The God of Vengeance

Pearl Harbor, vengeance was necessary after the attack. “A date which will live in infamy” because innocent people had died. A day that sparked national outrage that a country could start a war without prior warning.

“I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.” - Roosevelt

Roosevelt made clear, that America would respond in a way that would be a reminder that “this form of treachery” won’’t happen again. It wasn’t just about Japan, it was about the statement that would be made. There will be judgment against treachery, against infamous evil.

Today we are looking at the book of Nahum. Nahum is not taught often, not least of which because the subject matter goes against our senses. Often called “a hymn of hate”. It is a prophecy against the people of Nineveh, but but also a warning to evil nations throughout history and a warning to God’s people. “God will avenge the righteous.” God’s justice will come against all evil, He will not ignore any of it. But not only will He not ignore it, but He will take righteous action against it, He will show His power over the wicked. And what often seems to us as a challenging idea, that God is a God of vengeance, we will see as a beautiful attribute.

In fact, in my preparation for this book I have found it to be once of my favorites to read through, the imagery we find is incredible but the themes are complex.

As clear as the theme of “God’s vengeance” seems, Nahum will show us that...

God’s vengeance reflects His character, responds to wickedness, and redeems those who come to Him.

And this purpose will show us how the Great and Sovereign God of Israel is just towards all sin, but also provides redemption in grace. It shows the dangers and despair that comes when we turn away from God, but when we trust in Him that He will protect us from even the greatest enemies. And that this applies to all people, not just to those WE consider wicked, but to ourselves as well.

We will see Nahum point the finger at those who do unspeakably evil things, but also direct the finger back at us and ask us “are we resisting evil in our own hearts?” But in the end Nahum will leave us with the truth that God will judge in His perfect and divine action, and we should celebrate this truth by worshipping Him.

Now the book of Nahum is set somewhere between 627 and 612 BC. It is at the height of Assyria’s power, and in connection the city of Nineveh. Much of the book will be directed at Nineveh, but in much of the same way we might use Washington DC to describe the entire government, Nineveh will be used to discuss the whole nation. At the end we will see that Nineveh specifically will fall, but again, much like if we saw DC fall, it would tell us of the wider panic that might occur.

Nahum, himself, we don’t know much about. Other than the town that he was from. We do know that he would have been prophesying at the same time as Jeremiah and Zephaniah. These two prophets were calling on the people to renew their allegiance to God, and now Nahum’s message was showing them the hope they had in God defeating their enemies when they trusted in Him.

-Nahum means “to comfort”, which is a theme throughout the book, God would comfort Judah through Nineveh’s destruction.

We see God how God will “comfort” the people through His vengeance, and we see this from the very beginning of the book in Nahum 1:1-12

Reflects His character

Let’s look at this term vengeance for a minute. In fact, in 3 different ways the text refers to God’s vengeance, and also 3 different names for God are used (Elohim, Baal, and Yahweh). It shows that only God can act in divine vengeance, no one else is able to.

-God doesn’t act in sinful anger when we shows justice, God doesn’t act on a way, He doesn’t have a problem with self control. All of God’s actions are within His unchanging and Holy character. He acts so that His glory may be revealed through His vengeance.

-We see this in that He is slow to anger, He is patient. This doesn’t mean He is any less powerful. We can often mistake patience for “unwilling” or “afraid”, or being “unsure” of the right choice.

This section defines many characteristics of God:

-Jealous

-Avenging

-Takes vengeance

-Wrathful

-Slow to anger

-Great in power

-Just (won’t leave the guilty unpunished

-Creator (all of creation is obedient to Him as v. 3-5 show)

Nahum 1:3-6 shows us how God is in control over all creation. The things that seem uncontrollable to us are perfectly within His power to control. No one can stand in His presence.

Why does Nahum start by listing off all these characteristics of Gods character?

The “Avengers” are a group of imperfect superheroes. God is the perfect, righteous God who avenges without the help of any other.

Then v. 6 asks an important question. Who can stand before the Lord and His wrath?

In order for there to be peace there must first come judgment.

God is a God of justice so He must act against wickedness. Vengeance, then, is a necessary outflow of His character.

Psalm 94:1–2 “Lord, God of vengeance— God of vengeance, shine! Rise up, Judge of the earth; repay the proud what they deserve.”

I read one place this week that God’s vengeance is only threatening to us because we want to be our own gods and rule the earth in our own ways.

But we can’t get rid of vengeance without also getting rid of justice.

Responds to Wickedness

"Chapter 2 Nahum offers one truth: I am God against you"

Assyria was an incredibly wicked nation, not just in being brutal in battle but using psychological warfare to beat opponents. Impale captives on poles, dismembering parts of soldiers than putting all into a pile in front of a defeated city, flaying enemies, impaling kings for all the people to behold. They would tell nations that their gods wanted them to surrender and taunt them on how poor their army was and how unreliable their allies. They would speak in the native tongue of the people so that all the people would hear all the taunts.

