Jonah 3
Cheese has been in production for at least 2,000 years and there is evidence that leads many to think it’s been a lot longer than that. And in that time, it had always been made, processed, and stored in the same way. Not much changed. That is until Jim Kraft came along trying to package and sell cheese that would last longer on people’s shelves. He and his company were failing miserably until 1916, when he developed the idea of pasteurizing processed cheese and using an emulsifier (salt) to keep the oil and fat from separating. That day Kraft cheese was born and it overturned the notions of food preservation (The Food that Built America, History Channel). That word—overturned—is an interesting one in scripture. “Hapak” is the Hebrew word for overturned, but even in the original language it can be a bit surprising.
As we’ve talked thus far through the story of Jonah, we saw God flip the script (overturn) the narrative of Jonah’s run from God’s command into an incredible story of redemption and grace for those sailors. We saw God overturn the idea of punishment by being faithful to Jonah despite his rebelliousness even while in the belly of the fish. Let’s walk through the story together and see how God overturns this portion of the story.
Jonah Wanted Nineveh Overturned (Jonah 3:1-4)
First things first: it seems like the message is missing some key points. We don’t know if this is the fullness of what God told Jonah to say. It’s weird; in the message, there is no mention of their sin, how to respond or God at all! We can speculate that it was a warning to repent or face judgment, but technically, all we have is the text from v4. “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” This is the message that Jonah walked from gate to gate in the city to proclaim. This is what the Ninevites heard, and this is the info we need to help us understand Jonah. He was expecting (and most likely wanting) destruction. There is plenty of evidence in scripture to suggest that idea through the work hapak (overturned). Most notably, it is used in Genesis 19:21 talking about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It bears the imagery of complete and total destruction. Whether we have the full message from God or not, it is clear that Jonah’s focus is on doom and destruction. That’s what he preached across the city, that’s what he expected, and we have every reason to believe that’s what he wanted: to overturn Ninevah and see it lie in ruins.
Nineveh Overturned Themselves (Jonah 3:5-9)
Have you ever been completely shocked by a reaction that you never expected? One time I had to perform a rescue as a lifeguard and the victim when into shock. Once we got her back awake and coherent, she admitted to being so embarrassed that she lost control of herself. I wasn’t looking for any particular reaction, but never thought she would get so embarrassed by needing to be rescued that she went into shock, almost putting herself into cardiac arrest! I did not expect that to happen. Jonah didn’t expect the reaction he got either. The Ninevites, including the king, and even including the livestock (see v7) all react by repenting of their sins…in a respectful, Hebrew way of doing it! This attitude overturn looks more like what we see in 1 Samuel 10:6, when Samuel anoints Saul as king. “Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man”. This version of hapak meant that Saul would be changed when the Holy Spirit came upon him. Saul is overturned from man of himself into a man with God’s Spirit. Even with nothing but Jonah’s doomsday approach, the Ninevites respond, repent, and are overturned of their selfish deeds.
God Overturned His Punishment (Jonah 3:10)
And the OVERturns keep coming. The Ninevites were honest and humble in their repentance, so much so that God saw their hearts and chose NOT to overturn their city. It’s important here to note that while Jonah didn’t know the Ninevites would be part of the army that would wipe the Northern Kingdon out of existence, God did. These are the people whom Nahum would prophesy destruction for. But not this day. This day they turned to the Lord and He chose mercy. They were not judged by their culture, ancestry, or lineage, but were known and loved by God. God overturned Ninevah with a spiritual awakening.
Next Steps
Consider 2 Peter 3:9 – God desires all to come to repentance. God’s message – the totality of His communication to all of humanity throughout history is Jesus, the Logos, the Gospel. His heart is not in punishment, but in celebration of repentance and rescue. Trust in Jesus! Choose daily to live in the Spirit instead of the flesh.
- Repent and turn to God for His mercy and grace.
- Consider an attitude of love and grace towards all people – even the evil ones.
- Remember Philippians 1:15-18 – Christ will build His church, even if your attitude is wrong.
Let Jesus overturn your heart towards all peoples by growing your capacity to love others regardless of their sins.
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