Nahum Chapter 1
6/23/25 7:24 AM
Solitary Man
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Nah 1:1 The burden (mas-saw – doom) of Nineveh. The book (scroll, record) of the vision (khaw-zone – revelation, oracle) of Nahum (comforter, from a root meaning avenger) the Elkoshite (only time in OT).
We have dealt with the few facts that we may safely assume of this man of God. Notice that this fellow only gets 3 short chapters in the entire bible. However, this is 3 more chapters than any of us get to write! While Nahum would be one of the most neglected books in holy writ, God has chosen to include it in his sacred canon.
Do we ever wonder why certain works are chosen and some things are not? For example, if it was up to me, wouldn’t you want each and every parable Jesus spoke to be interpreted for us, so that there is no misunderstanding going forward? Would you not like certain questions answered in more detail, such as how does God judge those who never had access to any scripture? How about more details about heaven and hell?
On the other hand, the inclusion of certain things are simply baffling. The extensive genealogies of 1 Chronicles chapters 1 through 9 come to mind. What possible spiritual benefit is there to glean from those lists of names? I am sure there is great fruit to be gleaned, but I have not come across any profound insights, save for the fact that it helps to show God’s hand in history, and the fact that he chooses some and not others. Now perhaps you have found great revelation and spiritual nourishment from a passage such as that. If so, congratulations. I am sure that you are in very elite company!
So it is with several Old Testament books. I am sure that aside from Leviticus and perhaps Numbers, people stay away from most of the minor prophets more than any other books of the bible. It is all so negative, is it not? Only if you have the wrong attitude.
If all you are looking for are positive words, then you have come to the wrong place. But before you run off and pop in the latest Joel Osteen sermon, consider for a moment why God includes so many prophetic books in scripture. Is it not of primary importance to warn mankind when he is in spiritual danger? Is that not far more critical than finding out certain details of heaven, which we simply do not need to know while in this mortal coil? If we are headed down the wrong deh-rek, or road of life, then don’t we want to know all about that as soon as possible? This is why I am drawn to the prophetic works. Not only are they the most sorely neglected tomes in the entire word of God, but I believe that they are the most needed in this scripturally illiterate age that we now find ourselves in.
Nahum was given a rather unique job. It was perhaps the easiest prophetic assignment that any prophet could ever ask for. He, along with Obadiah, were to prophesy doom to Israel’s enemies, and that from a distance. How sweet was that! No Israeli was going to throw rocks at this guy, or saw him in two. He was not going to end up being kicked out of almost every church, because his message was too heavy. Who doesn’t want to hear about our enemies being gobbled up by our God? Would not any prophecy being spoken against the cabal, the new world order, the antichrist be well received? Only when the word is turned against us do we start to squirm and find fault.
Nah 1:2 God (El) is jealous (kan-no – angry), and the LORD (Yehovah) revengeth (naw-kam – grudges, punishes); the LORD (Yehovah) revengeth (naw-kam), and is furious (bah-al kay-maw – a master or owner in poisonous rage, hot displeasure); the LORD (Yehovah) will take vengeance (naw-kam) on his adversaries (tsar – enemies), and he reserveth (naw-tar – guards, cherishes anger, bears a grudge) wrath for his enemies (o-yabe – hated foe).
So let us dive in. While we have begun to relax, knowing that this word is directly at a purely pagan nation that was an enemy of Israel and Judah, I think most of us are jarred out of our comfort zone with the very language used right off the bat in this second verse.
While we have been so conditioned to think of our Yehovah in a certain way, Nahum is demanding that we think again. What would be the first images in the average Christian mind when they think about the Trinity? Would it not be a loving heavenly Father, who sent his son to die in our place? Would it not be the precious Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world? Is not the Holy Spirit gentle as a dove?
