Saturday Scriptures with Sahara - Jonah Chapter 4

Jonah is an example of how the character of a good and a great man can be tarnished by anger, and his usefulness impaired. The purpose of this book is to show that God is a merciful and gracious God. Although the wicked city of Nineveh deserved to be crushed immediately, God was patient towards them. A reluctant prophet, Jonah originally ran from God before delivering a message of repentance to the nation of Nineveh. His story suggests the irrationality, the danger, and the injury of anger.

In chapter 4, God deals with Jonah and teaches him about His love and compassion. Unfortunately, when a man feels anger and gives unrestrained expression to it, as Jonah did, his fellowman is not as patient and long suffering as God was and does not always return the soft answer which God returned to the angry and petulant Jonah.

Anger is one of the most common sins, yet one of the most dangerous and harmful to the peace and well-being of man. More than any other sin, it blasts the flower of friendship, turns men out of Eden, destroys peace and concord in the home, incites to crime and violence, and turns love and affection into hatred.

In Psalm 4:1-4, David contrasts the “sons of men” (vs.2) and the “godly” (vs.3). He says that it is characteristic of the godly to “Be ye angry, and sin not.” Thus we ought not to sin as the world does when they become angry, but sin not.

It is not necessarily a sin to be angry. Certainly God does not expect us to rejoice when people do wrong. We must be angry at sin. “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11).

However, when we are angry, we want to make sure that our anger does not venture into sin. So, let us look at a few Bible principles that will help us control our “righteous indignation.”

First, we should not be quick to anger. Many sins committed in the wake of anger are like a hot water geyser. They build up and spew out without any control. It is the anger that causes us to say things that later we wish we had not said. This kind of anger strikes out at others and does not help anyone.
Second, when provoked, think before you become angry. Ask yourself a few simple questions. Is this a situation over which it is worth becoming angry? Am I angry because of this situation, or am I angry because something bad in another part of my life is affecting my judgment? (In other words, am I “kicking the cat”?) Is my getting angry going to affect people in a negative way to hinder good relationships? These are questions that we should ask ourselves when provoked to anger.
Third, when we do get angry, we must control ourselves. No problems have ever been solved by losing control. Loss of control builds problems. Although it is sometimes very difficult, when we become angry, step away from the situation, cool down, and come back and confront the problem in an adult-like fashion.
Finally, we must resolve our anger within the same day it is provoked. A sore left untreated will fester and fester until it becomes infected; it can then cause major complications with serious consequences. Anger is much the same way. If we allow it to continue it will intensify and our anger will become bitterness. Soon it is not simply a small mistake we made which irritates us, but the whole world.

Once more, always remember that anger is one of the most intense emotions God has given to us. However, we can use anger for a good purpose. Let us resolve: (1) not to become angry hastily, (2) to think before we become angry, (3) to control our anger should we become angry, and (4) to resolve our anger before the end of the day. I definitely have not mastered anger. Nevertheless, I still want to learn God’s principles on the subject or on any subject he has! –thanks to Kevin Cauley

For further reading and study:

Ephesians 4:26; James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 19:11; Proverbs 10:12; Psalm 4:4

Have a blessed day!

Sahara