There are only three verses in the Book of Jonah about the great fish, but that’s what everyone seems to focus on. However, the story of Jonah is not the story of a guy who got swallowed by a fish as much as it is the story of a man that God used to bring a revival to a city of around a million people. What exactly was Jonah’s message to this great city of Nineveh, and what lessons can we learn in order to deliver the message God has called us to preach?
Practical Principles
- Our message must be delivered with urgency. Jonah cried out to the people. He took the same desperation he felt in the belly of the fish, where God forgave him and gave him a second chance, and he carried it with him as he spoke to the people of Nineveh. His message wasn’t whispered, mumbled, or drawn out. It was delivered with urgency.
- Our message must be clear and definite. Jonah told the people, “Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” A child could understand that message. Our message needs to be understandable too.
- Our message should be authoritative. Jonah stated it like it is and delivered the message from God without apology, candy-coating, or editing. The Ninevites believed the message that God gave through Jonah. Why? Because there is power in the message that we bring.
Relevant Reminders
- When you’re going through times of affliction, the best thing you can do is cry out to the Lord. In Jeremiah 33:3, God says, “Call out to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.”
- Our generation could literally fulfill the Great Commission in our lifetime.
- There’s explosive power in the simple message of the gospel
Applicable Actions
The world is a big place, but we all have a Nineveh. In other words, we all have a place we don’t want to go and people we don’t want to talk to. But the bottom line is we were all sinners, we were all spiritually dead, we all needed Jesus—and Jesus saved us. So that is your message. Go into your world, your sphere of influence, and tell them.
