THE BOOK OF JONAH

(“Two Remarkable Examples Of God’s Grace”)1


Jonah 3:1-10 (NASU)


1“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.’ 3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord … 5Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them … 10When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.”

(Jonah 3:1-3a, 5, 10)



  1. A BRIEF REINTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK

OF JONAH

(1) Tonight’s Scripture lesson (c.f. Jonah 3:1-10) begins the second half of the Book of Jonah – not just in terms of the number of chapters (of which there are only four) – but more importantly, in terms of the inspired (c.f. II Peter 1:20-21) story line.

(a) The first two chapters have dealt primarily with God’s call to Jonah to go to the wicked city of Nineveh and cry out against it – his futile attempt to run away from that calling – his harrowing experience in the Mediterranean Sea, and the stomach of a great fish – followed by his subsequent deliverance (c.f. Jonah 1-2).

(b) The last two chapters deal with God’s second call to Jonah, and his ensuing obedience – the mass repentance of the people of Nineveh, followed by God sparing them from the judgment He said He was going to bring upon them – and finally, God’s dealings with Jonah because of his anger over the fact God graciously chose to spare the city of Nineveh instead of overthrowing it (c.f. Jonah 3-4).

(2) I have maintained throughout our study of the Book of Jonah – as well as our earlier study of the Book of Esther – that we have to be careful about building doctrinal positions on narrative passages of Scripture (like the one we have here in Jonah chapter three). Narratives can certainly be used to ILLUSTRATE doctrine CLEARLY taught elsewhere in Scripture – but we need to guard against making such passages the sole or primary basis for our doctrinal beliefs.

(a) An example outside the Book of Jonah would be, taking David’s statement in Second Samuel chapter twelve – where he says of the first child born to he and Bathsheba, who died a few days after birth: “I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (c.f. II Samuel 12:23) – and using that as a basis for teaching that all children who die in infancy automatically go to heaven. That’s not what David was saying – nor (more importantly) is such a doctrine supported elsewhere in Scripture. As a matter of fact, Scripture is silent on that particular issue.

(b) An example from tonight’s Scripture lesson (c.f. Jonah 3:1-10) might be the notion that God wants to bring about other mass conversions of the magnitude and rapidity that took place in Nineveh – and that we will see more revivals like this if we faithfully preach the message God has given to us, like Jonah finally did.

The problem is, that’s not what this passage is about – nor can it be shown that such a doctrine is taught elsewhere in Scripture. Because if it were, we would not have the passage in Second Peter chapter five (for example) that tells us Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” – and yet, only he and “seven” other people were saved when the Flood came (c.f. II Peter 2:5). In other words, Noah faithfully preached the message God gave him – but obviously, no mass revival occurred as a result.

(c) Now I believe it goes without saying that we should always faithfully preach whatever message God gives us. The point is, even when we do, that’s no guarantee a revival of any kind is going to break out – let alone one of the magnitude and rapidity that took place in Nineveh. Revivals are wholly a matter of God’s grace – regardless of the means He uses to bring them about. Revivals are wholly a matter of God’s grace – even when we are faithful to preach the message He gives us.

(3) Having said all that, however, we still need to ask: Does the narrative in Jonah chapter three (c.f. Jonah 3:1-10) ILLUSTRATE any doctrines taught elsewhere in Scripture? And my answer is: It most certainly does!

(a) First and foremost of all, this chapter illustrates (what John Calvin called) “a remarkable proof of God’s grace”1 – first to Jonah, by restoring him to his prophetic office, and giving him a another chance to fulfill his divine calling2 (c.f. Jonah 3:1-3) – and then to the people of Nineveh, first by warning them of their impending doom, and then relenting of that calamity when they repented (c.f. Jonah 3:4-10).

(b) Second, this chapter demonstrates the attribute of God’s patience toward sinners, who deserve condemnation rather than grace – who deserve to be judged for their sins right now, rather than being given time to repent. As Scripture says elsewhere (in several doctrinal passages) “The Lord is … PATIENT toward you, (Why?) not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (c.f. II Peter 3:9) – and again: “I gave her TIME TO REPENT …” (c.f. Revelation 2:21).

(c) Third, Jonah chapter three gives us an example of what genuine repentance looks like – specifically, “the repentance that leads to (eternal) life” (as the Book of Acts says) (c.f. Acts 11:18). It’s not that real repentance is always accompanied by fasting, putting on sackcloth, and sitting on ashes (c.f. Jonah 3:3-8) (as the people of Nineveh did) – but that it always manifests itself through some outward display of genuine HUMILITY before God, coupled with earnest PRAYER, and a TURNING AWAY from sin and evil (c.f. Jonah 3:8). Hence, Scripture says: “… bear fruit IN KEEPING WITH repentance” (c.f. Matthew 3:8) – and again, that those who are truly repentant will “(perform) deeds APPROPRIATE TO repentance” (c.f. Acts 26:20).

