Jonah 3:1-10: a reflection

1The LORD’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.” 3So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across. 4Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!” 5The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least. 6The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water; 8but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?” 10God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

When Jonah finally preaches to Nineveh that it will be overthrown, the people, from the greatest to the least, believe God, repent, and turn from their evil ways; and God, seeing their repentance, relents and does not bring the disaster he had threatened. God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God relented. The Ninevites were a people known for violence, not God's own people; yet when they truly repented, turning from their evil, God showed them mercy and relented. This reveals the breadth of God's mercy: that he will relent and show mercy to any who truly repent, even those far from him, even a people known for their evil. God relents and shows mercy to any who truly repent. God's mercy extends to any who turn from their evil way. Even a people known for violence found mercy when they repented. God shows mercy to any who truly turn to him.

Notice how widely God's mercy reaches. Nineveh was a foreign city, a people known for violence, not part of God's covenant people; and Jonah's message was one of coming judgment. Yet when the Ninevites believed God and truly repented, turning from their evil ways, from the greatest to the least, God saw their repentance and relented, showing them mercy rather than the destruction they deserved. This reveals something wonderful about God: that his mercy is not confined to a favored few, but extends to any who truly repent, even those far from him, even a people known for their evil. No one is beyond the reach of God's mercy if they truly turn to him. This is great encouragement, both for ourselves, however far we may feel from God or however great our sin, and for others we might think beyond hope. God relents and shows mercy to any who truly repent. No one who truly turns from evil is beyond God's mercy. God's mercy reaches even those we might think beyond hope. To truly repent is to find God ready to show mercy.

That is worth resting in, for God relents and shows mercy to any who truly repent, even those far from him, even a people known for their evil. We can think ourselves too far gone, or others too far from God, to find mercy; but when Nineveh, a foreign city known for violence, truly repented and turned from evil, God saw and relented, showing mercy rather than judgment. No one who truly turns to God is beyond his mercy. When you feel beyond hope, or think another beyond it, remember that God showed mercy to Nineveh when they repented. Rest in the truth that God relents and shows mercy to any who truly repent, even those far from him, as the people of Nineveh, a foreign city known for violence and facing the threat of overthrow, believed God and turned from their evil ways from the greatest to the least, and God saw their repentance and relented, not bringing the disaster he had threatened; for God's mercy is not confined to a favored few but reaches any who truly repent, so that no one is beyond the reach of his mercy if they truly turn to him, whether ourselves, however far we feel from God or however great our sin, or others we might think beyond hope, since God stands ready to relent and show mercy to any who truly turn from their evil way to him.

Lord, when Jonah finally preaches to Nineveh that it will be overthrown, the people, from the greatest to the least, believe you, repent, and turn from their evil ways; and you, seeing their repentance, relent and do not bring the disaster you had threatened. God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God relented. The Ninevites were a people known for violence, not your own people; yet when they truly repented, turning from their evil, you showed them mercy and relented. This reveals the breadth of your mercy: that you will relent and show mercy to any who truly repent, even those far from you, even a people known for their evil. Show me how widely your mercy reaches. Nineveh was a foreign city, a people known for violence, not part of your covenant people; and Jonah's message was one of coming judgment. Yet when the Ninevites believed you and truly repented, turning from their evil ways, you saw their repentance and relented, showing them mercy rather than the destruction they deserved. This reveals something wonderful about you: that your mercy is not confined to a favored few, but extends to any who truly repent, even those far from you. No one is beyond the reach of your mercy if they truly turn to you. This is great encouragement, both for myself, however far I may feel from you or however great my sin, and for others I might think beyond hope. Let me rest in that, for you relent and show mercy to any who truly repent. When I feel beyond hope, or think another beyond it, help me remember that you showed mercy to Nineveh when they repented, Lord, so that no one who truly turns from evil to you is beyond your mercy, and you stand ready to relent and show mercy to any who truly turn to you.