Day 683: Nahum 1- Our Stronghold

An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.
God's Wrath Against Nineveh
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.
4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
    he dries up all the rivers;
Bashan and Carmel wither;
    the bloom of Lebanon withers.
5 The mountains quake before him;
    the hills melt;
the earth heaves before him,
    the world and all who dwell in it.
6 Who can stand before his indignation?
    Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
    and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

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.
9 What do you plot against the Lord?
    He will make a complete end;
    trouble will not rise up a second time.
10 For they are like entangled thorns,
    like drunkards as they drink;
    they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
11 From you came one
    who plotted evil against the Lord,
    a worthless counselor.
12 Thus says the Lord,
“Though they are at full strength and many,
    they will be cut down and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
    I will afflict you no more.

13 And now I will break his yoke from off you
    and will burst your bonds apart.”
14 The Lord has given commandment about you:
    “No more shall your name be perpetuated;
from the house of your gods I will cut off
    the carved image and the metal image.
I will make your grave, for you are vile.”
15  Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him
    who brings good news,
    who publishes peace!
Keep your feasts, O Judah;
    fulfill your vows,
for never again shall the worthless pass through you;
    he is utterly cut off.
 
Meditation
God’s people must hope in the headline of Heaven- God wins in the end. God’s enemies will be defeated and decimated. God’s people will be saved, secure in God’s sovereign grace.
 
The Assyrian empire was advancing, overtaking the world. Nineveh was her capital and Israel was her next target. God’s people need not fear the advancement of evil empires. God is sovereign and we are free to have faith in His goodness and seek refuge in Him.
 
Nahum reveals the short-term nature of human strength- Our empires won’t endure. The Lord avenges and has stored wrath for those who oppose Him (2). No one can stand against His indignation, not even the most powerful empires in the world (3-6). God will make a complete end of his adversaries (8) and He will bring freedom to those whom they oppress (9-14). God wins.
 
The sovereign rule of God is an invitation to the people of God to experience the goodness of God. God is our stronghold. God knows those who seek refuge in Him (7). God’s rule and reign will endure. Isaiah joins the chorus of this prophetic hope to proclaim, “Our God reigns!” And the apostle Paul picks up Nahum 1:15 to declare the beautiful feet of those who bring the good news of God’s salvation (Romans 10:15). Beautiful feet carry this word of blessing! And hopeful hearts trust in God as their stronghold.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you about the extreme ends of this chapter, revealing God’s wrath against His enemies on the one hand but hope and salvation for all who trust in Him on the other?
 
-Why is it difficult to trust the Lord and hope in Him when it appears evil empires are advancing and winning?
 
-Jesus demonstrates the rule of God over evil and He reigns in eternity. Jesus is the picture of God’s stronghold and the revelation of God’s goodness. How can you hope more fully in Him, finding your security through Him, rather than in the shallow strongholds of our world?
 
Key Verse
7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.