Go back in time; go way back…

How did people share important information before the internet: before television, radio and newspapers? We had the telegraph. Earlier, America depended on the Pony Express. That is still not quite far enough back.

A town crier once heralded news and government edicts in the streets.

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.’ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown (Jonah 3:1-4 NASB).”

Well, Jonah wasn’t exactly ecstatic about his assignment; as a matter of fact he rebelled and ran when first given the task. When finally following through, the people were receptive and repented of their sins. The work of town crier or spokesman must not be taken lightly.

John the Baptist did not falter when calling people to repentance. 

“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 3:7-10 NASB).”

‘Hear ye, hear ye!’

Published articles in Mature Living Magazine, Devotions for the Deaf, The Secret Place, Coosa Journal, Mary Hollingsworth's The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter, Jo Krueger's Every Day in God's Word. http://www.pamforddavis.com
 http://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?