Nahum 1
COMMENTARY:
: 3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. (5352 “acquit” [naqah] means to leave unpunished, to hold innocent, to pardon, declare exempt from punishment, or forgive.
DEVOTION: There are two major false teaching given in the name of religion. The first one is that everyone is going to heaven. The LORD is a loving God will never send anyone to the lake of fire. This is a teaching from the pit of hell. The second is just as bad. Some will teach that because God is a loving God HE will never punish anyone for eternity, instead HE will just end their existence as HIS final judgment.
The problem with these two false teachings is the fact that Matthew 25: 46, states that those who are not believers will “go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” If there is eternal life and eternal punishment each will last the same amount of time. So we have individuals going in both directions.
The majority are taking the wrong road or gate (Matthew 7: 13) that leads to destruction or hell. The narrow gate leads to life and there are only a few that find it.
God will not pardon those who will not become followers of the LORD. HE will not pardon those who abuse HIS people. This is true in the Old Testament as well as the New.
Remember HE is the one who will avenge our enemies. We do not have to. Our responsibility is to pray for our enemies. We are to treat them better than they treat us.
CHALLENGE: God waited for another generation to punish in Nineveh because the previous one repented under the ministry of Jonah. God is slow to anger. Don’t take advantage of this characteristic of God in your life.
: 7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows them that trust in him. (4581 “stronghold” [ma’owz] means place or means of safety, protection, refuge, harbor, fortress or fastness.)
DEVOTION: We sing a song called “A mighty fortress is our God” in our churches. Some people sing it with all their heart while others might just stand and wait for the song to end. Singing is important to our faith. We are commanded to make a joyful noise unto the LORD. The children of Israel sang on their way to the Temple. It was not a small group but a large group of singers. When they were faithful to the LORD there was joy in their heart. When we sing is there joy in our heart. Do we understand that the LORD is the one who provides our strength to fight the wiles of the devil.
Here we find that Nahum is making a statement regarding the LORD. The book is a judgment on the nation of Assyria. The capital is Nineveh. Nahum starts out by telling the people of Nineveh how great a God the LORD is. HE is a jealous God. HE is a God who is slow to anger. The people of Nineveh repented under the ministry of Jonah. Now years later Nahum comes to tell them their time is up.
However, he also tells the children of Israel that the LORD is good. He informs them that the LORD is a refuge in a time of trouble. He doesn’t say that there will be no trouble or affliction in the lives of the children of Israel. He does them that the LORD is there to help them in the times of trouble, if they will depend on HIM.
The LORD knows those that believe in HIM. The LORD knows those who don’t believe in HIM. There is no middle ground with the LORD. We are in one camp or the other.
If we are in the LORD’S camp, we need to depend on HIM completely in our times of trouble. Are we trying to get ourselves out of trouble? Are we being successful? The LORD wants us to turn to HIM on a daily basis for HIS help. Just do it!!!
CHALLENGE: We need to learn to rest in the LORD. We need to relax in the palm of HIS hand. HE is our safe harbor!
: 11 There is one come out of you, that imagines evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor. (2803 “imagines” [chashab] means to plan secretly, to weave, to think, devise, to invent, or reckon.)
DEVOTION: Most of us have seen the comics that have a devil on one shoulder of an individual and an angel on the other side of the same individual. The two are fighting for control over the individual. The devil wants the individual to do something wrong. The angel is informing him that it is the wrong way to handle the situation.
We can have friends that do the same thing to us. Some friends want us to do things that we know are wrong because the Bible tells us they are wrong. Even some parents might teach their children to do things that are wrong.
However, there are usually enough people around who will teach children to do what is right in most situations. They need to listen to good instructions.
There are people called “counselors” who have degrees from colleges that are not teaching what is right according to the Bible. These are the wicked counselors that this verse is warning those who are supposed to follow the LORD concerning. Our goal should always be to find people who will help us understand what the LORD wants us to do in a given circumstance. Then we can do it with confidence that we are pleasing the LORD.
Those who plot evil against the LORD will face HIM in judgment someday. They will have their days on this earth that it seems they are getting away with their evil counsel but the LORD will hold them accountable.
CHALLENGE: We are going to be held accountable for the advice we give others – so we need to continually search the Scriptures for the right advice to give others. We need to follow the advice also.
: 15 Behold on the mountains the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace! O Judah keep your solemn feasts, perform your vows, for the wicked shall no more pass through you, he is utterly cut off. (8085 “publishes” [shama] means to proclaim something, to cause to hear, utter a sound, to announce, or bring word.)
DEVOTION: We are to be peacemakers. We are to be those who proclaim good tidings to all those we meet. What are the good tidings?
In this passage we find that Nahum was giving the children of Israel a message of hope from the LORD. Their captivity was going to end. They were going to be able to celebrate their solemn feasts that the LORD gave the Israelites instructions regarding in the wilderness. There were three main feasts that they were to celebrate each year. They were to come to Jerusalem to celebrate. There were special songs that were to be sung on these occasions. God had it all planned.
They were going to be able to keep their promises they made to the LORD if HE ever gave them freedom to come back to Jerusalem.
Part of the good tidings was that the enemy was never going to give them trouble anymore. The LORD was going to deal with them. HE was going to give them peace and their enemies judgment.
Today we have a message of peace to share with people we meet. It is the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is called the Gospel. It is the Good News.
The gospel allows the LORD to be at peace with all those who become followers of the LORD. The relationship that was broken is now mended. There is no division between those who have the LORD in their heart and the LORD.
CHALLENGE: That should put a smile on our face that we can have the peace of God which passes all understanding.
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