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Matthew 12:38-41
In Matthew 12:38, Jesus is asked to prove Himself by the Pharisees as they asked Him to produce a sign that would show His Almighty power. But Jesus answered them not with a sign, as was their desires, but with an example of the Prophet Jonah. Jesus states in Matthew 12:40 (NKJV), “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Jesus tells the Pharisees that the Ninevites (the people that Jonah preached to) would rise up against them as they repented after hearing the preaching of Jonah, but the Pharisees still yet refused to open their hearts to the preaching of “one greater than Jonah” (Matthew 12:41). Jesus states in John 5:24 (NIV), “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” The Pharisees refused to believe in Jesus, and the result is condemnation; the Ninevites were a vicious people, but when they heard the word of God, they repented from their sins and made a change in their lifestyle to reflect the ways of God, and they were saved from condemnation.
This is an example of man’s desire to put God to the test.
We all want to see God – we want Him to prove Himself to us. But the Bible teaches us that believing in God is showing our faith in Him, and for our faith in Him is the gift of forgiveness and salvation through Christ Jesus. All of the teachings of Jesus are based on faith. John 1:12c (NKJV) states, “…to those who believe in His name:”. John 3:16b states, “…that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Romans 5:1 states, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”. Romans 10:4 (HCSB) declares, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:9-10 (ESV) states, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Ephesians 2:8a declares, “For by grace you have saved through faith.” These are but a few of the Bible verses that declare our faith in Jesus, and the requirement for our faith in Jesus. This example of the Pharisees and the Ninevites is exactly what Jesus was speaking of when He declared in Matthew 19:30 (KJV), “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” The Pharisees thought that they were “first” by their own self-righteousness which was not honorable in the eyes of God, and in reality, became “last.” But the Ninevites, who were evil and considered “last,” repented and became “first.” What is the difference? A sincere heart in humble obedience to seeking God’s will for our lives as we surrender all to Him…in Christ!
Dear LORD,
Please help us to put aside our arrogant attitudes and replace them with a repentant heart that desires to give up our sinful lives for new, humble, obedient, sincere lives in Christ Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, amen.