Modern Nineveh?
Most Christians have heard the story of Jonah, about the great fish swallowing him whole, and about his running away from going to Nineveh right? One part of the story you may not have heard when your Sunday school teacher told you it is that Jonah would have much preferred to watch fire and brimstone rain down on the city and see it and all its inhabitants killed. Why would this man of God want that to happen to them? In short, Jonah wanted them dead because of who they were, what they stood for, and what they did.
The Ninevehites were a cruel people. Many times throughout it’s reign when a city they were about to attack got word of their coming, the town would commit a mass suicide to save themselves from the torture and barbarism they would have set upon them. That was Nineveh, can you blame Jonah for his trepidation of going there? He knew that if he went and proclaimed God in the city they would kill him, but God knew better.
Now why am I giving you this Bible lesson? What purpose does it have? Well I would like you to pull out your phone, laptop, or heck even a paper map if people still use those. Got it? Ok now look up this phrase, “what city is Nineveh today”. What does it say… I’ll wait… Now let that sink in for a second. (Hint: Mosul, Iraq)
Jonah wanted them dead, but God wanted the people He created from the dust of the ground to belong to Him once again.
Did they deserve to die, unquestionably yes, but God didn’t and doesn’t look at sin the same way we do. A person can tell a “little white lie that doesn’t hurt anybody” or kill 100+ people and you know what? God looks at the sin the same way and deserving of the same eternal punishment, damnation into an eternal pit of fire and agony completely alone away from Him.
So my question is this, are we going to become god ourselves and say that this modern day Nineveh and many countries, city’s, peoples, and tongues do not deserve this Gift of Everlasting Life that Jesus Himself gave us? Are we as citizens of first world countries better than the worst terrorists known to man? Does God love us more? Does His heart break more when somebody dies without knowing Him dies here than one that dies there?
If your answer is no to any of those questions than there is something that must be done about it.
What is being done about it?
Sadly there is not enough.
We all have heard of the Yankee Stadium in New York City right? Well imagine that stadium filling to full capacity (54,251 people… wow that’s a lot of people). Now take that stadium and make it big enough for 250,000 people. How about a better picture, take The Great March on Washington led by Martin Luther King Jr. where he made the “I have a dream” speech. That march has ~250,000 people in it.
Now look at yourself in the mirror or in your front facing camera, the person you are looking at may be the only Christian that can reach those people!
Think about that for a second or two. How can I, how can you, how can any of us not stop and take pause for a moment at that staggering realization? It’s near impossible to even think of all those people, and to think that one missionary has to look down that barrel every morning he or she wakes up. How could they do? God, that’s how because of God and what He did for them. That’s what me and my team are facing right now as we prepare to leave.
We are all looking down that barrel in anticipation of what is to come. It’s not easy, it’s not safe, it’s not comfortable, but it is worth it. Will we be able to each reach our 250,000? No, we are going for too short of a time. We can’t go thinking that we can do it, but we go knowing God can. Even if He doesn’t let us reach all 250,000, we will make a domino effect take place. Funny thing about dominos are that they knock over easily and if the are lines up they will all knock each other down.
So sure we may not reach everybody but one person will reach another and another and another and so on and so on!
You might not be able to go and you know what that’s fine. God hasn’t called everybody to be a missionary to foreign countries and especially not modern day Nineveh, but He has called us all to be Kingdom workers. You can’t go overseas, great! Do His work in your own town, church, and family.
Also, you may not be able to go through your own person, but God counts it for you when you send another. How do you send another in your place? Through finances, missionaries do not make any money for what they do, through your time, send them a support letter, text, email, call, or set up a fundraiser for them, but most importantly through your prayers, pray constantly for any and all missionaries that you.
I have a simple request for each person that reads this blog, Facebook post, etc… pray and ask God to show you what He wants in your life now?
Is it that brand new IPhone or car or is it to further His Kingdom? Do you want that cup of coffee from that expensive shop or to have one more brother or sister in Christ?
One more request, please.
Ask this to yourself.
What am I willing to give up to be able to save one person from dying and spending eternity in Hell?
