Nahum - The End is Near

The Old Testament is about Jesus

Nahum, Habakkuk & Zephaniah: The End of Evil (1. Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah Are Ultimately about Jesus)

The whole of the Old Testament is about Jesus—this includes Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah. Jesus himself said that the Old Testament is primarily about him.

On the road to Emmaus Jesus taught his friends that the Old Testament is about himself: ‘And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself’ (Luke 24:27).

To the apostles Jesus said: ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled’ (Luke 24:44).

Jesus said in John 5:39: ‘You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me’.

According to Jesus, the Old Testament is about Jesus—about his person, life, death and resurrection: ‘Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead” ’ (Luke 24:45–46).

The Apostle Paul said the same thing in 2 Corinthians 1:20: ‘For all the promises of God find their Yes in him’.

The Old Testament foreshadows God’s redemption in Christ. It is all about Jesus. It all applies to him and is fulfilled in his person, his death and his resurrection. I want to preach on Nahum because I want people to know about Jesus, and the book of Nahum must be ultimately about Jesus. So, one of my key presuppositions about the books of Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah is that they are about Jesus.

Background

Jonah preached repentance in Nineveh in the mid 700s BC. As we know, Nineveh repented and God spared them from destruction.

One of the most cruel rulers of the ancient world, the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal, was in power when Nahum Writes his prophecy.

Dated at around 663 BC - The fall of Thebes (Nahum 3:8) and Nineveh’s fall to Babylon in 621 (Assyria eventually overthrown by Babylon at the Battle of Carcemesh in 605 BC. The overthrow was just as predicted:

Babylonian soldiers dressed in Red, with a red glint off of their bronze shields, enter the city then bring devastating floods (Nahum 2:3, 6). Archeologists and uncovered Nineveh in 1846 only to find it a place of desolation with no treasure or good (Nahum 2:9)

Nahum – The End is near Intro: The Old Testament is About Jesus and Nahum Points to Him The Judgement of Nineveh Reminds Us that God is Just The Judgement of Nineveh Reminds Us that Eternity is Everyone’s Destination The Judgement of Nineveh Reminds Us that Jesus is Our Hope

The Judgement of Nineveh reminds us that God is just

Like many of us, the Ninevites lived like this life is all there is. They forgot their commitment to God, and just a couple of generations later they face the just and deserved retribution of God. Generational transmission of faith comes by parents and Christian leaders sharing their stories of faith, teaching God’s Word, and living the principles of holiness, confession, community, evangelism, etc. It is not all on the parents and leaders, though. Every individual has a responsibility for their own lives, their own soul care, their own pursuit of God and his plan for redemption, sanctification, renewal, and personal holiness. Nobody will ever stand before God and be able to offer the excuse that my momma and daddy didn’t teach me… Yet, as parents and leaders, we are accountable for what we do with the truth that we possess…

One of the most frightening and hopeless phrases in all of God’s Word is declared to Nineveh (Nahum 3:5) Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts...

Nahum 1:1–6 “An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.”

We have to remember who God is and that we are not him! (PD Tripp, New Morning Mercies):

In the beginning, God… Gen. 1:1 God asks Job where were you when I created… He is creator God.

Psalm 2:7–8 “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” Who besides the Lord has the power and control to make such a promise and give such a heritage?

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” He is in control of the nations. He is the one to who all will look for peace. He is the one who’s name is everlasting, the giver of peace, and the author of wisdom.

Daniel 4:35 “all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”” God is ultimate and in control - he does according to the counsel of his own will to bring glory to himself.

Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Colossians 1:16–17 “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Revelation 4:11 ““Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.””

The Just God of the universe is always in control even in 21st century America.

Our culture works hard to convince us that there is no accountability outside of ourselves. We have no greater power or authority. There is no eternal judgement for sin.

The devastating power and deception of sins influences unbeliever and believer alike. Many who are faithful attenders of church on Sunday live like hell monday - saturday. The lifestyle doesn’t back up who they say they are. The want the Scripture and Judgement of God to align with their preferences based on cultural norms not eternal truth.

And yes, there is a truth that is objective - the same for all people, in all places, at all times. Hope and grace are found only in the provision of the Lord. For anyone who rejects God’s salvation, there is sure judgement, and judgement that lasts for eternity.

The Judgement of Nineveh Reminds Us That Eternity is Everyone’s Destination

Judgement and retribution:

Judgement is just :

The doctrine of final judgement satisfies our inward sense of a need for justice in the world.

The doctrine of final judgement enables us to forgive others freely.

The doctrine of final judgement provides a motive for righteous living.

The doctrine of final judgement provides a great motive for evangelism.

Revelation 19:1–2 ESV

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

No person will able to argue with God when his judgement is given

Colossians 3:25 “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.”

1 Peter 1:17 “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,”

Romans 2:11 “For God shows no partiality.”

Romans 3:19 “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.”

What is that judgement? It is eternal separation from God in never ending torment.

For those who reject Jesus Christ the consequence is just and eternal: Hell and separation from God.

In our culture and lives we don’t want to talk about the judgement of God against sin. But it is an eternal reality…

Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 25:31-46

Matthew 25:31–46 ESV

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Jesus speaks of the unquenchable fire in Mark 9:43 “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” and the horror of this for eternity in Mark 9:48 “‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’”

He relates the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:22–24 “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’”

The description of Hell being a place of torment in Luke 16:28 “for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’”

In Revelation 14:9–11 “And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”” we are told that this is a punishment that never ends.

If this were the end of the story we’d all be doomed! But there is hope

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Na 2:13.

The Judgement of Nineveh Reminds Us that Jesus is Our Hope

2 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

In the midst of a the pronouncement against Nineveh and Assyria, we see glimpses of redemption and hope as Nahum’s points to Jesus:

Nahum 1:15 ESV

Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

Isaiah 52:7 ESV

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

The beauty of Jesus

Good News!!

Justified - Just as if I’d never sinned (the work of the cross and accomplishment of the resurrection)

Intersession -

Advocacy -

The