SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/27/2025 12:05 PM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-3 “A Repentant Multitude”
Bible Reading and Meditation Reference: Jonah 3:-5
Message of the verses: “And the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.”
As I look at this verse my heart gives glory to the Lord for the salvation that was given to the people of Nineveh. Just think about when these citizens of Nineveh woke up the morning that Jonah came into their city, not realizing that this would be the greatest day of their lives, which is true of every true believer when they look back on the day that the Lord saved them. I remember January 26, 1974 the day that the Lord saved me and my life has never been the same since.
John MacArthur writes “The people also put on sackcloth, which was done to express the deepest state of distress and sorrow, whether for someone’s death (cf. Gen. 37:34; 2 San 3:31; 21:10) or during times of deep desperation (cf. 2 Kings 19:1). In putting on these garments of woe, the Ninevites expressed self-loathing and mourning. The people sought to display their newly-attained hatred for sin, renouncing and despising the atrocities they had once celebrated. In this way, t hey dramatically depicted the sincerity of their contrition (cf. Ps. 32:3-5; Matt. 5:4; 2 Cor. 7:9-12).
“God’s gift of repentance was bestowed on the citizens from the greatest to the least of them. From the rich and powerful to the poor and destitute—all repented. No matter their economic class or social status, all were brought to recognize their unworthiness and need to humble themselves before God. Their sincerity resembled the attitude later described by James: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to You. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and cry. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you’ (James 4:8-10). At the preaching of divine truth, the inhabitants of Nineveh displayed this manner of desperate and penitent faith, which could only be the result of God’s grace toward them.
“Thus, the grace of God was repeatedly revealed throughout this passage (Jonah 3:1-5). The Lord showed grace to Jonah, not only by rescuing him from certain death in the sea but also by restoring him to service. Yahweh again demonstrated His mercy and grace by sending His prophet a second time to warn the wicked city of Nineveh. Finally, God put His grace on display by bestowing on the Ninevites the gift of repentance and faith (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25), so that they believed in Him. By definition, such grace was completely undeserved. Yet, by extending such unmerited favor to His creatures, the Lord demonstrated His saving nature and redemptive power (cf. Eph. 2:1-10). As Paul exclaimed in Romans 9:23-24, God has purposed to do this ‘in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory—even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”
Spiritual Meaning for My Life Today: It is always good to look back on the circumstances of the time that the Lord saved me, as I was a man of 26 years old who lived a mostly sinful life doing things that I knew were wrong, and then one day while visiting a friend I began to listen to some cassette tapes with the message of salvation on them, and the Lord reached down and saved me. That was over 51 years ago, and I will be forever grateful to the Lord for saving me.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I know that I have an old nature who always wants to do evil, and a new nature that always wants to do right. I need to feed the new nature with the Word of God each day.
10/27/2025 12:26 PM
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