But in the midst of these wonderful images, as a bull in a china shop, here comes Nahum and his shockingly disturbing picture of Yehovah that is about as far removed from that imagery as one can find. Instead of a loving heavenly Father, we have an El who is jealous. Instead of a lamb, we have a Yehovah that holds a serious grudge, that is out for revenge that accomplishes nothing but punishment. Instead of a dove, we have an owner of all creation that is overcome with a hot, poisonous rage towards those he considers his enemies. It is said here that he holds wrath in reserve, that he cherishes holding onto his anger, to be unleashed on his hated foes.
Whew! Don’t you love the graphic imagery of the bible? This verse pulls no punches. The words used seem to demand that the reader stretch his imagination in unexplored directions. You must be willing to set aside all that you know, or think you know, about this loving God that you have chosen to serve. While you may have only experienced his kind and gentle side, Nahum here is revealing a side of our heavenly Father that would only be found in one’s worst nightmares.
Oh, to be found as an enemy of God! What a horrific and terrible fate! Can you even imagine it? Can you feel the infinite wrath, the immeasurable rage, the poisonous, ‘smoke in the nostril’ anger that Yehovah is capable of? I cannot think of a verse in the bible that paints a scarier picture than this one, can you?
Jealousy, represented by the word kan-no only appears twice in the OT, here and in Josh 24:19:
Jos 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous (kan-no) God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
This verse sort of reminds me of the words of Jesus:
Luk 9:57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
Luk 9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Luk 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Luk 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
Luk 9:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
Luk 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Obviously these 2 fellows did not attend the Billy Graham school of evangelism! They certainly did not make it easy or attractive to follow Yehovah or Yeshua.
So what is going on here? Aren’t we supposed to ‘compel them to come in’? But in these verses, Joshua and Jesus are seemingly attempting to discourage the people from choosing to serve the Lord.
This is because God only wants people without guile, or deceit. He is not interested in people pretending to follow him, or making a choice to follow him part way, or with the wrong motives, or with a divided heart. Our modern methods of evangelism are patterned more after Madison Avenue, where we become salesmen for Jesus. We emphasize the attractive qualities of our product (forgiveness of sins, the promise of eternal life, answered prayer, a friend who will never leave you), while carefully omitting the less appealing aspects of this choice (the demand to be perfect, total obedience, the walking away from your old life, the crucifying of our flesh, the willingness to drop everything and everyone in order to follow him, the criteria of total repentance – now, and forever more).
This is why we need to spend some time in books such as Nahum. He reminds us that there is a side to God that almost no preacher talks about. But just because no church is willing to teach us these things, does not make it any less real or relevant as regards to how it impacts our lives.
If God chooses not to forgive someone, what can they possibly do? What could we possibly do, if God had not decided to send his Son to pay the price for our sins? When God created us, he expected us to be holy. He gave us the ability to do so. But when we rebelled and went our own way, all of us collectively kindled his wrath. He became extremely jealous. Now what was he jealous of? It seems the majority of commentators think that God was jealous of his own people. When the Assyrians attacked them, like a protective husband, he went after them to avenge his own people. Because there are a couple verses in this passage that speak of God’s care of his own tribe, that interpretation is certainly applicable.
Yes, God is jealous of Israel. He does call them the apple of his eye. But even more so, those who fight against his people are actually fighting against him. His jealousy, his wrath is aroused by the truly wicked. So while we meditate on how some nations can actually arouse God to such an extreme, let us commit ourselves to never even beginning to go down that same path of unrighteousness. As Paul tells us in Hebrews, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
However, I believe the even greater truth is that whenever mankind sins, God is jealous of his glory. He has created us for his good pleasure. When men, or a nation of men, choose the dek-rek, or path of wickedness, God’s jealousy is aroused. Assyria was not so much fighting against Israel and Judah, but was actually fighting against God himself, because of their total abandonment to pursuing wickedness. Also, let us not forget that this nation had a unique advantage over every other nation (besides Israel) at this time. They had their own Yehovah-sent prophet to show them the way of repentance (Jonah). But it seems it did not take very long, maybe not even one generation, before Assyria reverted back to their pagan idols, and rejected the revelation of Jonah. Perhaps since nothing bad happened, over time their pagan priests were able to convince the king that Jonah was simply a madman, and that the old gods were very angry that they were being neglected. The amazing testimony of Jonah was most likely soon forgotten.
