Text: Jonah 3:1-10
Jonah who had run away from God was given a second chance (v. 1). He is to deliver the message he had run away from; the unedited message of impending destruction within forty days unless the people of Nineveh repent (vv.3-4). The people and the King immediately responded by repenting of their sins (vv. 5-8).
By the King issuing a decree among other things that “let everyone turn away from violence” (v.8), the King was admitting and repenting of the Assyrian sins on earth: physical violence and social injustice. The very reason Jonah grew up hating Assyrians and wanting them destroyed.
In response to the people of Nineveh’s repentance, God forgave them and did not destroy them (v.10). The people of Nineveh (pagans) heard God’s message once and repented. By striking contrast, the people of Israel, who had heard many God’s messages from the prophets refused to repent. It is like you growing up in “a Christian family”, you go to church every Sunday and fail to receive Christ, and someone born in a pagan family or from false religion
hears the gospel and embraces it. The intentions of God or His judgement is always to correct, not to revenge. Will you receive Christ today as your Lord and Saviour? What are you waiting for?
Meditate on verses 6-7. How are you going to apply them to your life?
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we repent of all sins we have committed as a nation. Forgive us. Amen.