Not my words, but His - see v. 1:2. He goes on to say that "the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. And why not? God had showed His mercy to Ninevah. He sent Jonah to preach to them - and to their credit, they repented. But then, they went back to their evil ways of mass cruelty, well beyond the death and destruction in war. They became filled with mass genocide and torture.
God was enraged and promised to repay them for their great sins. Is this the other side of a God of love or is this a sign of a God of love. Too many people see God as a permissive parent who looks the other way on sin. Is that love? To watch humans desecrate others and take no action? Is that love? I think not. Because God is love, He punishes sin - for the purpose of restraining evil, yes - but more importantly, to draw people into a relationship with Him - as Savior from the penalty of their sin and as savior from their sin.
The exploits of Assyria in cruelty expose what is in the human heart. God's reaction exposes what is in His heart - justice and love.
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