Nahum 1 Nahum 1 1 15 Nahum our

Nahum

(1) Nahum 1: 1 -15

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • small book, big message sequel to prophecy of Jonah one string to his bow God’s verdict on a superpower death knell of Assyrian empire

Nahum … our God reigns! from Egypt in west to border between Iran / India in east from Russia in north to Arabia in south

Nahum … our God reigns! God said to Nineveh … You are the weakest link. Goodbye!

Nahum … our God reigns! • God is sovereign • you can’t sin and win God is jealous – Nineveh will fall (1) God is judge – how Nineveh will fall (2) God is just – why Nineveh will fall (3)

Nahum … our God reigns! key verses – 1: 2 and 1: 7 • God is against his enemies – ‘the Lord takes vengeance on his foes’ • God is for his people – ‘the Lord cares for those who trust in him’

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • Nahum came from Elkosh (1) there is no CV for the prophet God uses ordinary people name means comfort / compassion an ‘oracle’ – he felt it a ‘vision’ – he saw it

Nahum … our God reigns! • God can do anything • when God is on your tracks, you may run but you can’t hide • see the attributes of God in 2 -7 • he is the LORD (2) • God keeps his promises

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • the LORD is a ‘jealous’ God (2) he is envious of no one he protects his glory and name he ‘takes vengeance’ (2) he is a God of ‘wrath’ (2) he has a long memory

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • he is ‘slow to anger’ (3) he doesn’t blow a fuse his anger reflects his holiness he is long-suffering and patient God cannot ignore sin it is retribution, not retaliation

Nahum … our God reigns! God’s jealousy has two ingredients – the warmth of his love and the fire of his wrath.

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • he is ‘great in power’ (3) he is the omnipotent God is bigger than all our enemies they are grasshoppers, he is God the Lord does what he wants to do and … he does it when he chooses

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • refers to the great, global flood (3) God controls the forces of nature God never backtracks on his word God is the greatest warrior of all nothing rivals his eternal power

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • they didn’t walk on water (4) refers to the Red Sea crossing God rolled back the waters … a cameo of the Christian life we need to ‘move on’ in faith

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • natural resources are hit hard (4 b) God alone can be trusted he can make mountains shake (5) men are scared stiff when he moves his wrath is like molten lava when God hits a man, he’s out cold

Nahum … our God reigns! • an oasis of peace (7) • the uniqueness of God – he is good • he’s a shelter in the time of storm • find safety, security, and salvation • he ‘cares for those who trust in him’ • we have nothing to worry about

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • God is against his enemies (8) on God’s clock, their time is up resistance to God is futile (9 -10) one killer punch and Assyria is gone like stubble burned in a prairie fire

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • one ruthless person mentioned (11) he thinks he can outwit the Lord refers to Ashurbanipal (669 -627 BC) his dynasty will end (14) his little gods are all destroyed God is seen as the gravedigger

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • ‘this is what the Lord says’ (12) numbers don’t frighten the Lord God is on the side of the underdog God uses unbelievers to fulfil his plan there is relief for God’s people God wants us to enjoy liberty

Nahum … our God reigns! • • • 1: 15 – echo of Isaiah 52/Romans 10 need to look to the hills for our help the courier ‘proclaims peace’ it’s a reason for celebration it’s time for making a commitment God deals with all our enemies

Nahum … our God reigns! take-home message … our God is invincible!