Nineveh Repents

The Book of Jonah
Encountering God Series
“Nineveh Repents”
Jonah 2.10-3.10

Introduction
Last week we looked at Jonah’s miraculous deliverance from death as the Lord God
sends a whale to shallow Jonah, and Jonah surviving for three days and three nights
in the stomach of the great fish. (1.17) Jonah had been fleeing from God’s call for His
prophet to go to the Gentile city of Nineveh and preach the gospel. Jonah had such
hatred for Nineveh that he fled from the presence of the Lord, getting on a ship
going to Tarshish which was twenty-five hundred miles in the opposite direction.
While at sea the ship encountered a great storm threatening the lives of everyone on
board. The sailors determined that this calamity had fallen upon them because of
Jonah, so at his suggestion they threw Jonah into the sea and the ship sailed away in
calm waters.
Jonah however was fighting for his life as he sought to overcome the currents and
the waves. Eventually, Jonah’s strength faded and he began to sink to the bottom of
the Mediterranean Sea. As Jonah was about to lose his life the Lord sent a giant fish
to shallow him alive and after three days and three nights the great fish vomited
Jonah up on dry land. God’s word tells us, Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it
vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. (2.10) Many assume the whale dropped Jonah off
on the shore of Joppa where Jonah originally caught the ship gong to Tarshish but
we don’t know for certain. But we do know is what happened next as it is recorded
in Jonah chapter three. Hear now the Word of God:
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh
the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” 3 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. 4 Then Jonah began to go through the
city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be
overthrown.” 5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and
put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the word reached the
king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself
with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. 7 He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh
by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a
thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. 8 But both man and beast must be covered
with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked
way and from the violence which is in his hands. 9 Who knows, God may turn and relent
and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” 10 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 3.1-10)

The God of Second Chances
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.” (3.1-
2)
Thank God that our God is the God of second chances. How many times have we
failed to respond to God’s first call upon our lives? God’s call to go to someone. God’s
call to share the gospel. God’s call to get involved in ministry opportunities? God’s
call to get more involved, to get reengaged, to get plugged in. But because of the
hardness of our hearts, the Word of God is often met with reluctance, indifference,
and plain stubbornness. But through God’s pursuant grace He issues His call again
and again. Brothers and sisters, it is solely because we have a God of pursuant grace
that we serve Him today. If our service to the Lord was based on our first response,
we all would still be going in the wrong direction, or finding ourselves in a pit of a
whale’s belly, or laying on the shore right back where we started. But the word of
the Lord came to Jonah the second time. Brothers and sisters, let’s be first responders
to the Lord’s call on our lives. Let me ask you, what has the Lord been speaking to
you about that you continue to deny, ignore, or avoid? Let’s answer the Lord’s call
today!
Instead of fleeing from the Lord’s call, Jonah the second time around “arose and went
to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord.” (3.3) Let’s be the people that live
according to the word of the Lord! The Lord’s call to Jonah the second time was
almost exactly the same as the first time. “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry
against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” (3.3) Now the second time
the Lord tells Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the
proclamation which I am going to tell you.” (3.2) When you combined these two
callings, we see that Nineveh was a great city, full of wickedness, and the message
that Jonah was to proclaim to Nineveh was not his own but had divine origin. Let’s
take a moment to understand these elements of the Lord’s call to Jonah.
The Great City
Four times in the book of Jonah we are told that Nineveh was a great city. (1.2; 3.2,
3; 4.11) As I shared with you in the first sermon of this series, what is shocking
about the story of Jonah is where the Lord is sending His prophet. Up until this time
the Lord had only sent His prophets to Israel but here, we see the Lord is sending
His Hebrew prophet out to a Gentile city. And not to just any Gentile city but to the
city of Nineveh. Nineveh is first mentioned in the book of Genesis chapter ten where
we find Noah’s great grandson, Nimrod, rebelling against God’s command to go and
fill the earth by persuading people to stay and build great cities. One of those great
cities of rebellion was Nineveh. (Gen.10.11) So we see that Nineveh had been a city
of rebellion against God for centuries. The wickedness of Nineveh wasn’t a problem

for God because the principle by which our God works is that where sin abounds,
grace abounds all the more! (Rom.5.20)

Nineveh was located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in modern day Iraq and
became one of the largest cities in the world.