This reminds us of this gospel passage:
Luk_12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
How much has God given you? How much do you think he is requiring of you? Have you ever had the nagging feeling in your soul, where God seems to be speaking to you to do something, but then you look at all your Christian friends around you, and no one is being troubled by the same thing, so you talk yourself out of obeying that still, small voice? All of us will have occasion to regret at least some of our choices on judgment day, will we not?
Nah 1:3 The LORD is slow (aw-rake – longsuffering) to anger (af – anger as smoke in the nostril), and great (gaw-dole – exceedingly mighty) in power (ko-akh – vigor, might, strength, substance), and will not at all acquit (naw-kaw lo naw-kaw – negation of being clean or innocent, written twice for emphasis) the wicked: the LORD hath his way (deh-rek – a road or course of life, journey, manner of life) in the whirlwind (soo-faw – hurricane) and in the storm (seh-aw-raw – tempest), and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
After Nahum has grabbed our undivided attention in one of the most startling and disquieting verses describing the nature of Yehovah, he then throws us a curveball by going to the other extreme, by speaking of God’s great unmatched patience. After trying to describe the depth that his anger is capable of reaching, he also wants to remind us that this anger does not rise up in a moment of pique, as occurs in so many of us. No, if God let himself become this angry over every sin, mankind wouldn’t have lasted very long, would we have?
Apparently, the book of Nahum is considered one of, if not the greatest, poetical work in the entire bible. Of course, the poetry aspect is lost in translation. But his use of compare and contrast is very much in evidence in this first chapter. From unfathomable depths of rage, to immeasurable depths of patience and longsuffering, God is many things to many people. Kind to his own, fierce to his enemies.
Just because he is patient does not mean that he is weak. In fact, the opposite is true. His strength is in his restraint. But push him too far, and watch out! He will never pardon the guilty. Now that does not mean that he refuses to pardon the repentant sinner, but it does mean that those who refuse to repent do not all eventually end up in heaven, as the Universalists teach. Otherwise, there would be no justice, and there would be no need for judgment. Life would be utterly meaningless, as the lie of evolution teaches.
Those of you who have been reading my commentaries are very familiar with the word deh-rek. This is your path, or way of life. God’s deh-rek does include finding him in the whirlwind, and in the storm. The clouds are as insignificant specks of dust, in comparison to him. This is one aspect of him. Elijah was confronted with a different aspect of Yahweh:
1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
1Ki 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
1Ki 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
Elijah was very familiar with the wrath aspect of Yehovah, but he needed to be taught a lesson in his gentleness, thus a different side was presented to him. It is all about listening to the voice of the Spirit, is it not? Depending on the need, God chooses to reveal himself in the area that you lack, if you have ears to hear, that is.
This is actually a very comforting verse, if one understands it. Is it not wonderful that God will not let the wicked get away with their wickedness? That all the suffering that mankind causes to others will be justly recompensed? Does not unpunished crime cause many to lose faith or abandon God, simply beacause justice is delayed? How many times does Hollywood portray the hero as rejecting God, because he allowed such and such a tragedy to happen? As if they were the only people in history who suffered some thing unjustly!
At some point, faith needs to be become faith. Untested faith is no faith at all. Each and every one of us will face times and circumstances in our lives, where our eyes will tell us that what we see is the opposite of what the bible says. And what will you do when that day comes?
Nah 1:4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry (yaw-bashe – confuse, confound), and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel (fruitful), and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
One can sense the poetic majesty of this prophecy here, even in translation. We have moved into a pean of praise of God’s omnipotence, which is God’s unlimited power. Here we have reference to God’s most famous control of the waters of the earth – the parting of the Red Sea, and the parting of Jordan in Joshua’s time, and also during the ministry of Elisha. Bashan was infamous for its ruler Og, a Nephilim of some renown. Carmel was where Elijah took down the false prophets of Baal. Lebanon was usually spoken of as the place of abundant cedars. All of these elements of creation are subject to their creator. Jesus himself displayed his divine nature by stilling the waters that he had created with a word.
