Nahum: A Bad News/Good News Prophet

721 BC, Assyria invaded and captured the northern kingdom of Israel.

680 BC, Assyria tried to conquer Judah, but God intervened and destroyed their army

From 858 – 612 BC, Assyria was the scourge of the nations around her. They were feared by every ancient nation for over 150 years.

Finally, in 612 BC, Nineveh was destroyed by the Medes and Babylonians, and so complete was their conquest that the ruins of the city remained uncovered until 1842.

The prophecy of Nahum is bad news for Assyria, but good news for Judah, and for other nations in the region of Assyria.

There was no hope for Nineveh; God’s patience had run out and His judgement was about to begin.

This is a message of hope to Judah, to encourage them to trust God at a time when fear and danger were all around them and they could be the next to fall.

Each of the three chapters tells us something about God and also about the fall of the Assyrian capital.

Judah, as the people of God, needed to know; as we the church need to know:• God is in control• God is both mighty and kind• God is avenging and forgiving• God is jealous and loving• God judges with equity, fairness and

good reason

Nahum = “comfort”, “consolation”. It is the shortened form of “Nehemiah” (Comfort of Yahweh)

1. The God Who Judges (Nahum 1:1 – 2:2)

His Character (1:2-3a; 7,8,13,14)• Jealous

• Slow to Anger,• Good • Powerful • Gracious

Chapter 2 is a vivid picture of the invasion of the city by the Medes and Babylonians.

2. The God Who is Just (Nahum 3)

His purpose for Judah was different than His purpose for Nineveh. God chastened, or disciplined Judah in love to teach her a lesson, whereas He destroyed Assyria for her persistent sin and unrepentance.

The epitaph of Nineveh might read: “Here lies the body of a greedy people, mistaken in its worship, perverted in its cruelty. It is gone but not missed. Its death brought peace as its life brought terror.”

This epitaph might be written on nations who were not unlike Nineveh in the last three decades and now are no more.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” Proverbs 14:34

Apply:

The Lord judges the sins of nations and the sins of individuals.

It is tragic to reject His warnings and persist in sin.

God will judge our oppressors; our part is to trust and obey Him.

Nahum 1:15 “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.”

Keep on worshipping the only true God, keep your promises to Him, God will utterly destroy the wicked unrepentant.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”