Nineveh’s Salvation

From the men’s study on June 24, 2021

Jonah 3:4-10, And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying,

Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?

10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

1. The message was that damnation loomed and very soon!
   “You are about to die – prepare to meet your Maker!”
   No “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” line.
   But, God is angry and about to drop the hammer!  It’s over in 40 days!  Yikes! 

2. The people believed the message that God had declared through His prophet Jonah.
   Satan believes in God and His wrath and in the existence of Hell but those beliefs alone do not save.

3. The people’s action showed a contriteness and fear as they limited daily activities and pleasures.
   Those truly impacted by God’s holiness and justice will respond in clear and tangible ways.

4. Even the king got off his throne and donned clothes of repentance.
   Those repentant will abandon their role as king of their world and remove their crown of being #1 and their robes of glory.

5. Those truly responding to God’s threat will speak out about their repentance before God.
   The person proclaims and publishes – they say it and write it: “I have repented and submitted!”

6. Those truly repentant will turn from their evil doings.
   Respecting God’s holiness will cause a person to want to clean up their act. 

7. They will cry out to God in confession asking for mercy and for His grace.
   They verbally call out for God to receive them and take over their life. 

Verse 10, And what happens – they are saved!

The sure and justified wrath of God due them at life’s end that will send them to an eternal Hell is averted because of God’s taking it for them in Jesus’ death.

There it is!  Seven ideas or principles around true salvation.

1. See and acknowledge sin and God’s just anger.
2. Believe that God exists and means business.
3. Look for contriteness – turning to Christians and the Bible and asking for prayer.
4. Get off their throne.
5. Talk about being saved.
6. Turn from sin.
7. Cry out to God for His salvation.