👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽The Fasting of #Nineveh: A Lesson in Divine Mercy and Repentance
Beloved brethren in Christ, let us set our hearts upon the wisdom of the Holy Fathers and open our ears to the sacred teachings that have been passed down through generations. In contemplating the Fasting of Nineveh, we do not merely look upon an ancient event, but we witness the unchanging nature of God's mercy and justice, a lesson for all who have ears to hear and hearts to repent.
The Origin of the Fasting of Nineveh
In the sacred canons of our Holy Mother, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, there are seven fasts ordained for the faithful. Among them, the Fasting of Nineveh holds a place of great significance, calling to mind the repentance of an entire city that turned away from its wickedness and sought the mercy of the Almighty. This fast is observed on the tenth day of the year, a time set apart for deep reflection, contrition, and the seeking of divine favor.
Nineveh: The Great City of Old
The city of Nineveh, a name written upon the pages of sacred history, was established by the mighty hunter Nimrod upon the banks of the Tigris River. This city, magnificent in its splendor and strong in its might, is described in the Scriptures as a place of great renown.
The walls of Nineveh stretched for twelve kilometers, encircling a city adorned with palaces, temples, and markets. It was the heart of the Assyrian Empire, much like Oslo, Addis Ababa, or Stockholm in our modern times—an imperial city that commanded the affairs of nations.
But let us not forget, brethren, that Nineveh was not only known for its greatness in power but also for its greatness in transgression. For the Assyrians, descendants of Shem’s son Asshur (Genesis 10:22), had walked the path of wickedness, and their sins had risen as a stench before the throne of God.
The Assyrian Empire and Its Fate
Nineveh stood as the jewel of the Assyrian Empire, a nation that reached the pinnacle of its strength and expanded its dominion far and wide. The empire, in its might, conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and later even took King Manasseh of Judah captive, leading him to Babylon. Yet, in the providence of God, Jerusalem was not utterly destroyed, for the Lord had set His name upon that holy city.
In the days of King Hezekiah, the Assyrians, in their pride, raised their hand against the people of God and provoked the Most High to wrath. The might of human armies is as dust before the breath of the Lord, and so it was that in a single night, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. The morning light revealed the truth—where there was once the clamor of a great army, now lay only the silence of death. (2 Kings 19:35)
Sennacherib, the proud king of Assyria, who had boasted against the living God, fled to his city of Nineveh, where his own sons would later strike him down, fulfilling the judgment of the Almighty.
Yet Nineveh, despite its strength and power, could not stand against the judgment of God. In the year 612 B.C., the city was captured and destroyed by the Babylonian Empire, its glory turned to dust, and its walls reduced to rubble. Thus did the mighty fall, and thus did the words of the prophets come to pass.
The Significance of the Fast
Beloved, why do we fast the Fast of Nineveh? Is it not to remember the mercy of God? Is it not to recall that no sin is too great to be forgiven when true repentance is found in the heart of man?
The people of Nineveh, though steeped in wickedness, humbled themselves before the Lord. When Jonah, the reluctant prophet, preached in their streets, they did not harden their hearts, but they tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and fasted, from the least to the greatest. Even the king rose from his throne, covered himself in ashes, and decreed a fast for all. And what did God do? In His infinite compassion, He turned away His wrath and spared them.
Continues👇🏽