Jonah 3:1-10 [The King and the People of Nineveh Who Turned Back]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. In the passage above, how did the people and king of the great city of Nineveh receive the word that Jonah preached, and how did they act after hearing his word (vv. 5-9)?

2. At that time, Nineveh was a "great city," and therefore it could easily have fallen into pride. Nevertheless, the people and king of Nineveh did not dismiss Jonah’s word as merely the word of one man. Rather, they received his word as the word of God, believed it, and humbly repented by faith (v. 5, 1 Thess. 2:13). Please read the contrasting passage below.

Genesis 19:12-14 "12And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law."

This passage is a clear example that shows why the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah could not avoid destruction. Even Lot’s sons-in-law, who were his own family, regarded the word of God delivered by Lot as “mocking.” This shows that in that city at that time, there was no discernment or fear of the word of God at all. In the end, not only Lot’s sons-in-law, who regarded his word as a joke, but all the people dwelling in Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed (Gen. 19:22-33).

3. In truth, the people and king of Nineveh had only heard through Jonah that Nineveh would be overthrown after forty days (v. 4). They had not heard any hopeful word that if they repented and turned back, God would spare them. Therefore, it could have been easy for them to give up, saying, “It is over! It is too late!” Or, on the contrary, their hearts could have become hardened, saying with a bitter heart, “If we die, then we die!” However, the people and king of Nineveh neither gave themselves up to despair nor hardened their hearts. Instead, thinking that perhaps God might turn from His purpose, they prayed earnestly and turned from their evil way and from the violence that was in their hands (vv. 7-9).

[Decision and Application]

Just as the king of Nineveh said, relying on the mercy and compassion of God, “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” we also must not give up or harden our hearts when we hear the word of God. Rather, we must humbly turn back and repent by faith. Even if we are rebuked and put to shame by the word of God, we must humbly heed the word of God, which He allows us to hear for our profit. This is because the very time we hear the word of God can become for us the accepted time and the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:1-2). As with the people and king of Nineveh, when people humbly repent in the name of Jesus before the word of Jesus (Luke 24:47), God will also relent concerning the disaster He said He would bring upon them (v. 10).

2 Chronicles 7:14-16 "14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually."

And just as Nineveh was a great city at that time, even if I am now doing great things and everything seems to be going well, we must never become proud. We must always know how to “fear” the word of God. To fear means to honor it with reverent awe. Therefore, before the word of God, we must never put forward our pride. Rather, like the king of Nineveh, we must humbly rely on the kindness and mercy of Jesus.

Joel 2:12-14 "12Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?"

Amen.