The Jonah Feeling - Thoughts From An Old Story

[Tertiusgaudens Profile]

Biblical stories are somewhat archaic soul stories. Besides any chronological approach (which is indeeed problematic in our modern terms) biblical stories tell of life experiences, struggles, possible solutions and dealing with the unsolved. In this the Bible has helped countless people over the ages in dealing with their lives.

It is not simply done by literally telling those stories, but sensing similar life patterns. In this the term "verbum dei" (word of God) is effective and makes sense, but not all the time. It has also to do with inner feelings of life flows and is a bit magical too. Often we do not know, why a biblical story is right fitting into a life situation and how it works as help and comfort.

I came to the Jonah feeling while feeling my involvement here at dtv. At one hand I felt a deep satisfaction because of the stuff I find here and at other places. This is holy to me.

At the other hand I felt a growing rage against stupid und lazy people, which give a fuck on knowledge and growing in my view.

Satisfaction here and rage there, and in all the grace of God seems to lay upon many of those I consider blind - how could I deal with such strifle?

Recently I came again to Jonah. Some days later I was walking trough my city and saw many sad faces passing by. And It became clear to me, that I suffer from similar thoughts like in the Jonah story.

Jonah got mad on God, because he was gracious to - in Jonah`s view "the rotten people of Niniveh". And I get mad on people, because they do not wake up (in my view) and live a life, as though they would be under God`s protection and grace!

I have observed, that the most angry people in our society are religious ones. I assume, their rage comes - like mine - from that same Jonah feeling I described. It`s a kind of jealousy, that God is not punishing those, which are not awaken in their view. And is not such jealousy actually envy? Envy, because unawakened people (in our view) are blessed and loved and live often good lives?

Rage, anger, jealousy and envy - this is the message of the Jonah feeling, I assume! And those, who consider themselves awakened, should know those connections and links.

I am aware of this now. And the Jonah story was a key to me. I just wanted to share this. I am a rage man too as many in here at dtv, and I hope this is no exaggeration...

Here is the Jonah story in short:

Jonah 1
Jonah Flees From the LORD
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.

15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.

Jonah 2
10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Jonah 3
Jonah Goes to Nineveh
1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh.

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 4
Jonah’s Anger at the LORD’s Compassion
1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

4 But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant[c] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

10 But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

In another post on Jonah I mentioned the deep symbolism of that little book - it symbolizes in short old testamant theology: the shift from tribalism to universalism or: Israel and his God is opening to the world.

[Tertiusgaudens Profile]

Again I ask you to read Shakespeare`s Macbeth anew, for it is a rage story, in which all features I mentioned play a role.

[Cornbread714 Profile]

Wow.

Nice sermon, TG.