Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the
second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to
it the proclamation which I am going to 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 days' walk. Jonah 3:1-3
The word of the Lord came to Jonah—was that
via the Holy Spirit? Probably—but the first time Jonah didn’t want anything to
do with those heathen Ninevehites and he ran the other way. Then God changed
the way Jonah looked at things by having a big fish swallow him. Good thing
that God has a sense of humor and had that fish spit Jonah out—he might have
died in the fish’s stomach if he’d been there much longer. So the second time
that the word of the Lord came to Jonah, he listened and was more obedient. He
still had a bit of a stubborn streak. If you read the whole Jonah story, after
the people of Nineveh repented he went outside the city and sulked in a little
shelter that he built for himself. Who was he to be upset when the Ninevehites were
spared from God’s wrath—or when his precious plant died? Life happens. No
complaining or sulking. Do not complain,
brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged;
behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. James 5:9 We should rejoice when one person, even one
from Nineveh, repents—just like the angels do in heaven. In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels
of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10. Like Jonah do you get upset
over things that God asks you to do? You know, Jonah is not just a story…he was
a real person. He is also listed in the historical record of the nation of
Israel in Second Kings and mentioned by Jesus a couple of different times.
He (King Jeroboam, 794-753 BC) restored the border of Israel from the
entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of
the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah
the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher. 2 Kings 14:25
"An evil and adulterous generation
seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah."
And He left them and went away. Matthew 16:4
Prayer
~ Lord, help me to be obedient the first
time You ask me to do something.
© 2015 by Mickey
M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.
Biblical
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