But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?”

Jonah 4:10 – 11

As we walked through the last chapter in the powerful little book called “Jonah” in our Sunday School class yesterday I had to pause and reread the last sentence in this amazing Old Testament story, Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?

To be sure the Old Testament is largely focused on the welfare of Israel.  Now and again, such as in this 4-chapter book of the experiences of Jonah, we learn that we as human beings tend to concentrate on our own welfare and how we can live godly lives.  That is certainly good.

The story of Jonah’s walk with God shocks us a bit.  It tells of how difficult it is to embrace God’s love for all people.  Our provincialism keeps us from thinking of God’s intentions.  We want him to pour out his blessing on us!  But, in truth, he rather wants to bless all mankind!  Certainly, he is concerned about the Jews, but is his love limited to the Jews alone?

This is the question that underlies the story of God’s relating to Jonah.  God wanted Jonah to love the people of Nineveh like he did.  But the drama of the story is how Jonah simply could not embrace the fact that God loved people in other nations, especially not the enemies of Israel.

God’s question to Jonah, Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?  Jonah had no love for the people of that great city.  In fact, he went there reluctantly – only because God insisted that he go there.  He did not want to be there and he certainly did not want Nineveh to repent, he wanted God to destroy them, probably so that Israel could be safe.

When Jonah saw how much God loved these waring people he flew into a rage.  The book closes with an angry, sulking Jonah!

Jesus came. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son.”  Note, THE WORLD, not the people in the small Jewish nation.  I need to think like that.