Yesterday I introduced you to the mighty city of Nineveh to which Nahum delivers his threatening message. I ended yesterday’s posting by telling you how the city of Nineveh struck great fear in the hearts of those who lived in Judah. But still, Nineveh was no match for God. And now beginning in verse two of chapter one, Nahum describes God in contrast to the mighty city of Nineveh. Charles Feinberg put it this way, “Against the ruthless invaders the prophet places before their eyes their own majestic and omnipotent God.” In so doing, Nahum give us four characteristics about God.
First, God is jealous (v2). Now when we think of jealousy we use the term in a negative sense. But the Hebrew word carries the idea of “zeal” or “burning desire.” God’s burning desire – His jealousy - for both justice and righteousness would result in vengeance and wrath toward Assyria. It is important to understand just how much Assyria had devastated the Jewish people. In fact, Judah had been terrorized by Assyria for over 300 years. Those who had repented under Jonah more than a century earlier had not been successful in passing down this repentance to their children and grandchildren. As a result, Nineveh had returned to their cruel and evil practices. That’s why Nahum uses words like “bloody” (3:1) and “evil” (3:19) to describe them.
In 722 BC, the Assyrians had destroyed Samaria, the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In 701 BC they had nearly captured Jerusalem and would have if God had not intervened. We read about this intervention in 2 Kings 19:32-26. Sennacherib, the Assyrian King, had laid a siege on the city of Jerusalem and it looked like all was lost. But overnight, as the Assyrian army slept, the Angel of the Lord went through the camp and struck down 185,000 men. When the others awoke the next mroning they found all of these dead bodies and Sennacherib led them in a quick retreat. Now Nahum is saying very clearly that God’s jealousy, his burning desire for justice and righteousness, would be shown. In fact, the certainty of His justice is seen in that Nahum three times in verse number two alone announces that the Lord will take vengeance. God is a jealous God.
Second, God is slow to anger (v3a). God will take vengeance but He hadn’t yet. Why? Because He is slow to anger. God hadn’t forgotten about this punishment. He wasn’t going to overlook these injustices. So why was He delaying? He was delaying punishment (and would continue to delay this punishment another 100 years after Nahum’s writing) because He always gives gracious time for people to repent. That’s why He had spared Nineveh for the last 100 to 150 years since the time of Jonah – because Nineveh repented. According to the New Testament, that is why His Son has not yet returned to bring final judgment on the world, because He is giving people more time to repent (2 Peter 3:8-9). Every day that Jesus does not return is another day that God has given man to repent and put their faith in the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Yes, Nineveh was great. Without question, the Assyrian Empire was strong. But they could in no way stand up against Jehovah. God is jealous – He will right all wrongs and bring justice to every injustice. He is also slow to anger. Why does He wait to judge? Because He is giving time for men to repent. Tomorrow we will see two more characteristics of this mighty God.
First, God is jealous (v2). Now when we think of jealousy we use the term in a negative sense. But the Hebrew word carries the idea of “zeal” or “burning desire.” God’s burning desire – His jealousy - for both justice and righteousness would result in vengeance and wrath toward Assyria. It is important to understand just how much Assyria had devastated the Jewish people. In fact, Judah had been terrorized by Assyria for over 300 years. Those who had repented under Jonah more than a century earlier had not been successful in passing down this repentance to their children and grandchildren. As a result, Nineveh had returned to their cruel and evil practices. That’s why Nahum uses words like “bloody” (3:1) and “evil” (3:19) to describe them.
In 722 BC, the Assyrians had destroyed Samaria, the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In 701 BC they had nearly captured Jerusalem and would have if God had not intervened. We read about this intervention in 2 Kings 19:32-26. Sennacherib, the Assyrian King, had laid a siege on the city of Jerusalem and it looked like all was lost. But overnight, as the Assyrian army slept, the Angel of the Lord went through the camp and struck down 185,000 men. When the others awoke the next mroning they found all of these dead bodies and Sennacherib led them in a quick retreat. Now Nahum is saying very clearly that God’s jealousy, his burning desire for justice and righteousness, would be shown. In fact, the certainty of His justice is seen in that Nahum three times in verse number two alone announces that the Lord will take vengeance. God is a jealous God.
Second, God is slow to anger (v3a). God will take vengeance but He hadn’t yet. Why? Because He is slow to anger. God hadn’t forgotten about this punishment. He wasn’t going to overlook these injustices. So why was He delaying? He was delaying punishment (and would continue to delay this punishment another 100 years after Nahum’s writing) because He always gives gracious time for people to repent. That’s why He had spared Nineveh for the last 100 to 150 years since the time of Jonah – because Nineveh repented. According to the New Testament, that is why His Son has not yet returned to bring final judgment on the world, because He is giving people more time to repent (2 Peter 3:8-9). Every day that Jesus does not return is another day that God has given man to repent and put their faith in the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Yes, Nineveh was great. Without question, the Assyrian Empire was strong. But they could in no way stand up against Jehovah. God is jealous – He will right all wrongs and bring justice to every injustice. He is also slow to anger. Why does He wait to judge? Because He is giving time for men to repent. Tomorrow we will see two more characteristics of this mighty God.
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