Now the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”
Then the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lᴏʀᴅ. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 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.
Is God content to let the evil ones get the just rewards of their evil? Does the LORD try to turn the wicked from their ways?
Jonah is an account that often receives emphasis for the ‘great fish’ that swallows Jonah but the true point of the story is God doing all He is allowed to turn the Assyrians away from destruction.
The reason is that God says ‘their evil has come up before Me’ with the implication that the LORD will deal appropriately with these people. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, the dominating power. Known for exceptional brutality as a conquerors, they threatened the Israelites with captivity. Jonah is from far northern Israel, a border region to Assyria. A prophet speaking against this neighbor, would be expected to be of condemnation and destruction. Jonah recognizes that God’s intent is to turn Assyria from their evil ways and wants no part of that mercy. He is a patriot and wants Nineveh to get what they have coming. So, Jonah goes his own way, in the opposite direction as far away as he could. He cannot outrun God. Onboard a ship heading west, a storm brings chaos, the crew does all they can but then seeks the cause of the storm. As superstitious sailors, when Jonah admits he’s fleeing from God, they try to save him but give in and deliver him into the deep. Through three days of resistance to God’s intention, he finally calls out to the LORD, admits his distress, his rebellion and repents that ‘what I have vowed I will pay, salvation belongs to the LORD’. 2 Then the LORD commands the fish to spit him out on dry land.
God is persistent in giving the opportunity to the Ninevites to repent, to turn from evil and Jonah delivers the word of the LORD,
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. 4
When the King of the Assyrians hears the warning, the takes the response to the urgent stage:
Not only do they hear the word of the LORD but they act upon the word spoken to them, they believe and change their ways,
It is clear that as bad as the Assyrians were, had been, violent, ungodly, idolatrous and arrogant, the LORD still wanted them to be delivered from the consequences if they would change their ways and serve Him.