Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. "The great city rises before us, most magnificent of all the capitals of the ancient world — 'great even unto God It included parks, and gardens, and fields, and people, and cattle within its vast circumference. Twenty miles the prophet penetrates into the city. He has still finished only one-third of his journey through it. His utterance, like that of the wild preacher in the last days of the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, is one piercing cry, from street to street, from square to square. It reaches at last the king on his throne of state. The remorse for the wrong and robbery and violence of many generations is awakened. The dumb animals are included, after the fashion of the East, in the universal mourning, and the Divine decree is revoked." I. THE PENITENT PROPHET. Recall the indications of his penitence given in his prayer (chap. Jonah 2.). And note the signs in his obedient attitude, and his readiness at once to do God's commands. Truly penitent people give up their own wilfulness, and cheerfully submit and obey. If we have not this spirit we may be quite sure that our penitence has neither been sincere nor thorough. Picture the prophet setting to his work. II. THE PENITENT CITY. Note the signs of earnestness and sincerity. All classes joined in the penitent acts. They united in prayer. They put away their sins. The king showed the good example. What a picture! A whole people prostrate before the God of judgment! III. GOD'S RELATION TO BOTH. Long-suffering to both. Forgiving to both. A prayer-hearer to both. Describe — How very strange it was that Jonah, though himself a forgiven man, was offended with God for making Nineveh a forgiven city. Our own sense of God's mercy in forgiving us, ought to make us very hopeful about others, and very thankful when we find that God's grace reaches also to them. There is joy among the angels over one penitent, and we should share their joy. (Robert Tuck, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. |
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