Nahum - A Neo-Babylonian Prophet

The host, Julie Callio, covers the minor prophet Nahum and his prophecy about the fall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. The prophet Jonah had previously preached repentance to Nineveh, but they fell back into wickedness. The northern ten tribes of Israel had been wiped out and replaced by people from other nations. Nahum received a vision of the Lord and predicted the destruction of Nineveh. The character of God is described as both wrathful and compassionate. The message of the Bible is that Jesus took on God's wrath on the cross. The rest of the book of Nahum contains warnings and judgments against Nineveh and the king of Assyria. There is no record of Nahum delivering this message in person. The main audience for the book of Nahum is the Jews. The podcast concludes with a call to listen to God's voice and obey. I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so very much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at theab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are covering the minor prophet Nahum, who prophesied about the fall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, which happened in 612 BC. Dr. Bett said this is the sermon that Jonah wished he could preach. If you remember, Jonah was a prophet to the northern ten tribes of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. He was the first literary prophet, also known as a classical prophet, that we've covered. The Lord sent him to Nineveh, which at that time was definitely one of Assyria's main cities, but this time with Nahum, it was the capital of Assyria. Jonah was to preach repentance, and they did repent unto the Lord over 100 years earlier, but just like Judah, that does not mean that they stay that way. We don't know exactly the time when Nahum received the vision of the Lord, chapter 1, verse 1, but in chapter 2, verse 2, it says the Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines. This gives us a clue that the northern ten tribes of Israel have been wiped out and sent into exile. The Assyrians also brought people from other nations to come and replace the Israelites in Samaria and surrounding lands, 2 Kings, chapter 17, verse 24. We know this happened in 722 BC. That gives us a 110 year window, but then in chapter 1, verses 9 through 12, it says whatever they plot against the Lord, he will bring to an end. Trouble will come a second time. They will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine. They will be consumed like dry stubble. For you, O Nineveh, has one come forth who plots evil against the Lord and counsels wickedness. This is what the Lord says. Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, O Judah, I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away. Now this makes me think of when Assyria tried to take Jerusalem. The commander blasphemed the name of the Lord and Hezekiah and Isaiah and Hezekiah's men prayed unto the Lord and the Lord intervened and fought for them. Hezekiah reigned from 716 to 687 BC, so in my mind, but scripture doesn't say it specifically, it happened after the reign of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 19 and 20, and possibly into the reigns of Manasseh and Ammon, 2 Kings 21, but others put it during the reign of King Josiah. But at least we do know that Babylon was growing and Assyria was weakening and will soon be destroyed. Starting with verse 2 of chapter 1, we see the multifaceted character of God, as Dr. Betz put it. The Lord is jealous, avenging, and wrathful, yet He is slow to anger, great in power. He will punish the guilty. He is Lord over all creation. He is a God of wrath that no one can stand up against. And yet, verses 7 and 8, 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. Also, as Dr. Betz said, these are not contradictory, but complementary. He also said, God's wrath is well-considered wrath. Ladies, the Lord doesn't just blow up because He's had enough. The prophet Jonah said of the Lord, after He was compassionate toward the Ninevites, I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Jonah was not happy about the Lord having mercy toward the Ninevites. The Lord asked Jonah a question at the end and said, You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city? Then they repented. But now they have blasphemed the name of the Lord, and their destruction is coming. One other thing that Dr. Betz said in class, and with this he spoke with such passion, The greatest act of God's vengeance that has ever happened did not happen in the Old Testament. It happened with His Son Jesus Christ on the cross as He poured out His unrelenting wrath upon His Son. We must recognize the important message of the Bible. Ladies, Jesus was the only perfect human to walk this earth. He was not worthy of any wrath. But He took ours, and the Father poured it on Him. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. That message is for anyone, from any nation, tongue, or tribe. The rest of chapter 1, the message sometimes is directed toward Nineveh, and sometimes to Judah. To Nineveh that judgment is coming. To Judah your enemy will be destroyed. Chapter 2, the message for Nineveh is an attacker is coming to them, and we know that's Babylon. In chapter 2 verse 13a the Lord says to Nineveh, I am against you declares the Lord Almighty. And then He described what He will do. With chapter 3 we have a woe to Nineveh. And then chapter 3 verse 5a again says, I am against you declares the Lord Almighty. And again a list of what the Lord will do. The last two verses address the King of Assyria. And it says, O King of Assyria, your shepherds slumber, your nobles lie down to rest, your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them. Nothing can heal your wound. Your iniquity is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps their hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty? Now one of the other differences between Nahum and Jonah is we know Jonah was sent to Nineveh and he did not want to go so he ran the other way, but eventually he went. There is no record of Nahum going to Nineveh to deliver this message. And Dr. Betts pointed out that with both of these books the main audience was for the Jews. This last sentence, everyone who hears the news about you claps their hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty? The Jews have felt it and soon they will clap their hands. It's funny that I did not realize how much Dr. Betts had affected my life until I did this podcast and it seems that I quote him all the time. I want to leave you with one more of his thought provoking quotes. He said, God is a patient God, but God is not a God of neglect. He will keep his promises both to bless and also to judge. Ladies, if you have heard his voice today, please don't harden your heart like the King of Assyria. Instead, let's be women who hear from the Lord and obey. Until next time, and thanks so very much for listening.