Jonah Chapter Three

In our study of Jonah chapter three, we look at God's mercy and willingness to give people a second chance.

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Jonah 3:1 & 2

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.'

After Jonah's resurrection from chapter two, God gave him a second chance to listen and obey His instructions. This passage can serve to comfort us as we all let the Lord down but, just as with Jonah here, God waits to give us the second chance to put aside ourselves and listen to Him. (He knows what is best for us!)

Jonah 3:3

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city-a visit required three days.

Given the experience of God's mercy and power, Jonah grabbed the second chance that God offered and went to Nineveh. We see that it was not some little village that Jonah was sent to but a major city. After the experience in the big fish, Jonah could be confident that God could and would take care of him. We too can find the courage to obey by remembering our previous experiences with God.

Jonah 3:4

On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: 'Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.'

Now, Jonah goes into the city and gives the simple message but it would have meant much more to them than it does to us. You see, Nineveh was a place of warriors as we have seen and not only warriors but the most brutal of all. Nineveh was also a city where the warriors lived and blew off steam as it was not only great in size but also great in wickedness. It was a place where the sex and the alcohol flowed freely as warriors celebrated their conquests. When told that they would be overturned (conquered) they would expect that they would be treated as they had treated the people that they had overthrown and that was with the most cruelty. Jonah also gave them a specific time limit for repentance which was forty days. This period of time is used many times in the Bible and is always a time of trials/testing or proof.

Jonah 3:5

The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

What an amazing verse we have here! Exactly what Jonah had feared is what happens in that the Ninevites believed God. This warrior people who were used to relying on themselves and their own strength believed in God and his coming judgment. Not only did they believe but they also took action as everyone humbled themselves (put on sackcloth). This can give us comfort in that we all probably know of someone that we want to come to Jesus but it seems that their heart is so hardened. Take heart as God can do with them just what He did with the entire city of Nineveh.

Jonah 3:6

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.

The greatest of these people (the king) repented at the hearing of the Word. What a picture this is of humility as it brings to mind Jesus leaving the throne in heaven to come and be born of a woman. The king of Nineveh did it hoping that God would spare his people but Jesus humbled Himself for our benefit. We were not His people and in fact we were His enemies.

Jonah 3:7-9

Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: 'By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.'

Not only did the king repent but he issued a decree for all of Nineveh to do so as well. He instituted a very extreme fast as not only did he tell the people not to eat but he also told them not to have drink. He even went so far as to call for a fast for their animals. This great kingdom is doing some serious humbling of themselves. The king also told them to pray and to do so "urgently" as well as giving up their evil ways in hopes of God's mercy. This is a very true picture of repentance as it is not only a change of attitude but also a change of actions. We are called to this same repentance and God has even graciously given us the gift (Holy Spirit) to give us the power to change our actions. You can see this in Acts 2:38 where Peter issued the same call to radical repentance.

Jonah 3:10

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

What a picture of a merciful God in that He forgave the people of Nineveh when they repented. That same radical forgiveness is available for us as well. No matter how bad the things we have done seem, God will accept our repentance and spare us His wrath. Not only did God give Jonah a second chance in this chapter but He also gave the Ninevites another chance and they accepted. If you are looking for a second chance (or maybe a third, fourth, etc.) God is waiting!