1st Bible Study: Nineveh is Cut Off

Tomorrow, we begin the first lesson on our quarterly Bible studies. We are looking at the book of Nahum. Nahum was a prophet to Judah. Remember that Israel was divided after King Solomon into two divisions: ten tribes called Israel and two tribes called Judah. As a general rule, the tribes making up Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They were taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Sometime later, Judah which generally did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, had some bad leadership and they were taken captive by the Babylonians.

Nahum’s name means “compassionate” or “comforter.” The words of Nahum were to bring comfort to the people of God. One of the themes of the book is that God will not overlook the heartless brutality of the Assyrians. Verse 2 provides a very important lesson, “God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.” The first question to consider is it ever right to try and get even? My answer is a resounding, No! Over the years I have had people come against me ministerial and professionally. When I took no steps to exact vengeance, I have watched them one by one receive the vengeance from the Lord which was far more intense than anything I could have exacted. Just because the Lord does not move quick, it doesn’t mean He isn’t moving.

In verse 14, God pronounces the sentence of judgment on the mighty Assyria:”And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee (God is talking to Assyria), that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.” The Lord speaks very strong words to the Assyrians. And, the Assyrians turn back and the people of God are rescued. The commentator A. Barnes commented:”God chooses the last moment of the triumph of the wicked, when he is flushed by his success, and the last of the helplessness of the righteous, when his hope can be in the Lord alone, to exchange their lots.”

My final thoughts:
1. Don’t take revenge.
2. Don’t look at the strength of the adversary, look to the power of the Lord.
3. Don’t look at your circumstances, look at the Word of God.
4. Don’t look at your watch or a calendar because God moves in his time table not yours.

Don’t forget to read the Sunday School Beacon stories! They surely blessed me! Next week, “The Prophet’s Perplexity.”