Itchy, Dirty, and Hungry

~~~ Jonah 3:1-10 ~~~ Psalm 130 ~~~ Luke 10:38-42 ~~~

 

After spending three days in the belly of the fish Jonah

 would now promptly obey God's directions.

 

His message resulted in sackcloth, ashes, and fasting...

basically they were uncomfortable, dirty, and hungry.

Their skin felt itchy and scratchy...they smelled of burnt rubbish...

their stomachs were growling.

 

Are any of these things really necessary?

How did these actions make a difference for their soul?

Is it really advantageous to deprive the body to achieve

a deeper spiritual experience.

When we are repentant it may be worthwhile

to be physically reminded that our sins should make us feel uncomfortable

a bit unclean...soiled, and hungry to be reunited with God.

 

The closest thing we have to sackcloth today would be burlap
unless you actually get a real potato sack from the farmer's market.
Sackcloth is rough loosely woven fabric. It has no body and does not drape.
It would not be used to enhance ones figure or appearance.
You can hide the flaws of your body under a sackcloth.
Odd because we cannot hide our sins from God.
Sackcloth is cheap it is reusable you can recycle it.
In Biblical times sackcloth was worn as a sign of mourning.
It was made of black thick goat's hair.

To sprinkle or to sit in the ashes was symbolic of grief,
humiliation, or penitence.
 

Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth
and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.

God had a plan to save the city, but he never said to wear sackcloth
 or to douse yourself with ashes.
The King ordered the entire city to show their repentance.
He took the lead...he did not just issue the order
 and return to his royal chambers.
He led by example.
Ultimately God saved the city of Nineveh...
our God is a merciful God.

Is it in your best interest to wait until the final hour to repent?
God Blesses us even in desperate times.