NAHUM: GOD’S JUDGMENT OF NINEVEH

I: God’s Attributes Applied To His Judgment

(Nahum 1:1-14)

I. Introduction

A. Nineveh of Assyria had repented under Jonah’s preaching over one hundred years before Nahum was written, but their devotion to God had not been transmitted to their children, so the people of Nineveh had reverted back their past sins. (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, “Introduction to the Book of Nahum: Theme,” p. 1292)

B. Meanwhile, the Assyrians had destroyed Samaria of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B. C. and nearly captured Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s day in 701 B. C., so Assyria and its capitol of Nineveh were ripe for divine judgment.

C. God’s attributes are applied to Nineveh’s judgment in Nahum 1:1-14, and we view this passage for insight:

II. God’s Attributes Applied To His Judgment, Nahum 1:1-14.

A. Following Nahum’s brief introduction about his prophecy that announced the burden of the Lord concerning the judgment that God planned for Nineveh (Nahum 1:1), Nahum launched into a description of God’s attributes to explain why God was going to punish Nineveh with severity, Nahum 1:2-8:

1. God is righteous, so He is jealous of man’s devotion to Him as opposed to false gods, and He will take vengeance in great wrath against His wicked enemies, Nahum 1:2. (Ibid., ftn. to Nahum 1:1-8)

2. God is longsuffering, slow to anger, Nahum 1:3a. (Ibid.) This was evidenced in His willingness to send the reluctant prophet Jonah to evangelize Nineveh over one hundred years before Nahum’s prophecy!

3. However, God is also omnipotent, a God Who will not at all acquit the wicked, and God will have His way in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the mere dust of His feet, Nahum 1:3b. (Ibid.) God’s prophet then poetically described the vast power of God and His use of His power to level punishment upon His enemies, Nahum 1:4-6. (Ibid.)

4. However, God is also a good God, a strong hold in the day of trouble for those who trust in Him, and God acknowledges those who trust in Him to be able to protect them, Nahum 1:7. (Ibid.) This was evidenced in God’s deliverance of Jerusalem under good king Hezekiah when Sennacherib of Assyria brought up his army to surround Jerusalem, and God slew 180,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight and sent Sennacherib scurrying back home to Nineveh, cf. Isaiah 37:8-38.

5. God is holy, separate from wickedness, so He makes an overrunning flood and an utter end to the wicked like those who were dwelling in Nineveh in Nahum’s time, Nahum 1:8. (Ibid.)

B. Due to God’s attributes of righteousness, patience, omnipotence, goodness, and holiness, wicked Nineveh was going to be punished by the Lord with utter destruction under invaders as clarified in Nahum 1:9-14:

1. After Sennacherib of Assyria had failed to destroy Jerusalem, the Assyrians had continued to plot how they could destroy Jerusalem, a mistake since their plotting was actually against the Lord, Nahum 1:9. (Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 1498) God’s judgment was due for Nineveh, and it would be destroyed.

2. The people of Nineveh would be figuratively entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine so that they would be consumed like dry stubble, Nahum 1:10. In fulfillment of this prediction, when Nineveh was attacked in 612 B. C., the city’s people were confused because they were drunk, so they were consumed with the sword as if they were being easily, quickly burned up like stubble, Ibid., p. 1498-1499.

3. The one who had plotted evil against the Lord was either Sennacherib when he attempted to invade Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s day or an Assyrian king who ruled after Sennacherib (Ibid., p. 1499), but whoever this king was, he would prove to be a worthless counselor for the Assyrians, Nahum 1:11.

4. Though God had used Assyria to afflict His people in discipline, and though Assyria would be in full strength when they fell, the people of Nineveh would be cut down and pass away, so God would break the yoke of the Assyrians from off of His people and burst apart their bonds to Assyria, Nahum 1:12-13, Ibid.

5. Though the people of Nineveh had “desecrated the altars and temples of her defeated foes and carried off their images and idols,” Nineveh herself would no longer have her name perpetuated, and invaders would cut off her carved idols and God would make her grave, for she was vile, Nahum 1:14 ESV, NIV.

Lesson: God’s attributes required that in spite of God’s longsuffering with Nineveh in Jonah’s day, since its people had then tried to plot against and to and destroy Judah and her God, they would certainly and utterly be destroyed.

Application: May we not plot to rebel against God, for though He is longsuffering, in righteousness He cannot tolerate ongoing brazen rebellion, and His omnipotence and holiness requires that He harshly punish such sin.