June 26, 2016

Three declarations about God God is jealous – Nineveh will fall God is judge – How Nineveh will fall God is just – Why Nineveh will fall

Nahum (Comforter; consolation)* Author Little is known of Nahum Date 663-612 BC during the reign of Manasseh Theme Nahum’s theme is the fall of Nineveh as the retribution of God against the wicked Assyrians of Nineveh Christ in this book Nahum sees Christ as the jealous God and avenger of His adversaries * Prophet to Judah (S. kingdom)

Timeline of Old Testament Prophets (During the reign of King Manasseh)

Elkosh (Approx. 900 Km.)

The burden against Nineveh The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies;

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.

Three declarations about God God is jealous – Nineveh will fall (Chapter 1)

2 God is jealous… God is not envious God is zealous over His name, and the worship and honour that are due to Him alone He will not share His people with false gods any more than a husband would share his wife with another

3You shall have no other gods before me. 4You shall not make for yourself a carved image…

…the LORD was “married” to Israel “jealous” {zealous} love. in a covenant relationship, and any breach of that covenant aroused His “jealous” {zealous} love. Wiersbe

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,

“slow to anger,” He could easily destroy everything. God is so powerful that if His anger were not a holy anger, and if He were not “slow to anger,” He could easily destroy everything.

He controls the forces of nature He opened the Red Sea for the people of Israel to march through He can turn off the rain and make the most fruitful areas of the land waste away

At Sinai, He made the mountain shake When He pleases, He can make the people of the earth tremble Various Commentators

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.

9 What, do you conspire against the Lord 9 What, do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time… 11 From you comes forth one who plots evil against the Lord, A wicked counselor.

14 The Lord has given a command concerning you: “Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the moulded image. I will dig your grave, for you are vile.”

15 Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.

To Judah, this meant that Assyria was completely destroyed and could never again invade her land. To us who trust Christ, it means that He has completely defeated sin, death and Satan, and that we are now free to enjoy the blessings of salvation. W. Wiersbe

Three declarations about God God is jealous – Nineveh will fall God is judge – How Nineveh will fall (Chapter 2)

8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, now they flee away 8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, now they flee away. “Halt! Halt!” they cry; but no one turns back. 9 Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, Or wealth of every desirable prize.

10 She is empty, desolate, and waste 10 She is empty, desolate, and waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; much pain is in every side, and all their faces are drained of color. 11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion walked, the lioness and lion’s cub, and no one made them afraid?

13 “Behold, I am against you,” says the Lord of Hosts, “I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.”

“Palace without Rival” 80 rooms 1680 feet long by 810 feet wide

That which was, is no more Palace of Senacherib That which was, is no more

Three declarations about God God is jealous – Nineveh will fall God is judge – How Nineveh will fall God is just – Why Nineveh will fall (Chapter 3)

Woe to the bloody city. It is all full of lies and robbery Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. Its victim never departs. 2 The noise of a whip and the noise of rattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering chariots! 3 Horsemen charge with bright sword and glittering spear.

5 “Behold, I am against you,” 4 Because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, the mistress of sorceries, who sells nations through her harlotries, and families through her sorceries. 5 “Behold, I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts;

16 Your merchants have multiplied until they outnumber the stars 16 Your merchants have multiplied until they outnumber the stars. But like a swarm of locusts, they strip the land and fly away. 17 Your guards and officials are also like swarming locusts that crowd together in the hedges on a cold day.

But like locusts that fly away when the sun comes up, all of them will fly away and disappear. 18 Your shepherds are asleep, O Assyrian king; your princes lie dead in the dust. Your people are scattered across the mountains     with no one to gather them together.

19 There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear of your destruction will clap their hands for joy. Where can anyone be found     who has not suffered from your continual cruelty?

What Next? …the people of Judah would have immediately taken hope in the idea that “Great Nineveh, their primary oppressor for generations, would soon come under judgment from God.

What Next? [They]…would have been comforted by declarations of God’s slowness to anger, His goodness and strength, and His restorative power. C. Swindoll

4for everyone born of God overcomes What Next? 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:4-5

Our God Reigns

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him Who brings good news, good news; Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness: Our God reigns, Our God reigns!

Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns!

He had no majesty That we should be drawn to Him. He was despised and He had no stately form, He had no majesty That we should be drawn to Him. He was despised and we took no account of Him. Our God reigns, Our God reigns!

Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns!

Out from the tomb He came His hands, His feet, His side Yes we know, with grace and majesty; He is alive, He is alive. God loves us so, see here His hands, His feet, His side Yes we know, He is alive.

Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns! Our God reigns!