Waterfall in Israel

The Lord Is Angry With Nineveh

 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. 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 LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor. Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder. (Nahum 1:1-13 kjv)

The Book of NAHUM Nahum means "comfort" or "consolation" (of God). This is thought-provoking since Nahum's message concerns the destruction of Nineveh. However, the Hebrew title (the first word of the Hebrew text), "Burden," is indicative of the content (see note on Nah. 1:1) Nahum prophesied in the time between the Assyrian capture of No (Thebes) in Egypt (see Nah. 3:8 - 10), which is known to have occurred in 661 B.C., and the final destruction of Nineveh in 612 B.C. (Nah. 2:8 -13). Since verse fifteen of chapter one suggests that the feast were being observed in Judah, it is probable that he ministered during or just after Josiah's revival.   This means he would have prophesied around 620 B.C. about the time of Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and the early part of Jeremiah's ministry. Several scholars have suggested Capernaum in Galilee was his birthplace, and was renamed Kaphar-Nahum in his honor. In any event he moved to Judah and prophesied there. If it is true that he prophesied from Jerusalem, as many believe, then verses nine through thirteen of chapter one probably refer to the then recent siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib. Nahum's book has certain aspects of a "theodicy" (a defense of God). He provided answers to the questions of God's people: "Has God forsaken us? Why are the Assyrians prospering? Are God's promises empty?" Nahum affirms that God may be "slow to anger" (Nah. 1:3a) but He "will not at all acquit the wicked" (Nah. 1:3b). Moreover, God is indeed "a stronghold lay of trouble" (Nah. 1:7). This is also a vital message for today -in the press of circumstance and misfortune; God's people are prone to forget that God is in control.  [Source for Introduction of chapter: Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible KJV edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN 37422]