“Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” (Jonah 3:4-5, 10)
These words that Jonah preached are a timely message for the world today. People need to repent of their sins now as much as did the Ninevites of Jonah’s day. They are just as wicked, idolatrous, and cruel. Yet today many do not see the need for repentance from sin primarily because they do not think they are sinners, they are good people. Even if acknowledge that they sin occasionally, these sins are really not that bad. In fact, many think that they can work off the debt of sin with whatever good works they can come up with. Perhaps that’s why these days so many people get involved in what they think are worthwhile or noble causes but which are just forms of idolatry.
It is up to the church to preach this message of repentance because God is going to judge these sinners soon. The church should, therefore, be a sanctuary of mercy and hope to unbelievers. We are Christ’s ambassadors, called to minister to the needs of the lost with what we received from our fellowship and interaction with the Lord. Often, however, our actions and attitudes carry the opposite message: we don’t like outsiders, people who are different from us, people of other cultures, people who are immoral, sinners in general. We don’t want to share the hope that we have with them.
Jonah felt that way about the sinful people of Nineveh. Jonah did not like God’s idea of so easily forgiving people who deserved punishment. He was angry with God. Yes God is just and holy. He must punish sin. Yet. God loves to extend mercy to people who do not deserve it. As we should know, the sins of those who repent and are forgiven don’t go unpunished. God Himself suffered the punishment for sin in the person of Jesus. On the cross Jesus suffered the punishment for the sins of all mankind. He took our place because we human beings could never become righteous by our actions or deeds. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. It was God’s love and compassion that made up for our helplessness. So we ought to preach the gospel Jonah preached but with an attitude of joy and thanksgiving for God uses us as His instruments of mercy.