It took me a while before I realized why Jonah ran away from God when he was sent to Nineveh. The picture became clear in chapter four. When God told him he would destroy Nineveh because of their sins, he knew God could do what he said but he also he knew God could restrain from his wrath if the people repent because he is a merciful father who doesn't delight in the death of sinners.

Jonah knew that If the people repented of their sins, his prophecy of Judgement would not come to pass thereby making him look like a false prophet. So he decided to run away from God's instruction to go to Nineveh. Actually, he wanted the people destroyed because of their sins. Even after he prophesied about the destruction of Nineveh, he wasn't expecting the people to repent neither was he expecting God to show them mercy. He was concerned about the fulfilment of his prophecy than he was about the preservation of souls.

"So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people"( Jonah 4:2NLT)

You see, as a prophet that he was, he was concerned about the fulfilment of his prophecy of doom and destruction than he was about God showing the people mercy. He was angry that God showed mercy to the people of Nineveh. Look at what he said in verse 3: "Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive IF WHAT I PREDICTED WILL NOT HAPPEN".

Some of us are like Jonah. We want God to execute judgement on sinners so that we can make statements like: "I said it", "I predicted it". Some prophets are like Jonah too. Their desire is to see the fulfilment of their negative prophecies. They fear that If what they say didn't come to pass, people will tag them fake. Those are untrained prophets.

A trained prophet knows that some prophecies are conditional even when God doesn't reveal the conditions for its fulfilment. When it comes to judgment and wrath of God due to sins, repentance is powerful to restrain judgement. Not all propheciess of doom and destruction must come to pass If the people repent. Our God is merciful.

Do not be upset at God's mercy upon sinners. God doesn't joke with repentance. When sinners truly repent of their sins like the people of Nineveh did, God can show mercy. We should rejoice seeing God's mercy and mourn when we see judgement. As much as it is within our power, we should let sinners know that judgement can be averted If they repent.