The idea that God can save me from hell is a topic worth thinking about. As we go through our busy life, we don’t give much thought about eternity. As young people we believe we are indestructible or that nothing bad will happen. I remember going on a business trip and one of the engineers I met was about my age at the time. We were both in our 20’s. The next week I found out he died when he drowned after falling out of a boat while hunting. Did he know the Lord as his Savior? If he did, God in his mercy saved him from judgment.
Jonah a prophet of God was sent to Nineveh the capital of Assyria with a very disturbing message. On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” Jonah 3:4.
For Nineveh they were in a pass-fail situation. Repent of their sins and turn toward God and they would be saved or keep doing what they are doing and be destroyed. God knew the people of Nineveh were wicked and God says that in Jonah chapter one. God is also merciful, and He wanted to give them one more chance. It gives the Lord no pleasure to bring judgment. As the story unfolds the people did turn from their sin and turned toward God. They were saved from judgment!
How about you? Would you like to be saved? Would you like to spend all eternity in heaven with the Lord Jesus when you die? The Apostle Paul writes this in 1 Cor. 2:9 about what awaits every believer. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
If you are already a believer in Jesus this verse gives us such hope and joy. If you are not a believer the Lord is calling you today to place your faith in Jesus as your Savior! Call on Him today for you don’t know if there will be tomorrow.
Want to learn more about the Journey of Jonah? Click here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/journey-with-jonah-1/jonah-preaches
If you would like more teaching about this text, consider listening to these podcasts:
[1]Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation(Jonah 3:4, 1 Co 2:9). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.