God of Love? God of Justice?

There is a tension in our culture today. Some are shouting “God is dead! There is no God!” While others contend that if there is a god, surely he is unworthy of any praise. He has abandoned us. Richard Dawkins states in his book The God Delusion “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”  Is this assessment true? If God is a God of love, can He truly be a God of judgment?  Is Dawkins right? Was God more focused on justice in the OT and focused on grace in the NT?  And why does God seem so different between the Old Testament and the New Testament?  With the daunting task of reading you will find God’s love, mercy, and judgment in the Old Testament and God’s love, mercy, and judgment in the New Testament.

Let’s clear one up one aspect of this topic. Justice and Judgment, what do we mean? Let’s be honest with ourselves. When we say justice or judgment, what we mean is revenge. How many of us can truly say our hearts cry out for true justice. If we wanted that, we’d all be broke, in jail, physically bruised, and alone. I can only speak for myself, but I’ve lied, cheated, stolen, cursed, abused, abandoned, overreacted, and the list goes on. If I want justice, it should start with me. When we hear of a violent death, rape, abuse, etc do we not want to hear of punishment?  We have all watched a movie where a villain hits a chord within us. His wrongs have so offended us we want to see a painful, slow death. That is revenge, not truly justice.

So can God be both gracious and just?  Is this a coalescence of contrarieties? All of these questions I have struggled with.  A few years ago, I asked these questions to my pastor, he responded, “I don’t think God’s character is different in the Old and New Testament. I don’t think that at all.  The Old Testament is full of God’s love…maybe even more so.” This perplexed me and drove me to search the scriptures.  Jonah 4 addresses both issues.

          The book of Jonah was written during reign of Jeroboam II of Israel (800-750 B.C.).  It is believed to be one of the oldest books of the Bible. When Jonah was in the full swing of his ministry, Assyria was known for its cruelty.  According to Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa, Assyrian records contained graphic accounts of their brutality.

          There is debate on the historicity of the book. Some scholars claim it is a work of fiction.  The reasons range from Jonah’s use of the third person, it is a take on the story of Hercules and a sea monster or a theological vehicle to oppose “narrow nationalism’ of Ezra and Nehemiah by introducing universalistic ideas”.  Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25. Other than the Old Testament reference we find a great anchor to the historicity of Jonah from Jesus himself.  Jesus mentions the Jonah twice in Matthew and once in Luke.  In Matthew 19:41 Jesus said “The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here” (NASB).

          Jonah is unique for several reasons.  First, the book of Jonah had a great emphasis on the messenger of God’s word than the message itself.  Second, Jonah was the only prophet sent solely to the Gentiles. Third, Jonah was the only prophet who wanted to conceal the message. 

Jonah 4 is the final chapter in the book.  In the previous chapter 1, God calls Jonah to go and preach against the great city of Nineveh.  Jonah has a prejudice against the people of Nineveh, so he heads to the farthest place he can go.  He hops on a boat to go to Tarshish.  However, God brings a storm. These tried and tested sailors are completely freaked out by the storm and call out to any and all gods to save them.  Jonah tells them to throw him into the sea.  (Is this possibly a final effort to avoid the call to Nineveh?) After some debate they do throw him over. Jonah calls to God and Jonah is swallowed by a large fish.  Chapter 2 is a prayer of Jonah’s while inside the whale.  He prayed a prayer of acknowledgment of who God is and God’s sovereignty. In the end of his prayer, Jonah vows obedience to carry out his task.  God then commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto the land.  Chapter 3 details Jonah’s brief preaching in Nineveh.  I believe this message still came with much hesitation. His message was that of needed repentance or judgment made its way to the king.  He issued a decree to fast and call upon God.  God saw their repentance and showed mercy.

Jonah 4:1 “But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry.”

          What was Jonah’s response to God’s mercy?  He was displeased.  Not only was he displeased, but he was really displeased.  He was angry.  Not only was he angry, but he was really angry.  Matthew Henry writes “He was jealous for the honour of his country; the repentance and reformation of Nineveh shamed the obstinacy of Israel that repented not, but hated to be reformed; and the favour God had shown to these Gentiles upon their repentance was an ill omen to the Jewish nation”.   In William Banks book Jonah, the Reluctant Prophet tells us that the term “displeased” is from a verb meaning “to be bad or evil.”  And the term “angry” comes from a verb meaning “to burn”.  This act of God stirred up a burning and bringing him evil thoughts!

Jonah 4:2 “He prayed to the LORD and said, “Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.”

