The Sign Of Jonah

Jonah, the wayward prophet was more than just a sad story of disobedience and rebellion. Jonah became a type of Christ who went into the heart of the Earth to Paradise, preached deliverance to the captives and led captivity captive. When Israel's religious hardened their hearts and determined to crucify the Lord they demanded Him give them a sign to prove He was their Messiah. He said no sign would be forthcoming except one - the sign of the prophet Jonah. Many in the modern church world seeks a sign today as well except anchoring their faith in THE SIGN - the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Israel experienced judgment 40 years after Christ spoke these words. Unless America repents, we face a similar fate. There is a coming season of judgment as well on Planet Earth known as the Great Tribulation. In all of man's seeking he will never find his answer except he find it in CHRIST and Him Crucified - the sign of the prophet Jonah!

By Chris McDonald
 

TEXT: Matt 12:39-41 - But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Luke 11:29-32  - And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. [30] For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. [31] The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. [32] The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
 

        These passages in Matthew are two of the most sobering I believe in the entirety of the word of God. There are certainly others in the Bible, but It is in this chapter that Jesus spoke to the nation of Israel in the gravest of terms concerning her unbelief of Him and the consequences of such. His Words echo to us today of the serious consequences of unbelief today as well. The cross of Christ is the only thing standing between man and eternal hell; and it's the only thing standing between the church and the apostasy spoken of coming on the Earth in the last days. There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus Christ; there is only one way to Christ and that is through denying oneself and placing faith in what He did for us at the Cross!

       The story found in our text took place about four months prior to the crucifixion. The hatred shown by the religious of Israel shown to Jesus would increase in intensity until they would do what in their hearts they wanted to do all along prior to this event - KILL HIM. In this same passage of Matthew, Jesus proclaimed Himself LORD OF THE SABBATH, or in other words, as ELOHIM, the Creator of the Sabbath. Following this proclamation the Lord would heal a man with a withered hand, again bringing on the wrath of the religious with the words, "is it LAWFUL" to heal on the Sabbath? Their hardened hearts so blinded them to real meaning of Christ and the Sabbath that they could not even answer a simple question, "was a man more valuable than a sheep?" Their actions and words showed they were more concerned about animals than they were humans. That spirit persists today!

        They could not deny the power of Christ, nor could they deny the reality of the healings, Miracles and deliverances. Therefore, the religious of Israel were faced with two choices: they could admit Christ was the Son of God, or claim He was of Satan. Israel chose the latter. There was no middle ground considering the tremendous amount of Power Christ possessed and used in wonderful and gracious capacities.

        If the Pharisees of His day admitted His power was from God they would then have had to admit that He was the Messiah, thereby accepting Him. This they would never do! In fact, most of what calls itself, "church" today does not accept Christ, and, in fact, has never accepted Christ. One must remember this story was set in the most religious of settings!  These were the religious leaders of Israel. As well, there were and are similar to most so-called religious leaders of today. These who stood that day watching him as He performed this great Miracle, and then hearing the accolades of the crowd, grew even more incensed, and blurted out their accusation.

Matthew 12:22-23
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw. [23] And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

        It is at this point the Pharisees proclaimed that the power the Lord used to heal the deaf and dumb man was that of Satan, literally saying He cast out devils by the "spirit of Beelzebub," the prince of devils. Beelzebub was the Philistine god of flies. (2 Kings 1:2) It meant "the dung god," or "lord of the dung hill," a most contemptuous and vile idol. It was identified as the prince of demons. That shows us they did not deny His power! The miracles spoke for themselves. Jesus followed up His answer to them by saying they had blasphemed the Holy Ghost by attributing the works and power of God to that of Satan.

Matthew 12:24-26
But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. [25] And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: [26] And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Matthew 12:31-32
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. [32] And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
 

        Let me say this right here. False religion does not recognize the majesty and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. It recognizes rules, regulations, organizations, titles, position and the like. False religion seeks to manipulate and control men, not set them free. Church movements today are actually getting more and more brazen in their techniques to control those under their "care." The servant principle of the ministry has been thrown out the window on the heels of terms like "submission," and "accountability," which are really neither. Submission and accountability are great things for us all to embrace - as long as we understand that the One we are ultimately accountable to and to submit to is GOD!!! Just because we sign a piece of paper entering into 'covenant' with another human, we are entering into a 'covenant' with a flawed partner! The way these movements control people is by watering down and tinkering with the Word of God. If people read the Word of God they will see through the false gospel most of these movements are pushing on their followers. It is the same thing that happened in Israel 2,000 years ago.

