The book of Jonah captures vivid images of a man running from God and being swallowed by a large fish. But there is another image not always noticed. 

The message Jonah was told to deliver was one of judgment. The Lord instructed Jonah, “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are” (Jonah 1:1). Jonah turned and ran in the opposite direction when He heard the Lord’s command.

While the story of Jonah captures our attention it’s what happened to the king of Nineveh that has a greater impact. Jonah began shouting the word God in the streets of the city and people began to repent. Something supernatural was released through Jonah’s obedience, “The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow” (vs. 5). 

When the king heard Jonah’s message he stepped down from his throne, took off his royal robes, and called for a fast until everyone repented of their evil ways and acts of violence. “When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened” (vs. 10).

It’s one thing to have the people begin to repent. It is another thing to have a king step down from a place of authority and publicly humble themselves in repentance.

The Lord is after the rulers of nations, nations so contrary to God that their actions draw His judgment. This is worthy of our prayers because when leaders are aligned with the Lord, God’s goodness flows into a nation unhindered. A nationwide move of God occurs when people and their leaders merge their passion to love and serve God. At that place, extraordinary miracles of transformation will occur.