THE BOOK OF JONAH

(“The God Who Relents”)

Jonah 3:1-10 (NASU)

⁸“‘… 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.” (Jonah 3:8-10)

(A) VERSE EIGHT – PRAY AND REPENT

(1) For the last several weeks we’ve been doing a verse-by-verse study of Jonah chapter three – first, by looking at the preaching of Jonah, as described for us in verses one through four (c.f. Jonah 3:1-4) – and then, at the revival that took place in the city of Nineveh (thanks to God’s sovereign mercy and grace), as described in verses five through nine (c.f. Jonah 3:5-9).

Tonight we’re going to finish our study of Jonah chapter three by looking at how God responded (in verse ten) (c.f. Jonah 1:10) when the people of Nineveh repented of their sins. But first, we have a little unfinished business in verses eight and nine – so we’re going to begin with verse eight, which is part of the “proclamation” issued by the king of Nineveh (c.f. Jonah 3:7), after “word” of Jonah’s preaching “reached” his ears (c.f. Jonah 3:6), saying: “… let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands” (c.f. Jonah 3:8).

(2) We mentioned last time that verse eight contains a passionate call for prayer and repentance – that the king’s proclamation exhorted the citizens of Nineveh to “call on God earnestly” (that would be the prayer part) – while also “turning from their wicked ways and from the violence that was in their hands” (which would be the repentance part) (c.f. Jonah 3:8).

Earnest prayer and genuine repentance are always a part of every true revival – whether personal or communal. It should be noted, however, that these actions are not necessarily the CAUSE of revival (as some think) – rather, they are usually an indication that a revival has ALREADY BEGUN – that God has already started to do a work of renewal – a work justification or sanctification in people’s hearts – just like Jesus had to have done a “reviving” work in Lazarus FIRST, before he could hear the command to “come forth” from his tomb, and be able to do so (c.f. John 11:43-44).

(3) When Jonah says the king of Nineveh exhorted his people to “call on God EARNESTLY” (c.f. Jonah 3:8), the Hebrew word he used literally means “forcefully, or vigorously, or even violently”.¹ Hence, the NIV says the people were exhorted to call on God “urgently” – while the NKJV says they were to call on God “mightily” (c.f. Jonah 3:8). The point is, that the prayers offered by the citizens of Nineveh were not casual or mundane – they were not careless or cavalier – they were not dreary or monotonous – they were not like some of the prayers people offer during mid-week bible studies, or hear from the pulpit on Sunday mornings or Sunday evenings. These prayers were intense – these prayers were deeply passionate – these prayers were extremely serious – much like those Jesus offered in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was crucified, when the Gospel of Luke says: “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; (so much so that) His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” (c.f. Luke 22:44).

(4) When’s the last time you and I prayed like that – either privately or corporately? When’s the last time we prayed about something “earnestly” (c.f. Jonah 3:8), or “urgently” (NIV) – even “violently”, in the sense that our prayers were especially intense or passionate? I’m not suggesting every prayer has to be like that (c.f. John 11:41-42; Acts 1:24-25) – but surely some of them ought to be. Surely more of them ought be. Surely there are moments and situations in our own life, or the lives of others, or even in the life of our church or nation, when our prayers ought to rise above the ordinary – to become as earnest, and intense, and as deeply passionate as we can possibly make them. When we say with the psalmist: ¹“Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord. ²Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to … my supplications” (c.f. Psalm 130:1-2) – or we say with Daniel: “O Lord, hear! … O Lord, listen and take action! …” (c.f. Daniel 9:19).

(5) As we continue looking at verse eight, we note that in their moment of crisis the people of Nineveh did not call upon one of their old gods (one of their idols made by human hands, that has ears but cannot hear, that has eyes but cannot see, that has hands and feet but is wholly incapable of coming to the aid of its worshippers – c.f. Psalm 115:4-8). Rather, they prayed earnestly to the one true and living God, who alone has the power to destroy or save as He sees fit (c.f. Psalm 115:3; Matthew 10:28).

And if we inquire as to WHAT they prayed about, I think we can deduce from the text that their prayers included the confession of their sins (verse eight) (c.f. Jonah 3:8), coupled with an appeal for God to forgive them – plus a plea for Him to be merciful and not destroy them (verse nine) (c.f. Jonah 3:9). They may have prayed about other things related to their impending doom – but surely these areas were first and foremost on their minds.

