Jonah 3:4: And Jonah began to enter into the city a days journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
Look again at the language, God is coming in forty days to destroy you. God will come to judge you and bring you into destruction like Sodom.
It doesnt say God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Theres no messenger of Gods love in Jonahs preaching.
This wicked city was ripe for damnation.
Gods word was revealed to their heart, that indeed they were wicked and deserved the wages of eternal damnation for their wickedness, which lead them to believe God. They heard the anger of God in Jonahs preaching, so what was their reaction. Verse 5:
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth,
They saw themselves sinner, not worthy to even eat before God, they striped themselves of their own apparel (their own righteousness) and put on clothes that identified them with the apparel of sinners, sackcloth, clothes that were used to show contrite of heart. What show them these things, but the wrath of Gods anger on the sinner. They were about to be destroyed, symbolizing the eternal punishment that will destroy both body and soul in hell.
Verse 8:
And cry mightily to God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
Pleading for Gods mercy to save them, they see themselves as sinner deserving to be destroyed, or else why would they be repenting of their evil ways.
Theres no argument that God loves sinner and hates the sin, (dont worry cause all will eventually be spared). No this was a serious problem. In forty days they would be destroyed. God Himself would come as Judge to overthrow their city. What a frightful message this is.
Verse 9:
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not?
As a servant found guilty for disobeying the Kings command, and judgment being rendered, the servant can only plead for mercy, it is up to the King to either spare his life or carry out the verdict of the guilty.
God did show mercy and love on the city of Nineveh, because they heard the preaching of Jonah and believed God that they were sinner. God LOVED them so much that he sent Jonah to warn them from HIS wrath (eternal damnation) so that the terror of this truth would cause repentance and it did. If God didnt love them there wouldnt have been this warning of eternal destruction, thereby no repentance and no Mercy shown by God.
For example, no warning was given to Sodom. Only Lot was warned of the destruction of the city and escaped. God judgment was silent to Sodom, indicating that God never loved them, so there was no need to warn them. What happen was they never repented and perished; and are now awaiting the eternal consequence for their wickedness, which is far greater than physical destruction.
Look again at the language, God is coming in forty days to destroy you. God will come to judge you and bring you into destruction like Sodom.
It doesnt say God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Theres no messenger of Gods love in Jonahs preaching.
This wicked city was ripe for damnation.
Gods word was revealed to their heart, that indeed they were wicked and deserved the wages of eternal damnation for their wickedness, which lead them to believe God. They heard the anger of God in Jonahs preaching, so what was their reaction. Verse 5:
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth,
They saw themselves sinner, not worthy to even eat before God, they striped themselves of their own apparel (their own righteousness) and put on clothes that identified them with the apparel of sinners, sackcloth, clothes that were used to show contrite of heart. What show them these things, but the wrath of Gods anger on the sinner. They were about to be destroyed, symbolizing the eternal punishment that will destroy both body and soul in hell.
Verse 8:
And cry mightily to God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
Pleading for Gods mercy to save them, they see themselves as sinner deserving to be destroyed, or else why would they be repenting of their evil ways.
Theres no argument that God loves sinner and hates the sin, (dont worry cause all will eventually be spared). No this was a serious problem. In forty days they would be destroyed. God Himself would come as Judge to overthrow their city. What a frightful message this is.
Verse 9:
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not?
As a servant found guilty for disobeying the Kings command, and judgment being rendered, the servant can only plead for mercy, it is up to the King to either spare his life or carry out the verdict of the guilty.
God did show mercy and love on the city of Nineveh, because they heard the preaching of Jonah and believed God that they were sinner. God LOVED them so much that he sent Jonah to warn them from HIS wrath (eternal damnation) so that the terror of this truth would cause repentance and it did. If God didnt love them there wouldnt have been this warning of eternal destruction, thereby no repentance and no Mercy shown by God.
For example, no warning was given to Sodom. Only Lot was warned of the destruction of the city and escaped. God judgment was silent to Sodom, indicating that God never loved them, so there was no need to warn them. What happen was they never repented and perished; and are now awaiting the eternal consequence for their wickedness, which is far greater than physical destruction.