1Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.”
3So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across. 4Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
5The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least.
God takes no delight in destroying people. He desires repentance from all. The prophet Jeremiah, who appeared on the scene about a century after the time of Jonah, illustrates this truth vividly. Someone read Jeremiah 18:7–8.
Jeremiah received a similar call from God to preach repentance to a disobedient people. The only difference is that his audience was the nation of Israel rather than its enemies. God’s people had pursued disobedience, much like Jonah despite the many examples of His faithfulness to them throughout history. Yet, He did not cast them off, the same truth we see in Jonah. In the midst of his disobedience, his rebellion, and his calloused heart toward the lost, God continued to offer him a second chance along with the opportunity for repentance.
Jonah shows a level of obedience by going to Nineveh and beginning to preach but his actions show a heart that lacks compassion for people in need of God’s message of salvation.
Jonah’s actions show that he still lacks a disposition of obedience to God as he is focused on his own circumstances rather than others. He is concerned about his comfort rather than compassion for others. He remained in his bitterness.
Heartless obedience so dangerous, it makes God seem like a cruel master rather than a gracious Father. It keeps our hearts from true service, and it robs us of joy in His work of salvation in the lives of others.
No one ever said obedience would be easy, especially not Jesus (John 16:33). If we can learn anything from His example, it’s that obedience in this life is difficult and painful. We are prone to wander as creation distracts our attention from the Creator. Fortunately, our God is faithful to draw us back to Himself at whatever cost.
We veer toward heartless obedience when we take our eyes off of Jesus Christ, our Saviour who left behind His comforts to come into this world and offer up His life so that we could be restored to God.
True obedience begins with the love of God. When His love transforms our hearts, it places our hope in something greater than the comforts this world has to offer. We cannot muster up true obedience on our own. First, it requires God’s transformative work in our hearts through faith in Jesus Christ. By His grace, He moulds us, shapes us, and redirects us when we have wandered because He is a compassionate God full of love.