(6) As for the repentance part of this revival, the proclamation issued by the king exhorted every citizen of Nineveh to (verse eight) “… turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands” (c.f. Jonah 3:8). The Book of Isaiah gives us a biblical definition of true repentance, saying (in part): “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord …” (c.f. Isaiah 55:7). That’s essentially what the people of Nineveh did on this occasion.

I’ve mentioned in other messages that the Assyrians were noted for their cruelty² – especially the inhumane way they treated prisoners of war.³ One commentator said, “physical violence and social injustice were hallmarks of the Assyrian Empire.”⁴ Hence, the Book of Nahum describes Nineveh as: “… (a) bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage …” (c.f. Nahum 3:1).

(7) As bad as their corporate sins were, it seems to me that the king of Nineveh’s call to repentance was focused more on the individual wickedness and violence of the people, rather than their national transgressions – hence, he says (in verse eight): “… that EACH may turn from HIS wicked way and from the violence which is in HIS hands” (c.f. Jonah 3:8).

You know, of course, that corporate or national sin begins with individuals like ourselves – that the larger body is as good or evil as it’s individual parts. Hence, Jesus once said: ²²“… if your EYE is clear, your WHOLE BODY will be full of light. ²³But if your EYE is bad, your WHOLE BODY will be full of darkness …” (c.f. Matthew 6:22-23).

Since that’s the case, national repentance must begin with individuals confessing and repenting of their own personal sins – rather than focusing solely on the corporate sins of their nation (which may seem like someone else’s problem, rather than their own). National or corporate repentance always starts with individuals turning from THEIR OWN “wicked way(s)” (c.f. James 3:8) – “and from the violence (that’s) in (THEIR OWN) hands” (c.f. James 3:8). This is undoubtedly what that often-quoted verse from Second Chronicles chapter seven means (at least in part) when it says: “if My people who are called by My name will humble THEMSELVES, and pray and seek My face, and turn from THEIR wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive THEIR sin and heal their land” (c.f. II Chronicles 7:14).

(8) If there is ever to be a national revival in our own country, it won’t begin in the White House, or the halls of Congress, or the chambers of the Supreme Court. Rather, it will have to begin in the hearts of individual citizens like you and me. Likewise, if there is to ever be a spiritual revival within our denomination, it won’t begin in the corporate offices in Atlanta – it will have to begin in the hearts and lives of individual believers like ourselves.

It’s true, of course, that a mass revival took place in the city of Nineveh – but it’s also true that it began in the hearts of individuals, like the king and his nobles – and in the lives of the individual citizens of that city, as they (verse eight) “EACH turned from THEIR OWN wicked ways, and from the violence that was in THEIR OWN hands” (c.f. Jonah 3:8).

(B) VERSE NINE – A NOTE OF HOPE

(1) Moving on to verse nine, the “proclamation” issued by the king of Nineveh (c.f. Jonah 3:7) ends on a note of hope, as he tells his people: “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish” (c.f. Jonah 3:9). In other words, if we truly “believe God” (verse five) (c.f. Jonah 3:5) – and earnestly pray to Him (verse eight) – and repent, by “turning from our wicked ways” (verse eight) (c.f. Jonah 3:8) – then perhaps God will choose to spare us, instead of destroying us.

(2) This is a truly amazing statement – especially for a pagan king to make. And it leaves us wondering just how he came to have such deep spiritual insight – i.e. how he came to the realization that the same God who was so “angry” (c.f. Jonah 3:9) with him and his people, was also a God of mercy and compassion – that the same God who sent one of His prophets to pronounce impending disaster upon Nineveh (c.f. Jonah 3:4), might actually “relent and withdraw His burning anger” (c.f. Jonah 3:9) – that God’s judgment might be averted, so that he and his people did “not perish” after all (c.f. Jonah 3:9).

As far as I can tell there are only two possible answers – either the Lord revealed this truth to the king in some direct manner (c.f. Matthew 16:17) – or, Jonah’s message not only contained a declaration of imminent doom, it also explained how that doom might be averted – namely, if the people of Nineveh “believed in God” (verse five) (c.f. Jonah 3:5), and earnestly prayed to Him (verse eight), and repented of their sins (also verse eight) (c.f. Jonah 3:8, 10).

I suspect it was the latter – nevertheless, as we pointed out in the previous message, it was still a work of God’s grace that enabled the citizens of Nineveh to believe Jonah’s message and repent of their sins.

