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Jonah Studies – Jonah 1:1-3 | Jonah 1:4-17 | Jonah 2 | Jonah 3 | Jonah 4 | Test and Certificate |

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These small group studies of Jonah 4 contain extensive cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications.  Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.

Jonah 4 Bible Study – God’s Compassion Vs Jonah’s Anger

Jonah 4

I. Jonah is displeased with God (1-3)
II. God teaches Jonah (4-11)
I. Jonah is displeased with God (1-3)

Discussion Questions

• Why was Jonah displeased with God?
• What does this reveal about the fallen condition of people?
• What does this reveal about Jonah?
• Have you ever been angry or frustrated with God? What did you do?
• What did Jonah do with his anger? Is this good or bad? Why?
• Was Jonah’s opinion of God’s character (verse 2) correct?
• Why did Jonah want to die?
• What should you do if you begin to get frustrated or angry with God?
• What should you do if you don’t understand or even disagree with God’s plan?

Cross-References

Hebrews 12:2 – Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Exodus 34:6-7 – The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. Jonah was displeased and angry –

Jonah 4:1 – But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.

Jonah was not happy that God spared the city. He believed that they deserved judgment. Punishment would be “getting what they deserved.” In that, he was right. They did deserve judgment.

But it was God’s decision and not Jonah’s. One of Jonah’s key problems was that he wanted to take the place of God and decide who is judged and who is spared. While he might not have directly said this, it seemed that he thought he knew better than God.

That same mentality is the root of many sins.

• Envy – I deserve those blessings and that person doesn’t. God should give me what I deserve.
• Unforgiveness – That person does not deserve my forgiveness. They have hurt me and they should be punished. God should punish them and if He won’t, I will.
• Anger with God – Why did God let this happen to me? It isn’t fair. It isn’t right. God should not have [insert blank]• Revenge – That person hurt me and since God hasn’t intervened, I will hurt them back.
• Rebellion – My way is better than God’s.

The very first sin was Lucifer trying to usurp the throne. We don’t know all the reasons why he did this, but one may have been a thought that he could or would do the job better.

Even in our limited experiences, we see the same kind of mentality where people think they could do the job better than the leader. Kids blame their parents and think, “If I were in charge, things would be different.” Citizens blame politicians and think, “If I was in charge, things would improve.”

It is easy to point fingers and criticize the captain when you are not steering the ship and responsible for the crew’s safety.

Parents often tell their kids, “You will understand why I am doing these things after you have children of your own.”

In this world, it is certainly possible the authority figure is making mistakes and maybe you could do better in some cases. Still, it can be a dangerous mentality to fall into.

And it is infinitely more dangerous when it comes to our view of God. Anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, and envy can all start as seeds and grow into a full-fledged war against God and His decisions. Simply put, these seeds of rebellion can lead us to hell.

Jesus said as much when He said that if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us. And that is the thing: we are happy to receive God’s mercy for ourselves. Somehow we think that we deserve it. But when God extends it to others, we can get upset.

Reflect – How do we protect ourselves from drifting into a mentality of judging God?

Remember that God is on the throne. He is the Creator of the universe. He knows the past, present, and future location of every single atom in the universe. He knows how many hairs are on your head. Jesus told Satan, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Whenever we approach God, we should do so with the appropriate humility and respect. Jesus taught us to pray by starting, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

Those words show us the proper attitude when approaching God’s high and holy throne. A father is a figure to respect. You petition your father for things, not demand them. His position, strength, status, and authority are above yours. Jesus didn’t stop there. He said, “Father in heaven.” As much as we should respect our earthly fathers, how much more are we to respect our heavenly Father. “In heaven” denotes the fact that He is high over the earth. From heaven, He sees all. God is sovereign. At the same time, His ways are higher than our ways. Do not presume to tell the one who sees everything that He is doing it wrong.

Jesus still didn’t stop there. He taught us to pray, “Hallowed be your name.” We are to revere and exalt God’s name. It is not just about the words we say when we pray, but the attitude we have when we approach Him to speak to Him.

Chinese emperors during the Qing dynasty lived in the Forbidden City. You couldn’t just walk into the palace. First you had to get authorization. There were many gates and guards you had to pass through. A stone marker said, “Officials dismount here.” No matter how high your ranking, you had to dismount your horse or sedan and walk. When you entered the room, there were even more elaborate ceremonies. Even nobles had to kneel nine times with nine kowtows.

