Introduction to Nahum

Nahum is written about the same city in which Jonah ministered.  Jonah had hoped that this city would be destroyed, but God spared the city due to the repentance Jonah’s preaching caused.  One-hundred years later, Nahum receives a prophecy from God that the city of Nineveh would fall.  When Jonah preached in Nineveh the nation was facing hardship and was in danger of falling.  Jonah’s preaching helped the nation to recover and become powerful once again.  However, that power led to pride and the following generations began to practice all kinds of cruelties.  Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria who conquered the ten northern tribes of Israel as so many prophets had warned.  However, Assyria was especially cruel to her victims and mutilated their bodies and tortured their captives.  God makes it clear that He will not tolerate this kind of disregard for people created in His image and especially not for his chosen people.  The book was likely written between the fall of Israel and the fall of Judah and gives us great assurance that God sees and cares about the oppression of His people.  God is just and will not allow sin to go unpunished.

NINEVEH’S FALL IS DETERMINED: God is all-knowing and nothing can be hidden from His sight.  He is also all-powerful, so nothing can escape from His judgment.  God has seen the sin on the nation of Assyria and specifically the city of Nineveh and He has determined to bring the nation down to destruction.  They had been blessed through repentance but had simply returned to their old sinful ways with the passing of time.  God’s anger and wrath had been kindled against this wicked nation and now Nahum declares God’s decision to remove them from power.  This fall of Nineveh has been determined because of who God is.  The nation’s complete disregard for the fear of the Lord would come back to haunt them.  God is an avenging God and He will wipe the memory of the Assyrians from the planet.  When we live in tolerance of our sin; we can be assured that God will bring about judgment.  It is ridiculous for us to think that we can, in some way, hide our sins from the Lord.  God’s character should always stand as a warning for us to take our sin seriously and seek for forgiveness through genuine repentance.  

NINEVEH’S FALL IS DESCRIBED: Nahum sees the future fall of Nineveh in details that only God could reveal.  Babylon would be the nation to take Assyria down and destroy the city of Nineveh.  At the time that Nahum writes, Babylon is under Assyrian control and it must have seemed impossible for this prophecy to come true.  God is the God of the impossible.  He has everything, including the rise and fall of nations and leaders under His control.  Nahum’s prophecy should have served as a warning for Judah as well.  God had sent many prophets to warn Judah that they too would fall to the nation of Babylon.  Sometimes it is easier to believe news about another country than it is to believe about our own situation.  The result of the invasion will be desolation.  Like a lion, Nineveh’s attacker will tear her apart and leave her broken. There are consequences to violence and oppression.  These types of nations do come to power but they do not last.  God looks for nations and leaders who will use their resources to help those who are poor and to promote peace.  He looks for individuals like that too.

NINEVEH’S FALL IS DEFINED: Nahum finishes his book by leveling three accusations at the nation of Assyria and city of Nineveh.  The brutality of the nation who would mutilate the bodies of their captives would be revisited upon them.  This violence that was rampant in the nation is one reason for the coming judgment upon the nation.  The second accusation was that of idolatry.  This is called harlotry in the book, but almost always is a reference to idol worship when describing a country.  The third accusation was that of corruption on the part of the leadership of the nation especially the leadership.  Nineveh was a strong and powerful nation who became very rich and prosperous.  Prosperity has ruined many more nations and families than poverty.  Wealth breeds a spirit of independence and self-reliance.  Poverty promotes dependence and trust in God.  Nineveh is about to see all of her wealth hauled off and all of her leaders piled in the streets.  The people of Assyria will be scattered to the wind and reap the consequences of their sinful lives.  We would be wise to be thankful for difficulties because they develop the character that God blesses and rewards.  Times of prosperity should promote gratitude in our hearts as well as careful evaluation in an effort to eliminate all pride.