Tuesday 18 September 2007
- Bible Book:
- Jonah
"The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 'Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim it to the message that I tell you'. So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going for a day's walk. And he cried out, 'Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!'" (v.1-4)
Background
What a cheek! There was Jonah just recovering from his neardeath experience with the big fish, when he'd got things all wrongand just escaped by the skin of his teeth. Now he was telling thepeople of Nineveh what a bad lot they were!
Granted, the story tells that was the original task that he wasgiven. Granted the people of Nineveh weren't particularly angelic.But even so…
Jonah takes a huff in
Every good yarn has unexpected twists and turns, and this is noexception. This story would have been told and retold countlesstimes - a great Old Testament parable from which a host of meaningscould be taken and a myriad of questions asked.
This epitomises the theme for this week - Relenting and Repenting.Jonah eventually relents and does that which God asked, even thoughthe original thought of mixing with Ninevites was repulsive. AsJonah has had God's graciousness shown to him, so this incidentshows God's mercy to a wayward community. But Jonah was nothappy.
Repenting is not just about being sorry, but putting somethingright and having a complete change of mind. Jonah did not want hismind changed.
To Ponder
Why should 'wicked' people receive as much careand love from God as those who behave much better?
Is it right that a criminal should be equal to achurchgoer in God's eyes?
How can we distinguish between what is God's mindand what is our stubbornness?