Luke 11:29-32
29 Now as the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it demands a sign, and so no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
31 The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
32 The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
The Sign of Jonah
A wicked generation that demands a sign
Jesus continued speaking words of rebuke to the Jews of His generation. They demanded a supernatural sign to prove that He was the Messiah. But Jesus called them “a wicked generation that demands a sign,” and answered, “no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah” (Luke 11:29). What is the sign of Jonah? Jonah 1:17 says, “And the Lord designated a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights.” Jonah was dead in the belly of the fish, but on the third day he was brought back to life. After Jesus was rejected as the Messiah, He gave no other signs to draw out faith. Only His resurrection on the third day following His death on the cross remained as the one and only sign. The Jews sought a sign according to their own logic. But God gave a sign according to His own plan. This principle has not changed even now. Are you seeking proof according to your own logic? Did you know that if you accept God’s logic, from that very moment the message of the Bible will begin to open up to you in a marvelous way?
The Queen of the South and the men of Nineveh
Jesus drew two examples from the Old Testament to rebuke the Jews. (1) The Queen of the South refers to the Queen of Sheba. Sheba was a nation located at the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, in the region of present-day Yemen. She did not hesitate to undertake a long journey in order to meet Solomon (1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chron. 9:1). She would surely be astonished to see the Jews not believing in Jesus, who is far greater than Solomon, though He was right there among them. (2) The people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching. They would surely be astounded to see the Jews refuse to repent even after hearing the preaching of Jesus, who is far greater than Jonah. Truly, the people of Jesus’ time were “a wicked generation that demands a sign.” But what about us, the people of this generation? There has never been an age when the Bible was so freely available to be obtained and read. Through television, radio, magazines, books, computers, and every form of media, the gospel is being proclaimed. If even then people do not believe, how could they possibly make a defense before God? Let us repent of having been a generation lacking in gratitude and never satisfied.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, I have been one lacking in gratitude and never satisfied. Please forgive me. I believe that when I stand upon Your logic, Your will begins to become clear. Please open the eyes of my spirit. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.