One Stop Bible Study #1
Nahum
by Stephen Moore
Download as PDF (Recommended)
Prophet: Nahum
Audience: Judah and Nineveh
Date: After the conquest of No-Amon (Thebes) in 663BC (3:8-10).
Around 663BC-654BC
Message: Consolation for Judah and judgment for Nineveh.
Overview
Around 100 years before Nahum’s prophecy, God sent the reluctant prophet Jonah to the Assyrian capital of Nineveh warning them of impending judgement. To Jonah’s disgust the great Assyrian enemies of Israel repented and God in His grace and mercy granted them salvation. Unfortunately by the time of Nahum the Ninevites had fallen away from worshipping the one true and living God and had sunk back into idolatry, worshipping carved images and cast idols (1:14).
Not only had they resumed the worship of false gods but also their cruelty towards Judah (3:19b). The Assyrians were very wicked with Judah (1:11+12+15) and even though God used them at a time to punish His rebellious people they had overstepped the mark. To be an enemy of Judah is to be an enemy of God. This is why the Lord said to the people of Nineveh twice, “I am against you” (2:13; 3:5).
In the time of Jonah God had granted the Ninevites repentance and salvation. However by the time of Nahum, God’s will was that He was going to judge Nineveh for their idolatry and wickedness towards His people once and for all (1:8+9+12; 3:7+19). Before God judges He always offers salvation. The prophecies of both Jonah and Nahum are pictures of God’s patience with people in this present age of grace and then God’s eventual judgement of those who reject His salvation in the future.
Although the city of Nineveh was the greatest of the Assyrian cities, it was completely destroyed and has never been rebuilt. Therefore God’s prophecy that He would make an end to it (1:8) was fulfilled and is being fulfilled. Nineveh’s ruins are located close to the modern day city of Mosul in Iraq. God’s judgment upon Nineveh was final and He explains that Nineveh’s “injury is fatal” (3:19). This is an ever present reminder that God’s future judgement on the sinner is final and everlasting (Matthew 25:41+46).
The two principle themes running through the prophecy of Nahum• are consolation and justice for God’s afflicted people (1:7+12+15; 2:2) and secondly judgement for God’s enemies (1:8; chapter 2+3). The gospel is intricately linked to these two themes as those who trust God will be consoled and saved whereas those who reject God will be judged.
Further study (Can be done as an individual or in groups)
Throughout the prophecy some of God’s attributes are stated and then proved e.g. Nahum explains that God is jealous (1:2) and then the LORD proves He is jealous when He says, “I will destroy the carved images and cast idols” (1:14). Nahum presents other attributes of God. Read these attributes and record the evidence of these attributes throughout Nahum’s prophecy and the rest of scripture.
• The LORD takes vengeance (1:2) (e.g. chapter 2+3)
• The LORD is slow to anger (1:3) (e.g. 1:9+11)
• The LORD is great in power (1:3) (e.g. 2:13)
• The LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished (1:3) (e.g. 3:1-4)
• The LORD is good / caring (1:7) (e.g. 1:12+15; 2:2)
Pictures of God’s judgement
Many of the OT prophets including Nahum use pictures to help people understand their prophecies e.g. Nahum explains that Nineveh “will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine; they will be consumed like dry stubble” (1:10).
• Find more word pictures throughout Nahum’s prophecy and discuss what they suggest will happen to Nineveh and what we can learn from them today (e.g. 3:5-6+17).
Questions
• The Ninevites worshipped idols but what does God say about idolatry throughout the Bible? Discuss our proclivity towards idolatry and what modern day idols we make and worship instead of God? Why is the worship of idols useless?
See Deuteronomy 29:17-18; Isaiah 40:18, 43:10-11; 44:6-23, Revelation 9:20.
• Judah had suffered at the hands of the Assyrians but how does Nahum’s prophecy encourage us about God’s justice for His people? Although we may suffer now at the hands of others but will justice be served against evil and wickedness? Is it ok to ask God to bring justice? How can we contribute in bringing justice to the world? How will God judge? How can a person escape God’s judgement?
See Psalm 33:5, 37:28, Psalm 7:9, Isaiah 1:17+23+27; Romans 2:2+6+16, 5:9.