You couldn’t just rush in with your demands. Insolence could be met with beatings or worse. The emperor was considered to be the Son of Heaven.

Imagine what would happen if you tried to charge in angrily complaining about the king’s edicts. It doesn’t matter if you felt that you had a case. You would be beaten, arrested, or worse.

He was to be treated with humility and respect because of his position and the throne he sat on.

How much more should we approach the Creator of the universe with reverence when we pray?

Application – Practice honoring God in prayer life. It may help to even envision yourself approaching a high and lofty throne when you pray. If we regularly approach God with that type of humility, it will help us keep things in perspective. We will be less likely to judge God. If you ever are angry, by all means bring it to God in prayer. He is far more patient than the Qing Dynasty emperors. He can handle it. But don’t allow your frustration to carry you away. Neither should you allow it to remain long, or it will fester. Deal with it quickly.

2. Learning the heart of God –

Jonah 4:2 – And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

There are two good aspects to Jonah’s prayer and one bad aspect. Let’s start with the good.

Speaking to God is better than not

Firstly, Jonah was praying. He had a dialogue with God. In chapters 1 and 2, he was giving God the silent treatment. Without communication, your relationship with God cannot grow. It will stagnate. The same is true of any other relationships as well.

Speaking to God was a step forward in a positive direction. When you speak with God, it helps you verbalize your thoughts and feelings. They become more tangible. As your ideas crystallize in front of you, you can then look at them and see their flaws more clearly. Sometimes you will hear a person say, “That sounded a lot better in my head.” They are recognizing the fact that when they verbalize something and therefore subject it to greater scrutiny, it collapses.

You might be furious that your spouse does not put the toothpaste cap on properly, but when you actually talk to them about it, you might realize how petty the issue is.

But even more than this, when you talk with God, it is something of an invitation for Him to speak back to you. That is where the real growth starts to take place. A conversation with someone else can expose your blind spots or ignorance far better than talking to yourself ever can.

Application – Don’t go long without speaking to God. Keep the lines of communication open. Even if you are frustrated or upset, you need to share those feelings with God. Similarly, don’t give the people you love the “silent treatment.” This is an unhealthy way to deal with issues. Your relationships will not grow if you don’t talk.

Jonah recognized God’s character

Jonah had a basically correct view of God. He recognized that God was gracious, merciful, loving, and slow to anger. Jonah’s issue was not a wrong understanding of God. It was that he understood God too well and was not on board with God’s justice.

And that is the bad of Jonah’s prayer.

Jonah was not compassionate

Jonah recognized God’s compassion, but he did not share it. A perfectly mature believer would say, “God is so compassionate. I should be too.” Jonah just wasn’t there yet. Most people seem to drift out of balance either too far toward the justice or mercy side, while God always expresses a perfect combination of the two.

Jonah had a more highly developed sense of justice. He even had no problem facing that justice and dying for his disobedience to God.

We have not arrived at perfection yet either and often struggle with the same things that Jonah did.

Reflect – Do you tend to gravitate more towards justice (and perhaps judgment) or mercy and tolerance? Do you need to change anything to align yourself more closely with God’s heart?

3. Overcoming self-pity –

Jonah 4:3 – Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Perhaps the best way to describe Jonah’s reaction here is “temper-tantrum.” With more reflection, he should have realized that his ideas were out of step with God’s and resolved to adjust himself. But Jonah was frustrated, angry, and in no mood to seek understanding. Most temper tantrums are fueled by emotion and not getting one’s way.

Jonah’s reaction seems purely emotional. Anyone on the outside can look at him and think, “Good grief! Get a grip!” But from the inside, it probably seemed that the world was falling apart. He had been the messenger bringing salvation to his country’s worst enemy.

Reflect – Have you ever felt like Jonah? Have you ever said or thought something like, “I am so sick of this, I just want to die!”

Application – When you feel like giving up and throwing in the towel, stop thinking about yourself. These feelings often arise out of self-pity. Lift up your eyes. Look to the Lord. Think of others. Focus on serving people.

Psalms 121:1-2 – I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

God created a spectrum of emotions. But these emotions, which are good, can become dangerous if we stay in them. Consider grief. A father loses a child in an accident. Grief is natural and healthy. But grief can turn into self-pity when he takes his eyes off God and others and becomes increasingly focused on himself. He is no longer there for his wife or able to comfort her. He withdraws from his other children and fails to be there for them. The further inward he turns, the more self-destructive his emotions can become. He needs to lift up his eyes, look to the Lord, and turn his attention toward serving others. Doing so can help break the spiral of grief and self-pity.

