The Lord’s character is on display all over the book of Jonah as a God filled with grace, who is not limited to geographical borders, and whose plan to save is mighty and grand and extends to all of creation, including animals whom the Lord had made even before humanity.

When I preached on this passage about 11 years ago and again this past fall, the contrast that struck throughout the last dialogue between Jonah and God was between God’s grace and Jonah’s graceless anger.

Jonah’s anger has brought him to despair of life, of all life, including the people of Nineveh, and the animal life included. Lest we think this is some “PETA” approved version, or 21st-century animal rights-influenced version of an interpretation, we ought to see the very specific form of anger Jonah experienced. Jonah was not jealous of Nineveh’s riches. He was not hoping that by the destruction of Nineveh the greatness of Israel would come. There was no hope of plunder or benefit to others by a righteous act of judgment upon Nineveh.

The whole of the text has made clear time and time again that Jonah does not have a righteous indignation against Nineveh, but instead a very hate-filled zeal against those whom the Lord has designed to show mercy and grace towards. This is a hatred somewhat akin to Saul of Tarsus prior to his meeting the Lord Jesus. Saul was zealously seeking the destruction of the church of Christ. With a hatred that was directly opposed to the favor of God in the grace of the Lord Jesus.

Jonah’s anger is an exhausting anger, it’s a despairing anger. It’s an anger that looks at every living thing and despises the gift of life given by God. We see this time and again with Jonah regarding his despising of God’s call (chapter 1) to him, God’s preserving grace of him (chapter 2), God’s special grace to the people of Nineveh in bringing repentance (chapter 3) and in the life of the tree God specially gave to Jonah (chapter 4).

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