DBG - September 27 - Nahum 1-3

We read in Jonah of the revival in the Assyrian city of Nineveh that forestalled God’s judgment on the city. We fast forward almost 150 years from then to the setting of Nahum. Here we read another prophesy of judgment to come upon Nineveh. This time there would be no repentance and no halting of God’s justice. It would fall to a coalition of forces led by Babylon in 612 B.C., after which Babylon is established as the dominant world power.

A few quick facts about Nahum:

In this chapter God’s judgment against Nineveh is announced.

vs. 1 – The introduction to the book.  Note that it is described as a book.  It is the only prophetical book that describes itself as such.  Perhaps it was delivered to its audience by way of pen and paper instead of voice.

vs. 2-6 – We begin with a description of God’s greatness in power and mercy.  None can stand before Him in His judgment.

vs. 7-13 – God’s protection and mercy of His own is described.  He delivers the righteous and destroys the wicked.  The evil counselor of vs. 11 is thought to be Sennacherib or his messenger Rabshakeh in II Kings 18:25-35.

vs. 14-15 – The judgment upon Assyria is described and its positive effect on Judah.

In this chapter Nineveh’s fall is foreseen.

vs. 1-10 – Here we see they downfall of Nineveh.  The people are warned to prepare themselves as the God who judges His own now executes judgment on their enemies.  The siege is described, with vivid pictures of the surrounding armies.  In vs. 6 it is noted that the flooding of the Tigris River in part destroyed the defenses of the city.  The city is described in vs. 7 as Huzzab (“fixed, established”).  That permanence that they claimed in pride is then turned upside down as the city is spoiled.

vs. 11-13 – God taunts the fallen city.  They had been a menace to the surrounding nations but now were nothing more than a pile of rubble.

In this chapter the justice of God’s judgment is defended.

 vs. 1-7 – The reasons for the terrible destruction of Nineveh are given. 

vs. 8-13 – In vs. 8 the city called No (Hebrew No-Amun) is better known today as Thebes, which is at today’s Luxor, Egypt.  The Assyrians under king Ashurbanipal conquered it in 664 B.C.  Concerning its destruction, see Jeremiah 46:25-26 and Ezekiel 30:14-16.  Just as the Assyrians had destroyed this ancient city and its allies, so would their own kingdom and Nineveh be destroyed.  They literally reaped what they sowed.

vs. 14-19 – Again Nineveh is warned to ready itself for the coming judgment.  No one would mourn its passing.

When judgment is averted, it does not mean that it will never return.  The Ninevites probably thought they were safe because they had avoided judgment in Jonah’s day.  But God is just and He is patient.  Just because He does not execute judgment immediately against our sins does not mean that He will not. 

Our hymn today first appeared in 1760 under the simple heading of “HYMN 42”.  It was written by Isaac Watts and is based on the opening verses of Nahum.

Adore and tremble, for our God
Is a consuming fire!
His jealous eyes His wrath inflame,
And raise His vengeance higher.

Almighty vengeance, how it burns!
How bright His fury glows!
Vast magazines of plagues and storms
Lie treasured for his foes.

Those heaps of wrath, by slow degrees,
Are forced into a flame;
But kindled, oh! how fierce they blaze!
And rend all nature’s frame.

At His approach the mountains flee,
And seek a watery grave:
The frighted sea makes haste away,
And shrinks up every wave.

Through the wide air the mighty rocks
Are swift as hailstones hurled;
Who dares engage His fiery rage
That shakes the solid world?

Yet, mighty God, Thy sovereign grace
Sits regent on the throne;
The refuge of Thy chosen race
When wrath comes rushing down.

Thy hand shall on rebellious kings
A fiery tempest pour,
While we beneath Thy sheltering wings
Thy just revenge adore.