Angry at God

 Jonah thought he had reason to be angry with God. The Assyrians were a cruel nation who raided the Northern Israelites and eventually exiled them from their homeland. The British museum houses some Assyrian art which includes appalling images of savagery.

Jonah did not appreciate the mercy the Almighty showed these sadistic brutes. His own people had been at the receiving end of their inhumanity. He would have loved to see them get their just desert. And why did the Lord berate the Israelites and threaten to punish them? In his opinion their sins were of a much less serious nature.

The elder brother in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son had much the same attitude. His father forgave the squanderer without any preconditions. His irresponsible self-indulgent brother was accepted as if he had never done anything wrong.

Another parable of Jesus conveys a similar message. In Matthew 20:1-16 he likened the Kingdom of Heaven to a landowner who hired workers at different times of the day. At the end of the day he paid them all the same wage, beginning with those who had worked the shortest period. This caused those who had worked through the heat of the day to grumble. It clashed with their sense if fairness.

There are many people today who would like to impose onto the rest of humanity what they regard as fair. But the landowner in the parable had the right to do with his money as he pleased. He did not renege on his agreements with any of the workers. In the same way God has the right to be merciful to whomsoever he pleases. Some people live recklessly and without regard for others for most of their lives. Then, later in life, they have their sins forgiven and even become mouthpieces for God.

The author of Psalm 73:3 said "I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked". Job lived a most exemplary life but experienced extreme intense suffering. But after God had spoken to him out of the storm Job said: "I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer" (Job 40:2-5).

Those of us who have been forgiven for all the wrongs we have ever done, and who appreciate what it cost our Creator to save us, will not grumble when the worst of sinners get saved.