Overview of the Book of Nahum

The overview of the week for this Sunday is the book of Nahum.

The book of Nahum was written in the 7th century B .C.

His name means consolation or the comfort of God.

And the theme of his prophecy is the doom of the city of Nineveh.

Some people have considered Nahum to be the sequel of the book of Jonah.

Because if you remember the prophet Jonah preached that God was going to overthrow

this great city of Nineveh.

But the people repented at Jonah's preaching so that that judgment was really just

delayed.

Eventually the people went back to their old ways in the city which was the capital of the Assyrian

Empire.

It was destroyed in 612 B .C. and that is what Nahum is

prophesying.

Okay so the book begins with these words in chapter 1.

The burden against Nineveh.

The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkishite.

God is jealous.

The Lord avenges.

The Lord avenges and is furious.

The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserves wrath for his enemies.

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and he will not at all

acquit the wicked.

So the Assyrians the thing to know about them is they were very very cruel.

Like no other empire the world had ever seen up until that point.

So the prophet Nahum speaks about their judgment with great passion.

Perhaps more than any other prophet in the scripture.

In verse 6 he speaks of God's indignation and fierce anger.

And many commentators have seen this prophecy as being applicable to really all

nations that are violent and that oppress.

And how God will not allow that to continue forever.

Praise God.

So in conclusion this dark prophecy is eased by

the promise that God is on the side of the oppressed.

God is on the side of those who would humble themselves before him.

As we read in verse 7 of chapter 1.

The Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knows

those who trust in him.