He Learned a Lesson in Mercy - How Jehovah Taught Jonah a Lesson

 

The despondent prophet left Nineveh and headed, not home, but eastward, where some mountains overlooked the region. He built a little shelter and settled in to wait-and to watch Nineveh.  Perhaps he still clung to the hope of witnessing her destruction.  How would Jehovah teach this hardheaded man to be merciful?

Overnight, Jehovah caused a bottle-gourd plant to sprout up.  Jonah woke up to see this luxuriant growth, with its broad leaves providing far more shade than his flimsy  shelter ever could.  His spirits lifted.  "Jonah began to rejoice greatly " over the plant, perhaps viewing its miraculous appearance as a sign of God's blessing and approval.  However, Jehovah wanted to  do more for Jonah than simply deliiver him from the heat and from his own petulant anger.  He wanted to teach Jonah's  heart.  So God performed additional miracles.  He sent a worm to attack and kill the plant.  Then he sent a parching east wind" until Jonah began "swooning away" because of the heat.  The man's spirits plummeted, and again he asked God that he might die. - JONAH 4:6-8.

Once more Jehovah asked Jonah if he was rightly angry, this time over the death of the bottle-gourd plant.  Instead of repenting, Jonah justified himself, saying:  "I have rightly become hot with anger, to the point of death." The stage was  not set for Jehovah to drive thge lesson home. - JONAH 4:9. 

Next time: He Learned a Lesson in Mercy - He Taught Jonah a Lesson -Conclusion

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