Nahum 1:1–8 ▫ Have We Finally Found a Really Minor Prophet?: Minor Prophet, Major God

God is just: the vengeance of God. God is impressive: the majesty of God. God is near: the goodness of God.

2021.02.08 Hopewell @Home ▫ Nahum 1:1–8

Read Nahum 1:1–8

Questions from the Scripture text: What is this prophecy called (Nahum 1:1)? Against whom? What is the scroll called? Whose vision? From what place? What does God declare about Himself in Nahum 1:2? What does He say three times? What does He say twice? What fact about Yahweh makes His vengeance and fury even more notable (Nahum 1:3a)? What fact about Him makes His vengeance and fury so dangerous? What makes His vengeance and fury sure—what will He not do (verse 3b)? What indicators has He given of the greatness of His coming vengeance and fury (Nahum 1:3-5)? What questions do Nahum 1:6a-b ask? What is the implied answer? How do verse 6c–d illustrate that answer? What other fact about Yahweh does Nahum 1:7a introduce? What does this make Him (verse 7b)? To whom—whom does He acknowledge and with whom does He identify (verse 7c)? But what is He going to do to Nineveh, with what (Nahum 1:8a-b)? What will pursue whom (verse 8c)?

From Nahum 1:2 (“adversaries”/ “enemies”) to Nahum 1:8 (“enemies”), we have a dreadful warning: there can be nothing more horrific than to be an enemy of God. 

How great is the jealousy of Yahweh’s vengeance (Nahum 1:2a)! How great is the fury of Yahweh’s vengeance (verse 2b)! How essential to His relation to His adversaries is that vengeance (verse 2c)! How sure and immense is the storing up of that vengeance (verse 2d)! How ominous the slowness of His vengeance’s coming (Nahum 1:3a)! Because how great is His power! How absolute is His justice (verse 3b)! What dreadful witnesses He has given us of all this, in His providence to the fallen creation (verse 3c–e)! The most impressive and stable creatures—yea, even all the creation together—are weak and flimsy even before these witnesses (Nahum 1:4–Nahum 1:5, Nahum 1:6c-d)! How foolishly impossible to think that a rebellious man could survive Him (verse 6a–b)!

This is dreadful news for Assyria, and its capitol city Nineveh (Nahum 1:1, Nahum 1:8). But Israel also have acted as an enemy (cf. Micah 2:8), which is why the Assyrians have devastated them (cf. Hosea 9:3, Hosea 10:5–8). So, why this horrifying “burden against Nineveh” (Nahum 1:1)? And how can there be such hope for Israel (Nahum 2:2), who have acted previously as an enemy? 

It’s true that Assyria was used by God to chasten Israel (cf. Hosea 10:10). But being used by God for good doesn’t free you to sin against Him! Most commentators focus upon the brutality of the Assyrians. And Nahum 3:1 does call Nineveh “the bloody city, all full of lies and robbery, whose prey never departs.” 

But when Yahweh of Hosts Himself says, “Behold, I am against you” in Nahum 3:5, it is because Assyria has sold nations and families through her harlotries as “the mistress of sorceries.” It’s her false religion—whether the Assyrian mythology, or (likely both/and) her trust in her own impressiveness—her saying with the nations, kings, and peoples, “We will not have this man to reign over us” (cf. Psalm 2:1–3; Luke 19:14). 

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men, which has as its bottom the unrighteous suppressing of the truth that God has made all things for His own glory (cf. Romans 1:18–21). Sorcery, being an attempt to have divine power without the divine Lord, is an act of enmity against Him, and trusting in either idols or military might is a form of it. Just because Assyria was providentially appointed for the chastening of Israel doesn’t mean they can get away with violence, idolatry, or sorcery.

But as the holiness and justice and wrath of God come into view, it’s the second question that perplexes: how can there be such hope for Israel (Nahum 2:2), who have acted as enemies of the Lord (cf. Micah 2:8)? The answer is in Nahum 1:7: “Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.” He has made provision of His own righteousness, for those who trust in Christ (cf. Romans 1:16–17). Christ has taken the enmity, so that those trusting in Him can have the righteousness (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21). 

That’s what is so amazing about Nahum 1:7. Yahweh is a stronghold in the day of trouble, when the trouble is Yahweh Himself! But, He brings enemies to a faith that ends the enmity, and He “knows” them instead as His friends. He saves His elect Israel (n.b. Romans 9:6–8) from Himself, by Himself, for Himself.

How have you acted as Yahweh’s enemy? How can you be safe from His wrath? Are you safe from His wrath?

