When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. – Jonah 3:10
If you were casting the lead role for the greatest revival in history, Jonah wouldn’t even make the long list.
He wasn’t warm, or winsome, or enthusiastic. He was bitter and stubborn. Angry at God. And he was even suicidal – telling God that he’d rather die than see mercy given to people he hated.
And yet… this is the man God used!
Jonah’s sermon wasn’t impressive. There were no stirring illustrations or a carefully crafted outline – just a blunt warning that was short, sharp, and extremely uncomfortable to his audience. Honestly, most of us have heard far more passion and eloquence on an average Sunday morning at our own places of worship.
Speaking of places of worship… There no was building to gather in. No sound system. No worship band warming people’s hearts. No flyers, no schedules, no advance notice. This revival wasn’t planned or promoted. In fact, it wasn’t even expected.
Jonah simply walked into Nineveh and started speaking God’s message. It was anything but inspirational.
But something extraordinary happened. Hundreds of thousands of people – a city of violent, corrupt, and hardened sinners – they all stopped. They listened. They believed. Kings humbled themselves and ordinary people fasted and prayed. The whole city repented and changed course!
And not because Jonah was persuasive, or because the setup was impressive, or because of the outward displays of sackcloth and ashes somehow earning God’s favor.
Verse 10 tells us exactly what moved God’s heart: “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways…”
God saw their repentance. He saw their desire to be saved, He saw hearts that took His warning seriously.
And God relented.
Think about that! God accomplished the greatest revival in history through a reluctant, broken, unimpressive messenger and a message that was painfully simple.
That tells us something really important.
God doesn’t need perfect people or ideal conditions. He certainly doesn’t need hype, or a polished speaker with a flawless delivery.
Sometimes we think revival has to look a certain way… bigger, louder, better organized, and a schedule of preachers with a sermon ready to go. But Jonah 3 reminds us that real change begins when people take God at His word and respond with humble surrender.
And guess what? God is still ready to extend grace and relent. Still eager to show mercy, still attentive to hearts that are open and willing to turn to Him. And He’s still using imperfect messengers to make it happen today.
“And throughout the story of the Church, throughout the centuries, He has been doing the same thing. The Church has been dying, she has seemed to be finished. Suddenly, He appears, and His enemies are scattered and the Church is revived. That is what is meant by revival: times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. That is what revival means: that the Church has another glimpse of the vision. The Church sees Him, and, seeing Him, can smile, and laugh, at all her enemies. Revival is always His work.” – Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Former Blackout Artist 