Jonah 3:1-2
Before the Christmas celebrations, we were having a sermon series through the book of Jonah. We resumed Jonah on the first Sunday of the New Year and I believe by God’s Providence, he has brought us to this chapter at this particular moment in time. Being the first in the year, I want this to be a moment of reflection on our lives. I have two titles in mind. The Call of Jonah Part 2 or A Second Chance. I think I prefer the A Second Chance. And we will address this under three Rs: Restoration, Renewed Commission, Repentance.
Restoration
In verse 1 of Chapter three, the phrase “the second time.” stood out for me. We know the story of Jonah. God called and sent him to Nineveh on an assignment (Chapter 1:1-2). Jonah run away and ended in the belly of the big fish. Eventually, the big fish vomited Jonah after he has prayed.
At the opening of Chapter 3, we read “Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time….” We see explicitly a second call to Jonah. The second time. You may ask, why this insistence on Jonah? Is there no other person God can send to Nineveh apart from Jonah? I will hazard an answer and say, yes, there’s no other person to be sent than Jonah.
The point is that God doesn’t reject his children because of disobedience. As natural parents, our children do not cease to be our children because of disobedience. We will discipline them yet they remain our children.
This is the consistent pattern and testimony of Scripture. God doesn’t reject his children: He chastises, he disciplines, he corrects, he rebukes and afterwards restores us. Remember Moses in Exodus and Peter in John (Exodus 3:1-10; John 21:15-19). They run away from their calling, but God brought them back. Not only these two: but Samson, The Prodigal son, the lost sheep; all these are examples that God restored.
The calling of God is irrevocable (Romans 11:29). Often we feel rejected by something we may have done. We may feel far from God because of sin. Looking back on the just-passed year, you may have been disobedient to God in some areas of your life. Perhaps you may have fallen into sin and wondered if God still loves you. This is not condoning sin. But this is pointing out a reality of God’s character: he restores his children. He gives them a second chance. Even more than a second chance.
Jonah was disobedient to the first call of God. But God put him where he belonged. And after he was disciplined, he was given a second chance: “Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time…”
Dear Friends, I bring you an assuring word from Scripture. No matter how off you went in 2021, God restores and you can turn back to him. Not only was Jonah restored, but he was also sent to Nineveh again.
Renewed Commission
In verse 2, the summon to Jonah was “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it…” Compare this with the first call in Chapter 1:2: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it….”
Do you see that? The same message. The same language. God didn’t change his message to Jonah. God only recommissioned him with the same message. God renewed his calling. Same person. Same message. The word of God is fixed. What he commands we obey. God’s word will not change until it has accomplished the purpose for which it was sent.
Jonah was sent to Nineveh and Nineveh he will go at all cost. God’s word doesn’t change because of how we feel. God doesn’t alter his word to fit our feelings. God’s message of repentance and calling out sin remains. The only means by which sinners will be saved and believers edified is by the proclamation of God’s word.
Note what the Scriptures says about Jonah’s response: “So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.” (v.3). Jonah went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD. He went with the message he has been sent with. He didn’t go telling stories. He didn’t go even sharing how he was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. His message was what God sent him with.
Now God’s word demands a response and we see the response of repentance which is our next point:
Repentance
Firstly, when God’s word came the second time, Jonah repented from his disobedience and attended to the assignment (v.3). We cannot disobey God forever. That may tell something about our lives. If we have come to faith in Christ, then we must be repenting always of our disobedience. We must be heeding to the call of God. We must not test the patience of God in disobedience. When God spares our lives, like a pig, we must not return to our vomit.
Apart from Jonah, the Ninevites also repented. Firstly, they believed the message Jonah preached (v.5). This is the same testimony the Bible gave about Abraham “And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6). So what happened to the Ninevites can be said to be righteousness in God’s sight. Because their action made God relent of the disaster he had in store. And this is important. Disaster hangs on the head of anyone who will not repent from their sins (v.10)
Repentance is simply believing God’s word and turning from our sin. Like Jonah, God doesn’t give up on us. So whatever may have happened in 2021, let’s be confident that God is always with us. Let’s repent of our sins and find our way back to God.
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