by John Thomas
In the last chapter of Jonah, we see God giving the people of Ninevah a second chance. Jonah is not happy about it. He has more concern for a gourd (plant) than he does for thousands of people. But God still gives them a second chance.
The story does not end there. We see in the book of Nahum that God is set against these people and they will be destroyed.
Nahum 3:12 - God speaks to the Ninevites - "All thy strongholds shall be like fig trees with the first ripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater" (KJV).
In our apparent richness and prosperity as a nation, (like a fig tree full of ripe fruit), we are "happy" and "prosperous"; yet if we are shaken, our fruits may be delivered into the mouth of our enemies. We need to set roots in God's rich soil and cling to Him as our strength. We are not to rely on our own fruits, seeing how they are easily consumed!
Even though God gives us second chances, we should not abuse His mercy. As in the case of the Ninevites, our false confidence in self can catch up to us; and God can set Himself against us, and deliver us to our enemies!
I Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
God is the only way to have true confidence in anything. If you rely on any man solely, even yourself, it is truly...
..false confidence.