A depressed person should not simply stay in their room and dwell on their problems. They should get out, become active, and look to serve others. Turning our eyes outward toward God and others can help keep our struggles from becoming the center of our world.

II. God teaches Jonah (4-11)

Discussion Questions

• What do you observe about God’s response to Jonah’s prayer?
• What do you observe about how God did not respond?
• What lessons can you learn from how God dealt with Jonah?
• Why do you think Jonah was waiting and watching the city?
• What does Jonah’s attitude toward the plant and its destruction reveal about the fallen condition of people?
• How can you be more appreciative of God’s blessings in your life?
• How can thankfulness help you ward off a complaining or angry attitude?
• What do these verses teach us about God?
• What lesson was God teaching Jonah through the plant?
• Why does God start off with a question?
• Which of God’s attributes was Jonah lacking? What was the first step for him to start growing in that area?
• How does the book of Jonah reveal the heart of God to you?
• How does this book point to Jesus?
• What key takeaway or application do you want to remember from your study of the book of Jonah?

Cross-References

Romans 9:20-21 – But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

Matthew 9:36 – When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Ezekiel 18:23 – Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. God questions Jonah –

Jonah 4:4 – And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

Questions can often be more powerful than lectures. They can be used to stimulate reflection and personal discovery. A truth that a person discovers on their own is often remembered better than one that is recited to them.

God asked Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” and “Have you eaten of the tree which I commanded you not to eat?” He knew the answers, but asking them prompted them to think and ideally, confess.

Jesus was an amazing Bible teacher and he used questions to lead people to biblical truth. In Luke 9:18–20, he asked his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They gave various answers, and then he pressed further: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” Jesus encouraged his disciples to think and to state what was on their minds. Saying something out loud forces you to verbalize what you really believe. He asked them to wrestle through who he was instead of simply telling them. And we know from Romans that we are to believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord. Jesus’ question got them to do that.

In Luke 10:36, right after sharing the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus asked the man who had started the conversation, “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” The man answered, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said, “You go and do likewise.”

Jesus didn’t give him the conclusion. He asked a question that forced the lawyer to make that conclusion himself. Once the man did, he could not easily walk away and pretend he didn’t understand.

A third example is in Mark 8, where Jesus asked the disciples a rapid series of questions: Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes, do you not see, and having ears, do you not hear? Do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? And the seven for the 4,000, how many baskets? Do you not yet understand?

That’s nine questions in quick succession. He could have simply told them, “The leaven of the Pharisees is their teaching.” But he never gave them the answer. He just kept asking questions to get them to think.

Here are five more reasons why asking questions is powerful.

1. Questions engage the mind
2. Questions turn listeners into participants
3. Questions expose misunderstandings.
4. Questions create ownership
5. Questions create connection
6. Questions help the listeners remember the point

We’ve all sat in a lecture where someone drones on and on while you’re looking at your watch wondering when it will stop. But when a question is asked, it puts the ball in your court. It activates your mind around whatever is being shared. You can’t be absent-minded; you can’t be thinking about lunch. A question immediately shifts your brain into gear.

Instead of just sitting there, people are now part of the learning process. And being part of that process helps them remember. We’ve all sat through presentations that left us thinking, “What did I actually get out of that?” One-way information output is generally not the most effective way to help people retain content. That’s why, in our church after sermons, we always have one or two discussion questions to engage people’s minds and help them take at least something away that they can practice during the week.

God asked Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry?” Jonah’s answer is not recorded.

Reflect – Why do you think Jonah’s answer is not recorded? How can you become better at asking good questions?

2. Jonah camps outside of the city to see what would happen –

Jonah 4:5 – Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.

It seems that Jonah wasn’t giving up yet. He still hoped that God would destroy the city.

The area around Nineveh can get very hot. Current high temps in the summer sometimes reach around 118 °F (48 °C). One can understand why Jonah constructed a booth to shade himself.

3. God’s object lesson –

Jonah 4:6-7 – Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint.

The object lesson prepared

The book of Jonah contains the story of God’s compassion toward the Ninevites. But more than that, it is a story of God’s compassion on Jonah. Jonah is a follower of Yahweh, but he is imperfect and not a finished product. Throughout all of these events, God is working on him, actively teaching and shaping him.

A plant sprang up and provided shade. Then a worm killed it. After that, a scorching east wind came, bringing terrible heat. The text mentions that for each of these three events God “appointed” it to happen. He appointed the plant, the worm, and the wind, proving His sovereignty over all of nature.

