THE RESPONSE OF GOD TO NINEVEH’S REPENTANCE

“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not,” Jonah 3:10.

1. Here is proof of the genuineness of this change in the Ninevites. “God saw”. He Whose testimony we considered in Math 12:41 looks upon the hearts of the people and saw the truth of their conversion. 

2. Our works do not ‘earn’ God’s pardon. The narrative may seem to ascribe their deliverance to their repentance, and also to their works. Yet their ‘repentance was a gift from the Lord, Acts 5:31. God had respect to their repentance, not sackcloth, not ashes, not fasting but because there was a ‘heart’ change! They turned from their evil way. God looked on this true and important change which had taken place in the Ninevites. This what James meant, James 2:22. See Jeremiah 17:7-10.

3. Those who repent enter a peaceful relationship with God through the blood of Christ. Rom 5:1 - ‘Peace with God’, 8:1 - ‘No condemnation’. This comes to the heart of what the death of Christ accomplished for His people. He bore the penalty of our sin, removed all guilt from us and made us ‘just as if we had no sin’ in God’s eyes! “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses,” Colossians 2:13.

4. Faith in the gospel promise and repentance toward the Lord is the door by which we enter. “Whosoever believeth. . .” “Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,” Acts 20:21. Without these graces in our hearts - heaven we shall never see!