The Word Of God

        These Religious Leaders and those who preceded them, had so twisted the Word of God, adding to it, or taking away, that it no longer was the Word of God. Consequently, Israel, at the time of Christ, at least as far as the worship of God was concerned, had been reduced to a mere religion. In other words, they were little better, if any at all, than the other religions of the world, which they looked at with such disdain; i.e. the false worship of the Canaanites. In modern terminology, it would mean that much of modern Christianity has been so compromised that it is little different than Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, at least as far as being people saved is concerned.

        If Christ is ever divorced from the message of Christianity, which he is in many, if not all, cases, as noble and wonderful as any 'principle' Christian teachers today may push - it is a false gospel! That false gospel may sound good and even have elements of truth in them but they will lead people to death. men love to lord it over other men, and religious men most of all! Judaism in Jesus day degenerated into mere religion because of religious hierarchy, and Christianity today sadly too often does the same thing, and because of abrogating the Headship of Christ.

        In this mix, and especially the Judaic and Christianized versions, self-righteousness becomes acute. Hence, the idea that someone such as Jesus, Who was a mere 'peasant' in the eyes of these Religious Leaders. The very fact that Jesus used such power in His ministry, and without their seal of approval, obvious meant, at least in their thinking, that He was not of God, but of Satan. Therefore, it was their bent to say His power was of Satan, not God.

        Jesus responded to them saying, "Satan does not oppose Himself!" Satan cannot cast out Satan. Satan's power was broken by the power of the sacrifice of Christ. In the atonement man finds all victory, deliverance, peace, eternal life and grace. ALL THINGS needed for man's total healing is found in the Cross! The Believer should understand that Jesus addressed every single thing in the Atonement which man lost in the Fall. Nothing was left untouched, unaddressed, and unhandled, so to speak. Christ covered everything! Satan has a kingdom that opposes this power! The devil knows he cannot stop it so he tries to deceive men and blind us to the power of what Christ did in securing eternal salvation! The church world has seemed to forget this fact that there is no opposition in Satan's kingdom!

Matthew 12:27-32
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. [28] But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. [29] Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. [30] He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattered abroad.  [31] Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. [32] And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

            The sobering chapter continues with what Jesus defined as the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees and their disciples claimed to cast out demons, but in reality they didn't because they were as well of Satan. The word, "children," means disciples. Jesus did not cast out demons because He was God, but as a man filled with the HOLY GHOST! When the Kingdom of God came to Israel through Christ and the power of the anointing of the Holy Ghost, they denied and blasphemed the power of that Kingdom.  Satan is pictured here as strong - stronger than men, but Jesus was the one who SPOILED Satan's goods at the Cross! Only JESUS could and CAN bind this strong man! At Calvary, Satan was totally defeated.

Col. 2:14-15
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

        It is impossible to take a neutral position regarding CHRIST! The word, "against," denotes intense opposition! Neighbor, the opposition to those who truly believe in Christ and Him Crucified will get more and more intense as we near the rapture! One cannot be with "Christ," and be "against," His true servants. The presence of Christ tests everything and everybody! The TRUTH sets men free and if we resist the truth we resist the very thing that will keep us free from hell itself. Eternal life is nothing to play with. ALL who read this today are eternal beings - and will spend eternity in one of two places -heaven or hell forever and forever. That makes our choices here on earth most important and powerful! Christ is the WAY and the TRUTH. The Believer must be very, very careful that through self-will we do not find ourselves opposing the Lord. There are many varied excuses we may use in order to do what is wrong, but there is only one reason to do right, and that's because it is RIGHT! Many in the church today do not "savourest" the things of God, as Jesus told the Apostle Peter, when Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross.

Matthew 16:22-23
Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. [23] But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

        When we don't savor the things of God - we SCATTER and do not GATHER! Entire Religious denominations find themselves "scattering," instead of "gathering," simply because they have their own agenda and not God's! And just because an agenda is "good," does not make it spiritual or ordained by God. If it's not Holy Ghost birthed and ordained, it will never be "good" enough! 

        The church world today is precariously close to blaspheming the power of the Kingdom of God! You have certain camps doing the same thing Israel did long ago - label that which is God to be of Satan and then embrace that which is false and of Satan to be of God! That sounds so incredible and beyond belief with the light we have in these modern times but it's true. Entire denominations have slipped off into total unbelief of the supernatural working power of God claiming miracles and the power of the Holy Ghost went away with the age of the apostles. Neighbor, GOD didn't go away with the age of the apostles! And if God didn't go away then GOD'S POWER didn't go away! Then we have other camps that are embracing all sorts of false teaching and doctrines, mixing false religion into a box trying to shake it up and throw it on a table to make Christianity "acceptable" to all faiths. Neighbor, there is NOTHING acceptable about Christianity to false gods! Christianity is to be a light in darkness to those in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism. I put Judaism in that list, not to disrespect Jewish people but Jewish people who practice a religion without knowing Christ and Him Crucified are just as lost as the worst heathen.

