06/06/2026
When the Reprieve Ends
“This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.” - Zephaniah 2:10-11
We all know the story of Jonah and the whale. How God had so great a mercy for the evil of the people of Nineveh, that he sent a reluctant minister to warn them of imminent judgment. Surprisingly they received the warning, heeded the warning, and repented.
However, what few may realize is, that is not where the story ended. Because Nineveh returned to their prideful sexual deviance, violence, selfishness, and child sacrifices. So did the wrath of God return unto them as well. Where they had once repented and gotten mercy, their reprieve was short lived.
“They that observe lying vanities Forsake their own mercy.” - Jonah 2:8
“Because the penalty against an evil work is not executed quickly, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged (because of mercy giving space for repentance), yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days (forever), which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.” - Ecclesiastes 8:11-13
Nineveh forsook the great mercy that God once offered it, they thought they were unstoppable, untouchable. So they returned to their vomit and received an even worse judgment than the preaching of Jonah had once given them a reprieve from. God is merciful, but there is a point at which mercy runs out, because continuing mercy upon the wicked is too great an injustice to the innocent victims of their selfishness.
“God hates Hands that shed innocent blood,” - Proverbs 6:17
So eventually, God dealt with Nineveh, and utterly destroyed it. God will not be mocked, manipulated, nor His mercies taken advantage of. Eventually judgment for sin, pride, and wickedness, comes. Don’t participate in it, cry out against it, that you might be spared when the rod of God’s authority starts swinging.
“This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen. Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work. This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand. “Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings. Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.” - Zephaniah 2:10-3:8
“Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD's anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger. For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.” - Zephaniah 2:1-6
