Nahum 1
Share
CHAPTER 1
The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh (1:1–15)
1–6 In this oracle or prophetic word concerning Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, Nineveh stands for the entire Assyrian Empire. Nahum describes the Lord’s anger against Assyria; he calls the Lord a jealous and avenging God who maintains his wrath against His enemies2 (verse 2). And yet God is slow to anger (verse 3); He is patient with sinners; He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (see Ezekiel 18:21–23). But though God is “slow to anger,” He will not leave the guilty unpunished3 (see Exodus 34:6–7).
In verses 3–6, Nahum uses figurative language to show that the Lord is indeed great in power and therefore should be greatly feared by those (like the Assyrians) who oppose Him.
7–11 The LORD is good; even as He is bringing judgment upon His enemies, He is also providing refuge for those who trust in Him (verse 7). God’s judgment and His goodness cannot be separated; indeed, God’s judgment is a manifestation of His goodness.
Judgment, says Nahum, is soon to come upon Nineveh like a flood (verse 8); here the “flood” symbolizes an invading army. In 612 B.C., about twenty years after Nahum spoke these words, an invading army of Babylonians and their allies attacked Nineveh and destroyed it.
No matter what plot the Assyrians try to carry out against the Lord and His people, says Nahum, the Lord will block it. The Assyrians had brought trouble to Israel(the northern kingdom) when they conquered it in 722 B.C., but they will not bring trouble a second time (verse 9); they will not be able to conquer Judah4 (the southern kingdom).
12–13 Here the Lord announces (through Nahum) that the Assyrians will be cut off and pass away (verse 12). God had used the Assyrians to punish His disobedient people,5 but now He gives Judah a word of hope:He will afflict Judah no more; He will break the Assyrian yoke from Judah’s neck6 (verse 13).
14–15 Nahum announces God’s judgment on Nineveh (Assyria): it will be utterly destroyed; no descendants will survive. The entire nation will go to the grave (verse 14).
Then, in verse 15, Nahum gives Judah a final word of hope: someone on the mountains (of Judah) is bringing good news—news of peace, news of deliverance from Assyria. Isaiah made a similar statement announcing Judah’s deliverance from the Babylonians: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news (Isaiah 52:7). The Apostle Paul quoted Isaiah in Romans 10:15 to announce another kind of deliverance-deliverance from SIN through FAITH in Jesus Christ. That is good news indeed.7
Nahum exhorts the people of Judah to celebrate their usual religious festivals and to fulfill the vows they made to God during their time of affliction (verse 15). Nahum assures them that the wicked (the Assyrians) will trouble them no more.
For the Judahites of Nahum’s day, it would have been hard to believe his promise of deliverance from Assyria. Assyria had dominated the known world for four hundred years. The northern kingdom of Israel had been swallowed up; the southern kingdom (Judah) was on the verge of collapse. God’s people were about to become extinct. And yet here comes this relatively unknown PROPHET Nahum, who announces that the end is coming—not for Judah but for Assyria! Nahum teaches us that the final word of history will come from God, not from Assyria or Babylon or Rome—or any other human power.