“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands” (Jonah 3:8 NKJV). Jonah at Nineveh is a good example of God hearing the penitent.
The Lord, through an inspired penman, directs our attention to the Old Testament prophets. “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful” (James 5:10-11). Highlighted is patient suffering in order to obey God. James noted Job as an example of suffering affliction and patience in that suffering.
Then, James observed Elijah, another prophet who is a great example from which to learn.
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:16-18)
Elijah was subject to discouragement like all of us. When Jezebel sent messengers to tell Elijah she planned to kill him, he was greatly discouraged (1 Kings 19:2). He prayed to God, “…It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4). Why would not being better than his fathers discourage him? The Lord did not hear (i.e., acknowledge and grant) that prayer to let him die. We know the Lord expects us to be better than men around us (Matthew 5:46-47). We read that Elijah at another time pleaded with God against the children of Israel, but God did not listen (i.e., act on) to his words (Romans 11:2-4). Elijah did not know there were still 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal; he lacked information about the whole picture that God possessed, and so, the Lord would not hear (i.e., grant) his plea against Israel.
God would not hear Jonah’s desires against Nineveh (Jonah 4:9-11); Jonah lacked pity on the souls who had repented. He told Jonah there were 120,000 (probably children) who did not know their right hand from their left. Jonah knew the hearts of the people of Nineveh that they would repent if given a chance. That was why God had sent Jonah to them in the first place.
In order to have our prayers heard, the divine rules say that our requests must fit into God’s work rather than our own (1 John 5:14-15). We need to plead with God for each other (James 5:16). We need to pray earnestly and fervently that we all might be healed spiritually. Furthermore, definitely, we need to rejoice at the conversion of every soul. Knowing this should make it much easier to pray even for our enemies (Matthew 5:44).
