The Sign of Jonah
The Sign of Jonah. Nineveh, Queen of the South.
(The Gospel History, Section 95)
But when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, certain of the scribes and Pharisees, tempting him, answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee from heaven. 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 Jonah the prophet: for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. And even as Jonah became a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgement with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgement with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold a greater than Solomon is here.
The Sign of Jonah
(The Saviour of the World, Vol VI Book III Poem XXXVIII)
The people heard His words and, more and more,
They gathered close that they might nothing lose
Of that they late discernéd was their life,—
Aye, more than bread—the Word of God He spake.
Envious, His enemies hung on the crowd,
Devised a trap, a cunning net of words
Should catch Him to His fall.
“Master,” say they—
A group of Pharisees and scribes, well skilled
In subtle turns of speech which make appeal
To a man’s vanity, credulity,—
“With interest we hear Thy teaching new;
But, as Thou know’st, the new must needs be tried;
We, too, be masters in Israel; were’t fit
That prophets false and true, how know we which?
Should win our patient ear? Now, be advised;
Thou speak’st of heaven as one who knew the land,
Could summon its resources; do but bid,
And, lo, a sign celestial shall convince
The dullest and most hard.”
The Master heard,
And, as with lightning’s flash, instant revealed
Their hearts to those men—sorry sign for them,
Those moral men, of standing in the world!
Their life voluptuous of secret vice,
Few men could know of that, so crafty, they:
“Adulterous generation,” cries the Lord,
And sees them wince at the word;—“Ye seek a sign?
A prophet once was bidden to go forth
And preach to men as vile as you, to-day,
Of the Lord’s doom on sin; he tarried long,—
The city was a great one,—and, at last,
Took ship to flee God’s bidding. Ye all know
The end. As Jonah lay entombed three days
And nights, so shall the Son of Man. ‘Who, then,
This Son of Man, is He?’ ye scoffing ask:
As he once sent for sign to Nineveh,
Lo, One to you is sent, and ye see not.
Think ye a sign may come and go nor shew
Portent? I tell you, nay; who fails to see
The signal sent shall perish certainly
As ship struck on a rock for lack of care
To note the warning light for safety set.
“The men of Nineveh, sinners extreme,
Shall judge you of Jerusalem. One came
And bade, ‘Repent, ere righteous vengeance fall!’
The people turned, repentant; sat in dust,
Laid ashes on their head, and God forgave,—
For there were many children in the place.
One, more than Jonah crieth in your ear,—
‘O Israel! Behold, your God’s at hand,—
Humble yourselves that ye be not cast out,
Your sins upon your heads!’ Do ye give ear?
I trow not; ye go far in quest of Me,
Not for your healing, but to take My life;
Ye men of Nineveh, rise up and judge!
Remember ye that Queen, who journeyed far
For that she heard King Solomon was wise,
And words of wisdom knew she for the best
The world contained; so from the ends of the earth
Came she to gather counsel. Fools and blind!
What hinders you to wait on the Oracle
Of God who speaks with you? Consider then,
One greater far than Solomon is here!”
St. Luke xi. 29-32.
St. Matthew xii. 38-42.
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