Nahum 1
Dear RTB’ers,
Both the STS introduction and my Study Bible’s notes tell us that the book of Nahum is all about Nineveh and its judgment and destruction. We’ve seen Nineveh before, you’ll recall, in the book of Jonah. He was told to go there, went the other direction, repented of that error and finally did go. As he preached, much to his disappointment the Ninevites repented. Evidently that repentance did not last long, because now Nahum is speaking out against them and all they stand for.
Evidently the Assyrians were a wicked, evil people. Here’s a description from my Study Bible: “The Assyrians were brutally cruel, their kings often being depicted as gloating over the gruesome punishments inflicted on conquered peoples. They conducted their wars with shocking ferocity … The leaders of conquered cities were tortured and horribly mutilated before being executed. No wonder the dread of Assyria fell on all her neighbors!”
God had used Assyria in their defeat of the Northern Kingdom (Samaria, Israel) in 722 BC. However, no one gets a free pass from Him. After speaking of His vengeance in verse 2, Nahum lays out God’s ultimate position: The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. (v.3) The Assyrians will get theirs!
In the midst of Nahum’s denunciation of Nineveh, he offers some words of comfort for Judah and the Israelites. First, The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him. (v. 7) Then, Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.” (vv. 12-13)
More of Nahum tomorrow…
Blessings!
Fred