God, the all-powerful Creator, comes to confront the nations and bring his justice on their evil. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, Copyright - Enduring Word | . 5 "Behold, I am against you," says the Lord of hosts; "I will lift your skirts over your faceI will show the nations your nakedness, And the kingdoms your shame. 11Ninevehs an anthillof evil plots against God,A think tank for liesthat seduce and betray. This is a great lesson. Following is a suggested outline of the book of Nahum: Most people are interested in the future. Nahum | Commentary | Michael P. V. Barrett | TGCBC - The Gospel Coalition Nahum is the seventh book of The Twelve. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Listen to the way Nahum describes the punitive action of the Lord: and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. Nahum also predicted a time of peace beyond this troubled world. The book of Nahum is a Prophetic Oracle. And that was precisely the message of the prophet Nahum, whose namealmost ironicallymeans "comfort" (cf. The book of Nahum serves as an example, both then and now, to encourage us that God does not take evil and injustice lightly. No doubt we all have felt overwhelmed by the darkness both within ourselves and in our world. Nahum taught that the Lord is a jealous and avenging God (1:2). Like a pile of dry brush,Soaked in oil,theyll go up in flames. In three short chapters we see that God will bring destruction to Assyria in such a way that has never been seen before. The Global Message of Nahum. Little is known about the prophet Nahum. Nahum 1:15: Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! This verse is similar to Isaiah 52:7, which in context is pointing forward to the time when the Kingdom of God will be established on the earth. Nahum J. Sidlow Baxter: Practically throughout it is poetic in form, and it is poetry unsurpassed for power of description. Today archaeologists are able to confirm with certainty that Nineveh existed, proving the authenticity of the city Jonah and Nahum were told to prophesy against. When he passes through. Nahum is a gloomy book, but its important to see how Nahums message addresses the tragic and perpetual cycles of human violence, oppression, and suffering. The book of Nahum has a double title. For while tangled like thorns, Nahum 1:7, "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.". 2 min read. Bible Journaling: Book of Nahum | JournalOwl Nahum 3:5, directed at Nineveh, reads: "'I am against you,'" declares the Lord Almighty. Its all over with Nineveh.Im gutting your temple. And burst your bonds apart.. Jesus Christ predicted that humanity would self-destruct if He did not intervene in the affairs of mankind (Matthew 24:22). Facebook users have started getting . - God is slow to anger and great in power. Worship and recommit to God!No more worries about this enemy. His longsuffering has limits. The character of the God who brings judgment. All rights reserved. The religious feasts of Judah, which God encouraged them to keep, should have reminded them of this coming king: Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Catholic Daily Mass - Daily TV Mass - April 23, 2023 | Starting at 8 a A Study of Nahum: The Comforting Love of God He was one of the few prophets who despaired when his listeners heeded his warning. This was not a harsh chastening; this was utter destruction to come upon the city. Greater Nineveh was about 30 miles long and about 10 miles wide. To instill a proper fear of God in the hearts of those who have presumed against Gods patience demonstrating to them that the temporary withholding of His wrath should not be misunderstood as the laying aside of that wrath. Not only that but Nahum also describes the downfall of the bad guys as good news for the remnant of Gods peoplea direct allusion to Isaiahs good news about the downfall of Babylon (Nah. The book of Nahum shows that God_______ us when we sin against Him, and He shows us______ when we call upon His name. Within the space of about 20 years of Nahums prophecy, an army of Babylonians and Medes closed in on the city and besieged it. Jonah had already uttered his message of warning, and Nahum was followed by Zephaniah, who also predicted . The Message Of Nahum Sermon by Daniel Austin, Nahum 1:1-3:19 Halleys Bible Handbook provides this information: The term Nineveh refers to a whole complex of associated villages served by one great irrigation system, and protected by the one network of fortifications based on the river defenses. Jonah's was a message of Mercy; Nahum's, a message of Doom. God promised: In Malachi, God denounces His people by raising the question of . Though Nahum also prophesied concerning Nineveh, his message is different; his message is about the coming judgement on this city. 2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; . Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. What caused some mining camps to grow into towns or cities? . Not long after the Assyrian city of Nineveh repented because of Jonahs preaching, the same city was denounced by Nahum for its godlessnessgodlessness which earned Gods righteous wrath. They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried: The dry leftover stalks of grass were ready to be devoured by the smallest flame. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. The sad irony is that Assyria will reap the very consequences of violence and destruction they had been sowing for years (Nahum 2:10-13). Verse Nahum 1:1. It is all full of lies and robbery (3:1). Your gods and goddesses go in the trash.Im digging your grave. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Jonah was the first about 120 years earlier. Nahum perceives God as Lord of all nations, speaks of Assyrian commission to punish Judah, and excoriates Assyrian policies as being against God's will, for which reason the announced upheavals will take place. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. But this book isnt just an angry tirade against Israels enemies. