Jonah 3Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the

second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a 3 days journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet, 40 days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

Jonah 3So the people of Nineveh believed God,

proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles saying,

Jonah 3Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock,

taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes; from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?

Jonah 3Then God saw their works, that they

turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

What is Your Response?Jonah Chapter 3

4 ResponsesThe response of JonahThe response of the peopleThe response of the kingThe response of God

Everything goes right in chapter 3This could have been chapter 1

500

miles

Wickedness of NinevehIdolatryGreat Violence to expand bordersAnti-Judean art workPopulation 120,000

3 days journey?

“3 Days” in the BibleAssociated with a Death to Life process

Genesis 22:4 – 3 daysExodus 15:22 – 3 daysJonah in the belly of the fish for 3 daysJesus was in the tomb for 3 days

Nineveh needed 3 days go from death to life

Jonah’s Sermon“Yet, forty days, and Nineveh shall be

overthrown”8 words in English, 5 words in HebrewWas that all his sermon was?

This is a abbreviation of the sermon which follows the normal prophetic sermons in the Bible… Repent or Perish

Why 40 Days or be Overthrown?Overthrown – same as in Sodom and Gomorrah 40 days was always a period of time for

waiting, testing, or judging

Rain in Noah’s flood – 40 days and nightsMoses was on Mt. Sinai 40 daysJesus fasted in the desert for 40 daysNineveh has 40 days or judgment will come

The People’s Response V.5“So the people of Nineveh believed God”

Fasting and Sackcloth were signs of repentance

Sackcloth was a coarse material woven from goats hair, when worn on skin it irritated the skin

The King’s ResponseGets off his throne, takes off his robe, puts on

sackcloth and sits in ashes.

The King uses his authority to ensure all do this

Even the animals are ordered to participate

He orders everyone to cry out to God. He orders everyone to PRAY

God’s ResponseGod provides mercy and not destruction“Yet, forty days, and Nineveh shall be

overthrown”King’s order, “everyone turn from their evil…

who can tell if God will relent”. MAYBE

Many of the Old Testament prophecies were conditional prophecies

Jeremiah 18:7-10“The instant I speak concerning a nation and

concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.”

Does God change?No, we change

Jonah Chapter 3Jonah does we he was supposed to

The people do what they are supposed to do

The king does what he is supposed to do

And God doesn’t have to do what he doesn’t want to do

1. We Bring the news of Christ…Not because we want the church to growNot because we are forced into it

Because eternal punishment awaits those who do not hear it or do not obey it

“and as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” – Hebrews 9:27

2. Real Repentance =First, grief/guilt“for godly sorrow produces repentance

leading to salvation.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10

Second, saying “I’m sorry”Thirdly, you make a commitment

True repentance can be seen, not just heard

3. Time Limit on ChangeIn basketball you have a 24 second shot

clock

God provides you opportunities in this life to change, but there is a time limit

That time limit is up, when your life ends and none of us know when that will be

What is your response?