Lessons from Nineveh

The sermon text from the last two weeks has been taken from Jonah chapters 2 and 3, and a couple of things really stuck out about those passages in regard to content and application today.

Firstly, if we look at verse 8 of chapter 2 it reads, “ Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy." Note how the word "Mercy" is capitalized. The emphasis here is on God and His Majesty and right to be served as the Living and True God, communicated through the use of one of His attributes. When we serve idols, as we all have a tendency to do, we are forsaking our own Mercy...the Mercy that can only be granted by a Gracious and Holy God.

Secondly, pastor pointed out the speed with which the city was converted. Look with me at the begining of Jonah chapter 3 (emphasis mine),

"Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. ⁴ And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

⁵ So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them."

See the speed with which the Lord called His own? He had prepared a great work for Nineveh, and had tendered the soil beforehand. It did not take long for that seed to take root once it was spread by the messenger of the Lord. A city that would take three days to travel within from end to end was convicted in one by the power of the Spirit and means of word of mouth communication. A message that would doubtless seem outlandish and even laughable to a city such as Nineveh, known Scripturally for it's own wickedness and violence.

Thirdly, and finally, look with me at verses 6 through 9 (emphasis mine),
"⁶ Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. ⁷ And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. ⁸ But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. ⁹ Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?"

Note here the fact that the fast (from both food and water, no less!) was decreed by none other than the king of Nineveh as a state ordinance. He himself decreed that the people would fast, and made it lawful to do so. This begs the question of whether or not state sponsored institutions are a Biblically supported concept. I do not move to either argue for or against such a concept, I merely wonder aloud and leave the discussion to you my readers below, should you be so inclined.