The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. Nahum 1:1
We all know the story of how the people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah. God had declared He would destroy the city, but responded with grace when the people repented in a spectacular demonstration of humility. But that humility lasted only so long. Some 150 years after the Jonah revival, another prophet came along predicting Nineveh’s destruction. And this time, it actually happened. Nahum declared that the Lord is slow to anger (Nahum 1:3), but He will not acquit the wicked. The wicked people of Nineveh had exhausted God’s patience. A warning!
Few people were as violent and nasty to their enemies as the Assyrians, headquartered in Nineveh. What they did to the people they defeated is too ugly to repeat. In Chapter 3, Nahum declares ‘Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departed not’. And yet, Nahum’s message of Nineveh’s coming destruction is not so much a warning to Nineveh as it is an encouragement to Judah. The Assyrians had defeated and obliterated the nation of Israel, a destruction allowed by God because of the departure of that nation from their worship of Him. But now the Assyrians were a constant threat to Judah, and they were concerned. Nahum’s words brought comfort.
The story of Nineveh is a lesson for us today, and a reminder that God is always in control, regardless of what wars and trouble the nations around us get into. All the nations that forget God will surely be punished. And all the faithful He will surely preserve and protect. Nahum’s message is just as relevant today. – Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/Mdib_s_YONM