In our time it is the hostility towards the church, and God's feelings are aroused at all that hostility which is wilful, which is against him ultimately. Therefore, he will judge, and that is the reason for the judgment. The Lord revenges himself and is furious. He revenges all conduct against himself, all rejection of himself, all sin against his light. The Ninevites had sinned against light. They had had that great message of Jonah. All who sin against his standards, his right to rule them, and against his people will all be judged, and in a very severe way. So there is mercy towards his people, and we shall see that particularly in verse 7, and there is judgment; he will reserve wrath for his enemies.
While there is often a delay and his patience is amazing, and he calls men and women to repentance repeatedly, so that people begin to think there may never be a judgment, this vision opens with this assurance that it will come. God will protect his honour and his character and his attributes and his standards and he will judge evil. It says here in the King James Version, ‘and is furious’. That means to say he has appropriate anger for these evils. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, his wilful enemies, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. There's been a delay, there always is delay in judgment, but never think it will not take place, it will not come.