The Prophecies of Nahum

Nahum 1‑3  •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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God’s Judgment on the Assyrian
The book of Nahum is the last of the prophets of the Assyrian period and marks the end of the Assyrian dynasty. Its subject is the overthrow of Nineveh. This was the capital city of that empire, and its overthrow represents its final destruction. It has its fulfillment in end-time prophecy of the Lord’s judgment of Gog and his confederacy (Ezek. 38-39).
The Judge of All the Earth Arises to Judge the Assyrian
Chapter 1
Nahum begins with a presentation of the Lord in His majestic holiness as the Judge of all the earth (vss. 1-8). Historically, the Lord used the Babylonians and the Medes to overthrow Nineveh, but the future destruction of this final enemy of Israel will be executed by the Lord Himself, and there will be none with Him in execution of that judgment. This is the Winepress judgment (Isa. 34:1-10; 63:1-61Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. 3Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. 4And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. 5For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment. 6The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. 7And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. 8For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. 9And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. 10It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever. (Isaiah 34:1‑10)
1Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. (Isaiah 63:1‑6); Joel 3:1313Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. (Joel 3:13); Rev. 14:17-2017And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. (Revelation 14:17‑20)). The presence of the Lord is spoken of as being known in the earth. This points to the fact that when the final judgment of the last confederacy is judged, the Lord will have already returned and will be in Jerusalem. In that day He will defend Israel as “a stronghold in the day of trouble” (vs. 7) and will “make a full end” of that enemy (vs. 8). The destruction of this enemy will bring the Indignation to a close at 1335 days from the middle of the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan. 12:1212Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. (Daniel 12:12)).
The land of Israel was in great trouble when the Assyrian passed through the land. As mentioned, the first attack of the Assyrian is a foreshadow of the King of the North, who will devastate the land from the north to the south, on his way into Egypt (Dan. 11:40-4340And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. (Daniel 11:40‑43)). But when the Assyrian enters the land in a second attack, “affliction (on Israel) shall not rise up the second time” because the Lord will be there, and He will tread this enemy down (vs. 9). This is a reference to Gog in the future. There was “one” (Sennacherib, who is typical of Gog) who will “come out” of Assyria that will imagine evil against Israel, but the Lord takes it personally, and speaks of it as evil against Himself (vss. 10-11).
The Lord promises His restored people that when this enemy makes an attempt to “pass through” the land, they will be “cut down.” He says, “Though I have afflicted thee ... ” This is a reference to the Lord having used the Assyrian (the first attack) as a rod of correction on His people (Isa. 10:55O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. (Isaiah 10:5)), He quickly adds, “I will afflict thee no more. For now I will break his yoke from off thee.” The Assyrian will not touch Israel again because the Lord will be there in the land with His restored people (vss. 12-14).
The destruction of the Assyrian power will be “good tidings” to Israel. The Lord promises them, “The wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off” (vs. 15).
The Overthrow of Nineveh
Chapter 2
Nahum gives a graphic description of the carnage in the overthrow of Nineveh, depicting the destruction of the Judgment of the Assyrian Empire.
God is Justified in the Judgment of the Assyrian
Chapter 3
Nahum justifies God in the well-deserved judgment of this godless empire.