Hoping for God's Mercy
The prophet Jonah reluctantly went to Nineveh to tell the people that their city would be destroyed in 40 days. When the people heard of this they immediately experienced a conversion of heart, and " the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth " (Jonah 3:5). Do you think Jonah expected this? I think Jonah was sort of expecting the people to not care and so people could know the impact and effect of their sins. But, the people immediately repented and begged for God's mercy. Later on we are told that the king found out about this news and then he himself "rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth , and sat in ashes" (Jonah 3:6). I find it interesting how the prophet went first to the people and then later the king found out. In the same way Jesus was seen first by the shepherds and the lowly, and then the Magi came to see Him and others came to know ...