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My Closing Thoughts on Jonah Chapter 3
R.C. Sproul once wrote, “God doesn’t just throw a life preserver to a drowning person. He goes to the bottom of the sea, and pulls a corpse from the bottom of the sea, takes him up on the bank, breathes into him the breath of life and makes him alive.”
That’s a fitting quote for the book of Jonah, isn’t it? It’s also a profound reflection for you and me. Scripture after scripture, we see God reaching down to His people with compassion and grace. We see the depth of their sin, but even more, we see the depth of His love. He calls us to repentance, but what does that truly look like? We find the answer in Jonah 3:6 (NIV): “When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.”
Robes in the Bible symbolize identity, status, and honor. From Joseph’s coat of many colors, representing his father’s favor, to the prodigal son being clothed in the best robe as a sign of restored sonship, robes carry significant meaning. In Jonah 3:6, the king’s act of removing his royal robes is a profound gesture of humility and repentance. He lays aside his status and authority, submitting to the authority of God.
This act embodies the message of Isaiah 64:6 (NIV), which reminds us that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before the Lord. It tells us that our positions in life don’t define us—our relationship with God does. What does this look like in our life? It’s a call to repentance, to cast off our former way of life, to embrace a new life in Christ.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) tells us, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
When we put off our old selves, we lay aside the worn-out robes of our past—the mistakes, the sin, the missteps, the misgivings. We’re invited to step into the light of God’s grace, where He clothes us in the righteousness of Christ. It’s a journey from death to life, from despair to hope, and from brokenness to wholeness.
Like the king of Nineveh, our transformation bears witness to the love and power of the God who redeems, who rebuilds, and restores us.
That’s it for this week, ladies. Have a great weekend!
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife
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