The Precious Gourd of Jonas
THE PRECIOUS GOURD - What is It to You?
The book of Jonah is probably one of the easiest books in the Bible to understand from beginning to end. Its history is certainly very memorable. Who can forget the story of Jonah in the fish's belly? In this four-chapter book that consists of only 48 verses in the English Bible, we read about sailors and the inhabitants of the city of Nineveh, capital of the ancient Assyrian Empire. However, without doubt the two main characters of the book are the prophet Jonah and Jehovah.
The Lord's activities that are recorded include what He did before Jonah arrived in Nineveh (This is the KJV spelling): He charged Jonah to go preach in Nineveh (1:2), He "sent out a great wind into the sea" (1:4), He "prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah" (1:17), He "spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land" (2:10), and He again told Jonah to go preach in Nineveh (3:1,2).
We further read about God's actions after Jonah got to Nineveh and began preaching there: He did not destroy Nineveh when He saw that its inhabitants turned from their evil way (3:10), He "prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head" (4:6), He "prepared a worm . and it smote the gourd that it withered" (4:7), and He "prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted ." (4:8).
With the above-mentioned commands and acts of Jehovah in mind, let's look at the attitude and outlook of Jonah that are clearly seen when we read chapter four. In this chapter we twice read that Jonah said, "It is better for me to die than to live" (4:3,8). Once it is said that he was "very angry" (4:1), and because of a later event he again became "angry, even unto death" (4:9). In contrast to these emotions, one time it is written that "Jonah was exceeding glad" (4:6).
What happened to stir up such contrasting emotions and reactions from this messenger of the Lord? Let's take a look. Like the prophet Elijah before him, Jonah "was a man subject to like passions as we are" ("was a man with a nature like ours," NKJV, James 5:16). So, do not be surprised if you see a little of Jonah in us!
Jesus declared that the men of Nineveh "repented at the preaching of Jonah" (Matthew 12:41). In his preaching Jonah had warned, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). When the people of Nineveh "believed God" and "turned from their evil way" (Jonah 3:5,10), He determined to not destroy the city.
How wonderful that the inhabitants of this huge city responded to Jonah's preaching by believing and repenting, and thus they and their city would be spared! Jonah did not see it that way. "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry" (Jonah 4:1). He was so upset that he asked the Lord to take his life (4:3).
Jonah then went and sat down on the east side of the city to see what would eventually happen to the city (4:5). "And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief" (4:6). And what was Jonah's reaction to this latest action of God? "So Jonah was exceeding glad of ["because of," ASV] the gourd" (4:6). Quite a contrast, is it not? Jonah was "very angry" when God decided not to destroy the Ninevites, but he was "exceedingly glad" for the comfort the gourd provided him!
Jonah's joy was short-lived. Why? Because the next morning "God prepared a worm . and it smote the gourd that it withered" (4:7). The one thing that had caused Jonah to rejoice was now gone!
When the sun and wind picked up that day Jonah fainted and in self-pity said, "It is better for me to die than to live" (4:8). God then asked Jonah, "Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?" Jonah's response was, "I do well to be angry, even unto death" (4:9). Ah, yes, Jonah's precious gourd. God had taken it away from him, and he was one upset fellow.
Jonah went from being angry (when God spared the city), to being happy (when God made a gourd to shade him), then back to being angry again (when his gourd was gone). There was not a thing wrong with Jonah enjoying the shade of the gourd, but it seems like he did not always put the proper emphasis where it needed to be, do you not agree?
What about us? Let us examine ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5) to make sure that we are maintaining a proper outlook on things. Jonah was thrilled when Jehovah made a gourd for him, but "flipped out" when He took it away. What does it take to make you and me thrilled, and what are some things that get us really upset?
The eunuch rejoiced after he was saved (Acts 8:39). Jesus declared, "Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10). Should we not be thrilled over our own salvation and the salvation of others? Absolutely: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4). The apostle Paul instructed the saints in Philippi to rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4). It ought to be a source of constant joy, just knowing that in Christ we have all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).
Suppose something happened to one of our material possessions that we prize so much? Would our reaction be any more mature on the spiritual scale than Jonah's was when he lost his gourd?
If someone slams into our car and does major damage to it, does that get us more upset than seeing the reputation of a faithful child of God be wrongfully damaged? Or when a truly repentant brother or sister is not allowed to fellowship because of the public nature of their transgression?
Does it bother us more when the carpeting of the eccelsia building has ugly stains, or when the lives of erring members of the church are stained with sin? (James 1:27). Does it bother us more when the air conditioning or heat go out during services, or when the "light" of a disciple of Jesus stops shining? (Matthew 5:16). Would it bring us more joy to spend thousands of dollars to pave the parking lot of the church building, or to use the same amount of money to help spread the gospel where few or none have ever heard it?
If we completely lost the carpet, air conditioning and heat, as well as a paved parking lot at the building, do you know what? The work of the Lord would go marching on! I know that is true because none of these things are essentials. That's right - not one of these material items is necessary in order for the ecclesia to carry out its activities. If you don't believe that, then just think about how brethren worshipped in this country 100 years ago, or how many brethren throughout the world continue to faithfully worship the Lord in spirit and in truth without having one stitch of carpet, no heat or a.c., and not one car to park in any kind of parking lot!
Our appeal is not about enjoying cars, comfortable buildings and parking lots. It is about keeping our priorities straight. It's about keeping our minds tuned in to what really should cause us to be "very angry" and "exceeding glad" (Jonah 4:1,6).
Jonah loved that precious gourd. But his joy turned to bitterness the very next day. Let us make sure that we are not so attached to material possessions and comforts of life that we lose sight of what is REALLY important. Let us all heed the admonition: "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).
