Jonah 1-4   Even though Jonah clearly knew God and clearly knew what he was called to do... somehow he thought he could flee from His presence.

Jonah feared God and knew Him to be "the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land." v9
Jonah knew that the storm was because of his disobedience.  v10
Jonah knew that if they threw him overboard that the storm would stop. v12
Jonah knew that God would hear his prayer. 2:2
Jonah knew that Nineveh was an evil city... and that a message from God would effect them.
Jonah knew that God is " a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and one who relents concerning calamity." 4:2

Jonah was an unwilling messenger of grace.  Even after he received God's grace in the belly of the fish.. he still was angry that the people of Nineveh repented.  Do we lack that same compassion on the lost?

The gospel of salvation was grudgingly preached to the people of Nineveh and they heard it and repented.
3:5  They "believed in God". 
        They humbled themselves with "a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them."
3:8  They called "on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked ways and from the violence which is in his hands." 

3:10 " When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared. "
4:11 God had compassion on Nineveh.. especially the 120,000 children "who do not know the difference between their right and left hand." 

Jesus reminded the scribes and Pharisees of Jonah's life and message in Matthew 12: 38-41.  They wanted a sign.  They wanted a specific miracle, and Jesus refused to please them.. knowing that nothing would satisfy them, for they refused to believe.  Jesus did point them to the 3 days and nights that Jonah was in the fish's belly and told them that He would be in the "heart of the earth" for the same amount of time... A sign that they still refused to believe.  Because of their unbelief, Jesus told them, "The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgement and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold something greater than Jonah is here." 

What an amazing thing - an evil, violent, enemy country repented due to a message from a reluctant, depressed, angry prophet...  while, the religious leaders of God's own people refused to repent of their unbelief in the presence of God Himself!

Father in heaven, God of compassion and grace, we revere and honor Your holy Name.  How thankful we are for the Word of salvation that leads us to repent and to believe in Christ Jesus who died to save us from all our sins. May our hearts be cleansed from all unrighteousness and unbelief.  May we have compassion on the lost and love for our enemies.  Open our eyes to see You and to know You fully.  In the name of Jesus we pray. amen.