As we read in Jonah today, we find that God gives Jonah a second chance and calls him to go to Nineveh and preach that destruction is coming in 40 days. And what happened? Well, this time Jonah did as he was told. And guess what, when he preached the coming destruction, the people believed him! They ACTUALLY believed him... and they repented and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth and sought God. Even the king laid aside his royal robes and humbled himself, and plead with the people to turn from their wicked ways... and they did. And God heard, and He changed His mind and did not send the evil that had been prophesied.
You would think that Jonah would be rejoicing, that the people actually listened to his words of warning and they repented. In fact I find it interesting that Israel often did not repent, when judgement and doom was predicted, but this heathen nation DID! What a miracle! Jonah should have been rejoicing. But what does Jonah do? He gets angry at God, because now he [Jonah] feels like he's been made to appear like a false prophet...
EGW writes: "When Jonah learned of God’s purpose to spare the city that, notwithstanding its wickedness, had been led to repent in sackcloth and ashes, he should have been the first to rejoice because of God’s amazing grace; but instead he allowed his mind to dwell upon the possibility of his being regarded as a false prophet. Jealous of his reputation, he lost sight of the infinitely greater value of the souls in that wretched city." (Prophets and Kings, p. 271)
Jonah was angry, angry that God had mercy upon this heathen nation, angry that he felt like he was a fool...
Ellen White continues: "Once more he yielded to his inclination to question and doubt, and once more he was overwhelmed with discouragement. Losing sight of the interests of others, and feeling as if he would rather die than live to see the city spared, in his dissatisfaction he exclaimed, “Now, O Lord, take, I beseech Thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” (PK 271)
We know what happened to the people in Nineveh... they were given a second chance. But what happened to the prophet Jonah? I find no more reference to Jonah in Scripture after this incident. God could have continued to use him mightily... but it appears the he may have turned inward, and selfishly turned away from the ministry God had for him.
This reminds me of the quote:"The object of all ministry is to keep self out of sight, and to let Christ appear." (1st Selected Messages, p. 155)
When we work for God what is the true object of our ministry? Is it for self or for God? Is our greatest desire the salvation of souls? Or is our greatest desire to preserve and promote self?
Tomorrow's Reading: Micah 1-3 and Ps. 144
No comments:
Post a Comment