pentance They brought no
sacrifices or offerings, but sorrow, self-abasement, and amendment. The
characteristic sin of a great military power would be 'violence,' and
that is the specific evil from which they vow to turn. The loftiest
lesson which prophets found Israel so slow to learn, 'A broken and a
contrite heart Thou wilt not despise,' was learned by these heathens. We
need it no less. Nineveh repented on a peradventure that their
repentance might avail. How pathetic that 'Who can tell?' (ver. 9) is!
We _know_ what they _hoped_. Their doubt might give fervour to their
cries, but our certainty should give deeper earnestness and confidence
to ours.

The deepest meaning of the whole narrative is set forth in our Lord's
use of it, when He holds up the men of Nineveh as a condemnatory
instance to the hardened consciences of His hearers. Probably the very
purpose of the book was to show Israel that the despised and yet dreaded
heathen were more susceptible to the voice of God than they were: 'I
will provoke you to jealousy by them which are no people.' The story was
a smiting blow to the proud exclusiveness and self-complacent contempt
of prophetic warnings, which marked the entire history of God's people.
As Ezekiel was told: 'Thou are not sent ... to many peoples of a strange
speech and of an hard language.... Surely, if I sent thee to them, they
would hearken unto thee. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto
thee.' It is ever true that long familiarity with the solemn thoughts of
God's judgment and punishment of sin abates their impression on us. Our
Puritan forefathers used to talk about 'gospel-hardened sinners,' and
there are many such among us. The man who lives by Niagara does not
hear its roar as a stranger does. The men of Nineveh will rise in the
judgment with other generations than that which was 'this generation' in
Christ's time; and that which is 'this generation' to-day will, in many
of its members, be condemned by them.

But the wave of feeling soon retired, and there is no reason to believe
that more than a transient impression was made. It does not seem certain
that the Ninevites knew what 'God' they hoped to appease. Probably their
pantheon was undisturbed, and their repentance lasted no longer than
their fear. Transient repentance leaves the heart harder than before, as
half-melted ice freezes again more dense. Let us beware of frost on the
back of a thaw. 'Repentance which is repented of' is