The answer is: He was angry

Jonah 4:1 - Jonah felt that they should still be destroyed. He thought he knew how to govern better than God.

Jonah's moodiness is quite a fascinating aspect of this story! As you dive into Jonah 4:1, you immediately see that his anger wasn't just a little grumble; it was a full-blown tantrum because the people of Nineveh repented. Imagine where you're rooting for the underdog, like a superhero saving the day, only for the bad guys to turn good at the last moment. Jonah fancied himself the moral compass, misjudging God’s mercy as favoritism. In this context, he engages in a little role reversal—thinking he could decide who deserves judgment.

The whole episode teaches us about the complicated nature of mercy and grace. Like Hudson Taylor once said, "All God's giants have been weak men." Jonah, despite being the prophet expected to guide others, is facing his own frailty and pettiness.

And let’s not overlook Nineveh’s culture. They were steeped in various beliefs, quite different from Israel's traditions. This narrative nudges us to consider how sometimes, grace may challenge our perspectives. Trivia alert: did you know Nineveh was enraged and notorious for its brutality? They surely didn’t fit the mold for “worthy” recipients of God's grace, raising this question—who defines our ‘deserving’ package?

So, Jonah’s story just might be the first of many where forgiveness doesn’t neatly fit into expectations, leaving our notions of “who’s in” and “who’s out” rather wobbly!