The Book of JONAH

Chapter 3

Jonah 3: [1] And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, [2] Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

We are Joining Jonah on his Journey.

1) Divine Determination (3:1, 2)

Jonah was called to go and preach the grace of GOD to the sinful Gentile city of Nineveh.

Jonah responded in disobedience as he resisted GOD’s call and ran the other way.

Evidently Jonah was going to start a “ non-prophet business.”

Jonah ultimately bought a ticket bound for Tarshish and boarded a ship in rebellion to the will of GOD.

GOD sent a storm and Jonah was cast overboard. GOD sent a whale and Jonah was swallowed up.

After 3 days and 3 nights, Jonah repented and prayed unto GOD “salvation is of the LORD.”

The fish vomited Jonah out on dry land.

Now on dry ground, the Word of LORD come unto Jonah the second time.

Yes Jonah had failed GOD, but GOD did not give up on him.

The mercy and grace of GOD offered Jonah new beginning.

I think of the GOD of second chances.

GOD certainly has given us many a second chance.

When GOD first told Abraham to leave Ur, he went to Haran and stayed there till his daddy died.

Acts 7:2-4

[2] And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
[3] And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
[4] Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

Simon Peter denied the Lord Jesus three times, but went out and wept bitterly in repentance.

When the LORD was resurrected, Mark16:7 “go your way and tell his disciples and Peter”

Peter got a second chance when he repented.

John Mark defected from the missionary journey with Paul.

Acts 15:36-40

[36] And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
[37] And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.
[38] But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
[39] And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
[40] And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

Yet John Mark was given a second chance when he repented and he was restored.

2 Timothy 4:11

[11] Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

Though Jonah has miserable failed GOD, Jonah repented and is given a second chance.

GOD is determined to do a work through Jonah.

GOD tells Jonah “arise go unto Nineveh and preach what I bid thee to preach.”

Jonah 3: [3] So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. [4] 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.

2) Direct Diagnosis (3:3, 4)

Jonah, having learned that resisting GOD’s will is futile, obeys and goes to Nineveh.

Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey; maybe some 30-60 miles wide.

Nineveh was the capitol city of the great Assyrian Empire; home of a wicked apostate people.

Nineveh was an exceeding great city, steeped in sin. It had a reputation for cruelty and wickedness.

Think of Las Vegas and its gambling. Think of Hollywood and its pride and sinfulness.

Think of New Orleans and its Mardi-Gras. Think of Asheville, beer capitol and homosexual friendly.

This world is exceeding great in sinfulness and GOD wants us to go preach repentance by GOD’s Grace.

Jonah entered the city one days’ journey and he cried out “40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

We are only told these few words about his message. Did he preach more? I don’t know.

He could’ve shared about GOD’s love, mercy and grace that Jonah experienced on this journey.

He could’ve shared much about the judgment of GOD. He could’ve told about the grace of GOD.

Yet, Jonah does emphasize that judgment is coming, and says they will be “overthrown”.

Gen 19:24, 25

[24] Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
[25] And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

This fact of Sodom being “overthrown” is repeated in Lamentations 4:6, Amos 4:11

Jonah “cried” out the message of GOD.

Jonah was not a soft speaking, gentle toned, unmoved preacher.

Jonah spoke with earnest passion under the inspired influence of the Spirit.

Jonah 3:[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?

3) Display of Decision (3:5-9)

The people of Nineveh heard the message and believed GOD.

Revival at Nineveh began with faithful preaching, hearing of GOD’s Word and believing GOD.

Repentance always begins with believing GOD and agreeing with Him.

The people heard the Word from Jonah and they believed they had heard from GOD.

1 Thes 2:13

[13] For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

A time of fasting was declared and the people wore sackcloth (thick coarse cloth made from goats hair).

Repentance and revival is not business as usual.

These were displays of a rejection of earthly comforts and pleasures.

From the greatest to the least, all of the people displayed repentance.

Jonah had preached in the midst of the street of the city.

Yet, the Word of GOD goes further than we think, as Jonah’s message reached the palace of the king.

The King took of his royal robe, repented in sackcloth, which was an expression of remorse and grief.

The King proclaimed a fast for all the people of the city and all of the animals.

The King covered all the people and animals in sackcloth.

The King proclaimed that all the people should cry mightily unto GOD.

The King proclaimed that all people should turn from their sin.

Imagine the President, the Governor, or the Mayor who will tell all the people to repent?

The King said “who can tell if GOD will turn and repent and turn away from His fierce anger”

· Repentance to GOD always has hope in the mercy and love of GOD.

· Hope is a confident expectation.

The King believes if all the people will repent then GOD will relent from judgment.

Who can tell what GOD is willing to do?

Who can tell what GOD is able to do?

Jonah knew about repentance, he had learned much about mercy and grace.

Who can tell what GOD can do with a backsliding saint like Jonah, GOD gave restoration.

You may think you have gone too far and sunk too low but GOD wants you back!

Who can tell what GOD can do with a believing servant like Jonah, GOD brought repentance.

Despite all Jonah’s faults and failures, He believed GOD and faithfully preached the Word.

GOD saved the whole city when one man believed GOD.

If GOD could use Jonah, maybe He can use you and I.

Who can tell what GOD can do with a broken sinner like Nineveh, GOD worked redemption.

When the people confessed their sin and turned to GOD, GOD forgave them and saved their souls.

The king had said who can tell if GOD will turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not.”

Luke 13:2-5

[2] And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
[3] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
[4] Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
[5] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

If we would repent will not perish!

John 3:16

[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 10:28

[28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Jonah 3:[10] 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.

4) Delight of Deliverance (3:10)

When GOD saw the repentance of Nineveh, GOD relented and turned from judgment.

When Nineveh repented GOD did not overthrow them but forgave them, just as He forgave Jonah.

Luke 15:10

[10] Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Surely GOD delighted in the repentance of the people.

Surely Jonah had preached the Word of GOD, but now Nineveh will not be overthrown.

Does this now make Jonah a false prophet?

Jeremiah 18:7, 8

[7] At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
[8] If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

Thus, GOD sovereingly forgave the sins of an exceeding great Gentile city.

Many times the Israelites heard GOD’s prophets proclaim messages and they refused to repent.

The Ninevites heard one message and the whole city repented.

Matthew 12:39-41

[39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
[40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
[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.