Sons of Thunder

Who were the brothers that were known as the Son's of Thunder and how are their actions towards the Samaritans typical of how Christians act today? I mentioned in my post Hell Fire that every time I hear someone speaking about hell fire and burning sinners I think of Jonah. You know the story of the prophet Jonah right? Jonah was essentially guilty of the same callousness that the Son's of Thunder were guilty of. As always, let us look into the Word of God for the truth.

The Son's of Thunder are none other than two Disciples of Christ, James and John. Mark 3:17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: (KJV)

Let's look at the disciples actions and how Christ responded. Luke 9:51-56 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he [Jesus Christ] should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. (KJV)

Think about what just happened, the Samaritans rejected Christ and His disciples. The Samaritans were descendants of Jacob, knew the law as shown by the Samaritan Woman at the well. John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship and John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. (KJV)

The Samaritans rejected Christ and would not receive Him. The Son's of Thunder, James and John, wanted Christ to allow them to bring fire from heaven and to consume them. Christ rebuked them saying, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." According to Christendom, the Samaritans will burn in Hell. They were offered an opportunity, yet they rejected their Lord and Savior.

James and John acted much like Jonah the prophet when God decided to spare Nineveh. Jonah 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. (KJV)

Jonah 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. (KJV)

Jonah knew that God was slow to anger, that He was a gracious God, and was merciful.  Jonah 4:2 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. (KJV) Jonah was upset that God made him go to Nineveh and give the city a warning from God. Because of their wickedness, God was going to destroy them. After Nineveh believed God and repented, Jonah was upset that God decided to spare them!

God replied: Jonah 4:11: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? (KJV)

How did Jesus really feel about the Samaritans? Did he love them? What did The Lord tell the Samaritan woman about praying? Let's look at John chapter 4. John 4:20, 23, 24 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship...But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (KJV)

Joh 4:25,26 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. (KJV) The disciples returned and were shocked that Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman. The Jews were above the Samaritans and looked down upon them. Obviously Christ loved them and He took the time to show them the true gospel (Greek. well message). The Lord said to worship in spirit and truth. Not Jerusalem, not the mountain, but in spirit and truth!

John 4:28-30 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. (KJV)

John 4:39-42 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. (KJV)

Once again we see that indeed, Christ is the Saviour of the world. The Word of God says so in many, many places. The Christians who act like the Son's of thunder and Jonah will say, "well, Saviour of the world does not really mean the world, not the whole world." That word you see there translated world in English is kosmoV, kosmos kos'-mos. It means, the world and all its inhabitants!

Don't be a Jonah! When someone wrongs you, or if they do not believe the way you do, if they are not your flavor of Baptist; Do not wish evil or God's judgment upon them, pray for them.

The next time you hear a preacher screaming hell fire and damnation, I bet you'll think about the Son's of Thunder!

Grace be with you!