Nahum 1-3 Questions Friday, September 27, 2013
Nahum 1
vv.2-3 One hundred years earlier, the Ninevites had repented of their sins after hearing of God’s impending judgment through Jonah’s warnings. Because of this, God relented from His just anger and Nineveh was spared of destruction. The Ninevites’ repentance was short-lived however, and soon after, they returned to their sins again with greater intensity than before. What was God’s response to Nineveh’s revived wickedness? Are there some sins that I have repented of in the past and yet have returned to? What caused me to return to these sins of the past? What steps do I need to take in order to return to God in these areas?
v.7 “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him”
The historical reality during Nahum’s time was that Assyria had been the dominant oppressive super power in that region for over five centuries. Given this situation, what doubts might have entered the people of Judah when they heard these words from Nahum? On what basis did Nahum exhort his audience, the people of Judah, to take refuge in God? How can I apply these words to my life today?
v.8 Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire under whom Judah had been brutally subjugated for years. One commentator notes, “Of all the oppressive imperial powers that have stained the pages of human history from the past to the present, Assyria claims a place of pre-eminence among evil nations.”[1] Yet against this powerful empire, God proclaims his judgment and asserts his power to destroy evil. God is sovereign in all situations even against this seemingly invincible foe. How does this encourage me to battle against sins and temptations in my life that seem too powerful for me to overcome? Cf. 1 John 4:4
vv.9-12 Confident of her own might, Nineveh’s rulers dared to plot against God’s people. Assyria enjoyed its cruel subjugation of its neighboring countries for hundreds of years. Consequently Nineveh gained a false sense of security from her military prowess and its many allies. Yet God makes it clear that her sense of well-being was illusory, and that nothing would save her from His judgment that would be carried out at His timing. Are there some sins that I am compromising with in my life because I think that I am getting away with them? What are some ways in which I may have allowed a false sense of security to develop regarding some of my questionable actions? Cf. 2 Peter 3:9
v.12b “Although I have afflicted you, O Judah, I will afflict you no more.”
In what ways did God afflict Judah? What was God’s purpose in doing so? Are there ways in which God is disciplining me today? What needs to be my proper response to God’s discipline? Cf. Proverbs 3:11-12
v.15 Nahum joyfully anticipates the fulfillment of God’s judgment against Assyria. This indeed would have been good news for Judah! At last, they would experience deliverance from their cruel bondage and peace from their brutal oppressors. What is the good news that I have received? What bondage and oppression did God deliver me from? What did Nahum exhort the people of Judah to do in response to the good news they received? What needs to my response to the good news that I have received? Cf. Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15
Nahum 2
v.1 In this verse, Nahum mockingly calls upon Nineveh to prepare for battle. The sarcasm intended by Nahum seems obvious in the context of the rest of the chapter in which Nahum pronounces with certainty the destruction of this great city. Why was Nineveh’s preparations for war all in vain? What was the only course of action that could have saved Nineveh at this point? What are the things I pour my time and effort into apart from God? What will be the outcome of these efforts? Cf. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11
v.2 “The LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines.”
Embedded in the midst of these frightening words of judgment is this gracious promise of God to Israel. Although it was her sins that caused Israel to be destroyed by enemy forces in the first place, yet God promises to restore them to their previous state of splendor. Similarly, in what ways have I experienced God’s restoring and replenishing in my life (that which my sins have caused me to lose)? Cf. Joel 2:25
v.10 “She is pillaged, plundered, stripped! Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, every face grows pale.”
For those who have not surrendered their lives to God, when the end comes and judgment is inevitable, their reaction will be one of terror. Yet God gives all of us time to hear His words and to turn to Him now.
In what ways do people live as if judgment will never come? How would I live my life differently if I lived with the end in mind? Cf. Hebrews 9:27
Nahum 3
v.4 Assyria is compared to a prostitute who allured and enticed others, only to end up enslaving them. This was indeed a fitting metaphor that accurately described the Assyrian practice of enticing other nations into false friendships only to destroy and plunder them when their defenses were down. How does this imagery aptly describe the dangers of all temptations? Are there certain temptations that seem alluring to me right now? In what ways, can they end up enslaving and destroying me?
vv.8-10 Nahum compares the future fate of Nineveh with the past destruction of Thebes, the great southern capital of Egypt. Thebes was a superbly defended city and considered to be impenetrable by its citizens. Yet, it was Assyria that had conquered it and left it in ruins. Oddly enough, Nineveh didn’t learn the lesson of Thebes and thought of itself as invincible. What does the world offer as things that will make me immune to life’s unpredictable troubles? What examples from the media or society show me that these things are not infallible? How well do I learn lessons from observing their outcome?
v.19 Here the book ends with a note of irrevocable finality regarding Assyria’s future destruction. Nahum predicts that there would be wide-spread celebration in response Assyria’s defeat. One commentator notes, “let it be remembered that what is being celebrated is not a human victory, but a divine one… This is a celebration of a victory over evil and wickedness, which are offensive to God and all who love righteousness.” What attributes of God do His people celebrate with the predicted fall of Nineveh? As we end our DTs in Nahum, what lasting lessons and applications can I carry away?
[1] Craigie, Peter C. The Daily Study Bible Series: Twelve Prophets Vol.2 (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1985) 58.