Nahum

(S1)How to Juice the Bible

Information, revelation, application

(S2)Information

Who, what, when, where, why, and to whom?

Movie setting the scene

(S3)Revelation: God saying tilt your head, have you looked at it this way?

Perspective art: Rules:

You can’t move the parts or else the image is gone

You can’t add something that isn’t there. God told me that kid in the new testament was having epileptic seizures. I don’t see that in the original.

How the bible is different, it doesn’t just show one image - every way you change your perspective is another way to see the masterpiece

(S4)Application

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We are not remembering information. We are training to use a weapon. A weapon that we use while walking with God.

Does this teach me something?

Is this rebuking me?

Is this correcting me?

Is it training me for righteousness?

(S5)Juicing the book of Nahum (Example)

who: Nahum, a prophet

what: A poetic book

when: Nahum was written after Israel was destroyed and before Judah was conquered. Judah has been attacked but, unlike Israel, they aren’t fully destroyed for years

where: Nahum was an Elkoshite, we don’t know what that means

why: God is going to judge Nineveh for their violence, pride, and injustice. To tell God’s remnant to hide in His love

to whom: To the people of Judah

This sounds like Zephaniah, which we just did 2 weeks on. What do I do?

(S6)What makes it different?

The bible is a lot of books with a lot of similarities and we build biblical themes by looking at the ways they are similar BUT

A good question to ask to get to the purpose of a book is, “What makes it different”.

Nahum is about God’s justice on the wicked, it’s about His love to the faithful, and it’s revealing the fall of Assyria and Babylon - but so is Zephaniah. All of the “information” in Nahum is in Zephaniah.

Zephaniah 2:13(NIV)

13 He will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, leaving Nineveh utterly desolate and dry as the desert.

So what’s the difference?

Zephaniah is telling about God’s mercy and provision for people who seek Him.

Nahum is telling about God’s justice for the people who seek Him.

If someone is suffering from an oppressive nation and they are seeking refuge from evil then Zephaniah is for them.

If someone is suffering from an oppressive nation and they are seeking justice for evil then Nahum is for them.

Interpreting Nahum 1:15 and John 16, The Holy Spirit

(S7)

What about me? I’m not suffering from an oppressive nation.

So I went to God. I prayed, give me a perspective that makes this something for me.

Nahum 1:15 (NIV) Got stuck in my head, a verse for me (Hogan)

(S8)

15 Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.

What is it about? It’s a prophecy about a man who will come from the battle in Assyria to tell the people the battle has been won.

Then I remembered man of God

John 16:1–15 (NIV) Jesus telling about His journey to the cross

(S9)

1 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

God tilted my head and this is what I saw (application)

Nahum told Israel there would be a day when their enemy was slain by the justice of God. Nahum told Israel a man of peace would come down from the mountain after the battle and proclaim peace to God’s people and this, “no more will they wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.”

And Jesus told his disciples that there would be a day when their enemy sin, death, and satan were slain by the justice of God. Jesus told them I will send a spirit of peace down from my mountain after the battle is over and He will proclaim peace to God’s people and this, “no more will the wicked invade you, they will be completely destroyed.”

(S10)

Here’s the juice: Jesus destroyed sin, death, and satan and the Holy Spirit was sent to tell you it’s over. They’re done.

Sin has no power over you, death has lost it’s sting, and Satan is commanded to FLEE from anyone who resists Him in Jesus name, the Spirit has proclaimed victory

(S11) Action

Does this teach me something? Yes, the Holy Spirit reminds us the battle has been won. That’s one of His ministries in my life.

What do I do? When I’m struggling in temptation I go to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to tell me the story again.

(S12) because I like to mock the devil every chance I get

Is this rebuking and correcting me? Yes, when I blame the power of sin and death, or the devil and his deception for my failures and suffering I am giving them more power than they have. They don’t have power in my life unless I give it to them, because the Spirit has declared victory.

What do I do? When I’m struggling in temptation I tell myself Satan has exactly the amount of power in my life that I give him. And I stop giving him power.