Wednesday: The Nineveh Generation
Read Jonah 3. What great message is found here in the context of outreach and evangelism?
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
(Jon. 3:1-2 NIV). Two verbs are important in the text. First, this is the second time God says Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you
Go!
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
God does not give up. He grants failing humans a second chance. Here again we have the New Testament mission concept, which is the idea of going to the nations, as opposed to expecting the nations to come to you.
The other important verb is proclaim.
Proclamation has always been important in the Bible. It is still the most effective way of spreading the gospel message. God emphasized to Jonah that it should be the message I give you. That is, the message we proclaim must be God’s, not our own, or even a tweaked, modified, or bowdlerized version of it.
God’s message is generally threat and promise, judgment and gospel. His stark proclamation was Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown
(Jon. 3:4 NIV). That was the judgment. Yet, there was also the promise of hope, of deliverance, of salvation (there must have been because the people heeded the message and were saved).
Even with the everlasting gospel
at the heart of it, Revelation 14:6-12 also warns about judgment. Gospel and judgment go hand-in-hand: the gospel offers us God’s way to avoid the condemnation that judgment would justly bring upon us all.
No preaching of the gospel is fully effective unless judgment is taught. Political correctness,
which leads to a watering down of these stark elements and downplaying differences between religions or even between different Christian traditions, is risky. Though in mission we need to adapt our presentation for the people we are trying to reach (contextualization), we must never do so at the expense of the message God has given us to proclaim.
In Jonah 3:5-10, what happens? The Ninevites believed, acted on their beliefs, exercised their faith, and were saved.
God has given us some wonderful promises, and stern warnings, too. What should this story teach us about the conditionality of these promises and warnings?
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From this i learn that when we heed to God's plea for us to turn from our wicked ways, He fulfills all the promises He made and rewards us when we prove our obedience to His word.
He does not only save us from trouble that would befall us but also blesses us..
The Lord never gives up on us.
Amen,Jonah knew GOD and still ran away. Word says you can run but you can't hide. GOD loves us and HE is fighting the battle for us, all HE needs of us is to make the right choice.
Welspoken indeed,the reason we avoid presenting the judgement and Gospel altogether,is because we don't know the risk of not saying thus SAYS THE LORD
Am so touched by the Jonah experience, as the remnant who are still proclaming the truth of the Lord let us not be ashamed of preaching even to the unreachable. I assure you God will be with us just like Jonah.
In our interaction with people whether they are family relatives, loved ones, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, it is a God given opportunity to present the message in its totality that is Gospel and Judgment. We live in precarious times and the Devil is seeking to end one's life once he sees that a saint tries to present the Eternal gospel, if it is just sharing he won't be bothered to kill that person so the opportunity to know the E.G. (Eternal Gospel). is severed. We need to seriously consider early in the morning as Christ did, after personal devotion and meditation to contemplate on how to present this E.G. in its verity and totality with each given people whom you will meet regularly and surely in any given day and time in your work place, classroom, in the public transport or your regular people you meet in a day. here is my point after doing it for more than 23 years as a bible study worker to prison as a lay member then colporteur, pastor and now as a freelance land and resource consultant as a ministry.
1). The Day to decide for eternity is today and that goes for us as missionaries and your prospect (people you interact regularly daily).
2). If that is so (above) then the opportunity for a decision is so vital that we should not miss this opportunity to present the E.G. in its verity and totality, for example since it is a matter of life and death then you must with all your wit, zeal, tactfulness prepare to present this E.G. message as if she is going to die today and must not miss this opportunity to decide to accept Jesus and His E.G. message for this two are a two sides of a coin of life and death issue.
3). We should fly this message with earnestness, fast and prayer and through the Power of the Holy Ghost and its influence and not on ours for the 3 Angels were seen flying and not strolling the message or walking the message.
4). I have learnt the dangers of trying to present the E.G or 3 A.M (3 Angels message) or the Eternal gospel message in its partiality, is that you will miss this client or the prospect will loose interest for other Christian denomination do a better job in presenting the Gospel than us, so our only surety of success and surety of winning the soul to Christ is to present the E.G or 3 A.M or the Eternal Gospel in its verity (Basis of Salvation/Gospel & Judgment or Warning) until we do that we still miss a God given opportunity daily and most certainly aid the Devil to win your prospect or client to Eternal Loss.
6). The E.G or 3 A.M or the Eternal Gospel in its totality was mandated from the beginning of the Apostolic church as found in Matthew 28: 18-20 but sorely stressed again in Revelation 14 for the saints had lost its importance and urgency for they had lost their first love, sharing their LOVE, JESUS and His mission and ministry.
There is no time left according to the Angel of Revelation 10 to separate the verity and totality of the Eternal Gospel or the Great Commission Gospel call for it was not meant to be so in the first place.
