Jonah 3:1-10
Q.1. What prophecy was Jonah given for Nineveh? What impact did his message have? How would Jonah’s experience give them hope? Was God touched by the Ninevites? – (Jonah 3:1-10)
Jonah only made one prophecy in the whole book. It was based on his original calling – “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” … 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.” (Jon.1:2; 3:4). Though the city was massive and required three days to walk through, Jonah only managed one day’s walk, before there was an amazing response – 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, 8 “… let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands (Jon.3:5-8). Few prophets ever received such a reception. It has been suggested that Jonah’s own testimony, accompanied by his bleached skin from spending three days in the fish, would have convinced the people. Since Jonah had survived his ordeal, this brought hope – Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” (Jon.3:9). In a graphic display of grace to Gentiles – 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 (Jon.3:10). God’s compassion for lost people is not like Jonah’s, or very often our own. It is incredibly generous.