(4) Jonah chapter three also raises several interesting questions that are better answered elsewhere in Scripture.

(a) For example, does God change His mind? This question comes from the fact that the message God gave Jonah to preach said: “Yet forty days and Nineveh WILL BE overthrown” (c.f. Jonah 3:4) – but then, when the people of Nineveh repented, verse ten says: “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God RELENTED concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did NOT do it” (c.f. Jonah 3:10).

So, did God change His mind about what He was going to do to the people of Nineveh? It sure looks like it. BUT, before we conclude that the Book of Jonah teaches us that God changes His mind – that He changes His mind the same way we do – and for some of the same reasons – we would do well to consult the rest of Scripture (c.f. Exodus 32:10-12; Numbers 23:19; I Samuel 15:29). Because when we do, we’re going to get a much different perspective.

(b) Another question this chapter raises is one we’ve already touched on in passing – namely, why did the people of Nineveh repent so quickly and so collectively? There have been few (if any) mass revivals on the scale of, and with the swiftness of, what happened in Nineveh. So, why did this particular revival take place? And, is there anything we can learn from it that might help us bring about a similar revival in our own city, or our own country?

My short answer to that last question is “No” – “No, there’s nothing here that will enable us to bring about a similar revival in our own time.” (As we’ve already noted in passing, “genuine revivals are wholly a matter of God’s grace” – they cannot be controlled, or choreographed, or made to happen on cue.) But as I said, some of the questions raised here in Jonah chapter three are best answered elsewhere. And hopefully we’ll be able to look at some of those answers in more detail as we work our way through the chapter.

(B) GRACE GREATER THAN ALL OUR SIN

(1) Tonight, however, I want to focus on two examples of God’s grace found here in Jonah chapter three, beginning with the prophet himself. Look, then, at verses one through four: 1“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.’ 3So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. 4Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown’” (c.f. Jonah 3:1-4).

(a) God has already been gracious to Jonah in numerous ways. FIRST, it was an act of God’s grace to save him, and call him to be a prophet (c.f. II Kings 14:25) – and then commission him to deliver a message of judgment to the city and citizens of Nineveh (c.f. Jonah 1:1-2). SECOND, it was an act of God’s grace not to let Jonah get away with his rebellion (c.f. Jonah 1:3) – not to leave the wayward prophet in his sin (c.f. Romans 1:24, 26, 28) – but to go after him (as it were), and bring him back (c.f. Jonah 1:4f). And THIRD, it was an act of God’s grace to spare Jonah’s life, instead of letting him drown – to use a great fish to miraculously preserve him (c.f. Jonah 1:17; 2:10) – and to bring him to the point of repentance during his stay in the fish’s stomach (c.f. Jonah 2:1-9).

(b) Now, here in chapter three, we see God being gracious to Jonah once again – this time by giving him a second chance – a second chance to be useful – a second chance to obey – a second chance to “go to Nineveh and proclaim” the message God would give him (c.f. Jonah 3:1-2). And of course, this time Jonah did exactly as he was told (c.f. Jonah 3:3-4) – which is yet another indication of God’s grace – for I think Jonah would have readily understood what Paul meant when he said: 9“… I am the least of the apostles, and NOT FIT to be called an apostle, BECAUSE I persecuted the church of God. 10But BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I LABORED even more than all of them, YET NOT I, BUT THE GRACE OF GOD WITH ME” (c.f. I Corinthians 15:9-10).

Jonah didn’t deserve another chance to be useful to the Lord – but he got it! Jonah didn’t deserve another chance to serve the Lord as a prophet – but he got it! Jonah didn’t deserve a second chance to go to Nineveh on the Lord’s behalf – but He got to. And if we inquire as to why, the answer is – because our God is “gracious to whom (He) will be gracious, and … compassion(ate) to whom (He) will (be) compassion(ate)” (c.f. Exodus 33:19) – and in this instance He chose to be gracious and compassionate to Jonah. Because our God is (as Jonah himself will say in chapter four), “… gracious and compassionate … slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity” (c.f. Jonah 4:2) – and in this instance, once again, God chose to be gracious and compassionate to Jonah.

In short, Jonah got another chance because our God is “a God of grace” (c.f. I Peter 5:10) – and men like Jacob, and Moses, and David, and Peter (and Jonah) are glad He is – and you and I should be, too!

