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| Image credit: Ranach Digital Archive. Jonah and the Whale |
Unrelenting. Showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace. (Merriam-Webster)
“Jonah: the Story of God’s Unrelenting Desire to Save” must have struck hearts like a dagger as Pastor March Villareal (San Diego Christian Fellowship-South) started our lesson on the prophet Jonah’s life.
God tirelessly seeks everyone—yes, even the vilest and most loathsome.
Exhibit number one: Nineveh. History records it as the capital of the wealthy, powerful and prestigious Assyrian empire. Yet they were vicious and cruel.
And Jonah? Prophet. God-fearing. Righteous. God commissioned him to preach repentance to this evil nation.
Yet he tried to run away from God—because God wanted to save the Ninevites, a nation hostile to Jonah’s own people.
Jonah 1:1 “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’ 3 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.”
Aren't some of us like Jonah—squirming at the atrocities done by the ungodly?
David also did pray (Psalm 59:5), “O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors.”
Seems like the prayer I’d pray when I read about corrupt and unjust politicians who enrich themselves like their countries’ coffers were their own.
Ouch!
Yet God pursued Jonah—so He can save an evil nation!
The Almighty was unwilling to let go of Jonah. God chose him to warn the Ninevites of their impending doom if they didn’t repent.
Here’s how grace played out for Jonah. Jonah hated Nineveh. “How could God send me to this horrible people?” he must have thought. Yet in spite of his momentary weakness, God persisted, “Preach to Nineveh.”
“Jonah tried to run away because he knew God was good,” says Pastor March; and He was bound to save them if they repented. Not good if you knew this nation was hostile to yours, right?
“Oh, how could He?” Jonah must have boiled.
Imagine the ensuing drama:
God litters Jonah’s escape route with violent storms. While he sleeps in the bowels of the boat, the mariners frantically call on their puny gods.
Confronting Jonah, they beg him to call ON GOD.
Jonah admits in verse 9 “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
Fast forward to verse 14-16. They aren't crying out to their idols anymore, but to the great God of Jonah—God of heaven, maker of the sea and dry land. .
V. 14 “Then they cried out to the Lord, ‘Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.’ 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him."
God doesn't waste an opportunity, does He? While He allows His prophet to stew in his disobedience and hatred for the Ninevites, He demonstrates to a bunch of macho seafarers that He indeed is God.
The rest of the drama seems like a sketch taken from a kiddie book: three days, Jonah safe and sound in the belly of a great sea creature—most probably a whale; in a smooth ride to Nineveh.
Repentant, he preaches to the nation. They repent. God withholds His wrath.
This! In spite of a reluctant prophet’s disobedience.
Humbling, huh?
In the New Testament and even today, God calls us to repentance through Jesus. Why not call on His name today. He’s the name above every other name. The only designated way to the Father. Savior. Lord of all.
Prayer: Who am I, Lord, that I would question your desire for even the vilest to come to repentance and be saved? I too am a sinner and deserve your wrath. You’re calling me too! I repent. Save me, Jesus! Use me to proclaim You to an unbelieving and hostile world—that they too might be saved.
