Nahum: How should we prepare for the Judgment?
1:1-15, 3:5-7 (Pastor Heo)
1 A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
The LORD’s Anger Against Nineveh
2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. 3 The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. 5 The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. 6 Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him.
7 The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, 8 but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness. 9 Whatever they plot against the LORD he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time. 10 They will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine; they will be consumed like dry stubble. 11 From you, Nineveh, has one come forth who plots evil against the LORD and devises wicked plans. 12 This is what the LORD says: “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be destroyed and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, Judah, I will afflict you no more. 13 Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”
14 The LORD has given a command concerning you, Nineveh: “You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the images and idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile.” 15 Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.
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3:5 “I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. 6 I will pelt you with filth, I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. 7 All who see you will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh is in ruins—who will mourn for her?’ Where can I find anyone to comfort you?”
Main theme of Nahum = the prophecy of the destruction of Ninevah (the judgment of Ninevah).
This is the capital city of Assyria at that time (the greatest nation in that part of the world at that time). We can see this word “Ninevah” repeated at least 8 times (“Ninevah” and “Assyria” are virtually the same word).
- 1:1 “An oracle concerning Ninevah…”
- 1:8 “but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh…”
- 1:11 “From you, oh Nineveh,…”
- 1:14 “The LORD has given a command concerning you, Nineveh…”
- 2:1 “An attacker advances against you Nineveh…”
- 2:8 “Nineveh is like a pool…”
- 3:7 “All who see you will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh is in ruins!’…”
- 3:18 “King of Assyria, …”
This is the judgment of Assyria.
- In history, the Assyrians were cruel people who dominated that part of the Asian continent around 600BC. They were famous for the brutality of their treatment of other nations.
- The ultimate outrage happens in the 8th century BC when thousands of residents of the northern kingdom of Israel were carried to Assyria and resettled there.
- It developed between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers (upper Mesopotamia). It was the most powerful nation from 850-650BC.
Remember the story of Jonah? We studied it 2 weeks ago.
Yes, Nahum is the sequel story to Jonah – considering and handling the same issue with the same country (Nineveh, Assyria).
In Jonah, God called Jonah – prophet, missionary – go to Nineveh and preach the message I give you. Jonah disobeyed at first, but then obeyed via a supernatural experience – he finally preached a powerful single sentence sermon. “After 40 days, this city Nineveh will be destroyed.” But, the people repented, were saved, delivered, spared from the wrath of God. (760BC)
This revival in Jonah was short-lived. Not long after that, Assyria revolted again to their extreme wickedness and sinfulness. In history, Assyria attacked the northern kingdom of Israel in 722-721BC and totally destroyed it. Again, they tried to destroy the southern kingdom of Judah. They attacked in 700BC. Hezekiah was king at that time – very faithful and devout (2 Kings 18:5 “Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, there was no one like him – before nor after…”). So, he prayed earnestly to God for help and that night, the angel of the LORD went out and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. (2 Kings 19, Isaiah 37)
100 years later, they became brutal to their neighbors again. And that’s when this book Nahum was written – to warn of God’s coming destruction.
Nahum means “comfort” or “consolation” – this is a shortened form of Nehemiah (“comfort of the Lord”).
His name appears only this single time in the Bible (Nahum 1:1). He is from Elkosh – location unknown – though most scholars believe it was in the southern kingdom (small city) between Jerusalem and Gaza.
When was this book written? 620BC?
There is no mention of a king in this book, but there is mention of the destruction of Egypt (3:8-9). Egypt was destroyed in secular history in 663BC – this is a PAST event in this book.
3:8 Are you (Nineveh) better than Thebes (capital of Egypt), situated on the Nile, with water around her? The river was her defense, the waters her wall. 9 Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were among her allies. 10 Yet she was taken captive and went into exile. Her infants were dashed to pieces at every street corner. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were put in chains.
This passage means: Just as Assyria destroyed Egypt, so Assyria will be destroyed. The destruction of Assyria is seen as a future event (it will happen in 612BC by Babylonia).
So, the book was written between 663BC and 612BC. Got it?
Nahum is a very short book – 3 chapters. In EACH chapter, he prophesies the destruction and judgment of Assyria.
- Chp 1 – The destruction of Nineveh is decreed. (Very clear description of the character of God is given: 1:2-3)
- 1:7 “The LORD is good…”
- 1:3 “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power…”
God is kind, but stern. He is just and righteous, compassionate, but never leaves the guilty unpunished. So, Nineveh will be destroyed for its sin.
- Chp 2 – The destruction of Nineveh is described (again)
- 2:1-2 “An attacker advances against you…”
- Chp 2, Nineveh will be destroyed, but Judah will be recovered.
Nahum closes with God’s reasons/purposes for the coming destruction of Nineveh.
- Chp 3 – The destruction of Nineveh is deserved
- 3:1-7: Nineveh is characterized by cruelty, brutality, sinfulness, idol worship.
- 3:11-18: The city of Nineveh was fortified so well that defeat seemed impossible. But God declared that its destruction was inevitable. Nothing could hinder God’s divine wrath.
So, what lessons can we learn from this book?
Chp 2: God is a jealous God
We must be clear in knowing the attributes and characteristics of God. There are 2 sides to his personality (like 2 sides to a coin). He is kind, compassionate, slow to anger – and yet, jealous, vengeful, wrathful against godlessness and wickedness.
Eph 2:3 “Still we were by nature the objects of wrath. How can we escape from the wrath of God? How can we prepare to be saved from this wrath of God?”
Every Sunday in our confession of our faith – the Apostle’s Creed – we confess that Jesus comes to “judge the living and the dead.”
Heb 9:27 “Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face the judgment.”
Among us, there are some students. Do you like exams? We have loads of exams while we are students. As long as you are a student, you cannot escape them.
Is this examination a blessing or a punishment? Both. To those who work hard, blessing or opportunity for honor, reward, scholarship, etc. But to those who are unprepared, the exam is a penalty for shame, low record, failure, dishonor and loss.
Judgment is like that.
- Judgment is to man what exams are to students.
- The Word of God is to our spirits what food is to our bodies.
Heb 9:27 “Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face the judgment…”
How can we prepare to meet this reward/condemnation/judgment?
Only ONE way to prepare
There is only one way to prepare for the judgment and be saved from the wrath of God: to believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.
Remember, we always say this in one sentence, but there is a little different meaning here.
- Accepting Jesus as Savior = recognizing I’m a sinner and confessing them and accepting his saving power.
- Accepting Jesus as Lord = recognizing his ownership, mastership, kingship over our lives and accepting his mastery of our lives.
We cannot accept him as personal Savior without also accepting his as our personal Lord.
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved…”
Nahum 1: God is filled with wrath – it is aimed at those who reject Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Romans 3:25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
This Scripture means:
Yes, we know, the wages of sin is death. This is God’s Law. He is holy, righteous and just. So, he cannot break the requirements of the Law (it’s HIS Law). The wages of sin is death: somebody must die to pay the price of sin. The salary of sin is death.
God is holy, righteous, just, so he does not pardon/forgive sin simply on the ground of sinner’s repentance. To receive forgiveness, what must we do? Repent. 1 John 1:9
- But God cannot forgive your sins solely based on your repentance.
- God can forgive sin only when the penalty is first paid.
So, for him to forgive sin and pardon sinners at the same time, Jesus Christ took our penalty upon himself and paid the price for us.
Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
Let’s pray.
