Nahum 2:1-13

Nahum 2:1‐13 ‘Our God reigns’ is the upbeat message of The difference between the two prophets is Nahum – it’s a little book with a lot to say unbelievable – they are poles apart: Jonah about the sovereignty of God. In our first preached revival, Nahum proclaimed ruin; study, we saw something of the awesome when Jonah preached, Nineveh was in a majesty of God; he’s a jealous God; he’s a God trough between the waves of its influence on whose integrity is intact; he’s a God of the world; when Nahum preached, the city limitless power; he’s a hands‐on, can‐do God; was riding the crest of its triumphs. Jonah he’s a God who can’t and won’t tolerate sin; offered them a way out, Nahum told them in fact, when men get too big for their boots there was no way back! Jonah is a superb and overstep the mark, he deals with them in illustration of the goodness of God, whilst his own way and in his own time. Nahum looks at the other side of the coin, he He may be slow to anger, but when he backs reminds us of the severity of the same God. you into a corner, it’s a case of one strike and The chapter divides into two sections – one, you’re out. The sensational fall of the mighty there is the siege of Nineveh in verses 1‐8; Assyrian empire is a classic illustration of that two, there is the sack of Nineveh in verses 9‐ age old principle. A quick look at the book 13. We’re left in no doubt that God is judge! tells us that God has it in for Nineveh, the I want us to look at verse 1, then we’ll skip capital and curse of Western Asia. And if God over verse 2, and go on to verses 3‐13. When is against you, you don’t stand a chance! we’ve done that, we’ll come back to verse 2 It was so different a little while before: when and end on a high note, something positive – Jonah preached, God showed mercy – the last something bright and beautiful. verse in his book is a question, ‘Should I not There is a timeless principle in the word of be concerned about that great city?’ I think God – Paul referred to it in Galatians 6:7, ‘a that gives us quite an insight into the heart man reaps what he sows.’ It’s worth noting and mind of God – he is people oriented, he that the Assyrians were a global superpower, has a passion and desire to see people in a they were top dog for many long years. They right relationship with himself. No wonder were absolutely ruthless in their quest for the message of the runaway prophet is seen power, they were viciously cruel in how they as a stirring missionary challenge to the treated people. I mean, they made Saddam church in the twenty‐first century. If God has Hussein, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and a burden for people, we should share it. Idi Amin in Uganda look fairly decent. They were notoriously bad, but these guys were 1 wicked to the core. One false move and you describes here is a full‐blooded assault on died a horrible death. Now their time has Nineveh – an attack where no quarter is come – and they get a taste of their own given, no prisoners are taken; it’s a bloodbath. medicine. Can you imagine the impact this must have Nahum warns them in verse 1 that the enemy had on Joe Public in Nineveh? He reckoned has them in their sights. The Babylonians are he was ok; he honestly felt he was coming, they’re on their way and they had impregnable, until he saw and heard this lot better watch out! In fact, Nahum taunts them getting nearer and nearer! Enough to give a little when he barks out orders to the any man the collywobbles! He must have people of Nineveh. These are words that the been terrified. military top brass would give their men – Verse 5 show us the fallacy of their last ditch these guys are manning the watchtowers, efforts to avert disaster. The elite troops of they’re in place, they’re on red alert. They Nineveh do what they have to do; for them, know the drill! though, it’s a case of more haste, less speed – ‘Guard the fortress, watch the road, brace we read that they ‘stumble on their way’. yourselves, marshal all your strength!’ Four They fall over their feet, they get in each commands – they didn’t quite fall on deaf other’s way – sounds like panic has gripped ears, but they might as well have; you see, the them! I get the feeling, they know their time people of Nineveh were so arrogant, so smug, is up. They’re too late; no point in closing the so complacent – they think they’re stable door when the horse has bolted! All of untouchable, they reckon their city is them stumble like drunks instead of marching untakeable. It’s a false sense of security! like heroes. Look at verses 3‐4: the advancing army are a We need to realise that Nahum prophesied all formidable force. Some of the details that of this – in other words, he told them what Nahum supplies are fascinating – red is the would happen before it took place! I reckon dominant colour! Their shields are red – that that verse 6 is one of those amazing events was meant to scare and intimidate the other that only the Lord could engineer – it side; they are dressed in scarlet – a clear happened just like the prophet said it would! indication that these guys are on a mission to Historians tell us there was a spell of heavy shed blood! The chariots are gleaming in the rainfall, the water levels rose in the Tigris and sun’s rays, they look like flames of fire as they Khoser rivers, the floodgates were overrun, dash here and there; their spears are strong, and that was it – the city fell! We need to and sure, and deadly. And these soldiers realise that Nineveh was built on the eastern know how to use them! What Nahum bank of the Tigris and the Khoser river ran 2 through the city. They were joined by a canal for their expertise at asset stripping – now, – in other words, what they spent years it’s happening to them! doing, God undid in a matter of hours! That’s Nahum says in verse 10 that she is ‘pillaged, the uncanny ability of God! plundered, [and] stripped’. Three words that There’s no way that the Babylonians can take increase the tempo, they up the stakes – a bit the credit for this momentous victory – we like: bad; very bad; very, very bad. The city read in verse 7 that ‘it is decreed that the city was ransacked, anything of value was taken; be exiled and carried away’. This nothing of any use was left. The city was achievement has the thumbprint of God sacked! The local people look on in absolute stamped all over it. The invaders were horror and dismay – their worst nightmare instruments in the hand of God to execute his has become a reality before their eyes: will – it’s what I said last time, God often uses ‘Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, sinners to fulfil his purposes. It tells me, when every face grows pale.’ You can see the God speaks, things happen! There is power anxiety etched on their faces! They are and potency in the word of God! frightened to death. God has wiped the smirk The people of Nineveh are on the receiving off their faces. The trouble is, they never end this time – for many a long year they thought it would ever happen to them – they were the oppressors, they were the ones who thought they were immune; they lived in a dished out inhuman and barbaric treatment; cocoon. It tells me that God always writes the now the tables are turned, they’re the ones last chapter in a man’s life! being carried into slavery! Nahum compares There’s a mega question in verse 11 … ‘where the process in verse 8 to water draining out of now is the lions’ den?’ The strength of a pool; there’s an unstoppable leak and they Nineveh was symbolised by lions; it was a can’t plug the hole! This is a resounding kind‐of mascot. It’s interesting to note, the declaration that when God is on the march, prophet refers to the various stages in the no one can stop him – his actions are development of lions: the full‐grown lion, the irresistible, and irreversible. The city was young lion, the lioness, and the cubs. The reduced from magnificence to mud! harsh reality is that the whole family of lions The wealth and priceless treasures in Nineveh would be completely wiped out – it would be is phenomenal – we see that in verse 9. In obliterated! fact, it would appear to be so great that no The savagery and skill of the lion is outlined in one could count it – an inventory would be verse 12; it was doing what came naturally – it impossible. They have accumulated so much was on the prowl, and when it got hold of over the years – the Assyrians were renowned something, it tore it to pieces.

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