https://odb.org/2026/01/26/our-own-mess
Jonah 3:1–5 (NIV): 3 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
The prophet Jonah behaves the opposite of how we’d expect a prophet to act. He runs away from God’s call (Jonah 1:3) and resents and sulks at God’s mercy (4:2-3). Even Jonah’s prayer to God from a fish’s belly reveals a lack of self-awareness. He criticizes gentiles who cling to their idols (2:8) while describing himself as offering God praise and sacrifices (v. 9). Yet in the previous chapter, gentile seamen swiftly repented and offered God sacrifices (1:14-16), but it took Jonah longer to turn to God! Through highlighting Jonah’s flaws, the book emphasizes both the danger of spiritual pride and the wideness of God’s mercy. God hears and responds to anyone who sincerely cries out to Him, whether that’s someone others see as a pagan or a self-righteous, rebellious prophet. (Monica La Rose, Insights, Our Daily Bread 26th January 2026)
Jonah, the prophet, is of course well-known for being swallowed by a big fish while sailing the opposite way, away from the destination that God called him to. The LORD instructed him to preach to Nineveh so that they may repent from their sins and avoid the judgment of God. But I guess Nineveh was a terrible place with despicable people and thus Jonah sort of passed his own judgment on them. Strangely, he didn’t want them to repent and escape the consequences of their sins. In other words, he preferred if they were judged and destroyed by God.
To understand Jonah we could perhaps see something similar in us. Sometimes when we have a good thing, we don’t want to share. We want it all to ourselves. We can sometimes be selfish. And worse, sometimes we want to see disaster strike and some misfortune fall on terrible people. Like may God judge them for their evil deeds.
But the LORD, unlike us, works quite differently. Sometimes He judges and brings retribution. Yet most of the time He forgives and blesses when we repent. His quest is not to be a judge but to let us be our better selves and that also applies to our perceived enemies. That is why it is quite futile to pray for judgment. It is better to pray for repentance and forgiveness. Pray for a second chance. Even for evil and terrible people.
There are many lessons we can learn and apply from Jonah’s life. For example, we could deduce that God’s will would be done even if the messenger disobeys because God could force obedience through circumstances. Or we could apply that ultimately it is repentance God is after. God’s heart is to forgive and to bless.
But I think the more important lesson this morning is to be willing to share the goodness of God with someone else. We have His blessings and protection. That’s something special that was reserved for the Israelites in the ancient days. We now have God’s goodness in our lives. Don’t be selfish to only want to keep that within us, our family or community. Share it so that others may also experience His blessings and goodness in their lives. Don’t be like Jonah. Let the Ninevehs repent and accept God’s Lordship over their lives!
Ronnie's Thoughts 