Justice and Mercy

The book of Jonah is very short, but these 4 brief chapters contain a whale of a tale.

God called Jonah to go to a city called Nineveh and proclaim its imminent destruction as a result of the sinfulness of the people. Jonah did not like the people of Nineveh and he did not want God to be merciful to them, so he headed in a different direction and purchased a boat ride to a different town. When God sent a violent storm Jonah admitted he was the cause and convinced the others on the boat to toss him into the water. They reluctantly threw Jonah overboard and, although the storm calmed, they immediately prayed for forgiveness because they feared they had killed an innocent man. Jonah found himself in the belly of a huge fish, and he too prayed, but not for forgiveness. Jonah praised the goodness and power of God and finally set aside his own will to do what God had called Jonah to do.

9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,

will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ (Jonah 2:9)

Then after 3 days and nights Jonah was released on dry land. This time when God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah went and proclaimed that in 40 days Nineveh would be overthrown. The people believed and, as an entire community, they fasted and turned from their sinful ways in the hope that God would have compassion. God did. God does. God will

After John the Baptist was jailed, Jesus took up John's (and Jonah's) message of repentance. Those who would become Jesus' disciples left all they knew to reach the least, the last and the lost.

Often we, like Jonah, want justice for others and mercy for ourselves.

God's justice and mercy go hand in hand. Justice says "the wages of sin is death". Mercy moved God to pay the penalty on our behalf. We can trust God's justice and rest in God's mercy.

Praise God.

8 Trust in him at all times, you people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge.

9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,

the highborn are but a lie.

If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;

together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion

or put vain hope in stolen goods;

though your riches increase,

do not set your heart on them.