The Revival that Saved a City- Jonah 3: 1-10

A ________________ prophecy – Hosea 11:5-7 – They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. 6 The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels. 7 My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all.

A ___________ prophet – Jonah 2:10 – And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. – Cp. Mt. 9:38 – “ekballo”– cast forth

A. ______________ in God’s prophet – Jonah 3:1-4

1. He chooses to ________________ God’s call – Jonah 3:1-3

a. The LORD gave a ______ instruction – Jonah 3:1 – Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying…

– He is the God of the second chance. Jonah got a re-call.

b. The LORD gave a ________ instruction – Jonah 3:2 – “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”

– God gives the message, we are the messengers

c. The LORD gave a ___________ instruction – Jonah 3:3 – So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth..

– Great city in geography– 3 days journey – 60 miles circumference

– Great city in protection – Large walls in height and breadth

– Great city in population – Over 120, 000 people

– Great city in importance – Chief city of Assyria

– Great city in concern – Lit. “great city to God”

2. He chooses to _____________ God’s Word – Jonah 3:4 – Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”

– A warning without hope

Jonah got right with God in action if not in attitude – 1 Peter 4:17 –

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

B. ______________ at God’s prophesy – Jonah 3:5-9

1. Repentance ______________ – Jonah 3:5 – And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

a. The ____________________

– There are a pagan people – worship many gods including a fish god

– They are a perishing people – Wickedness has come up to God – 1:2

– They are a prepared people – Sun Eclipse -763 B.C and plagues of 759 and 765 B.C. prepared them (See the Eponym Canon)

b. The _____________

1. The what – Lit. “Believed in God” – To stand firm, to trust, to believe in “‘aman” – Genesis 15:6 & Exodus 4:5

2. The why – They were prepared and believed God’s Word as spoken by Jonah – Romans 10:17

3. The when – The first day of Jonah’s ministry.

c. The ____________ – Called a fast (Hebrew “tsumn” – voluntarily abstain from food – forty days in view) – See 1 Kings 21:21& 27 – put on sackcloth – See Isaiah 58:5

d. The ____________ – From the greatest to least of them – Greatest – most influence to the least, the most insignificant – spread across every segment of society – Seemingly everyone.

Jonah preached God’s message and individuals got right with God –Mathew 12:41 – The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. See

1 Corinthians 1:18

2. Repentance ______________ – Jonah 3:6 – The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

a. Word came – Message from the LORD through Jonah

b. King Ashur-dan III – 773-755 B.C – Troubled and weak times in the Assyrian empire

c. Leaves position on throne for a position of humility – See Isaiah 47:1

The leader followed his followers in to repentance – 1 Timothy 2:1-2a.

3. Repentance _____________________ – Jonah 3:7-9

a. The ___________ of the proclamation – Jonah 3:7a – And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles:…

b. The ___________ of the proclamation – Jonah 3:7b-9 – “Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

Morality/revival can and has been legislated by sincere political leaders.– Proverbs 14:34 – Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. See also – Psalm 94:20

C. _________________ of God’s punishment – Jonah 3:10

1. God took _______ – Jonah 3:10a – When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way… (Fruits of repentance – Luke 3:7-9)

– turn away (Heb. “shuwb” evil way = way road or journey (Heb. “derek”) – See Nahum 3:1, 3-4 and 2 Kings 18:33-35

2. God took ________ – Jonah 3:10b – God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

. – relent – to cease a particular action (Heb.“nacham”) See Amos 7:1-6

God’s relenting will come after our repenting – Jeremiah 18:7-8