(3) When the king of Nineveh said (in verse nine), “WHO KNOWS, God may turn and relent …” (c.f. Jonah 3:9), we should not take that to mean he thought God was fickle² – or that he thought God behaved erratically – or that God might be induced to change His mind (like men can be persuaded to change their minds) (c.f. Numbers 23:19). On the contrary, as I mentioned moments ago, it was a declaration of hope – a statement of faith. The king was simply verbalizing his belief that the true God had many facets to His character – two of which were mercy and forgiveness.

We see, then, that despite the seriousness of the situation, including the eternal dangers associated with God’s threat to “overthrown” the city of Nineveh (c.f. Jonah 3:4), (we see that) the king was not completely overwhelmed by despair – but still held on to some measure of hope⁵ that the predicted “calamity” (c.f. Jonah 3:10) might be averted.

Note, too, that the king’s hope was founded on the character of God, rather than the things he and his people were doing – that God is (as Jonah will say in the next chapter), “… gracious and compassionate … slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and ONE WHO RELENTS CONCERNING CALAMITY” (c.f. Jonah 4:2) – and because He is, there was reason to hope God might be “gracious and compassionate” to the people of Nineveh, and “(relent) concerning (the) calamity … He had declared He would bring upon them” (c.f. Jonah 3:10) (which, of course, we know He did – c.f. Jonah 3:10).

(4) This hope (verse nine) that, “God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger (from us) so that we will not perish” (c.f. Jonah 3:9), (this hope) is one of the foundations stones of our own salvation. If we did not know that God was merciful, we would have no hope – if we did not know that God was “gracious and compassionate” (c.f. Jonah 4:2), we would have no hope – if we did not believe there was the possibility God might “relent and withdraw His burning anger” (c.f. Jonah 3:9) from us, we would have no reason to hope. Moreover, if we had no hope there would be no incentive for us to repent – no incentive for us to “call on God earnestly, and turn from our own wicked ways” (c.f. Jonah 3:8) – no reason for us to believe there was any possibility of escaping the eternal judgment we deserve.

It was John Calvin who said, “no one can willingly submit to God, except he has … known His goodness, and entertained a HOPE of salvation; for he who is touched only with fear avoids God’s presence; and then despair prevails, and perverseness follows.”⁵ Better yet, the inspired psalmist said: ³“If You … should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? ⁴But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared. ⁵(Therefore) I wait for the Lord … and in His word do I HOPE” (c.f. Psalm 130:3-5).

In the second chapter of the Book of Joel, God says (at one point): ¹²“… Return to Me with all your heart … with fasting, weeping and mourning; ¹³… rend your heart and not your garments …’” – after which, the prophet exhorts his readers to: ¹³“… return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil. ¹⁴WHO KNOWS whether He will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him …” (c.f. Joel 2:12-14). There would be absolutely no reason for us to exhort anyone to repent of their sins and turn Christ, if God were not compassionate and gracious – and if He were not known to be a God who turns and relents.

(5) Keep in mind, however, that God’s turning and relenting are based on Christ’s work on the cross – where our Savior experienced the full measure of the Father’s “burning anger” (c.f. Jonah 3:9) against Himself on account of our sins (Mark 15:34; II Corinthians 5:21) – as opposed to there being anything efficacious about our faith (c.f. Jonah 3:5), or our prayers (c.f. Jonah 3:8), or even our outward acts of repentance (c.f. Jonah 3:7-8).

Nevertheless, the fact God has relented before gives us hope that He will relent again – the fact God has withdrawn His burning anger from others when they repented of their sins, gives us hope that He will turn His burning anger away from us when we repent of our sins – the fact He forgave the sins of men like David (c.f. II Samuel 12:13) and Peter, gives us hope that He will forgive our sins as well, just like He has promised in His word (c.f. I John 1:9). Hence, Scripture says: ²¹“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have HOPE. (And what was it that Jeremiah recalled to mind? What was it that gave him hope? He goes on to say) ²²The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease … His compassions never fail” (c.f. Lamentations 3:21-22).

God’s compassion and loving-kindness did not fail the people of Nineveh when they repented of their sins – and His compassion and loving-kindness will never fail us, either, when we repent of our sins.

3. VERSE TEN – WHEN GOD RELENTS

(1) Finally we come to verse ten, which specifically tells us how God responded to the Ninevites when they repented, saying: “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).