Nah 1:5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth (eh-rets) is burned (nawa-saw – lifted off, carried away) at his presence (paw-neem – the face), yea, the world (tay-bale – the habitable part of earth), and all that dwell therein.
The prophet continues this theme of God’s incomparable greatness by bringing to mind the time when mount Sinai quaked when Yehovah showed up to meet with Moses. The earth burning may be an echo of the punishment meted out on Sodom and Gomorrah. The word for presence means the face. Remember how God could not allow even Moses to see his face, lest he die when exposed to such concentrated glory. Even the sinless mountains and all the earth cannot long abide Yahweh’s direct gaze, should he look upon them in anger. Not only the earth itself, but the inhabitants thereof, quake with the deepest fear and terror in the presence of an angry God.
Nah 1:6 Who can stand before (paw-neem – before his face, in the face of) his indignation (zah-am – fury, rage, frothing at the mouth)? and who can abide in the fierceness (khaw-rone – sore displeasure, fury, wrath) of his anger (af)? his fury (khay-maw – poisonous rage) is poured out (flows forth) like fire, and the rocks are thrown down (torn down, destroyed) by him.
Is it a coincidence that God is most known for his judgments? What stories of the Old Testament are universally recognized and understood, even by alien cultures? The flood is the most common legend found in most ancient cultures of the world. Of course, each culture has corrupted the original story, but the traces of this antediluvian calamity still resonate to this day. The entire earth itself bears witness to this most singular event, in the geologic layers and the fossil record, which foolish and wicked men try to assign dates of millions of years to for something that was laid down in the space of one year.
But what about the New Testament? Haven’t the fierce judgments of God come to an end? Isn’t there a ‘new’ sheriff in town? Well, no. What do you think the cross was all about? Was it not the greatest example of God’s judgment, surpassing even the calamitous upheaval of the worldwide flood? God judged all sin of all time by unleashing his wrath on his Son. If you are beginning to grasp the depth that God’s anger is capable of reaching, can you begin to obtain a deeper appreciation of exactly what Jesus suffered for us on the cross? If the sins during Noah’s day caused God to wipe out all life, can you now envision the far greater level of wrath that must have been poured out on the lamb of God, since he was suffering the punishment for all sin, for all men, for every age, all at once?
The mind is incapable of processing such a thing. But this is why books such as Nahum are in the bible. It is to help us understand how woefully inadequate our preaching and teaching has become. Because we refuse to look at these sorts of truths, because they are too terrifying for our modern sensibilities, we fall far short of fully grasping exactly how much Jesus had to suffer on our behalf. The wrath of God is no small thing. In fact, there is nothing more ghastly and grim, hideous and horrible, than the full wrath of God, fully unleashed.
Who can stand before such a being? Can satan? Or all his unholy angels? We are talking smoke out of the nostril, frothing at the mouth type of rage. Now I am not suggesting that God becomes like a rabid dog when he gets really angry. These are human comparisons to try and get across the idea that God’s wrath has a depth to it that few have truly comprehended. I believe Peter comes closest to capturing the truth of Nahum, when he tells us the following:
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
And if the wrath poured out on the cross is not enough to convince you that this aspect of God’s character is alive and well, all we need to do is read the last book. Revelation is not a nice tale. Mankind does not have a happy ending, unlike the fairy tales that Hollywood spins us. No, the story of man ends with the greatest rebellion of all. Jesus must come back to put it down, destroy the rest of mankind, and save his remnant that have remained faithful to him.
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
I think that this is an adequate sample that the wrath of God has not been fully satiated at the cross, as so many teach. The wrath of Yahweh is alive and well, and is in fine form even this day. We are quickly approaching the day of the Lord, that most awful and dreadful day, where all the tokens of God’s displeasure thus far will seem like a picnic in comparison.
Nah 1:7 The LORD is good (tobe – good in the widest sense), a strong hold (maw-oze – fortified place, defence) in the day (yom) of trouble (tsaw-raw – tightness, anguish, distress, tribulation); and he knoweth them that trust (khaw-sawa – flee to for protection, confide in, have hope in) in him.
