Jesus had dealt with an accusation of using Satan’s power to cast out a demon…not so, His power was from God.  Then Jesus later answered those demanding a sign from heaven about His ability to cast out demons.

(NASB) Luke 11:29-30 “As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, ‘This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.
30 ‘For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.”

What did Jonah do for Jesus to use him as an example?  This devotional will focus on what Jonah did after he got to Nineveh.  (Jonah 3:1-10)

Jonah walked through Nineveh…it took three days to walk across the great city of Nineveh.  He walked one day and cried out “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”  The people of Nineveh were not Jewish…but because of Jonah’s warning they believed in God, fasted and put on sackcloth…“from the greatest to the least.”  Even the king changed from his robe, putting on sackcloth and sitting in ashes.  He decreed a fast for people and their animals then said “…let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.”  The king also said “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

And that is exactly what God did!  His wrath was averted because the people had repented.
Wicked people have a choice – respond to God’s warnings and be saved from His wrath.

What may be some of the lessons from this information?  God is not willing that any should die.  His love warns us of His wrath against sins, our sins.  We need His forgiveness and that is only through faith in His Son.  Your good deeds, your kindnesses are only accepted by belief in His Son.  (Why?  Because Jesus gave Himself in our place on the cross…He took our guilt, He took our sins on Himself – when He Himself was without sin!  God accepted His sacrifice and this is proven by the resurrection of Jesus.)

  Remember: remorse for doing wrong is not the same as repenting of the wrongs you do.
Remorse is being sorry but does not turn from what is the cause for remorse.
Repentance turns to God by confessing your sins to Him, turning from (stopping) doing those wrongs and knowing that you are forgiven…forever and ever.

 (NASB) Luke 11:31-32 “The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
32 ‘The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Jesus became a sign to the people at that time…and He is still that sign of Jonah today.

How are you responding?