BE ANGRY AND DO NOT SIN
Greetings church family!
Why did Jonah not want to go to Nineveh to preach to the Ninevites?
You remember the story. Jonah was an Israelite prophet summoned by God to travel to foreign land, Assyria, and preach to the inhabitants of the Assyrian capital, Nineveh. Jonah wanted no part of this mission, and instead chose to flee in the total opposite direction from Nineveh. God gets Jonah’s attention through a storm and a big fish, and Jonah relents, ultimately accepting his mission to Nineveh. Jonah preaches to the Ninevites about looming destruction, and the Ninevites repent.
Why does Jonah want to avoid this mission in the first place?
Let’s pick up the story from Jonah 3:10 - 4:4. It says, “God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—so God relented from the disaster he had threatened them with. And he did not do it. Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. He prayed to the Lord, “Please, Lord, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster. And now, Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
The Lord asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
Before we address this passage, let’s look at some commentary on Assyrian history. Assyrians were known to be an unusually cruel kingdom in how they treated their enemies. After capturing their enemies, Assyrians would cut off both their legs and one of their arms. They would leave the other arm so they could shake their enemies’ hand as he was dying. Assyrians were known to force friends and family to parade around with the decapitated heads of loved ones elevated on poles. Often, Assyrians would stretch their prisoners bodies out, flay them alive, and display their skins on the city walls. This was indeed a ruthless and unusually cruel nation. In fact, a quote from the Biblical Archaeology Review (Jan/Feb 1991) says, "Assyrian history is as gory and as blood curdling a history as we know!"
Since the Israelites were an enemy of the Assyrians and victims to their cruelty, undoubtedly Jonah harbored a lot of anger towards the Assyrians, and understandably so! One of the things we must keep in mind is that anger is NOT a sinful emotion. Injustice is a common source of anger. God himself was angry with the Ninevites because of their cruelty, sending Jonah to preach rebuke and judgement against their violent culture.
But here’s the difference. When the Ninevites repented, God relented. God was no longer angry, but Jonah held on to his anger. Jonah wished for the Ninevites to be destroyed anyway, regardless of their repentance.
It is important to note that anger in the face of injustice is not the problem. How we respond to a situation while angry is the key. Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be angry and do not sin." God’s question, “Is it right for you to be angry” is referring to Jonah's response of bitterness towards the Ninevites not facing destruction. God responded to the Ninevites’ repentance with forgiveness. Jonah responded with fury. While God wanted repentance, Jonah wanted revenge. Jonah, the prophet of God, lost sight of the heart of God.
James 1:19-20 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.”
Ponder that last statement for a moment. Human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. Human anger wants retaliation. God wants restoration. Because of this, Scripture reminds us of the following in Romans 12:19 - "Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."
Church family, having anger in the face of injustice is never wrong. However, allowing the anger to have you can lead to tremendous problems over time. My prayer for you and for me is that, in those situations, we will go to the throne of God in prayer in order to surrender to His will and His leading on how to proceed. Only then can God’s righteousness be accomplished.
Blessings church family, and rest assured that God is for you, God is with you, and God loves you!
Pastor Chris
