God’s Revelation in the great city of Nineveh

Intro

Hated for a reason. Of all the 39 books that make up the Old Testament, the book of Jonah is the one most targeted by non-believers.

The reason for so much hatred against this book is the powerful message it carries: “God repents of the evil which he spoke he would do: and did not" (Jonah 3:10).

The idea that the Creator of heaven and earth , Lord and undisputed sovereign, can "repent", convert and change His judgment with an act of love and forgiveness is something incredible for our society.

In fact, everyone wants to continue to think that there is a God ready only to send His judgment against humanity.

For them it is convenient to continue believing in a God who is constantly angry against humanity.

Unfortunately for them, the Holy Spirit has given us the book of Jonah, a book that presents a God who is also interested in the wicked city of Nineveh, a God worried about his rebellious prophet Jonah, a God who repents, a God who converts, a God capable to forgiving.

There is nothing more beautiful than a conversion! I think there is nothing more beautiful for a Church than to see people who are converted from their sin, who change direction and move in the right course.

Biblical example. The term conversion means "to change direction".

All of us were headed for sin and death; then we choose to go towards the Lord Jesus.

The 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) are a wonderful example of what the Word of God creates in the heart of each of us: the Word of God will give us the strength to change direction!

The Importance of conversion. Today there is no clear understanding of the term conversion.

Such ignorance only adds to the confusion and undermines the power of the gospel.

Why should this ignorance concern us? Because we would risk having churches that feel no pain for sin, seeing a world that continues to die in its trasgressions, and ultimately seeing God's righteous judgment come upon this wicked and perverted generation.

Yet God always emphasizes the need for this glorious miracle of conversion.

The prophet Isaiah 55:6-7 extends this invitation to repentance, as do all the Old Testament prophets: Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 

Even our dear brother John the Baptist repeats the same call of the prophets in Matthew 3:2: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.

The 3 conversions. In this third chapter of the book of the prophet Jonah we notice how God repents, but someone else also decides to repent:

The prophet Jonah repents (Jonah 3:2);

The city of Nineveh repents (Jonah 3:5);

The Lord repents (Jonah 3:10).

N. 1 - The Prophet Jonah Repents

A violent act (Jonah 2:1). Jonah changes only after a violent act permitted by God.

The prophet is swallowed by an enormous fish. In fact, the prophet Jonah really needed a decisive action from God, as his stubbornness was really strong:

Jonah refuses to obey God (Jonah 1:3);

Jonah slept in the bottom of the ship (Jonah 1:5);

Jonah confesses his sin under sailors' pressure (Jonah 1:9);

Jonah wants to die (Jonah 1:12).

As we can see, in order to realize Jonah's conversion there was a need for a decisive act on God's part.

Sometimes we need a big fish too. Like Jonah, many believers need to be swallowed up because of their stubbornness.

Perhaps this trial, illness, or difficulty that is engulfing you will be the place from which you will raise the prayer of repentance.

Obedient to His mandate. Jonah's program for Nineveh was different from God's plan: the prophet wanted judgment, God wanted grace.

Through the experience of the great fish, Jonah remembers that he was the messenger of God and not the messenger of himself.

In the churches of Bohemia (Czech Republic) the pulpits have the shape of a whale. The reason for this choice is to remember that the ministers of God, the messengers of the Lord are called to repentance, they are called to set aside their own programs and agendas and to make room for God's perfect will.

Unfortunately, many pulpits today are shaped like "cradles", because the messengers, the ministers, the pastors are singing the "lullaby" to their churches, rather than proclaiming the whole Gospel.

Jonah’s conversion is a necessary conversion.

N. 2 - The City of Nineveh Repents

Immediate, total and tangible conversion. The problem Nineveh was her wickedness.

In Nineveh’s case was not heaven that influenced the earth (Matthew 6:10), but the earth that scandalized heaven (Jonah 1:2).

Today we live Nineveh’s wickedness every day!

Despite this great wickedness, Nineveh with only 5 words (in the Hebrew text) (Jonah 3:4) was converted to the Lord (Jonah 3:5). We note 3 features of this conversion:

Immediate conversion (Jonah 3:5). Jonah took much longer to convert than the city of Nineveh. It often takes the Lord much longer to convert us than the world: Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’8 “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth (Acts 11:7-8 - NIV);

Total conversion (Jonah 3:7). All were involved in this conversion: great and small (Jonah 3:5), subjects and kings (Jonah 3:6), men and beast (Jonah 3:7). These are the conversions we want to see: total conversions;

Tangible conversion (Jonah 3:10). The king had given up his royal clothes; the fast of the Ninevites was drastic. We see in Nineveh tangible and concrete actions, which expressed a firm will. Certainly King Saul repented several times of what he was doing against David, yet Saul never actually converted.

Conversion is possible! What is the message that the conversion of Nineveh carries with it? An optimism message.

Indeed, the author of the book of Jonah often reminds us that Nineveh was great (Jonah 1:2, 3:2), but despite this, Jonah's message breaches the ancient metropolis and produces the greatest revival in the history of the humanity.

As we look at this great world with its immense cities that are becoming ever larger and more populous, we often feel a little shy in proclaiming the Gospel.

We believe that the wickedness of this generation is too deep-rooted and that the church is insignificant compared to the size of these metropolises.

Yet it is not so! Nineveh the great city is converted: therefore it can also be done for our great city of Toronto! It's possible! This great miracle can happen.

Let's take off the clothes of shyness, leave the mantle of fear and take advantage of Caleb's encouragement: Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Numbers 13:30 - NIV).

N. 3 - The Lord Repents

Maybe God made a mistake? Jonah 3:10 does not mean that God easily changes his mind. Nor is this verse meant to state that God erred in threatening a judgment on Nineveh in Jonah chapter 1.

Indeed God did not repent because he was wrong, God repented because now the Ninevites were right.

What does God's repentance involve? God's repentance means God's forgiveness.

The Holy and Pure Lord saw that the city of Nineveh repented of their sin, and because of their sincere repentance, God granted the Ninevites his forgiveness.

I wish that each of us could well understand this truth: our God grants us his forgiveness: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:16-17 - NIV).

Jesus is the Incarnate Conversion of God. Jesus is the embodiment of God's desire to recover a lost and rebelious humanity.

Jesus is the incarnate conversion of the Holy God who descends into the midst of a lost and sinful people, giving them His love.

A desired conversion.

Conclusion

A New Beginning. Chapter 3 marks a new beginning for the prophet Jonah, for the city of Nineveh and for the Lord.

As hard and difficult as it may seem to you, the conversion to which the Holy Spirit calls us will mark a new beginning for our life, for our family and for our church.