The Book We Skip And The God We Need

Find the book of Nahum with me, a small book with a massive view of God.

You won’t wake up one day to find Nahum trending on social media. If the Bible were a playlist, Nahum would be the song you’d skip every time. It’s the book we totally ignore. But we shouldn’t ignore it.

Here’s why you should pay attention to Nahum. Nahum tells us about a God who reigns, and He will have the final word against evil.

Today’s Scripture

“1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God;

the LORD is avenging and wrathful;

the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries

and keeps wrath for his enemies.

3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,

and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in whirlwind and storm,

and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness” (Nahum 1:1-3, 7-8).

When evil looks loud and God feels quiet, Nahum answers three questions:

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1. What Does God Know?

2. What Does God Feel?

3. What Will God Do?

Nahum is unique in that it is the only book in your Bible that is devoted to the destruction of a single city.

1. What Does God Know?

1.1 Courtroom Scene

A small-town attorney called his first witness—an elderly woman known as the local gossip. He approached her and said, “Mrs. Jones, do you know me?” She said, “Why yes, I know you, Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a young boy.” He smiled until she said, “…and frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people, you talk about them behind their backs, you charge far too much money, and you don’t have the brains to realize you're never going to amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.”

Well, this lawyer was stunned. Flabbergasted and not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and said, “Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?” She said, “Why yes, I do. In fact, I used to babysit for Mr. Bradley’s parents. He has also been a tremendous disappointment to me. He’s lazy, he has a drinking problem, he cheated his way through law school, and he’s one of the most crooked lawyers in this state.”

The judge slammed his gavel. “Silence! Both of you, to the bench,” he said. Then, leaning forward, he warned, “If either of you asks her if she knows me, I’ll hold you in contempt.”

It’s 2,600 years ago, we ask more seriously, “What does God know?”

1.2 An Oracle

“An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh” (Nahum 1:1).

God gives an “oracle” to Nahum about a city named Nineveh. Instead, an “oracle” is a weighty word from God given to someone God trusts, His prophet. Nahum’s name comes from a root word that means “to comfort.” He comforts God’s people by confronting their oppressor.3

1.3 The Darkness of Nineveh

If we know next to nothing about the prophet, we know a lot about the city of Nineveh. Nineveh, which lies across from modern-day Mosul, Iraq, was the last capital of Assyria before the empire fell. The city’s name struck fear in the hearts of its enemies. Its people were perverse, sadistic, and evil. Assyrian kings didn’t hide their brutality — they advertised it. One inscription you can find in the British Museum today describes the kings of Assyria flaying their enemies’ skins and draping these skins over a pile of human bodies.2 The cruelty was intended to communicate: “This is what happens when you resist Assyria.” Terrorism was Nineveh’s policy.

1.4 Jonah and Nineveh

Keep in mind that this isn’t the only book of the Bible that deals with this ancient evil city. The prophet Jonah refused to share God’s message of mercy and grace to the people of Nineveh. Around 150 years before Nahum, Jonah didn’t want the people of this great city forgiven; he wanted them destroyed. Did God change His mind from Jonah’s day to Nahum’s? Jonah’s message: grace for Nineveh if they repent. Nahum’s message: judgment on Nineveh for refusing to. If cruelty had a hall of fame, then Nineveh would be first ballot.

1.5 Assyria Went Too Far

Now, the prophet Isaiah tells us that Assyria went beyond God’s instruction to discipline His children, and they sought to destroy Israel (Isaiah 10:5-11).