Jonah, judgment and revival

The four short chapters in the biblical book of Jonah shed incredible light on the state of America. In many ways, America is just like Nineveh.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we are a country that used to hide sin in back allies. Now, we parade it down Main Street. We hear that our country has long since passed the 50 million mark for abortions performed within our borders. Infidelity and divorce and pornography and homosexuality affect just about every household. On and on we could go.

I know that we all are sinners, certainly including me. Yet, a true follower of Jesus will do battle with sin and become more like Jesus as the months and years pass. Our nation is headed in the opposite direction. We are straying farther and farther away from a biblical worldview that once was used to write our founding documents.

So, just as God sought to warn Nineveh of His impending judgment, I think we can hear Him speak through Jonah to us, too.

"The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 'Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.'" (Jonah 1:1-2)

What was the result? When we read Jonah chapter 3, we see that the people listened to Jonah's warning from the Lord and they repented. Listen to how God responded to their genuine repentance:

"When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened." (Jonah 3:10)

In Jonah chapter 4, we come to understand what God's intention was all along. God sent Jonah to warn Nineveh of His coming judgment so that they would repent. He did not want to bring judgment upon them but they needed to repent and stop their evil ways in order for that to happen.



Draw a circle around yourself.
Commit to pray for revival for everything in the circle.

Listen to Jonah describe the heart of God:

"...I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people." (Jonah 4:2)

It is my conviction that America is already experiencing God's judgment. Yet, I believe that it is possible for God to once again bless us. But, the way that this will happen is the lesson we learn from the book of Jonah. Our nation must repent.

One Christian ministry that is working to this end is Onecry. Consider going to onecry.com and join thousands of other believers who are praying for our nation to turn back.