Topical Bible: Heathen: The Ninevites

◄ Heathen: The Ninevites ►

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The term "heathen" in the biblical context often refers to nations or peoples who do not worship the God of Israel. Among these, the Ninevites hold a significant place in the biblical narrative, particularly in the Book of Jonah and the Book of Nahum. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, a dominant and often brutal power in the ancient Near East.

Historical and Cultural Context

Nineveh was one of the largest and most influential cities of its time, located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in what is now modern-day Iraq. The Assyrians were known for their military prowess and their empire-building strategies, which often involved the subjugation and deportation of conquered peoples. The city of Nineveh itself was renowned for its impressive architecture, including the grand palace of King Sennacherib and its extensive library.

Biblical Narrative

1. The Book of Jonah: The narrative of Jonah is perhaps the most well-known biblical account involving the Ninevites. God commands the prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh and proclaim a message of impending judgment due to their wickedness. Jonah initially flees from this divine commission, but after a series of events, including being swallowed by a great fish, he eventually goes to Nineveh. Jonah 3:4-5 states, "On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, 'Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!' And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least." The Ninevites' repentance leads God to relent from the disaster He had planned, demonstrating His mercy even towards a heathen nation.

2. The Book of Nahum: In contrast to Jonah, the Book of Nahum prophesies the downfall of Nineveh. Nahum's message comes after the period of repentance seen in Jonah's time, indicating a return to wickedness by the Ninevites. Nahum 1:14 declares, "The LORD has issued a command concerning you, O Nineveh: 'There will be no more descendants to carry on your name. I will cut off the carved images and cast idols from the house of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are contemptible.'" This prophecy was fulfilled when Nineveh fell to a coalition of Babylonians, Medes, and Scythians in 612 BC.

Theological Significance

The account of the Ninevites serves as a powerful testament to God's sovereignty and mercy. Despite their status as a heathen nation, the Ninevites' initial repentance in response to Jonah's message highlights the universal scope of God's compassion and the possibility of redemption for all peoples. However, the eventual destruction of Nineveh as prophesied by Nahum underscores the consequences of returning to sin and rejecting God's ways.

Moral and Ethical Lessons

The narrative of the Ninevites offers several moral and ethical lessons. It emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commands, as seen in Jonah's eventual compliance with God's directive. It also illustrates the power of repentance and the hope of divine forgiveness, regardless of one's past. Furthermore, the account serves as a warning against complacency and the dangers of reverting to sinful behaviors after experiencing God's grace.

In summary, the Ninevites, as depicted in the Bible, are a complex representation of a heathen nation that experienced both the mercy and judgment of God. Their account is a reminder of the breadth of God's love and the seriousness of His justice.

Nave's Topical Index

Jonah 3:5-10
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Answer to the Objection of the Heathen, that it was not Right to ...
... Chapter X."Answer to the Objection of the Heathen, that It Was Not Right to ... comply
with the brief terms of the announcement; which the Ninevites having obeyed ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter x answer to the objection.htm

The Historicity of the Book of Jonah.
... objector interposes this difficulty: "Can we conceive of a heathen city being ... Again,
they interpose the difficulty: "How could the Ninevites give credence to a ...
/.../viii the historicity of the.htm

Repentance More Competent to Heathens than to Christians.
... Was that, then, the reason why Jonah thought not repentance necessary to the heathen
Ninevites, when he tergiversated in the duty of preaching? ...
/.../tertullian/on modesty/chapter x repentance more competent to.htm

The Prophet Jonah.
... deep impression which the discourse of Jonah produced upon the Ninevites. ... Nineveh,
the representative of the heathen multitude, is very significantly called ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet jonah.htm

Threefold Repentance
... and efficacy of repentance, and to show how the penitent man, heathen or Jew ... renegade
Prophet returning to his high mission, or the fierce Ninevites humbled and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/threefold repentance.htm

The True Sign
... to the Ninevites, so Christ's preaching was a sign to His generation. But what a
contrast in the reception of the word! The people of the great heathen city ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 44 the true sign.htm

"Nineveh, that Great City"
... God of Israel was exalted and honored throughout the heathen world, and ... The compassion
shown by God toward the repentant Ninevites "displeased Jonah exceedingly ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 22 nineveh that great.htm

The True Spirit of Missions.
... He beheld us, not as the Ninevites once were, in sackcloth and ashes, but recklessly
violating ... Are the heathen guilty"covered with blood and black with crime ...
/.../dibble/thoughts on missions/chapter i the true spirit.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... However this may be, Jonah's mission to the Ninevites foreshadowed God's purposes
of mercy towards the heathen world, and that too at a very suitable time ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

God Has Everything to do with Prayer
... That decree which promises to Him the heathen for His inheritance relies on ... The fasting
and prayers of the Ninevites changed Gods purposes to destroy that ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/iv god has everything to.htm