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Nineveh FALLING BACK

Jonah 3:5 & 6
"5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes."

This week we are studying FALLING BACK to GOD! We have turned to Jonah in the Old Testament. And, there is a twist; Jonah did NOT FALL BACK to GOD! Jonah did NOT want to go to Ninava, the people there were EVIL. He went the OTHER way. He did not repent. God got him back on track by whale. After three days and nights in the belly of the great fish Jonah is spit up on shore where he can continue on his mission from GOD preaching to them.

Jonah went into Nineveh, by all accounts it was a marvel to behold! The palace had no equal in the world, gardens, neighborhoods, businesses, schools and everything you expect in a really BIG city. Nineveh was one of the oldest and greatest cities of it's time. Jonah was Jewish and he would have looked out of place, he would have sounded out of place. This city is where the warriors lived with there families. Warriors who have inflicted great pain and loss on Israel over the years. Now, Jonah is in their hometown to deliver the message that THEY will be overthrown. "And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Now that's a hard message to deliver to an audience that does NOT want to hear it!!!

The Assyrians were cruel warriors, often burning buildings and torturing and beheading prisoners, as well as enslaving women and children. Their conquest of their neighbors and success influenced and effected their entire culture. In addition the Assyrians were idolaters and polytheist. Into this big and scary place Jonah walks in. One guy from out of town walks in saying; "Nineveh shall be OVERTHROWN." And! Everyone listened!! This is the people FALLING BACK to GOD! This is the Holy Ghost working in the lives of the people of Nineveh. 

Today's verses; "So the people of Nineveh BELIEVED GOD, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes." As recorded Jonah's preaching was pretty weak, so it was God that turned these wicked people to good. Imagine if that would happen today to a large city!!! 
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