NINEVEH OR TARSHISH?

MEMORY VERSE:  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:2-3

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jonah 2-4

God is merciful. According to Psalm 103:8, He is plenteous in mercy. Psalm 103:11 says for as heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Many of us are alive today, courtesy of God’s mercy. If God were to mark iniquity, the sins we committed before we gave our lives to Christ – the lies, fornication, adultery, abortion, etc, none of us will be able to stand. The town of Nineveh was known for wickedness, Heaven even testifies to this. Before destroying this city, the Lord gave them a chance to repent. What have you done with all the opportunities, God gave to you to repent from that secret sin? Repent from stealing from the offering basket. Repent from cheating on your spouse. Your husband may not know, your wife may not know, your pastor may not know but God knows. The Lord called Jonah and sent him to Nineveh. Jonah 1:2-3 says Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 

Nineveh represents God’s will for Jonah. It represents God’s will for your life and my life. It stands for God’s will for our family, ministry, work, business etc. Tarshish on the other hand, represents Jonah’s will. God wanted him to go to Nineveh, but he went towards Tarshish. It also represents ‘your’ will. Which one of these two, takes precedence in your life - Nineveh or Tarshish, God’s will or ‘your’ will? Nineveh represents God’s heart desire while Tarshish represents Jonah’s heart desire. Brother in Christ, are you working in God’s will for your family and business or your own will? Nineveh represents a step in the right direction while Tarshish represents a step in the wrong direction. Are you moving towards God’s or away from God? Tarshish is in a direction opposite to the will of God for your life. It leads down and away from the presence of God. If you study the whole chapter, Jonah 1, you will observe that as Jonah moved in the direction of Tarshish, a storm arose. Storms are inevitable when one moves away from God’s presence. Challenges after challenges are inevitable when one is operating in his own will instead of God’s will. It is impossible for one to travel to Tarshish and prosper. Some of the indicators that one is travelling on the wrong path are lack of peace of heart. Another is frustration and fear. Sometimes a calamity or misfortune indicates a wrong direction. Are you considering Nineveh or Tarshish? I besiege you in the name of the Lord, stay in God’s will for your life. Have you started making your way to Tarshish? Worse still, are you already in Tarshish? Before you are stuck, why not repent today and return to Nineveh.

NOTE: The absence of peace of heart is a strong indicator that something is wrong. If you are unsure about the route you are on, go to God in prayer, and ask Him to reveal His will to you.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.