by Jonah preaching in Nineveh is one of the greatest revivals in the Bible, where an entire city turned to God. As we begin our revival services in a couple weeks, we can learn from three who responded to God’s Word in this revival in Jonah. We understand the lost cannot experience revival because they are dead in sin, with nothing to be revived. We see in Jonah, though, when God’s man was revived the lost experienced spiritual awakening, which is the answer to how and why this city turned to God.
JONAH RESPONDED TO GOD’S WORD – Jonah had royally blown it. He ran from God’s calling but eventually got right with God. Jonah’s God is our God, a God of second chances as seen clearly in Jonah 3:1, “the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time.” Jonah obeyed God’s Word and experienced revival. PRAISE GOD, He never gives up on us, regardless of how many times we give up on Him or thumb our noses at Him. We are God’s vessels for Westminster to see Nineveh’s spiritual awakening, so we must respond to God’s Word and be revived.
NINEVEH RESPONDED TO GOD’S WORD – Jonah preached God’s Word in Jonah 3:2-4, and then the people responded in 3:5. Their response was the only response that brings spiritual awakened, “the people of Nineveh believed God.” Jonah was probably the worst preacher God could have sent to Nineveh. He was disgruntled in 4:1-4, he likely preached slighted because this city turned to his God. PRAISE GOD, He will use anyone who will go: like Moses who was a stutterer, or Peter who was a loudmouth, Paul who was arrogant, or David who was a murderer. This shows us the power of revival is not in the messenger, but the message.
GOD RESPONDED TO GOD’S WORD – In Jonah 3:10, “God repented” and did not bring down His judgment. PRAISE GOD, He is a God of mercy. God responded because the people and their king responded in 3:6-9. In HUMILITY, the king “arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him.” In CONVICTION, he “covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.” In REMORSE, he would “cry mightily unto God.” In REPENTANCE, the people would “turn every one from his evil.” In FAITH, they questioned but trusted, “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”
Westminster can have spiritual awakening and revival. The ball is in our court. Will we allow God to revive us again? Read Psalm 85:6-7.
