Jonah 4:6 And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head… From the history of the prophet thus brought to a close we learn — I. NOT TO PRIZE EARTHLY COMFORTS TOO HIGHLY. Jonah finds comfort in life only from the gourd which God had suffered to grow up. Improve this. 1. Let us remember that all our comforts spring but from the earth. 2. Earthly comforts are only gourds; they rise up suddenly, and aa suddenly decay. 3. Earthly comforts have a worm at their root. They carry in themselves the seeds of their own dissolution. The very means by which we are supported in life have in them the seeds of disease, decay, and death. 4. Earthly comforts are short in their duration. As they rose like the gourd, so, like that, they may wither in a night. II. NOT TO BE GRIEVED OVERMUCH AT THE REMOVAL OF EARTHLY BLESSINGS. 1. Consider their real character. 2. We should believe that there is much wisdom and mercy in their removal. 3. Remember that God can either restore these things to us, or give us better in their stead. 4. We should look forward to a better and more enduring substance. III. LEARN FROM OUR OWN TROUBLES TO FEEL FOR OTHERS. 1. Learn to pity those who have not such comforts as we have. 2. To mourn on account of those who are losing their souls. Let the people of God seek resignation to His will. (W. Cooper.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. |
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