Jonah 4

Notes

Ver. 1. It displeased Jonah. How strange that mercy should displease any one, especially a prophet of the Lord! But Jonah, compelled to his duty, takes up the letter, without duly regarding the spirit, of his message; and, being more deeply concerned for his own character as a true prophet, than for the character of Him that sent him as a merciful God, he is sore displeased when his character seems sacrificed, though, in proportion as he apparently suffers, God is really glorified. C.

Ver. 7. A worm . . . it smote the gourd. Not a single worm smiting the root, as is generally supposed; but 'a worm' taken collectively for some species of caterpillar, a creature more voracious than the locust, which would strip the tree of all its leaves in the course of a single night. C.

Reflections.—It is very dangerous to be under the power of a proud peevish spirit. Men often pretend regard for God's honour when they mind only their own; and fear disparagement without any ground. Alas! awful is the consideration that pride and passion should so affect even saints, that they should wish for death, either to themselves or others, when they are very unripe for it; and rage at that very mercy of God which prevents their damnation. Yea, even create inconveniences to themselves, that they may get somewhat to complain of! How apt are men to be lifted up or cast down by a mere trifle. But if they will vex themselves with imaginary miseries, it is but just that they be made to feel real ones. Ungoverned passions too often bear down reason and conscience, and make men vindicate the most glaring absurdity and guilt, and outrageously fly out against both their God and their life. But infinite is the tenderness of God in taking such pains to convince and reclaim the froward children and servants. If we have pity on an earthly comfort, how absurd to quarrel with his pity to babes, to creatures endowed with immortal souls, and to all the works of his hands. But let me not bid adieu to this prophet without beholding in him my once suffering and now glorified Redeemer. He, for our rebellion imputed to him, was pursued by the storm, was cast into the raging ocean of his Father's wrath, to procure for us an eternal calm of forgiveness and favour. After lying a part of three days in the grave, he was miraculously raised from the dead, and ascended to glory. And marvellously effectual was the publication of the gospel to multitudes of sinners, chiefly of the Gentiles, for their conviction, conversion, and eternal salvation.

Concluding Remarks on the Book of Jonah.

In whatever point of view he is contemplated, Jonah stands alone among the prophets of God. His first characteristic is resistance to the divine commission. In this, no doubt, he appears assimilated both to Moses and Jeremiah, Ex. 3. 11; Jer. 1. 6; 20. 9; but still there is this remarkable difference,—they only remonstrated against their commission on the ground of their unfitness. Jonah never pleads unfitness, yet timidly, sensitively, alas! it may be, selfishly, shrinks from the unwelcome duty. His second characteristic is irritability; and that, not a momentary ebullition succeeded by as speedy repentance, but a spirit that sits and broods over its malady, and vindicates, even before God, the indulgence of its bitter reflections. The third characteristic stands in the historic events by which his life has been distinguished from other men. His miraculous preservation; his prayer composed at the bottom of the sea; his return from the regions of death; and, probably, his wonderful reappearance to the very mariners that threw him overboard; the faithful boldness of his preaching; its unparalleled success with a rich, luxurious, and abandoned people;—these form peculiarities in the personal history of the prophet perfectly unparalleled among any of his brethren. But with these historical peculiarities we have little concern, farther than to admire them as examples of the wonderful power of God. Our business is rather with the two moral traits by which the prophet is distinguished, which, however strange, nay almost incredible, as they may at first sight appear, will on examination be found much more common than Christians generally imagine.

(1) As to the first—disobedience to the divine commission—is it not every day realized when conscience tells us not to suffer sin upon our neighbour; and yet fear of giving offence, the desire of pleasing, the love of ease, or some selfish interest, prevents us from delivering the unwelcome message. No doubt we may satisfy ourselves with pleading that we have no direct commission as Jonah had; but he that knows his Master's will, and sees a sinner perishing without an attempt for his salvation, is just as culpable as Jonah was, commits exactly the same fault, and with this remarkable aggravation, that he has more light than Jonah had, and is proportionably liable to greater condemnation.

(2) As to the second characteristic—irritability—it may be partly dependent upon bodily structure; partly upon education, example, and previous habits; and partly upon the state of the health; and it may not be denied, that where these concur, though they cannot justify, they may yet go far to palliate many personal faults of temper. But for Jonah what can be pleaded either in excuse or extenuation? Nothing; at least nothing that is recorded. Nor is it needful that he should be defended; nay, it is just that he be condemned. But while we cast the stone at the prophet, let us carefully examine whether we may not stand under like condemnation. Have we never murmured at our lot? Have we never wished to have it changed? Have we never been unreasonably angry with an adversary? Have we never justified that anger to our own conscience or to others? If we have ever been guilty of these, or any of these things, have we not acted in the very spirit of Jonah; and when we condemn him, are we not literally condemning ourselves?