Read Nahum 1:1
Questions from the Scripture text: What is the first thing that this little book calls itself? Against whom is this burden? What else does the burden call itself? What does it say are the contents of this book? Who had this vision? Where was he from?
What sort of book is Nahum? Nahum 1:1 prepares us for the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Nahum is divine Scripture that hangs the weight of certain judgment around the neck of Nineveh, and all the enemies of God.
Nahum is another (cf. Jonah) three-chapter book dealing exclusively with one pagan city. That there is one of these in Scripture is surprising. That there are two sends the message that we should pay close attention. Whereas Jonah proclaimed the free offer of the gospel, and God’s care to all His creatures, and especially for sinful men, Nahum comes later, as a warning of what comes if we do not cling to God in repentance and faith.
The burden. Instantly, we feel the heaviness of the message. “Heavy” (“burden”) is the first word in the book. This warning is not being used to bring Nineveh mercy via repentance. It is tying a massive weight around Nineveh’s neck, which will surely sink it. And your sin will do so to you, too, dear reader, lower than the grave, if you do not take its warning and turn to God in repentance from sin and faith in Christ.
This introduction also tells us something about the way in which God is revealing this weighty Word.
The burden begins as a “vision.” That is to say, it is something that He shows to Nahum that he could not have seen in any other way. While unbelievers suppose Nahum has to have been written later, in order for the book to be aware of the doom of Nineveh, internal evidence puts the date between 663 and 654 b.c. “No Amon” is another name for Egypt’s Thebes, which fell in 663. But Egypt recovered Thebes in 654, so the comparison in Nahum 3:8–10, which implies that Egypt is still seen as unable to help Thebes, places the book before that date. What that means is that, at the time of writing, Nineveh is currently at the height of its military dominance and financial affluence. Its inevitable, horrific destruction wouldn’t make any earthly sense at the time, and certainly no one could have foreseen its downfall from there. But God gives a vision; He gives Nahum to see what no one could, apart from divine revelation.
But the burden continues as “the book.” It is written down for our instruction (cf. Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11). The Lord has breathed out, by causing to be written down, whatever we need to be furnished for every good work (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16–17). The God Who can effortlessly give visions, Who could have spoken to us immediately by His Spirit, has chosen to give us a book (cf. Revelation 22:18–19). The Lord has given you His Word in Holy Scripture, dear reader. But He commits His Word to writing so that we might be the more sure, and consider it with the seriousness due unto the very Word of God.
Comforting destruction. Considering the nature of the book, it may seem odd, at first, that the name of its author is, literally, “comforting.” But, Assyria had conquered the northern kingdom and has ruthlessly oppressed Judah for the better part of a century. God’s judgment is sure, just, and complete against all evil. The inevitability and completeness of Nineveh’s judgment is truly a great comfort to the people of God. God’s judgment is certain. Every evil will be fully repaid. And, for those whose sins have been atoned for by Christ, that is a great comfort.
Lasting significance. I would love to draw some help for making use of the book from the fact that Nahum is “the Elkoshite.” But we simply don’t know what to make of it. Elkosh is almost certainly a place, not a person or family. But, our best guesses at the location are either a city in Galilee, according to the early church, or southwest of Jerusalem, according to recent archaeology. For us, the lesson may just be that God knows, but we don’t. God saves, and employs, those who are insignificant to the world. Great Nineveh is going to be destroyed, but unknown Nahum, from unknown Elkosh, is redeemed and lastingly useful. May the Lord bless to us this little, heavy book, dear reader.
How have you responded to God’s warnings of the judgment due to your sin? What use do you make of the written Word of God? How do you take comfort from the doctrine of God’s sure and full judgment?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving us to know, from Your Word, what we could not have known in any other way. And thank You for giving us Your Word in writing, that we might be sure of it and treat it with all the weightiness of Your Word. Forgive us for taking Your Word too lightly. Forgive us, especially, for how lightly we have taken the warnings of Your Word. Finally, Lord, we thank You for the comfort of knowing that You will fully repay all evil. Forgive us for how we have not taken that comfort to heart, and have unnecessarily feared the wicked, or desired to take vengeance into our own hands. Thank You that You have atoned for our sin in Christ. For His sake, forgive us, and make us to be like Him, we ask in His Name, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP7B “God Is My Shield” or TPH385 “The Lord Will Come and Not Be Slow”
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