The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-04-15
The Sunday School Lessons.
AMONG THE KINGS.
AMONG THE KINGS.
Our Lesson Notes.
BY THE REV. JAMES p. SMITH, d. d.
April 2Gth, 1891
NINEVEH BROUGHT TO REPENT
ANCE
Jonah iii: 10.


from the mission God had given
him, was detected, arrested, impris-
oned. For three days and nights he
was miraculously kept alive in his
horrid dungeon. "Out of the fish's
belly" Jonah prayed unto the
Lord, his God;" and afterwards re-
called and wrote that prayer And
God heard and accepted his repent
ance, and delivered him; and more
than that, he still retained him as
His servant to do a great work in
His name There is still that mis-
sion of warming and mercy to MIN
eveh. Who could teach repentance
so we'll as one who has himself re-
pented2 The mercy of God has
melted his heart He has not for
gotten the repentance of the pagan
mariners. Jonah is ready now to
do Gods bidding; even that against
which he had rebelled so wilfully.
l. JoDdb's Prcacbipg-I was
foreign mission indeed. A prophet
of Israel was sent to great and wick
ed Nineveh, alone, without human
defense or sympathy, to deliver a
positive message from Jehovah, of
denupciation and judgment. it was
q vast city of, perhaps, six hundred
thousand population, with none to
welcome him. 1t was wicked ex-
ceedingly, with its cruelty and vio-
lence and shame. And Jonah went
boldly, days journey, into the
heart of the city, whore there was
no retreat and in simple, willing
obedience, preached the preaching
that God bid him" 1t was a terri
bic message5 "Yet forty days, and
Nineveh shall be overthrow ~ 1t
spoke of sin, and Gods hatred of it,
1t told of Gods purpose to punish
that wicked city with an awful de-
struction 1t fixed time, forty
days, in which to make ready. 1t
held forth the hope of mercy to
those who repented and turned from
their evil ways. 1t was delivered
promptly, fearlessly, unto all from
the greatest-to the least, in thename
Of the Lord, and with the power Of
the God who came so near to Jonab's
faith
II. Natcrch's Repeaaace.-T h e
preaching of the lone prophet, in
the palaces and markets Of Nineveh,
was the proclamation of divine truth
in its majesty and power II was
universal i'm its power to,reach the
conscience. Every mans conscience
was awakened to rise upand witness
that this preaching was true. There
was nothing the preacher said Of
his God, of their sin, and its guilt
and ill-desert, and of the Judgment
to come, they did not know, each for
himself, TO be true. They did not
need the preaching of evidence. The
truth carried its own evidence and
commended itself to- every mans
conscience in the sight of God 5"
Fear of the God of Israel took pos
session of all the people of Nineveh.
From the greatest Of them even to
the least of Them" they believed
God :" not only believed i'm His ex-
istence, but in His righteousness
and authority, and i'm His word.
And believing, they repented. Even
the king felt the power Of Gods
truth, and Joined The people i'm their
fasting and repentance. 1t was
wonderful picture of the power of
Gods truth over the human con-
science a whole pagan city smitten
by the word Of the Lord, spoken bv
a lone prophet, fearlessly and faith
fully. They tasted and they prayed
and they wore sackcloth and put on
ashes and they hoped i'm Gods
mercy For the king said, "Who
can tell if God viii turn and rec
pent?'
III Goo's Hqcy-It was of Gods
mercy that Jonah had been sent
and the warning given, and the for
tydays of ng-suffering proclaimed.
1T was Gods mercy expressed or inn
piled, that gave hope to the king
and the people; "ah apprehension
OF the mercy Of God, that was the
spring Of their repentance. When
God saw that the repentance was
real and fruits meet for repentance"
were shown, in reformation and res
tltution, it required no change i'm
Him, nor in His purpose, to forgive
their wickedness, and lift the dark
cloud of His anger from Nineveh.
Their repentance removed them
from under His Judgment, to abide
under His grace Only to human
sinh -1l.-.T .r 90