        That was the state of Israel during Jesus day. They were oh so religious yet they were oh so lost! They kept the jots and tittles of the law without understanding the MERCY and GRACE the Lord required of man to live by and inherit eternal life. Faith in Christ produces a life of mercy and grace, not one of hatred, law and self-righteousness.

Micah 6:8-9 - He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The Lord's voice cries unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
 

Show Us A Sign

Luke 11:29
And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

Matthew 12:37-39
For by thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.  [38] Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. [39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

        When Israel accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan, when in reality he was doing so by the Power of the Holy Spirit, they blasphemed the Spirit of God; blaspheming the Holy Spirit can only be committed by someone who professes to know the Lord, as the Pharisees of old, or else has once known Him, and then turned against Him; the unredeemed, who have never known the Lord, cannot blaspheme the Holy Spirit simply because they have no true knowledge of the Spirit. I believe Israel as a NATION blasphemed the Holy Ghost and experienced utter destruction  40 years later - in A.D. 70. America's doing the same thing today. What our time table is only God knows but neighbor this nation is slowly blaspheming God, let me change that, we're QUICKLY blaspheming God with out actions and words on a daily basis. NOTHING that happened this past year - the hurricanes, the floods, the tragedies had any type of effect on our hearts as a nation. The tragedy of 9-11-2001 did not have a lasting effect either. What will it take? That should have us all on our hands and knees crying out to God for mercy.

 We Would See A Sign

Matthew 12:38
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
 

        When the religious of Israel reached a point where they could not resist the power Jesus displayed any more, they screamed with sarcastic resentment, "we demand a sign." — That is, "we wish now to see thee work a miracle." Demons had been cast out before their very eyes, as well as the greatest miracles in other capacities that the world had ever known. What other "sign" did they want? The truth is, those in Israel would not had accepted anything He did as proof He was the son of God, their Messiah. They were not their to believe, but to accuse and point a finger.  Pride, vain curiosity, and incredulity, have never enough proof of the truth.

        Israel actually wanted something that the apostate church wants today. They did not want deliverance from sin and its effects, but rather from Rome. In other words Israel wanted a political solution to their problems instead of a spiritual one. They wanted their Messiah to ride in on a white horse holding the finances and economics to turn Israel back into a world power once again. They were so blinded to this ambition that the humble passion and purpose of Jesus never entered into their thought once. And before we throw stones at the Jewish nation, let the reader beware of this sobering fact - the modern church world seeks the same! No matter how the Truth is preached, men always want an outward sign to verify Christ is who He says He is! NO SIGN IS COMING friend. The sign that is coming has already been given and it's in the form of a CROSS!
 

          One commentator once wrote that it was highly reasonable this request had been engrained in their thought from the days of Moses when God commissioned him to go to Egypt. In their hearts, Christ should by miracles prove His divine mission:

Exodus 4:8-9
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. [9] And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shall take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takes out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

        He came to take down a model of religion that was set up by miracles, and therefore it was requisite He should produce the same credentials; but it was highly unreasonable to demand a sign now, when He had given so many signs already, that did abundantly prove him sent of God.  It is natural to proud men to prescribe to God, and then to make that an excuse for not subscribing to him; but a man's offence will never be his defense! (Henry)

The Greater Than Jonah: "No Sign Shall Be Given...Except One"

Matthew 12:39-41
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: [40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. [41] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Luke 11:29-32
And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. [30] For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. [32] The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

        Christ responds to the request of giving a sign by pointing to two events of the Old Testament - Jonah and the people of Nineveh, and the Queen of the South and her meeting Solomon. He affirms the fact of the Resurrection and the Judgment to come, declaring that all those persons will rise from the dead one day and condemn the unbelief of Israel and for that matter the unbelief of the modern church. This supplemental statement establishes the historic Truth of the Book of Jonah.

        The Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba BELIEVED without even the working of ONE miracle, but the GREATER tan JONAH and Solomon was rejected through He wrought MANY miracles.  The phrase, "this is an evil generation," proclaims the unbelief of Israel. They were extremely religious, and yet did not God Whom they spoke of constantly! How is it possible to be so deceived one may ask? If one ceases to make the Word of God the Standard of all things, deception quickly enters and ensues, be it Israel of old, or the modern Church. All who do not "hear the word of God and keep it," are "evil."

