Nahum Sermons by Rev. Mike Jones [Revised October 29, 2021]
Nahum 01:1-3 FOUR THINGS NAHUM WANTED YOU TO KNOW ABOUT GOD
Nahum 01:1 7 THE OTHER SIDE OF GOD
Nahum 01:1 7 HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE GOD?
INTRO TO NAHUM
Nahum (“Comfort”) ministered nearly 150 years after Jonah and his message was the destruction of Nineveh because she had gone back into sin and turned her back on God. Assyria was at its peak but Nahum saw that God’s Judgment would soon fall (And there would be no repentance this time- There is no healing of thy bruise 3:19). Through the example of Nineveh, Nahum hoped to show Judah that she too would fall if she refused to submit to God. This was also a message of Hope to a people faced with the danger of Assyrian Captivity.
I. NINEVEH’S DOOM DECLARED 1
A) The Character of God 1:1-8
B) The Cause of Nineveh’s Doom- Her withstanding God 1:9-15
II. NINEVEH’S DOOM DESCRIBED 2 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. 2:6 This is exactly what happened!! The Babylonians were unable to capture Nineveh until the rainy season when they released a dam and the water dissolved the walls.
III. NINEVEH’S DOOM DESERVED 3 Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery 3:1
THOUGH GOD WILL FORGIVE SIN REPENTED OF; HE WILL NOT CONDONE SIN PERSISTED IN!!
Nahum 01:1-3 FOUR THINGS NAHUM WANTED YOU TO KNOW ABOUT GOD
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 (Nahum 1:1-3).
It is amazing to me how little we know about something as important as God. Most people, if they were trapped in a room with God for an hour, would not know what in the world to talk about. Can you imagine how uncomfortable they would be then trying to spend the endless ages of eternity in God’s Presence? Tonight I want us to try to understand four very important characteristics about this great God we serve.
As you know, God is a Triune (3 persons but one God) God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I am going to list Four Characteristics about each of the Trinity but major on the Four Characteristics of God, the Father.
Have you ever wondered why there are Four Gospels? That is because one Gospel could not describe the wonder of Christ as a man. Each of the Gospels was written to show us something we need to know about the Character of Christ:
Matthew- Christ as King- Line of David, Wise Men Visit, Kingdom Teaching
Mark- Christ as Servant- No Birth Record, Straightway is Key Word
Luke- Christ as Man- Record of birth of Cousin John, Shepherds visit in Stable, Many Prayers
John- Christ as God- In the beginning was word. 8 Miracles to show Christ was God.
There are also Four Characteristics of the Holy Spirit that we need to Know:
1) The Holy Spirit must bring Conviction to our heart in order for us to be saved.
2) The Holy Spirit Converts and Empowers us to live the Christian Life.
3) The Holy Spirit Teaches us the Truths of the Bible
4) The Holy Spirit Comforts us in the Trials and Tribulations of Life.
I want to major, however, on Four Characteristic of God you need to know about:
1) God is a Jealous God- He demands complete commitment (Wife). It breaks His heart when we would rather spend our time with the World. It hurts Him when we think nothing of spending our money on things for our own pleasure and hate to pay Him our Tithe (God loves a Cheerful Giver).
2) God is a Punctual God- He has a plan and it will be completed on Schedule. Jesus came to Jerusalem exactly on time (69 Weeks of years’ 483 years’ 173880 days from the command to rebuilt Jerusalem until Psalm Sunday). Don’t get flustered about the circumstances of life. God is seldom early but He is NEVER Late- Marriage, Sickness, Debt.
3) God is concerned about Details- hairs of head, Sparrow fall. Who you marry, where you work, where you attend Church,
4) God is Angry with the Wicked every day- only His mercy and Love keep His wrath from consuming them and casting them into the eternity of Hell. Each day you continue in Sin you invite the wrath of God. You can’t fool God and you had better not Play with God. This is as serious as it gets.
Nahum 01:1 7 THE OTHER SIDE OF GOD
My wife is a pretty, petite, lady who looks as quite as a mouse but if she ever decided to stomp her foot then the best place you can be is somewhere else! In the beginning of his powerful sermon about Nineveh, Nahum, describes God in ways that are different from our usual descriptions of God- God is love and light full of mercy and grace. While all of these things are true, we need to understand that there comes a time when “God stomps His foot” and brings judgment to those who spurn His mercy and grace.
Nahum is the “other side of the coin” from Jonah. Jonah had reluctantly gone to Nineveh to preach God’s judgment and a marvelous revival had broken out, saving the city from God’s judgment. 150 years later the people had returned to their wicked ways and the “other side of God” judgment is revealed- The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: (Nah 1:3).
Little is known of Nahum the Elkoshite who gave this prophecy. Some say he came from the Galilean city Capernaum (village of Nahum) where Jesus spent much of His ministry. From the reference in 3:8 to the overthrow of populous No (A famous city in Egypt where the god, Amon, was worshiped, it would appear that Nahum wrote shortly after 665BC which would make him a contemporary of Isaiah. Nahum’s name means “Comfort” and it is a comfort to God’s people to know that the government of God guarantees that wrongs will not go unpunished.
