Nahum

NAHUM

NAHUM 1: 1-9

FOCAL POINT: JUDGMENT AND RELATIONSHIP

INTRODUCTION:

NAHUM (COMFORT OR CONSOLATION) A HEBREW, WAS CONSIDERED A MINOR PROPHET AND CONTEMPORARY OF HABAKKUK AND ZEPHANIAH. THE ASSYRIANS CONTROLLED THE REGION AT THIS TIME. PREVIOUSLY, THE PROPHET JONAH BROUGHT THE AREA TO REPENTANCE BUT THE NATION REGRESSED IN TO ABJECT BRUTALITY, WICKEDNESS AND PRIDE UNDER ASSYRIAN CONTROL. NINEVEH FELL IN 612 B.C. MANY SCHOLARS DATE THE WRITING BETWEEN 663-6-12 B.C. TOWARD THE END OF HIS PROPHECY, HE STRESSED THE REALITY OF GOD’S UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY. NAHUM ALSO SPOKE COMFORT TO GOD’S PEOPLE UNDER THE CRUEL HAND OF THE ASSYRIANS.

EXPOSITION:

NAHUM 1: 1-3

VERSE 1: SOME VERSIONS USE THE WORD BURDEN (LOAD, LIFTING, BEARING, CARRYING, ORACLE, UTTERANCE) DO DESCRIBE THE PROPHET’S CONCERN.

THESE OPENING VERSES SPEAKS TO GOD’S ETERNAL, AWESOME POWER OVER ALL CREATION. ROMANS 1: 20 (NASB) “ FOR SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD HIS INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES, HIS ETERNAL POWER AND DIVINE NATURE HAVE BEEN CLEARLY SEEN BEING UNDERSTOOD THROUGH WHAT HAS BEEN MADE, SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE.”

VERSES 2-3 GOD WRATH WAS AGAINST THOSE WHO OPPOSE AND DISREGARD HIS GRACE, HIS ADVERSARIES AND ENEMIES. DEUTERONOMY 32: 34 (NASB) “VENGEANCE IS MINE AND RETRIBUTION. IN DUE TIME THEIR FOOT WILL SLIP; FOR THE DAY OF THEIR CALAMITY IS NEAR, AND THE IMPENDING THINGS ARE HASTENING UPON THEM.” ANGRY, YES, BUT NOT OUT OF CONTROL. THE NATION HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO REPENT!

HE WAITED A LONG TIME TO POUR OUT HIS JUDGMENT. 2 PETER 3:9 “THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME COUNT SLACKNESS, BUT IS LONGSUFFERING TOWARD US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.”

VERSES 6-9 NINEVEH WOULD BE LAID BARE AND EXPOSED TO PUBLIC HUMILIATION AND SHAME. JEREMIAH 1O: 10 (NASB) “BUT THE LORD IS THE TRUE GOD; HE IS THE LIVING GOD AND THE EVERLASTING KING. AT HIS WRATH THE EARTH WILL TREMBLE AND THE NATIONS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENDURE HIS INDIGNATION.” IN THE MIND OF ANGER, (ENOUGH IS ENOUGH) THE PROPHET PROCLAIMS GOD’S GOODNESS. THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR HIS RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY CAN ENDURE THE HARDSHIPS!

AGAIN, GOD IS IN CONTROL. ISAIAH 28: 2 (NASB) “BEHOLD, THE LORD HAS A MIGHTY AND STRONG ONE, LIKE A TEMPEST OF HAIL AND A DESTROYING STORM, LIKE A FLOOD OF MIGHTY WATERS OVERFLOWING, WHO WILL BRING THEM DOWN TO THE EARTH WITH HIS HAND.” WHO IS WISE ENOUGH, EXPERIENCED ENOUGH, STRONG ENOUGH AND IGNORANT ENOUGH TO DEFY GOD’S POWER? THE ANSWER IS, “NO ONE”. ISAIAH 28:2 (NASB) “BEHOLD, THE LORD HAS A MIGHTY AND STRONG ONE, LIKE A TEMPEST OF HAIL AND A DESTROYING STORM, LIKE A FLOOD OF MIGHTY WATERS OVERFLOWING, WHO WILL BRING THEM DOWN TO THE EARTH WITH HIS HAND.”

APPLICATION: WILL GOD JUDGE NATIONS? YES! WILL HE JUDGE INDIVIDUALLY? YES! HIS JUDGMENT IS BASED UPON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?

REF: THE BIBLE FOR BLOCKHEADS BY DOUGLAS CONNELLY, LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE, MACARTHUR’S STUDY BIBLE, THE ONE MINUTE BIBLE -HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE, NKJV STUDY BIBLE BY RADMACHER, ALLEN & HOUSE,, DR. CONSTABLE’S NOTES NO NAHUM, BLUELETTERBIBLE.COM