(Audio)
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
The people of Nineveh were able to sense God acting through Jonah. Jonah wasn't preaching to Nineveh because he stood to gain from it. In fact, he himself would have preferred to see Nineveh not repent and be destroyed. But he eventually allowed God to work through him in spite of himself.
How much more should we be able to receive the preaching of the Son of Man than the people of Nineveh received Jonah. Jesus did not preach out of self-interest. He was perfectly satisfied in the Triune communion of love since before time began. He came to his people not because he was forced but because of the love he had for us.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (see Romans 5:8).
Solomon was wise, as the queen of Sheba discovered for herself.
The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! (see First Kings 10:6-8)
The preaching of Jesus was far superior to that of Jonah. He wisdom far surpassed that of Solomon. How much happier were the servants who stood before him and heard his wisdom than those of Solomon's court. Why then did an evil generation still seek additional signs? Why were they unwilling to accept Jesus. The paradigm of Jesus was different from that of those Old Testament figures. He did not come threatening destruction, but promising life. His wisdom did not gain riches of this world, but led through the cross to riches in heaven. The people to whom he came should have been able to receive this, but many were unwilling to have their perspective changed.
He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (see John 1:11-13).
It is a mystery of grace that some of us have allowed Jesus to change our perspective, shift our paradigms, and renew our minds. We know it does not stem from any merit or wisdom that we possess apart from him, for apart from him we can do nothing. We thank his Holy Spirit for making his invitation to believe sweet and desirable to our hearts, for moving our wills gently from within us. We do not and cannot judge those who have not yet accepted him. Perhaps their resistance will yet give way to even greater acceptance. For our part, we need to respond to the preaching and the wisdom of Jesus even more entirely than did the queen of Sheba or the people of Nineveh.
“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish.”
The analogy for us is that we leave no area of life unchanged by the call we hear from Jesus this Lent. We ought do nothing apart from him but subject our entire lives to the wisdom of his Kingdom. Our part is simpler than it sounds. We must pray for the grace to let ourselves be changed.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
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