OVERVIEW:
Nahum, whose name means “comforter”, comforts God’s people by unveiling God’s plan to take vengeance on the wickedness of the nation of Assyria, beginning with the capitol city of Nineveh. (Nahum 1–3); Habakkuk’s difficult questions for God (Habakkuk 1–2); Habakkuk’s praise to God for answering his questions. (Habakkuk 3)
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
As we have already learned, the vast majority of the Old Testament is written to and by Israelites, the chosen people of God. When we discover any book of the Old Testament written to a nation other than Israel, we must recognize that we have discovered something significant in the plan and revelation of God. There are only three prophets (out of 16) who prophesy to Gentile nations: Obadiah prophesied to the people of Edom; and Jonah and Nahum prophesied to Nineveh, the capitol city of Assyria. Just what do Edom and Nineveh have in common? Both were Gentile nations, who worshipped false gods, and were used by Satan to persecute the nation of Israel. Do note that God doesn’t take either of these offenses lightly! (1:14; 3:19) To add insult to injury, just 150 years earlier, God proved to Nineveh that He is “good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon [him]” (Psalm 86:5) when He sent Jonah to warn them of coming judgment. (Jonah 3) As we saw, the Ninevites heeded the words of Jonah, and as a result of their repentance, revival had broken out in Nineveh! Apparently, the Ninevites failed to “make disciples”, because as we come into the book of Nahum, God is once again ready to pour out His wrath upon them! (1:2–6) Nahum describes how the city of Nineveh would be destroyed by “an overrunning flood” (1:8) and how the “gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved” (2:6), while enemy invaders would ravage and spoil the fortressed city (3:1–7), until an “utter end [was made] of the place.” (1:8–9)
As we might expect, 18 years after Nahum’s prophecy, Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, unsuccessfully besieged Nineveh for three years until the Tigris River suddenly overflowed its banks, washing a hole in the city wall and the Babylonian army rushed into the city, murdering the people and pillaging their goods. So complete was the destruction (1:9), that Alexander the Great marched over the former city without recognizing any evidences of a previous civilization! In fact, its existence was so annihilated, archaeologists didn’t even begin excavating the city until 1845 A.D.
The moral of the story is this: God is longsuffering but He isn’t a door mat! When you worship false gods (recognize that our modern day false gods are things like wealth, self, sex, etc.) and/or mess with God’s people, God will make a complete and utter end of you! (2nd Thessalonians 1:7–9) Those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, however, will be safe in the day of judgment. (1:7)
Also in Nahum, God addresses a man and a woman whose full identities are revealed in greater detail in the book of Revelation: the antichrist (1:11) and “Mystery Babylon… the Mother of Harlots…” (3:4–19 c.f. Revelation 17 and 18) Nineveh and her king are types of these end time characters.
Habakkuk
If the moral of Nahum’s message is that “God is not a doormat,” then the moral of Habakkuk’s message is, “God sure seems to be a doormat!” Nahum is the prophet of God’s WRATH realized; Habakkuk is the prophet of God’s PATIENCE realized. As the book opens, Habakkuk is struggling with two of the most common questions of life:
- “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?” (1:2)
- “If God is good and all powerful, why does He allow evil and suffering in the world?”
The very first verse of the book describes Habakkuk as an indignant prophet pinned under the unbearable burden of life’s injustices. This man of God has suppressed his frustration and confusion until he can no longer take it. Habakkuk unleashes his pent-up indignation, puts God on trial, and asks Him why the wicked are allowed to evade judgment and prosper. God leads Habakkuk up a specific path that ends on the mountain peak of the only possible answer: God knows what He’s doing, so relax! (3:17–19) The path is as follows: it begins with a “burden” (1:1); the burden is transformed into a “vision” (2:1–4); the vision becomes a “prayer” (3:1); and it ends with “rejoicing” and confidence. (3:18–19) If we examine our past, we will see that all of our wrestling matches with God have followed this same path, and what we thought at the beginning was an obstacle, was actually a stairway leading us high above the nagging questions, circumstances, and issues of life. May our feet, indeed, be as hinds’ feet. (3:19)
Historically, Habakkuk predicts the Babylonian captivity. (1:5–11) Prophetically, chapter 3 describes events surrounding the return of Jesus Christ.
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
- As THE stronghold of the faithful in the day of trouble — Nahum 1:7 (John 16:33)
- As THE Holy One — Habakkuk 3:3 (Mark 1:24; Acts 2:27; 3:14; 13:35)
- As THE coming Savior of Israel – Habakkuk 3:4–6,18 (Acts 13:23)