The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth

Jonah 3:1-10 

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.

Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Now, when God's call comes again, Jonah leaps to obey. He is on his way to Nineveh at once! And his message produces a remarkable effect. The whole city, from the greatest to the least, repents. And God spares them.

Why?

It is a remarkable effect when they heard the message of the Lord, people of Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed and all of them, from the greatest king to the lease, put on sackcloth. Even the animal, herds, or flocks do not let them eat or drink.

This is an active response to the warning of the Lord. And Jonah walked only 1/3 of the city.

When we confess our sins and turn our hearts to the Lord, God is trustworthy and full of mercy. God may relent and bring us from the destruction.

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人要逃跑，躲避，只會受更多的苦，走更多冤枉路，人為什麼要逃?人不想承擔，覺得沒有自己，覺得是受苦，結果反而浪費時間。

表示尼尼微全城的人徹底悔改，在神面前沒有王與僕人的分別。整個過程看見三件事

1.約拿的事奉最有果效。約拿看來最難。

2.約拿的事奉是最輕鬆，最容易，沒有人逼迫、殺他。周全的思考不能當作拒絕的理由。雖然我們要預備心做神的工作。神要的不是成績，而是順服。

3.約拿只講一句話(僅如此記載），是神在做工，感動尼尼微城的人。我們容易忽略神在工作，我們來做神的工作，不是我們。我們要順服神的心意，不是看成績。

約拿書沒有記載以色列人，這是要給以色列人提醒，要他們悔改。連尼尼微城的人只聽一次就悔改。正如基督徒是最應該悔改、順服主，服事主的人。我們有更多資源，更多機會，要緊緊跟隨主。

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How?

Turn to the Lord and obey God's word, our God is the might God with righteousness and love.