Yesterday’s Repentance!

All your fortresses are like fig trees

with their first ripe fruit;

when they are shaken,

the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.

Look at your troops—

they are all women!

The gates of your land

are wide open to your enemies;

fire has consumed their bars.

Nahum 3:12-13

The city of Nineveh turned to God when Jonah reluctantly brought the message of judgment. It was dramatic and even shocked Jonah. The prophet delivered the message, but his heart was hoping the city would not repent so he could watch the evil culture get what was coming to them. They did repent and the city of Nineveh was saved.

If the timelines of history are accurate it was only a few decades later that Nineveh was destroyed. This time there was no Jonah and there was no repentance. It was not a pretty picture. You can read about it in the prophecy of Nahum.

The city had become weak and was an easy target for their enemies. Nahum 3:12-13 says that their soldiers were like women. I don’t believe this is a negative statement about women, rather it is pointing to the fact that God did not create women to be warriors. I recently heard of a home invasion tactic to lure a woman to open her door. The invader uses a device that makes the sound of a crying baby and places it outside the door. The instinct of a woman is overwhelmingly focused on helping a baby in need. You can say all you want about women being as strong as men, but there are no women playing in the National Football League. Someday there may be a kicker, but I seriously doubt that will ever happen.

The lesson for me is simple. Like Nineveh there was a time when Jonah came and brought the message that I must repent or be destroyed. I repented and God moved mightily in to my life. But now that several decades have passed am I still strong for God or am I, like Nineveh trying to defend myself with my own weak designs rather than the power of God?

When I stand before the Lord He will not question whether or not I, like Nineveh repented “once upon a time,” but He will find out where my heart is today.

Yesterday’s repentance means nothing if today your heart is set against the Will of God. Repent again today!