A Season of Restraint
Scripture Reference: Jonah 3:1-10
Introduction-
Ater our prayer service last Sunday concerning the election, I was cleaning up and thinking about how the service went.
My next thought was- what will I say next week?
I took it to God and asked, “What should I say?”
I felt very led to directly speak about the results, but then realized I might not even know until Thursday or Friday the way the last few elections have gone, giving me very little time to prepare as I’m working Thursday-Monday.
I was reminded me of a story I read about WWII.
On the evening of June 5th, 1944, General Dwight Eisenhower sat down at his desk and wrote two letters to President Franklin Roosevelt.
The first letter he wrote said this-
“Our landings in France have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops," Eisenhower wrote. "My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt… it is mine alone."
The second letter he wrote was to report that the D-Day invasion had been a success, and the Allied Armies had established the foothold they needed to drive the Germans back.
I felt the same way about the election – I felt like I had to write two sermons and have them ready for either outcome.
Election Day came. I had actually taken the time off so I could stay up and watch the results. At about 1250am Wednesday, News Nation and the Fox Decision desk called Michigan for now President Elect Trump, bringing him over the 270 electoral college votes necessary to win.
I’m not a member of either political party, but would label myself a Christian conservative, so of the two candidates I thought that was great news. As I continued watching the news, I saw a lot of cheering and rejoicing happening.
I finally went to bed around 2am.
When I woke up late Wednesday Morning, I grabbed some caffeine and spent time in prayer about this result, and the Holy Spirit spoke into my heart this message for the church of America-
“The take-a-way from the election should be this- God has graciously given us one last season of restraint for us to get our act together.
Don't squander it.”
God heard the cries of the church throughout our country, and moved his sovereign hand to guide the outcome.
However, this was NOT a victory, it was a reprieve.
Judgment was coming, and God heard the prayers from across this nation, and put it on hold.
There is a great example in the bible of another nation that faced the same thing. In the Old Testament, there was a superpower called the Assyrian Empire that was starting to look at Israel as it’s next conquest. It’s capital was city named Ninevah, which is now the modern city of Mosul in Northern Iraq.
The name Ninevah might ring a bell.
Most of us are familiar with the story of Jonah and the Whale. In Jonah’s story, and we always focus on the big fish, but that isn’t the important lesson.
God calls Jonah to go to Assyria, to his capital city Ninevah, and go up and down the city streets proclaiming that the Hebrew God is about to destroy them.
The Assyrian empire was a very wicked nation. Everything associated with Canaanite worship was on full display- horrific abuse of slaves both men and women, child sacrifice, and lascivious worship practices. It was just about as satanic as you can get- so from Jonah’s perspective not only did they deserve the Sodom and Gomorrah treatment of fire and brimstone, If God destroyed them it would also take out the nation that he knew God was calling to punish Israel for their sins.
That’s why Jonah ran in the opposite direction. He WANTED God to destroy them. He wanted to save Israel, even though Israel was starting to commit the same sins that Assyria was doing.
That’s the background of Jonah, and we have all heard the story of the whale. Today we will be looking at what happened after the fish spit him out.
In Jonah’s journey to Nineveh, we find a beautiful picture of a God who grants not just mercy, but a season of restraint from judgment.
Jonah 3:3-10
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city — a visit required three days. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh:
"By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
NIV
Prayer
I love this biblical account because it shows the father heart of God.
The first thing we see is-
1. God’s Reluctance to Judge (Jonah 1:1-3)
At the outset, God called Jonah to deliver a message of warning to the people of Nineveh. Though their deeds warranted judgment, God first extended an invitation for repentance. God could have sent judgment immediately, but He chose to send a prophet with a warning instead.
That’s the first thing we see in this scripture, and throughout the entire biblical narrative-
God’s heart is not eager to bring punishment. 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us that God is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Ezek 33:11
'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.
In Jonah’s story, we see a God who is reluctant to judge without first offering a chance to change.
The Bible is filled with examples where God delays judgment to allow space for repentance and transformation. The Lord is patient and gives opportunities, even to those who seem farthest from Him.
God calls ALL people to repentance because He does not delight in punishment, but because He delights in mercy.
When we pray to God, we say “Our Father”, and like any good father, HE examines the lives of HIS children for things that will cause them harm in the long run, and then act to change that behavior.
That is why God judges sin- not because he is gleefully rubbing his hands together, or spending eternity polishing lightning bolts to throw at people, but because he knows the wages of sin is death.
Jesus is very adamant about this.
