Reading through the book of Jonah I was surprised when I reached the end of the book and saw how a city of 120,000 people humbled themselves before God, repented and were saved from the wrath of God. I then compared the city of Nineveh to the current state of America and wondered what would happen if God called the prophet Jonah to America.
Most of us know the story of Jonah, he was called by God to go to Nineveh because of their great wickedness. But Jonah refused to go and instead fled from the presence of God. The Lord then sent out a great wind and storm against Jonah's ship until the other men on the boat were convinced by Jonah to throw him overboard. Jonah was then swallowed by a great fish where he repented and was spit up on land. He then traveled to Nineveh.
Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk, Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overthrown!"
:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.
As I read on even the king heard the word of God and humbled himself with sackcloth and declared the entire city to be put on a fast with sackcloth even the cattle and animals. He then said
Jonah 3:9 "Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?"
:10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
Going back to the beginning of the book of Jonah and changing the story to God called Jonah and said arise and go to America for their wickedness is great and has been brought up to me. Jonah would probably say they will never believe me and try to escape the presence of God but after God calls him he would eventually repent and head to the US.
Upon arrival Jonah begins declaring in forty days America will be destroyed unless they turn to God. He would get news coverage, be posted on the front page of many popular news papers across the nation and most likely the world but with many having humorous dialogue. Within one week the entire nation would have heard the news story.
Many Christians would discredit the prophecy believing this was just a crazy homeless person off of his rocker, Catholics would say if it doesn't come from the Pope we won't listen, many other religious denominations would discredit the prophet and probably say why didn't God speak to us. Atheists would say it is impossible there is no God and your violating my free right of speech by trying to push your religion on me. Physiologists and scientists would declare schizophrenia and lobby for detention in a mental institution. Economists would argue that detouring sin spending would have a detrimental effect on our ailing economy. Congress and the government would say there is a separation of Church and state so unless all religions agree and the ones with no religion we cannot do anything. Although separation of Church and state is non existent in the constitution.
Matthew 16:1-4 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and tested Him and asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.
2: He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red; :3 and in the morning it will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky but you cannot discern the signs of the times. :4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."
The problem with our country is to many people view themselves more highly then they ought to. We are to educated and to informed to listen to a crazy person who wants to interfere with the daily routines of our society. Jonah would eventually leave and wait in Mexico as God grows a plant for him in the desert for shade and then watches as God brings down his wrath and destroys a nation to great to humble itself and repent.
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