Thank God that the Spirit of the Lord decided to throw this verse into the mix! For God’s enemies, wrath. For God’s friends, a refuge in the day of despair.
Rom 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Rom 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Rom_11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
In the greatest theological treatise of all time, Paul is instructing us that even after the cross, the judgment and wrath of God is still in full effect. This stupid, stupid idea that God’s wrath has now been utterly spent at Cavalry has got to stop. If that were so, then mankind has nothing to worry about anymore, do they? No, any sin unrepented of will receive this same wrath, as God is no respecter of persons.
But in the midst of a revelation of the true depth of God’s holy anger, let us take great comfort in God’s innate goodness. Run to him when trouble comes knocking at your door. And remember, he knows those who are his. If you are not really his, but just think you are, then that is a different story!
Nah 1:8 But with an overrunning flood (deluge) he will make an utter end (kaw-law – riddance, consummation) of the place thereof, and darkness (kho-shek – misery, death, ignorance, sorrow, obscurity) shall pursue his enemies (o-yabe).
In case we have been carried away by the terrifying description of this aspect of God’s character, Nahum will now remind us of the subject matter of this prophecy that was given in verse 1. That is, that this judgment is pronounced upon Nineveh, that great and awful city of the wicked Assyrians. The nation that had once been given its own prophet, and responded with great repentance, has now reverted to its former state, and has sunk even lower in darkness and depravity. This nation, which has utterly consumed the northern kingdom and threatened Judah, is now being presented the bill due for its rampant destruction and rebellion against all that is holy and good. So while they did prosper for a season, yes, for many decades, the time has come for them to account for the evil that they have sown.
God now turns his attention back to the main subject at hand. After making it crystal clear exactly how he feels, he now will start to go into some detail as to whom he is so angry with.
He begins by stating that this judgment will be a total judgment. No half measures here, as was often the case when he meted out punishments for his people Israel. No, these guys were toast. Their retribution would seem like a flood. And indeed, there was a literal fulfillment of this verse.
I am going to reference Gill’s Exposition of the Bible to speak to this issue:
But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof,…. Of Nineveh, against whom this prophecy was, and upon whom it lay as a burden, Nahum 1:1; and now though the Lord was good to them that trust in him, and a strong hold to them in a time of trouble; yet he was determined to destroy their enemies the Assyrians, and Nineveh their chief city; and that by the means of a powerful army, which, like a flood or inundation of water breaking in, overruns and carries all before it; and very fitly may the Medes and Babylonians, who joined together in an expedition against Nineveh, be compared to such a flood for their number and force; since, as the historian tells (y) us, they were no less than four hundred thousand men: though this may be literally understood; for as the same writer (z) observes,
“there was an oracle received by the Ninevites from their ancestors, that Nineveh could never be taken by any, unless the river (on which it stood) first became an enemy to it; and so it was, that, in the third year of the siege, the river, being swelled with continual rains, overflowed part of the city, and broke down the wall for the space of two and half miles; hence the king concluded the oracle was fulfilled, and gave up all hopes of safety; and through the breach of the wall the enemy entered, and took the city;” and an “utter end” was made of it.
Indeed, it was only in 1842 that the actual site of Nineveh was rediscovered – that was how thorough their destruction was in 612 BC!
Darkness, misery, and death was most certainly Nineveh’s and Assyria’s lot, as will be the case for all who make themselves enemies of the Most High.
Nah 1:9 What do ye imagine (khaw-shab – to weave a plot) against the LORD? he will make an utter end (kaw-law): affliction (tsaw-raw) shall not rise up the second time.
In essence, God is saying that Nineveh will not get a second chance to wreak havoc, especially on the people of God in Israel. Some think the affliction not rising up a second time is still speaking of Nineveh, in that their destruction will be so thorough, that God will not have any need to repeat it.
