Exploring Jonah 4
In Jonah 4, Jonah the reluctant prophet is angry with God. Why? Because God decides, after they repent of their sins, to have mercy on the cruel violent people of Nineveh.
Jonah doesn’t see the people of Nineveh as God sees them – all he sees is their sin, and all he feels is judgemental towards them – despite God’s mercy on Jonah when he deliberately disobeyed God!
How easy it is to be just like Jonah !
We may see some terrorists and criminals as beyond forgiveness because they have done too much evil.
In comparison God looks at the violent people of Nineveh and sees people whom he has made for relationship with himself, and he feels compassion for them before he feels judgement.
He is calling us to do the same.