INTRODUCTION:

The name "Nahum" actually means consoler, or consolation. Even though the book prophesies of destruction to Nineveh, it is certainly a consolation to God's people.

There are two things which give us a probable date for the writing of the book. First, it was written concerning the fall of Ninevah, and that city fell in 612 BC. Secondly, Nahum 3:8 mentions the captivity of "NO," a city in Egypt. That happened in 663 BC. Therefore, the book was written sometime between 663 BC and 612 BC.

The theme of Nahum is the destruction of Nineveh. More than a century before (somewhere around 770 BC), Nineveh had genuinely repented as a direct result of Jonah's prophecy and preaching. But now, the Assyrian nation had become greedy and cruel in war. This nation had been directly responsible for the downfall of Israel (the Northern ten tribes).

Even though God may use a wicked nation to bring chastisement upon His people, He will bring just retribution upon those who maliciously treat His people.

CHAPTER 1

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

Little is known of Nahum. But one thing we do know, he had a "burden" from the Lord.

As God's messengers, prophets receive "burdens" and they are to speak "comfort" to God's people. Remember that dear Christian. You have a "burden" from God concerning those who express no faith in Him. The "burden" is ETERNAL HELL! And it is YOUR calling to speak "comfort" to God's people while speaking prophetically, in love and truth, to the world.

2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

God is "jealous" FOR His people, and God is "angry" with those who maliciously mistreat His people. God WILL revenge His people and pour His wrath upon His "enemies." An enemy of God's "people" is an enemy of God Himself!

"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." (Ps 7:11)

God KNOWS the truth, the good and the evil! And He knows how to perfectly apply them at the appropriate time. While God allowed the Assyrian nation to chastise His people, it was a "burden" to Him. But all men are held accountable for their actions. It is not God Who causes men to act unjustly. It is SIN in and of themselves. And God will certainly "judge" all men for their actions.

Vengeance (revenge) belongs to God! (see Deut. 32:35, 32:41, 32:43, Ps. 99:8, Rom. 12:19)
Our problem, as humans, is that we often try to take that into our OWN hands!

Even when God brings retribution upon sinners, it is a "burden" to Him. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. 5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. 6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

God does not dispense his anger arbitrarily; nor does He act in immediate fury. God "holds" His anger, and uses it to accomplish His purposes with mankind. However, one must not think that because God withholds His anger that He is without power! God is ALMIGHTY in power!

When God speaks worlds are created! When God speaks worlds can also be destroyed! The obvious answer to both questions in verse 6 is NO ONE!!

7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. 8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

God is "GOOD!" He is completely perfect, holy and righteous in all that He does.

God "KNOWETH" all those who love Him and have committed their trust to Him. He knows their joy and their hurt; their happiness and sorrow. BECAUSE of this, God is a "strong hold" when we have trouble in our lives. He is the shelter to which we run when we face difficulty. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Ps 46:1)

A man and his wife were traveling along a highway in Texas. They saw a tornado approaching, so they pulled the car under an overpass. About a half-mile ahead, they could see a farmhouse being torn apart by the tornado. The roof was lifted off and blown away. Then the walls collapsed. Furniture was lifted in the air and carried away.

After the storm passed, the man and his wife wanted to be sure no one was left under the rubbage of the house. They drove to it, and began to look around. Soon they found a "storm shelter" under the house. When they opened the door and looked in, there was a man kneeling by a beam that had fallen into the shelter with him.

The man and his wife asked the farmer, "Are you all right? Was anyone else with you?"

The man answered, "I seem to be ok! There's no one else here but God; and we were having an URGENT conversation!"

When troubles come, and they do, we should run to our SHELTER and have an URGENT conversation with HIM!

God is the One Who will make an "utter end" of His enemies and ours!

9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. 10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. 11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor. 12 Thus saith the LORD: Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. 13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder. 14 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

As much as God KNOWS those whom have committed TO Him, He also knows those who are committed AGAINST Him!

Who is it that IMAGINES he can bring hurt or harm against God? Be sure that even the most powerful cannot bring harm to Him! Even though millions, even billions of people were to collaborate in evil toward God, He will PREVAIL!

It is God Who breaks the "yoke" of evil from us and sets us FREE! When Israel was in bondage to the Egyptians, they did not rise up in rebellion, nor in retribution. They simply PRAYED to God for deliverance. God did the delivering! So should it be in OUR lives!

15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

God says the "feet" of them who publish PEACE are beautiful (see Romans 10:15)

Remember, my Christian friend. When troubles come, be FAITHFUL to God. He SEES. He KNOWS. And He will DELIVER!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.