Jonah 4 - Angry Prophet, Loving God

If you had had a great success, what would your reaction be? Maybe you didn't want to do the job in the first place, but nothing stood in your way. Would you be happy if you succeeded? Would you want to see things through to the end? Would you secretly hope for failure?

Ninevah has heard Jonah's message. God has spared the great city, much to Jonah's chagrin. Jonah mopes outside the city to see what will happen.

The last chapter of Jonah read like a parable, ending with an open-ended question. God is asking us this same question.

Jonah's name comes up in the New Testament at Matthew 12.38. The people cry out for a sign; Jesus gives them Jonah's sign, prophesying his death and resurrection, causing the early church to depict Jonah's story in art alongside the good shepherd.

The plant in the story is either a castor oil plant or a bottle-gourd. Jonah sets up a Succoth, or booth. The original meaning of Succoth is "thicket." Bottle-gourds grow as vines. Castor leaves can grow to 45 cm.

The "worm" is most likely a black vine weevil grub. The grubs live in the soil, attacking the plant from below. The grubs attack the root of the plant destroying it from within.

Are you like Jonah? Have you built a booth?