神第二次的指示，先知約拿的順服Jonah 3:1-3. 1 耶和華的話二次臨到約拿說： 2 「你起來！往尼尼微大城去，向其中的居民宣告我所吩咐你的話。」 3 約拿便照耶和華的話起來，往尼尼微去。這尼尼微是極大的城，有三日的路程。 -神的第一次指示: Jonah 1:2 你起來往尼尼微大城去，向其中的居民呼喊，因為他們的惡達到我面前。 -約拿的不順服: Jonah 1:3 約拿卻起來，逃往他施去躲避耶和華；下到約帕，遇見一隻船，要往他施去。他就給了船價，上了船，要與船上的人同往他施去躲避耶和華。

Nineveh is located in the east bank of Tigris River. Nimrod founded the city in the beginning (Genesis 10:8-12).

NinevehThe Great CityIn Ruins

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Black Obelisk (方尖碑)of Shalmaneser III

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How could the people of Nineveh so quickly repent? See the following remarkable explanation of Eugene W. Faulstich. *The eponym, Bur-Sagale of 763 BC, tells of a solar eclipse in Assyria, which is astronomically verified as June 7, 763 BC (= Sivan 29). Jonah probably began preaching on Sunday, 28 Sivan. The people no doubt fasted for the full forty days so that they could see if they were going to be destroyed. Since the primary god of Assyria, Ashur, was represented by the sun disc, and if an eclipse should occur, it would seem that the chief god had taken his eyes off the Assyrian people for a moment and certainly would be interpreted as a bad omen. Pul = Ashur-dan III (773-755 BC), the uncle of Tiglath-pileser III, repented at the preaching of Jonah. The end of the forty days fell on the ninth of Ab, a day of repeated disaster in Hebrew history. The Israelites worshipped the golden calf on that day, and their Temple was destroyed twice on that day. ….… Samarian fell to the Assyrian army of Shalmaneser V after 40 years (763 BC + 40 = 723 BC). *In a solar eclipse the sun is darkened as the moon passes between it and the earth. This can only occur at the phase of the new moon.

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Pul 普勒 = Ashur-dan III (773-755 BC)

Pul = Ashur-dan III (773-755 BC)

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看到人們悔改 神就轉變意志Jonah 3:10 於是神察看他們的行為，見他們離開惡道， (שָׁבוּ) 他就後悔，不把所說的災禍降與他們了。 (וַיִּנָּחֶם) NIVWhen God saw what they did and how they turned (שָׁבוּ) from their evil ways, he relented (וַיִּנָּחֶם) and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. *The Hebrew נִחָם simply means ‘to change the mind,’ or ‘to change the plan.’ See also Jonah 4:2 (……… 我知道你是有恩典、有憐憫的神、不輕易發怒、有豐盛的慈愛、並且後悔不降所說的災．所以我急速逃往他施去).

先知約拿的順服帶來的巨大後果Jonah 3:1-3. 1 耶和華的話二次臨到約拿說： 2 「你起來！往尼尼微大城去，向其中的居民宣告我所吩咐你的話。」 3 約拿便照耶和華的話起來，往尼尼微去。這尼尼微是極大的城，有三日的路程。 *Romans 11:11-12. 11 我且說、他們失腳是要他們跌倒麼．斷乎不是．反倒因他們的過失、救恩便臨到外邦人、要激動他們發憤。 12 若他們的過失、為天下的富足、他們的缺乏、為外邦人的富足．何況他們的豐滿呢。 -(11節) 神善用約拿(以色列/猶太人)的不順服 -(12節) 神更善用約拿(以色列/猶太人)的順服 *順服: 打開悔改之門的鑰匙

民數記 6:24-26 願耶和華賜福給你,保護你. 願耶和華使他的臉光照你,賜恩給你. 願耶和華向你仰臉,賜你平安.