Nineveh was a PROSPEROUS CITY (actually 4 cities in one) which had walls running 60 miles around it. The wall was 100 feet high and so broad that 3 chariots could be driven abreast on it. 1500 towers, each 200 feet high, were built along the walls. In Jonah’s day it had contained). This would make the population well over 1 million.
Nineveh was a POWERFUL CITY that ruled the then known world (Egypt, Babylon, and all the other countries in the mid east). It feared no one and felt indestructible-The prophecy about its destruction is amazing- The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. (Nahum 2:6). For 2 years the enemy had tried in vain to capture Nineveh without success. One day the river running through the city flooded and dissolved part of the vast wall around the city. Through this poured the enemy army and destroyed Nineveh
Nineveh was a WICKED CITY where sin was tolerated as a way of life, where the goods and gold and gain of this life preoccupied everyone’s mind, and where God was insulted and ignored.
How did they get from REVIVAL to WRATH? How did they go from God sending a prophet at any cost to preach to them to a prophet who gave them no outlook but judgment and wrath? How do WE?
I. GOD IS JEALOUS- The Ten Commandments reveal this fact:
A) God is Jealous of His Name- EXO 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. See Exo 39:25
B) God is Jealous of His Glory- Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another.
C) God is Jealous of Your Affection- EXO 20:3-6 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. He wants you for His own personal, Private Possession.
When Jonathan Edwards was struggling with his salvation and people tried to tell him he was saved because he was such a good person he responded, AI know I am not saved because I do not Delight in God!”
In old days people in mental hospital were given a simple test to see if they were sane enough to go back into society. They were placed in a room where a stopper had been placed in a sink and the water turned on until the sink overflowed. They were given a mop and bucket and told to clean up the mess. If they had enough wisdom to turn off the water before they began to clean up then they were released.
Are you on God’s Mercy side or Wrath side? Do you have enough sense to make a change?
Nahum 01:1 7 HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE GOD?
Little is known of Nahum the Elkoshite who gave this prophecy. Some say he came from the Galilean city Capernaum (village of Nahum) where Jesus spent much of His ministry. From the reference in 3:8 to the overthrow of populous No (A famous city in Egypt where the god, Amon, was worshiped, it would appear that Nahum wrote shortly after 665BC which would make him a contemporary of Isaiah.
Nineveh was a marvelous city (actually 4 cities in one) which had walls running 60 miles around it. The wall was 100 feet high and so broad that 3 chariots could be driven abreast on it. 1500 towers, each 200 feet high, were built along the walls. In Jonah’s day it had contained “much cattle” and 120,000 infants (who could not discern between their right hand and their left hand). This would make the population well over 1 million.
Nineveh was a very wicked city but an extremely powerful city that ruled the then known world (Egypt, Babylon, and all the other countries in the mid east). The prophecy about it’s destruction is amazing- The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. (Nahum 2:6). For 2 years the enemy had tried in vain to capture Nineveh without success. One day the river running through the city flooded and dissolved part of the vast wall around the city. Through this poured the enemy army and destroyed Nineveh
Nahum is the “other side of the coin” from Jonah. Jonah had reluctantly gone to Nineveh to preach God’s judgment and a marvelous revival had broken out, saving the city from God’s judgment. 150 years later the people had returned to their wicked ways and the “other side of God” judgment is revealed- The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: (Nah 1:3). Nahum’s name means “Comfort” and it is a comfort to God’s people to know that the government of God guarantees that wrongs will not go unpunished. In the beginning of his powerful sermon, Nahum, describes God in ways that are different from our usual descriptions- God is love and light full of mercy and grace. While all of these things are true, we need to understand also that God brings judgment to those who spurn His mercy and grace
I. GOD IS JEALOUS- The Ten Commandments reveal this fact:
A) God is Jealous of Your Affection- EXO 20:3-6 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. He wants you for His own personal, Private Possession.
B) God is Jealous of His Name- EXO 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. See Exo 39:25
C) God is Jealous of His Glory- Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another. See Ezek 8:- The people worship idols, the rulers worship imagination, the women corrupt themselves, and the priest turn their back on God to worship the things of this world. The Glory Cloud departs from the people because God will not share.
II. GOD IS JUST- “The Lord Revengeth”
A) Don’t worry about injustice here- Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord.
B) Don’t think you can get by with it- Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.
C) There is only one “Door” to God- Christ. No other way
III. GOD IS PATIENCE “slow to anger” 120 years before the flood, 430 years Israel waited until Amorite’s day finally came. But, remember that one day God’s Patience wears out!
IV. GOD IS POWERFUL “great in power” He speaks and worlds come into being. He is master of wind, and storm, and nature.
V. GOD IS GOOD- He WANTS to save sinners
VI. GOD IS KNOWING- He can’t be fooled! He knows the vows you made to Him and He knows if you are fulfilling those vows. He knows your heart; He is aware of your secrets and the hidden things in your life. He does not always pay up on Friday but He will pay on time- The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked:. (Nahum 1:3