Nahum: An Angry God

by WEBSTER, D.J. | Category: Minor Prophets? Major Issues! | Sept 2006

"It shouldn’t be allowed!" "They’re a disgrace!" "What they did is unacceptable." You just turned on the radio or television and know at once that somebody is pretty angry about something!

Rise and fall of a superpower

From obscure origins the Assyrians emerged to become the dominant power over seven hundred years from 1350 BC, bringing terror, war and oppression over a large area from Egypt to the Persian Gulf and north into Modern Turkey. Eventually establishing Nineveh as their capital, this arrogant, fierce and ruthless people terrorised its neighbours and brought fear into the small nations standing in their way. They destroyed Babylon, took out Damascus, shattered Samaria, bringing the Kingdom of Israel to an end, and conquered Thebes in upper Egypt. There seemed to be no stopping them. Cruelty was their trademark. They were merciless; torturing, mutilating and murdering those they conquered. They invented a new policy forcing the people they conquered to migrate in large numbers to other areas of their empire. While they were at the height of their power Nahum came protesting at the violence, deploring the terror and, above all, declaring a message from God that they were finished!

Within a short period of time, in 612 BC, the capital city of Nineveh was destroyed by the Babylonians, Medes and Scythians; and, by 609 BC, the Assyrian empire was completely overthrown.

Punishment

Nahum’s message was of ‘a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies.’(1) But that anger was balanced with His love and kindness to those who trust Him: ‘The LORD is slow to anger and ... will not leave the guilty unpunished.’(2). ‘... The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of [Nineveh]; he will pursue his foes into darkness’.(3)

Why is God angry?

‘From you, [O Nineveh,] has one come forth who plots evil against the LORD’.(4)

(1) Indignation! The people of Nineveh had experienced the mercy of God when Jonah had been sent with a call to repent which they had responded to.(5) That lesson had long been forgotten and yet God’s judgment was delayed. There is good news and bad for us in this too: our God loves to forgive those who truly repent, but an old revival is no good to us if we have gone back to bad ways! As Paul put it: ‘Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase?’(6) It is fearful to think of God’s attitude to nations which once embraced the Bible and feared God and who now enact laws and engage in practices which leave Him out of all their thoughts. It is an awful prospect to think of God saying ‘"…you are vile."‘(7)

(2) Zero tolerance! The Assyrians were notorious for bloody and brutal conquests, inhumane treatment and demanding tribute for ‘protection’.(8) God was not going to let them off with it. ‘Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.’(9) So does a nation! The Assyrians, like so many today, gave no thought to accountability. The Bible assures us that ‘each of us will give an account of himself to God’ (10) God does not tolerate evil today. The Lord Jesus paid the price to bring forgiveness: beyond that there is nothing but the bleak prospect of judgment.

(3) Scandal! Greed and exploitation characterised their trade – ‘You have increased the number of your merchants till...like locusts they strip the land and then fly away.’(11) Nahum cries out that morality and honesty have been neglected and the city was ‘... full of plunder, never without victims!’ (12) The God who sees injustice in all its forms takes note and will act to redress this.

What happened to Nineveh?

You just turn to the book of Nahum and know at once that somebody is pretty angry about something! Nahum is full of righteous indignation! God has the last word: ‘Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?’ (13)

(Bible quotations are from the NIV)

(1)Nah.1:2 (2)Nah.1:3 (3)Nah.1:7-9 (4)Nah.1:11 (5)Jonah 3:5-10 (6)Rom.6:1 (7)Nah.1:14 (8)Nah.3:3,10 (9)Gal.6:7 (10)Rom.14:12 (11)Nah.3:16 (12)Nah.3:1 (13)Nah.3:19

WEBSTER, D.J. | Sept 2006
Minor Prophets? Major Issues!