Nahum

The Book of Nahum has one simple message …

Nineveh is doomed.

The brutal Assyrian empire had crisscrossed the middle east, leaving carnage everywhere.

Nahum’s message of God’s judgment was good news to Assyria’s victims. The abuse would finally end.

Historical Context

Two minor prophets ago we saw God’s prophet Jonah preach at Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, announcing that if they did not change their evil ways, God would destroy Nineveh.

They did change their ways. And God forgave. He did not destroy Nineveh.

But now, 100-some years later, Nineveh has returned to her old, evil ways. Cruel conquest was the order of the day. Destruction for its own sake was the norm.

And this time, Nineveh refused to repent of her evil.

God’s Power to Judge

The prophet begins his oracle talking about God’s judgment.

A jealous and avenging God is the Lord;
The Lord is avenging and wrathful.
The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath for His enemies

– Nahum 1:2

Quoting from what God told Moses long ago¹, Nahum reminds us that God is patient, but not infinitely so:

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.

– Nahum 1:3a

He continues with several more lines about God’s unstoppable judgment; for example:

Who can stand before His indignation?
Who can endure the burning of His anger?
His wrath gushes forth like fire,
And the rocks are broken up by Him

– Nahum 1:6

He pauses to remind us that God’s judgment serves a purpose: it defends the victims…

The Lord is good,
A stronghold in the day of trouble,
And He knows those who take refuge in Him.

– Nahum 1:7

… before returning to the main message:

But with an overflowing flood
He will make a complete end of its [Nineveh’s] site,
And will pursue His enemies into darkness

– Nahum 1:8

You may think you are strong enough to fight off God’s judgment; but you aren’t:

Whatever you devise against the Lord,
He will make a complete end of it.
Distress will not rise up twice.

– Nahum 1:9

This message of judgment is also a message of comfort: judgment for the offender, comfort for the victim.

Behold, on the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace²!
Celebrate your feasts, Judah, pay your vows.
For never again will the wicked one pass through you;
He is eliminated completely.

– Nahum 1:15

Nineveh Will Fall

Judgment is coming! Go ahead, make your feeble fortifications.

The one who scatters has come up against you.
Keep watch over the fortress, watch the road;
Bind up your waist, summon all your strength.

– Nahum 2:1

But the invading army is unstoppable.

The chariots drive wildly in the streets,
They rush around in the public squares;
Their appearance is like torches,
They drive back and forth like lightning flashes.

– Nahum 2:4

Beautiful Nineveh will be sacked:

Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days,
Yet they are fleeing;
[someone calls] “Stop, stop,”
But no one turns back.

– Nahum 2:8

Everything of value will be looted.

Plunder the silver,
Plunder the gold! …
She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and waste!
Hearts are melting and knees wobbling!

– Nahum 2:9-10

Nineveh’s doom is because of her evil.

Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage;
Her prey does not leave …
Many killed, a mass of corpses,
And there is no end to the dead bodies;
They stumble over the dead bodies!

– Nahum 3:1, 3b

Others failed to withstand God’s judgment.

Are you better than No-amon,
Which was situated by the canals of the Nile? …
Yet she became an exile,
She went into captivity

– Nahum 3:8a, 10a

You can try to resist…

Draw for yourself water for a siege!
Strengthen your fortifications!
Go into the clay and tread the mortar!
Take hold of the brick mold!

– Nahum 3:14

… but you won’t be able:

There fire will consume you,
The sword will cut you down;
It will consume you as the creeping locust consumes a crop.

– Nahum 3:15a

There is no escape.

There is no relief for your collapse,
Your wound is incurable.
All who hear about you
Will clap their hands over you,
For upon whom has your evil not come continually?

– Nahum 3:19

Epilogue

Assyria, with its head at Nineveh, had caused terror and great harm in Israel and many other nations. God had graciously given them chances to repent. They did, once, put a pause to their bad behavior. But it was temporary, and now their presence was causing irreparable harm. God decided it was time to put an end to Nineveh.