In the third chapter of the book of Jonah, Jonah entered the city of Nineveh and preached to them. Jonah’s message was, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4.) We don’t know if that was all Jonah said, but that is all that is recorded.1 (For more on Jonah’s mission, see my paper, Jonah’s Mission.)
The city responded and verses 5-10 of chapter three describe what happened:
5 “Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. 8 But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. 9 Who knows, God may turn and relent, and withdraw His burning anger so that we shall not perish?” 10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.”
Repentance
The response of Nineveh indicates to us that they actually turned from their wickedness. Here are some of the highlights:
- Believed God -5. This is the first and most important step in turning to God. Otherwise the works that follow are just of the flesh,2 which have no spiritual value.
- Fasting -5. The people called for a fast, which was no food or water. The Hebrew word is nephesh, meaning to “afflict soul or self,” i.e. practice self-denial. This concept is also seen in Leviticus 23:27 where the phrase ‘humble your souls’ is used.3 (See the Notes: for more on fasting.)
- Sackcloth -5. The people of Nineveh took off their normal clothes and put on sackcloth – a thick coarse cloth, normally made from goat’s hair. This would be akin to wearing burlap. Wearing it displayed the rejection of earthly comforts and pleasures. In verse 6, when the king put on sackcloth, he also sat on ashes or dust. (See the Notes: under ‘sackcloth.’)
- the king led his people to call on God -7-8 The king did not just tell his people what to do, he led them in it. He put on sackcloth, sat in ashes, fasted, and called on God for mercy.
- Earnestness -8. Used in the sense of “cry mightily, insistently.”4 The people of the city called on God mightily so they would receive His grace. This is in keeping with how serious they were about turning from their wickedness.
- Turn from sin & violence -8. The Ninevites (Assyrians), were renowned for their wickedness and violence. (See ‘violence’ in the Notes: section.)
- Hope -9. Hope that God would not destroy them, but mixed with some anxiety because they did not know how God would respond.
Notes:
Fasting
Fasting is an ancient custom that has been used medically, religiously, politically, and in mourning. It can be certain foods, all food, and various time periods from one meal to several days in a row. It was well known in many cultures and areas of the world.
For religious purposes, some pagan religions thought it would appease their deity, and others used lack of food to attain a trance-like state so they could receive visions.5 6
Neither of these are biblical concepts.
Jesus did not mandate a fast, but when you do fast, He said that you should not do it to be seen.7 The purpose of fasting is to humble yourself before God and focus on Him.8 In the early church, we see examples where the believers prayed and fasted when making decisions. (Acts 13:3; 14:23)
Sackcloth
This is written about in the very early book of Job.9 Job 16:15 “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and thrust my horn [symbol of strength] in the dust.” Job also is sitting in ashes in Job 2:8, “And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.” Sitting in ashes was the custom of mourning and also signifies humbling one’s self because of sin.
When Job finally agrees with God at the end of the book, Job says, “Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:6)
Violence
An example of the Assyrian’s violence against their fellow man is given in 2 Chronicles. God used the Assyrians to bring His people into captivity. 2 Chronicles 33:9-11 records for us:
“Thus Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel. And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. Therefore the LORD brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks10, bound him with bronze chains, and took him to Babylon.”
Putting a hook through the nose of someone to lead them around is painful and degrading. Ellicott’s Bible Commentary says of this practice,
“The hooks might be such as the Assyrian kings were wont to pass through the nostrils and lips of their more distinguished prisoners.”11
Conclusion
The Ninevites turned from their evil ways and believed God. They did not just do lip service, but they performed deeds in keeping with their change of heart.
God saved them from destruction -which is a very unusual event recorded for us in Scripture. God’s love and compassion is on display as we see God’s forgiveness toward repentant sinners.
Appendix
As I worked on this study, I became curious about several issues. Did the whole nation believe? Did they receive eternal salvation? The Ninevites are ‘witnesses’ at the judgment in Matthew chapter 12. Is that evidence that they will be in heaven?
As I wrestled with these questions, I wrote several papers. Please see the next article in this series titled, Believing Ninevites.
1 Some Bible commentators think that he went into more detail and explained the situation to the Ninevites.
2 The ‘flesh’ refers to doing something for God in our own ability, instead of doing it by ‘faith’ in Him.
3 Leviticus 23:27 “On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD.”
4 Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon
5 https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasting 6/4/24
6 https://hraf.yale.edu/ehc/summaries/altered-states-of-consciousness ‘Trance & Healing’; ‘Vision Quest’ 6/4/24
7 Matthew 6:17-18 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
8 Isaiah 58:4-6 “Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed, and for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD? Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke?
9 The book of Job is thought to be the earliest book written contained in the Bible. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary says, “It is probably the oldest book in the world.”
10 i.e. Thongs put through the nose.
11 Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers