And repent— And revoke his sentence. Houbigant. And so in the next verse, God revoked his sentence, and brought not upon them the evil which he was about to do unto them. See the note on Genesis 6:6.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, No more disobedient to the heavenly vision, we now find Jonah ready to go; and God, though he might justly have dismissed him from his service, employs him again.
1. God sends him the second time to Nineveh, commanding him to preach what he had before ordered him; and herein he gave him a fresh token of his reconciliation and regard, and put him once more on the proof of his fidelity.
2. Jonah instantly proceeds on his journey, no longer deterred by any considerations: his afflictions had effectually wrought upon him, and his ready obedience shewed the truth of his repentance. Boldly, therefore, he delivered his message, going into the streets of that vast city, (which, by historians, is said to have been at least sixty miles in compass,) crying aloud, as God's herald, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown, by some immediate stroke of divine vengeance; and most probably he informed them, that their sins were the cause of this terrible judgment denounced against them: the time is short, yet it is infinite mercy that they have this space allotted them to repent: one day's journey he advanced with this awful warning, and waited the returning day to proceed farther through the city. Note; (1.) God's servants must apply themselves to his work according to his word, however dangerous or difficult the service may appear. (2.) God's messages to his prophets cannot alter; the impenitent sinner must perish, but those who return to him shall find mercy. (3.) They who carry God's warnings to a careless world must cry aloud, and, by their earnestness, shew how deeply they are affected with the dangers that they foretel. (4.) Great and wicked cities have need to tremble; an offended God can at his pleasure instantly swallow them up, or devour them as Sodom with fire from heaven. (5.) What sinner would not tremble, if assured that forty days should bring him to the grave? and yet he sits unconcerned, though uncertain whether so many hours or minutes are allotted him.
2nd, One day's preaching effectually wrought upon the Ninevites, and rendered it unnecessary for the prophet to proceed any farther. Astonishing to tell! they repented at the preaching of Jonah; whilst Israel, under so many prophets, so long rising up and speaking to them, repented not. Therefore shall these Ninevites rise up in the judgment, and condemn them with all others, who, enjoying richer means of grace, continue hardened and impenitent under them.
1. They believed God. Such divine power accompanied the prophet's word, that conviction seized their consciences; and they instantly began to consider how they might avert their impending doom, and obtain mercy with this offended God. Note; It is a blessed symptom for good, when the sinner attends to God's word, and receives it as true, bowing in deep conviction under the charge laid against him.
2. A general fast is immediately proclaimed and observed. Tidings of this dreadful sentence were quickly carried to the palace; and, far from representing the prophet as a madman, or disturber of the peace, the nobles and people received him as an ambassador from God, and reported his message with great solemnity to their king; whereupon he rose from his throne, deeply affected with the prophet's word; and, laying aside the ensigns of royalty, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes; a noble example for his people's imitation, and a becoming expression of his own unfeigned humiliation. And all the people at his command, from the greatest to the least, copied after their royal master, and lay in sackcloth, deprecating that vengeance which all had provoked, and which was ready to consume them together. According to the decree of the king and his nobles, a fast is kept most strict and solemn; nor man nor beast may taste ought, not so much as water; but, covered with sackcloth, they are enjoined to cry mightily to God; even the beasts for lack of food would lift up their inarticulate voices: and men, women, and children, must unite in their prayers for mercy, if yet mercy might be found. Nor are they merely to make profession of penitence, but must instantly amend their lives; without which their prayers would be but hypocrisy; let them turn every one from his evil way, whatever his peculiar sin has been, and especially from the violence that is in their hands, fraud and oppression being their reigning iniquities. And when this is done, Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? The wrath was great, their provocations aggravated, their judgment just; but God is not inexorable; there is yet hope; and that encourages and hastens their repentance. Note; (1.) The higher our station is, the more exemplary should be our conduct. (2.) The way not to break under the sword of God's judgments, is to bow under the rod of his admonitions. (3.) Fervent prayer is mightily effectual; as long as a sinner is stirred up to cry to God, there is yet hope. (4.) In times of national distress, all must unite to deprecate the wrath which is threatened. (5.) They who fast for sin, must turn from the practice and love of it; else the mere afflicting of the body availeth not. (6.) The great encouragement to the sinner to turn to God is, that there is not only a peradventure of mercy to the truly penitent, but an assurance of it confirmed by the unchangeable oath of the God who cannot lie.
3. God saw their works, and heard their prayers; he observed their faith in his word, and the change wrought among them; he compassionated their distress, he reversed his threatenings, and extended to them the mercy which they so earnestly besought. He delighteth not in the death of any sinner; it is only by their own wilful impenitence that they bring down his wrath upon them.