The Most Unlikely Spiritual Awakening

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah 1:2 (NKJV)

One of the largest spiritual awakenings in human history swept one of the most wicked cities ever, the city of Nineveh.

The people of Nineveh were so bad that they effectively stunk to high heaven. The first chapter of Jonah tells us, Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me” Jonah 1:1–2 (NKJV).

We could translate the phrase “their wickedness has come up before Me” to say, “Their wickedness has reached the highest pitch.”

The Ninevites’ cruelty was legendary. Historical records include graphic accounts of how they treated their captives. When the Ninevites plundered a city, they burned children alive, tortured adults, and even skinned people and hung their skin on the walls. They built monuments out of the skulls of those they beheaded.  We can see why the city stunk to high heaven.

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, a superpower of the day. With the strongest military power, Assyria had essentially ruled the world for two hundred years. But things were about to change. A more powerful military was about to overtake Nineveh and Assyria. Effectively the days of this nation were numbered.

Every nation’s days are numbered. We know this historically. Every nation has a moment when it is born and a moment when it dies—or is diminished dramatically. And that is true for the United States of America.  We know that judgment is coming. It is only a matter of time. So, let’s pray that God will send at least one more spiritual awakening to our nation before judgment comes. If God could bring a mighty revival in Nineveh, then certainly He could do the same for the United States.