John Calvin Commentary Jonah 3:1-2

"And the word of Jehovah came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." — Jonah 3:1-2 (ASV)

Here is set before us a remarkable proof of God’s grace—that He was pleased to bestow on Jonah his former dignity and honor. He was indeed unworthy of the common light, but God not only restored him to life but also favored him again with the office and honor of a prophet. This, as I have said, Jonah obtained through the wonderful and unique favor of God. As he had previously fled and, by disobedience, effectively deprived himself of all God’s favor, the recovery of his prophetic office was certainly not obtained through his own merit.

First, it must be observed that this phrase, The word of Jehovah came the second time, should be noted, for the word of God comes to people in different ways. God indeed addresses each of us individually, but He spoke to His prophets in a special manner, for He designed them to be witnesses and heralds of His will. Therefore, whenever God appoints a man to a special office, His word is said to come to him. Just as the word of God is addressed to magistrates because they are commanded to exercise the power committed to them, so also the word of God always came to the prophets, because it was not lawful for them to thrust themselves forward without being called.

The command now follows: Arise, go to Nineveh, to that great city, and preach there the preaching which I command thee. God again repeats what we observed at the beginning—that Nineveh was a great city, so that Jonah might arm himself with invincible courage and come there well prepared. For it often happens that many boldly undertake an office but soon fail because they had not sufficiently foreseen the difficulties. Therefore, when people encounter more hardships than they initially expected, they nearly faint, or at least they become despondent. The Lord, therefore, expressly foretold Jonah how difficult his task would be, as though He said, “I send you, a man unknown, of no rank, and a stranger, to denounce ruin not on a few people, but on a vast multitude, and to contend with the noblest city, so populous that it may seem to be a region in itself.”

We now understand then why this description of the city was added; it was so that Jonah might prepare himself for the contest, so that he might not later fail in the middle of his course. Indeed, this fear had frightened him at the beginning, so that he shunned God’s call; but now he is not moved in any way by the greatness of the city, but resolutely follows where the Lord leads. Thus we see that faith, once it gains ascendancy in our hearts, surmounts all obstacles and despises all the greatness of the world, for it is immediately added—