"When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it." Jonah 3:10
Ninevah was a wicked place. The people in this ancient Assyrian city lived such immoral lives that judgment seemed the only option. Jonah was the chosen vessel to deliver God's message.
After initially resisting this assignment, Jonah eventually arrived in Ninevah. He warned: "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown." Then something miraculous happened: "The people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them" (v. 5).
Even the king humbled himself, and he covered "himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes" (v. 6). He ordered everyone to unite in confessing their sins, humbling themselves before God, and praying for mercy: "Call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands" (v. 8).
After initially resisting this assignment, Jonah eventually arrived in Ninevah. He warned: "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown." Then something miraculous happened: "The people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them" (v. 5).
Even the king humbled himself, and he covered "himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes" (v. 6). He ordered everyone to unite in confessing their sins, humbling themselves before God, and praying for mercy: "Call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands" (v. 8).
God was so moved that He had "compassion on Nineveh" (4:11). Instead of receiving judgment, everything turned around for the Ninevites. Why? Because they listened to God's Word and took His warnings seriously. They recognized their sins and repented.
Today, as you consider the reaction of Ninevah, think about conditions in your own country. Are we, the people of God, willing to humble ourselves? Instead of complaining or giving up hope when we see sin in our nation, are we willing to pray and seek God's face? As we see wickedness around us, are we willing to turn from our wicked ways...to repent of our sins?
As He proved with Ninevah, God is willing to hear from Heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). But will we repent? Humble ourselves? Pray? Seek His face? Turn from our wicked ways? That is God's prescribed path for a turnaround
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