          This passage answers one of our questions about God.  Why was Jonah so angry?  Jonah did not like them at all.  So why run from the opportunity to preach judgment?  It was because Jonah knew the character of God.  Yes, God is a just God.  He is also full of grace, full of compassion, slow to become angry, abounding in love and desires to hold back punishment.  Is this not a stark contrast to our idea of God in the Old Testament? J. Vernon McGee summarizes Jonah’s inner thoughts well, “I hate Ninevites. I don’t want them saved. I want God to judge them…If those Ninevites would turn to God, God would save them, and you just can’t depend on Ninevites-they might put up a good front. They might say that they’ve turned to God”.   Jonah knew God was quick to allow repentance. In God’s sovereignty is patience and withholding discipline until it can be tolerated no more. It seems ridiculous that Jonah was hoping his ministry, his work, would fail.  I believe often in our prayers, we refrain from saying or truly meaning “Thy will be done.”  That statement shows agreement with the sovereignty and true nature of God.

Jonah 4:3 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

          This realization of the nature of God and the hatred of the Ninevites drove Jonah to the idea of death and suicide.  These feelings are intense!  But was Jonah the only prophet who felt it would be better to die?  No.  Elijah ran way from Jezebel to Beer-sheba. Elijah said “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life…” (1 Kings 19:4 NASB). Elijah was worn out and when he heard about Jezebel’s pursuit, he was done.  I would surmise that Jonah was worn out too.  Long travel, three days in a fish, and a mental war would create a physically, emotionally and spiritually draining experience.  Uriel Simon author of The JPS Bible Commentary – Jonah connects Elijah and Jonah.  “…the spiritual closeness between these two prophets…excessive zeal for the Lord lead them to despair of human beings and themselves, but identifying Jonah with the lad whom Elijah resurrected.”  Uriel continues, “Rabbi Eliezer taught: Jonah ben Amittai was the son of the widow of Zarephath”. 

Jonah 4:4 “The LORD said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”

          There are two possible translations of verse 4, according to William Banks.  “Are you very angry?” or “Are you rightly angry?”  Banks believes the Septuagint points to the first, but it doesn’t seem to make sense contextually. God’s question is to get right to the heart of Jonah.  Rosemary Nixon suggests there may be similarity with God’s question to Cain.  Genesis 4:6 “Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry?  And why has your countenance fallen?” (NASB).  Jonah’s and Cain’s anger lead them to choices.  Perhaps the root of the anger was different, but both could choose good or evil; obedience or defiance.

Jonah 4:5-8 “Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. So the LORD God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant.  But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.”

The east side of the city was up on an elevation.  He set up the best view to observe the events as they unfolded.  McGee believes his decision to watch was a disbelief in the repentance of the Ninevites.  If they would refuse to repent, God would deliver judgment.  God is unchanging.  We should take notice; God gave his people forty days to repent.  Jonah did not give the message and take off.  The World Biblical Commentary points out that he set up a booth. He was prepared to wait it out.  God was gracious to Jonah.  God had a plant, a gourd, grow up over Jonah to provide additional shelter.  Matthew Henry states “Jonah was sitting in his booth, fretting at the cold of the night and the heat of the day.  God looked on him with compassion, as a tender mother does on the forward child”.  We do not know how long Jonah enjoyed the plant, but his joy from this comfort would be short-lived.

God shows his sovereignty over nature again.  God appoints a worm to come out and destroy the plant.  Amazing such a small, insignificant creature could so such damage. It is unnecessary to fret over the type of worm.  Banks notes “To the writers a worm was a worm, whether grub, earthworm, caterpillar, maggot, larva of a vine-weevil, or larvae of myriads of other insects…when He commanded, they performed their appointed tasks”.  Similar to the worm are our choices.  What can take a long time to create a positive reputation can be torn down in an instant by a seemingly small decision.  Once the worm had finished, the plant withered. 

Again, we see God appointing and showing his control over nature.  He appoints a scorching wind to come in. This wind was so hot it created a type of heat-stroke!  Jonah, the Reluctant Prophet states “The words ‘beat upon’ come from the verb meaning ‘to smite,’ which in verse is translated ‘smote.” Banks continues “In other words, what the worm did to the plant, the sun did to Jonah’s head!”. Jonah’s response is not surprising. It is a wish to die.  It is his final plea for death. 

Jonah 4:9 “Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.”

          Again, God asks a question to get to Jonah’s heart.  God’s question is an echo of his previous question about Nineveh.  But perhaps there is sarcasm in the tone.  God is in essence asking “Jonah, are you very angry about this plant too?”  Jonah is ready to die first from God mercy towards Nineveh and now because the judgment on a plant!    McGee suggests the plant provided stability and now Jonah was alone without it.  It is amazing to see Jonah’s response to God’s offer of grace to the Ninevites was offense.  Yet, God’s withdrawal of grace to Jonah proved also offensive.  Jonah’s response shows Jonah’s true humanness.  His emotions overshadow reality.

