History is full of accounts of
missionaries that went to a people that would likely kill them. Sometimes that
did happen. Yet, many people of gotten saved because of the efforts of
missionaries that were ready to deliver the gospel to vicious people or become
martyrs.
Jonah’s mindset was one of
surrender to God, but he couldn’t let go of his hatred for the Assyrians who were
famous for their cruelty. They would do things like cut people’s feet off and
let them bleed to death. They would impale people and also flay (skin) them
alive. No doubt he felt he would just be going to suffer a cruel and painful
death. He decided to deliver the message, then watch God destroy these
unrepentant people.
The modern day equivalent could
easily be ISIS. They are known for their cruelty, especially toward Christians.
I spent a few minutes imagining what delivering the gospel to these people
would be like. I imagined fear would take over in my heart. I had thoughts of
dying on the Middle Eastern desert and left there like common carrion. What
about the language barrier? Then I imagined that God had prepared their hearts
and erased the communication gap. The people responded by trusting Jesus as
Savior. God changed the entire spiritual climate in the Middle East through a
great awakening!
God spoke to my heart to pray for
their salvation rather than their demise.
“Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the
preaching that I bid thee.” Jonah 3:2.
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