Repentance = God’s Grace and Mercy

The Book of Jonah

The Book of Jonah is the Old Testament’s Book of Acts. It displays God’s concern for the heathen that is separate from him and without hope (Definition of Heathen: an unconverted member of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible). The entire prophecy of Jonah is written in third person. The theme of the Book of Jonah is God’s mercy to the individual, a group, the heathen world power, and his people. Jonah’s name means Dove. He was from the village of Gath-hepher, located about two miles from the city of Nazareth.

Introduction

This prophecy begins with God commissioning Jonah to admonish the heathen nation of Assyria’s capital Nineveh.  Jonah flees from God’s call and mission issued to him. This disobedience and rebellion creates extremely difficult situations for Jonah as he runs from his call, all with the goal of getting him back on course and in obedience with God’s will for his life. Jonah finally submits arrives at a place of prayer and praise unto the God in his darkest hour. God’s answers his prayer which brings us to our place of study beginning with the second commission to Jonah.

Jonah 3: 1-10

Focus Scripture Jonah 3:10 

Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

Jonah 3:2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

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.

Jonah 3:4 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.

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.

• Study Point: We can learn something from the people of Nineveh. They had no relationship with God, but when they heard His Word proclaimed for their lives they believed it without hesitation. They then proceeded to adapt a posture of repentance and entered into a fast to display their compunction.

Jonah 3:6 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.

• Study Point: No matter what position we ascend to, do we leave ourselves available to God’s reproof and correction? Are we open to the King of Kings informing us of our errors?

Jonah 3:7 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:

• Study Point: This entire heathen nation instantly went to great lengths to deny their own pleasures to display to God their reverence for Him.

Jonah 3:8 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.

• Study Point: They lamented in prayer and repented their evil ways. The very essence of repentance is to turn your back on the practice of sin and face the Lord for forgiveness and restoration.

Jonah 3:9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

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.

• Study Point: God did not change His ultimate intention toward Nineveh but rather they changed their attitude toward Him. This activated God’s grace and mercy toward them.