The Preaching Of Jonah, Part 2
V3:2 Jonah was to preach unto Nineveh the preaching that the LORD bid him to preach.
· Bid: The LORD Declared to Jonah the exact words he was to preach.
· Deuteronomy 18:18-19 The LORD raised up prophets and put his words in their mouths; and they were to speak all that He commanded them to speak. Those to whom the prophet was to speak were to hearken (to hear with response) to the words of the LORD or He would require it of them.
· the “It”: consequences of their sin as spoken to the, the curse of the words spoken.
V4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
· Part 1:He cried V1:2 what the LORD had against the city
· Part 2:And said “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown”
· “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” It dose not say unless you repent
Consider what the king asked in V9 “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” This question seems odd if the preaching of Jonah included the provision of being spared from the wrath of God if they would repent of their evil
· Could it be that in his desire to see the city destroyed Jonah chose to leave out “the unless you repent and turn from your evil, violent ways”?
Most teach (I also said) that Jonah’s message would have offered the option of repentance and the city would be spared. Even if Jonah did not say they could be spared, The LORD’s grace was always available to those who turn to him. These words did not have to be declared.
· Jeremiah 18:8; Ezekiel 33:11 If a nation that God has pronounced judgment upon turn from their evil He will repent and spare it. God finds no pleasure in the death of the wicked He desires to pardon them if they turn from their evil way.
· Their repentance must be true repentance Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
V9 The king’s true repentant heart. He hearkened unto the words of the LORD. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Joel 2:12-14,
· He recognized God’s fierce anger against their sin. He did not believe they were worthy of mercy and forgiveness. They were going to turn from their evil ways before they knew of God’s repentance.
· Could the king’s be thinking we must repent even if the LORD will not spare our lives? There was no promise of the LORD sparing the city and the people. [Remember Daniel 3:18]
V10 The LORD saw their repentance was genuine and turned from His anger.
Consider the repentance of God today;
· Ephesians 2:1-3 ¶ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
· Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
· John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
At one time in our lives we were already condemned by God and sentenced to eternity from the glory of God in the lake of fire.
· 2Thessolians 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
When we believed by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ God repented of His eternal condemnation of our souls, the evil He had determined to bring upon everyone because of their sin before they came to Christ.