8/9/2019 Nahum Overview

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n a h u m : G o d s c e r t a i n j u d g m e n t

Westerville Bible ChurchWesterville Bible ChurchWesterville Bible ChurchWesterville Bible Church June 27June 27June 27June 27, 2010, 2010, 2010, 2010

In the late seventh century B.C., God gave a message to the prophet Nahum for the wickednation of Assyria, the same nation that had destroyed the northern ten tribes of Israel ahundred years earlier. His message, addressed to Assyrias capital city, Nineveh, highlights thecertainty of Gods judgment of wickedness.

There is another aspect of Gods justice and judgment: it brings comfort to Gods people,vindicating their faithfulness. And comfort is exactly what Nahums name means.

AAAA PSALM PRAISINGPSALM PRAISINGPSALM PRAISINGPSALM PRAISING GGGGODODODOD S JUSTICE AND GOODNES JUSTICE AND GOODNES JUSTICE AND GOODNES JUSTICE AND GOODNESSSSSSSS (1:2(1:2(1:2(1:28)8)8)8)....

These seven verses follow the pattern of a psalm, a song of praise to God for who He is andwhat He has done. This psalm highlights the contrasting attributes of Gods justice andgoodness. God is totally righteous, a terror to evildoers. God is always good, a comfort to His

people.

Gods justice is inevitable (1:2Gods justice is inevitable (1:2Gods justice is inevitable (1:2Gods justice is inevitable (1:26)6)6)6)....Gods goodness is indisputable (1:7Gods goodness is indisputable (1:7Gods goodness is indisputable (1:7Gods goodness is indisputable (1:78)8)8)8)....

GGGGODODODOD S JUDGMENT ONS JUDGMENT ONS JUDGMENT ONS JUDGMENT ON AAAASSYRIA AND GOODNESSSSYRIA AND GOODNESSSSYRIA AND GOODNESSSSYRIA AND GOODNESS TOWARDTOWARDTOWARDTOWARD JJJJUDAHUDAHUDAHUDAH (1:9(1:9(1:9(1:915)15)15)15)....

The scope of Nahums psalm about Gods justice begins to narrow. Now we have specific namesfor the groups who will receive Gods judgment (Assyria) and His comfort (Judah).

Gods judgment on Assyria is unavoidaGods judgment on Assyria is unavoidaGods judgment on Assyria is unavoidaGods judgment on Assyria is unavoidable (1:9ble (1:9ble (1:9ble (1:911)11)11)11)....Gods mercy on JudahGods mercy on JudahGods mercy on JudahGods mercy on Judah is comforting (1:12is comforting (1:12is comforting (1:12is comforting (1:1215151515.... ))))

AAAA GGGGLIMPSE OF THE FUTURELIMPSE OF THE FUTURELIMPSE OF THE FUTURELIMPSE OF THE FUTURE :::: AAAASSYRIA IS JUDGED BYSSYRIA IS JUDGED BYSSYRIA IS JUDGED BYSSYRIA IS JUDGED BY GGGGODODODOD (2:1(2:1(2:1(2:113)13)13)13)....Chapter two is written in the present tense, like reading tomorrows newspaper. Actually, itsmore like a news magazine from 605 B.C., when the final reinforcements from Egypt weredefeated by Babylon and Assyrian resistance was finally crushed. This chapter points out thatAssyria was not defeated because they had the lesser army, but because God was against them.

The battle is lost (2:1The battle is lost (2:1The battle is lost (2:1The battle is lost (2:112)12 )12 )12)....God is against them (2:13)God is against them (2:13)God is against them (2:13)God is against them (2:13)....

AAAA WWWWOE AGAINSTOE AGAINSTOE AGAINSTOE AGAINST NNNN INEVEHINEVEHINEVEHINEVEH (3:1(3:1(3:1(3:119)19)19)19)....

Chapter three is a woe against Nineveh, a sort of poem lamenting or sorrowing over thenation that was destroyed. Remember that when Nahum wrote it, Assyria was still a thriving,powerful nation. Nineveh would not quietly fade away into the history books; rather, it wouldbe a violent, pointed example of total destruction. No longer would anyone stand up proudlyand claim to be an Assyrian. Her destruction would rank as one of the all-time great militarydefeats in history.

Her wickedness was judged (3:1Her wickedness was judged (3:1Her wickedness was judged (3:1Her wickedness was judged (3:14)4)4)4) ....Her judgment is an example to others (3:5Her judgment is an example to others (3:5Her judgment is an example to others (3:5Her judgment is an example to others (3:57)7)7)7) ....Her destruction was like other colossal defeats in history (3:8Her destruction was like other colossal defeats in history (3:8Her destruction was like other colossal defeats in history (3:8Her destruction was like other colossal defeats in history (3:813)13)13)13)....Her defeat was unavoidable (3:14Her defeat was unavoidable (3:14Her defeat was unavoidable (3:14Her defeat was unavoidable (3:1419)19 )19 )19)....