Jonah 3:5–10 (NKJV) – So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
When Jonah came to Nineveh, the people were oblivious to the impending judgment of God on their wicked ways. They became deviant in their God-given existence and lived corrupted lives before Him, who in the beginning, made all things good. The Angels of Heaven or even Satan himself may have accused them before God. Their wickedness came up before God and prompted Him to move in an unprecedented way for the good of those outside of Israel (His chosen people). “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me (Jonah 1:2).”
The people of Nineveh were a part of the Assyrian empire. A nation that had Israel in their sights for conquest. No doubt Jonah’s disobedience was rooted in a deep hatred of the non-Jewish people, who in his mind were outside the House of Israel, and therefore not worth God’s attention — let alone, His mercy. It didn’t matter! God was determined to save Nineveh and its sinful inhabitants. He already knew that they deserved destruction. Nineveh was a town saturated with worldliness. They were no strangers to lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries (1 Peter 4:2+3). They were no strangers to excessive violence, to pride and arrogance, or to gossip and slander (Romans 1: 28-32). They were no strangers to the indebtedness of success and money or the power struggles within social classes (Luke 12:16-21). No doubt, they must have been acquainted and deeply involved with various social topics or lifestyles, as in our time.
When Jonah came to Nineveh, they had no idea that God had already seen the emptiness inside them. Like a storm in the distance that no one can see on a clear day; God was about to sweep through their hearts and minds with the lighting and thunder of His stern warning of impending destruction. He would unleash a tempest of conviction inside them that would ultimately turn them from their wickedness. In the end, His rains of mercy fell upon them and saved them. He saved them from futility and a darkened understanding of what right living is and revealed that through the humility of repentance, humanity is closer to God’s Holy Life. It is humanity’s ignorance and blindness of heart that prevents them from feeling the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:33).
Deuteronomy 10:12–13 – “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?
Even though God only references Israel in this Scripture, the same requirements are for us who believe and trust in Him. All of us know deep down inside that there is a right and wrong way to live our lives. When something isn’t right in us, it is as evident as a mismatched puzzle piece forced into place. I once heard a vile and perverse man say, “if my mom were here to see what I do she would skin me alive!” In this flippant statement, there is a sense of conviction, which he knows that the sin he does is not right. It’s not right to have three cell phones; one for your wife, one for your girlfriend, and one for your sexual hook-ups. It’s not right to use and manipulate people for selfish gain. It’s not right to lie, cheat, and steal. It’s not right to escape your problems with drugs or alcohol to the point where reality is swallowed up in the dark alterations of the mind. It’s not right to be violent towards people, verbally or physically. It’s not right to slander or gossip about others. It’s not right to serve and worship other gods when the one true God has already revealed Himself throughout history as being above all principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). These are all things that are easy for anyone to fall prey. One of the things I love the most about God is that He never judges me the way I judge myself, or the way others may rightly judge me. When I sin, He is faithful and just to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-10).
As long as we live before Him in Truth, there will never be a need for us to fear condemnation or destruction. He desires Truth in our inward parts (Psalm 51:6). The absolute truth about us is that there is nothing perfect in us apart from God. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). He had the great foresight to see it and provide a way for us to be good in Him. Like Nineveh years ago, we can have a revival in our hearts every day and recommit ourselves to the right way. We are beloved children who God desires to love and guide through the trials of our faith so that when fire tests us, we will come forth as pure gold. No one can accuse us before God when we keep ourselves continually before His Throne of Grace. Trust, that even in the troubles or failures of your life, that God will revive you again when you call on Him with a true heart of repentance. He wants to restore you!
