Read Jonah 3I'm sure you heard the story of Jonah as a child in Sunday School. It's a story that is typically told to children and isn't preached much to adults. When you think about it, it isn't really a warm and fuzzy children's tale; it's actually quite frightening. A man tries to flee from God by jumping on a boat, then a violent storm overtakes them to the point that everyone is scared for their lives. The men on the boat actually throw Jonah overboard into the crashing waves where he is then eaten by a big fish. It's a pretty troubling story when you think about it! There is also a lot of insight that can be gained from the book of Jonah that we miss if we just attribute it to a children's story. I'd like to zero in on Jonah 3, which takes place when Jonah actually arrives in Nineveh and finally carries out the message God has given him to deliver.
In Jonah 3:4, we read the prophecy that Jonah speaks to the people of Nineveh: "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown." You can probably figure out one of the reasons Jonah wasn't thrilled to bring this message to Nineveh. He's basically telling them to watch out, because they're all about to die. Most people wouldn't respond very well to this message. They'd get angry and most likely "shoot the messenger," which is probably one of the things Jonah was afraid of.
However, the reaction that the Ninevites have is very different from this. Instead of responding in anger or by mocking Jonah, they respond in repentance. Verse 5 tells us that the people of Nineveh "believed in God." They covered themselves in sackcloth (a coarse garment) and sat in ashes, which are signs of humility, sorrow, and brokenness. They also engaged in a corporate fast, even going as far as including their animals in the fasting and draping them in sackcloth! I love the king's edict, which says, "let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands." An entire city falling on their faces in repentance is an amazing thing!
Verse 10 is really the highlight of this passage and gives us great insight into God's character. In response to their repentance, God relents and decides to spare them. This is a beautiful picture of God's compassion. When you come to the Lord in repentance, He will forgive you every time. His compassions never fail (Lam. 3:22). What a gracious and merciful God we have, who pardons our iniquities and remembers them no more (Isa. 43:25).
This passage also shows us that God answers prayer. You may wonder why we pray for things to happen at all, since God is sovereign and already has an established plan. Though this is the truth, Jonah 3 shows us that God also moves and unfolds His plan through our prayers. It is impossible for us to fathom how our prayers can make a difference when God has already ordained His plan, but it is somehow the truth. This passage should show you how important our prayers are. God not only hears every single thing we utter to Him, but He answers all of it. What a comfort it is to know this!
I hope that this passage opens your eyes to the incredible compassion of God and leads you to your knees in repentance. I also hope that it shows you that prayer works! Sometimes you may feel like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and that the Lord isn't listening, but this is not the case. Cry out to Him earnestly as the people of Nineveh did, and watch Him answer your prayers in amazing ways~
