Nahum 3

November 10, 2024

FBC Baxley

Pm svc.

Nahum 3

1 Woe to the bloody city,

all full of lies and plunder—

no end to the prey!

2 The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel,

galloping horse and bounding chariot!

3 Horsemen charging,

flashing sword and glittering spear,

hosts of slain,

heaps of corpses,

dead bodies without end—

they stumble over the bodies!

4 And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute,

graceful and of deadly charms,

who betrays nations with her whorings,

and peoples with her charms.

5 Behold, I am against you,

declares the Lord of hosts,

and will lift up your skirts over your face;

and I will make nations look at your nakedness

and kingdoms at your shame.

6 I will throw filth at you

and treat you with contempt

and make you a spectacle.

7 And all who look at you will shrink from you and say,

“Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?”

Where shall I seek comforters for you?

8 Are you better than Thebes

that sat by the Nile,

with water around her,

her rampart a sea,

and water her wall?

9 Cush was her strength;

Egypt too, and that without limit;

Put and the Libyans were her helpers.

10 Yet she became an exile;

she went into captivity;

her infants were dashed in pieces

at the head of every street;

for her honored men lots were cast,

and all her great men were bound in chains.

11 You also will be drunken;

you will go into hiding;

you will seek a refuge from the enemy.

12 All your fortresses are like fig trees

with first-ripe figs—

if shaken they fall

into the mouth of the eater.

13 Behold, your troops

are women in your midst.

The gates of your land

are wide open to your enemies;

fire has devoured your bars.

14 Draw water for the siege;

strengthen your forts;

go into the clay;

tread the mortar;

take hold of the brick mold!

15 There will the fire devour you;

the sword will cut you off.

It will devour you like the locust.

Multiply yourselves like the locust;

multiply like the grasshopper!

16 You increased your merchants

more than the stars of the heavens.

The locust spreads its wings and flies away.

17 Your princes are like grasshoppers,

your scribes like clouds of locusts

settling on the fences

in a day of cold—

when the sun rises, they fly away;

no one knows where they are.

18 Your shepherds are asleep,

O king of Assyria;

your nobles slumber.

Your people are scattered on the mountains

with none to gather them.

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?

-Pray

Sermon Title: "The Fall of Nineveh: A Warning to the Proud"

Opening Story

A few years ago, there was a well-known CEO whose company seemed untouchable.

From the outside, he had it all: wealth, power, respect. But behind the scenes, he treated employees poorly, manipulated finances, and did whatever it took to stay at the top.

One day, a scandal broke out, and almost overnight, everything fell apart.

This CEO's reputation was ruined, and the once-powerful company crumbled.

Pride and corruption had built his empire, but when exposed, it couldn’t withstand the weight of judgment.

This story reminds us of the fate of Nineveh as we read in Nahum 3.

Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, was once a powerful and seemingly indestructible city.

But pride and injustice led to its ruin.

Nahum 3 offers a stark warning about the dangers of pride and the judgment that falls on those who live in defiance of God’s ways.

Background and Context of Nahum

Nahum’s prophecy was directed to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, an empire that dominated the ancient Near East in the 8th and 7th centuries BC.

Though Nineveh had once repented under Jonah's preaching, they quickly returned to their violent, idolatrous ways.

God sent Nahum to declare His final judgment on Nineveh. The once-great city would face ruin due to its pride, oppression, and refusal to live in line with God’s justice.

In Nahum 3, we see this judgment come to its climactic warning—a vivid and terrifying picture of the destruction awaiting Nineveh.

The Perils of a Corrupt Nation (Nahum 3:1-4)

"Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!" (Nahum 3:1, NIV)

Nahum begins with a pronouncement of woe, using the Hebrew word "הוי" (hoy), a term often reserved for funeral laments or calls of deep sorrow.

Nineveh was a city steeped in violence and deceit, earning the title of the "city of blood."

The phrase emphasizes Nineveh’s violence and injustice, describing it as a place where innocent blood was continually spilled.

Language Insight: The Hebrew word for "victims" here (ṭerep), often means "prey," highlighting the city's predatory nature.

Nineveh didn’t simply conquer other nations—it exploited them like a predator devours its prey.

Application:

How do we treat others in our daily lives?

Are we guilty of taking advantage or “devouring” those around us for our gain?

God’s judgment on Nineveh serves as a warning for us to pursue justice and mercy in our relationships.

The Exposure of Sin (Nahum 3:5-7)

"I am against you," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame." (Nahum 3:5, NIV)

God declares He is "against" Nineveh, a devastating statement.

The imagery here is of public shame and exposure.

God, in His holiness, reveals the ugliness of Nineveh’s sins for all to see.

They will be humiliated before the world, and their hidden sins will be exposed.

Language Insight: The phrase “I am against you” in Hebrew (’elayikh ani) is a phrase of personal confrontation, used to show that God Himself will actively oppose Nineveh.

This isn’t a passive observation—God is directly engaged in bringing about justice.

Application:

In a world that often hides wrongdoing, we must remember that nothing is hidden from God.

When we cover up sin, it eventually comes to light.

Let’s live transparently before God and others, seeking forgiveness and change before we face exposure.

The Inevitable Destruction of Pride (Nahum 3:8-19)

"Are you better than Thebes, situated on the Nile, with water around her? ... Yet she was taken captive and went into exile." (Nahum 3:8, NIV)

Nahum uses the example of Thebes, a fortified city of Egypt that fell despite its strong defenses, to illustrate Nineveh’s impending fate.

No matter how powerful Nineveh thought itself to be, it was not beyond God’s reach.

Nineveh's pride led to its downfall because it believed it was invincible.

Language Insight:

The name for Thebes here is "No-Amon," referencing the Egyptian god Amun, whom the Egyptians believed gave them invulnerability.

Similarly, Nineveh trusted in its strength and gods, yet God’s power would ultimately prevail.

Application:

Pride is a dangerous trap.

It convinces us that we don’t need God and can control our destinies.

Let Nineveh’s downfall be a reminder of the need for humility. As Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Closing Story

There was a man who spent years building a grand home on a beautiful hill.

He boasted that his home would never fall; it was his masterpiece.

But one night, a storm came, and he discovered that his foundation was built on sand.

The storm washed away all his hard work, and he was left with nothing but a shell of his former home.

Pride had blinded him to the need for a strong foundation.

Nineveh’s story is much like that of the man who built on sand.

They ignored the warnings and trusted in their own strength. But God’s judgment swept through, exposing their weak foundation.

Three Closing Challenges and Life Applications

Walk in Humility

Pride leads us to believe we’re above God’s correction.

Let’s choose humility and recognize our need for Him in every part of our lives.

Like Micah 6:8 teaches us, let’s seek to “walk humbly with your God.”

Seek Justice in Your Actions

Nineveh’s downfall came because of their oppression of others.

Are there areas where we are neglecting justice?

Let’s strive to treat others fairly and fight against injustice in our communities, workplaces, and relationships.

Live Transparently Before God

Nothing is hidden from God.

When we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive.

Rather than waiting for our sins to be exposed, let’s bring them before God, repenting and seeking to live in the light.

Conclusion

Nahum 3 is a somber chapter, filled with warnings about pride, injustice, and the consequences of rejecting God.

But within these words of judgment lies a call for each of us to examine our own lives.

Nineveh’s story could have ended differently if they had chosen repentance and humility.

Let’s learn from their mistakes and choose a path that honors God.

As we walk in humility, seek justice, and live transparently, we’ll be building our lives on the solid foundation of God’s truth.