(c) By way of application, there’s a verse in the first chapter of the Book of Romans – in fact, I think it’s the verse that set a fire under Martin Luther and ignited the Protestant Reformation – (a verse) that says: “… the righteousness of God is revealed FROM FAITH TO FAITH …” (c.f. Romans 1:17). In other words, “every point of the gospel depends on faith”3 (c.f. Galatians 3:2-3) – every aspect of our salvation depends on faith in Christ (not our so-called good works), and that includes our justification, our sanctification, and our glorification (c.f. Romans 3:28; 9:30; II Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 4:2; 11:6).

I submit that a similar thing can be said about grace – that not only are we saved by God’s grace (c.f. Ephesians 2:5, 8) – but we also live and move each day of our life by His grace – that we grow and mature in the faith by His grace – that we do what we do and are what we are solely and only by God’s grace (c.f. Romans 11:6; II Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 4:7; I Peter 3:18; 4:10)! Hence, at the close of most morning worship services, before we leave to reenter the world, I “commend you to God and to the word of His grace” (c.f. Acts 20:32) – in part, because apart from God’s grace to us in Christ Jesus, we have nothing and we are nothing (c.f. I Corinthians 15:10) – nor can we accomplish anything apart from Him (c.f. John 15:5).

Think about the words John Newton penned when he wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace”4 – not only did he write (in stanza one):

“Amazing grace! – how sweet the sound –

that SAVED a wretch like me”


– but he also wrote (in stanza three):

“Thro’ many dangers, toils, and snares,

I have already come;

‘tis GRACE HAS BROUGHT ME SAFE THUS FAR,

and GRACE WILL LEAD ME HOME.”


In other words, John Newton not only praised God for His grace to him in regard to salvation – he also praised God for His grace in regard to EVERY aspect of life, right up to (and including) the day of his death.

The fact Jonah was restored to his place as one of God’s prophets was due solely and only to God’s grace. Likewise, whatever we have that’s good – whatever we are that’s Godly – whatever we are able to do that pleases our Savior – is due solely and only to God’s grace. It is by grace that we’ve come this far – and it will only be by God’s grace that we are able to finish the course set before us (c.f. II Timothy 4:7). Hence, our constant need for what Scripture calls, “grace upon grace” (c.f. John 1:16).

(2) The other example of God’s grace found in tonight’s Scripture lesson has to do with the citizens of Nineveh. Look at verses five through ten: 5“Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. 6When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. 7He issued a proclamation and it said, ‘In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. 8But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. 9Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.’ 10When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it” (c.f. Jonah 3:5-10).

(a) As with Jonah, God was gracious to the people of Nineveh in numerous ways – but let’s begin with some that might get overlooked.

FOR EXAMPLE, the Assyrians were such a wicked, and cruel, and violent people (c.f. Jonah 1:2; 3:8) that it was an act of God’s grace they survived as a nation for as long as they did (c.f. Daniel 2:21; Romans 13:1) – it was an act of God’s grace that He preserved them long enough for at least one generation to be converted – indeed, it was an act of God’s grace that He chose to save any of these people at all!

SECOND, it was an act of God’s grace to send the Assyrians living in Nineveh a prophet to warn them that destruction was imminent (c.f. Jonah 3:1-4). God would have been well within His rights as Sovereign Ruler of heaven and earth – and well within the bounds of His righteousness, holiness and justice – to have “overthrown” Nineveh without any advanced warning. But that’s not what He did. Instead, He graciously warned them they had “forty days” (c.f. Jonah 3:4).

THIRD, God graciously enabled the citizens of Nineveh to “believe in God” – to believe the message Jonah preached – and to repent of their sins (c.f. Jonah 3:5-8). The Book of Ephesians says saving faith is a “gift” of God’s grace (c.f. Ephesians 2:8) – and God granted that gift to the Assyrians living in Nineveh – otherwise, their hearts would have remained as hard as “stone” (c.f. Ezekiel 36:26) – even as hard as those who came before them, and after them.

FOURTH, God graciously enabled the king of Nineveh to correctly understand that the Lord had every right to be angry with him and his people – but that God could also be merciful. Hence, after exhorting his people to “turn from their wicked ways and from the violence of their hands” (c.f. Jonah 3:8), he said (in verse nine): “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish” (c.f. Jonah 3:9).

We’re not told how he arrived at that conclusion – but the fact he did is a FIFTH evidence of God’s grace. Indeed, it may have been similar to what Jesus once told Peter – after he had declared Jesus to be the Christ – saying (in part), “… flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (c.f. Matthew 16:16-17). Regardless of how it happened, the fact that the king of Nineveh realized God’s anger is often tempered by His mercy is another indication of how gracious God was being to these pagan people – in this instance, by giving their leader special insight into the vastness of God’s character and God’s attributes.

