Love this song! Listen to it to prepare your heart. I think it is a good song of thankfulness especially after given a second chance. Oh how loved we are by HIM.
We start this week with Jonah being given the task again. Chapter 3 opens this way, "Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you (NLT).”
Now this translation really blows my mind and I hope it does yours too. Literally translated in the Hebrew it is, "Ninevah was a great city to God." To God can be translated as an idiom for very (The NIV Application Commentary). WOW! Eventhough the Ninevites were cruel people these people and this city was important to God. That is why He even paid attention to its wickedness. God could have destroyed it in an instance but because of His love and compassion He sent His prophet Jonah.
Psalm 24:1 states, "The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it." God cares for all people on this Earth. Even if we think they are unlovable or not worth caring about. Christ died for all people who would come to Him. Yet He gives us a choice in love to do good or evil.
The word in the original language is used again when God tells Jonah to arise. Remember in Chapter one Jonah did arise but went the opposite direction. This time we see Jonah rise and go the right direction. Read the rest of Chapter 3 here.
Before I really studied this and before I had a look at the map I just assumed God had the whale spit Jonah out right at the city of Ninevah. However looking at the map again that is not possible. Jonah would have most likely had to start over again and make that 500 mile trek to Ninevah. Then upon arriving the city was so big it took 3 days to get through it.
Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah 3:4
The word in the Hebrew here for began is important as well. The word in its simplest form means pierce. It implies he had to let go (The NIV Application Commentary). For Jonah to now follow through on this message of preaching to his enemy he had to let go of things that caused him to feel the need to run away in the first place.
Jonah's message is simple, "“Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!(Jonah 3:4(NLT))” A message of judgment. What Jonah wanted for these people in his heart. However, in the original Hebrew the word for destroyed here does mean judgment but it also can mean bring repentance. The word means turn over leaving room for the possibility of repentance. Jonah would have known what this meant and would have known it could go either way. It was up to God.
However, did Jonah's heart change after the Great Fish incident? We will soon find out. But now he gets to give this message. He obeys and immediately the next verse states, "The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow (Jonah 3:5, NLT)."
What an amazing response! The people took this seriously and were sad. Interestingly the word for God here is the generic word for god. It is Elohiym which can be used for rulers, false gods, etc. But it can also be used for the One true God. The Ninevites believed this message quickly. Now is that a good gift of evangelism or what?! I think it is important to note that if God gives us an impression to share Christ with someone we need to do it. It is not us who brings someone to God it is God Himself. If He wants us to tell someone we better do it and sit back and watch Him work.
Now I find this even more interesting when the news makes it to the king. The NAS translation states Jonah 3:6 like this, " When the word reached the king of Ninevah, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes." (It is a mini chiastic structure.) This is interesting because the Hebrew words have some significant meaning here. We see here again this word arose. The king rose to action when he heard this news of coming destruction. The wording shows his humility in this situation. He basically lays aside his throne and robe (which is his glory as head of this large nation) and replaces it with humiliation by putting on sackcloth and sitting in ashes. This is a big deal for a ruler of a nation. Generally the people of a nation will follow the leader of the nation. The leader will be a good reflection of the people in many cases.
This king then proclaims a decree for everyone to fast while putting on sackcloth. Even including the animals. He is serious about this. They are in mourning. They are commanded to turn from their evil ways. They are also commanded to cry out to God with force. They reason that perhaps God will see this and change His mind. God looks at them and sees what they have done and He decides to relent on the coming destruction. What a compassionate God! He is slow to anger and loving and kind.
This is an interesting note. When others outside of the Israel clan address God they do not call Him by His covenant name. This is because these people are not the covenant people. However it is a foreshadowing of God opening up salvation to all, He does this little by little through the old testament. It is a foreshadowing of the fulfillment of the coming Christ. The words spoken to Abraham stating all the nations will be blessed through him. Once Jesus left He gave the command to go out into the world and make disciples. The world would never be the same after that. Because of Christ, us as gentiles can now call out to the covenant God. He is our God, our Father. How amazing is that?
Application
1- Ninevah was a great city to God. Are there any cities you think may be too far gone for God to care about or are beyond God's hope? Or let's apply this to people, are there people that you have considered beyond God's hope?
2- Now that Jonah has arrived, he must deliver a message to the enemy and watch God work. Have you ever had to do this or know anyone who has? Share.
3- Part of living the gospel in everyday life is extending grace to others. How has God allowed you to participate in this lately? It may not be like Jonah to an enemy but living amongst people requires much grace.
4- A people will usually follow the spiritual tone of their leaders. We see this all throughout the old testament and in this book of Jonah. How have you seen this in our world today?
5- Do you have a covenant relationship with the One True God? How did He first woe you to Himself?
1 comment:
Loving this Bible study...thank you!
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