Jonah 1:1-3

New International Version

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord

For Meditation

If Jonah is notorious for disobedience, we could award Nineveh the highest prize for the quickest citywide repentance. 

God sent Jonah to Nineveh to warn the city of impending judgment because of their sins. The message was simple. Repent or perish. 

The prophet did not like it. The Assyrians were too wicked to be forgiven, so he bought a ticket on a ship and sailed away to a place he thought God could not see him – Tarshish, far from Nineveh. What foolishness. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 139:7, 

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”

A loving God that He is, Yahweh would not let His prophet prevail in disobedience. He caused a storm on the sea that led the crew to cast Jonah into the raging sea. When he found himself in the belly of a fish, Jonah sang a hymn of praise to the Lord. Then the fish spewed him out onto the shores of Nineveh to his chagrin. 

Jonah repented and preached the message the Lord had given him to the Ninevites. 

“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4).

That is the Gospel call!

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17).

The entire city, including the King, repented. They fasted and pleaded for forgiveness. The mercy of God prevailed. But Jonah steamed. 

How could all the people in the city escape the wrath of God that simply?

Four principal themes stand out in this story for our edification – the love of God, repentance, mercy, and forgiveness. 

The love of God compels Him to give people the opportunity to repent (2 Peter 3:9). When they do, He forgives because of His mercy. He has conditioned His judgment with repentance. Jonah knew this, and that’s why he did not want to deliver God’s message to Nineveh (4:2). But God is a God of second chances. He gave both Jonah and Nineveh a second chance.

That is the redemption story. It is the story of the utmost second chance for humanity. God loves the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes will not die, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). 

Christ died on the cross, and they buried Him in the earth’s belly. On the third day, He rose, ascended to heaven, and sat at the right hand of God in Majesty, the place of the highest authority. He offers forgiveness to all who repent of their sins and turn their lives to Him (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38).

Calvary reminds us of God’s mercy and His forgiveness. It is a time of introspection with a penitent heart. We cry on God for mercy and grace, and the blood of Jesus assures us of His forgiveness and restoration. 

Today, take the personal time for such introspection. Focus on the four themes – God’s love, mercy, repentance, and forgiveness – and pray with these scriptures of assurances in mind: Romans 8:1; 1 John 1:9. And rejoice in His faithfulness and your freedom.