Jonah 3 ‘Revival’
In Jonah chapter 3 we find a new man. The wayward prophet has yielded. He’s now ready to go God’s way. There’s an interesting parallel between the opening of this chapter and the opening of chapter 1 - “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me (vv.1:1,2).”...”Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you (vv.3:1,2).” Does it strike you that we’ve been here before? There’s been a significant detour, yet God brings Jonah right back to the point of beginning. An important truth is being demonstrated here. In the context of God’s call and his strivings with us he always brings us back to points of disobedience and confronts us again. “Jonah, you’re not to go to Tarshish, you’re to go to Nineveh.”
The same is true with issues of morality and character. If there’s a point of persistent moral failure in our lives the Lord will continue to confront us at that very point until we learn to obey. Or if there’s something in our character that needs changing, that area will be exposed over and over again until it’s surrendered to him.
The reason for God’s persistent dealings flows out of his graciousness. The most significant phrase in verse 1 of chapter 3 is the phrase ‘a second time’. This is the God of second chances at work. Listen, the Lord doesn’t discard us when we fail, nor does he excuse our sin. He disciplines and restores us. We should be encouraged by this truth because all of us have failed. No matter how gravely we’ve sinned, the Lord will graciously restore us.
Verse 3 in both chapters 1 and 3 are similar, but contain a crucial difference....”But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.”...”So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.” Jonah’s response to God’s call is very different. What made the difference? The call didn’t change, God didn’t change, Jonah changed. He’s a renewed prophet, at least with reference to his willingness to go to Nineveh, and the results of his obedience are dramatic - “...Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it (vv.3:3-10).”
What we have here is the record of a ‘great awakening’. This is one of the greatest revivals recorded in the Bible. Approximately 600,000 people turn to the Lord! What contributes to this kind of awakening? First, the sovereignty of God. This is one of the major themes of Jonah - Jonah’s attempt to alter the sovereign choice and plan of God. Jonah wanted to see the Assyrians judged, but the Lord had a different plan. It’s obvious that God takes the initiative. Nineveh isn’t seeking. Jonah isn’t going. The Lord sees the wickedness and need of Nineveh and responds compassionately. In every great revival God’s sovereign visitation is present. It’s an essential part of genuine spiritual awakening so that ultimately God always gets the glory.
Secondly, there’s always an obedient servant of God in the picture. The Lord has chosen to carry out his purposes through people. This is the mystery and wonder of his work in the world. This truth bears itself out in history. We see it in the accounts of Jonah and Nineveh, Peter at Pentecost, Paul in Ephesus, John Knox in Scotland, John Wesley in England, Jonathan Edwards in New England, Charles Spurgeon in London, and Henry Beecher in New York. God uses committed people to promote revival.
Also, revival is grounded in the forceful preaching of God’s Word - “go to the great city of Niveveh and proclaim to it the message I give you (v.2).” No true spiritual awakening, whether in an individual’s life or the life of a community, ever comes separately from the hearing of God’s Word. The Lord confronts and makes his will known through his Word. There’s no substitute. God’s Word is the fuel of revival! Do you want to be awakened spiritually? Study God’s Word….place yourself under the preaching of God’s Word.
Another necessary element in revival is faith and repentance - “the Ninevites believed God.” The Ninevites could have ignored Jonah’s message, written him off as a crazy Hebrew prophet. But instead they recognized God’s Word, believed it, and acted on it. Their faith expressed itself in repentance. They expressed a determined change of mind. This is true repentance, and it’s necessary for real revival. Finally, revival requires prayer - “...Let everyone call urgently on God (v.8)..” The King calls for a citywide prayer meeting. All the hurried activity of city life was brought to a standstill, and prayer was given its proper place in Nineveh. This wasn’t well=schooled eloquent praying. It was urgent heartfelt prayer - “...let them call out mightily to God (v.8).” Do you want a personal awakening? Pray! Do you want revival in the church? Pray! Do you long for revival in the community? Pray!
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it (v.10).”