Which Kind of Upside Down?
One little Hebrew word changes everything

Paul Durbin • Lead Pastor
August 21, 2026

2 Minute Read

When Jonah walked into Nineveh, he proclaimed a word that carried two very different futures: הָפַךְ (haphak). It can mean "demolished." It can also mean "turned upside down."

Jonah 3:4 (NIV) Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be הָפַךְ (haphak).”

Same word. Two outcomes. The Ninevites got to choose which one landed on them. And so do we.

Here's what I love about that Hebrew word. God's warnings are never just threats—they're always invitations. He tells us the truth about where our path leads, not to scare us, but to wake us up. Because the same power that could level a life can also transform one. The same word that spells destruction can spell rebirth. That's the gospel in a single word.

So the real question isn't whether God will turn things upside down. He will. The question is which kind of upside down you want. The kind that ends in rubble? Or the kind that ends in resurrection—where the old you is undone and a new you comes to life?

Nineveh chose the good kind. The king traded his robes for sackcloth and said, essentially, "Undo us, God." And God did. Not with destruction, but with mercy.

Today, that same invitation is on the table. Undo me, Lord. Turn me upside down.

176 | Which Kind of Upside Down Will You Choose?

In week three of the Jonah series, Pastor Paul walks us through Jonah chapter 3 and highlights how God is a speaking God who invites us to respond. He unpacks the Hebrew word hafach—which can mean either "demolished" or "turned upside down"—and shows how Nineveh chose transformation over destruction. Paul reminds us that God gives second chances, reroutes our missteps, and always keeps His word. The invitation is simple but powerful: hear God, respond in faith, and let Him turn your life beautifully upside down.

Paul Durbin • Last Friday
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August 21, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Which Kind of Upside Down?
When Jonah walked into Nineveh, he proclaimed a word that carried two very different futures: הָפַךְ (haphak). It can mean "demolished." It can also mean "turned upside down." Jonah 3:4 (NIV) Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be הָפַךְ (haphak).” Same word. Two outcomes. The Ninevites got to choose which one landed on them. And so do we. Here's what I love about that Hebrew word. God's warnings are never just threats—they're always invitations. He tells us the truth about where our path leads, not to scare us, but to wake us up. Because the same power that could level a life can also transform one. The same word that spells destruction can spell rebirth. That's the gospel in a single word. So the real question isn't whether God will turn things upside down. He will. The question is which kind of upside down you want. The kind that ends in rubble? Or the kind that ends in resurrection—where the old you is undone and a new you comes to life? Nineveh chose the good kind. The king traded his robes for sackcloth and said, essentially, "Undo us, God." And God did. Not with destruction, but with mercy. Today, that same invitation is on the table. Undo me, Lord. Turn me upside down.haphak

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Lead Pastor

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Paul Durbin

Lead Pastor