Our problem is always trying to view The E.G or 3 A.M or the Eternal Gospel as a dichotomy for the two opposing verity of the message compliment each other rather than controvert each other. this is the Devil not working on prospects but rather Satan's successful influence on us as bible study missionaries as the Devil performs a sort of lobotomy to lobotomize us, thus we present a half message and not its totality and to me when we do this it is a sort of heresy. Let us blodly present this message in its verity and totality without Doubt, Fear and restraint for remember it is not your message but Lamb of God and The Holy Spirit will convict. The Holy Ghost cannot convict successfully if you are presenting it humanly and philosophical by separating the verities for it is a complete 2 inclusively. May God help us to present it according to His will and not to our liking or whatever apparent reason that may seem genuine and reasonable.
Remember Isaiah the Prophets quote "For as High and far is the Heaven in which Yahweh dwell so are my thoughts are far from yours". Which to means when someone presents the gospel part only of the E.G or 3 A.M it is just purely human, philosophical and carnal to a sense and not divinely enlightened.
A mistake and correction on Point 3 should read instead of not in our terms...flying the message and not strolling ... the message
Why could Jonah not just preach the attractive virtues of Jehovah alone?
The modern secular and lukewarm generation is largely only receptive to a soft and watered-down gospel message; and this only for a time until they find something inconvenient later. To serve sugar coated gospel to those hungering for religious sweets only sets them up for a worsened sin-sick condition. They are thereby settled into a false sense of security and pay little attention to needful spiritual renewal (Romans 12:1, 2).
It is needful to share the messages of the Bible as they are. That means presenting hope and promise, as well as warning and judgment (Revelation 14:6-12). God desires so much to save that He will use fear where necessary to get the sinner’s attention and the process of salvation started. However somewhat like a motor vehicle does not run on a starter or battery the believer will need to learn and transition to love if they will maintain a right relationship with Jesus.
Not many loving parents will avoid scaring their child if it will help to save them from immediate danger. Do the faithful in love spare the feelings of others and just allow them to be lost without any effort? When the saints refuse to share truth they are often sparing themselves the fallout they do not consider to be worth offering the opportunity of salvation. In the end none will regret receiving a warning message if they are saved.
The selfless think like God. They put themselves on the line to save, even if they end up looking undesirable.
I think Jesus showed us the way to do it. A friend can convince better than an enemy. That is why Jesus became friends to sinners, socialized and ate with them and when the right time to say something they listened.
You are right Hugh. God warns us because He loves us. Another example is: Galations 5:13-26. The Message is: live by the Spirit not by the flesh. The life led by the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, forbearence, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, leaves no room for anger,or fits of rage. The promise is: live by the Spirit and you will be free of the law, the warning is: live by the flesh and you will lose eternal life. Galations 6:8 is a must read also, it gives us the choice, life or death, promise or judgement. Under the law or not under the law. I set before you life or death. Deut 30:19-20. Just a few years back our pastor said, my dear people, my preaching gives you pomise and warning. If you want all promise, go to the Church down the street. Jesus gave promise and judgement, take a look. At Matthew 13:38.
Choice! The LORD gives us a choice, He does not force anyone to choose to love and serve Him.
In eternal terms what is the choice? The choice is:
a) live forever in harmony with the loving character of the LORD,
or
b) cease to exist.
It is only now, in this time of probation, that we can choose to accept the LORD or to reject Him and carry on living either way.
What is your message? Why do you follow Jesus?
I follow Jesus, not from fear of punishment nor from hope of a reward. I follow Jesus because of who He is, because of His character, because He loves Me, because of His worldview, because of His Divine Power, for all these reasons I am drawn to Him and want to be with Him and want to become like Him.
Indeed God always desire the best for his children and wouldn,t wish us dead . For l know the thought that l think towards you says the Lord. God makes his second chance available for us , it is up to us to grab this opportunity and we will be save .
The inclusiveness of all persons in the plan of salvation is basis of today lesson. The people resented because they acknowledged the true words spoken by the prophet who did not hid anything from them, i.e obey God and be delivered or refuse and face the judgment of God. We are asked to 'Go' to all not waiting for them to come to us.
If we sincerely go as instructed the Lord will definitely fulfilled those promises He had promised
its clear from jonah3:10 that if we fully and truely cry to God deeply over our wickedness, then he can easily turn away the wrath he had planned against us just as he did to the people of nineveh.......just imagine 40 days left to destruction,this made them to deeply confess, we too God can see us through regardless of however short time is given to us for confession. our God works things mightyly.
Jonah's story elaborates the determination of God to use one to proclaim his word to the poor in spirit contrary to ones opinion. Moreover it outlines God's love and second chance to those who repent sincerely in heart, despite his sturn warnings and judgement.....God is LOVE
It's not our hearing God's word that pleases Him, but our responding to it matters most.
