Reflecting on the Book of Jonah
Jonah chapter three discusses Jonah going to Nineveh and the people hearing God's message to turn away from their sins. Jonah 3:5 says the Ninevites believed God and a fast was proclaimed and all of them from the greatest to the least put on sackcloth. Kings, lepers and even the livestock wore this. A humbling of all people no matter their socioeconomic status.
This is profound. I cannot begin to visualise everyone in our cities giving up their designer label clothes and wearing sackcloth. In New Zealand we have material possessions like beautiful clothes, jewelry watches and shoes to wear. I don't think I would be the first on board to drop everything and wear a sackcloth. It's itchy, uncomfortable and not very fashionable.
In the Bible and in life we see so many accounts of people in power thinking they don’t need God; they are better and know better. Jonah’s message from God however meant everyone made themselves less proud and turned from their wicked ways. To show this, they wore sackcloth. The King of Nineveh would have been very powerful, yet humbled himself and wore the same clothes as the lowest of the low, making him an equal as he turned to God. I find this so amazing.
Do we see ourselves as having so much around us that sometimes we feel we don't need God? Our possessions and comforts fill that ‘gap.’ However, if we think metaphorically about what Jonah meant it was not just clothes. These people were called to turn away from their sins and face God and they did this. This isn’t easy. The sackcloth represents giving away a life of comfort and self-indulgence, getting rid of bad habits and shortfalls in all aspects of life. This can take courage and effort.
Life provides constant temptations, whether in person, on our screens or with others. It is sometimes hard to make the right choices and like the people of Nineveh, we can stray away from God. Personally, I question if Tik Tok is a good thing for me? It is so easy to spend time doing that instead of what I should be doing. Along with constant videos and information online, is what I am viewing building up my life or breaking it down? I liken it to the people of Nineveh seeking self-indulgence and therefore taking away my time from devotions, being with God and treating others with kindness and consideration.
God’s redeeming love and mercy is a true blessing for us all in biblical times and now. When the Ninevites repented and turned away from their life of sin the city was not destroyed. God spared them. He does the same with us. Ephesians 1:7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” He will forgive if we give up living a life for our self-indulgence and pleasure and live the life God wants for us.