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Do Not Be Swallowed by a Whale!

A Willingness to Forgive

Nancy Taylor Tate

“…you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness…” Jonah 4:2.

I have been humming a song that I sang as a child. “I don’t want to be a Jonah and be swallowed by a whale. Down to Nineveh I must go if the Savior tells me so. Shout aloud you must be born again!

This little song pretty much sums up the book of Jonah. But what is it really saying? Simply, that if the Lord calls us to go somewhere, then we must go. Yes, this is true, but there is much more in this song.

The key is found in why Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. Was it just because they were a gentile nation, and he was a Jew? Interestingly, Joppa is the very place where God, 800 years later, gave a vision to Peter, causing him to go to Cornelius’s house, a gentile, releasing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the gentiles (Acts 10:1-29).

Or was it perhaps because of the great wickedness in Nineveh? The sins of Nineveh were great (Jonah 1:2; Nahum 3:1-4). Was it because they were so evil that Jonah did not want to go? Or it may be that Jonah was afraid? These people were known for their brutality, no one wanted to become captive to their cruelty.

Why didn’t Jonah want to go to Nineveh? As you look at Jonah’s own words, the real reason is found.

“And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil” Jonah 4:2.

In other words, Jonah knew God is gracious, and that if they repented He would forgive them. And he did not want these people forgiven! Why? Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, an enemy to Israel. To hear judgment was coming on Nineveh in forty days was good news for Israel; it put them in a much better position. It must have been a joy to Jonah’s ears!

But if Jonah warned them as God was asking him to do, then they might repent. And if they repented, God might forgive them. Nineveh might be spared, but Israel’s position would not be strengthened. Jonah did not want to see that happen, so he decided not to go. He personally preferred to see Nineveh judged.

Though initially Jonah resisted the call to Nineveh, after God dealt with him, he obeyed. Nineveh believed and repented, just as Jonah was afraid they might; thus, God’s judgment was withheld. This made Jonah very angry. The book ends with the Lord rebuking Jonah for his anger.

Has there ever been a situation in your life where you really did not want to see God forgive someone? You would rather see the judgment of God on them? Where when someone got blessed, you were disappointed rather than happy?

I don’t want to be a Jonah and be swallowed by a whale. No matter how terrible we may see a crime or an individual to be, the Lord would give them opportunity to repent.

I think of Corrie ten Boom forgiving the very guard that brought so much suffering to her and caused her sister’s death. God forgave the guard because he repented. Corrie had to be willing to forgive too. When she did, the love of God flooded her heart.

Notice the mercy of God, both toward Nineveh, a sinful people, and toward Jonah, a disobedient servant. The Lord’s judgment on both wickedness and disobedience is very clear. Yet prior to judgment is warning, with an opportunity to repent. Both Nineveh and Jonah received an opportunity to repent.

The same grace that Nineveh received after they repented from their evilness is the same grace that Jonah needed, when he finally repented for his disobedience. May we always be thankful God is merciful, that He forgives all those who repent. In the same way He forgives others, He forgives us.

Because Jonah did not want to do what God was asking him to do, he tried to flee from the presence of the Lord. Psalm 139:7 asks, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or wither shall I flee from thy presence?”

In the verses that follow, Psalms 139:8-12, we see there is nowhere we can go that God is not there. Paul adds to this in Romans 8:38-39 as he assures us there is nothing that can separate us from God’s love.

As we come to truly understand that God is always there, may assurance fill our hearts. He hears us when we call! His mercy endures forever! Great is His faithfulness (Isaiah 65:24; Psalms 106:1; Lamentations 3:23).

Because God is omnipresent, it was impossible for Jonah to flee from the presence of the Lord. Jonah went in the other direction. A storm came, he was cast overboard. But when Jonah prayed out of the fish’s belly, God was still there. The goodness of God brought Jonah to repentance and gave him another opportunity to go to Nineveh.

Jonah took advantage of his “second chance” and went, but he complained to God. How much better when we take things to God in prayer, rather than complain to people. God in His faithfulness answered Jonah, as He addressed Jonah’s wrong attitude then showed Jonah His heart instead.

Jonah was written not only so that we can learn from Jonah’s mistakes, but as a further revelation of the very nature and character of God. A loving, compassionate, ever present God, who takes no delight in judgement. His desire is that all would come to repentance, that none would perish.

“…I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live…” Ezekiel 33:11.

“Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” Acts 2:21. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9. 

What is the book of Jonah telling us? If the Lord desires to bring repentance to someone, I must be willing to move in cooperation with Him as He brings it about. I too must be willing to forgive even as God is willing to forgive those who repent. Likewise, we must also forgive ourselves.

May our hearts be like God’s heart, full of compassion and mercy, delighting in repentance, willing to forgive.

A favorite verse of mine has been hanging on my wall for years:

“He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8.

May this be engraved in our hearts, evidenced by our actions.