5 Lessons From Jonah on God's Mercy

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We’ve all heard the story of the prophet Jonah, whose story addresses remarkable experiences with storms at sea, being eaten by a fish and plants that miraculously grew and died all in the same day. Jonah was the earliest of the prophets not too far behind Elisha in his place in the Old Testament. When God repented of the evil He said He would do the Ninevites, it displeased Jonah and he was angry. Possibly the reason for this was because Assyria was a continual threat to Israel’s existence and the prophet hoped that this threat would disappear in their destruction. This is seen in Jonah’s words, “Therefore now O Lord, take, I pray thee, my life from me for it is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:3). The truth is, Jonah could have rejoiced in the forgiveness extended to the Ninevites, but his self-pity blinded his eyes to the mercy of God and the job to be seen in forgiveness. While the story of Jonah is told in just 48 verses, we can learn a great deal from his life. Here are five lessons from Jonah on God’s mercy.

Jonah Does the Opposite of What God Tells Him to Do, God Still Shows Mercy

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What’s incredible is the fact that even when we do the opposite of what God calls us to do, like Jonah, God still shows us mercy. This speaks to God’s love for us. One thing that really stands out about the story of Jonah is the fact that he heard exactly from God what he was supposed to do and intentionally does the opposite, boldly. Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. You may ask why Jonah would do such a thing? Then you realize that you’ve probably done the same thing at some time in your own life, maybe even now. Reflect on the choices you’ve made when you wanted to do things your own way. There may have been nights where you’ve had trouble sleeping because you’re so full of anxiety about an outcome you want but likely won’t happen. There also may be times where you’ve tried to numb your pain with food, alcohol, shopping or a substance when that wasn’t the answer you really needed. Afterwards, you probably felt even more empty than you did before. What Jonah and what we should do is humble ourselves and surrender to God’s Will.

We Should Have Mercy Because We Have Been Shown Mercy

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It’s not always easy to show people mercy but what we should remember is that whenever we don’t show other people mercy, we are forgetting that we have already been shown great mercy by God. Jonah should have shown the people of Nineveh mercy because he had already been shown the exact same kind of mercy through God’s sending of the fish. In a similar way, Pail tells us in Ephesians that while we were enemies of God and dead in our sins, God, being “rich in mercy,” made us alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). We deserved to stay dead in our sins and separated from God forever, but in His mercy, He gave us new life. God has forgiven such a great debt. How can we not show others mercy?

God Knows When to Show Mercy

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How did God react to the Ninevites’ repentance? Jonah later wrote: “The true God got to se their works, that they had turned back from their bad way; and so the true God felt regret over the calamity that he had spoken of causing to them; and he did not cause it.” (Jonah 3:10). This doesn’t mean that God decided that His own judgment had been in error. The Bible explains that God’s justice is perfect. God’s righteous anger against Nineveh simply subsided. He observed the change in those people and saw that the punishment He had intended to bring on them would no longer be fitting. In this instance, God saw an opportunity to show divine mercy. While God is characterized by some to be cold, rigid and harsh, His true character shows that He is indeed reasonable, adaptable and merciful.

If We Show Mercy, We Will Receive Mercy

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When we show mercy, we receive it and when others show mercy, they receive it. Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7). In the following chapter, Matthew 6:15, Jesus also says that “if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will Your Father forgive your trespasses.” In a similar way, James tells us “judgment will be without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” If Jonah had the opportunity to reflect on these verses, he may not have been so quick to wish for death. Only the merciful will receive mercy in the Kingdom of God. The ones who show mercy will receive mercy.

Mercy Reflects God’s Character

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One of the most important lesson from Jonah on God’s mercy has to do with God’s character. When we practice true faith, we display God’s character for everyone around us to see. The same applies to mercy. When we look at Jonah 4, Jonah calls God “a gracious God and merciful.” Then, in Ephesians 2, Paul says that God’s nature is “rich in mercy.” As Christians, we know that God is making us into the image of His Son and that we are the light to the world to show them God. Mercy isn’t something we do simply because we are commanded to do it. Mercy is something we do to reflect God’s character in a worshipful way. God show’s us mercy and grace. We should also reflect the same in our lives.