[...]
in blessing, bless
The book of Jonah is probably one of the easiest books in the Bible to understand from beginning to end. Its history is certainly very memorable. Who can forget the story of Jonah in the fish's belly? In this four-chapter book that consists of only 48 verses in the English Bible, we read about sailors and the inhabitants of the city of Nineveh, capital of the ancient Assyrian Empire. However, without doubt the two main characters of the book are the prophet Jonah and Jehovah.
The Lord's activities that are recorded include what He did before Jonah arrived in Nineveh (This is the KJV spelling): He charged Jonah to go preach in Nineveh (1:2), He "sent out a great wind into the sea" (1:4), He "prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah" (1:17), He "spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land" (2:10), and He again told Jonah to go preach in Nineveh (3:1,2).
We further read about God's actions after Jonah got to Nineveh and began preaching there: He did not destroy Nineveh when He saw that its inhabitants turned from their evil way (3:10), He "prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head" (4:6), He "prepared a worm . and it smote the gourd that it withered" (4:7), and He "prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted ." (4:8).
With the above-mentioned commands and acts of Jehovah in mind, let's look at the attitude and outlook of Jonah that are clearly seen when we read chapter four. In this chapter we twice read that Jonah said, "It is better for me to die than to live" (4:3,8). Once it is said that he was "very angry" (4:1), and because of a later event he again became "angry, even unto death" (4:9). In contrast to these emotions, one time it is written that "Jonah was exceeding glad" (4:6).
What happened to stir up such contrasting emotions and reactions from this messenger of the Lord? Let's take a look. Like the prophet Elijah before him, Jonah "was a man subject to like passions as we are" ("was a man with a nature like ours," NKJV, James 5:16). So, do not be surprised if you see a little of Jonah in us!
Jesus declared that the men of Nineveh "repented at the preaching of Jonah" (Matthew 12:41). In his preaching Jonah had warned, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown" (Jonah 3:4). When the people of Nineveh "believed God" and "turned from their evil way" (Jonah 3:5,10), He determined to not destroy the city.
How wonderful that the inhabitants of this huge city responded to Jonah's preaching by believing and repenting, and thus they and their city would be spared! Jonah did not see it that way. "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry" (Jonah 4:1). He was so upset that he asked the Lord to take his life (4:3).
Jonah then went and sat down on the east side of the city to see what would eventually happen to the city (4:5). "And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief" (4:6). And what was Jonah's reaction to this latest action of God? "So Jonah was exceeding glad of ["because of," ASV] the gourd" (4:6). Quite a contrast, is it not? Jonah was "very angry" when God decided not to destroy the Ninevites, but he was "exceedingly glad" for the comfort the gourd provided him!
Jonah's joy was short-lived. Why? Because the next morning "God prepared a worm . and it smote the gourd that it withered" (4:7). The one thing that had caused Jonah to rejoice was now gone!
When the sun and wind picked up that day Jonah fainted and in self-pity said, "It is better for me to die than to live" (4:8). God then asked Jonah, "Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?" Jonah's response was, "I do well to be angry, even unto death" (4:9). Ah, yes, Jonah's precious gourd. God had taken it away from him, and he was one upset fellow.
Jonah went from being angry (when God spared the city), to being happy (when God made a gourd to shade him), then back to being angry again (when his gourd was gone). There was not a thing wrong with Jonah enjoying the shade of the gourd, but it seems like he did not always put the proper emphasis where it needed to be, do you not agree?
What about us? Let us examine ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5) to make sure that we are maintaining a proper outlook on things. Jonah was thrilled when Jehovah made a gourd for him, but "flipped out" when He took it away. What does it take to make you and me thrilled, and what are some things that get us really upset?
The eunuch rejoiced after he was saved (Acts 8:39). Jesus declared, "Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10). Should we not be thrilled over our own salvation and the salvation of others? Absolutely: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4). The apostle Paul instructed the saints in Philippi to rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4). It ought to be a source of constant joy, just knowing that in Christ we have all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).
Suppose something happened to one of our material possessions that we prize so much? Would our reaction be any more mature on the spiritual scale than Jonah's was when he lost his gourd?
If someone slams into our car and does major damage to it, does that get us more upset than seeing the reputation of a faithful child of God be wrongfully damaged? Or when a truly repentant brother or sister is not allowed to fellowship because of the public nature of their transgression?
Does it bother us more when the carpeting of the eccelsia building has ugly stains, or when the lives of erring members of the church are stained with sin? (James 1:27). Does it bother us more when the air conditioning or heat go out during services, or when the "light" of a disciple of Jesus stops shining? (Matthew 5:16). Would it bring us more joy to spend thousands of dollars to pave the parking lot of the church building, or to use the same amount of money to help spread the gospel where few or none have ever heard it?
If we completely lost the carpet, air conditioning and heat, as well as a paved parking lot at the building, do you know what? The work of the Lord would go marching on! I know that is true because none of these things are essentials. That's right - not one of these material items is necessary in order for the ecclesia to carry out its activities. If you don't believe that, then just think about how brethren worshipped in this country 100 years ago, or how many brethren throughout the world continue to faithfully worship the Lord in spirit and in truth without having one stitch of carpet, no heat or a.c., and not one car to park in any kind of parking lot!
Our appeal is not about enjoying cars, comfortable buildings and parking lots. It is about keeping our priorities straight. It's about keeping our minds tuned in to what really should cause us to be "very angry" and "exceeding glad" (Jonah 4:1,6).
Jonah loved that precious gourd. But his joy turned to bitterness the very next day. Let us make sure that we are not so attached to material possessions and comforts of life that we lose sight of what is REALLY important. Let us all heed the admonition: "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).
[...]
in blessing, bless
posted by exhortingbrother at 4:20 PM
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