At the time Nahum delivered God's message to Nineveh, Josiah was king of Judah and the Northern Kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians. Nineveh had been the capital of the great Assyrian who was now a threat to little Judah – now ruled by Manasseh, a puppet king controlled by the Assyrians.
The book is written by Nahum and is believed
to originate from approx. 630 BC.
Admittedly Nineveh repented to God when Jonah 100 years earlier had commanded them to do so. But it was not long before they were back to old habits. Unlike Jonah Nahum prophesied not of repentance. The destruction was now inevitable, God had had enough. This must have heard pretty crazy to most people, because Assyria was at the peak of their power. But God was not with Nineveh and thus the town was destroyed in spite of its material greatness.
The name Nahum means "comfort" - and the prophesy of complete destruction of Nineveh was word of consolation for Judah and others that live in fear of the evil and gruesome Assyria. Nahum foresaw many of the individual events that would happen to Nineveh under destruction. Moreover, the Prophet explained why it did not survive, it was a sin boulevard, full of terrible cruelty, lies and materialism (3:1-4).
An overview of the book:
- Certainty of imminent fall of Nineveh: Chap. 1
- The way the fall would happen : Chap. 2
- The reasons why this happens : Chap. 3
Admittedly Nineveh repented to God when Jonah 100 years earlier had commanded them to do so. But it was not long before they were back to old habits. Unlike Jonah Nahum prophesied not of repentance. The destruction was now inevitable, God had had enough. This must have heard pretty crazy to most people, because Assyria was at the peak of their power. But God was not with Nineveh and thus the town was destroyed in spite of its material greatness.
The name Nahum means "comfort" - and the prophesy of complete destruction of Nineveh was word of consolation for Judah and others that live in fear of the evil and gruesome Assyria. Nahum foresaw many of the individual events that would happen to Nineveh under destruction. Moreover, the Prophet explained why it did not survive, it was a sin boulevard, full of terrible cruelty, lies and materialism (3:1-4).
An overview of the book:
- Certainty of imminent fall of Nineveh: Chap. 1
- The way the fall would happen : Chap. 2
- The reasons why this happens : Chap. 3
What does this book show about the character and
nature of God?
From
chapter 1, verses 1-7 I find this about God:- The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage.
- He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies.
- The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.
- The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
What does this book show about God’s redemptive plan for mankind?
I think there is a prophesy of Jesus in 1:15 - where Nahum writes:
“Look! A messenger is coming over the mountains with good news! He is bringing a message of peace. Celebrate your festivals, O people of Judah, and fulfill all your vows, for your wicked enemies will never invade your land again. They will be completely destroyed!”
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