The prophecy of Nahum is one of condemnation and judgment against the Assyrian city of Nineveh.
A sequel to Jonah
The message of Nahum provides a sequel to Jonah’s message, preached to Nineveh some 150 years earlier. Jonah proclaimed a message of repentance and the Ninevites responded.
In contrast, Nahum is a prophecy of condemnation and doom. Jonah declared that God is “a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, one who relents from doing harm” (Jonah 4:2). Nahum states God is “slow to anger,” but adds He will “not at all acquit the wicked” (Nahum 1:3).
Between them Jonah and Nahum reveal the twofold character of Yahweh; His “goodness and severity” (Rom. 11:22), and it is important for each of us to consider both these aspects and how they are going to impact us both now and in the future.
The man Nahum
Nahum’s name means “the comforter” and this provides a summary of his message, for though it is one of destruction and doom to Nineveh, it is one of relief to oppressed Israel.
All we know of Nahum is recorded in his book, and the details are very scanty. Nahum is described as “the Elkoshite,” and it is thought Elkosha was in Galilee. If he was of Galilee, he no doubt migrated to Judah, for his words of comfort are directed to the people of Judah as we read in 1:15 NKJV, “0 Judah, keep your appointed feasts, perform your vows.”
The name of the prophet is preserved in the name of the town the Lord Jesus associated with so much, the town of Capernaum, meaning “village of Nahum.”
The date of the book
From Nahum 3:8-10 we can conclude Nahum prophesied after the destruction of Thebes in Egypt. The monuments tell us Thebes, the old capital of Egypt, was destroyed by Assyria about 665 B.C. If Nahum was writing around 630 B.C., during the time of Hezekiah, which is commonly believed, then his reference to the fall of Thebes was a well-known event and understood by all.
The message of the book
Most of the prophecy is a condemnation of the enemy of God’s people.
A careful reading will bring out two very clear points:
- The character of God is repeatedly emphasized; and
- The behavior which God abhors is made very clear.
Chapter one covers the declaration of God regarding the coming judgment of Nineveh.
Chapter two covers Nineveh’s doom described.
Chapter three covers Nineveh’s doom deserved.
Chapter one
God is declared to be jealous, that is, He demands the full support and worship of men. Verse 2 says God will “take vengeance” on His adversaries — He is one enemy we must not have.
Verse 3 says God is “slow to anger” and “great in power” and this is exactly the type of person we would want for a friend and ally.
The last part of verse 3 to verse 6 describes God in terms of an earthquake that affects everything in its path. The language is terrifying and almost sounds like our own exaggerations at times. The Assyrians were being warned not to confront God; at the appointed time He would destroy the cruel Assyrians and their gods would not deliver them.
Verse 7 says that He is a stronghold in the day of trouble and He knows those who trust in Him.
Verses 8-14 list several features which characterized the Assyrians and which provide a warning for all time. The Assyrians “conspired” against the Lord, i.e. they joined forces to outwit the Lord, mistakenly thinking He was like themselves.
They thought they were safe from attack (v. 12) and passed the time in drunken feasts (v. 10), trusting in their false gods (v. 14).
Chapter 2, Nineveh’s doom described
This chapter presents a graphic word-picture of the sudden attack and destruction of Nineveh. (A good historical description can be found in Bible dictionaries.) In vivid detail Nahum described the savage joy of the attackers. He saw the walls broken down and the invading armies enter the streets of the city, slaying and destroying. The streets ran with blood.
The river Tigris rose in flood and the main defenses of the city were swept away in final destruction. Instead of a wealthy, powerful and populous city, there remained nothing but a desolation, with wild beasts sheltering in what were once the palaces of nobles.
Note in verse 2 it speaks about the Lord restoring the excellence of Jacob like the excellence of Israel. This kind of language leads to the idea of a latter-day application when the destruction of the latter-day Assyrian will bring about the restoration of Jacob (Israel).
Note verse 9 NKJV, “Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, or wealth of every desirable prize.” The Assyrians had brutally sacked and destroyed their enemies which left them with untold wealth. Now all that wealth was falling into the hands of the Meeles and Babylonians.
Chapter 3, Doom is deserved
History shows that of all the oppressors of Israel, Assyria was the most brutal. Wherever its armies went, they left a trail of pillage, bloodshed and ruin. The Assyrians were hunters and warriors, and when they turned to war, their persistent efforts at conquest gradually hardened the nation into a very efficient fighting machine.
One of their kings, Ashur-nasir-pal, has left a detailed account of his conquests, and they form a catalog of pitiless torture and destruction: “I took the city, their fighting men I put to the sword, and I cut off their heads. Many I captured alive and the rest I burned with fire. Heaps of corpses and of heads I piled up over against their city gate, and seven hundred men I impaled on stakes around the city. Their young men and maidens I burned in the fire, and I laid waste their city and turned it into heaps of ruins.”
Note verse 19 NKJV, “All who hear news of you will clap their hands over you, for upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?”
Three sins of Nineveh stand out clearly in chapter 3; its arrogance (verses 8-10), violence (verse 1) and wanton sexuality (verse 4). It sounds like a commentary on life today. Even if we don’t personally practice gross sins, do we enjoy them indirectly? How many beatings, killings and other violent acts have we watched at the movies and on TV lately?
Romans 1:32 (NKJV) makes it clear that viewing wickedness for pleasure is unacceptable. “Who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things (violence and brutality) are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
The breakdown of traditional family values has greatly contributed to confusing godly standards regarding sexuality. Our society has a very poor concept of right and wrong and it is unable to convey to its young people a standard of biblical morality.
Heed the message
The prophecy of Nahum clearly describes the types of actions which God abhors and which we must strive to avoid. Ultimately brutality and immorality will be judged and, like the Assyrians, we will not be exempt if we ignore the warning.
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