Major Messages from the Minor Prophets: God is our Body Guard—Nahum

It is never easy to live under oppression. Whether it’s the oppression of a prolonged illness, or the oppression of mental depression, or the oppression of religious persecution, or the oppression of an abusive relationship, or the oppression of devastating grief, or the oppression of a besetting sin, oppression — any way it comes to us — is a difficult burden to live under.

When the Prophet Nahum recorded his oracle, the people of ancient Israel had lived under the vassalage of Assyria for 100 years. It had been a harsh oppression. Assyria was a cruel oppressor who victimized its neighbors. Assyria was the mid-east’s soul superpower of that day, and they were at the height of their power. Their capitol city was Nineveh, and their evil touched the whole middle east.

The Prophet Nahum wrote 150 years after the time of Jonah. If you remember, Jonah’s message was short and to the point, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4, NKJV). The city, from the king to the dogcatcher, repented. Have you ever wondered what happened to Nineveh after that? The short prophetic book of Nahum tells us “the rest of the story.” Their repentance has “worn off” and they have sunken deeply into all kinds of sin. Ninevah was again a place of unparalleled wickedness. It was also the wealthiest city in the world, furnished with priceless objects taken as plunder from conquered nations. Nahum’s prophecy is about the impending destruction of the Assyrian empire. His message would have been considered subversive, and if a copy of his prophecy would have come into the hands of Assyrian bureaucrats in any of the four administrative centers scattered throughout Israel, retribution would be swift. The judgment Nahum prophesied took place in 612 BC. He is writing in about 650 BC. — about thirty-five years before the event.

In the mean time, the people felt hopeless. In the midst of oppression, the people of Judah had several options:

I. WHEN OPPRESSION COMES YOU CAN SINK INTO AN EVER DEEPENING STATE OF DESPAIR

1. this is what the people of Judah did

2. for decade after decade Judah felt the oppressive hand of Assyria upon her throat

a. they knew nothing but bad news after bad news

3. the result was an ever deepening state of despair

ILLUS. All of us have had those days when we felt just like Archie Campbell and Roy Clark from Hee-Haw. Gloom, despair, and agony on me; Deep, dark depression, excessive misery; If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all; Gloom, despair, and agony on me;

a. despair is not a passive state of mind: on the contrary it involves a positive act of the will by which a person deliberately gives over any expectation of hope

4. sometimes trouble seems to follow trouble

a. we get bad new after bad news

b. I know some families that seem to be lightening rods for misfortune and problems

5. the result can be an deepening sense of despair that can leave you wondering, “Is God there? Does anybody care?”

6. how does Nahum deal with such deep feelings of despair?

“The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” (Nahum 1:7, NIV84)

7. When Oppression Comes You Can Sink into an Ever Deepening State of Despair, or

II. WHEN OPPRESSION COMES YOU CAN DECIDE THAT GOD CAN NO LONGER HELP YOU

1. this is what the people of Judah did

2. in those days, when one nation conquered another, the conquering people believed their triumph was due to their gods being stronger than the gods of the nation they conquered

3. for Assyria to conquer Judah meant that Jehovah must also have been conquered by Assyria’s gods and could no longer help them

a. just because God delays his avenging presence does not mean that God is unconcerned about the plight of His people

ILLUS. In early 1942, Douglas MacArthur was forced out of the Philippines by the advancing Japanese army. Prior to leaving, he had waded waist deep out into the Pacific and dramatically exclaimed to the on-looking Filipinos, "I shall return!" For many long years, the Filipinos waited under cruel oppression. They were reassured from time to time by underground pamphlets, leaflets from overhead air raids or unjammed radio reports, that eventually they would be emancipated. General MacArthur promised, "I shall return.", and he did.

4. how did Nahum respond to the people’s belief that God could not help them?

