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‘The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.’
Mat_12:41
I. Consider the city.—The people were, undoubtedly, greatly debased. ‘Their wickedness had come up before God,’ and His righteous anger was kindled against them. But is the picture drawn of Nineveh a darker picture than might be drawn of some of our English cities? ‘The wickedness is gone up before God.’ There were different degrees of sinners. Some were comparatively respectable, while others were utterly degraded and licentious! But God regarded them collectively. God regards us collectively, at the same time that He sees us in the closest individuality; and each one who sins must bear His own burden. Still, as a family, or as a household, or as a church, or as a nation, or as a town, God does see us and deal with us as a whole.
II. Consider the man.—Jonah was a religious man. Christ made him both His type and His witness. He had right and clear views of the character of God,—views far before his age. Still, he had deep falls, and for them very heavy punishment. But saved by Providence, and restored by grace, he received a second call to his solemn ‘Mission’! In all this he was being trained and fitted for the work.
III. The power of Jonah’s preaching.—It was perfectly astounding! What is all the strength of all preaching? Not the words; not the power of the speaker; but the grace which God is pleased to add. And so it was when at that man’s lips the whole town listened, believed, repented, fasted. And why should we lower our standard now, or set before us an inferior mark? According as our faith is, it will be with us; and the degree of the expectation of the future is always the measure of the memory of the past. Why should Nineveh be more blessed than we are? Why should the ‘Mission’ preaching now tell less than Jonah’s? ‘Behold, a greater than Jonas is here!’
—
The Rev. James Vaughan.