Signposts

Matthew 12:39-40

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

What you and I are left with then is the testimony of the prophet Jonah whom the people will receive. Some of you are saying, 'Jonah lived so long ago; he is hardly relevant for today.' Speaking of receiving things, let us see about the ages. Such a thing is found addressed in Matthew 12:41-42 concerning both the queen of the South and the men of Nineveh. It seems then that these all, heeded wisdom while they had the chance. You might wonder at which so-called "evil and adulterous generation" these things will be. Matthew 12:19-21 provides several important clues. Here, Jesus is contrasted as the exact opposite as those of that generation. See, he makes no public outcry neither does he do battle with any. My, such a man is indeed the exact opposite of some of the children of the hood today. You know of them I speak. Such are always seeking yet never satisfied. Not content with plundering and running the streets they turn on the people at home. This is why God calls them both evil and adulterous. For it takes a special kind of person to go to where the bruised and hurting people are to ravage them more.

I know some of you do not believe me. Even now you say, 'my babies would never be capable of such.' I pray not, for this is one of every parent's worst fears. How often though do you see homes torn apart and hope snuffed out in the wake of unkind actions. Yet so God is not. See him even now as he nurtures the hurting and the bruised as tenderly as you would a flickering flame. To such an end will he bring victory from his judgment. Now I can well understand that all sorts of things happen in this life. To me it seems especially dark these days. But having such a God on your side is something that cannot be described by mere tongues of men. Here the text says only that his acts shall cause the Gentiles to rest upon his name.

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

For does not Aaron sound awfully like this prophet. Both have been found at the wrong place and time far from a land of unspeakable cruelty. Egypt at no time let any go save those which like Moses fled and were wanted dead or alive. Now I realize that Jonah's circumstances were slightly different. Remember, his calling to preach to the Ninevites who had once treated his people badly. Yet the focus is not on how these were treated. Some of you might say, 'to me it matters greatly.' You would almost think so until you remember how the Lord treated those which once crucified him. I know, the story is awfully busy. Jonah spent three days and nights in a whale's belly of all things. Now see the Savior three days and nights stay found within "the heart of the earth." Jesus and Jonah's story are listed side by side for a reason; they parallel each other. Indeed, they ought for the lesser bears witness till the greater be come. The origin shadows can be seen in Aaron's cut rod that budded. For therein what once was dead now supernaturally lives.

Since the sign of Jonah the people will receive, safe to say that Aaron's rod as a form of this sort of sign would be important also. So, then it seems both Jonah, Aaron, and the Lord should be held in high regard for their respective coming to life signs. Yet is not the Lord the greatest of all. See, these all are examples of what should have been were it not for the Lord. Had it not been for the Lord we would have been as them that perished. For only God could bring each one of them out. Not only that but each is left with a testimony. Aaron had his rod and Jonah his story. Jesus himself was left a testimony against all else. This is why you do not want to take selfies with a lion as one influencer did because some of you do too much watching your image and not enough of the cat. Since the Word has once been called a holy one of these, you are better off listening to it while you still have a chance. How many of you know that when he is done there will be a situation no more. Who else could bring life from death. You know it is God when what once was dead now lives again. It is just what he does.

The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation andcondemn it,because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

Notice too how Ninevah is discussed briefly. See, the men of Ninevah rising in judgment. Let me suggest, they already knew what had been determined of the Lord. Is it not just how some of us do though, always asking the Lord what he means when we already by now know. Herein God has allowed the test and the trial to come to both the men of Ninevah and this generation. Yet just as the rod budded, Jonah lived again, so the Son of Man stole death's keys and walked out never to be seen again. These too have heard the Word of the Lord. The trial has not been sent to destroy you but rather to deliver. How some of us need some deliverance from this generation, that, and the one yet to come.

For even so has God made a way where there was none before much as the streams in the desert bear witness. See, when the Lord calls 'rise up and come forth,' you had better answer. Then, even in judgement, will there be an overcoming left for you. So also, is the queen of the South mentioned here. For all her great wisdom and riches, she had heard of one greater than Solomon who referred to the Lord. Even now he is seen as the greatest of them all. He is the best revivalist that ever was, better even than all the wisest of all. In all Solomon's riches and his brokenness, he pointed them back to the Lord. So too did Jonah, be he but a sign and a wonder himself. Herein has victory been founded over judgement and an 'I'm wrong, Lord please forgive me' the chiefest of all them.