How the wicked love their conspiracies and plots! It seems there is endless speculation and discussion on the internet about secret societies of every stripe, all plotting genocide, enslavement, and total control. This verse reminds us of Psalm 2:
Psa 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Psa 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Psa 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Psa 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Psa 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psa 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
Psa 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Sometimes when we see just how much power and control the elite already possess, we can become fearful. Think about the whole covid conspiracy. In a normal or typical century, that grand deception would have dominated the history books. Unfortunately, I think that there are several worse things to come before this century is over, assuming the Lord tarries. The media loves to insult and deride the truth tellers as conspiracy nuts, only because they are covering for the actual conspirators whom they are enslaved to.
When the cabal seems to be getting the upper hand, let us remember to turn to this psalm, and reflect on what God thinks about them. Nahum is echoing God’s attitude in this verse.
Nah 1:10 For while they be folden together (entwined) as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured (aw-kal – eaten up, consumed) as stubble fully dry.
This verse may also be translated as: ‘Forasmuch as a bundle of thorns, or as a drunkard whose had his fill, they shall be consumed as dried out stubble’.
Obviously we are dealing with some sort of Hebrew idioms, whose exact meaning may be lost to us over the centuries. It is as if someone 1000 years from now reads a novel written today and comes across phrases such as ‘don’t rock the boat’ or ‘hold the line’. Taken literally, they make no sense in the contexts used. But I think the general sense is just different ways of saying that Nineveh’s doom is the same as very dry stubble that has a match put to it – it will be thoroughly consumed. Just as there is no more room in the bundle of tightly woven thorns, and there is no more room in the gullet of a fully satiated drunk, so there is no more room for any Ninevite to survive. Or perhaps the meaning may be that as long as they are entwined with their intricate plots against the Lord, and while they overindulge their fleshly appetites, God will consume them as utterly as dry straw set on fire.
So what we see here in this verse is one that has several possibilities as to its proper meaning. One may be moved by the Spirit to see it one way, another may have a different view. There are some verses in the bible like that. Because none of these viewpoints contradict known bible doctrine, we don’t have to engage in a new holy war if we happen to prefer one interpretation over another. This verse is a great example where the mature, discerning believer is able to extend grace to other brethren in the body that may see things a slightly different way. Just as some see merit in resting on the Sabbath, but differ as to whether it is Saturday or Sunday, versus yet others who treat every day alike, these sorts of minor points are not to cause more divisions, as Paul teaches us:
Rom_14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
The problem with most biblically challenged believers today is that they want to compromise on the essentials, such as sexual standards that are clearly laid out in the bible, yet will fight you over whether or not you’re a pre or mid or post trib rapture adherent. As if what you believe about that will affect the time that the Father sends his Son back to collect his bride! It will happen when it will happen. What you believe about the timing of it all will have zero effect on the actual event.
Let us try and extend grace where grace should be extended.
Nah 1:11 There is one come out (going out) of thee, that imagineth (khaw-shab) evil (rah – wickedness, wretchedness, moral wrongness) against the LORD, a wicked (bel-e-yah-al – worthless, ungodly) counsellor (yaw-ats – advice, counsel).
The idea that this is a specific person is not necessarily supported in the text. It can just as easily read:
You who weaves an evil plot of wickedness against Yahweh, worthless counsel that is.
The idea is that those who sit in secret chambers, plotting and planning wicked devices against the will of God in the earth, they are all sons of Belial. That is, they are utterly worthless in the eyes of God. As the cabal of today meets in their secret enclaves, whether at the WEF, the Club of Rome or the Bilderberg group, or the Illuminati or whatever label they decide to place upon themselves, Yehovah declares that those who weave plots of wickedness have absolutely no value in his eyes, and are only good for utter annihilation, because of the fierceness of His wrath.
Another translation could go something like this: ‘There proceeds out of this city malicious fabrications of wickedness against Yehovah, worthless advice.’
