Day Two Hundred Twenty-Nine “Give Them Rope”
My elementary school experience consisted of a religious private school, well-known for its academic excellence and strict adherence to firm discipline (important plot note). While in the sixth grade, our teacher pulled double duty as the school principal and administrator, which in our young, terribly foolish minds, opened wide a door of opportunity for us. The principal of a school is a busy creature, often called out of the classroom to deal with day-to-day issues arising in other classrooms. Leave the room? A roomful of sixth graders left to their own, un-monitored devices? Yes! This is great; we are the most fortunate of students! What we didn’t fully comprehend was the operations of a functional public address (aka…pa) system. Our wise teacher was always listening and was well-aware of our secret shenanigans. She gave us just enough rope to hang ourselves. And hang ourselves, we did!
An idiom is a group of words established by usage, such as ‘Give one enough rope, and one will hang oneself,’ translation: If you give people the opportunity to do something wrong, they will usually do it, and bring about their own downfall. So it was with the city of Ninevah, in the country of Assyria.
In response to Jonah’s reluctant preaching, Ninevah had experienced a great revival, but that repentant generation was replaced a century later by a new, rebellious generation. A little-known prophet, Nahum, would be sent to warn Ninevah that God “is slow to anger, and great in power,” and “who can stand before his indignation.” Israel had suffered immensely from Assyria’s cruelties, and the payment had come due, for “the LORD revengeth…and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries.” God would destroy Ninevah with “an overrunning flood,” and “There shall fire devour them.” Archaeological evidence found centuries later would indicate evidence of a devastating flood, along with some alabaster slabs which were reduced to lime, indicating intense heat from a fire. God is always true to his Word.
God had extended a rope of mercy and grace to the inhabitants of Ninevah through His servant, Jonah, yet they squandered that gift and hung themselves through rebellion and pride. Although God used that wicked nation of Assyria to discipline His own people, sin is never excused; there is a price to be paid. Someday the universal debt of sin will come due and God’s wrath and punishment will rain down on our sinful, rebellious world. But praise God, for those of us who have trusted in Him and in the finished work of Christ, that debt of sin was paid in full at Calvary. Through the sacrifice of His Son, our dear Father accepts us as His children. He “knoweth them that trust in him.” Does He know YOU?
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thank You, God, for Your grace, freeing us from Your judgment and wrath. Praise God for the blood of the Lamb Who takes away our sin and erases it forever.
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