"Go To Nineveh"
Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, the Anointed One. I want each of you to know that I love you, that I care about what�s going on in your life. And I care about where you will spend eternity. I always pray for these messages to be exactly what is needed by the reader. God has given me many messages and I spend much time listening carefully to the Holy Spirit for direction. Each message is written and spoken from my heart as the Holy Spirit gives instruction. As I minister, God is speaking to my heart as well as yours. Every message is to strengthen, uplift, stir up and even bring repentance if we are not doing exactly what God wants. He desires that we be always about His business � and not have an agenda of our own � with no compromise of His Word. As I start this message, I ask that you stop and ask for the Holy Spirit to teach, to speak to your heart and direct you with specific instruction. Our message is found in all 4 chapters of the Book of Jonah, and is titled, �Go To Nineveh.�
As some of you may not be familiar with the history and background of this Book, let me first establish that Jonah was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel, and was from Gath-hepher, 2 � 3 miles north of Nazareth in Galilee. He lived during the reign of King Jeroboam II. The Pharisees in John 7:52 claimed that no prophet ever came from Galilee, and they were wrong. Many liberal theologians today claim that the Book of Jonah is a fictional story, but we know it to be fact. Jonah is mentioned in II Kings 14:25 and by Jesus in Matthew 12:39-41 and Luke 11:29-32. It is an actual account given in an infallible and reliable Bible, the Word of God. Now, Jonah and the people of Israel had a hatred for the Assyrians. Their capitol, Nineveh, was known for being brutal, wicked, extremely immoral and a great threat. Yet God shows that there are no boundaries to His grace and mercy, even to the Gentiles, when He told Jonah, �Go To Nineveh.�
As we begin in Jonah 1:1-2, we know that there was bad blood between Jonah and the people of Nineveh. Yet God tells him, �Arise, go to Nineveh,� and minister to them. Now, Jonah the man of God had a duty to follow God�s instructions, but he had a �hate�, a personal bias against these people. He wasn�t no dummy � he knew the power of God to convict and save. The saving grace and mercy of God is offered to the vilest of sinners, and He is faithful to forgive them. I can see and hear Jonah now as his memory of all the horrible things these people had done flooded in on him. I can hear him say, �God, You want me to go to Nineveh?!?� He may even have brought up all the wrong they ever did. No doubt he made known his dislike for the task. I don�t guess any of you have been like that, have you? Do you have someone you feel has done you a terrible wrong? Could you GO to them knowing God would forgive them and accept their repentance? Or would you run the other direction like Jonah did? Each of us, if we will truly search our hearts, have a Nineveh. It might be one person, several or a whole town. I believe God is speaking to some right now and saying, �GO TO NINEVEH!�
Let�s cover verses 3-17� In verse 3 we find Jonah going down to buy a ticket to Tarshish. This is 2500 miles from Israel and the farthest place in the opposite direction from where God instructed him to go. Jonah was just being purposely disobedient to God. Can I tell you that when God speaks to you to go somewhere or to someone you dislike (that sore spot), you sin when you don�t! :( Sorry, got to speak truth here. When you disobey God, which is sin, you�re buying a ticket just like Jonah. Friend, that ticket is not to Tarshish, but to hell! God won�t put up with it! He didn�t with Jonah. We see in verse 4, �the Lord sent out a great wind.� Have you run into any great winds lately? You know what I�m talking about � the Holy Spirit is speaking right now to some, and you are being warned! That ship seemed like it would break because of the wind and raging seas. There�s some right now that think they can�t stand anymore, that everything is crashing and their whole world is going under! The Holy Spirit is speaking to pastors too! To whole churches! Jonah had no desire to get out of his comfort zone and go do some missionary work! God gave that same command to every Christian and every Church today. That�s right � Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18 and Acts 1:8 are all a commandment to the Church, to every Christian. God said ALL! He didn�t say go only to the ones you like! He didn�t say go to those who have been good all their lives. No, what He said was GO OUT into the streets where the sinner is and those who need ministering to: the homeless, the prostitute, the drug addicts and dealers, the drunkard, the prisons and jails, the hospitals, the nursing homes, the slums. Tell the sinners Jesus died just for them, and they don�t have to go to hell! They don�t have to live like they are. Jesus loves them and offers salvation through repentance to each one, no matter who likes it! Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. In verses 5-6 we see that everyone on that ship was in danger because of Jonah�s disobedience. By the Holy Spirit I tell you today that some of you have put your whole family or church in danger, and robbed them of God�s promises and blessings because of your disobedience. Fathers, mothers, pastors � wake up and be restored, don�t wait any longer! Like many today, Jonah was asleep. He wasn�t asleep because he was at peace! No, there is NO PEACE to be found in sin, in being disobedient and out of God�s will. Far too many are unconcerned like Jonah with people about to perish, or with their suffering. It�s time to WAKE UP and get concerned! As we read on in Chapter 1 we see that Jonah and the men on the ship soon figured out what the problem was. It brought the fear of God on the unbelievers! Oh but Jonah wasn�t ready to repent yet. No, not yet! In verse 12 he wanted to just die. The men on this ship now knew the root of the problem and they knew they had to do something with Jonah. There�s some that better stop and consider their ways, because someone might be ready to cast you over the side! When Jonah was cast over, all became calm. When sin is gone there will be trials, but you�ll experience calmness in all of it. Calmness comes from being in right standing with God! The sin being gone. God worked a miracle and sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. God didn�t let him die, as Jonah wished, but gave him another chance to �Go To Nineveh.�
