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Power to the People
It was electrifying. The weird figure stood in the city center, his clothes worn and dusty, and he began to shout, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3: 4). No explanation, no credentials presented, no alternatives offered. Why should the people heed him at all? Yet they did...
A Genuine Revival
The impact of Jonah’s words was astounding. Hearing the news of impending doom, the ordinary citizens were the first to respond. The entire population declared a fast and put on sackcloth (Jonah 3:5). Then the king learned something was happening among his people and he too humbled himself (Jonah 3:6). The Ninevites weren’t merely observing religious practices, they were actually turning from their evil ways (Jonah 3:10) and completely changing their lifestyle.
Here’s a classic example of a genuine spiritual revival that eventually changes society itself. Bills passed in the Legislature won’t ultimately change society; you can’t legislate a nation into righteousness. What can change a nation is a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit saturated and grounded in the gospel.
Power to the People
When change takes place, those in authority become aware of a new mentality emerging and genuine reformers are raised up. Holiness begins to be seen in our schools, shops, factories, and offices. As transformation begin to rise at the grass-roots level, so the government will adjust the laws of the land to reflect new national attitudes.
We must still pray for our rulers and write our representatives about specific issues, but note that in Nineveh, the national transformation started among the people. Meanwhile, we must preach the gospel where we are–among ordinary people in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools. As individuals repent, they will, in turn, influence the nation.
What can change a nation is a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit saturated and grounded in the gospel.
So it was that all of Nineveh repented, from the least (they even threw sackcloth on their livestock!) to the greatest. In all church history, I have never heard of such a sweeping revival as there was in Nineveh. What a glorious climax to an extraordinary story. Jonah had learned his lesson and a mighty revival took place.
The End – or Is It?
At this point, we would expect the curtain to fall and thunderous applause to break out among God’s people. “That must be the final scene,” we would think as we glanced quickly at the program. The applause subsides and we get up to leave, when suddenly the curtain rises. Startled, we look again at the program, turn over to the back page and read:
God Speaks to Jonah Again
On the stage sits a solitary figure. The Ninevites have all gone and Jonah is left alone with his God. The curtain has fallen on the story but has risen again to reveal the heart of the prophet.
The book of Jonah ends not with the triumphant climax of chapter three, but with chapter four. This chapter will appear at the end of every one of our life stories. It begins when the final curtain has dropped on your earthly life, and then the curtain will rise again and you’ll be alone before God and he’ll look into your heart. Will our hope be in our own work or in the Cross of Christ?