The Father has a way of correcting the way you are heading, without the correction we would be lost, this is important fact. The word of the Lord said that he wish that non would perish but that all would come into repentance. With the preaching of Jonah this is what took place they believe on the word which is important for our time to believe that what God says will come to past will come to past and those who change direction in their lives will be spared the punishment of being destroy from God but if we persist in wickedness God has no chose but to stop the evil that will continue.
It is very important, after the Gospel then the judgement means we have to know this clearly. Read Matthew 24:14 And this good news of the kingdom will be given through all the world for a witness to all nations; and then the end will come.
Every serious action that is going to happen always God proclaims to the people to be ready and repent their sins.Is the same to us we know really that this the end of time and God wants us to be united with him our brothers and sisters let's come out to the Babylon that we may not share its cup of sadness, that is my prayer to all of you.Amen
It seen time and time again God continues to show us His grace , why?, because He loves us , also with the warning too He puts those in place to help us, its upon us to trust Him and give Him at His word.
Jonah preached the 3 angel's messages didn't he? A type for our day, but will we be reluctant as well? He must have shared the truth found in Ex 34:6,7 as well.
Law and gospel, they must go together. Without the law, the gospel is irrelevant. Without the gospel, the law leaves the sinner without hope.
I like the definition of Godly repentance in Jonah 3:10.
This aspect of the story teaches us not to take God for granted. Many of us are doing this today just because we are not struck down as we sin. We are shown the balance between justice and love in God's nature. This is what the Lord wants us to tell the world. We have a loving Saviour who cares for us but He will bring every work into judgement and reward us according to our response to His grace.
We are also taught not to stereotype people.We can't see a person's heart and if God tells us to go ,we should not shun some people because they don't seem like someone who would be receptive. We should go to everyone. Unfortunately the Ninevites were even more receptive to God than even the Jews. By God's grace let us endeavour to go to heaven with the Ninevites and not be a surprise on the wrong side.
I also believe in the full message but we should present it in the most attractive way possible. To me that means not making a nuisance of one’s self as some sort of crazed fanatic. We need believable testimony that will convince those we are witnessing to.
Our message should also be as non-controvertible as possible. That means that what we say should be solid and based on scripture in a way that is difficult to argue against. Too many times we have presented things that depended on questionable reference material that simply did hold up and I think when we do that it casts a very long shadow on everything else we present.
Question: Methew 12:40 says; For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
"The facts is that, the Son of Man Was in the heart of the earth three days and two nights". Is the bible not contradicting here??? Anyone wish to help.
Kitururu, I believe that the "heart of the earth" does not seem to specify merely the grave, but with the heart (center or seat) where the Lamb of God would be offered. If you recall Jesus was there from Thursday night (or eve of preparation day for Jews) and was there until the first day when He rose from the dead. That would be 3 evenings and 3 mornings. It also doesn't specify the full 24 hours, just evenings and mornings or a portion of them.
It was this "heart" or center of the earth was where the great propitiation for the world was made. It was where God would reveal that He "so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and Gethsemane was a vital part where the sacrifice was committed, which took place on Thursday night (eve of preparation Day to the Jew). From this garden Jesus was taken prisoner and held as a captive (like the ram caught in the thicket) until He came forth from the grave victorious over it. I would say personally that not only was this the heart (center) of the earth, but of all creation during those 3 evenings and mornings. God was there with the angels, Satan was there with his angels, and every other world looked on with intense interest. It was the events of those hours that cast Satan out of heaven to the earth, knowing he has a short time until his rebellion is ended. He lost and he knows it.
This is how I look at it.
Others seem to indicate that the saying "days and nights" was a possible figure of speech only and not to be taken in a literal sense. Perhaps someone else could address that more specifically.
Jonah also went and proclaimed anticipating that they would not listen and that the very people who probably killed his beloved family members were the ones he was preaching too and would be destroyed as God promised. He obey God and felt that as God had promised, these people would be destroyed when they didn't change. How disappointed this missionary was when the city was saved. Even angry that the little plant was destroyed and not the people who killed his family. This missionary did not completely value God's forgiveness and yet GOD USED HIM anyway. There is hope for me, God can use even me.
Yes many of us have been shying away from spreading the good news and everlasting gospel/ mission of second coming of our lord JESUS,just like jonah.But we should remember that after all,jonah delivered the good will message to the people of nineveh.the lesson is that we should stand firm to proclaim the good will message to our generation,our generation is our work place,our work shop,our business place or any place we may found our self.
For me as i followed Jonah saga it was a lesson to me as i related to many of his characteristics ,many a time when people really do something hurtful i feel very frustrated and question the dealings of God then quickly realise my wrong attitude and be ashamed or may will say revenge is for the Lord when im wronged but deepdown there will be that urge to really see what revenge is going to be fall them instead of forgiving and have geniune concern ,so i thank GOD for the Jonah saga it couldnt have come at a better time for me to see my errors and truly repent not just admit i was wrong i truly pray for change of attitude and be a better follower ofour great teacher who loved and forgave those that persecuted him