Compassion: A Study in JonahSample

What does it say?

God instructed Jonah to preach against the people of Nineveh, but Jonah boarded a ship to flee the other way.

What does it mean?

Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria in the early 8th century BC. It is located on the Tigris River in what is now northern Iraq. The Assyrians were a ruthless, warlike people in Jonah’s day, conquering much of the Mesopotamian Valley and Israel. They were the most violent and cruel nation in Jonah’s age. However, Jonah’s reluctance to preach against the Assyrians in their capital city was not due to any fear he had of their violence. Rather, he knew that God is a merciful God, and even when He is angry, He is ultimately looking for a way to forgive sinners. Jonah sailed over 1200 miles west instead of traveling 600 miles east to share God’s mercy with the people of Nineveh.

How should I respond?

God shows mercy to both the righteous and the wicked. If God wanted to show mercy to the Assyrians in Jonah’s day, it stands to reason that He would show mercy to your greatest enemy too. He might even want to use you to help that person who has hurt you repent and turn toward the God of all forgiveness. Who has treated you or someone you love cruelly? Pray for that person right now.