Nahum 01 

 

Nahum 1 The oracle against Nineveh; the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite: 

 

An oracle is a heavy burden. Ninevah was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Jonah prophesied to the city of Nineveh a century earlier about their divine destruction, causing them to repent and turn to God. One hundred years later, Nineveh turned back to her evil ways. 

 

This vision was seen by Nahum. Nahum means “full of comfort.” Archaeologists have not yet discovered the town of Elkosh. This prophecy took place between 663-654 B.C. Nahum prophesied during the reign of the evil King Manasseh.

 

Nineveh was founded by Nimrod. By the time of Manasseh, Assyria was the most powerful nation of the ancient world.  The walls around the city of Jerusalem were 2.5 miles. The outer walls of Ninevah were 54 miles. The city was a total of 175 square miles.  The walls were 50 feet thick at the base. They were 12 feet wide at the top. Three chariots could ride abreast on them. There were 150 towers, which were all 200 feet high. The royal palace was so large, that the great hall was 40’ x 150’. The armory was so large, that it took six years to stock it. The main street in which Jonah walked 100 years earlier was 75 feet wide. Nineveh was indeed a large, powerful, and populous city.

 

2 The Lord is a zealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and very angry. The Lord takes vengeance against his foes; he sustains his rage against his enemies. 

 

Assyria made God angry by destroying Israel.

 

3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished. He marches out in the whirlwind and the raging storm; dark storm clouds billow like dust under his feet.

 

God is not impulsive, but He is patient, God was very patient with Ninevah. He sent Jonah to Ninevah 100 years earlier to warn Ninevah of her coming destruction, even though Jonah did not want to do it. Nahum was delivering the messages which Jonah did not want to deliver.

 

God has the power to execute His vengeance. For example, He controls all of the weather. 

 

4 He shouts a battle cry against the sea and makes it dry up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither; the blossom of Lebanon withers. 

 

Jehovah controls the water supply of all nations. Bashan and Lebanon were two regions which possessed watery plains from the Jordan River. During the three year drought in Israel, Carmen still possessed enough water for Elijah to challenge the 450 Baal priests.

 

5 The mountains tremble before him, the hills convulse; the earth is laid waste before him, the world and all its inhabitants are laid waste. 

 

God controls all dry land. He also controls all of humanity.

 

6 No one can withstand his indignation! No one can resist his fierce anger! His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire, boulders are broken up as he approaches. 

 

God does get angry at sin. He will pour His wrath out against those who sin. When God does get angry, no one can resist Him.

 

 

7 The Lord is good— indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him. 

 

God is a place of refuge for those who seek refuge in Him.

 

8 But with an overwhelming flood he will make a complete end of Nineveh; he will drive his enemies into darkness. 

 

When the Babylonians and Medes joined together to fight Assyria, they could not scale the huge wall.  Assyria celebrated with a drunken party. While Assyria was partying, the Tigris River over-flowed and destroyed two miles of the wall. The Babylonians and Medes rushed in and defeated the Assyrians.

 

God made a complete end of Assyria. It no longer exists today. 300 years after the destruction of Assyria, Alexander the Great would camp at Ninevah without even realizing his location. Assyria was not discovered again until 1845.

 

9 Whatever you plot against the Lord, he will completely destroy! Distress will not arise a second time. 

 

Jehovah will expos Ninevah’s conspiracies. Jehovah will completely destroy Ninevah. They will not be able to rise a second time to destroy Judah.  

 

10 Surely they will be totally consumed like entangled thorn bushes, like the drink of drunkards, like very dry stubble. 

 

Just as thorns and stubble are easily burned, so will Assyria be burned. Assyria was surprised, attacked, and burned to the ground during one of their drunken feasts. 

 

11 From you, O Nineveh, one has marched forth who plots evil against the Lord, a wicked military strategist. 

 

The king of Ninevah was plotting evil against Jehovah. He was a wicked ministry strategist.

 

12 This is what the Lord says: “Even though they are powerful— and what is more, even though their army is numerous— nevertheless, they will be destroyed and trickle away! Although I afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. 

 

Assyrian was powerful, well- armed, and possessed experienced soldiers. God allowed Assyria to destroy Israel, but not Judah. Since Assyria destroyed Israel, God will destroy Assyria.

 

13 And now, I will break Assyria’s yoke bar from your neck; I will tear apart the shackles that are on you.” 

 

God will use Assyria to destroy Israel and afflict Judah, but then God will free Israel from Assyria.

 

14 The Lord has issued a decree against you: “Your dynasty will come to an end. I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods. I will desecrate your grave—because you are accursed!” 

 

Assyrian kings desired that their names be remembered forever. Jehovah promised them that this would not be the case. Assyria will be destroyed permanently and these kings would be forgotten. They will receive a permanent grave. 

 

15 (2:1) Look! A herald is running on the mountains! A messenger is proclaiming deliverance: “Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah! Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God! For never again will the wicked Assyrians invade you, they have been completely destroyed.” 

 

A messenger is running on the mountains to give a very important message to the King of Judah. His message is that Judah can relax and live in comfort because the Assyrians have been destroyed. Therefore, Judah can begin to keep her sacred festivals to the Lord again without harassment from the Assyrians. The sacred festivals were Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. The first four spring festivals pointed to the first coming of Christ. The last three fall festivals point to the second coming of Christ.