“This is what the LORD says: “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. ... 13 Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.” (Nahum 1:12–13, NIV84)

a. after 100 years of oppression the citizens of Judah believe that God can no longer help them

1) Nahum’s prophecy assures them that deliverance is on the horizon — I will break Assyria’s yoke from your neck and tear away the shackles they’ve restrained you with

5. When Oppression Comes You Can Decide That God Can No Longer Help You, or

III. WHEN OPPRESSION COMES YOU CAN COMPROMISE YOUR FAITH

1. this is what the people of Judah did

2. what do you do when you believe that your god no longer cares about you?

a. why, you go comparison-shopping for other gods!

b. the people of Judah compromised their faith by worshiping the gods of Assyria while keeping Yahweh as their fall-back deity

3. for people of conviction, their can be no compromise of faith

a. a faith that compromises in the face of difficulty is not faith at all

4. how did Nahum respond to Israel’s compromise?

a. by reminding them that their God was powerful and sovereign

“The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. 3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. 5 The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. 6 Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him.” (Nahum 1:2–6, NIV84)

6. When Oppression Comes You Can Compromise Your Faith, or

IV. WHEN OPPRESSION COMES YOU CAN HARBOR HATRED FOR THOSE AROUND

1. this is what the people of Judah did

2. it’s easy to hate oppressors — especially when they are as cruel as the Assyrians were

a. archeological discoveries of Assyrian records show that even the Assyrians boasted about how ruthless and cruel they were toward the people they conquered

1) they boasted about ripping open pregnant women, and dashing children against walls and stones

ILLUS. In the British Museum is a relief panel that adorned the palace of King Sennacherib of Nineveh. It shows two men being tortured to death by being skinned alive.

b. it would be easy to hate such folks wouldn’t it?

3. but hatred usually wounds our souls more than it injures those we hate

ILLUS. The Jewish Talmud reads: “Hatred is sweet in the beginning but bitter in the end.”

4. why is hatred toward the thing or person that oppresses us wrong?

a. 1st, hatred and resentment go hand-in-hand and they blight your growth in faith

1) you cannot entertain thoughts of hatred toward your oppressor and love God at the same time

b. 2nd, hatred alienates us from God and other persons

ILLUS. Earlier this year, Linda and I, along with Mark and Jana visited the Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC. It was on the evening of June 17, 2015 that Dylann Roof sat in a bible study with the pastor and others for an hour before taking out a gun and killing nine people. His hatred toward people of color alienated him from his victims. He had hoped to spark a race war. Instead, he brought the citizens of Charleston together, both black and white into a huge prayer service. That kind of hatred is difficult for us to understand. But before we think of ourselves too highly, it would do us well to remember the words of Clarence Darrow, a famous criminal lawyer, who once said, "I have not killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction out of obituary notices."

c. hatred is a joy killer, and it often leads to overt murder which is why God tells us to put aside our hate

5. what does Nahum say about those who would hate their enemies?

a. he tells them that God’s justice will ultimately prevail

“I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.” (Nahum 2:13, NIV84)

1) no military defenses or proud history can offer Assyria protection against the sovereign power of God

2) Nineveh will be totally and completely destroyed

ILLUS. Nahum’s prophecy concerning Nineveh’s destruction proved true. In 612 B.C. the city fell to the combined forces of the Babylonians and the Medes. The city’s destruction was so absolute that many scholars and historians questioned whether-or-not the city even existed. It was not until the mid-1800's that the location of the city was discovered and affirmed by archeologists.

b. and when God destroys the enemies of His people, at the same time He restores His people

“The LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines.” (Nahum 2:2, NIV84)

7. do you feel like circumstance or life have laid you waste?

a. good news, God will restore your fortunes—maybe in this life, but if not surely in the Kingdom—God will fully restore you

8. when trouble comes you can harbor hatred for those around you or even god, or ...

a. when oppression comes you can compromise your faith, or ...

b. when oppression comes you can decide that God can no longer help you, or ...

c. when oppression comes you can sink into an ever deepening state of despair, or . .

9. these are all the things that Israel did

a. or ...