Suggested songs: ARP98 “O Sing a New Song to the Lord” or TPH109 “O My God, Whose Name I Worship”

2021.02.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ Nahum 1:1–8

Read Nahum 1:1–8

Questions from the Scripture text: What is this prophecy called (Nahum 1:1)? Against whom? What is the scroll called? Whose vision? From what place? What does God declare about Himself in Nahum 1:2? What does He say three times? What does He say twice? What fact about Yahweh makes His vengeance and fury even more notable (Nahum 1:3a)? What fact about Him makes His vengeance and fury so dangerous? What makes His vengeance and fury sure—what will He not do (verse 3b)? What indicators has He given of the greatness of His coming vengeance and fury (verse 3c through Nahum 1:5d)? What questions do Nahum 1:6a-b ask? What is the implied answer? How does  verse 6c–d illustrate that answer? What other fact about Yahweh does Nahum 1:7a introduce? What does this make Him (verse 7b)? To whom—whom does He acknowledge and with whom does He identify (verse 7c)? But what is He going to do to Nineveh, with what (Nahum 1:8a-b)? What will pursue whom (verse 8c)?

Nahum takes us from the general to specific: general facts about God’s relation to His creatures (Nahum 1:2-3) and the impact this has upon them (Nahum 1:4-5), to what this means specifically for Nineveh (Nahum 1:8) and specifically for every reader and hearer of this prophecy (Nahum 1:6-7).

God uses an instrument like Nahum (Nahum 1:1)—but the point of the passage is not Nahum but Nahum’s God (Nahum 1:2-3). Among God’s perfections, in relation to a world that includes “adversaries and enemies” (Nahum 1:2), is the perfection of His vengeance. Among God’s perfections, in relation to a world that includes “the wicked” (Nahum 1:3), is the perfection of His righteous fury. Of course, the distinction between these two is not so stark, because His enemies are the wicked, and His fury is an expression of His jealousy and vengeance.

Behold your God! We like to say, “God is love.” But this is not His only perfection. Considering the context, we may also say with Nahum 1:2, “God is jealous.” “Yahweh is fury.” “Yahweh is vengeance.” Our flesh has difficulty wrestling with such characteristics of our God. But, the Spirit boldly sets Him forth before us.

Behold His power! We’re so impressed with whirlwinds and storms, which have their way with us. But, they are at the complete whim of Him Who has His way with them (Nahum 1:3). We cannot help what the clouds do to us, but He is so far over them as we are over the dirt that we don’t even notice until mama asks who tracked in some dirt.

Behold our world! The theme here is still God, but there’s a transition in the poetry in the end of verse 3, into Nahum 1:4, where the language pays more attention to the world as He impacts it. Seas, rivers, and mountains seem very grand and stable and powerful to us, but what are they doing in Nahum 1:4-5? Drying up, withering, languishing, quaking, melting, and heaving. 

From the general to the specific, Nineveh seems so stable and proud, but Nahum 1:8 tells us that it is in the same position as the world right before the flood in Genesis 6: about to be unavoidably (verse 8a), utterly (verse 8b) and relentlessly (verse 8c) destroyed.

But that brings us to the most important specificity, which is summarized in the rhetorical questions of Nahum 1:6 and the promises/declarations of Nahum 1:7. 

If this is the kind of God that the true and living God is, and if this is what impact His vengeance and fury have upon the most invulnerable created things, then who can stand before His indignation and anger (Nahum 1:6). The text demands that you and I each answer for ourselves, “certainly not I! I could never stand against His wrath!”

But if this is the level of His greatness, and if the only reason the wicked aren’t already destroyed is because He has restrained that anger for a time (Nahum 1:3a), then how great is the safety and the security of those whose refuge He is (Nahum 1:7). The only possible place of safety from Yahweh is Yahweh Himself!!

Goodness is also one of His perfections (verse 7a). Trusting in Him brings being joined to Him and identified with Him (verse 7c). So that His power works for us, rather than against us (verse 7b). He is a stronghold in the day of trouble. Yes, in all our temporary days of little troubles. But most importantly, He is a stronghold in that great day of infinite and eternal trouble for those who appear before Yahweh without Yahweh Himself—our Lord Jesus Christ—as their defense.

Romans 8:31–34. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

What place do God’s vengeance and wrath have in your understanding of and adoration of Him? In what troubles is He currently your refuge? How much do you live in light of the judgment day?

Suggested songs: ARP7B “God Is My Shield” or TPH389 “Great God, What Do I See and Hear!”