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Something woke me up in the middle of the night. I tossed and turned in my bed but sleep eluded me. Finally I got up, turned the light on and started to read my Bible. As I was reading the book of Jonah, my thoughts flew back to that period in history. The once mighty nation of Assyria was loosing its control over its vassal nations: Egypt was rebelling; Israel was refusing to pay tribute. If the ferocious Urartu warriors in the northern mountains ventured down into the valley of the Tigris valley the ensuing battle will be the end of Assyria. It is to this nation that God sends Jonah with the message of doom.
In my mind’s vision I pictured how the people of Nineveh, one of Assyria’s principle cities, situated about a hundred miles from the mountains where the Urartu warriors lived, would receive Jonah’s message. They must have hoped that if they could get the great God of Israel to help them they could be saved. And that is what they did: fasting and praying and totally humbling themselves before Jehovah. The era of God’s mercy that commenced at the Garden of Eden was still continuing and thus Nineveh was saved.
Thoughts can skip through centuries like mountain goats scaling high peaks. My thoughts came back to the twentieth century. In my vision I saw the great nation of America suddenly realizing that they were powerless against the terrorists. September eleventh two thousand one was the day when the twin towers of New York fell and terror struck the heart of the nation. Churches were crowded, candles burned on side walks, prayers continued throughout night and day.
As in the days of Nineveh once again a nation was on its knees seeking God’s redeeming mercy. God granted His protection as the era of mercy is still in force.
But that is not the end of the matter. The peace in Nineveh did not last for ever. The people forgot God and slipped back into their wicked ways. A century later God sent His prophet, Nahum, to warn them, but this time they failed to respond. God allowed their enemies to destroy them. Nineveh ceased to exist.
It is a decade since the twin towers fell and America has forgotten God. This time God did not send His prophets with messages of doom. This time His warnings are spelled out loud and clear in Tsunamis that swallow up coast lands and villages, earthquakes and land slides that wipe out homes and farms, floods that wash away man and beast, cyclones and tornadoes that cause devastation to life and property, fires that burn town and forests. Last but not least epidemics, pests once totally controlled are coming back again in full force.
Will America wake up and heed the warning signs? Or will she arrogantly ignore them? The era of God’s mercy will not continue forever. It will end on Judgment day, and like Assyria, all the disobedient nations will be destroyed. But God whose nature is to be merciful will spare the remnant – those who are faithful, those who repent and seek His grace, those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb and are clothed in His righteousness.
Sunlight streamed through the window as my visions in the night slowly vanished. But the thoughts they inspired linger on.
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