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. Start for FREE. Nahum announces that God's judgment is at hand and will bring justice to the nations. Nahum 1:7 - The Lord is good, he is a stronghold in the day of trouble So how does this compare to the book of Nahum? I mean, not a lot of people have actually read the book of Nahum, but they can be quick to quote these verses. When its destruction arrived, people would exclaim, "Nineveh is laid waste" (3:7). Nahum is a biblical book that Christians find easy to avoid. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. It touched me, so I would recommend it to anyone. Heaps of human bodies would be piled up in the streets (3:3), including children dashed to pieces (3:10). And, indeed, for many years the existence of Nineveh was uncertain, even regarded as a myth. THE COMFORTING EXAMPLE OF NINEVEH: WHEN YOUR ENEMIES HAVE GOD AS THEIR ENEMY, HIS WRATH BRINGS SWIFT AND TERRIBLE HUMILIATION AND DEVASTATION, Nahum 2:13; 3:5 Behold, I am against you, I. No one gets away from God.Why waste time conniving against God? But there remains a divine court of law. a. This page last updated: February 18, 2022, Nahum-Malachi, Holman Old Testament Commentary by Stephen Miller, Nahum, Habakkuk, & Zephaniah, New International Commentary on the Old Testament by O. Palmer Robertson, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, New American Commentary by Kenneth Barker. The Hebrew name Nahum means comfort or consolation. The theme of the prophecy is the fate and destruction of Nineveh, the one-time capital city of the mighty Assyrian empire, which had destroyed Israel and taken many inhabitants of the land captive (722 B.C.). tells of the wickedness which provoked the retribution, ending with the words, Upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?. Unlike Jonah, who was a messenger of grace to the city of Nineveh one hundred years prior, Nahum was a messenger of judgment. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. For those that trust in God and submit to His ways there will be refuge and comfort until His day of judgment occurs (Nahum 1:7). The Book of Nahum: Written for Our Day - Owlcation Amos concluded his prophecies of unrelenting judgment with a message of hope concerning Israel's future restoration. Q&A: Overview of the Book of Nahum Chapter 2 depicts the fall of Nineveh in vivid poetry, while chapter 3 explores the downfall of Assyria as a whole. The message of Nahum to the Assyrians is deeply haunting yet simple and goes something like this: God will utterly destroy, devastate, and humiliate you and your people for your blatant evil, bloodshed, and injustice upon the innocent. 2The Lord is a jealous(D) and avenging God;the Lord takes vengeance(E) and is filled with wrath.The Lord takes vengeance on his foesand vents his wrath against his enemies. (Individual-study students should . His execution of justice will be decisive, overwhelming, and unavoidable. Together they illustrate God's way of dealing with nations: prolonging the day of grace, in . Insight's Old Testament Handbook: A Practical Look at Each Book, Insight's Bible Application Guide: IsaiahMalachiA Life Lesson from Every Chapter, Gods Masterwork, Volume Four: An Invitation to ReturnA Survey of HoseaMalachi. Thanks for the good work you do. Nahum teaches that God does have enemies. The Global Message of Nahum | ESV.org We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Have you ever found your will to do whats right weakening as you became discouraged with what you saw in your life and in the world around you? In Isaiah, the good news is the coming of the Messiah. While Nahum is a short book of only three chapters comprised of 47 verses, we would be wise to pay attention to the message of Nahum. In Nahum, the good news is the defeat of the enemies of Gods people. . Thus says the LORD: The Lord takes vengeance on his foes. Revelation 18:9-19 shows how the kings and merchants of the earth mourned the fall of Babylon, but Revelation 18:20-19:6 shows how heaven rejoiced over the fall of the world system. This prophetic vision is addressed to the city of Nineveh, which happens to be the central hub for the evil and cruel Assyrian empire. He avenges his foes. Your name shall be perpetuated no longer: The city of Nineveh was once instantly recognized as one of the great power cities of the world. The same God had a retributive judgment against evil which is also redemptive, bestowing His loving kindnesses upon the faithful (cf. Could not the believer today, who is trapped or oppressed by sin, ask God to break the yoke of sin? Never miss a post! The overflowing flood was fulfilled both figuratively and literally. Example: NobodyhadntNobodyhad\overset{\textit{Nobody had}}{\cancel{\text{Nobody hadn't}}}NobodyhadntNobodyhad thought of that solution to the problem before. Yet even this chosen nation, called to be a kingdom of priests mediating Gods grace globally (Ex. As Nahum writes: Woe to the bloody city! One hundred years later, during the time of Nahum, the Assyrians had returned to their bullish ways, conquering the northern kingdom of Israel and lording their power over Judah in the south (2 Kings 17:16; 18:1319:37). The LORD has given a command concerning you: Discipleship, Evangelism, Faith, Gospel, Leadership. Chapter 2 describes the battle at Nineveh and the overthrow of the city in progressive stages. 1:56). In Hebrew, "Nahum" means comfort. After allowing approximately two hundred years of powerful Assyrian kings and rulers, God announced through Nahum His plans to judge the city of Nineveh. Avoiding the fierce punishment of the Lord is not dependent on ethnicity, class, intelligence, skin color, or family history, but on repentance and faith. And while drunken like drunkards, In a world beset by increasing warfare, strife, unhappiness, sorrow, hunger and many other disasters and calamities, it is vital that we keep the hope vested in the gospel message burning forever brightly in our minds. as the Babylonians rose up and began a rebellion that overtook Nineveh and brought down the Assyrian empire.