We read in Jonah 3:3-4, “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. 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.” (ERV)
The message that Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh was that in just forty days the city of Nineveh would be destroyed by God.
Often the words that proceed from God’s presence, are words of warning. Nowadays, people are apprehensive or hesitant to speak these words of caution, because they do not want to cause any sort of an upheaval. If we were to ponder about it, the lack of caution will certainly lead us into all kinds of dangers. For example, we live in a hill station called Ooty, in South India, and there is one section of the hills that is extremely steep. Generally, when one is travelling down that hill, there are numerous sign boards with instructions that drivers need to adhere to. The ones who can travel safely through that stretch, are those who will give heed to these signboards, and drive accordingly. However, the ones who do not pay attention to these are likely to land up in trouble.
These days the sound of these warning are slowly fading away, as people do not want to be those voices, who will give admonition to those who are going astray. Whenever, humanity is going down the wrong road, oftentimes God will intervene to alert us in various ways, so we can get back on track. This is only because God desires that none should perish, and that all should receive the good things that God has in store for us not only for this life, but for eternal life that is ahead of them.
God’s patience is for our repentance
We read in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord isn't slow to do what he promised, as some people think. Rather, he is patient for your sake. He doesn't want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act.” (GW)
Let me explain this verse to you in detail. The Lord is eager that every human being should take stock of their lives, and be wary about the destination that they are heading towards. In days gone by, society as a whole frowned upon certain behaviors, but sadly, today we are living in days where caution is thrown out the window, and people don’t seem to bother about these values anymore. It is important that we should believe, and obey those things that the word of God approves, for only then will our life be meaningful and blessed. God’s will for man is that no one should be destroyed, but that everyone should change their ways, to think, act and live in accordance to God’s will and plan.
God commands that we repent
In Acts 17:30, we read, "God overlooked the times when people didn't know any better. But now he commands everyone everywhere to turn to him and change the way they think and act.” (GW)
In the previous verse we understood that it was God’s desire that man should repent of his sinful ways. This is so because God knows that where there is repentance, there is most certainly change of ways to become what God ordained us to be. However, in the above mentioned verse, God commands that everyone should turn to Him, and change the way they think and act. All of us know that a command is different from a request. These are days when if people are confronted about their faults, the majority will not accept, but will resist such an admonition.
God’s word is clear that when someone is overtaken in a fault, it is the duty of fellow believers to gently rebuke, so they can change their ways. It is sad that many parents too are hesitant to discipline their children in any way. They are apprehensive that their children would take some extreme steps, if they are reprimanded for bad behavior. It is important to bring up our children in the ways of the Lord, and to discipline them, whenever it is necessary. Though this discipline may seem painful at that time, it will surely yield good fruit in their lives later on. Every one of us as believers have a responsibility to help our fellow-believers, and to counsel them whenever they are going astray.
There are various ways in which people take the admonition that is given to them. Some will accept it without hesitation, but will continue to do the same things they did earlier. This is not repentance. Some people will struggle to try and overcome their weakness, which is a good thing. Repentance is a vital part of our spiritual growth, and to repent means to let go of all those things that God is displeased with. True repentance will certainly be followed by changes in the way one thinks and behaves.
Pharaoh’s repentance was short-term
We read in Exodus 9:27, “Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he told them. "The LORD is right, and my people and I are wrong.”(GW)
In this incident Pharaoh the king of Egypt had kept the Israelites enslaved for almost four hundred years. God sent Moses to Pharaoh and commanded that the people of Israel be set free. As Pharaoh continued to be hard hearted, and unwilling to release the people of Israel, God rained down hail upon the land of Egypt. The hailstones were so destructive that Pharaoh relented, and agreed that God was just, and that he and his people had sinned against God. Strangely, once this calamity was passed, there was no remorse or change in Pharaoh, for he reverted back to his old ways.
It is evident then that it is never the will of God that any man should be a slave of another. God has created us as human beings to enjoy the liberty and freedom that is due to each one of us. Woefully, there are many who are enslaved to other men, especially to leaders. They are so blindly obsessed by these men that they are willing to go to any extent, even to give up their lives, for the sake of the ideologies that these leaders profess. Those who are into such bondages, are unaware that they are putting their own lives in jeopardy.
