Page 10 - October 2024 - Truth & Tidings

here have been extraordinary blessing is perplexing.
times when God has blessed the Nineveh was the great and magnificent
Tproclamation of His Word to many capital city of the Assyrian Empire. It has
souls. In the following Bible examples of been estimated that the population of
large-scale conversions, there are unique Nineveh was about two million people,
features that challenge our thinking. We in which case the salvation of so many at
should not gloss over these unusual as- one time was remarkable. As with most
pects, even if we cannot fully understand revivals, the results were not permanent.
or explain them. The sovereign purposes After several generations had passed, the
of God are revealed in that God uses Assyrians reverted to the evil and cruelty
whomsoever He wills, when He wills, of former days. The prophecy of Nahum
and in whatever way He wills. We are revealed that judgement would fall upon
sometimes surprised at His choices. them.

The Conversion of Gentiles in The Conversion of Samaritans
Nineveh in Sychar
In this story, God used a reluctant Coming into the New Testament, in
and ungrateful servant, the prophet Jo- John 4 we read of the testimony of a new
nah. When God instructed him to go to believer affecting a whole city. The Lord
Nineveh, eastward, Jonah disobeyed. He Jesus travelled through Samaria where He
rose up and fled westward in the direction met a single needy woman beside Jacob’s
of Tarshish. well. The encounter took place at noon.
Despite Jonah’s disobedience, God Traditionally, women visited wells to col-
did not give up on him. This reminds lect water early in the morning or in the
us of how longsuffering and merciful evening. If, as some suggest, this woman
God is with His erring children. Jonah’s was known to be an immoral person who
tumultuous experiences in the storm, in had cohabited with many men, she prob-
the sea and in the belly of the great fish ably preferred to come alone.
were all arranged by God for a greater As the conversation developed, step by
purpose. God gave him a second chance, step, the Saviour revealed who He was:
to which he responded. He finally set off firstly, a Jew who spoke to her kindly,
for Nineveh with an uncompromising and secondly, a prophet who knew the
message of imminent doom and warned details of her sinful past. The climax came
that, unless the people repented, divine when He identified Himself as being none
judgement would fall after a period of other than Christ, the Messiah. That day
40 days. He preached and “the people the woman drank deeply of the water of
of Nineveh believed God” (Jon 3:5). The life He freely offered her, and she believed
1
prophet’s subsequent displeasure at this on Him.
She was so thrilled at this encounter
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the with Christ that she forgot why she had
KJV. come to the well in the first place. Did she

298 TRUTH kTidings October 2024