By the time of Jonah, centuries later, Nineveh was still known as a great city with its
great wealth, power, and prestige. By this time, Nineveh had become the capital city
of Assyrian Empire and the Assyrians were known for their brutality, cruelty,
immorality, worship of false gods, superstitions, sorcery, and being a longtime
enemy of Israel. (Nahum 3) No wonder their wickedness had come before the Lord.
But Nineveh had fallen on hard times prior to Jonah’s mission. The city had
experienced a series of famines, plagues, and revolts. They had also experienced a
series of eclipses which cause the population to believe that these eclipses were
signs that something really bad was just around the corner. All of this made the
Ninevites open to receive Jonah’s proclamation as truth from God.
Jonah’s Proclamation
So, what did Jonah do once he arrived at the Big Apple of the Assyrians? Then Jonah
began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days
and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (3.4) Jonah’s five Hebrew words constitute the
shortest prophetic proclamation on record. “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be
overthrown.” This very well might be a summary of what Jonah preached to the
Ninevites. Such summaries are common in Scripture. For example, in the book of
Acts on the Day of Pentecost we are told that Peter told his audience “Be saved from
this perverse generation” but we are also told that with many other words he solemnly
testified and kept on exhorting them. (Acts 2.40) This is what is probably happening
here with Jonah’s proclamation. Remember that Jonah’s proclamation was not his
own but had divine origin. The Lord had told Jonah to proclaim (or preach) the
proclamation which I am going to tell you and the Lord probably had more to say

than just five Hebrew words. (3.2) But of the five Hebrew words we have of Jonah’s
proclamation there is one that is very interesting and that is the word “overthrown.”
“Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
This verb “overthrown” is used elsewhere to describe the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah. (Gen.19.25) As I told you earlier, Jonah’s brief announcement of
imminent destruction was in concert with what many Ninevites believed was on the
horizon. God was preparing their hearts to hear the Word of God. But this word
“overthrown” can also mean “to turn around” or “to transform” which can refer to a
change of heart. (I Kings 22.34; Jer.13.23) By the Lord using this word we can see
the double edge sword of the Word of God. (Heb.4.12) On one side we see that
rejecting of God’s Word brings destruction on the other side we see that repentance
to God’s Word brings restoration. This was Jonah’s two-fold proclamation.
The response to Jonah’s proclamation was immediate occurring on the very first
day. You see, our message does not have to be in persuasive words of wisdom just as
long as it is preached in the power of the Spirit of God people will be pierced to the
heart (I Cor.2.4; Acts 2.37) As the Lord tells us, “So will My word be which goes forth
from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire,
and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Is.55.11) The Reformer
John Calvin wrote, “If anyone thinks that the air is beaten by an empty sound when
the Word of God is preached, he is greatly mistaken; for it is a living thing and full of
hidden power, which leaves nothing in man untouched.” Brothers and sisters, never
be ashamed of the gospel message, for it is the power of God for salvation to
everyone who believes. (Rom.1.16) Where is the wise man of the world? Where is the
scribe? Where is the debater of this age? You see, God is well pleased through the
foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. (ICor.1.20-21)
Repentance
And the Ninevites believed! From the greatest to the least of them the people of
Nineveh responded with repentance to Jonah’s message. We see that the people
responded in faith, fasting, fervent prayer, and with fruits in keeping with their
repentance. This was the work of God in their hearts and lives. Before the conclusion
of the first day of Jonah’s preaching, the people respond in repentance to God.
(3.10a) Repentance is a saving grace whereby a person out of true sense of guilt
turns from their sin unto God with full resolve to live a life of new obedience.
(WSC#87; Joel 2.13; Jer.31.18) God produces in the heart an earnestness, a zeal, and
a longing to turn away from the behaviors, actions, and attitudes that stand as an
offence to God. (II Cor.7.10-12)
Faith
We first see the people responded in faith. Verse five tells us, “Then the people of
Nineveh believed in God.” (3.5a) This phrase “believed in” denotes more than just
believing what someone has said; it expresses the idea of trust, hope, and confidence