Jonah 4:10-11 “Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

          God points out Jonah’s deep concern for an inanimate object.  Jonah’s devotion was misplaced.  God points out this initially by magnifying the brief entrance and exit of the plant.  God also shows that everything is His.  The gourd, which Jonah claimed his own, was really God’s.  It came grew overnight and withered overnight.  It was, in reality, of little value.  G. Christian Weiss summarizes God’s loving message to Jonah well, “Jonah, you are all upset over a little gourd. Should I not be more concerned over a great city of people, a city in which there are many little children…Do I not have the right to show mercy to a city full of people, even as you want Me to shave mercy on that little worthless gourd?”.  God makes the case not only for the people, but even the livestock.  God’s heart is for His creation.  The destruction of His creation is painful and a last resort for God.

My Two Cents

Jonah’s problem was he wanted grace for himself and his people, but not for his enemies.  Matthew 5:44 says “…love your enemies” (NASB).  We do not know if Jonah had been harmed personally by the Ninevites, but it was clear he wanted justice. Or was it revenge? We have very little understanding of true justice and the scope it encompasses.  On a daily basis I should take a self-inventory.  I need to search my heart, and find who do I harbor past resentment towards and why?  If I do have bitterness, I need to pray for a heart of love and of forgiveness.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:44-47 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? “ (NASB).  If that person is a nonbeliever or a stray Christian, I need to pray for their realization of their spiritual bankruptcy and for a love affair with God.  1 John 3:15 says “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”

What about the question of God’s character?  Has he switched between the OT and NT?  I know He has not changed.  But how can I know that?  First, read the Bible. That is a big problem with most of us. We don’t read it for all its worth. We read a bit here and a part there, but rarely mine it for all its wealth.  Don’t just read the New Testament, but read the Old Testament as well.  Reading and study for you will resolve the debate. It is not for lack of information, it is lack of dedication.  Hosea 11:1-9 is a beautiful picture of how God yearns for His people. “When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son.  The more they called them,  The more they went from them; They kept sacrificing to the Baals  And burning incense to idols. Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; But they did not know that I healed them.  I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them. They will not return to the land of Egypt; But Assyria—he will be their king Because they refused to return to Me. The sword will whirl against their cities, And will demolish their gate bars And consume them because of their counsels. So My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him. How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled. I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath“  The Old Testament is filled with accounts of God’s mercy and love, as well as His loving judgment. Then look at a couple of verses in the New Testament “

So is God a God of love or God of judgment?  If we are honest with ourselves, we would admit discipline normally comes out of love.  Michael Ramsden, RZIM Apologist, states, “True love does not exist in the absence of judgment.  True love only exists in the presence of judgment.”  Just as I sit down with my sons and hand out discipline, so does God. Because I love them, I correct them and. I want to help them change their ways.

Think of this scenario: You come home to find our your spouse has been brutally murdered. Your children are torn to pieces. The police do their job and find the suspect. The criminal goes to trial and the judge says “You may go.” Whoa! What? Your family is dead. And the judge says “Don’t worry about it. You can go, criminal.” Is that just? No, but that is what we expect God to do with us, but not those who have wronged us.  Let’s go back to the trial. As the judge is about to say, “guilty” a man stands up and says “I will take the sentence.” The judge is shocked. The courtroom is shocked. “Do you know what you are asking for?” The innocent man nods. “Guilty. Take that man away.” That is exactly what Christ did for us.

So what happens when God shows mercy?  Is it fair for God to simply dismiss judgment when it is needed? God implements His mercy at the cost of His judgment.  It is only in Christianity does God implement his mercy through His justice.  It is in the justice of the cross! The sin is always paid for. Never is it merely dismissed.

The profession of prophet is all but extinct, but we are called to be His disciples, Matthew 28:19.  Though many of us will not be called to leave our country and spread the gospel we are called to spread it here.  We are in a unique time when the nations are flocking here.  In my very neighborhood, over 10 nations are represented.  We cannot stand idle.  We must lay aside any bias or bigotry.  1 John 4:8 “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (NASB).  We need to love on all people.  I can love because He loved me first. I am no more deserving of the gospel than anyone else.  Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith“ (NASB).  It is by nothing I did. When God calls me to action, I must act. When God calls me to Go, I must go.  How much greater the experience if I do so without dragging my feet.  Jonah was human. His story shows little difference from most of our lives.  I pray we can be obedient to love everyone we encounter and be bold in our proclamation of the good news.