Destruction of Assyria

Intro

We will be in Nahum. Nearing the end of the Assyrian occupation. Nahum, like Jonah, is prophesying to Assyria. Specifically to Nineveh. They had oppressed God’s people for a long time. Even after Sennacharib’s death, they were still quite powerful. It’s well documented that Judah and other prophets were crying out to God about when he would step in. When would he provide for them?

Have you ever asked that question? God, where are you? How long will you let this go on. In God’s time, he would step in.

Section #1: Israel will be avenged (1-2)

Exp. Nahum prophesying to Assyria. Like Jonah. This was meant for Judah to read. Verse 1. Nahum didn’t want to warn Nineveh. Scatterer could be God or others. We will find out it’s both. They must get ready for battle.

Exp. He meant for this to be reassuring for Judah. Verse 2. Nineveh’s oppression will end. All will clap for their fall.

Nahum 3:19

There is no easing your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil?

Exp. God’s retribution mirrors his restoration. Judah will be restored as promised.

Section #2: Assyria will be overtaken by force (3-4)

Exp. It won’t be like with Sennacherib. Verse 3-4. Red is the color of Babylonians and Medes (Ezek. 23:14). Overtook Assyria in 612 BC. Attackers looked powerful and invincible. “Day he musters them.” God mustering these armies. On that day his longsuffering with the brutality of Assyria will come to an end. Verse 4 shows how they rush the streets. Like a storm or mad man. Nineveh would get a dose of their own medicine.

Section #3: Assyria will be humiliated (5-7)

Exp. Nahum tells them they will try to fight back. Verse 5-6. They stumble to the wall. The river gates open. Palace melts. Beside Tigris. Uses the gates to flood the city. Melting is akin to the Scatterer. They all flee. Verse 7 can be hard to digest. Verse 7. Mistress = Nineveh. Stripped = humiliation. Assyria would take people away from nations and import them elsewhere. Tear families apart. Leave things in ruin. They would lament the same treatment. Beating breasts = Hebrew for heart. Mourning.

Section #4: Assyria will have nothing left (8-10)

Exp. He goes into what they will lose. Verse 8. The water is symbolic of their power. Nineveh means “city of water.” How their power will leave. Verse 9. They will be plundered instead of being the plunderer. Verse 10. This may seem coldhearted. This is justice. God is a just God.

Nahum 1:3

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.

Exp. No city. No gold. No water. No hope.

Section #5: God is the one who will do this (11-13)

Exp. Strange allusion to a lion’s den. Verse 11-12. Assyria referred to itself as a lion. Lion’s den = metaphor for Nineveh. Safety. Everything turns in verse 13. Verse 13. God is against them. Lord of hosts = ready for battle. Burn chariots = as they would leave things in smoke. Sword = overtake through power. Cut off prey = your prowling days are over. No more messengers = Rebshakah is done. God would use Medes and Babylon to execute his vengeance. Brings two takeaways.

Takeaway #1: God is just

Justice is not something that God has. Justice is something that God is.

A. W. Tozer

Exp. The Lord will not clear the guilty. Assyria has oppressed Israel and many other nations. Each nation under God’s sovereignty. We feel and experience this justice. This attribute is passed to us. We feel it when something unjust is occurring.

Ill. You turn on the news to watch someone mistreated. Or your child comes home because they have been bullied at school. Something inside of you moves. A lack of justice stirs in our spirit.

Arg. The problem comes when our view of justice is not God’s. We only seek justice because God has given that inside of us. It’s his justice that we pursue. There is a spiritual battle with sin that brings injustice. Sin causes us to rebel against God. That sin racks up a debt that we can’t pay yet we live on as if it is. That’s unjust. There’s a punishment for this debt. That’s justice.

Christ - God is just because he sent Christ to handle that debt for us. The retribution of sin that we deserve, like Assyria, was put on Christ’s shoulders. How can he be just by sending Jesus to the cross? He’s the only sacrifice that would appease God’s wrath. Sacrifices didn’t work. God’s justice defines our injustice. If his justice was retribution for sin, then that is the source of injustice.

App. What do we do?

Seek God’s justice personally. Your own sin struggles.

Seek God’s justice communally. Sin in those around you. How is it affecting them?

Takeaway #2: God is faithful

Exp. Clearly God is just because of his destroying of Assyria. He is faithful as he kept Judah. He promised the remnant would be spared. He kept his promise. He called his shot with Assyria. He called his shot with Judah. He calls his shot today as well. What does faithfulness mean? In this context, it means that God isn’t going to change his mind. He’s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And even when you fail, he stays the same.

Ill. Last week, I bragged about Tennessee baseball. Tennessee football is faithful as well. Faithful to lose. The same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. They will let you down.

Arg. Praise God he is not faithful in the negative, but faithful in the correct way.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Thessalonians 5:24

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

2 Thessalonians 3:3

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Christ - His greatest display of faithfulness is in Jesus. Of whom he promised since the fall of the Garden. Jesus is the central point where God’s justice and faithfulness were on full display.

App. What do we do?

Believe him. Believe trials are growing you. Believe God can use you.

Return his faithfulness. Don’t take him for granted. Be faithful to him. Lay aside sin and give your life to him.

Let’s pray.