Jon 3:4 | KingComments | STEP | Jonah is alone, facing an enormous wickedness. He has not organized a campaign, didn’t place advertisements, didn’t hire famous speakers. Peter and Paul also work like Jonah. They all trust only in God and the power of His Word. After Jonah has walked one day into the city, he must have arrived in the city center at the moment he begins to preach. The appearance and preaching of the stranger Jonah must have caused a great sensation. Probably never before has anyone pointed out the sins of the city, and made known a judging God. It may also have been noticed that his preaching is without any self-interest. He does not preach to become popular. That’s also not the content of his message. Neither does he reduce his hard message to a poor substitute. Fearless his voice shouts through the streets of Nineveh and calls out the words he was told by the LORD. The preaching of judgment is in itself a proof of the grace of God. The announcement of the judgment is not yet the execution of it. Nineveh is even given a postponement of forty days. In that period they can show what effect the preaching has on them. It is a period of testing. That is also what the number forty represents. It is the number of testing. This is also evident from other places where this number occurs ( ; ; ; ; ; ; ). The way in which this judgment is carried out shows that it is a radical judgment. To be overthrown is a devastation including the foundation. What was announced to Nineveh, happened to Sodom and Gomorrah.

‏ Jonah 3:4

The Preaching

Jonah is alone, facing an enormous wickedness. He has not organized a campaign, didn’t place advertisements, didn’t hire famous speakers. Peter and Paul also work like Jonah. They all trust only in God and the power of His Word.

After Jonah has walked one day into the city, he must have arrived in the city center at the moment he begins to preach. The appearance and preaching of the stranger Jonah must have caused a great sensation. Probably never before has anyone pointed out the sins of the city, and made known a judging God. It may also have been noticed that his preaching is without any self-interest. He does not preach to become popular. That’s also not the content of his message. Neither does he reduce his hard message to a poor substitute.

Fearless his voice shouts through the streets of Nineveh and calls out the words he was told by the LORD. The preaching of judgment is in itself a proof of the grace of God. The announcement of the judgment is not yet the execution of it. Nineveh is even given a postponement of forty days. In that period they can show what effect the preaching has on them.

It is a period of testing. That is also what the number forty represents. It is the number of testing. This is also evident from other places where this number occurs (Gen 7:17; Exo 24:18; Num 14:25 ; 34; 1Sam 17:16; 1Kgs 19:8; Mt 4:2; Acts 1:3).

The way in which this judgment is carried out shows that it is a radical judgment. To be overthrown is a devastation including the foundation. What was announced to Nineveh, happened to Sodom and Gomorrah.