In the bible version called The Message, Jesus said this in Matthew 18:9
“If your hand or your foot gets in the way of God, chop it off and throw it away. You’re better off maimed or lame and alive than the proud owners of two hands and two feet, godless in a furnace of eternal fire. And if your eye distracts you from God, pull it out and throw it away. You’re better off one-eyed and alive than exercising your twenty-twenty vision from inside the fire of hell.
That is the message that God is sending Jonah to Ninevah to preach, and what HE is saying to us today.
For all of us who are biblical Christians-
Don’t celebrate the win without considering the why.
God is giving us one final season of restraint.
Don’t blow it.
That is also what is happening here in the account of Jonah- God’s giving them one last chance to repent before he is forced to destroy Assyria to keep their sinful influence from spreading any further.
Because of their reaction to Jonah’s Message, they received a-
3. A Season of Restraint (Jonah 3:5-10)
When Jonah finally obeyed God and preached in Nineveh, the people responded with profound repentance. From the king to the animals, they fasted, put on sackcloth, and earnestly cried out for God’s mercy.
In response, God withheld the judgment He had planned. He granted Nineveh a season of restraint, holding back His wrath and giving them a chance to change.
This period of restraint was not merely God “overlooking” sin but was an intentional pause in judgment to allow for transformation. God’s restraint creates space for new beginnings and restored relationships.
In our lives, too, there are times when God grants us this season of restraint—a time when He could judge and send calamity into our lives but instead extends grace, inviting us to come closer and grow in holiness and righteousness.
However, We should remember that God’s patience with us is not endless. This season of restraint is a sacred opportunity to turn back to Him fully.
I’ll come back to this thought in a moment, let’s first look at
Jonah’s response to God’s mercy-
2. Jonah’s Reluctance to Show Mercy (Jonah 4:1-4)
Jonah 4:1-6
4 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, "O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."
4 But the Lord replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"
5 Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.
NIV
Jonah’s story is one of reluctant obedience.
Remember, he ran in the opposite direction when God called him to Ninevah.
He was deeply troubled that God would even consider sparing this wicked city and missed the point-
God’s heart is a heart of compassion and mercy for all nations.
Jonah’s reluctance to deliver God’s message reflects a common human attitude: we often want mercy for ourselves but justice for others.
But here is the problem many of us have-
God's mercy extends far beyond our preferences.
This shows us that mercy is not based on merit but is a reflection of God’s character. If we have experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we are called to embody that same compassion toward others.
I want to point out one more thing about this season of restraint.
This season of restraint has it’s limits.
About 100 years after Jonah delivered his message to Ninevah, another prophet named Nahum returned to Ninevah. He preached the coming destruction of their nation, and soon afterward, they were completely annihilated by the Babylonian Empire.
What are the lessons we can take from this for today?
Remember what I said earlier that God had shown me-
“The take-a-way from the election should be this- God has graciously given us one last season of restraint for us to get our act together.
Don't squander it.”
4. Lessons for Us Today:
Like the people of Nineveh, we live in a season of restraint and grace.
Every day we wake up, we should thank our Father for his mercy and restraint. Rather than taking this for granted, we should respond like the Ninevites did—with humility, repentance, and a renewed commitment to righteousness.
Let’s break that down a little further.
Repentance: Just as Nineveh humbled themselves before God, we must regularly examine our hearts and turn away from anything that separates us from Him.
Your secret sin is not secret before God. He is all knowing, all seeing, and all powerful. He knows the thoughts of your heart, and your plans before they even pop into your head.
Press into HIM for your peace, your fulfillment, and your joy. Put aside your favorite and secret sin- whatever it is
It’s just the devil’s counterfeits for the joy and presence of God in your life.
Learn to live a life of thanksgiving and of gratitude: We should recognize that each day from here now and until we stand before HIM is a gift of God’s mercy.
Start each day writing down things you are thankful for, and praise him for them if you want to discover real joy.
We should also share this Message of Mercy:
We are called, like Jonah, to share the message of God’s mercy with those around us.
Let us not be hard hearted like Jonah was- climbing a hill for ringside seats to the fire and brimstone, but finding ourselves among the lost people
living in such a way that it reflect HIS love and character of mercy and grace.
Just as we have experienced this season of restraint and grace, let us show and share that with others.
If we know about this season of grace, how can we keep it to ourselves?
Finally, let God’s heart of compassion guide us: Just as God showed compassion to Nineveh, we are to extend that same compassion to others.
Let’s remember that everyone we meet is living in God’s season of restraint and has a chance to know His mercy.
Conclusion:
As we live in this season of restraint, let us use it wisely—responding with repentance, walking in gratitude, and sharing His love. Remember, God’s mercy invites us to grow closer to Him.
May we never take His patience for granted but use it as an opportunity to deepen our relationship with Him and shine His light to others.
Altar call- *Song* Good, Good Father
