The pagans feared what the LORD might do if they threw Jonah overboard. Nonetheless, Jonah encouraged them. Once Jonah was in the ocean away from the pagans, the Lord made the sea calm. Seeing the power of God, they repented before the LORD and began to worship Him - they became believers! But Jonah was in the water and knew none of this.
After Jonah was saved, he said a prayer of thanksgiving. Included in his prayer was a slam against the pagans who serve idols. Most assuredly, he was thinking of the the former pagans on board. But little did he know that they repented.
The Book of Jonah speaks against unrepentant Israel, who had the Law and all of the blessings of knowing the LORD and His word. Yet, we see great repentance by the heathens on the ship and the Ninevites.
We, as Christians, need to be careful that we are continually living a life of repentance - as we are confronted with our sin, we must be willing to recognize our sin and walk from it - rather run from it. Unbelievers all over the world are repenting and receiving Christ as savior. Let's not get so haughty and forget that we are ALL sinners before our holy God. Just because we are privileged to grow up in a Christian home in a so-called Christian country, like Israel was in Jonah's time, we are not any better than anyone else. Those in our country who claim to be Christians because they grew up in a Christian household, have some sort of casual relationship with a church, and live as a pagan, need to heed the message of Jonah and realize God will actually treat them more harshly on the Day of Judgment for ignoring all of the spiritual benefits poured out on them.
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