Scriptural text: Jonah 3
Biblical Background:
There have been numerous misconceptions about the Prophet Jonah. Numerous preachers have stated in their initial messages that Jonah was running and being disobedient to God because he refused to preach. Jonah was already a prophet, called by God, when God commanded him to go to Nineveh and preach a message of coming destruction unless they repented.
God Gives Jonah a Second Chance (Jonah 3:1-4).
This passage falls into three parts: Jonah’s renewed commission and new obedience (Jonah 3:1 – Jonah 3:4), the repentance of Nineveh, and the acceptance thereof by God. It could possibly be called these three the repentance of Jonah, of Nineveh, and of God. The evident intention of the narrative is to parallel the Ninevites turning from their sins, and God’s turning from His anger and purpose of destruction, and if the word ‘repentance’ is not applied to Jonah, his conduct sufficiently shows the thing.
The People of Nineveh Believe God (Jonah 3:5-9).
The three things that their faith certainly embraced: They believed in the God of the Hebrews, as the true God. They believed in His power to execute the threat which He had held out. They believed in His mercy and willingness to forgive the penitent. And this was marvelous faith in heathen, contrasting favorably with that of the chosen people. “So great faith” had not been found, “no not in Israel.” What they knew of the Hebrews and their God may have contributed to the result. That they also knew the miraculous history of Jonah’s mission to them, and so were the better prepared to credit him, appears to be plainly taught us by our Lord. It is difficult to understand how Jonah should have been “a sign to the Ninevites,” corresponding in any way to the sign, which by His resurrection the “Son of Man” was to “the men of that generation,” unless they were aware that he had passed, as it were, through death to life again, on his way to preach to them.
God Was Moved to Compassion (Jonah 3:10).
We are told in the text that God had compassion n the Ninevites and did not bring the destruction He threatened upon them. The revelation is in the historical action of God. Compassion is not something we could expect from God. That God had abhorrence towards sin, and that He punishes sin is something we can understand. It is understood because it is written into our consciousness the idea of justice, that when people do harmful and evil actions towards another person or society, they deserve to be punished. The revelation of God’s compassion is, kindness, goodness, which was shown towards people, who did not observe any such movement of God towards them.