As I reflect on how so many of the youth in our western nations have taken to the streets to protest in favor of every wicked thing, I am sure that just a couple of generations ago, those same bloodlines probably were all churchgoers. While they may not have been all born again, they had a basic fear of God, and at least a subconscious acknowledgement of the rightness of the ten commandments. Now, they go out and march in pride parades, call for the net zero emission standards, want to shut down pipelines, riot in favor of illegal criminal aliens, abortion, transgenderism madness, and the list goes on and on. Thus we too, now have cities filled with malicious fabrications of wickedness against the commands and precepts of the Lord.
While Nineveh may seem like such ancient history, are our cities in North America any more righteous than they?
Nah 1:12 Thus saith the LORD; Though (while) they be quiet (shaw-lame – friendly, peaceable), and likewise (kane – upright, in like manner) many (rab – abundant), yet thus shall they be cut down (gaw-zaz – to shear a flock, shave the hair, destroy an enemy), when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted (aw-naw – dealt harshly with, browbeat) thee, I will afflict (aw-naw) thee no more.
Some commentators still try to apply this prophecy to the time of Sennacherib in 701 BC, when he invaded Judah, but was sent home with his tail between his legs when the angel of the Lord smote 185,000 of them in one night. They point to this verse as speaking about this great event. But that would not align with Nah 3:8, which speaks of the destruction of Thebes in Egypt, which occurred in 662 BC. Rather, we must look at this verse as not referring to that great destructive event of 701 BC, but rather to the total annihilation of the city itself by the Babylonians in 612 BC. Nineveh was not harmed in 701, so there is no support to hold on to that point of view.
The verse starts with an emphatic reminder of who is speaking. Sometimes we tend to forget this simple fact. We are caught up in analyzing the speakers’ style of speech, or level of education, or some other such carnal thing, but this is God himself that is doing the talking.
Again, there seems to be room for different points of view, if one examines the Hebrew. First of all, the last part of the verse is the easiest to parse, if we look ahead to the next verse. Since God is now promising deliverance to his people Judah, then this promise of afflicting them no more must mean that God will not allow Assyria to afflict Judah any more in the future. This is further confirmed in verse 15, where the name of Judah is specifically referred to.
Now the first part of the verse is more problematic. Is God saying that if Assyria started to behave themselves, that it wouldn’t matter, since their judgment is sure? Or does it mean that even if Assyria is unopposed and at rest, with abundant numbers of upright ones available to fight, it means nothing at all, because God has already decreed that they shall all be cut down. They shall be eliminated just as one would shear a sheep, or cut all the hair off one’s head.
‘When he shall pass through’ – this most likely refers to Babylon when they invade Assyria, and cut down Nineveh, as a man would shear a sheep or cut his hair. It brings back memories of the angel of the Lord passing through the Assyrian camp, leaving many thousands of dead in his wake, not that long ago. It can equally apply to the Lord himself passing through the great city, regardless of the instrument that he employs, in this case, the army of Babylon.
Nah 1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
Judah had been forced to pay tribute to Assyria. That would soon be broken. God did not specifically say that Babylon would be his instrument. Sometimes God reveals how he is going to accomplish his word, sometimes not. It is up to us to believe, whether we are given all the details or not.
This verse echoes so many others that speak along the same lines:
Lev_26:13 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.
Even way back in Leviticus, God employed this same language to describe what he accomplished for them in Egypt.
Deu_28:48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
Conversely, yokes of bondage were often the result of disobedience by God’s people in the first place.
Isa_10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
Charismatics love to stretch the meaning of this verse for their own purposes. But actually, Isaiah is speaking of the yoke of the Assyrian being broken off the remnant of God’s people. Whether that is referring to the exact same promise as in this verse, or prophetically to the end times, where the antichrist is sometimes obliquely referred to as the Assyrian, God does promise an ultimate deliverance for his chosen remnant.
Isa_14:25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
Once again Isaiah reiterates the promise of freeing his people from the Assyrian yoke.
Jer_27:12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
Sometimes it is God’s will that his people submit themselves to the pagan for chastisement.
Lam_3:27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
This would not be a popular sermon! What young man would want to voluntarily place himself under bondage? Yet sometimes a harsh lesson early in life leaves us in good stead as we attempt to complete the course that the Lord has laid out for us.
