God's Mercy, God's Way



Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,  "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."  So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent.  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!"  So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. (Jonah 3:1-5, NKJV)

The Lord had a most unusual request for Jonah - to go and preach to Israel's most dreaded enemy in its capital city! Understand that no matter what the Lord asks us to do - big or small in our eyes - we are always safer and on surer footing when we do what He commands when He commands it. Never put off what the Lord wants you to do. Though long-suffering with our reluctance and weaknesses, the Lord does have a limit to what He will do to get you to conform to His Will.

Jonah, the reluctant believer, became the penitant prophet of God. Obediently, he preaches the gospel to a large and very wicked city called Ninevah.  Isn't it interesting that so few words could turn the hearts of so many people? In fact, Ninevah was such a large city that no doubt Jonah had much to say to them from the LORD.  But the essence of his message was that it was time for them to face the LORD:  either in repentance or judgment.

What caused the mass revival? The truth is - it was not the preaching skills of Jonah, clever words, or his forcefulness that brought about the mass repentance and revival in the hearts of the Ninevites. It is not so much the words of the preacher, teacher, or Christian friend in your life that makes the difference - it is the convicting power of God's Holy Spirit that brings about repentance. The Scripture says the Ninevites believed God.

As Jesus said to His disciples in John 16 just prior to His crucifixion:
 

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. (John 16:7-8, NKJV)


Today, people do their best to run away from the burden of sin and its associated guilt. The emptiness inside takes people into bad relationships, drugs, sex, work, sports, money and all kinds of things to distract them and absorb their time. Unfortunately, none of these things is satisfying in the long run. Each of us must face up to the fact that we are accountable to God for what He has already given us to use. If we are faithful with what He gives us, we will be given more. If we waste what He has given us, even what we do have will be taken away.

The King of Assyria and all the people of Ninevah repented from their idolatry and wickedness. The King's words were: "Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? (Jonah 3:9)  The King knew that they deserved death. All he could do was cry out for God's mercy, even though it was undeserved. Just as He does today for you and I, God spared the wretched life of each one of the 120,000 people in that city who turned to him for forgiveness. There was nothing the King could do, no amount of good things he could do to make up for his rebellion against God. As is still true today, only the blood shed by our LORD Jesus Christ can take away our sins and wash us white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). This is God's mercy, God's way.







Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please send your e-mail to:
Email: ministryrequest1@WordTruth.Com
Web Site: WordTruth.Com

Copyright 7/26/2000, Randy Lariscy.