Jonah chapter 3

vs 1

God really shouldn't have to repeat himself.

vs 2

So the message is similar. God's will hasn't changed on the matter.

vs 3

Jonah's will, it seems, has.

Three days is a long time to walk from one end to the other. Does a city that big exist now? I wouldn't wonder if they said it meaning that it took him three days to deliver his message over the whole thing.

vs 4

This is apparently the message that God gave to Jonah. It's pretty straightforward. We assume there must have been a little more said than that, but this was the basis of the message, it's what we're given. The other bits we can perhaps assume from what Jonah says later, and from what the response of the people is.

vs 5

Their response is, perhaps to someone who has read lots of OT stuff, somewhat staggering. It takes a lot of persuading for Israel to come to God with this sort of contrition. Yet Israel's enemy realises its wrongdoing and goes the whole hog in repentance.

vs 6

Even their king, who didn't hear the message directly, is prepared to go into mourning over his city's fate.

vs 7

The city fasts - even down to their cattle. I have always thought the importance of livestock in such ancient proclamations fascinating. Whether it means that people were treated less valuably, or that livestock, living more closely with their owners, were felt to be more part of the family, it still shows that there is an importance under God to animals that is not really attended to these days.

vs 8

Call on God, and give up your evil ways. Only those two things together is going to do it for you.

vs 9

God may be compassionate. He is not always - Israel knows that well - but he can be. It's the eternal balance between justice and mercy, both of which are parts of God's nature. They exist not in paradox, but in tension. One can rely on both.

vs 10

And so the people of Nineveh were saved. That's a great story. Why is there another chapter? Is not the big message of this book to relent to God, and he will show compassion? No. In fact, there is a whole other story we need yet to consider.