Rick sees Jonah after he preaches to the people of Nineveh. Grandfather tells him that Jonah likes to preach of their destruction because he wants them to be destroyed. The worse they feel, the happier it makes HIM feel. But, to his surprise, they repent and are saved from destruction! Jonah asks that the Lord dishes out his punishment as He said he would. But when the Lord doesn't (because they repented at the last minute) Jonah gets angry. This is where the story of Jonah ends. The Lord asks Jonah a questions and He is left waiting for the answer. The stops because Jonah's answer is only important to Jonah, not us. What is important to us is our answer to the Lord's question. Rick asks, "What's the question?" His father responds with "Should not I spare Nineveh?"
When we want "punishment" to come to someone, and the LORD feels they have repented, should He continue to "punish" them?
Grandfather lays out the sequence of events for Rick to see before him:
1. The Lord commands Jonah to preach against the wicked Ninevites.
2. Jonah sins, not wanting Nineveh to be saved.
3. Jonah reprents and the Lord saves Jonah.
3. Nineveh repents and the Lord saves Nineveh.
2. Jonah sins, not wanting Nineveh to be saved.
1. The Lord asks Jonah: Should not I spare Nineveh?
The discussion continues with the form of writing called "chiasms." What I thought was interesting was when Grandfather said he didn't know anything about this until he came HERE, which tells me we still learn while in heaven.
Grandfather continues to guide Rick to see that if he deserves forgiveness, then so did Nineveh, and if they shouldn't be spare, whom else should not be spared?
"Youyre saying that if Jonah can't be happy at the thought of Nineveh's salvation, then he makes HIMSELF unworthy of salvation."
But as Grandfather reminds him, everyone is unworthy of salvation. Salvation is an act of mercy. Mercy can be extended only to those who are willing to extend it themselves. Isn't that a grand statement? If we want mercy and forgiveness, we must extend it to others. That is what we are here for, to learn to forgive. I have need of forgiveness, so therefore, I must forgive others.
Grandfather also explains that the important verses of the Book of Jonah appears in the middle of the center eements of the chiasm, with 24 verses preceding it and twenty-three verses following.
Quote from the book: "Jonah sits in that booth observing lying vanities: He has forgotten his own prior sin; he has forgotten the mercy extended to him by the mariners, who tried to spare him even when they knew he was the cause of their troubles; he has forgotten the ultimate mercy of the Lord, who delivered him even though he didn't deserve it; and he is therefore blind to his own"Nineveh-ness" - to how he, himself, is Nineveh. Failing to see moercifully, his heart, mind, and eyes are lying to him. All he can see is that he is 'right,' 'entitled,' 'deserving.' Observing 'lying vanieties,' he is in danger of 'forsaking his own mercy.' And feeling no personal mercy, he is locked in despair."
As Grandfather says, is there any way "I" am forgetting my own sins? Any way I am not seeing the mercies that others have shown to me? Any way that I am forgetting the Lord? Any way that I have become blind to my own Nineveh-ness? Any way that I persist in feeling entitled?
My own escape from despair lies in my answer to these questions. So why is it so hard to answer? Because I am afraid if I answer one way I am not being truthful myself. How do I know which way I am? Not that I am "entitled" but that I am innocent in some ways others think I am not. Does that make me "un-humble"?
I see things going on in my own family that I know are mistaken judgements, and what can I do about it? By trying to help others see am I closing my own eyes? I just don't know how to come to a conclusion about it. I am standing at the fork in the road and just don't know which way to turn.
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