Jonah was very angry at God because God was merciful.
Aaron, the High Priest was among those summoned by God (Exodus 24:1) to come up on Mt. Sinai. They saw the visible manifestation of God’s holy Presence (Exodus 24:11) and they ate and drank in His Presence. What did they eat – manna, angels’ food, what did God provide for them on the holy mountain? This verse fills me with trembling, reverential awe. Moses told them to wait there while he went to the top of the mountain (Exodus 24:18) where he spent 40 days with God where he would receive instruction. Just prior to this (Exodus 24:7) the Israelites said, “all that the Lord has said we will do”. I find it beyond incredible what happened soon after that promise and soon after Aaron’s holy, heavenly experience. Coming down from that sacred time in God’s Presence on the mountain, Aaron caved in and yielded to the wickedly sinful demands of the people. He (Exodus 32:4) made a golden calf, then built an altar so they could worship it and dared to credit that abominable thing with their deliverance from Egypt. What on earth was Aaron thinking? Why is this in the Bible? Is it only a historical record? Definitely not! It reveals God’s desire for close fellowship with us and the importance of maintaining our relationship with Him.
It is also a grim and deadly serious warning to all of us and it ties in with (1 Corinthians 10:12) Let him who thinks he stands take heed against a treacherous heart of pride. Those RED LIGHTS are written (1 Corinthians 10:11) for our examples and warnings. We have (1 Corinthians 2:16) the mind of Christ but do we let (Philippians 2:5) His mind control our thinking? Thoughts lead to deeds so if the mind of Christ controls our thoughts then all our deeds will glorify God.
Take a look at a man who let his thoughts run wild in direct opposition and rebellion against the command of the Lord. (Jonah chapters 1-4) Jonah’s hair was bleached and his head was badly burned from the acid in the fish’s stomach and the plant (Jonah 4:6) brought some relief from the scorching heat of the sun. When the plant withered he was angry for the loss of his protection. But he opposed God’s purpose for the protection of the Ninevites by leading them to repentance. Jonah wanted not repentance but destruction and damnation for them. Jonah’s thoughts led him to say (Jonah 4:3) that he would rather die than live to see his enemies saved. He was very angry at God (Jonah 4:1) because God was merciful. Before we jump to judge Jonah, we need to constantly monitor our own hearts and attitudes. Have I ever known anyone who was so obnoxious that I didn’t care if they ever or never received salvation and did I display that attitude toward them? If so, there is something very wrong with me and with my understanding of the Cross.
There was a married couple who thought they could gain an admirable reputation and impress the whole church congregation by lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-10) the amount of a donation they were making. They paid with their lives. Integrity (Psalms 15) is (Dr. Stanley) “Vital for Christians, to be honest, reliable, trustworthy.”
Years ago, I heard about a miracle Christmas Eve in a home in France during the Second World War. A Christian lady was preparing a meal for any allied soldiers who would come because they knew they would be welcome and 3 or 4 Canadian soldiers were already there. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and when the lady opened it she saw 3 German soldiers, one of them slightly wounded. She said, “You are welcome to come in but you must leave your weapons at the door”. So they parked their guns. One of the Canadian soldiers was a doctor and he immediately got up and attended to the wound of the German soldier. Then, in French, German and English, they sang Christmas carols. They enjoyed a hearty meal together. The warmth, beauty and brotherly fellowship of that Christmas Eve ended on a very sad note. They picked up their weapons and went back to the trenches and to the war. After a brief interlude of peace – conflict again.
We who are born-again by faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning death, have been redeemed into the lasting peace and joy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Those soldiers had to go back and submit, each to his government’s authority. But we have been delivered out of the kingdom of darkness. We have a new King, Who is the King of Peace and we have no need to go back or submit to the former evil government. We never have to go from angels’ food to a golden calf. We don’t have to go back to where the impulses and cravings of the flesh were the false god, the golden calf we worshiped. Our new King’s government gives us continual loving intimacy with the Triune God in His very Presence. (Oswald Chambers) “Our faith must be not in the things God does for us but in God Himself alone.” As our faith and obedience take us deeper into this relationship our lives are transfigured by peace and joy which nothing can disturb or upset because it is the peace and joy of God, not of things or circumstances. (Dr. Tozer) “The most important thing about you is what you think about God.” I would suggest that we ponder His words carefully. As we think, talk of and thank God for His (Psalms 119:27, Psalms 145:5) wonderful works, many beyond our comprehension and even our awareness, our admiration for our loving Lord will glow until, in our heart, nothing – no golden calf – nothing at all in all this world can turn us away from Him or can compare or compete with Him, He Who is our all-glorious Sovereign God.
“Jesus my love, my treasure, none can tell
What Thou are worth. In all the world,
my God, there is none but Thee, none but Thee.”
I am well aware that the Lord knows everything I am going to say before I do - - and yet - - when I enter the Holy of Holies to tell Him, very close and personally of my love for Him and my gratitude to Him, there is such a sense of the precious sweetness of knowing that I have His full attention and that He is listening to me as intently as if He was hearing something new to Him. Words fail, comprehension trembles in inadequacy, how can I hold in my heart all the goodness, all the beauty, all the patience and all that is my God Who continues to love me unconditionally? There is no god like unto our GOD Who is the Almighty Sovereign of the universe and yet He listens to us.