave sinners life. God saw through the dirt of sin in their life and had compassion on Nineveh just as he does with us. That is why we celebrate Easter because God’s grace has overcome our sin. Because of God’s grace displayed through Jesus we can now have life, hope and peace and not God’s judgment. That is good news of great joy!
For more see QUESTIONS FROM GOD
A while ago I found a five dollar bill after the snow started to melt. It was soaking wet and dirty. I had never found any thing larger than a quarter until that day. My regular finds were made up of simple pocket change. Did I really want it? How much is a dirty and soaking wet five dollar bill worth? It is still worth five dollars. I realized the value of my find, cleaned off some of the mud and brought it home. After it had dried I was able to take it to the store, spend it, and no one knew that it was unpresentable just a few days ago. Are we thankful that God does not treat us as our dirty sinful lives deserve? The book of Jonah displays a contrast between God’s response to the sinful city of Nineveh and Jonah’s response. God’s perspective of Nineveh’s sin caused the people to respond and turn from their sin (3:9). God in turn relented from bringing judgment on them (3:10). However, Jonah was angry at God’s gracious response (4:1-2). Jonah angrily wanted calamity on the sinful, but God displayed compassion (4:11). God’s grace made the difference for the sinful people of Nineveh. Out of his holiness, God would have been justified to display his anger in judgment on their sin. Jonah had no such foundation to provide righteous judgment. He acted in anger because he did not get to see sinners punished. God responded in grace and gave sinners life. God saw through the dirt of sin in their life and had compassion on Nineveh just as he does with us. That is why we celebrate Easter because God’s grace has overcome our sin. Because of God’s grace displayed through Jesus we can now have life, hope and peace and not God’s judgment. That is good news of great joy!
For more see QUESTIONS FROM GOD
RSS Feed