Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet - 16

Introduction: The repentance of the people of Nineveh and God’s proclamation is seen in these few short verses. The Bible show us how God had worked in the lives of these people.

Text: Jonah 3:5-9

Jonah 3:5–9 KJV 1900

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

III. Jonah’s Preaching: God’s Proclamation - Chapter 3

A. Jonah’s Obedience v1-4

1. The Repetition of the Command. v1,2

2. The Obedience to the Command. v3,4

B. The People’s Repentance v5-9

1. The summary of the situation. v5

2. The seriousness of the situation. v6-8

3. The statement of the situation. v9

We began last week to see the repentance of the people of Nineveh at the preaching of the Word of God.

The summary of the situation was given to us in verse 5.

The Bible says, “So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”

We continued into verses 6-8 that describe for us the seriousness of the situation.

Sometimes it seems that the message of God falls on deaf ears.

Sometimes I would say this that it falls on my deaf ears.

We can see however in our text that these people understood and believed the message that Jonah proclaimed.

They took serious this message of destruction that was proclaimed.

They took action, which was an outward expression of their inward faith in God and His message to this city.

They went to great lengths to express the fact that they believed God.

The Bible describes for you and I that from the greatest even unto the least of them they fasted, and they put on sackcloth having believed God according to verse 5.

In verse 6 we are taken into the throne room of the king of Nineveh.

It is here that we see first that “word came unto the king...”

There must have been quite an uproar among the people for the whole matter to come before Him.

I imagine in any city of this time, there would be those working for the king’s office among the people, watching what took place. (The Bible describes something similar to this in Joshua 2:2 concerning Jericho.)

I imagine the sight of an unusual foreigner would be remarkable to these watching over the people for the king. But this was not just an acknowledgment of strange man, from a strange land, with a strange message.

The king believed the report.

And then described for us in verses 7-9 is the kings’ decree and explanation of which God saw fit for you and I to have recorded for us here in the book of Jonah.

The process we might understand is applicable to you and I.

(1) A preacher arrives on the scene, empowered by the Lord.

(2) The preaching of the Word of God takes place.

(3) The Holy Spirit works in the lives of the hearers, that they may see and know this is truth.

(4) The hearers then are brought to a place of decision. They have a choice on how they will respond.

What is shocking for us, at least it should be, is how these in Nineveh responded versus what we see the New Testament at the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember what the Lord stated in Matthew 12:39-42 concerning Nineveh and Jonah.

As a matter of fact lets read starting in Matthew chapter 12:14 to understand the context.

Read Matthew 12:14-42.

When we read the backdrop of this encounter given to us Matthew chapter 12, we see that there was increasing confrontation that was taking place between the Lord Jesus Christ and the Pharisees.

In verses 1-8 we have described for us the Lord’s confrontation with the Pharisees because of their accusations of the disciples for transgressing the Sabbath.

They ate because they were hungry, according to verse 1. The Lord quotes Hosea 6:6 which states “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

It is so amazing to me how the Lord can so succinctly frame the entire Old Testament law and declare its intention.

He does so because He is the Author of it. He does so because He is God.

And I reminded at how little I know of His Holy Word.

In verses 9-21 we have a description and application of prophesy given to us by the Holy Spirit.

And you will see it there in verse number 17, how we have referenced the prophecy of Isaiah.

And then in verses 22-37 we have another confrontation between the Pharisees and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible says in verse 24, “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.”

They accuse the Lord Jesus of being a worker of the Devil who is operated in the Devil’s power.

Jesus’ response is given in three distinct points:

(1) Those the work for the Devil bring about the Devil’s work. Those that work by the power of God, bring about God’s work.

He summarizes this by stating in verse 30, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.”

(2) A denial and vilifying of the work of the Holy Spirit, places one in position where they cannot be forgiven.

Why is this? Because one cannot come to Christ without the operation of the Holy Spirit.

God reveals unto us our state as being lost, the truth of God’s Word and our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.

This can be seen as further described when the Lord Jesus Christ stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

(3) (v33) A person produces good fruit or corrupt fruit. (v34) Jesus therefore looks at them and plainly says that they are corrupt. (v36) Jesus states that our words shall be judged and by our words we shall be either condemned or justified.

It is following all of this that the Lord gives us this answer following the Scribes and the Pharisees’ request for a sign.

In other words, they basically say, “Okay, prove yourself...”

This is so shocking, because all the Jesus had already done.

These may have been additional folks that had come now and asked this question, different from the fellows above (Luke 11:16), but regardless, they demanded a validation that Christ was indeed the Messiah.

Matthew Henry stated this, “Christ takes this occasion to represent the sad character and condition of that generation in which he lived, a generation that would not be reformed, and therefore could not but be ruined; and he gives them their character, as it would stand in the day of judgment, under the full discoveries and final sentences of that day.”

Notice what the Lord states in verse 41, “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.”

Herein is the contrast, Jonah preached and Nineveh repented. Jesus preached and that generation did not repent.

