A. Background The oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite. (1)

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1 Explore the Bible Lesson Preview March 1, 2015 God Is Background: Nahum 1-3 Lesson Nahum 1:1-8 Motivation: Nahum preached about 150 years after Jonah s revival saved Nineveh. This Assyrian powerhouse had overrun Israel and now threatened to destroy Judah. Through Nahum, God delivered a message of comfort and hope to Judah concerning the punishment and fate of Nineveh. Examination: I. Jealous (1-3a) A. Background The oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum, the Elkoshite. (1) 1. Author: Nahum ( comfort, consolation, relief ) was ironically named, for the book is a devastating pronouncement of judgment. 2. Place: HCSB, p. 1536: Background: The Assyrian capital Nineveh was located about 220 miles north of the modern Iraqi capital of Baghdad. By Nahum s time, Israel and Judah had experienced long and distressing affliction by the Assyrians. As early as Shalmaneser III ( B. C.), King Jehu paid tribute to the Assyrians. The Lord often used Assyria as the rod of My anger (Is 10:5) to punish His people. Shalmaneser V ( B. C.) and his successor Sargon II ( B. C.) besieged and destroyed Samaria, taking the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity (2 Kg 17:3-6). Similarly Sennacherib captured and devastated Judah, besieging Jerusalem by 701 B.C. (2 Kg Is 36-37). By Ashurbanipal s reign (ca B.C.) Assyrian rulers were infamous for their cruelty. 1 / 8

2 3. Date: Written after the fall of Thebes in 663 B.C. (3:8-10) and before the fall of Nineveh in 612 B.C. B. Basis of the Judgment 1. God s Vengeance The Lord is a jealous and avenging God the Lord takes vengeance and is fierce in wrath. The Lord takes vengeance against His foes He is furious with His enemies. (2) jealous, fierce and furious are not terms we like to associate with our loving God. However, God s vengeance is based on His attitude toward sin. We see a progression in verse 2 that is clear in verse 3 The Lord is slow to anger. 2. God s Justice (3) Three themes are introduced in verse 3 that are elaborated through the remainder of the passage: a. The Lord is slow to anger - In verse 7 we read The Lord is good. God s goodness prevents Him from hasty judgment or sudden anger. He rewards obedience and punishes rebellion. b. but great in power - 3b-6 magnify God s power. Repentance often begins when we are reminded of who God is. c. the Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished - God s absolute justice is shared in verses Some believe that delayed justice means no justice. God assures His people that justice will be served. A wicked counselor (11) employs a word often applied to Satan the direct reference is probably to the Assyrian leader Sennacherib, and the prophetic reference is to the Anti-Christ. II. Sovereign (3b-6) 2 / 8

3 A. Power His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. (3b) Apocalyptic language describes the avenging God coming in power. B. Purpose He rebukes the sea so that it dries up, and He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither even the flower of Lebanon withers. The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt the earth trembles at His presence-the world and all who live in it. (4-5) Perhaps referring to the parting of the Red Sea and Jordan River during the Exodus, Nahum reminds his hearers that God controls nature for His purposes. HCSB, p.1539: 1:4 Bashan and Carmel wither (and even the flower of Lebanon ) because of a severe drought, parching the most fertile lands in Palestine (Is 33:9) from the east, Bashan in Transjordan, to the northwest borders of the storm god Baal s home territory near Mount Carmel and the Lebanon mountains. Actually Yahweh alone controlled the storm, rain, and fertility (drying up the sea and all the rivers ). Bashan was famous for its lush pasturelands (Jr. 50:19), fine cattle (Dt 32:14), and rich forests (Is 2:13 Ezk 27:6), and Carmel (lit. garden-land ) was known for its verdant vegetation (Jr 50:19 Am 1:2). Both were withered by God s judgment. C. Persistence Who can withstand His indignation? Who can endure His burning anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, even rocks are shattered before Him. (6) Because of His power and purpose, none dare oppose Him. Just as He poured out fire on Mt. Carmel and shattered the rocks, so He is able in persistent judgment to overcome any resistance. III. Good The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress He cares for those who take refuge in Him. (7) The USMC s 1 st Marine Division adopted the motto: No better friend no worse enemy. Against the backdrop of the previous verses of judgment and vengeance, we are reminded that God s nature is good. His is both just and merciful. While the guilty will be punished, the righteous can find in Him a refuge of protection. 3 / 8

4 IV. Just But He will completely destroy Nineveh with an overwhelming flood, and He will chase His enemies into darkness. (8) As described in the background, Nineveh was an exceedingly cruel and wicked city. After experiencing a revival under Jonah approximately 100 years earlier, Nineveh lapsed into its evil ways and was worthy of destruction once again. V. Delivering (1:9-15) In a historical context, these verses certainly refer to the dominion of Assyria. In a prophetic context, one can see the foreshadowing of the Anti-Christ (11), Armageddon (14), and the return of Christ (15) (cf. Isaiah 52:7 Romans 10:15). God not only punished the wickedness of Assyria, He will also punish the wicked of all nations for all time. VI. Nineveh s Coming Destruction (2:1-3:7) A. A Call to Arms (1) In dramatic fashion, Nahum signals to onslaught of battle Man the fortifications! Nahum s vision allowed him to see in graphic detail the great battle for Nineveh. Historically, the chapter describes the battle for Nineveh parallels could be made to Armageddon (Rev. 16:16ff). B. A Consolation for Judah (2) Throughout God s prophecy, His people are promised a remnant and a restoration. In the midst of harsh words for the Assyrians, Nahum lives up to his name by comforting Judah. C. A Clash of Spears (3-5) Nahum s vivid vision includes color (red shields, scarlet livery), sounds (jostling chariots), and detail (nobles running to the walls). This gives us a clear picture of one of history s significant battles. Too, it shows the extent of God s vengeance shields and tunics are probably red with blood. D. A Crushing Wall of Water The river gates are opened, and the palace erodes 4 / 8

