The Burden of Ninevah
Many know the story of Jonah and his journey to Nineveh to proclaim the gospel. Nineveh was very wicked at that time, but they repented and turned to God. God in His mercy spared the city. Unfortunately, down the road they once again turned back to their wicked ways and now Nahum was to proclaim the judgment of God upon them.
Nahum 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
Whenever we find the word “burden” in this association it means oracle, a speech of doom; it is never connected with blessing, hope, enlarged opportunity, or expanded liberty; it always means that judgment is swiftly coming, and may at any moment burst upon the thing that is doomed. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Could this be where our country/the world stands now? Is judgment swiftly coming? Are we doomed? Oh how I cry out for God’s mercy on us just a little while longer. There are many yet who need to be saved!
This book is all about Nineveh and God’s wrath and judgement to quickly fall on them because extreme vileness.
GOD:
Nahum 1:2
- He is jealous
- He is filled with vengeance
- He reserves His wrath for His enemies
- He is slow to anger
- He is great in power
Nahum 1:3
- He will by no means clear the guilty
- He has His way in the whirlwind and the storm
- The clouds are the dust of His feet
- He rebukes the sea and makes it dry
Nahum 1:4
- He dries up the rivers
- He makes places of rich pastures and flowers to fade and wither
Nahum 1:5
- In His presence the mountains quake, and the hills melt
- In His presence, the earth trembles; the people are destroyed
Nahum 1:6
- No one can stand before His indignation or abide the fierceness of His anger
- His fury is poured out like fire
- He crumbles the rocks like dust
Right in the middle of this burden, of this judgment on Nineveh, in verse 7, God reminds us of His mercy.
Psalm 118:1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
God is rich in mercy! He forgives our sins and saves us by His grace! (Ephesian 2:3-5)
He is a stronghold in the day of trouble to who? To those who trust Him. Do you trust Him? First of all do you know Him? Is He your shepherd? John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Do you trust Him to lead you? Do you trust the He knows the path you should take? Do you trust the His way is perfect? Do you trust that in the middle of judgment or trials, or storms of life, God can and will take care of you and those who belong to Him?
Nahum 1:8
- He will bring and utter end to His enemies with an overrunning flood
- He shall pursue His enemies into darkness
Into this darkness it is said, God shall pursue them, as other prophets speak of being “driven forth into darkness” . The darkness, the motionless drear abode, to which they are driven, anticipates the being cast into “the outer darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Rup.: “The vengeance of God on” these who remain “His enemies” to the last, “ends not with the death of the body; but evil spirits, who are darkness and not light, pursue their souls, and seize them.” They would not hear Christ calling to them, “Walk, while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you” Joh_12:35. “They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof” Job_24:13. “They loved darkness rather than light” Joh_3:19. And so they were driven into the darkness which they chose and loved. -A. Barnes
Nahum 1:9
- There was no devising, or scheming to get out of God’s wrath.
- No one would any more carry on the name of the people of Nineveh
- There shall be no need to repeat the judgment; with one blow God will make an end of them.
Nahum 1:10
- Like tangled thorns and drunkards, they shall be devoured as dry stubble
Nahum 1:11- 12
- Wicked counsellors that plotted evil against the Lord will be cut down and afflicted. They will be no more. They will be utterly destroyed
Nahum 1:13-14
- God will break the yoke and bonds from the oppression on His people
- There will be no one to carry on the name of these wicked people
- All idols and temples of false gods will be destroyed
- A grave is prepared for this wicked and vile people
Nahum 1:15
GOOD NEWS!
The messenger has come with the good news and peace to God’s people. Once again they can celebrate! These wicked people will never again invade their land. They are completely destroyed.
ANOTHER DAY OF WRATH
There is another of wrath coming. The wicked will be utterly destroyed and cast into the lake of fire forever! No one can escape this wrath unless:
THEY ACCEPT THIS GOOD NEWS
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. You and I are wicked sinners deserving of death and destruction, but God who is rich in mercy sent His only Son, Jesus to die in our place. It’s only by the blood of Jesus that we can escape. We must repent and trust in Him in order to be cleared of the guilt of our sin.
You may have already been offered this gift, but yet refused it. God again in His mercy may have giving you another chance and another and another. He often gives opportunities over and over for one to get saved. But we do not know how many times that will happen for death is sure. It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment. So don’t assume that you will accept His offer tomorrow or another time. That time may never come. Today is the day of Salvation.
For those of us who know the Lord, we need to be the messengers of the good news! Jesus Saves! He has come to bring peace to your heart. He will deliver you from the power of sin and He will deliver the godly in the time of trouble. He is Lord of all and cares for those that are His. He is in control of all the storms of life.
Let us obey Him, praise Him, witness for Him and pray.
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