GOD moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform. So a hymn affirms. He works his wonders, whether of grace or judgement, in different ways on different occasions. On this occasion he sent his messenger, Jonah, to preach a message of judgement.

We must not suppose that Jonah repeated this sentence over and over again, but rather that this sentence sums up all that Jonah preached in Nineveh. No doubt he explained and amplified the message in this short sentence. In looking at this verse we shall consider it under three headings. 1. The execution of the message. 2. The content of the message. 3. The implications of the message.

THE EXECUTION OF THE MESSAGE.

We see a change in Jonah here. Sent the first time to Nineveh Jonah ran away from the task. Here he executes the task immediately. Although without doubt the task was daunting, yet Jonah did not hesitate but immediately on the first day of his arrival in Nineveh commenced proclaiming the message God had given him to proclaim.

Jonah had changed. He did not question God's command or the message he had been given. He immediately commenced to obey God. The Christian minister, and even the witnessing Christian, has only one thing to do, and that is to faithfully proclaim the message that God has taught, and proclaim it without delay.

In the execution of the message Jonah faced great difficulty and danger. The message was not palatable to sinful humankind. He was one man among many men. He had no power to enforce the message, or to make people receive it or believe it. Everyone who ministers God's word is in the same position. We face just the same difficulties. Jonah must be an example to us. He obeyed with courage and faithfulness. These days there is so much changing of the message to make it more acceptable to human wisdom. Even when the message is preached faithfully, it still can be proclaimed in such a way as to avoid offense. We seem to fear man more than God these days. Jonah shows us the way of the true servant of God. Whatever the difficulties or the dangers, we must be faithful to God and proclaim faithfully and fully what God has revealed to us.

As we look at the execution of the message by Jonah we notice that it was by one way, and that was by preaching and proclamation. We are told today that people will not listen to long or just verbal sermons, and that we need to use other methods to get the message of God across to people. Now there may be nothing wrong with using visual aids, drama, and such like, but God's method of proclamation throughout the bible is by preaching. The preacher is simply an ambassador for Christ, and the role of the ambassador is to faithfully proclaim the message of our master Jesus Christ. Whatever other methods we may use, let us not be afraid of preaching. No doubt we need to practice and develop the art of preaching, and prepare sermons well, but let us understand that preaching is Christ's preferred way of sending forth his message, and not despise, but use, it.

THE CONTENT OF THE MESSAGE.

How important it is to mark the content of this message given by God to Jonah, specially in the climate of opinion within the church today.

This message is one neglected today, and even denied. The message of God through Jonah is one of judgement. Jonah was called by God to tell the Ninevites that God was going to destroy their city so that all the inhabitants would perish. With the privilege of knowing the outcome of God's message to Nineveh we may pass over the content of this message, and hide it away, but this does not change the message or its truth. Just because God, on this occasion, had a purpose of grace for Nineveh to bring them to repentance and to faith in God, this does not alter the reality of the message. Just because God arranged things this time in Nineveh that they would repent and be saved does not mean that he was not serious in declaring the destruction of the Ninevite for their sinful and abominable way of life. Just because the Ninevites of this occasion turned away from their sin does not mean that God will not judge and punish sinners. These days there is a universal proclamation of the love of God that denies that God will judge sin and the reality of hell as the place of eternal punishment. It is perfectly true that the message of judgement and eternal damnation for impenitent sinners can be preached wrongfully, but this does not mean that we must or can deny this revelation. Sinners are being unsaved and left in their lost condition simply because they are not warned of the wrath to come.

So what is the content of the message preached by Jonah. The first thing which it tells us is the reality of the wrath of God against sin. God can not and does not look on human sin and rebellion with complacency. If God was going to overturn the sinful city of Nineveh then without doubt God can't abide sin, and his holiness demands that sin must be punished, and the sanctity of his character expressed in his law upheld.

We have expressed in this message that God does and will judge and punish sin and sinners. Whatever the church proclaims today the Bible gives plenty of evidence that God's wrath is a terrible reality, and that it is and will be executed. To shrink from the horror of the death of human beings, and their being cast into everlasting torment, is very natural, but it is no answer then to deny that God has revealed that his wrath and eternal punishment on sinners is real. We are doing no service to the souls of human beings by such action. Rather we are serving them very badly and acting in a most unloving way. If we see a person running into danger, we are not loving them by denying the danger.

The fact is that the Scripture is plain. God hates sin and this threat of the overthrow of Nineveh was God's revelation of how he hates sin and will punish sin. In Jonah 1:2 God makes plain his hate of sin, and that he will not tolerate sin. We have only to read of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah to see the wrath of God in action. The Bible is full of examples of the sin of a people, city or nation becoming full, and God's judgement in the end falling upon them. In the letter to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 Christ threatens such judgement. He tells Pergamum that unless they repent he will fight against them with the sword. We have a similar warning to Thyatira if there is no repentance – Christ warns “So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely. Paul tells us in Romans 1:18 “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth in their wickedness.” Then again in Ephesians 5:6 “Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedience. Jesus himself spoke strongly in Matthew 25:46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Jesus taught the reality of eternal punishment as he tells the end of the Rich man in hell in Luke 16:19-31.

Jonah's message from God also reveals that God can and has the power to judge sin and destroy the sinner in hell. It is the folly of sinners and the deception of Satan, to deny God's power to judge and punish sinners, and that he will do it if there is no repentance.

The message of God through Jonah also warns us of the completeness of God's judgement and punishment when once it is executed. There is time given for repentance and amendment of life, but if repentance is not forthcoming, judgement will eventually fall, and then there will be no return. Now is the day of salvation, and if this opportunity is not grasped then there is no further opportunity after death. Once in the darkness and misery of hell there is no return. Only for this reason we must warn people and seek that they will repent and be saved.

THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE MESSAGE.

The implications of the message Jonah was given by God are serious and far reaching. If Jonah had again refused, if this were possible in the sovereign purpose of God, then Nineveh would have received no warning, and then on the 40th day Nineveh would have been overturned, and the 120,000 people destroyed in hell. Can we not take seriously this awful fact. People are dying every day, and dying unaware of the destiny they are ending up in. Should not this spur us on to pray for urgent and faithful preaching of the Gospel. Should not this spur us on to cry to God to help us to witness so that we may, in some small way, be used by God to save a brand from the burning.

The implication of the truth of this message God gave through Jonah is to reveal the wonder of the grace of God to sinners. God does warn sinners. God does give opportunity for sinners to be saved. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Jesus wept over impenitent Jerusalem because he saw the awful wrath of God to come on their sin and impenitence. Jesus could see the awful sorrow of their attitude to him who had come to save them from the wrath to come. God in grace gave Nineveh time for repentance.

The implication of this message is the glorious wonder of Christ. The wonder of his incarnation that he took our nature upon him so that he may represent us before God, and become our substitute before God, and by his death provide a sure and eternal salvation from the punishment our sin deserves, and provide for us a place in heaven, and a new nature to enjoy heaven.

The implication of God's message through Jonah is to show that only the power and wisdom of God in the substitutionary death of Jesus for us can possible answer our desperate need on account of our sin. If God hates sin so much, and his wrath against sin is so real, and that sin must be punished and that we can do nothing to alter this just judgement upon our sin, it is horrible folly to imagine that there is forgiveness and acceptance into the love of God without Christ and his taking our punishment in our place.

CONCLUSION.