Jon 3:6-10 | KingComments | STEP | The effect of the preaching is so spontaneous that no one waits for a word from the king, but they put on sackcloth ( ). But the king does not stay behind. He joins the general mourning. His first reaction is that he arises from his throne. With this he expresses as it were, that he renounces his authority because of the abuse he has made of it. This act also includes the acknowledgment of the authority of a Superior. We also see this aspect with other kings who rise from their throne, such as Ehud ( ) and Nebuchadnezzar ( ). As long as man thinks he can control his own life, his own ‘I’ is still on the throne. The first result of someone who is convinced of God’s authority over his life is that he arises from his ‘throne’. The king of Nineveh does not stop there. The next thing he does is to lay aside his robe. With this he says, as it were, that he has lost all his dignity. Finally, he also covers himself with sackcloth. He joins the people in their mourning. He acknowledges that there is no regard of persons with God: “For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” ( ). Then he goes one step further. He takes his place on the ashes, the place that speaks of the deepest humiliation and death ( ; ). As the head of the people he is aware of his greater responsibility in leading the way into sin. From this low point, he starts a different way of governing the people. Without still being aware of it, he leads the people back to God.

‏ Jonah 3:6-10

Arising From the Throne

The effect of the preaching is so spontaneous that no one waits for a word from the king, but they put on sackcloth (Jona 3:5). But the king does not stay behind. He joins the general mourning. His first reaction is that he arises from his throne. With this he expresses as it were, that he renounces his authority because of the abuse he has made of it. This act also includes the acknowledgment of the authority of a Superior.

We also see this aspect with other kings who rise from their throne, such as Ehud (Jdg 3:20) and Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 3:24). As long as man thinks he can control his own life, his own ‘I’ is still on the throne. The first result of someone who is convinced of God’s authority over his life is that he arises from his ‘throne’.

The king of Nineveh does not stop there. The next thing he does is to lay aside his robe. With this he says, as it were, that he has lost all his dignity. Finally, he also covers himself with sackcloth. He joins the people in their mourning. He acknowledges that there is no regard of persons with God: “For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:22b-23).

Then he goes one step further. He takes his place on the ashes, the place that speaks of the deepest humiliation and death (Job 42:6; Psa 22:16). As the head of the people he is aware of his greater responsibility in leading the way into sin. From this low point, he starts a different way of governing the people. Without still being aware of it, he leads the people back to God.

A Command of Life

It seems as if this command by the king and his ministers is leading the people to ruin. Not eating and not drinking will result in death. But that is the appearance that deceives. On the contrary, it is an order to life. Whoever takes the place of death before God, whoever acknowledges to be dead before God, is given life.

Everything shows that the people take Jonah’s message seriously. There is no delay, on the contrary, there is haste. The command calls for an immediate conversion of the sins to which they have surrendered and over which God’s judgment now looms. The life in hedonism and debauchery is given up. The most essential necessities of life are renounced. Even the animals are withheld from any food.

This expresses how much man and animal are connected in the curse that hangs over creation as a result of man’s sin (Joel 1:18 ; 20). Man and animal are also united in expressing the grief over sin and the longing to be set free from the curse, from the slavery to corruption (Rom 8:19-25). Man and animal will share in that liberation (Psa 36:6-7). We see in the last verse of this book that God also takes the animals into account (Jona 4:11).

Calling on God

According to Jona 3:5, all have already covered themselves with sackcloth. Their appearance reflects their inner change. But also the beasts must be covered with a sackcloth. They share in the grief of the people. Think of the horses in front of a hearse that are covered with black rugs.

It is assumed that the calling of beasts does not belong in the biblical text, because beasts neither call to God, nor repent. Of course, beasts cannot repent, but beasts can call to God, and God hears them too. They will do this even more when they do not receive food and drink (Job 39:3; Psa 104:21).

The deep awareness of the impending disaster and its righteousness is evident in the call to cry to God ‘earnestly’. A general, thoughtless spoken prayer has no effect. Nor is it the expression of someone who is convinced of the state of emergency in which he finds himself.

Those who are convinced of this state of emergency will do everything in their power to bring about a change in their fate. The actions of God that are noticed to work this will result in God being constantly faced with prayers. The Lord Jesus Himself invites such persistent, continuous prayer in the parable of a widow who persistently appeals to an unjust judge (Lk 18:1-8). He expresses this parable in response to the emergency situation He has painted in the verses before (Lk 17:20-37).

Conversion only occurs when someone honestly says to God, for example: ‘I have lied.’ This is called confessing the sins. Out of conviction, such a person agrees that he is indeed not to be trusted. It is the acknowledgment that it is not good inside, in the heart. There is also the acknowledgment that such sin deserves the punishment of God, that it is righteous if God throws man into hell for his sins. Conversion is therefore not a superficial matter, but a profound work.

It is not about feeling, but about conscience that must come in the light of God. We could say that repentance is that we go to God to condemn ourselves before Him. It also means confessing to Him that there was no obedience to Him so far and that life was thoroughly wrong as a result. There will also be repentance for living in this way so far and that one distances oneself from it.

These aspects of conversion can be seen in the inhabitants of Nineveh. We see the repentance to God in earnestly calling to God. We also see the call that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands, that is, to distance himself from the former walk and trade, “way” and “hands”. With ‘violence’, one could think of the many extortions that the inhabitants of Nineveh have apparently been guilty of.

Who Knows …

The whole city feels that it is possible that God will not execute His judgment, although Jonah did not speak about it. There is the general sense of God’s goodness. The expression “who knows” makes their mind clear. They demand no forgiveness and claim no mercy. In their confession there is no sacrifice or anything they promise or offer God, to appease Him with it, to earn something. Salvation is on the basis of faith in Christ alone and not on the basis of works.

And He Did Not Do It

Just as the wickedness has risen from Nineveh to God before (Jona 1:2), so now repentance rises. God does not only hear their calls, He also sees their change. They produce fruit worthy of the repentance (Mt 3:8). That fruit is that they turn form their wicked way. No animal sacrifices are brought, but they bring the sacrifice of a broken spirit and contrite heart (Psa 51:17).

Their change leads God to change His mind. He relents concerning His earlier plan and does not execute it. God’s relenting never has to do with acknowledging a wrong deed. God never does anything wrong. The element of regret about wrongdoing is not present here. If God relents, it means that in His government He comes back from something He had in mind, but changes it when He sees people behaving differently.

God can therefore relent in the sense that He comes back to an intention to bless or punish man if the ways of man give cause to so (cf. Jer 18:7-8 ; Jer 26:2-3). This shows that man is not a puppet and God is not an adamant God.