Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
Jonah 3:4
Today was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is the holiest day of the Biblical calendar where atonement was made for the nation of Israel (see Leviticus 16).
One of the traditional readings on this day is the book of Jonah because of its connection to repentance and mercy. God threatened to destroy the city of Nineveh and sent the prophet Jonah to announce its demise. After a detour at sea involving a storm and a great fish, Jonah arrived in Nineveh, proclaiming a five word message in Hebrew: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The people of Nineveh heeded his message and repented.
There is an interesting nuance in the Hebrew of his message. The word “overthrown” is the Hebrew word haphak, meaning “to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert”. Think about it this way: in forty days, the city would be changed. It could be changed for the better or the worse. It was up to the people to decide. In the end, rather than their destruction, they were changed via their repentance. In a sense, Jonah’s message still came true.
So what about you? I am not a prophet so I can’t say the same statement with any authority to my city or nation. Nevertheless, the call for repentance remains. It was the core message of Jesus: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) Repentance is not merely saying “I’m sorry.” It also requires a change of action.
May your change be for the better and not for the worse. Repent and turn to God!