In Chapter 2, Jonah very well knows why he�s in this situation. We know when a trial is a test or if it is a shaking due to sin. There are many storms in life, but we know our position with God. Jonah cried out to God � he knew God would hear him! He was in a terrible place, separated from God. I believe his greatest fear was that it would be eternal. In verse 7 he remembered the Lord and knew his prayer of repentance had reached Him! We to, when in a position of conviction over some sin, remember the Lord and all He has done in the past for us. We know by faith that if we repent and turn from sin, He will answer and forgive us. Jonah gave thanksgiving to the Lord. I believe he sang some songs and yelled thanks and praise to God � he was forgiven. Unlike those cast into hell, Jonah got released and given a second chance to �Go To Nineveh.�
In chapter 3 we read that Jonah was told again to go to Nineveh. He had a message to preach: repent or receive doom and judgment. Preachers today have that same responsibility. Like Jonah they must deliver the message whether it is received or not. We, like Jonah, are called to proclaim all of God�s Word. That means both God�s mercy and His wrath. Forgiveness and condemnation must be preached in a perfect balance. We are responsible not to water down the Word or compromise due to man�s doctrine. God�s ethics must be preached. Jonah finally is found doing just that � he ran with God�s Word so a 3-day journey to Nineveh took just a day. I know the feeling � I have a fire under my feet and in my belly every day. I know where God has brought me from! How about you � can you run with the Word, in remembrance of where God brought you from? In remembrance of His grace and mercy? In verse 4 we are shown that the length of the message doesn�t matter � 8 words brought conviction and repentance. It DOES matter where the message is FROM. It must be by the unction of the Holy Spirit, not from a man or from some man�s outline! Only a word from God will bring true repentance. We see it happen right in this chapter. I have no doubt they were surprised to see Jonah bring them a message to escape judgment. I�m sure there will be many surprised when I bring God�s Word to them. Is there anyone who would be surprised if you brought the offer of salvation, repentance and forgiveness to them? By the Holy Spirit I tell you today: obey God and �Go to Nineveh.�
Jonah wasn�t happy in Chapter 4 � he had some complaints. His enemy repented and received mercy from God! They didn�t get the judgment he felt they deserved. Do you wish God�s judgment on anyone today? If God granted mercy to them would you complain and be mad at God? See, Jonah had his comfort zone, and he felt others were more deserving of mercy than these vile sinners. He was sure there were some �good, clean� people that were more deserving. Let me tell you straight this one thing � NONE of us are deserving of God�s mercy! It is by grace we receive it. No one�s better or more righteous than anyone else. All sinners are bound for hell, unless we repent and ask for salvation. Unless we receive Christ into our hearts! Jonah was more concerned about his own comfort than those souls. He went and sat in the shade and waited to see what would happen. No doubt it was hot. Instead of God punishing Jonah for his complaining and bitter heart, He put a gourd over him for shade. Reading on, we then see God sent a worm and wind and took the gourd away. Again Jonah wanted to die. God was showing Jonah about his selfish attitude and concern for comfort. Jonah was concerned for himself and not the sinner. There are many people like this today, and pastors with churches too! They�ve become more concerned with a comfortable pew, heat in the winter, cold A/C in the summer. They care only for their immediate surroundings and the �good� people that are nice and clean, with fat tithes, �deserving� of salvation. In Luke 15, the brother got mad because the prodigal was reconciled after going off in sin. Sad that very much exists today. :( Jonah merely had to speak the Word of God, no real labor to it, and six-score thousand were spared. These were Gentiles that knew little or nothing about God. The good news is God offers His love to all His creation! ALL! I�ve got good news for you, but with a condition. :) If this message convicted you, you must forgive and be obedient, and God will give you peace! �GO TO NINEVEH!�
Brothers and Sisters, until recently I had a Nineveh. It was my hometown and many of the officials there. My heart is free from that and I obey God�s call. I have several to go to and tell them about God�s love, mercy and forgiveness, and that I hold no unforgiveness against them. Although I�ve been preaching for many years now, God has directed me to calmer waters � not without trials � and many new open doors. I must confess my sin and ask your forgiveness. I too became concerned about comfort for me and my family. When we started having to take money from our family to keep the ministry going, I almost ended it. God spoke to me through your notes of appreciation. We will continue!
In Christ's Love, Bro. Don George
