The first mention of anger in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 4. Cain became bitter at God, then at his brother Abel. God gave him an opportunity to repent, but Cain was too proud. His bitterness fueled his hatred, and he committed the first murder.

What is bitterness? extreme enmity, grudge, hatred; or rather an excessive degree or implacableness of passions and emotions; as the bitterness of anger.

Who are some bible characters who experienced anger and bitterness?

Cain, Esau, Naomi, Hannah, Absalom, Jezebel, Jonah

• What is the process of becoming bitter?
• Who does bitterness harm the most?
• If you remain bitter, where is your focus?

Last week, on the news I saw where a police officer shot a handicapped man nine times in the back and side, because that man wouldn’t give up his knife. I wonder if the police officer had become angry. Did anger have any impact on his decision? How is this incident going to affect his life?

Years ago, I knew a twenty-year-old man who was at a party and saw someone flirting with his girlfriend. He went home, got his gun, and killed the man. How does this incident affect the rest of his life?

When you are angry and bitter with another person, what do you want to happen to that person?

• Proverbs 17:5 … and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
• Job 31:29-30 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

According to Solomon and Job, we are not to wish evil or harm on anyone, even those with whom we are angry with.

How do we get rid of anger and bitterness?

We must humble ourselves and submit to God.

• Romans 12:18-21 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

When we work at retribution, then in a way we tie the hands of God. When we are humble before God and “let” him do His work, then evil will be overcome. Evil will overcome us if we try to settle the score. Our goal should be peace and reconciliation.

I want us to study how anger affected Jonah. Jonah was a bitter man. The Assyrians were the enemy of the Israelites. Their army was very wicked and cruel. Jonah hated the Assyrians. But God loved them and wanted them to learn about God. God told Jonah to go and preach to the Assyrians in the city of Nineveh. Instead of travelling northwest to Nineveh, Jonah got on a boat going west. God intervened. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish that spit Jonah out on dry ground. Jonah finally went to Nineveh and preached in Nineveh. The whole city of over 120,000 repented and turned to God, but Jonah wasn’t happy. He didn’t want the city to repent. He wanted God to destroy the city. He climbed up a high hill that overlooked the city, waiting for God to destroy the city. But God did not destroy the city, so Jonah was miserable. He had more compassion for a gourd that had given him shade than for the people.

• Jonah 4:1-4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

What was the process for Jonah to become bitter?

Who did Jonah’s bitterness harm the most?

Where was Jonah’s focus? Where is your focus when you are bitter?

• Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
• 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The Bible doesn’t let us know whether Jonah listened to God or not. God chastised Jonah for being more concerned over a gourd than over people. Let’s care about the people who offend us. God cares. Seek peace and reconciliation.