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God’s mercy: seeking all people

God’s mercy: seeking all people
Jonah 3:1-10.

Through God’s insistent command to Jonah (1:1-3; 3:1-2), He invites Jonah and us to the truth that His salvation is not just for one nation (Israel) but for all nations, not just for a particular people but for all people (Isa. 52:15). How does God’s mercy seek all people?

Through…

  • a Going people (v1-3).
God’s mercy begins with God sending. Jonah receives God’s command a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh” (v1-2). Yet through Jonah’s reluctant obedience, Nineveh finds mercy. Jonah points beyond himself to Jesus, the selfless, obedient servant who willingly offered up His life to secure salvation for all (Matt. 12:40). Now Jesus commands His disciples to go and make disciples (Matt. 28:19). In various capacities, God’s covenant people are a going people with a go command; for Jonah, it was Nineveh. For some, it may be a community, a friend at uni, a workplace, or a name. What is yours?

  • Gospel proclamation (v4-6).
Jonah proclaimed a short message (v4). There were no persuasive techniques, no emotional appeals, and no delay. This is not to say that techniques are wrong, as they are used in Scripture (Acts 17). Rather, this is to show that the proclaimed message under God’s command has divine authority, as seen in the immediate response in verse 5. And this is the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16). God’s message exposes sin, awakens fear of judgment, and produces repentance. His word accomplished exactly what He intended. And the gospel still does so today; a simple, faithful proclamation is effective.

  • God’s patience (v7-10).
God’s patience makes room for repentance and life. He is slow to anger and rich in mercy; a God who would wait and wait and reissue the same command of mercy (chapters 1-3) because He desires to save rather than destroy. When the Ninevites heard the message Jonah proclaimed, they repented. And when God saw their repentance, He relented His judgment (v10). God’s mercy is still expressed in His patience with our world today (Luke 19:10, 2 Peter 3:9), as we see every time someone makes a U-turn toward Jesus. He relents judgment and welcomes with grace (v10).

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
calling for you and for me;
see, on the portals he's waiting and watching,
watching for you and for me.
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling. Song by Will L. Thompson (1880).

Reflect & Pray
What do you sense is your command this season? How does it encourage you to know that a simple, faithful proclamation is effective?
Father, thank You that Your mercy reaches all people. Help us to live as Your going people so that many will come to know You, in Jesus’ name, amen.

God bless you exceedingly,
Sam.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
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