Luke 11:28
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

        The inevitable result of unbelief is what Luke and Matthew recorded of Israel - "they seek a sign." It is ironic, "signs," were all around them, in Jesus healing the sick, casting out devils, and performing the greatest miracles ever known to man, even to the raising of the dead, but this was not recognized as "signs." If men reject the Word of God, which is happening in the American church and as a result in American society, they will not accept that which is of God, and thereby seek that which is NOT of God. Israel of old did just that. When Paul wrote the 11th Chapter of Romans, it was more than a historical account and treatise on the importance of Israel in the plan of God, which is very important! He was warning the modern church comprised of both JEW and GENTILE that if we fall into the unbelief Israel of old did - we will suffer her same fate! We are precariously bordering on that right now!

Romans 11:17-26 - And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; [18] Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. [19] Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. [20] Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou stands by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: [21] For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. [22] Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off. [23] And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graff them in again. [24] For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?  [25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. [26] And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

        A modern example is the Pentecostals and Charismatics who run hither and yon, even traveling thousands of miles, seeking for "signs," and all sort of other phenomenon. And hear what the writer tells you. I am Pentecostal as they come. I grew up Southern Baptist and learned in Sunday School at an early age about the blood of Jesus and what it meant to be saved. I appreciate the Southern Baptists, but many in the Southern Baptist denomination are steeped in unbelief and arrogance when it comes to the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Some of the issue is ignorance, but most of it is unbelief! In 1987, the Lord gloriously baptized me in the Holy Ghost for the first time with the evidence with speaking with other tongues. I wished I could tell you that experience catapulted me into a 19 year span of living for God with great events happening day after day and everything turning out roses and candy. It didn't. My heart was drawn into looking for signs as a substitute for the character of Christ which led to disaster on many fronts. I suffered much loss as the result of my integrity over the years.

        I believe in the Pentecostal experience but the experience of Pentecost will do you absolutely no good if that experience becomes an idol. The Holy Spirit is not given to us to exalt ourselves or men. He comes to point us to CHRIST! Christ is the only one with the power to change hearts, set men free from sin, deliver captives from the snare of the devil, keep darkness out of our hearts and bring us to the place of victory in HIM that will bring "more and abundant" life! Tongues are for a SIGN to those who believe not!

        ALL phenomenon most of the time takes precedent in many Pentecostal lives instead of the Salvation of precious souls and the deliverance of those bound by Satan. There is little excitement today over the Salvation of souls, and even the deliverance of the worst casts from the powers of Darkness, while there is great excitement over that which has little or NO scriptural foundation! What Israel wanted then was not Scriptural, as their modern counterparts today. Jesus responded by saying, "No sign shall be given to you" except one - the sign of the prophet Jonah!

        This concerned the coming Resurrection of Christ, which was symbolized by Jonah being three days and three nights in the belly of the whale. However, Israel would not believe the Resurrection, even though it was the greatest SIGN in the history of man! The sign of Christ and Him Crucified, Buried and Resurrected is the greatest miracle of all! Eternal life is more important than a temporal "fix" to a spiritual problem! God is not into temporal things -He's into eternal ones!

        When people depart from the Word of God, they simply cannot believe! It is the Word which gives FAITH, and if the Word is rejected, there remains no proper soil for Faith to be nurtured. Consequently unbelief reigns in most church circles today, as it did in Israel of old!

For As Jonah Was A Sign.......

Luke 11:29-30  - And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. [30] For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

        Jesus pointed to the fact the Ninevites heard the preaching of Jonah and his deliverance from the great fish. He was entombed in the monster for three days and three nights, and so was a type of Him Who was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. "So shall also the Son of Man be to THIS generation," pointed Israel of old and us today to the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST! It points us to the central point of ALL doctrine and heaven's economy - the CROSS and Christ Crucified!

            Nineveh was given 40 days in which to repent; Jerusalem was give 40 years. Repentance in one case averted Judgment, unbelief in the other determined it! (Williams, WEP)

            Let that last statement sink into your heart as we close this journal today. Repentance in one case averted judgment, unbelief in the other determined it. As the "Resurrection," was a "sign," to "this generation," referring to the generation alive when it happened, likewise, HIS Resurrection continues to be a "sign," to any and all "generations." That generation is not the only one accountable to this sign! Each and every one following must answer to this "sign," as well!