There are many people like Pharaoh, who will instantly accept their wrong doing, but quickly revert to their old ways. These should be cautioned that this is to their own detriment, and is not true repentance. We should be willing to let God show us areas where we need to change, and once we recognize them and repent of them, definite changes should be evident in our lives. If there is no change, then it is obvious that we are justifying the wrongs that we are doing.
Balaam rebelled against God’s word
We read in Numbers 22:34, Balaam replied, "I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me; but now if you think it is wrong for me to go on, I will return home." (GNB)
King Balak called for the prophet Balaam to curse the people of Israel. When Balaam enquired of the Lord if he could do this, God’s answer was forthright. God told Balaam that he should not curse the people of Israel, for they were God’s own people. When Balak the King of Moab, continued to pressurize Balaam, and allured him with gifts, Balaam shunned the word of God, and decided to do as King Balak suggested. The angel of the Lord blocked the path of the prophet, and blocked his progress. After this confrontation, Balaam was willing to change, and turn back if the Lord did not approve of his mission that he was on.
Whenever we decide to go against the word of God, be cautioned that God Himself will stand against us. It is a disheartening situation, if God should come against us, for no one can prevail against God. Therefore, it is wise to let go of those things that God doesn’t approve of, believing that it will always be for our good. Many read the word of God, but do not have a heart to obey, and hence place themselves in many vulnerable situations. We should be willing to accept God’s word as it is, and reject those things that God does not approve of. Let us remain firmly rooted in God’s word, so that our actions will change, and God can bless us. This change is extremely crucial for us, for our spiritual growth and maturity.
The lives of Pharaoh and Balaam teach us that to just acknowledge that we have done wrong is not repentance. Both of them accepted their wrongs, but did not change from their ways. True repentance is only when there is a genuine change in behavior. We too should long for real repentance, whereby there is a definite change in those areas where we have not been right with God. There are many who argue that they are unable to change. God will strengthen you in your weakness, and if you truly seek Him, the Lord will come alongside, and transform your life totally. If you are wasting your life on those things that God doesn’t approve of, seek His help, and He will grant you the grace and strength to be an overcomer.
Joseph sought for genuine repentance from his brothers
The book of Genesis in the bible, records the story of Joseph. Joseph’s own brothers, because of their intense hatred and jealousy towards him, threw Joseph into a pit, and later sold him as a slave. Though Joseph was meted out with injustice in many ways, all through his life he neither questioned God, nor wanted to quarrel and settle things with his brothers. Joseph’s faith in God was so firm that he believed that every evil that was aimed towards him, God would turn it for his good. God was with Joseph, and elevated him to be second in command to Pharaoh, King of Egypt.
It was during this time that there was a severe famine all over the world. Joseph’s brothers too had to go to Egypt, to find food for their families. Joseph identified his brother, but his brothers were unable to recognize who Joseph was initially. Joseph did something strange when his brothers came to buy food for themselves, and their families back home. In each of their sacks, Joseph replaced all of the money that they had paid towards the purchase of the grains, and in one of his brother’s sack he instructed his servant that the silver cup that he drank from, be kept in it. Once they left, Joseph sent his servants to pursue his brothers, to enquire as to why they stole the silver cup. The brothers are terrified, and denied that they had taken the cup, not knowing that this was Joseph’s little ploy. They are shocked to find that the cup was in one of their sacks, and they returned back to Joseph.
Joseph now tested them to see if his brothers were still the same, or if they had a genuine change of heart after these many years. The brothers indeed were repentant, united and unwilling to let any harm come to their other brother in whose sack the silver cup was found. Joseph was able to perceive that the transformation in his brothers was genuine.
Whenever we hear the word of God cautioning us about something, we first repent and the next thing we need to ask God is how this change should be exhibited in our lives.
The message of John the Baptist on repentance
John the Baptist was a bold messenger of God’s word who did not fear to preach the word as God instructed him to.
• To the Pharisees and Sadducees
These are the words of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:7-8, But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, "You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God's coming anger? Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. (GW)
The Pharisees and Sadducees were religious leaders, who pretended to be so righteous. When Jesus was here on earth, this was the one group to whom He spoke to harshly, condemning their hypocrisy. Jesus was so gracious to anyone who was genuinely repentant, and sought to change their ways, but He always condemned these religious leaders who were hypocritical. They hid all of their sins and weaknesses, and appeared to be something on the outside, just so they can win the approval of men, and gain a standing among them. Jesus referred to them as white washed tombs that looked beautiful on the outside, but was actually foul smelling and full of dead men’s bones.