(b) The most obvious way God was gracious to the people of Nineveh, however, is that, once they repented – by “turn(ing) from their wicked way(s)” – God (according to verse ten) “relented concerning the calamity … He had declared He would bring upon them. And … did not do it” (c.f. Jonah 3:10).

At this point, though, it’s important to understand that the people’s repentance was NOT a good work that earned God’s favor – nevertheless, when they repented, God relented. It’s important to understand that one act of mass repentance does NOT make up for (or somehow offset) massive acts of wickedness that have gone on for decades – even so, when the people of Nineveh repented, God relented. It’s important to understand that God was NOT bound by some law outside Himself, that REQUIRED Him to relent when the people repented – and yet, when they did, He did.

It’s important to understand, then, that the fact God relented concerning the calamity He said He was going to bring upon the people of Nineveh was an act of pure grace – and NOT something they deserved, or something they had earned by their repentance.

(c) By way of application, there was a time in each of our lives when the wrath of God abided on us (c.f. John 3:36) – when we were within “forty days” (c.f. Jonah 3:4), or forty months, or forty years of eternal “calamity” (c.f. Jonah 3:10) – when God’s “anger burned” (c.f. Jonah 3:9) against us on account of our “wicked ways” (c.f. Jonah 3:8), just as surely as it did against the Assyrians living in ancient Nineveh.

But then, God graciously sent a messenger (c.f. Romans 10:14-15) – a friend or parent, a pastor or co-worker, a neighbor, or maybe even a total stranger – to warn us of our impending doom. Moreover, God graciously enabled us to hear the message they were bringing – the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ – the good news of salvation through repentance of sin, and faith in God’s only begotten Son and Savior (c.f. Acts 4:12). God graciously gave us ears to hear that message, and understand it – to respond in repentance and faith – and to be saved “from the wrath to come” (spoken of in places like Matthew chapter three and First Thessalonians chapter one) (c.f. Matthew 3:7; I Thessalonians 1:10).

If I may go on a brief tangent – you do know Nineveh was eventually destroyed. Not in the days of Jonah, obviously – but about a century later.5 That’s what the Old Testament Book of Nahum is about – and that’s why we’re going to study it after we get done with the Book of Jonah. So in a very real sense, the Assyrians living in Nineveh in Jonah’s day were saved – not only from the eternal “wrath to come” (c.f. Luke 3:7) – but also from the earthly “wrath of God that would eventually come” upon their descendants.

(d) Back to my point, however – the grace of God that brought about the conversion of the Ninevites, is the same grace that brought about our conversions. The same grace that sent them a messenger (c.f. Jonah 3:1-4), sent us a messenger (c.f. Romans 10:14-15) – the same grace that enabled the Ninevites to believe God (c.f. Jonah 3:5), enabled us to believe Him (c.f. Acts 13:48) – the same grace of God that enabled the Ninevites to repent (c.f. Jonah 3:8), enabled us to repent (c.f. Acts 3:19) – the same grace that made it possible for the king of Nineveh to hope in God’s mercy (c.f. Jonah 3:9), also make it possible for us to hope in His mercy (c.f. Romans 11:30). And, just as surely as God’s grace caused Him to relent concerning the calamity He said He was going to bring upon Nineveh (c.f. Jonah 3:10), so His grace has caused Him to spare us by putting the calamity for our sins upon Christ (c.f. II Corinthians 5:21).

(e) So, regardless of whatever else we may learn from Jonah chapter three, may we not fail to see the grace of God at work in the life of Jonah and in the lives of the Ninevites. AND, by extension, may we never fail to thank God for all the evidences of His grace in our own lives – always remembering that we have been called by grace (c.f. Galatians 1:15) – that we have been saved by grace (c.f. Ephesians 2:5) – that we are being preserved by grace (c.f. John 6:37; 10:28-29) – and that we do what we do and are what we are solely and only by the grace of Almighty God (c.f. I Corinthians 15:10).


BIBLIOGRAPHY


1Calvin’s Commentaries: XIV; Commentaries on the

Twelve Minor Prophets; Vol. III; Jonah, Micah, Nahum;

p. 92.

2Boice: The Minor Prophets; Vol. One; p. 235f.

3The New Geneva Study Bible: Footnote on Romans 1:17;

p. 1167.

4Trinity Hymnal: #460.

5MacArthur: The MacArthur Bible Commentary; p. 1022.