The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-08
READING FOR THE DAY.
sunday-school Lesson for Nov. Is. 1873

Sunday-School Lesson for Nov. Is, 1885.
EFFECT OF JoNAH's PREAcHrNe.-JoNAHi iii, lilo.
GOLDEN TExT-The men of Nineveh shall rise up
IN judgement with this generation. and shall condemn
&c; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas
and behold greater than Jonas is here-Luke XII o.
During the seventh and eighth centuries be-
fore Christ, Nineveh was the greatest and most
wicked city of the world. 1t was situated on
the Tigris, and was unequaled for its wealth, its
luxury its sensualty, and the violent cruelty
of its rulers and mobiles. Like the Paris
of two centuries past. it was at once
the center where gathered, and the source
from which flowed the most corrupting and de-
structive influences Of every kind. The city
was bright, beautiful gay, the strong capital of
the strong nation of that time. Founded by MINI
rod (Gen x, III, it had grown with every age until
1t reached the immense proportions of sixty miles
IN circumference. In the midst of its greatest
power and glory the prophets of lsrael-lsaiah,
Jonah, Nahum and Zephaniah-began to de-
clare its approaching downfall So literally
were the prophecies fulfilled before the era of
careful historical writing that, outside OF the
Bible. we have hardly any description OF the
city that is trustworthy. From about 625 to
600 B. c., we date its downfall and for nearly
$500 years it's great monuments, its vast IL
braries, its colossal sculptures, its numberless
cylinders and SEALS have been buried under
the sand waiting to give their testimony and
proof to the correctness of the statements of the
Old Testament Into this great and wicked city
Jonah was called to go and preach and declare
their SINS and the sure and swift punishment
shat awaited the city.
APPLICATION.
" l. The word of the Lord came second
time-What Joy it ought to be to the wander
ing. disobedient sinner that God again calls him
and gives other opportunities Of repentance and
work Many miss the great opportunities of
life by their early neglect Of Gods calls.
". 5. So the people Of Nineveh believed
God-It is the earnest preaching of Gods truth,
the faithful teaching of His word, that leads
sinners to repentance The spirit adds its power
to the inspired message, and His word does not
return unto Him void, and 1t does accomplish
the thing for which he sent it.
V. 6. The king arose from his throne, and sat
in ashes-There is no royal way of finding par
don and peace. The high and great must humble
themselves in the dust and ashes before God as
absolutely as the poor man. We make great
mistake if we have one law and one gospel for
the rich, and another for the poor Sitting in
ashes is forcible illustration of the waste and
useless results Of life. We ought to have fruits;
we have only dust and ashes.
vs.. Cry nightly unto God-If there be
any time when a man ought to be intensely
in earnest it is when he cries unto God for par
don The tears and cries that are sometimes
heard in the time of revivas are surely in place,
and we need make no excuse for them. The
calm, undemonstrative silence of some seekers
rather needs apology.
V.9 Who can tell if God will turn2-It was
only hope to them, but to US it is a certainty.
We have the language of inspiration. and we
know that He loves to answer prayer, and that
when the penitent turns to God the Heavenly
Father goes forth to meet His returning child.
But there must be penitence
V. 10. And God saw their works-What
magnificent spectacle, of a whole city in peni-
tent prayer! And does not this give US hope
that we may yet gee in our towns and cities
great masses of people bowed before God in the
earnest work of seeking his savatonl 1t would
be no more improbable now than then.