Reading

• Nah. 1:1-3:19

Devotional

It is about 650 years before Jesus’ birth. GOD is fed up with Nineveh, the great capital city of Assyria. It has only been about 125 years since Jonah preached his message of repentance to the people of Nineveh, but they have returned to their wicked ways. GOD speaks through the prophet Nahum, prophesying that Nineveh will be destroyed. Nineveh is portrayed as GOD’s enemy, and GOD reminds us all through Nahum’s message of several of His character traits:

² God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 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. ⁴ He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. ⁵ The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. ⁶ Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.

⁷ The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. ⁸ But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies. ⁹ What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. ¹⁰ For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. ¹¹ From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counselor.
(Nah. 1:2-11 NKJV)

Assyria was cruel in conquering the nations of their day, and therefore GOD said there would be much rejoicing when they were destroyed.

¹⁷ Your commanders are like swarming locusts, And your generals like great grasshoppers, Which camp in the hedges on a cold day; When the sun rises they flee away, And the place where they are is not known. ¹⁸ Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; Your nobles rest in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, And no one gathers them. ¹⁹ Your injury has no healing, Your wound is severe. All who hear news of you Will clap their hands over you, For upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?
(Nah. 3:17-19 NKJV)