Jonah 3:3
So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord.
Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk.
The Lord God created all things, and loves His creation! He loves us. He is also the sovereign ruler, fulfilling His eternal plan in wisdom and precision. How devoted are we to Him?
Jonah was a Jewish prophet, believed to have lived in the first half of the eighth century before Christ came. God spoke to him, telling him to go warn the people of Nineveh to turn from their wicked ways. But Jonah purposely left on a ship to go to Tarshish instead. The Lord brought a great storm, increasingly getting worse, which frightened the sailors. When casting lots, the lot fell to Jonah as the cause. Eventually, on his advice, they threw him into the sea. God stopped the storm and had a great fish swallow Jonah, where he stayed for three days and nights.
Not surprisingly, Jonah called to the Lord. God had the fish vomit him onto dry land. Jonah did obey then and went to Nineveh!
The city of Nineveh was a busy place with over 120,000 people. There was wickedness and confusion. They had greatly lost sight of what was true and right. At Jonah’s preaching of judgement coming, destruction in 40 days, the king made a proclamation for man and beast to neither eat nor drink, to wear sackcloth, and to turn away from evil. God saw their response, and in His great mercy relented from bringing the disaster.
Was Jonah happy? No! He wanted judgement (only justice) on them! I assume Jonah felt he was upright, following the Lord, and justified in this. God was dealing with both Nineveh and His servant Jonah. When the crunch came, a whole city had a change of heart, fearing the Lord God.
Where is our own heart towards God, and other people? God says not to judge lest we be judged. We need to love others and encourage and help them, not be a stumbling block to them. If you read the book of Jonah, you will see how God worked in Jonah’s life by the end. When life is tempestuous or someone hurts or is unjust toward you, come to the Lord. God is love, and He will help you.
We all must turn from wrong and turn to God sincerely. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice on the cross, paying the penalty for our sin. God will forgive anyone who repents and commits their life to His Son, and give them His Spirit. Have you done this?
Other Scripture
Deuteronomy 32:4
Romans 5:8