Jonah 3:1-10 KJV And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. 4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? 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.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 KJV
1. HE KEEPS ON GIVING US CHANCES!
Jonah gets a second chance to obey Yahweh and do his duty! God is long suffering and willing to preserve, not willing that any should perish. He’s the God of second chances and third and so on!
Over and over again because of His mercy and patience we are given another chance to do the right thing, to walk the right path, to align ourselves to His will. When storms descend on you and circumstances rise up with gaping jaws to swallow you then you should first ask yourself if you are in His will.
When the winds are contrary
And the waves become scary
And everyone's pointing at you asking why
When conditions are critical
And the solution seems terminal
And it seem as though it's your time to die
It's time to remember
Yahweh's got your number
And stands ready to give you another try!
For He's the God of the second chance
And your life He wants to enhance
To remold the shapeless blob you've become
And redirect you to a new outcome
As you yield to His will
He'll say Peace, be still
And He'll help you to overcome!
The wicked need to be warned! Maybe the Ninevites were not aware that they were doing wrong. Maybe their concept of right and wrong was skewed in relation to the Righteousness of God. They had to be warned that they would die if they did not repent.
Jonah's message was simple and single "Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be destroyed" No talk of repentance, No offering of hope. Just a bare warning of impending doom! Is it that Jonah it appears, still did not want to give the Ninevites a promise of hope lest it gives them a chance to repent?
2. HIS SIGNS ARE PLAIN IF WE CARE TO SEE!
Luke 11:29-32 KJV And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Jonah's ministry was fully endorsed by Jesus.
Jonah was endorsed as a prophet
Jonah was endorsed as a sign to the Ninevites
Jonah was endorsed as having a successful mission.
How was Jonah a sign to the Ninevites?
Why did they repent en masse at Jonah's preaching? What made him so effective?
What is the physical appearance of a man who spent three days and nights in a fish's belly?
Did the testimony of the sailors have anything to do with Jonah's effectiveness?
Was there any such testimony that reached Nineveh before Jonah arrived?
1 Corinthians 1:18-24 KJV 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
IF WE WOULD HEAR GOD’S VOICE WE MUST FIRST GIVE HIM AN EAR!!!
3. SINCERE SUPPLICATION SECURES SALVATION!
The Ninevites not only believed God! They acted on it!
We see a very striking response to Jonah’s message of judgment and impending doom from no less a person than the king himself! Nineveh was facing a national crisis of doomsday proportions! The king not only heard the warning but he also believed the warning! He responded based on the warning and he staked everything on Yahweh's mercy. He had heard of Yahweh. What he heard caused him to respond accordingly.
Repent, humble yourself and pray! Did this king read God's Word to Solomon? If 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. 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV Whether he did or not he precisely followed Yahweh's instructions and brought to his city respite and deliverance!
And they were not even God’s people!!! Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Acts 10:34-35 KJV
God honors the faith of the king and his people! The king's faith came from hearing and believing God and His Word. He was not ashamed or embarrassed to throw himself on Yahweh's mercy. He was courageous enough to take righteous steps. As a result he saved his city from destruction in his lifetime.
Here's a king who was not too proud to acknowledge Yahweh and His warning. And this was not even a "Christian nation"! What does his response tell us about this king?
Oh the possibilities and potential when a nation's leader turn from efforts to please everyone heathen and call his nation to mandatory humbling, repentance and prayer before Yahweh! What a promise of release and revival and blessing awaits the one bold enough to ignore popular trends in favor of God!
God is indeed the God of a second chance! The God of patience and mercy!
How eager the Father must have been to take hold of the temple veil and rip it asunder from top to bottom at the instant His Beloved Son gave up his life to take away the sin of the world. No more waiting on ceremonies! No more going through the motions of ritualistic religion! No more hopeless despair and fatalistic resignation!
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 KJV
We can now move pass the mercy seat to the throne of grace for the Blood has been sprinkled and will not fade away! The price has been paid forever! We can approach with confidence that His Blood is eternally effective to gain us entrance into the heavenly atmosphere of His grace!
We can wrap ourselves around in His grace! We can glory in His loving embrace!
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 KJV