5 away. (6) Bible Book Commentary (AMJ, 1996), p. 34: Verse 6 describes the single most important event in the fall of Nineveh. The city was located near the Tigris River. Two tributaries of the river flowed into the city through gates that controlled the flow of water. Invaders could have used the gates to send a torrent of flood waters into the city causing it to be dissolved. Ironically both Nineveh and later Babylon were defeated because of the rivers that flowed through them. E. A Collapse of Power (7-12) Nineveh was defeated, overrun and looted. Proud Nineveh, whose symbol was the lion, actually kept the beasts in parks within the city walls. Now symbolically (and perhaps literally) these lions were torn apart as the empire was also torn. F. A Cataclysmic Defeat (2:13-3:7) The Assyrians were perhaps the cruelest of the ancient empires. They ruled as much by fear as by might. They were known for mass executions, inhuman torture and a total lack of mercy to conquered foes. God punished Assyria while avenging Israel and protecting Judah. 1. No Consideration (2:13) I am against you God comforts His people with I am for you or I am with you (Emmanuel) anyone without Christ is in the same position as Nineveh. 2. No Confidence (3:1-6) Woe to the city of blood (3:1) Proud Nineveh, who ruled the world in idolatry and witchcraft, is now brought low. In utter defeat, Nineveh was humiliated. Believer s Study Bible, p. 1264: 3:4 Like a harlot, Nineveh had enticed many nations into her clutches through her military power, trade and prosperity (cf. the seduction in 2 Kin. 18:29-35). The mention of witchcraft suggests the use of demonic means to ensnare nations. 3. No Comfort Who will show sympathy to her? Where can I find anyone to comfort you? (7) Because of her treatment of others, in the moment of distress, no one was there to comfort. 5 / 8

6 VII. Nineveh s Sins and Doom (3:8-19) In verses 8-10, Nineveh is compared to an Egyptian city No Amon Believer s Study Bible, p. 1265: 3:8 The name No Amon in Egyptian meant City of (the god) Amun. The ancient Egyptians also called the city Waset, but the Greeks called it Thebes. It is now known as Luxor and is located about 400 miles south of Cairo. Thebes was the cult center of Amun-Re, the main god of the eighteenth and nineteenth dynasties ( B.C.), and was the location of the great Karnak temple of Amun. This is why it was called City of Amun. Until the end of the twentieth dynasty ( B.C.), the treasures of Asia and Africa poured into the city, and Thebes experienced its greatest prosperity, also being a favorite royal burial place. This powerful and rich center fell to the Assyrians in 663 B.C., conquered for the first time in almost 2,000 years. Nahum used this as a warning to the Ninevites that even the great can fall. The Nile, on which Thebes relied for its security (its rampart and wall ), is like other great rivers in that the Bible sometimes calls it sea. Thebes (No Amon) is also referred to in Jer. 46:25 and Ezek. 30: Several historical details are included in Nahum s prophecy written several decades before Nineveh s fall. The use of the river (2:6), destruction by fire (3:13), the fleeing merchants (3:16) and the total destruction of the city (3:19) are all confirmed by history. The reference to locusts in 3:15-17 ties back to the images of Joel 1:4. With the destruction of Nineveh, Assyria ceased to exist as a power her people were absorbed into surrounding nations. Nineveh, then, is a type of the proud sinful heart that rebels against God. Prophetically, Nineveh is a type of the coming battle of good versus evil, Armageddon. Application: 1. God avenges His people against His enemies. 2. God s reign and justice will be established by defeat of His enemies. 3. Prophecy validates the Bible as God s Word to us. Leader Pack Item 1: Map: The Changing World of Israel s Later Prophets Item 2: Outlin 6 / 8

7 e of Minor Prophets Item 3: Poster: Spring 2015 Item 4: Timeline: Minor Prophets Item 5: Bookmark: Memory Verses Item 6: Chart: Themes of the Minor Prophets Item 11: Poster: Nahum Illustrator: p. 11 Yahweh, the Divine Warrior Notes: **You may access David s Lesson Preview in MP3 format and notes at: lestudy.org Dates: 2/27 ReCreate Date Night 2/27-28 Legacy 685 Conference 2/28 Men: Serve 3 /8 Daylight Saving Time starts 3/7-12 RUSHMORE 1 3/15 AMP/WIRED Sunday 3/15 Tim Loop 3/16-17 Senior Adult Revival 3/14-19 RUSHMORE 2 7 / 8

8 3/18 CBU 7:00 in WC & Main Foyer 3/28 SPF Hippity Hoppin Easter Event 4/2 Broken for You 4/3 Good Friday Church offices closed 4/5 Easter Sunday and Launch of Spanish Campus 4/11 Pastoral Care, Widows & Widowers lunch 4/17 Marriage and Relationship Conference 4/24-25 HUB Guys Event 4/25 Men: Serve 4/26 Make it Your Church Orientation 5/1-3 Singles Retreat 5/3 HS Seniors Celebration 5/9 CBS Graduation 5/10 SPF Mother s Day Luncheon 5/17 Parent Commitment 5/25 Memorial Day church offices closed 5/29 - HCHS Graduation 5/29 HUB Summer Kick-off 5/29 ReCreate Date Night 5/ th grade launch retreat. 8 / 8