The plant had its purpose. The worm had its purpose. The wind had its purpose. God created and appointed each to carry out His set mission even as He used Jonah’s rebellion to touch the sailors and Jonah’s obedience to reach the Ninevites.

God supervised every detail to accomplish His plans.

Application – Don’t complain about the heat, rain, or weather because God appointed it that way for a reason!

We see that God is not a distant God who doesn’t care about things on planet earth. Instead, He is personal and close to His people. Through a variety of ways, He molds people like a potter shaping clay.

Jeremiah 18:6 – Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

Application – Be thankful that God is still working on you. Though you fall, He will not forsake you. After picking you up, He will continue shaping you because you are “His workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10).

Our Father is a master Teacher, using all types of object lessons to impart wisdom to us. The whole world is His classroom. Here are some of the things Jesus used to teach the people.

• Birds
• Flowers
• Seeds
• Vines
• Sheep
• Fish
• Trees
• Clouds
• Sun and rain
• Salt

Reflect – How has God used nature or circumstances to teach you? How can you creatively use these to teach others (children or students)?

Jonah’s response to the object lesson

Jonah 4:8 – And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

It’s not the first time in the story that Jonah was willing to die. He volunteered to be thrown into the sea rather than go to Nineveh. Once again, he signed up for death. Was it the heat? Was it his anger that Nineveh was spared? Was it about the plant that had withered? Probably all of the above. Jonah was angry and hot, which is not a good combo.

Reflect – Have you ever said things you regretted when you were angry? What is the worst thing you have said in your anger?

All of us sometimes say foolish things in the heat of the moment. We probably appreciate it when the people around us don’t take us at our word and realize it is hot air.

Likewise, God did not immediately strike Jonah down. Instead, He graciously continued to instruct Jonah.

Application – Firstly, be thankful that God does not answer all of your prayers or hold you to what you say in your worst moments. Secondly, don’t make decisions when you are angry. Try to speak less. Thirdly, show the same patience toward others. Recognize when they are spouting hot air. Extend them grace. Love others even when their actions are ugly (Romans 5:8).

Jonah 4:9 – But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.”

The Lord continues asking Jonah questions, gently prodding him to admit his sin and confess. Jonah, meanwhile, digs his heels in and stubbornly defends the indefensible.

The point of the object lesson

Jonah 4:10-11 – And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

Here is the key point of the entire story. We have seen it alluded to throughout the book. God revealed His heart of compassion to Jonah. There were 120,000 people who don’t know their right hand from their left. It may be a reference to small children. That would be the total population of greater Nineveh at around 600,000. Or it could be a reference to people who had been living in ignorance without moral discernment, which would mean the population was around 120,000. We can’t be sure. Either way, the point is that God cared for the souls of the people in this city.

Jonah was a prophet, but had not embraced the same compassion that God has. The Lord desired Jonah to become more compassionate, to become more like Him. Perhaps this was a big reason why God sent Jonah on this mission. God’s missions are dual purpose. He had a plan for the ones being ministered to and the one doing the ministering.

Our church sent a mission team to the Brazilian rainforest. We took the gospel and served the people there. We believe that God used it in their lives. However, God also used this time in our lives. As we saw the Holy Spirit working, He increased our faith. As we saw prayers being answered, He increased our desire to pray. As we saw the needs of other parts of the world, He increased our heart for the lost.

When you go on a mission trip, expect to serve and bless others. But you should also expect that God is going to use that time in your life to grow you. Be like soft clay that is easy to mold.

The book then ends abruptly. What happened to Jonah? Did he repent? Did God take his life as he wished for? Did he mature and continue serving God in his old age?

We don’t know.

It seems that the abrupt ending is intentional. The focus then shifts from how Jonah responded to God to how we respond to God. In the end, it is not really about Jonah. Jonah lived his life and made his decision. Probably he is in heaven with the Lord now.

But we still need to wrestle with the questions of this book.

Do you care about people as He does?

Have you learned compassion? Have you embraced the heart of God? Are there people groups you shun or even wish for God’s judgment on? Are there people you won’t forgive? Who are your Ninevites?

Luke 6:35-36 – But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Application – Spend some time to prayerfully consider these questions. Cry out to God for a heart of compassion. Ask the Lord to give you a heart of love for the lost like His. Then surrender yourself to act out that love no matter where He sends you or what task He asks of you.

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