Jonah 3:4 says “On the first day Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” GOD moves in a mysterious to perform His wonders. So a hymn affirms. He works his wonders, whether of grace or judgement, in different ways on different occasions. On this occasion He sent His messenger, Jonah, to preach a message of judgement.

       How important it is to mark the content of this message given by God to Jonah, especially in the climate of opinion within the church today. This message is one neglected today, and even denied. The message of God through Jonah is one of judgement. Jonah was called by God to tell the Ninevites that God was going to destroy their city so that all the inhabitants would perish. With the privilege of knowing the outcome of God’s message to Nineveh we may pass over the content of this message, and hide it away, but this does not change the message or its truth. Just because God, on this occasion, had a purpose of grace for Nineveh to bring them to repentance and to faith in God, this does not alter the reality of the message. Just because God arranged things this time in Nineveh that they would repent and be saved does not mean that he was not serious in declaring the destruction of the Ninevite for their sinful and abominable way of life. Just because the Ninevites of this occasion turned away from their sin does not mean that God will not judge and punish sinners. These days there is a universal proclamation of the love of God that denies that God will judge sin and the reality of hell as the place of eternal punishment. It is perfectly true that the message of judgement and eternal damnation for impenitent sinners can be preached wrongfully, but this does not mean that we must or can deny this revelation. Sinners are being unsaved and left in their lost condition simply because they are not warned of the wrath to come.

        So what is the content of the message preached by Jonah. The first thing which it tells us is the reality of the wrath of God against sin. God cannot and does not look on human sin and rebellion with complacency. If God was going to overturn the sinful city of Nineveh then without doubt God can’t abide sin, and His holiness demands that sin must be punished, and the sanctity of His character expressed in His law upheld.

        We have expressed in this message that God does and will judge and punish sin and sinners. Whatever the church proclaims today the Bible gives plenty of evidence that God’s wrath is a terrible reality, and that it is and will be executed. To shrink from the horror of the death of human beings, and their being cast into everlasting torment, is very natural, but it is no answer then to deny that God has revealed that his wrath and eternal punishment on sinners is real. We are doing no service to the souls of human beings by such action. Rather we are serving them very badly and acting in a most unloving way. If we see a person running into danger, we do not love them by denying the danger.

        The fact is that the Scripture is plain. God hates sin and this threat of the overthrow of Nineveh was God’s revelation of how he hates sin and will punish sin. In Jonah 1:2 God makes plain His hate of sin, and that He will not tolerate sin. We have only to read of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah to see the wrath of God in action. The Bible is full of examples of the sin of a people, city or nation becoming full, and God’s judgement in the end falling upon them. In the letter to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 Christ threatens such judgement. He tells Pergamum that unless they repent He will fight against them with the sword. We have a similar warning to Thyatira if there is no repentance – Christ warns “So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely. Paul tells us in Romans 1:18 “The wrath of God is being revealed from Heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth in their wickedness. Then again in Ephesians 5:6 “Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedience. Jesus Himself spoke strongly in Matthew 25:46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Jesus taught the reality of eternal punishment as He tells the end of the Rich man in hell in Luke 16:19-31.

        Jonah’s message from God also reveals that God can and has the power to judge sin and destroy the sinner in hell. It is the folly of sinners and the deception of Satan, to deny God’s power to judge and punish sinners, and that He will do it if there is no repentance. The message of God through Jonah also warns us of the completeness of God’s judgement and punishment when once it is executed. There is time given for repentance and amendment of life, but if repentance is not forthcoming, judgement will eventually fall, and then there will be no return. Now is the day of salvation, and if this opportunity is not grasped then there is no further opportunity after death. Once in the darkness and misery of hell there is no return. Only for this reason we must warn people and seek that they will repent and be saved.

        However unpleasant the message God gave to Jonah to proclaim it was in fact an act of grace. God warned Nineveh through Jonah of the awful end of their sinful ways were leading them to, and through this they were saved. It is no act of love to deny the wrath of God against sin but simply condemning people to hell. Ponder.