So maybe you’ve heard it said, ‘read your bible’ so you tried and failed. Our hope as leaders is that all of us will pick up God’s word and come to understand the true nature of God. After all, the bible is God’s Word curated over centuries detailing His nature, His will, the meaning of life and humanity’s historical interactions with Him. The Bible details the hidden keys to the Kingdom. Hence, the reason we are reviewing a new book each week.
This week we move ahead to the book of Nahum. His name means “comfort” and lived from 670-620 BC.
The book of Nahum is about the prophet Nahum, and the prophecy that he receives about the city of Nineveh. We first hear about the city of Nineveh in the book of Jonah. The prophet Jonah receives a message from the Lord, to preach to the people of Nineveh. The people of Nineveh end up repenting because of the news that Jonah shares with them, and they begin to fear the Lord. Destruction does not fall upon the city, at that time.
However, 100 years later we see that Nineveh had returned to their old ways. Their repentance did not last very long. The Assyrians were very powerful during this time and were conquering other regions, including Israel. They were wicked in the eyes of the Lord, not only were they terrorizing other countries, but their capital city was full of temples to other Gods, filled with treasure from places they had conquered, and they were drunk with power. The Lord had been patient with the people from Nineveh, but now he had a different message for them. Nahum had a vision about the destruction of the city of Nineveh, and he was sent by the Lord to deliver this message to them. The message was simply that soon they would face their downfall because of the evil that they have been part of.
A little while after Nahum’s vision, internal conflict begins to break out in Nineveh among the leaders. In addition, the Medes and the Babylonians make a deal to attack Nineveh. There is a river that flows through the city, and a dam was built to restrict water flow. Eventually, the dam is destroyed, and the raging water was too much for the walls of Nineveh to handle. The Medes and Babylonians then were able to enter the city and destroy it. After this, Nineveh is never the same again. It exists for a period of time after its destruction but within a couple of years is completely wiped out.
The words of Nahum from the first chapter eerily predict the end of the arrogant nation drunk with power:
The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, 8 but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.
What comfort the people of God, the believers must have felt in hearing these words?
Comfort is defined as: the easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress or pain or constraint.
The people of God were being reminded that God cares for those who live in recognition of Him. He will make right, the wrongs of the world. In other words, “Help is on the way.” look down to verse 12 as Nahum shares more prophecy:
This is what the Lord says:
“Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be destroyed and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah, I will afflict you no more.
13 Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”
14 The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:
“You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the images and idols
that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile.”
15 Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.
There are two contexts to be aware of when reading this. The first has to do with the fate of the Assyrian nation and the capital of Nineveh. We know the Assyrians were routed but until 1845, the nation's capital couldn’t be identified because it was so completely destroyed. The second context is Nahum’s foreshadowing the coming of Jesus and His willingness to break the power of evil and achieve final victory at His second coming.
So what are we to learn from this scripture written over 2500 years ago?
Have you ever wondered why ungodly systems, people prosper and religions prosper as we try to live fully surrendered to God, to be His servants; or have you ever wondered if you’re on the wrong side?
It can really be discouraging at times to watch uncaring, selfish, self centered, non-christians prosper while we struggle. When the ungodly succeed and we, or someone we love, has to pay the price, it's normal to doubt and wonder about God’s love because it is a byproduct of the evil prevalent in this world.
Evil promotes more evil. It all begins with a whisper of the evil one at a time of weakness. It sparkes a desire which is then acted on and then increases as another falls prey to a justified response. Like the snake in the Garden of Eden, “Did he really say,” we are subject to whispers rooted in our desires. Justifying any decision is an attempt to make a wrong, right, Any desire that encourages us to doubt our belief in, or our actions on behalf of, God comes from the evil one.
When the world seems to desire and act differently than what we believe, it’s completely natural to wonder if God exists, or if he cares, or if he will make right the wrongs. After all, the world's power structures are evil. Now this doesn’t mean God is not ultimately in control, but that the systems that dominate are tainted and should not be trusted.
As the apostle John writes in 1 John 5:18-20:
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
We know the system is tainted because there is a spiritual war raging all around us.
It has been raging since Satan sinned in heaven and was cast out. When Jesus was born, the war between God and Satan entered a new phase. Satan knew who Jesus was and so he motivated King Herod to kill all those under two years of age. But God rescued the infant Jesus by having Joseph move to Egypt. That was Satan’s first major attempt against Jesus.
The next attempt occurred at the start of His ministry. Satan tried to motivate Jesus to sin when He was out in the wilderness for 40 days without food (Matt. 4:2). Satan tempted Jesus three times. Each time he hoped Jesus would sin, but each time Jesus quoted scripture to him. Jesus never gave in to sin.
The scriptures are clear that Satan is in control of this world for a while. God allows Satan to have this control for a little while. This truth can be found in many passages: Eph 2:2. John 14:30, 2 Cor 4:4,as well as the one I read in 1 John 5:19.
So why would God allow evil? In answering this question it’s important to remember what seems unfair to us is not unfair by God’s standard. The Bible says God’s ways are not our ways—and God’s ways are always best.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” —Isaiah 55:8-9
For our own good, God desires for every person to follow His commands. But He did not create robots; He gave us a choice to obey or disobey, to believe or not, to live in sin or to seek Him and His forgiveness. Oftentimes, like Adam and Eve, we decide to go our own way—and this is why evil will continue to exist until Jesus returns.
To have freedom of choice there must be a choice to make between good and evil.
The good news includes the fact that when Jesus died on the cross, God was finally able to forgive our sins forever, and to rescue us from spiritual death (1 Cor. 15:54-57). But the wonderful truth is that Jesus rescued us from Satan’s control. As Hebrew 2:14 states:
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—
All of which leads us back to good news for each of us, God is just, He never fails and is always redeeming (people, places and situations) to advance His kingdom against all opposition. To put it plainly, God wins. Every time. So when you are tempted to believe the evil whisper that leads to desire and ultimately action, remember who wins and choose Him who reigns Supreme.
Think about the disciples after Jesus died. Try imagining what they were thinking? How could it happen?
Creative: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/nahum
References: Quest Bible Overviews p:1363-68, NIV compact bible commentary (Sailhamer), https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/is-satan-in-control-of-this-world/
