Middletown transcript., 1915-11-20
JON III A MISSIONARY TO
NINEVEH.
Lrsso TEXT.Ionah a;1-1O.

AAtS0iondIy LodCnlnS' we accept Tue
record Of the book literally because
similar facts are recorded in profane
history but chiefly because Of the tes.
timony and the usage made of it by
Jesus lsee Matt. 12:40; 1874 and
Luke 11:30).
\ !. The Prophet ProclaIming, W., -.
Jonah paid the fare" (1:3) and "out
Of the depths" FPS. 130:D God de-
liNered him that he might fulfill his
God-appointed task. Even so the ma
tion of Israel is today crying from out
Of the depths of its woe among the
nationc and will certainly be "deliv-
cred" when the king comes, that IL
may take its rightful place and fulfill
its God-appointed tasks. It is a won
derful testimony Of Gods grace (vi)
that Gods word came to Jonah a "sec-
ond time" Once he ran from God 3
command but God Is the God of the
gospel Of a Second chance" and a
third II only we repent and do his
commands, but God does not give a
second chance" to the unrepentant
(Num. 14:4O-45). Verse two explicitly
sets forth the mesAage Jonah is to de-
liver even SO we are to proclaim the
Gospel (see Cor. 15.1-4) not the spec.
ulations Of men nor the subtleties of
philosophy. The messenger of God
will find his message N the word of
God and will declare It, 1t is the
word which reveals GNFs love, his
plan OF salvation, and the destiny of
the saints. by the foohshness of
preaching" men will be saved. The
word preach" literally means ito cry
out" or "call out" and implies that
earnestness and insistence needful for
true advocate OF witness of God.
But the power is not in us; 1t is not
the word of God mingled with the the
ories Of men, or with such added to
the word. The Bible is the soul win
ners true staff. Nineveh, vast magnif-
icent and wealthy could not atone
for its wickedness; its greatness only
aggravated its condition. Jonah did
not spend any time to acquaint him
self with conditions or to do sight
seeing but cried, yet forty days, and
Nineveh shall be overthrow" When
he explicitly and minutely obeyed
and delivered Gods message he at
once aroused and arrested the atten.
tion of the city. He did not attempt
to present Credentials" nor explain
or defend his message. He did not
seek to harmonic it with "cur.
rent thought" nor give it a mod
ern expression" He was blunt
and without compromise but gave an
opportunity for repentance. 1t is such
preaching that always wins lisa
51:11; Luke 1870. Warning and an
opportunity for repentance usually
precede the judgments of God (Luke
13:S-9). Jonah appealed to fear as
we must at times and declaring the
whole counsel of God his message was
effective (Jer. 1:17; Acts 20:27).
u. The People Penitent, w. 5-1o
Nineveh paid immediate heed to the
man who did not slur over Gods warn.
ing. Had the city continued in sin, II
had not been delivered. Nineveh did
four things and as a result they were
saved: ~ They believed, believed
God" ". 81. All true repentance is
conditioned upon accepting God at
his word John 1920. (2) They
evidenced humiliation ". g.. They
gave such evidence by humbling them
selves in the sight Of God from the
king upon the throne to "even the
least" There was no apparent attempt
to qualify or to evade Gods decreP
but rather to accept It and BY falling
a proper place in his sight be dellv.
erel from the penalty OF their Just
deserts. t3) They prayed ". 8: CT
6, y. Their prayer was intense. The
kind of prayer that ooaAts with God
must also count ueeM God, and God
"is slow to anger. and plenteous in
mercy" (Neh. 9:17) Prayer that is
effective Is (a) grounded upon the
word OF God (b) forsakes sin and (cJ
obeys the will of God. (James 1922;
2:ID. (D They made sacrifice ". 81
Mere humiliation and prayer does moi
effect a remedy unless there is a mer
ciless judgment executed upon sin
The essence of repentance is to turr
away from sin. lisa. $3.50. y. Coo
saw their works" that they turned
from their "evil way" ". 10J, no
ways. and he did not execute tn,
threatened judgment upon the city
God did not change. He hated thei
sin and would surely have executed
his penalty. but they changed, henc,
their deliverance.
Their changed attitude was accept
able to him.
Did Jonah fail in his mission? No
for Gods predictions of ruin are no
absolute and unconditional (Jer
1s:7-10). Chapter four is the recort
of Jonah's petulance and of Gods loy
ing-kindness.
Nineveh continued for nearly 20
years subsequently but it was then 81
completely destroyed that for nearl.
1000 years its location was unknown
and disputed though now yielding
rich harvest for the archeologist ant
Bible student.
Can a nation be stirred today? Fo
answer witness Mott and Eddy II
China. In IA Of Chinas chief citiG
during three months of 1918. 1000 Q
the leaders of that nation enrolled a
inQuirers.