Mat_11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat_11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
And then, of course, this is the most famous ‘yoke’ passage of the entire bible. There is a yoke to be sought after, and that is to place yourself under the ownership of the Messiah.
Gal_5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
And one more yoke for good measure – a warning not to be entangled with the false doctrine of the day.
Nah 1:14 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name (honor, character) be sown (disseminated): out of the house of thy gods (elohim) will I cut off (kaw-rath – to cut a covenant, to destroy or consume) the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile (kaw-lal – accursed, contemptible).
According to one commentary at least, a sudden change of person is common in Hebrew poetry, though it may jar us English readers. Different rules of grammar and such between languages presents us with a challenge at times to rightly divide the word of God. That is why we need the precious Holy Spirit to light our path. But since we are imperfect vessels, we do the best we can. Sometimes a further revelation is withheld for a season until we are able to receive it. All we can do is go with the light that we have.
So we suddenly switch from speaking about the people of Judah, and back to the Assyrian. If God has made a decree, then who can annul it? I believe that Assyria itself is about to be cut off forever. Others see it as the bloodline of the Assyrian king. Both are true, but the nation was about to disappear, never to rise again.
God specifically speaks of their gods. In the light of the fact that God had graciously gave them a witness of the one true God when he sent Jonah to them, their reverting back to their own false gods was seen as especially egregious by Yehovah. Peter reiterates this truth:
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Who would have thought that someone can actually end up worse off after knowing the Lord? But should you choose of your own free will to turn away from the truth after you have escaped from being lost in sin, then woe, woe, woe unto you!
That word kaw-rath is used both positively and negatively. Abraham engaged in kaw-rath with God, and he became the father of many nations. But it can also be used to sever something. Here God says he will sever their gods. The gods of Assyria are no more today.
God then ends this deprecatory discourse by stating a simple fact. Nineveh, you are vile. You are contemptible and accursed. End of story. No Jesus loves me, this I know, for these souls. God has made up his mind about this tribe. And nothing shall change his mind at this stage.
Nah 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings (baw-sar – announces glad news), that publisheth (shama – to hear intelligently, with the idea of obeying) peace (shalom – safety, prosperity, rest)! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked (bel-e-yah’-al) shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off (kaw-rath).
How similar this verse is to the passage in Isaiah, which then is quoted in Romans:
Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Notice that the wording and phrasing is similar, but applied to different times and places. In Nahum, we see a positive ending to chapter one with this uplifting statement of deliverance. In Isaiah, the verse is employed for a very similar reason, but in this case it refers to a promise of deliverance from the Babylonians, the next oppressor of the Jews that followed Assyria. While God would use Babylon to deliver Judah from Assyria, he would then have to reiterate that promise in regard to their once liberators, now new oppressors.
Thus this prophetic work of Nahum is to be regarded as good news! Yes, Judah was currently suffering under the yoke of Assyria. While they were not utterly destroyed as the northern kingdom was, they were under a heavy burden of taxation and tribute. God, in a uniquely poetic fashion, wants Judah to know that salvation is near.
Thus Judah is urged to continue to worship the Lord in the acceptable manner that they have been taught. Do not give up, do not despair. Continue to keep the feasts and perform your vows to the Lord. Yahweh is promising that these particular sons of Belial will not invade your land ever again. They are utterly cut off and will appear no more.
Paul uses these passages to describe the real, deeper meaning of this promise. As Judah experienced physical deliverance from a physical enemy, so the gospel has come to deliver us from a spiritual enemy, in order to bring us an eternal spiritual deliverance. Thank God for all those types and shadows in the Old Testament that help us to comprehend so many aspects of the finished work accomplished at the cross! How beautiful indeed are the true messengers of the good news of the eternal gospel of peace. Peace between man and God. No more strangers, but fellow citizens with the former people of God, as Paul reminds us:
Eph_2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
Eph_2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
I hope that the study of chapter one has opened up some avenues of revelation and understanding. Let us now see what chapter two has to offer.
Solitary Man
Photos courtesy Depositphotos
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