Welcome back to Daily
Bread! Glad to have you back to study another book of one of the minor
prophets named Nahum. Do you remember the story of Jonah? You could call the
Book of Nahum the sequel to the Book of Jonah.
“For unto whomsoever much is given,
of him shall be much required.”
Luke 12:48
Nineveh had been
given the gift of grace and the privilege of knowing the one true God. Under
Jonah’s preaching, this great Gentile city had repented, and God had
graciously halted His judgment against them. However a hundred years later,
the prophet Nahum proclaims the downfall of this same city. The Assyrians
have forgotten their revival and have returned to their habits of violence,
idolatry, and arrogance. As a result, Babylon will destroy the city so that
no trace of it will remain -- a prophecy fulfilled in painful detail.
The destruction of
the capital city of Assyria however, is a message of comfort and consolation
to Judah and all who live in fear of the cruelty of the Assyrians. The name
Nahum in Hebrew means comfort or consolation.
The message to Nineveh.
The book of the vision of Nahum.
The Lord is a jealous God, and the LORD revenges;
the LORD revenges, and is furious;
the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries,
and He reserves wrath for His enemies.
When you get a
message from God, and it begins like this, it’ll get your attention, that’s
for certain! Now Nahum gives a very vivid description of God’s might and
anger to the people of Nineveh, as to tell them, God isn’t someone whose
feathers you want to ruffle. You really want Him on your side and after
trying His patience once, you ought to tread softly . . . or else!
The LORD is slow to anger,
and great in power,
and will not at all acquit the wicked:
the LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm,
and the clouds are the dust of His feet.
He rebukes the sea, and makes it dry,
and dries up all the rivers:
Bashan grows weak, and Carmel,
and the flower of Lebanon withers.
The mountains quake at Him,
and the hills melt,
and the earth is burned at His presence,
yes, the world, and all that live in it.
Who can stand before His indignation?
and who can endure in the fierceness of His anger?
His fury is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are thrown down by Him.
The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;
and He knows them that trust in Him.
But with an overrunning flood
He will make an utter end of that place,
and darkness shall pursue His enemies.
Then Nahum begins his warning to the people
of Nineveh. In God’s words he tells them that they won’t get away with their
vile ways.
What foolish things do you imagine against the LORD?
He will completely destroy your plans:
affliction shall not rise up the second time.
For while they be woven together as thorns,
and while they are drunken as drunkards,
they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
Nahum makes it plain that these people are
very deviant. You can almost picture them from his description, huddled
together, planning to do evil, but they won’t escape they fury of the Lord.
Now Nahum directs his message to the people of Judah.
There is someone among you,
that imagines evil against the LORD,
giving wicked advice.
Though they are quiet,
and likewise many,
still, they shall be destroyed,
when he shall pass through.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
For now will I break his yoke from off of you,
and will tear your bonds apart.
Now, Nahum tells Nineveh that God has made
the entire city barren, that none of their families will ever bear children
again. Their images will be destroyed and they will be buried in the house
of their gods.
And the LORD has given a commandment concerning you,
that no more of your name bear children:
out of the house of your gods
will I cut off the graven image and the molten image:
I will make your grave;
because you are evil.
And again, Nahum gives the people of Judah
comforting words from God.
Behold upon the mountains
the feet of him that brings good tidings,
that publishes peace!
O Judah, keep your solemn feasts,
perform your vows:
for the wicked shall no more pass through you;
he is utterly destroyed.
You can read more
about why the Lord is angered at the people of Assyria in the Book of
Isaiah, Chapter 10. Come on back soon, and we’ll continue on with Nahum’s
prophecy, right here at Daily Bread.
