Jonah 3:10

John 3:10

I. In the last verse of the third chapter we come upon a difficulty which has exercised the faith and called forth the ingenuity of interpreters. The difficulty is this, there are passages in Holy Scripture which assert in the strongest way that God cannotrepent, and that He never does. There are certain other passages (of which this is one) which assert, just as strongly, that He canrepent, and that, in fact, He has often done so.

II. If the question is put, "Why was not Nineveh destroyed? how can we reconcile the sparing of the city with Divine veracity, since there is no condition or qualification in the denouncing cry?" the answer is, that the condition was involved and understood. The possibility of mercy was clearly understood by Jonah, for he was displeased with it. It was understood also by the Ninevites, for they cried for long days and nights. If God had made unreserved announcement of destruction, the city must have been destroyed, for He is in one mind, and who can turn Him? "Hath He said it, and shall He not do it?" "But He knew that the city would repent: why then did He threaten without any expressed reference to this eventuality?" The answer is, that He knew that the city would repent under the shadow of the Divine commination. Not otherwise. The commination was uttered because it was deserved, because it suited the moral condition of the people, because it was necessary in the perfect government of God. Also, God foresaw its good effect; and therefore, in all truth and sincerity, it was put forth. "God knows that His believing children will persevere unto the end: why, then, does He speak to them as if they might not as if they might apostatize and drawback unto perdition?" The answer is, because they might. It is a clear possibility that they might; and very likely the realization by them of this awful possibility is oneof the elements which compose and complete the certainty of perseverance unto the end.

III. The mind of God is the one perfect mirror reflecting without the least distortion or refraction, every object, act, state, being, in the universe, just as it is. God morally regards us at any one moment just as we are. If we repent of all sin and grow into all goodness, His thought and feeling will rise with us; and as, repenting, He spared Nineveh, so will He spare us, and we shall live and not die.

A. Raleigh, The Story of Jonah,p. 241.

References: 3:10-4:1. J. Menzies, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xi., p. 117; W. G. Blaikie, Homiletic Magazine,vol. vi., p. 297. Jonah 3 Preacher's Monthly,vol. iii., p. 10 3 John 1:1. W. G. Blaikie, Homiletic Magazine,vol. vi., p. 356. John 4:2. S. Cox, Expositions,2nd series, p. 75.