Saturday, March 6, 2010

Community with a Mission

The great city of Nineveh heard the warning from the Lord as Jonah preached. God gave Jonah a message for the people of that city, because it had come to His attention that the people there were living wicked. Jonah told them that in forty days the city would be overthrown. The people of Nineveh believed God's word. Everyone put on sackcloth and fasted, including the king and the nobles. The king and the nobles, even, issued a decree saying, let no human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything, feed nor water. They all did this with the hope that God would change His mind and would not cause them to perish. Jonah carried the message, (see Jonah 3:1-9) but he initially was not a willing messenger. Read Jonah 1 for his initial reaction, then read Jonah 4 to see how he responded after God's response. Did God have compassion for the people of Nineveh? Do you think God will have compassion for a city that is living wicked today? What do you the think the people of a city would have to do for God to save them? God's concern is that we will be saved, sometimes He threatens us to accomplish His goal.

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