in a person. It is used with Abraham with particular importance when the Scripture
tells us that “he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”
(Gen.15.6; Gal.3.6) Our Church Fathers taught us that faith is a saving grace whereby
we receive and rest in the gospel. (WSC#86; Jn.1.12; Phil.3.9)
Fasting
“they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.” (3.5b)
Calling for a fast was a means in the ancient world of expressing grief, humility, and
penitence. All of which are hallmarks of repentance. By focusing on the actions of
the king in verse six we see the extent of the repentance that covered the entire city.
The king rose from his throne, laid his royal robe aside, covered himself in sackcloth,
and sat in ashes. This gives us the evidence of the level of repentance that was
experienced throughout the city.
Fervent Prayer
Part of the king’s edict was for every person to call on God earnestly. (3.8b) The call
for fervent prayer has been a theme throughout the book of Jonah. From the captain
commanding Jonah to call on his god to spare them from sinking during the storm.
(1.6) To the sailor’s earnestly praying to the Lord before launching Jonah overboard.
(1.14) To Jonah calling out to the Lord from the stomach of the fish. (2.1-2) At every
turn we have seen the call for fervent prayer.
Fruits
Each person was to turn from their wicked ways and from the violence they were
intending to inflict upon another person. (3.8c) This reminds me of the teaching of
John the Baptist who called upon those coming out to be baptized in the Jordan
River to bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance. (Lk.3.8) And when the
multitude question him as to what they should do John the Baptist replied, “The man
who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do
likewise.” And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him,
“Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you
have been ordered to.” Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what
about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by
force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” (Lk.3.10-4) By
turning from their wicked ways and from the violence they were intending to inflict
upon another person the Ninevites were bringing forth fruits in keeping with their
repentance.
The Work of God
The people responding in faith, fasting, fervent prayer, and with fruits in keeping
with their repentance shows their repentance was something more than trying to
appease God to escape destruction. Their repentance was more than superficial.

Their repentance was a spiritual turn around, a transformation, change of heart.
Faith, fasting, fervent prayer, and fruits were the result of the work of God in their
hearts and lives. These are evidences of their seriousness towards God. This is what
we should expect God to do in our lives and in our cities.

Closing Thoughts
For the past couple of weeks, I have concluded the sermon by reminding us of an
episode during the earthly ministry of Jesus where some Pharisees and teachers of
the law asked for a sign and Jesus responded that no sign would be given except the
sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a
huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth. (Mt.12.38-40) Jesus goes on to tell these Pharisees and teachers of the law
that the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will
condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something
greater than Jonah is here. (Mt.12.41)
Jesus is using the people of Nineveh as a call to repentance. It only took the people of
Nineveh one day to repent but it often takes us days, weeks, months, years, and
maybe never. Brothers and sisters, we should be quick to repent. Why don’t we
repent? Maybe because we think we will escape the judgment of God. Maybe we are
taking advantage of the riches of God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience. Maybe we
are forgetting that the kindness of God should leads us to repentance. (Rom.2.3-4)
King David wrote that when he kept silent about his sin, his body wasted away, he
felt the Lord’s hand heavy upon him, and his vitality was drained away from him.
(Ps.32.3-4) But he goes on to write, I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity
I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave
the guilt of my sin. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You
may be found. (Ps.32-5-6)
Brothers and sisters, let’s follow the example of the Ninevites and be quick to repent
knowing that when we repent our sins will be wiped away and times of refreshing
will come from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3.19) Repentance always leads to the
knowledge of the truth. Repentance is the gateway to we come to our spiritual
senses. Repentance is how we escape from the snare of the devil. (2Tim.2.25-26)
Therefore, let’s be zealous to repent. (Rev.3.19)
Closing Prayer
Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the
greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from
my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is
ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your
sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. (1-4)

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. (7-8)
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast
me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me
the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. (10-12) O Lord, open my
lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. (Ps.51.1-4, 7-8, 10-12, 15)