Jonah 4:4-5

What right do you have to be angry? -- Jonah 4:4-5: Jonah's anger was not justified. So the Lord asked, "Do you think you have reason to be angry?" (Jonah 4:4) The question was not asked to provide information to God, rather it was asked to provide instruction to Jonah. The Lord wanted Jonah to understand that his prayer would be answered in a negative way and that his feelings were unjustified. Anger is a destructive attitude. Solomon said, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman." (Proverbs 21:19) We are reminded in song, "Brightest links in life are broken by a single angry word." Anger opens the door for sinful attitudes and sinful behavior. Prayer and love for others can help us remove anger from our lives.

Jonah became a pathetic, pouting prophet. "So Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and he made a booth there for himself. He sat there under it in the shade till he might see what would become of the city." (Jonah 4:5) It seems that Jonah went to Nineveh, delivered God's message and then went out on the east side of the city and waited. He was determined to stay until he could see what became of the city. When the forty days past he became angry because instead of receiving destruction the people received mercy. Sadly, God's pouting prophet was hoping for Nineveh's destruction instead of their salvation.