Jonah Go to Nineveh Again Jonah 3:2

Jonah spent time in a “fish's belly” before He called out to God in despair and was willing to obey what He had to say. The LORD of “second chances” gave Jonah another opportunity to comply with His will, and in chapter three and verse two of this prophesy “the LORD” extended Jonah the same instruction to “go to Nineveh...and preach unto it” where we read:

Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid you.

The verse begins, “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city,...” The writer began with the word, “Arise” which means “stand, rise up, confirm and ratify”, “go unto Nineveh” or “the abode of Ninus” which was “the capital of the ancient kingdom of Assyria which was located on the east bank of the Tigres river which was five hundred and fifty miles from its mouth and two hundred and fifty miles north of Babylon”, “that great city” or “large and important town or variant”. Jonah was told to “go” to the city of Nineveh which was known as one of the greatest cities of that time period and the Assyrian capital.

The verse goes on to say, “... and preach unto it the preaching that I bid you.” The writer added, “and preach” or “call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim and utter in a loud sound” “unto it” which refers to Nineveh “the preaching” or “proclamation” “that I bid you” which means “speak to, declare, converse, command, promise, warn and threaten unto Jonah”. When Jonah arrived in the city of Nineveh, he was to “cry out” and “proclaim against” it whatever “the LORD” shared with him.

When we think through the words in this verse, we see how “the LORD” gave Jonah another opportunity to do as He required before. Jonah may have been resistant with the previous commission, but after spending time in the “belly of the great fish”, he was now more cooperative. Let us be assured that “the LORD” Jesus does not give up on a person just because they refuse to do as He desires. He gives ample opportunities, though sometimes through much trial and convincing, to obey His will in their lives. May we understand how “patient” the LORD Jesus is and be convinced that whatever He desires will be accomplished even if He has to instruct us in the same manner again.

Next time we see the LORD tell Jonah to “arise and go to Nineveh” again, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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