“Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:3)
The prophet Jonah was sent to warn Israel’s enemies that God would destroy them. He tried to escape this mission, but through God’s supernatural intervention (see Jonah 1-3), the unwilling prophet ended up in Nineveh. He delivered the message: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4) The whole city repented and the people turned from their evil ways. Therefore, God relented and did not destroy the city.
Jonah’s warning had saved thousands of lives! But… “it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.” (Jonah 4:1) This was precisely the result he had been afraid of. After all, he knew how patient and merciful the Lord is, and he absolutely did not want the Ninevites (who were Israel’s most vicious enemies) to be saved. Jonah was so angry that he wanted to die.
God did not grant Jonah’s request, but only asked a question: “Do you do well to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4) He gave Jonah the opportunity to reflect on his merciless attitude.
Jonah’s attitude was: “I can’t stand what God is doing! I’d rather be dead!” Do you ever have such thoughts? Then reflect on God’s question: Are you right to be so angry? What exactly is bothering you, and is your attitude justified?