Nahum Chapter 1 Treasures from the Book of Nahum
Nahum 1: [1]
The burden of Nineveh. The book of
the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
1) The Burden of Nineveh (1)
The word “burden” indicates a heavy message of
great importance carried with grief and sorrow.
Nineveh
was the place to which this prophetic message was directed.
Nineveh was the capital of the great Assyrian Empire.
About 100 years before this Jonah was sent by the LORD to
preach about the judgment of Nineveh.
The
Assyrians were a wicked and a violent people. They attacked surrounding areas
regularly.
They were extremely cruel to their victims:
-
Fillet victims
noses
-
Bury victims body
in sand and stake out the tongue
-
Boiled people
alive
-
Raped women and
mutilated their bodies
-
Slaughtered children
Jonah stood and said “yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be
overthrown.”
Upon hearing this message all of the Ninevites
repented and GOD sent His reprieve from judgment.
Thus the city of Nineveh was spared.
Now we come to the Book of Nahum.
About 100 years have passed since Jonah preached and the Ninevites repented.
Should Nineveh continue to live in a repented state, the
reprieve of GOD will continue.
Yet
the Ninevites strayed away from the LORD and fell
back into wickedness. (Jer 18:10)
I
think of England which once stood as a mighty beacon to the world as they lived
for GOD.
Yet
they strayed away from GOD and are not even considered a world leader anymore.
I
think of our nation, the USA. We once stood for GOD and right but we are
straying away from GOD.
Alexander
Tytler once stated that the average life of a great
civilization is about 200 years.
He
went on to speak of the stages of the progression of a civilization:
1.
From bondage to
spiritual faith
2.
From spiritual
faith to courage
3.
From courage to
liberty
4.
From liberty to
abundance
5.
From abundance to
selfishness
6.
From selfishness
to complacency
7.
From complacency
to apathy
8.
From apathy back
to bondage
Which
stage do you believe our nation is living in? Selfishness,
complacency, apathy or bondage?
This
is the picture that was given of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, as they
turned their back on GOD.
Nahum
will give the message from GOD to a city that has slipped back into sin.
We
will find that Nineveh is once again destined for the judgment of GOD.
Nahum
prophesied during the days of King Hezekiah of Judah.
In
the 4th year of Hezekiah, Assyria attacked Israel (the Northern
Kingdom) and carried Israel away.
2Kings 18:9-12
[9] And
it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah,
which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser
king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
[10]
And at the end of three years they took
it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
[11] And the king of Assyria did
carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah
and in Habor by the river of Gozan,
and in the cities of the Medes:
[12] Because they obeyed not the
voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses
the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Then
in the 14th year of Hezekiah, Assyria attacked Judah and Hezekiah
paid tribute to Assyria.
2Kings 18:13-16
[13] Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up
against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
[14] And Hezekiah king of Judah
sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from
me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And
the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents
of silver and thirty talents of gold.
[15] And Hezekiah gave him all
the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the
king's house.
[16] At that time did Hezekiah
cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars
which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
It
was at that time that Nahum, the prophet of GOD, is given not just a message
but a vision.
Nahum
means “comfort” or “consolation.”
Nahum
will foretell the destruction of Nineveh and his words are a comfort to the
people of GOD.
Nahum
is from a small village in Galilee called Elkosh.
The
city of Capernaum was named after Nahum.
Jesus
headquartered His ministry in Capernaum, after Nazareth had completely rejected
Him.
Certainly Jesus’ Words gave an eternal comfort!
Nahum 1: [2]
God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on
his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his
enemies. [3] The LORD is slow to
anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath
his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his
feet. [4] He rebuketh
the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth
up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
[5] The mountains quake at him,
and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world,
and all that dwell therein. [6]
Who can stand before his indignation? and who can
abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is
poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. [7] The LORD is good, a strong hold in
the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in
him. [8] But with an overrunning
flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue
his enemies.
2) The Banner and Glory of GOD
In verses 2 through 8, Nahum presents the very character
of Almighty GOD who will bring judgment.
A. GOD is
Jealous (2a)
He
will not share worship with any rival. He demands that His people worship Him
alone.
B. GOD is an
Avenger (2b)
Everyone
who opposes GOD and His work will not prevail. GOD will punish sin.
GOD
will send His governed fury, His righteous indignation & His divine
vengeance upon the offender.
Romans 12:19 “Vengeance is mine; I will repay saith the LORD”
C. GOD is slow
to Anger (3a)
GOD
is longsuffering and patient.
GOD
sent Jonah to preach the judgment of GOD to a sinful people.
When
they repented GOD forgave them and gave them a reprieve.
When
they fell back into sin, GOD waited patiently for them to repent.
Yet
there is a time and place that GOD will display His wrath. (Jer 18:10)
D. GOD is
Omnipotent (3b)
GOD
is great in power.
Ps 62:11 “power belongeth
unto GOD”
E. GOD is Just (3c)
GOD
will not let the guilty go out of love or compassion. GOD loves all people but
He hates sin.
Sin
must be accounted for. Every sin must be paid for either in Hell or at the
cross.
GOD
has never pardoned an unpunished sin.
F. GOD is in
Control (3d-6)
GOD
is the Creator and He will have His way in all things.
The
storms are under His control and they serve His purpose.
GOD
will dry up the fertile waters.
GOD
will cause the fertile places to be deprived of water and dry up.
(5) GOD
will send disasters such as earthquakes and fervent heat.
Global
warming is in the control of GOD! Calamities are in the control of GOD! There is no mother nature
(6) GOD
will pour His wrath out upon the offender and the offender will not escape.
G. GOD is Good (7a)
Ps 107:1 “O give thanks unto
the LORD, for he is good”
GOD
is good in all His plans for us.
