Jonah 4:8

"And it came to pass, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live."

Paul also had a similar thought:

"But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better: yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake" (Philippians 1:23,24).

This is the third miracle in as many verses, the gourd and the worm having already been cited. It is a blind and unlearned objection, however, which fails to see the connection which these lesser wonders have with the central event of the book, Jonah's delivery from death. These lesser wonders are not capricious, unnecessary, or useless miracles at all. For an elaboration of the greater meaning of these supernatural events as they stand related to God's eternal purpose, see under, Jonah, the Great Old Testament Type, at the end of this chapter.