Nineveh thought they could stand against the Lord. Nineveh had the greatest army around. In fact, they were one of the earliest societies that had a whole cultured centered on military might. Putting more resources and thought into strategy than anyone else. Their great goddess, Ishtar, was a goddess of war, often depicted as a lion, which we will see some up. Because of this, they believed all their military expansions to be justified from a theological basis, they were “blessed” to rule over the nations, they had been given the tools to rule so it was their “right”.

Specifically for Judah they would have believed they were invincible. For over 100 years they had practically full control over the entire nation, other than the city of Jerusalem. The people of Israel had been forced into slavery to Nineveh, even being put into harsh labor to build the city into what its king, Sennacherib, would call a “Palace without a Rival”. The palace itself stretching 2 miles from end to end. A massive fortress.

-The language in v. 10 is rhythmic, like a pounding drum of war each pound creating more and more fear than the last.

-The words "pillaged, plundered, and stripped" all sounds similar and have similar meanings in Hebrew. Each word a little stronger the last, as if growing louder and louder. "Buqa, umebuqa, umebullaqa!" The picture is of people trembling in fear and terror. As if they are fainting.

The heart of wickedness is revealed through God’s vengeance

Nineveh had "paid off" others in order to do their bidding in war, it "enticed" others to join them in their wealth and power, to look as Assyria for protection. But their promises were empty, they would turn against them. They had no morals. This happens to king Ahaz in Isaiah 7:1-8:8. They would then sell of these nations for pieces for their own benefit, they would enslave their people.

Because of their actions against the nations they would

1. Be treated as a prostitute as they had acted themselves, seducing the nations. Now they will be exposed in their nakedness. The nations would see their nakedness and shame.

It would show the consequences of their sin. We often have issue with dealing with the consequences of our choices. We try to cover our faults and hope others don't see them. We want to see God's vengeance against others, but not ourselves.

2. Nineveh will be pelted with filth, they would be treated with contempt, like a fool. This nation others used to fear would be ridiculed.

3. Nineveh would become a "spectacle", they would be a reminder to other nations what happens when you come against the Lord God. Others would look on disgust at Nineveh. The question is, would they point and laugh or would they be able to have self-reflection on how they might meet that same fate.

No one can stand against the Lord’s vengeance

By describing the defeat in such graphic detail it would lead to even greater fear, that Assyria would know the detail of their defeat but could do nothing to stop it.

In Isaiah 10 God tells Assyria that He had used Assyria to judge Israel, they were the “rod of my anger”. But then Assyria became intent on destroying all nations and stated “won’t I do to Israel’s worthless idols as I have done to all the others”. Their belief that they could be greater than God is what led to their downfall.

Now this nation who had boasted in its wealth and treasures now see it all wash away, a reminder that the wealth of all the nations will pass away. That treasures go from one great nation to the next, but will one day be gone.

-The word for wickedness is a word "Belial", a phrase used for the sons of Eli, that they were "sons of Belial". Meaning they are wicked but also worthless. It is also used of Satan. It is not just evil, but morally depraved.

It identifies a ruler from Assyria (potentially Sennacherib) who "plots evil against the Lord" and who counsels in wickedness. (There are many in our world who "counsel" wickedness to us"

2 Corinthians 6:14–16 “Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

-In contrast, Jesus is a "wonderful counselor"

-We often think of technology, scientific improvements, powerful vehicles, huge skyscrapers as able to deliver us from many of the "pains" of this life. But none of this can help us to escape God's righteous wrath when we stand before Him.

"Any nations that lives by its might and opposes God cannot endure. Our emphasis on economics as the salvation of human beings and our belief in political solutions may stand judged as deficient before the Lord." - Barker

Redeems those who come to Him

The book of Nahum is a call for God’s people to come back to Him

God has shown vengeance against His own people

Isaiah 1:24–26 “Therefore the Lord God of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will get even with my foes; I will take revenge against my enemies. I will turn my hand against you and will burn away your dross completely; I will remove all your impurities. I will restore your judges to what they were at first, and your advisers to what they were at the start. Afterward you will be called the Righteous City, a Faithful Town.””

Nahum 1:12-15 provides comfort for Israel, that God will “tear off” their shackles.

What Nahum shows in all the details of Nineveh’s defeat is the confidence and hope they should put in God’s Word.

-We should see this word direct at our own hearts. That yes, God is merciful, willing to bear the cross for our sins so that we may be saved. But we should also see this as a reminder that we must resist evil and put our trust in the Lord. We must be called to repentance.

The peace Israel was searching for is found in Christ

At the opposite of those who want to be their own God’s and find God’s justice threatening, are those who find peace in God’s sovereign reign.

The key verse of the entire book is probably 1:15.

-It speaks of peace for God's people where they can worship Him and be obedient to God through the festivals and vows God had called them to.

-Feet emphasized a messenger, one who brought good news from battle.

The word for peace isn't just about war ending. It is the complete rest and well-being. It wasn't just one thing, it was all the things that leads to the removal of worry and pain. To enjoy all the good things of life. It is human flourishing.

We are now the feet of those who bring good news

Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!””

Romans 10:15 CSB

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

God calls them to worship Him because of what He will do for them in the future, to begin their festivals in light of what He will do.