Warren Wiersbe in his expository outlines said this, “Jesus used Nineveh to illustrate an important point (Matt. 12:38–41). He had preached to that generation for three years and had reinforced His message with His miracles, yet they would not repent and believe. The Ninevites heard one sermon from one preacher, and that sermon emphasized wrath, not love—yet they repented and were forgiven. The Jews heard the Son of God for three years, heard the message of God’s forgiveness, yet refused to repent. Certainly theirs will be the greater condemnation” Warren W. Wiersbe, Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1993), Jon 3.

Of all the warnings we find in the NT concerning the preaching of His word and our response, this warning is scary indeed.

In seeing this contrast, we ought to pay particular attention to their response.

When we look at our text we can see three parts to their response, even again as we approach our revival services.

We note first that they must have heard and recieved the message that was preached.

There was a general and initial reception, or willingness to hear.

I know there are times when we begin to hear a message from the Bible, and we can immediately refuse to hear what is being said.

Such can be said of those who are hardened in their beliefs toward God or His holy Word.

Illustration: Have you ever began to hear something, but then stopped listening?

We note secondly, that the Bible says that they were to “turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is [was] in their hands.”

This was not just an outward expression or a verbal expression of repentance, but required them individually to forsake evil and to forsake violence.

We note thirdly, that they submitted themselves to God’s judgment.

They sought God knowing they were guilty. Secondly, they cried out to God not knowing what the Lord would do.

There was a hint of hope in that they had been given 40 days, but where exactly that would lead they did not know.

Notice with me in verse 9. This is their

3. The statement of the situation. v9

The Bible says, “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, the we perish not?”

This expression of faith is most astounding when you think about it.

In fact, we who are saved and have been so for some time, are found more guilty at this statement then they of Nineveh.

You say, why do say so?

We have God’s Word that describes to us His great mercy.

We have personally experienced and experience the grace of God.

We know better, by counsel of His Word the Lord Jesus Christ who’s we are and whom we serve.

Now think about this, they had a little light. You and I have God’s holy presence.

And my friend this is the process that takes place when people turn from evil and turn to God.

We ought to mark well these steps and watch carefully our own steps under the preaching of His Word.

How much more accountable are we for the knowledge God has given us?

As we see this phrase is verse 9, it does stir up for us how blessed we are in this day because of the Word of God.

Imagine the Ninevites at that moment could only say, “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”

We have such a blessed hope as we turn through the pages of Scripture.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Not only that but we find grace and mercy from our wonderful Lord in our time of need.

We can turn from evil and turn to God.

We can find restored fellowship with our wonderful Lord and Savior.

F.B. Meyer said this by way of illustration:

The Minor Prophets, Vols. I & II (Vers. 5–9)

During the Civil War in America some soldiers of the Southern Army deserted, and found themselves caught in a wood between their own regiment and the Northern lines. To go forward or backward equally meant death. So here they hid and starved, feeding on berries. Meanwhile the Southern Confederacy was broken up, and peace was made between North and South. One day an officer riding through found them, and challenging them, heard their fears. You have nothing to fear,” he said. “Peace has been proclaimed. You can have all you want by going to the nearest village and asking for it.” So it is between the race and God. Men want to know that in Christ God has reconciled the world unto Himself. (F. B. Meyer)

And so we arrive now at the end of chapter 10. Here we have:

C. God’s Grace and Mercy v10

Notice what the Bible gives us concerning the Lord’s proclamation of what took place.

Verse 10 says, “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

Two salient points are found in this statement.

The first point helps us to understand a little about our Lord.

God saw their works. v10

We serve the “seeing-God.”

You and I can rejoice the blessed morning because God sees us.

He is the God who sees.

God saw their evil ways.

Remember in chapter 1 verse 2 of Jonah the Bible says, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”

But now God sees their repentance.

It reminds us of what we find in Genesis 16:13-14 concerning Hagar as she fled from Sarah after Sarah dealt harshly with her.

We do not have time to deal with that whole passage and situation.

But the phrase I want you to key in on, is “God seest me...”

The Bible says in verse 13 of Genesis 16, “And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.”

The situation given to us in that passage is a terrible situation. There is a lot going that resulted from the will choice of man in the lives of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar.

But in the midst of all that, this Egyptian Hagar discovered a blessed truth; that God saw her.

I am so glad the Lord sees me.

Nathaniel when he was called found by Philip and brought to follow after the Lord Jesus Christ was shocked when he learned the truth that God [The Lord Jesus] saw Him.

The Bible says in John 1:48, “Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

How wonderful is it as we think about this, that God sees me.

We will come back next week and finish the last last half of this verse concerning God’s grace and His mercy.

I want to close with this hymn, Jesus Loves Even Me:

1 I am so glad that our Father in heaven Tells of His love in the Book He has given; Wonderful things in the Bible I see, This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

Refrain: I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me; I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.

2 Though I forget Him and wander away, Still He follows wherever I stray; Back to His dear loving arms would I flee, When I remember that Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

Refrain: I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me; I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.