Good News #76: My God is Slow to Anger, Abundant in Lovingkindness, and Relents from Doing Harm!

The prophet Jonah was sent to Nineveh, a city of a sworn enemy of the children of Israel — the Assyrians.

Some facts about the Assyrians:

• They are one of the most violent nations during Jonah’s time, known for their hideous tyranny and violence.
• They impale, flay, behead, mutilate and dismember prisoners.
• They are known for ripping open pregnant women, blinding infants and slitting throats of the captured.

Jonah was sent to these people to preach repentance of which if heeded will save them from the disaster coming their way.

Jonah was understandably repulsed at the idea.
He is well aware of the atrocities done by the Assyrians to his own people.
Most of us, if not all, can empathize with Jonah in his reluctance in giving a warning to a people such as these.

But we all know the story — God orchestrated the events so that a warning is given to Nineveh.
And to the exceeding displeasement and anger of Jonah, the Ninevites repented — they believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them [Jonah 3:5]

In seeing this, Jonah knew God would save the Ninevites from the coming destruction.
And we know how Jonah sulked at this.

Look, The God who relented from the disaster that was to be brought upon the Assyrians is the same God today.

Ezekiel 33:11 says…
“…As I live,” says the Lord God, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live…”

2 Peter 3:9 says…
The Lord is….not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

If God did this for a people such as the Ninevites who lived BEFORE the cross happened, how much more will He do so now AFTER the cross has happened?

Even more so, how much more will He be gracious, merciful, longsuffering, loving and kind to His sons and daughters (those who believe in Jesus)?

The gospel is this — God is a gracious, merciful, patient, longsuffering, loving and kind God…One who relents from doing harm…Even more so, God is not just God to you who believe in Jesus… He is Abba Father…The One who loves you more than you can love Him. He is for you, never against you.

Whatta wonderful God we have!
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So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.

JONAH 4:2