GOD
is good and GOD is fair.
His
nature and His character are unchangeable and eternal.
H. GOD Protects (7b)
GOD
will protect His own. He is Shelter to those who will
turn to Him.
I. GOD is Omniscient (7c)
GOD
knows all things.
GOD
knows the difference between those who really trust Him and those who just say
they do.
J. GOD Judges (8)
GOD
cannot forever overlook sin and the rebellion of Assyria.
The
judgment of GOD will come like an overwhelming flood.
Thus
the wicked sinners of Nineveh were cast into outer darkness forever
(spiritually speaking).
Hell
is a place of fire and torment yet it is a place of spiritual darkness forever.
Darkness
is more fearful to me than fire is.
Matt 22:13
[13] Then said the king to the
servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer
darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Nahum 1: [9]
What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the
second time. [10] For while they
be folden together as
thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as
stubble fully dry. [11] There is
one come out of thee, that imagineth
evil against the LORD, a wicked counseller.
3) The Blasting Devastation of Nineveh’s
Army (9-11)
GOD asked Nineveh “what do ye imagine against the LORD?”
What do you plan or what do you conspire to do to my
people?
GOD
will make an utter end before the devisements of
the wicked will come to pass.
GOD
says “affliction shall not rise up the second time.” GOD will not
give a second chance.
In
verse 10, Judah looks at the surrounding Assyrian army as entangled thorns
impossible to break through.
While
Assyria assumes imminent victory and celebrates in pride, GOD says that He will
devour them.
In
verse 11, GOD says there is one that is a wicked counselor who plots evil and
intends to do harm. (Ps 2:1-4)
This
evil counselor wrote a threatening letter to King Hezekiah, Judah and the LORD.
(2Kings 19:14)
Nahum 1: [12]
Thus saith the LORD: Though
they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he
shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. [13] For now will I break his yoke from
off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
4) Beautiful Deliverance of Judah (12-13)
Judah
is surrounded by a terrible adversary namely the powerful Assyrian army.
All
Israel can do is pray and look unto the LORD.
GOD
says the Assyrians are many but they have come together as one to harm the
people of GOD.
The
Assyrians feel so secure in their position and strength that they are quiet.
GOD
had spared Nineveh, the capital of Assyria 100 yrs before BUT now Assyria will
not spare Judah.
Yes Judah deserved the chastising hand of GOD, but now
they have repented and pray to GOD.
GOD will protect Judah, GOD will restore Judah and the
power of the oppressor will be broken.
2 Kings 19:14,15
[14] And Hezekiah received the letter
of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house
of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
[15] And Hezekiah prayed before
the LORD
2 Kings 19:20-22
[20] Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus
saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast
prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
[21] This is the word that the
LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the
daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of
Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
[22] Whom hast thou reproached
and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy
voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
2 Kings 19:32-35
[32] Therefore thus saith
the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor
shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against
it.
[33] By the way that he came, by the
same shall he return, and shall not come into this
city, saith the LORD.
[34] For I will defend this
city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
[35] And it came to pass that
night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the
Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in
the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
GOD
smote 185,000 men of the Assyrian army in one night. Praise GOD the yoke of bondage was broken!
Nahum 1: [14]
And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name
be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the
molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.
5) The Bitter End (14)
GOD says to the King of Assyria, that no more of thy name
will be sown.
The name of the King was widely recognized as powerful
and influential.
GOD says I will embarrass you in the house of your false
gods and make your grave.
After
the blasting devastation of the Assyrian army, the King returned to the capital
city of Nineveh.
2 Kings 19: 36
[36] So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
[37] And it came to pass, as he was
worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons
smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.
The
sons of the King of Assyria killed their daddy as he worshipped his false gods.
His
false gods could not protect him from his own family, but the LORD GOD
protected Judah.
Nahum 1: [15]
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth
good tidings, that publisheth
peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall
no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
6) The Blessing of God’s People (15)
The tidings of this great deliverance shall be
published and welcomed throughout Judah.
This judgment of Nineveh’s army and its King was good
news to Judah.
GOD has sent this message of good tidings which will be a
great comfort to the people of GOD.
The very feet of such a one with comforting words are
considered beautiful.
Nahum said the good news is the defeat of the enemy of
GOD’s people.
Isaiah prophesied about the deliverance from Babylon and
the soon coming of the Messiah.
This was certainly considered good news.
Isaiah 52:7
[7] How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth
good tidings of good, that publisheth
salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
[8] Thy watchmen shall lift up
the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to
eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
[9] Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the
LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
When GOD sent a preacher to tell you about getting
saved and how to live for GOD it was good news.
Romans 10:15
[15] And how shall they preach, except
they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!
When
it was announced in Revelation 17 & 18 that Babylon had fallen
it was considered good news.
Babylon
is the Anti-Christ’s false religious system and one world economic system.
In
Revelation 18, all of the world mourned this collapse
of Babylon; yet, all of heaven rejoiced.
Revelation 18:20
[20] Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and
ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Revelation 19:1,5,6
[1] And after these things I heard a
great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory,
and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
[5] And a voice came out of the
throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both
small and great.
[6] And I heard as it were the
voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice
of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia:
for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Nahum
warns that the people of GOD need to continue to observe the commandments of
the LORD.
For
in doing so, the LORD will hold back the attacks of the enemy.
Nahum
is trying to provoke the people to do right.
Hebrews 10:24,25
[24] And let us consider one another to
provoke unto love and to good works:
[25] Not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one
another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Do we provoke folks to do right? Do we comfort
the people of GOD?
Friend
we must know that GOD will judge sin. He will make things right!