A Complete Repentance (3:1-10)
Neal Pollard
We do not know if the Lord cleaned up Jonah’s body from the effects of being in the stomach of a fish for three days and nights (1:17). If not, the bleaching effects of the gastric juices of that creature might have given the prophet a harrowing appearance! Nonetheless, he comes to Nineveh with a bold, unapologetic message. God gives Jonah a second chance, sending him to Nineveh to preach. The prophet dutifully obeys, preaching the message God gave him (2).
The city is described as a large, massive place, even by modern standards. Hannah notes, “the city was surrounded by an inner wall and an outer wall. The huge inner wall (50 feet wide and 100 feet high) was about eight miles in circumference while the outer wall encompassed fields and smaller towns (viz., Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen; cf. Gen. 10:11–12). The words “great city” probably included the city of Nineveh proper and its administrative environs” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 1468).
You can imagine the intimidating task faced by Jonah, walking through the bowels of this wicked city with a message of rebuke. Even given his distaste for these people, it would have been difficult to do this job. So far as inspiration records it, Jonah’s sermon consisted of but eight words in English (five in Hebrew and five in Akkadian, the language of the Assyrians). Can you imagine merchants stepping out of their shops, slaves walking along the streets, men, women, and children stepping out of the doors of their homes, soldiers huddled together, officials on their way to meetings, all seeing and hearing this Jewish prophet proclaiming over and over again, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (4). Something about the exercise not only reached the people’s ears, it touched their hearts.
The People Believed (5). Jonah flatly reports as much. Faith came by hearing the word of God (cf. Rom. 10:17). Their faith would be demonstrated by their “deeds” (10).
The People Repented (5-10). Notice the words in the text that prove this. They called a fast (5), they adorned themselves with sackcloth (5), they called on God (8,10), and they turned from wickedness and violence (8). They looked into their lives and saw with sincerity and humility the sin that characterized them, and from the heart turned away from it (cf. Rom. 6:17).
The People Trusted (8-10). They acted with hope and belief that God would “relent and withdraw His burning anger” (8). They understood that the God Jonah preached had such power and had made such determination against them. They simply threw themselves on His mercy (9). Please notice that God saw it, and it caused Him to relent “concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it” (10). It is possible for believing, penitent people who submit to God to change His mind and alter the course of their future! They throw themselves on the mercy of God, and they find Him abundantly merciful (cf. Luke 1:78; Jude 21)!
Perhaps Jonah found perverse delight in discharging such a dire message, but the next chapter reveals he is not surprised that God responds so favorably toward the Assyrians. He’s sorely disappointed, but not at all shocked. It is incredible that, once again, the unwilling prophet enjoys unparalleled success at reaching the hearts of pagan, Gentile people. First the sailors, now the entire population of Nineveh–120,000 (4:11). As with all of this book, this chapter is about God’s heart and His character. Nineveh finds Him just, but also gracious. Anyone who looks honestly at His person makes the same discovery (Psa. 86:15)!
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