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An angry ending

What makes you angry in life? What makes you happiest?
A daily blog on Christianity.com
Published Nov 15, 2012
An angry ending

 

What makes you angry in life? What makes you happiest?

Read Jonah 4 v 5-11

Anger management

Jonah is never angry that God hasn't destroyed Nineveh (v 1). He sits outside "to see what would happen to the city" (v 5).

  • - What do you think Jonah is still hoping for?

There's no chance of this happening--God has had compassion (3 v 10). The rest of the chapter sees Jonah, not Nineveh, being taught a lesson.

  • - What things in verses 1-11 make Jonah angry?
  • - What makes him happy?
  • - What does this tell us about Jonah's priorities?

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TIME OUT

Read Mark 11 v 15-18

  • - What makes Jesus angry?

The temple courts were where non-Jews were meant to be able to come to worship God. But it had been turned into a market!

  • - Contrast the cause of Jonah's and Jesus' anger. What does this show us about Jesus' priorities?

 

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Often the things that make us most angry and most happy provide an insight into what we really care about. It shows us what we are valuing most. It is a useful barometer of the true state of our heart.

 

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APPLY

Spend some time thinking about what arouses your passions--both happiness and anger.

  • - To what extent is your heart the same as that of Jesus?
  • - What things are you in danger of valuing too highly?
  • - What do you need to remember next time you become angry for selfish reasons?

 

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Q+A session

  • - What is the right answer to God's first question (v 9)? Why? Does Jonah answer correctly?
  • - What is the right naswer to God's second question (v 11)? Why? What two reasons does God give in verse 11?

Jonah, God's prophet, ends up outside the repentant, saved city, angry with God, refusing to share His heart for those who are facing judgment.

  • - What is the cliffhanger at the end of the book?
  • - How is the unanswered question in verse 11 a challenge to us, as well as to Jonah?

 

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TIME OUT

Think back over the whole story of Jonah.

  • - How has it caused you to love God more?
  • - How has it challenged you?

 

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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from The Good Book Company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.

Click here and enter the code bstexplore60 when you check out to get the next quarter’s Explore for $5.84, a 10% discount.

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