T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n é s s
286
May 1928
The Men of Nineveh in the Judgment By C harles H. L eggett ( Blenheim, Ont., Can.)
INEVEH , the capital of the Assyrian Empire, .was built, according to the Bible story, by As- shur, descendant of Ham ,.probably after the scattering of Babel (Genesis 10-11; Micah 5: 6 ). It was situated on the East Bank of the Tigris River, opposite what is now known as Mosul. Scripture is silent concerning Nineveh for about 1,500 years until in the days of Jeroboam II, 825 B. C., when it had attained magnitude and power. Thereafter the city is mentioned by several of the prophets, being named in eight books o f the Bible all told. There is nothing in archeology or in profane history to discredit any refer ence in the Bible record, but rather to corroborate all. Nineveh was an “ exceeding great city o f three days’ journey,” with a probable population of a million souls. It was greater than Babylon, with very high and broad walls, and was 480 stadia in circumference. Nahum 3 :12- 17 describes its vastness and magnificence. Opulence, cul ture and a high degree o f civilization characterized the place, and the enumeration of 120,000 children o f tender age would indicate that vital statistics were collected and preserved. This and other statements and expressions used by the prophetic writers tend to give the idea o f a highly complex social life, and that the city was. a great commercial center, splendid, voluptuous, and wicked. In the ninth century B. C., Jonah uttered his warning to Nineveh; in the eighth century Nahum, Micah and Isaiah foretold its doom; and in the seventh, Zephaniah re-echoes Jehovah’s judgment. God’s warnings to the wicked city and nation also took very practical and severe form in the destruction of Sennacherib’s host of 185,000 men, by the angel of the Lord in 713 B. C., during the reign o f good King Hezekiah (2 Kings 19). Nineveh fell into Babylonian hands, 625 B. C., and with the end of the Assyrian empire flourished no more. Its final destruc tion occurred in B. C. 606. Later history knows little about the once great city, and the ancient site bears every evidence today o f exact and literal fulfilment of prophecy.' The vast ruins for many centuries have told a story of human wickedness and divine judgment. The tomb of Jonah is in the midst o f the ruins about three quarters of a mile from the river. The Bible student’s interest in the city o f Nineveh cen ters in the book of Jonah with its thrilling record of the experiences of the Prophet in connection with his call to preach therein. A certain kind of scholarship essays to find an interpretation of Jonah’s book, other than literal, for the simple reason that the story appears unreasonable. The question with such is, Is it myth, allegory or par able? If the book is a myth, then let us have done with it. A fact or a series o f facts may be used as an allegory, e.g., the story of Hagar and Ishmael. A parable may be true to life in every detail. But in the case o f Jonah, cer tain Bible statements make it absolutely necessary to accept the entire-record as historical. Before setting forth these Bible statements, let us note that God dealt with the nations, cities and rulers through Israel, during the entire course o f the six great
world empires, a fact never to be lost, sight of. Begin ning with Egypt, we find Joseph as Premier for 80 years, and later Moses dealing directly with Pharaoh with mani festations of many miracles. Assyria and Nineveh had its direct messenger in Jonah; and also Isaiah, Nahum et al. prophesied important things concerning this empire. Then came Babylonia, with Daniel at the seat o f Government during several reigns. Daniel and also Nehemiah occu pied prominent places as God’s representatives in the Medo-Persian regime. Esther came to the palace o f Ahasuerus in the carrying out o f God’s plans for the Jews. During Grecian ascendancy, Jehovah had no prophet at the seat of empire ; in fact there was no outstanding prophet for 400 years,- but still God spoke in a measure through Israel. The world conqueror, Alexander, passed Jeru salem by, more than once, without harming it, because it was protected by the hand o f God. Interesting are the stories connected therewith. Finally our Lord Jesus Christ dealt directly with the Roman empire and was crucified by its officers ; and the apostle Paul represented God and His word at Rome for years. It is o f intense interest to apprehend that all through the centuries and the millen niums, God has kept His witnesses before the nations and men that have made history in every civilization, in the ful filment of his own plans and purposes. Israel always occu pied a unique place among the nations, being the custodian of the oracles o f God, and possessing exclusively the Tem ple, the Priesthood, and the line of Prophets. Inasmuch as the entire book of Nahum, written in the century following the book o f Jonah, is a prophecy against Nineveh, it strongly supports the historicity o f the latter, showing as it does God’s great and continued interest in this the greatest city in the world at the time. Thus it appears to be the most natural and customary thing for the God of Israel to send a prophet to testify against the wickedness o f this great city and to extend grace upon the repentance o f thè people. Effects o f the preaching and deeds of the Jewish ambassadors of Jehovah upon kirigs and empires were many times very pronounced and far-reaching.. The appearance of Jonah, therefore, upon the streets o f Nineveh, by divine appointment and com mission, was a thing rather to be looked for and fully in line with the ordinary methods o f Jehovah. Jonah’s refusal at the first to undertake the embassy, and his con sequent retreat to the interior of the great fish, together with many other interesting details of the thrilling nar rative, will not be discussed here, but in passing, attention may be called to the statement o f a secular publication a few years ago, to the effect that at the same time that a famous doctor o f divinity was announcing the impossibil ity o f the story o f Jonah, there was being exhibited in Chi cago a deep-sea fish, caught off the coast o f Florida, which could have accommodated Jonah in an entirely Scriptural manner. It is a well-known fact that human bodies have been found in some sea monsters o f the shark species, and remained undigested.
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