(2) Obviously the fact “God relented” (c.f. Jonah 3:10) means He “withdrew His burning anger” (c.f. Jonah 3:9), just as the king of Nineveh had hoped – and that He “did not” (c.f. Jonah 3:10) destroy the city and its citizen as Jonah said He would. The question is, how are we to understand this idea of “God relenting”? Did He really change His mind (as the term “relent” seems to suggest) – did He change His mind the way you and I often change our minds? Did the immutable God “mute”?

(3) When Scripture tells us that God does not change (c.f. Numbers 23:19; I Samuel 15:29), it’s using human language to describe something that’s ultimately beyond our ability to fully understand⁶ – in part, because you and I live in a world that’s constantly changing – WE are changing – everything around is changing. Hence, when Scripture says that God does NOT change, we struggle to know exactly what that means? Does it mean God is static or stagnant? (No!) Does it mean God is rigid and inflexible? (No!) What it means is that He never acts in a random or erratic manner – that He never acts in a way that’s contrary to His nature – that He never acts in a manner that’s inconsistent with the sum total of His attributes, one of which is immutability (c.f. Ezekiel 24:14; Malachi 3:6).

On a practical level, this means God never makes a promise that He doesn’t keep – never enters into a covenant that He later breaks – NOR does He ever say He’s going to do one thing, and then capriciously turn around and do something entirely different. It also means God never encounters a situation that forces Him to reevaluate or alter His plans.

(4) The theological tension you and I have to deal with is this: when God “relents” (c.f. Jonah 3:10) – as He obviously did in the case of the people of Nineveh – He always does so in keeping with His immutable character and unchanging promises. And one of the promises God has made in His word is this – ⁷“At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; ⁸(but) if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it” (c.f. Jeremiah 18:7-8).

This is exactly what God did in the case of the people of Nineveh – which means He did NOT act randomly or capriciously – NOR did He change His mind in some way, like you and I often change our minds. Instead, when the Ninevites “turned from their wicked ways” (verse ten) (c.f. Jonah 3:10), God responded in keeping with His immutable character and unchanging promises – which means, in this case, that He (verse ten) “relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them” (c.f. Jonah 3:10).

Let’s look at this from another angle. In the Book of Ezekiel God speaks about the impending judgment He’s going to bring upon His rebellious people, saying: “‘I, the Lord, have spoken; it is coming and I will act. I will NOT RELENT … I will not pity and I will not be sorry; according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you,’ declares the Lord God” (c.f. Ezekiel 24:14).

Once again we find God acting consistently with His immutable character and unchanging promises – only this time He did NOT relent. And if we inquire as to why, the answer is, because the people in question did NOT repent. So even though the outcome was very different from what happened in Nineveh – God Himself remained exactly the same (c.f. Hebrews 13:8) – God remained immutable – God DID NOT CHANGE, nor did He change the way He relates to sinful human beings.

(5) Those who are still lost in their sins (like the people of Nineveh were prior to Jonah’s arrival) should be encouraged by the fact that the immutable God is also a God who “withdraw(s) His burning anger” (c.f. Jonah 3:9) from every sinner who repents – which means that, if they will repent of their sins (while also professing saving faith in Jesus Christ), the immutable God will “relent concerning the eternal calamity” (c.f. Jonah 3:10) He has promised to bring upon them (c.f. John 3:36).

(6) Likewise, every Christian who sins against their God and Savior should be encouraged by the fact that the immutable God has promised to forgive all our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness whenever we repent and confess our sins to Him (c.f. I John 1:9). While there may have been an element of doubt, or a question in the king’s mind, when he said (in verse nine): “Who knows, God MAY turn and relent …” (c.f. Jonah 3:9) – there doesn’t need to be any doubt, or any question in our minds, that Christ will forgive us as often as we need Him to, and as often as we repent and ask Him to (c.f. Matthew 18:21-22). For one of God’s immutable promises to us is captured in David’s words, when he said: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah” (c.f. Psalm 32:5). And then there’s these words from another psalmist, who said (of God): ²“You forgave the iniquity of YOUR PEOPLE; You covered all their sin. Selah. ³You withdrew all Your fury; You turned away from Your burning anger” (c.f. Psalm 85:2-3).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

¹BCS: Strong’s Concordance; Word #2394.

²Wycliffe Bible Commentary; p. 848.

³Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament; Vol. II; p. 1838.

⁴The New Geneva Study Bible: Footnote on Jonah 3:8; p. 1420.

⁵Calvin’s Commentaries: Vol. XIV; Twelve Minor Prophets;

Vol. III; Jonah, Micah, Nahum; p. 110.

⁶Boice: The Minor Prophets; Volume One; p. 239.