The king of Nineveh

The Bible mentions without naming the king of Nineveh. (Jonah 3:6) Jonah lived during the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel. (793-753 BC) The Assyrian king during that time was either Adad-Nirari III (811-783 BC) or Shalmaneser IV (783-773 BC).

Transformation The king, who was a symbol of cruelty, ruthlessness, tyranny, and oppression, became a humble, godly person who sincerely prayed with fasting.

Jehovah, God of all people: Like Jonah, most Israelites thought that Jehovah was God of Israel alone. Jehovah is not a petty god of a small geography or history or demography; He is God of Heaven and Earth. Hence, he sends Jonah from the Promised Land of Israel to the city of Nineveh.

God who hears prayers All nations come to Him, who listens and answers prayers. (Psalm 65:2) Hearing the prophecy by Jonah, the king was sensitive to God’s voice, discerned the truth, and prayed for deliverance from judgment. Gracious God listened to a foreign Gentile wicked king.

Radical repentance The king heard the message and responded with humility. He rose from the throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself in sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. (Jonah 3:6) He renounced all pride, status, self-sufficiency, power, and authority publicly. The royal robes of purple were replaced by sackcloth.

National repentance The king did not do this in private, but in public, and also used his authority to call a city-wide repentance. Not only humans, but even the livestock should fast and call upon God urgently. (Jonah 3:7-8) All should repent from the evil ways and violence, and turn towards God. He was a decisive, proactive leader and a great steward of the authority bestowed upon him.

Sober prayer The King did not assume that repentance would suspend God’s judgment. Instead, he said: Who knows? God may have compassion and turn from His anger, so that we do not perish. (Jonah 3:9) He acknowledged the sins, repented, and depended on God’s grace, a beautiful display of faith.