Zone1 Why did the prophet Jonah succeed in getting the people of Ninevah to repent?

[Votto]

It has often puzzled me that of all the prophets sent by God to warn people to repent, or bad things will befall them, only Jonah in the Bible seems to have been successful in getting the people to repent. All the other prophets were largely oppressed and/or murdered when they tried to warn the people of their evil ways. After all, who wants to be told to change their ways? But they listened to Jonah. Why?

First of all, the people of Ninevah were not even Jewish. Is there a message here as to the answer? Secondly, Jonah hated them because of how they treated Jews, which was badly. That is why when God approached him to go warn the people to repent, he declined, prompting God to send a storm and a great fish to swallow him to make him reconsider. And guess what, after being in the belly of the fish for 3 days and being spewed up on a beach, Jonah had a miraculous epiphany, which was, maybe I should listen to God and go warn the people.

So, he reluctantly went and prophesied and warned the people, even though deep down he wished they would ignore is warnings so that God would let them be destroyed.

What are we to make of this account? Personally, I get the impression here that once we get away from trying to convince people need to agree with us to make us feel better about ourselves we should take the attitude that we are throwing them a life preserver and it is no skin off our backs if they don't grab onto it, because we can only do what we can do. Does taking this attitude help people heed God's warnings?

 

[Donald H]

fairy tales for the more weakminded.

The god didn't send anybody anywhere. Let it go!

 

[MarcATL]

Scripture doesn't state why he was successful in this endeavor.

The lesson was more about doing God's will despite your personal feelings about it.

However, you did touch upon a tangential lesson in this story OP, about preaching to heathens and the successfulness of that.

Oftentimes bringing someone who has no idea of the Truth yields more success than bringing it to someone who already heard it and became lukewarm or even had a falsified version of it.

Very apropos to today, particularly in America if you ask me.

 

[Manonthestreet]

It has often puzzled me that of all the prophets sent by God to warn people to repent, or bad things will befall them, only Jonah in the Bible seems to have been successful in getting the people to repent. All the other prophets were largely oppressed and/or murdered when they tried to warn the people of their evil ways. After all, who wants to be told to change their ways? But they listened to Jonah. Why?

First of all, the people of Ninevah were not even Jewish. Is there a message here as to the answer? Secondly, Jonah hated them because of how they treated Jews, which was badly. That is why when God approached him to go warn the people to repent, he declined, prompting God to send a storm and a great fish to swallow him to make him reconsider. And guess what, after being in the belly of the fish for 3 days and being spewed up on a beach, Jonah had a miraculous epiphany, which was, maybe I should listen to God and go warn the people.

So, he reluctantly went and prophesied and warned the people, even though deep down he wished they would ignore is warnings so that God would let them be destroyed.

What are we to make of this account? Personally, I get the impression here that once we get away from trying to convince people need to agree with us to make us feel better about ourselves we should take the attitude that we are throwing them a life preserver and it is no skin off our backs if they don't grab onto it, because we can only do what we can do. Does taking this attitude help people heed God's warnings?

Think it has more to do with The Spirit after or during his presching

 

[Donald H]

That is why when God approached him to go warn the people to repent, he declined, prompting God to send a storm and a great fish to swallow him to make him reconsider. And guess what, after being in the belly of the fish for 3 days and being spewed up on a beach, Jonah had a miraculous epiphany, which was, maybe I should listen to God and go warn the people.

There's nothing to gain by repeating stories that have ceased to be accepted as literally true.

The big fish story and others like Noah's ark are not going to strengthen the faith of any Christtian other than the fringe who believe that such nonsense could be possible.

This forum is currently down to no more than 2 or 3 of those now. Much has changed on accepting the bibles as literally true sine Ding has revealed some of the true facts.

He's done that in hopes that no Christians will be left behind due to stubbornness.

 

[tyroneweaver]

It has often puzzled me that of all the prophets sent by God to warn people to repent, or bad things will befall them, only Jonah in the Bible seems to have been successful in getting the people to repent. All the other prophets were largely oppressed and/or murdered when they tried to warn the people of their evil ways. After all, who wants to be told to change their ways? But they listened to Jonah. Why?

First of all, the people of Ninevah were not even Jewish. Is there a message here as to the answer? Secondly, Jonah hated them because of how they treated Jews, which was badly. That is why when God approached him to go warn the people to repent, he declined, prompting God to send a storm and a great fish to swallow him to make him reconsider. And guess what, after being in the belly of the fish for 3 days and being spewed up on a beach, Jonah had a miraculous epiphany, which was, maybe I should listen to God and go warn the people.

So, he reluctantly went and prophesied and warned the people, even though deep down he wished they would ignore is warnings so that God would let them be destroyed.

What are we to make of this account? Personally, I get the impression here that once we get away from trying to convince people need to agree with us to make us feel better about ourselves we should take the attitude that we are throwing them a life preserver and it is no skin off our backs if they don't grab onto it, because we can only do what we can do. Does taking this attitude help people heed God's warnings?

maybe the story of him surviving in the whale preceded his visit.
Certainly passengers might have seen what happened.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

the true lesson was about Jonah, because he had a hard heart. God had opened the Ninevehans hearts to accept His word and repent......showing Jonah His mercies. Yet Jonah still struggled with it afterward.

How many times have people done the same or similar? God calls you to do something and you refuse, so He sends a 'whale' to swallow you (gets you trapped in a corner with no where to go, BUT up). When you see the error of your ways and do what you were meant to do, miracles can happen......then you are bitter because of it. "Why do THEY get all the luck?"

 

[Votto]

maybe the story of him surviving in the whale preceded his visit.
Certainly passengers might have seen what happened.

I just thought of something

Matthew 12:38
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees told Jesus, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

39 But he replied to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah,

Johah in the whale's belly for 3 days ran parallel to Christ being resurrected in 3 days after he was crucified. That was the sign.

And when Johah emerged, the heathen repented, just like after Jesus was resurrected.

 

[Meriweather]

It has often puzzled me that of all the prophets sent by God to warn people to repent, or bad things will befall them, only Jonah in the Bible seems to have been successful in getting the people to repent. All the other prophets were largely oppressed and/or murdered when they tried to warn the people of their evil ways. After all, who wants to be told to change their ways? But they listened to Jonah. Why?

Jonah began his walk through Nineveh, and the word reached the King:

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles, no man or beast, no cattle or sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast alike must be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; they all must turn from their evil way and from the violence of their hands.

Here is a thought: If it hadn't been for the decree, the order, of the King, how many would have paid attention to the words of Jonah?

 

[tyroneweaver]

Jonah began his walk through Nineveh, and the word reached the King:

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh: “By decree of the king and his nobles, no man or beast, no cattle or sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast alike must be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; they all must turn from their evil way and from the violence of their hands.

Here is a thought: If it hadn't been for the decree, the order, of the King, how many would have paid attention to the words of Jonah?

his brother was the king of babylon. probably flipped him the bird
You know how brothers are