God is Quick to Forgive

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. - Jonah 3:10 (ESV)

How do you react when someone points out that you are doing wrong? We see a range of reactions when prophets confronted kings in the Bible :

• some repented and confessed (David - 2 Sam 12),
• some became defensive and made excuses for their actions (Saul – 1 Sam 15)
• some were arrogant and wouldn’t acknowledge their wrongdoing (Jehoiakim – Jer 36),
• and others became angry with the messenger and punished them (Asa – 2 Chron 16).

When Jonah finally obeyed God and took his message to the people of Nineveh, we see that - like David - they were quick to repent. It took three days to cross the city of Nineveh (v3), but by the time Jonah had completed his first day of walking into the city and announcing the coming punishment, his message caused such a stir that it reached the king (v4-6). And the king set an example of repentance for his people to follow and commanded that everyone should turn from evil and violence (v8). And when God saw that they turned away from their evil ways, he forgave them and cancelled the punishment he had planned.

God’s holiness means that he cannot tolerate sin and must punish us when we do evil. But he doesn’t delight in human suffering. He is quick to forgive when we repent. John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Even when sending Jesus to die because of the problem of sin in this world, God’s purpose was not to condemn us but to see how he could save us. He points out our sin to us, not to make us feel bad, but to give us a chance to correct ourselves.

So how will you respond the next time that you feel convicted of sin? Will you repent immediately? Or make excuses? Or ignore it and continue doing as you please?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9 (ESV)