The Queen of Sheba and Nineveh Shall Rise Up

Luke 11:31-32
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
 

        Jesus warned the people listening to Him that day that the Queen of the South would rise up and condemn them because she traveled far to hear the wisdom of Solomon and believed. He proclaimed, "a greater than SOLOMON is here!" The "Judgment," spoken of here by Jesus, speaks of the coming "great white throne" judgment.

Rev. 20:11-15  - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. [12] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. [13] And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. [14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
 

        As the Bible repeatedly affirms a "judgment," is coming, irrespective that most people do not believe it, no even most of the so-called church. One modern propagator of the prosperity gospel stated over a national syndicated talk show just a month ago that he didn't preach on things such as "hell," and "judgment," because he felt people didn't need to feel bad when they left his service. Friend, it's better people leave your church service feeling bad than leaving this life and entering eternity without God where I can assure you - they will feel BAD!
 

        The unbelief of Israel did not negate the happening of the coming time! This is one of the "givens" in the Word of God that will happen irrespective of what man does or does not do! In other words even our obedience will not have an effect on this coming time. It's set in eternity as stated in the word of God.  At this "judgment," those who had little opportunity , and had to go to great expense and trouble for eve what little opportunity they had, such as the Queen of Sheba, will rise up and point a finger of accusation at those who have had opportunity after opportunity, as many do.

        America and Canada, plus other countries in the world that could be named, have had unparalleled opportunity to accept the Lord, but with MOST refusing! At that coming Judgment Day, people from all over the world, and for all time, who accepted Christ, even though their opportunities were sparse, will stand in vocal judgment of those to whom the door had been opened wide again and again! The Queen of Sheba came from great distance and great expense to hear the wisdom of Solomon and proclaimed, "the half was not told me." (1 Kings 10:7). Not only was she impressed by the prosperity of Solomon's Kingdom, but more than all, she accepted Christ as her Savior. In other words, she made the God of Israel her God. It would be a a trip that would repay itself million times over.

        The greatest thing that can ever happen to anyone is the privilege of hearing and accepting the Gospel. Everything pales in comparison! A woman traveled a distance of over a thousand miles (from Ethiopia to Jerusalem) to see but a man, although a man touched by God, while Jesus, the Son of God, the Creator of all things, was in the very midst of Israel, and MOST would not accept Him! Jesus warned them as He is warning US today - the Queen will be at the judgment to condemn the unbelief of those who reject Christ and what He did at the Cross.

        Jonah, and the men of Nineveh will also stand in judgment because the repented at the preaching of Jonah! All those persons will too rise from the dead. This supplemental statement actually also establishes the historic Truth of the book of Jonah. The Lord's statement about Nineveh directed itself more precisely to the religious hierarchy of Israel. Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, Israel's religious did not repent at the preaching of Jesus, a GREATER THAN JONAH! The judgment for the unbelief of those in Israel's today, AND OUR DAY AS WELL, will be more severe and pronounced that one may be led to believe! There will be absolutely no doubt to the justness of the levied sentence.

        Neighbor, the day is coming when those who have accepted Christ, including the men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba, will JUSTLY condemn those who have had great opportunity but would not accept Him! I'm afraid that it is possible that many generations for that matter, who have had little or no opportunity to hear the Gospel will rightly condemn the modern Church who has grossly failed in the respect of preaching the gospel and embracing the Headship of CHRIST!
 

        We're in a serious time in history as another year draws to a close. I pray you know this Christ we speak of today. America is going to be held so accountable but there is still a call individually from the Lord Jesus to repent! The door is still open and friend it's not too late to depart from the idols of your heart and give HIM your heart today!

Rev. 3:20-21
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. [21] To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

        Repent, believe the gospel and be saved. Repentance is more than just remorse, it's making a decision in one's heart to turn from sin and allow the Lord Jesus Christ to bring freedom to one's heart and deliverance from the sins that have beset us. You must be born again! There is no sign to look for save one - that 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ went to a hill called Calvary, hung between heaven and earth, and on HIM was placed the judgment for our sins and the penalty which was death! Because that judgment was placed on Him, we can walk free today from the same judgment of death! Because HE came out of that tomb in Resurrection, Holy Ghost power, we too can walk in that same freedom and power today. All who place their faith in HIM today and come to Him in humble repentance will live also! Praise God. Praise God. That's the sign of Jonah and that is the foundation for eternal life.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: [26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

2 Cor. 5:17-21
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. [18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 Cor. 1:17-19
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.  [18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
 

The Sign of Jonah is a sign of LOVE - For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in HIM should not PERISH but have everlasting life!