The Pharisees and Sadducees approached John the Baptist to be baptized. These days a person gets baptized when they realize that they are a sinner who need of a Saviour, and they believe that Jesus is the one who can redeem them from their sins. However, in the days of John the Baptist, those who came to John the Baptist for baptism did so because they wanted to profess that they had left their old ways, and were now wanting to lead a new life.
John the Baptist addressed these religious leaders as a brood of vipers. I believe the reason John the Baptist did so, was because he wanted to really know, if their repentance was genuine. John the Baptist had to admonish them that if they did not have a sincere change of heart, and if they justified all the wrongs they did, there would be no way to escape God’s divine judgement on them. John also wanted to know who had actually motivated them to take this step of turning from their wicked ways. These religious leaders could have gotten angry or annoyed with these strong words of John the Baptist, but instead these men who came to him actually were genuine in wanting to change their ways. John then added that since they had a change of heart, the fruit of repentance should be evident in their lives, by the change in the way they think and act.
There are many who are hesitant to speak the word of God boldly, only because they think that people will not accept them. The fact is that when we speak the word of God as He instructs us to, many will come willingly, and give heed to the same. Most of the preaching today is aimed at making people happy, and the voice of caution is slowly ebbing away. Often we take many decisions to change our ways, but sadly continue in our same old ways. When we approach the Lord with true repentance, and confess all of our sins and short comings, the Lord is willing to forgive us of all our sins. God will give us the needed help and strength, and will help us overcome all of our weaknesses.
• To the crowds
We read in Luke 3:10-11, And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise. (ESV)
The people who approached John the Baptist, were sincerely wanting to make changes in their lives. John the Baptist exhorted them to share with others basic things like clothes and food.
There are many who have so much, but have no heart to share with those in need. It is only when we are ready to share and bless others, do we signify that there is a legitimate change in our lives.
• To the tax collectors
We also read in Luke 3:12-13, Some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He told them, "Don't collect more money than you are ordered to collect." (GW)
In this case the tax collectors came to John the Baptist were repentant, wanted to be baptized, and also wanted to know the things that they need to set right in their lives. John the Baptist counseled them to not extort more taxes than was due from the people. It was the practice of these tax collectors to cheat the people, overcharge them, and thereby make themselves rich. They misused the authority that God had entrusted to them. John the Baptist knew what needed to be set right for these men, and advised them accordingly.
• To the soldiers
We also read in Luke 3:14, Some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone." (GNB)
These soldiers who were supposed to implement law and order also approached John the Baptist, and wanted to have a change of lifestyle. John the Baptist warned them that they should not misuse the authority endowed on them, and threaten or ill-treat people. He also cautioned them to not blackmail or falsely accuse people who were innocent.
It is a fact that when we preach the word of God as we should all kinds of peoples will come to the Lord. We notice how the religious leaders, the crowds, tax collectors and soldiers all working in various fields approached John the Baptist with a repentant heart, and wanted to have a change in their lives. This is so true for our situations today too.
Just take a look at the social media, just because we have freedom of speech it does not permit us to spread false reports, and corrupt the minds of people. It is good to become famous by speaking the truth, and sharing information that is beneficial to others. Sadly, many want to gain popularity by condemning or defaming other people. Let us be reminded that Satan is the one who condemns, and those who involve in this are surely his messengers.
Let me explain the difference between the way God deals with us, and the way Satan does. When God convicts a person about their sins, it is for the sole purpose that they will repent, and be changed. On the other hand, Satan will remind a person about their sins only to condemn, and to make them feel more miserable and helpless. Therefore, we too are called to share the word of God, and lead people in the path of righteousness. Let us be those who share the truth alone, and even if we have to confront someone about their faults, may we learn to do so with love. The only purpose is that the one who is going astray should come back to the right path, and we will be able to save their souls from destruction. Contrarily if we confront someone, just for the sake of condemning them or demeaning them, then sadly we too become instruments of the evil one. When we see the wrongs of others, let us not ignore it, but rather with genuine love lead them back into the path of righteousness.
May God help us to search ourselves, and repent of all those things that displease Him. Let us constantly heed His warnings, and be willing to make changes in our thoughts and actions. We should also be the voice of God to those who are going astray, and gently restore them back into fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
