Pearls of the Word

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The sign of Jonah

by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf

"For as Jonah was a sign [semeion] to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation" (Luke 11:30 NIV).

The Greek word semeion means 'sign', 'miracle', 'proof'. Jonah was the prophet (Matthew 12:39) who announced the destruction of the city of Nineveh and its inhabitants if they did not repent of their sins. Likewise, Jesus was the prophet who announced the destruction of Jerusalem if its inhabitants did not repent of their sins.

On the day of judgement, the inhabitants of Nineveh, because they changed their attitude to the preaching of Jonah, will rise up with the generation of Jesus' time to condemn it (Luke 11:32). God thus showed His mercy to the Gentiles by sending Jonah the prophet, and through Jesus ("Who is more than Jonah" - Luke 11:32), He showed His mercy to the whole world so that all the Gentiles would repent and not be destroyed.