The beloved physician Luke wrote concerning Jesus, “when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here”, and in chapter eleven and verse thirty-two of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “the men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it” where we read:
The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it:
for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
The verse reads, “The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it:” Luke began with the words, “the men of Nineveh” or “the male human beings belonging to the city of Nineveh which means offspring of ease or offspring abiding and was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Assyria” “shall rise up in the judgment” which means “will be raised up in the tribunal and decision of justice” “with this generation” or “alongside the current age, nation and period of people” “and shall condemn it” which means “and will judge the current age and generation worthy of punishment and damnation”. Luke shared how Jesus said the people to whom Jonah the prophet spoke in the city of Nineveh would “judge” the current generation worthy of punishment at God's judgment.
The verse goes on to say, “ for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” Luke continued with the words, “for they repented” or “because, since and on account that the people of Nineveh changed their minds for better and heartily amended with abhorrence of their sins” “at the preaching” which means “from the proclamations and heralds of God” “of Jonas” or “from Jonah the prophet”; “and, behold” which means “and, lo, look and consider” “a greater than Jonas is here” or “one who is superior and more excellent than Jonah was with them”. Luke shared how Jesus said the people within the city of Nineveh “changed their minds and amended their ways” because Jonah “preached” to them, and yet, He, Jesus, was “superior” to Jonah and lived among them.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus referred to “repentance” within the people in the city of Nineveh because Jonah the Old Testament prophet spoke of the judgment of God. Jesus lived with the group of people to whom He was speaking, and they didn't change their ways. God loves people, and He provided His Son Jesus as a “sacrifice” for their sins. When they yield their lives to Him as their “Savior and Lord”, He enters into their lives and they align themselves with the one who is “superior” to any prophet of Old.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “No man, when he has lighted a candle, puts it in a secret place”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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