0225. Jonah Commissioned

Jonah Commissioned

"Now the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying,

"Arise and go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness is come up before Me" (Jon_1:1-2).

1. Let us get before us the city of Nineveh. The key verse says, "That great city." Nineveh was a city of some six hundred thousand souls. The beginning of the city goes back to the times of Nimrod the mighty hunter. See Gen_10:8-11. It was a city given over to sin and vile practices.

2. The wickedness of Nineveh was not hidden unto God. The text says, It had "come up before" God. So it was, in the case of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; so it was in the case of the whole world in the days of Noah. May we not safely say: so it is today? Surely the sins of our great cities must rise like a stench in the nostrils of our God.

3. Jonah’s commission was, "Go and cry against Nineveh." This little word "go," heads the great commission of the Church, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature."

The one word that sums up the call of God to the world, is the word "come." The one word that sums up God’s command to the Church is the word "go."

"How shall they hear without a preacher?" No wonder that Christ said, "I must needs go through Samaria." No wonder we read: "The Gospel must be preached." When the call is made; "Who will go?" shall we not respond? "Here am I; send me!" 4. Back of the word "go" is the heart of a compassionate God. Our God is not willing that any should perish. The angel of mercy gives the call for repentance and faith before the angel of wrath goes forth. Every call of the Gospel heralder is a plea from God to "flee the wrath to come." We cry against a sinner, we preach coming judgment, in order that the sinner may turn to God and be saved.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR