The people of Nineveh were fierce. When they conquered their enemies they sometimes skinned them alive. They often chopped of their enemies’ heads and put them on poles around the city to warn others of their power and vengeance. It was no wonder Jonah fled when God told him to preach to these evil people. But eventually Jonah obeyed and the people escaped the judgment of God because of their repentance. (the Book of Jonah).
Jesus told the Pharisees, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed One greater than Jonah is here” (Mathew 12:39-41).
This was a slap in the face to the Pharisees. They considered themselves righteous and were nothing like the Ninevites. They were so blinded by their pride in following the Law of Moses that they refused to listen to the One whom Moses wrote would come, the Messiah. Pride blinds our eyes to the truth and will result in our destruction.
