This third paper brings in another element to answer the question: Did all of Nineveh believe? (The starting post in this series is titled, Nineveh Revival, and the second in the group is, Believing Ninevites.)
Jonah 3:5 says, “Then the people of Nineveh believed in God.” The city of Nineveh is spoken of in such a way that at least one Bible teacher concludes that every person in Nineveh believed, and no one is left out.1 This article focuses on whether it is every person, or more likely, most of the people. Plus, there are some exceptions.
Figure of Speech
To accomplish our task we will investigate phrases in the Bible when the narration is talking about groups of people. When speaking of a nation or city, sometimes a common figure of speech is used, such as ‘all the people.’ At other times we see it expressed in the language used to describe the circumstance, such as ‘this generation’. To help us see how the language is used, we will look at a couple of examples.
This Generation
The first example is from one of the passages already mentioned in the last paper, Believing Ninevites. The passage is Matthew 12:41-42, which says,
“The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation at the judgment, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South shall rise up with this generation at the judgment and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”
Typically the Bible speaks of a nation as a whole, and does not account for every single person. For example, ‘this generation’ of Israel is spoken of as being condemned as in Matthew 12. However, we do know that there were believers then, such as Jesus’ disciples and Joseph of Arimathea. (John 19:38) Therefore the generation may be condemned even if there are some in that generation who believe.
This demonstrates to us that it is not always easy to differentiate between individuals and nations. The nation or city being spoken of is usually talked about from the view of the majority. Since we can find individuals that do not fit the majority, we know that there are those excluded from the group.
The next example we will look at in more detail is in Numbers, chapter 14.
Numbers Fourteen
Numbers chapter 14 is part of the account of Israel as they arrive at the land that God promised them. Because of the nation’s continued disobedience, God was ready to smite all the people of Israel and make a new nation from Moses. They spurned God despite all the signs that He performed in their midst. (Numbers 14:11-12)
Moses had just sent in 12 spies to check out the land God had promised the Israelites. Two spies gave a good report, but ten of the spies did not believe God and gave a bad report to the people. The reaction to the report is in Numbers 14:2. It says,
“And all the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!””
Verse 2 talks in generalities about those who grumbled by saying ‘all the sons of Israel’ and ‘the whole congregation.’ We know that because there were at least the two spies who believed God. Perhaps there were others who believed God besides the two spies. Sadly though, most of the men did not believe God.
Additionally, I think that there were some who didn’t grumble against God or spurn Him because of what is said in verses 22 & 23. God says,
“Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who spurned Me see it.”
In verses 22 & 23, it seems to me that God singles out the ones who did not listen to His voice, and those who spurned Him. Also, in verse 29, God says that it is the men, “from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.” So we add to the group of those who didn’t listen and those who spurned God, those who grumbled against Him. Those in that group, 20 years old and up, will not enter the land.
Generally speaking, a whole generation was judged and died before entering the promised land because of their unbelief. (Numbers 14:28-29) The two spies that gave a good report, along with all of the children, were allowed to enter the land.2
My emphasis here has been on finding out if there are any folks not in the majority. Of course, this passage, like many others, is really about the majority. Therefore, continuing the numbering from my points in previous articles we have:
Point 3 -The point of the passage is the majority.
Other Exceptions
In Joshua 14:1, we learn that the priest Eleazar, the son of Aaron, had entered the land even though it is believed that Eleazar was over 20 years old. In fact, Numbers 1:473 tells us that the Levites were not numbered with the rest of Israel. Many commentators conclude therefore that the tribe of Levi was also allowed to enter.
The Pulpit Commentary concludes,
“There is, indeed, every reason to believe that the whole tribe of Levi were excepted from the punishment, because they were not compromised in the guilt. They had no representative among the spies, nor were they called upon to go up and fight; moreover, they had been steadily loyal to Moses since the matter of the golden calf.”4
We have good reason then for understanding that there were a number of Israelites who did believe God and were allowed to enter the promised land. Therefore I believe that Numbers 14 uses a figure of speech when it says that the ‘whole congregation’ was not believing God.
Paul refers to the Numbers 14 event in 1 Corinthians. Paul says that the Israelites all had access to the same spiritual benefits, but that, “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.” (1 Corinthians 10:5) We can conclude, that most did not believe, but there were some who did believe. Plus, the exceptions were the Levites and some named individuals.
Point 4 -There are almost always exceptions.
Nineveh
Based on the typical use of language as explained above, I have come to the following conclusion. When Jonah 3:5 says, “Then the people of Nineveh believed in God,” it is speaking of the majority of the people, not every single last person.
Point 5 -It is likely not every single Ninevite.
Conclusion
Figures of speech and generalities should be accounted for by the details provided for us in the context. We do the same thing in the way we communicate today. We will add to points 1 & 2 from my previous paper with three more points:
- Point 3 -The point of the passage is the majority.
- Point 4 -There are almost always exceptions.
- Point 5 -It is likely not every single Ninevite.
The concluding paper in this series is titled, Nineveh Victory. Did Nineveh just escape the calamity, or did they receive eternal life?
1 The preacher counts the number of inhabitants in the city as 120,000. Then he says, “the whole city turned to God: 120,000 people plus a king.” https://sljinstitute.net/the-prophets/jonah/jonah-the-god-of-another-chance-or-historys-greatest-evangelistic-campaign/ 6/29/24
2 Numbers 14:30 “Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 Your children, however, whom you said would become a prey—I will bring them in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your corpses shall fall in this wilderness.”
3 Numbers 1:47 The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe.
4 Pulpit Commentary