"The Mercy of God"

Regarding the Old Testament prophets, bible commentators divide the prophets into two categories: Major Prophets and Minor Prophets. Placement in either group has nothing to do with the importance of their message for all messages from God have the same weight: they are the very words of the Living God and are to be obeyed. Major Prophets are those men of God who record lengthier messages given over a longer period of time, hence major. By contrast, the Minor Prophets wrote shorter narratives.

It is generally accepted that Jonah is the best known of the Minor Prophets, probably due to the big fish episode in the book that bears his name. But the point of the book, however, is not the big fish but the "small-hearted" prophet. Jonah was a prophet sent by God to preach to a Gentile nation by the name of Nineveh. It was a message of repentance and the coming of near judgment. Normally the Jews held themselves aloof from non-Jews. All non-Jews are referred as Gentiles, regardless of nationality. "Gentile" is a derogatory term in the Hebrew language. The question in the story is why this prophet of God ran in the opposite direction from one that would take him to the wicked city to whom he was being sent?

Believe it or not, Jonah ran away from God's call because he knew what the God of Israel was really like! Why? Jonah knew if he faithfully went and preached to those heathen Gentiles that God was about to destroy their city, they would repent of their great and many sins, and God would forgive them and spare them! That's why Jonah ran away in disobedience to the will of God. You see Nineveh was the enemy of Israel. It had been a very oppressive neighbor of Israel for a long time, consequently, Jonah hated the Ninevites. He didn't want God to spare them. Instead, he wanted them to suffer God's judgment, let the fires of destruction fall!

After God gives the prophet a second chance at obedience, Jonah went, reluctantly. And sure enough, Nineveh repented. God relented. And Jonah, predictably, was angry. In a conversation with the prophet the Lord God says, "Should not I pity Nineveh, that great city?" Truth is, God loved those idolatrous city-dwellers. The question now becomes, do we love the wicked in our day? Like Jonah, we may know God is "gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness." Are we reflecting His heart toward the hated and violent "Ninevites" in our cities and country-sides? Are we answering His call to go to them and preach His word of repentance and forgiveness? Are we resisting God and refusing to preach the life found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our neighbors?

Through another of His prophets, the Lord has told believers that He loves you and I being obedience to His revealed will more than later coming to Him asking forgiveness. Obedience is the mark of a true disciple.