V. WHEN OPPRESSION COMES YOU CAN BE TRUE TO GOD AND LOOK TO HIM FOR YOUR HOPE

1. this is what Nahum encouraged the people of Judah to do

2. this is what you need to do when oppressive times comes, because God offers hope in the midst of affliction

3. in order to renew our hope in God, Nahum calls us to do five things:

A. BELIEVE THAT GOD IS OPPOSED TO ALL EVIL

“The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.” (Nahum 1:3, NIV84)

1. translation? Believers are the Body of Christ and God is the body guard of His people

2. though evil is all around us, and though evil people may sometimes overwhelm us in this world, a day of reckoning is coming when God will judge those who have mistreated His people

a. many in Judah had come to believe that after one hundred years of Assyrian oppression, that Yahweh was just not as powerful as their stories had told them

b. but the Prophet announces that the Lord is great in power, and He is about to exercise that power on behalf of His people

1) He will not leave the guilty, i.e. Assyria, unpunished

2) He will come like an F-5 Tornado ripping through the capitol city of Nineveh

3. though trouble my be your constant companion, God promises to one day restore the fortunes of His people

ILLUS. Augustine, an early church leader, wrote, “Because the designs of God's providence are deeply hidden and his judgment has great deeps, it happens that some, seeing that all the evils which men do go unpunished, rashly conclude that human affairs are not governed by God's providence or even that all crimes are committed because God so wills. Both errors are impious, especially the latter."

4. vengeance against evil and evil-doers really does belong to the Lord

“Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:15–17, NIV84)

5. believe that God is opposed to all evil

B. UNDERSTAND THAT OPPRESSION SOWS ITS OWN DESTRUCTION

“but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into darkness. 9 Whatever they plot against the LORD he will bring to an end; trouble will not come a second time. 10 They will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine; they will be consumed like dry stubble.” (Nahum 1:8–10, NIV84)

1. history teaches us that oppressors are usually proud and haughty people

2. that pride and haughtiness is usually their undoing

a. like the school-yard bully, oppressors will eventually run into someone who is bigger and tougher than they are

b. Nahum reminds his people that God is bigger and tougher than Nineveh

3. Nahum’s whole prophecy is the story of Nineveh’s impending downfall

4. understand that oppression sows its own destruction

C. LIVE IN HOPE

“The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it.” (Nahum 1:5, NIV84)

1. Nahum tells his people, Let the joyous news be spread, Wicked old Nineveh is as good as dead!

2. believers are to live in a constant hope knowing that we will be victorious over those things or those people who trouble us

ILLUS. Back in 1988, Madalyn Murray O'Hair was invited by the Student Christian Association to speak at the University of Ohio. Over 350 students, faculty, and townspeople gathered to hear Mrs. O'Hair discuss her views in opposition to God and religion. She ridiculed everything sacred. She made fun of pastors, spiritual leaders, and church officials. She said the Bible was full of myth and fairy tails, she harassed the students and professors; she harangued the Christians. She referred to God as "Big Daddy" and to Jesus Christ as "J.C." and to the Holy Spirit as the "Spook." Even though her reputation preceded her, the audience was stunned by her comments. When it came time for the Q&A session, Mrs. O'Hair, continued a foul-mouthed attack on Christianity. As the meeting was about to break up, a young college girl at the back of the auditorium stood and spoke. Quietly and lovingly, her voice was full of compassion, she said: "Mrs. O'Hair, I am so happy you came to speak to all of us here at our college tonight! We have listened with attention to your tirade against our beliefs. We thank you for showing all of us what an atheist is. We express our gratitude on your challenge to our faith. We appreciate your concern for us ... but now, in turn, must be ever grateful for your visit ... because ... now and forever we have been strengthened in our beliefs. We really feel sorry for you, and we'll pray each night and day for your conversion to our Christian beliefs. Again we thank you for coming, and I know that you have strengthened my faith in our church, in our religion, and in our Christ! Now I'll have more faith in 'Big Daddy,' in 'J.C.' and in the 'Spook'! Again I say, thank you, and bless your soul!" Mrs. O'Hair was flabbergasted. She had no reply. There was a riot of noise. The applause was deafening at this young woman’s response.

3. live in hope

D. RENEW OUR VISION OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER

“He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. 5 The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. 6 Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him. 7 The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” (Nahum 1:4–7, NIV84)

ILLUS. Cotton Mather, a Puritan minister in 18th century New England, wrote of an Atheist farmer who often ridiculed people who believed in God. The farmer once wrote the following letter to the editor of a local newspaper: "I plowed on Sunday, planted on Sunday, cultivated on Sunday, and hauled in my crops on Sunday; but I never went to church on Sunday. Yet I harvested more bushels per acre than anyone else, even those who are God-fearing and never miss a service." The editor printed the man's letter and then added this remark: "God doesn't always settle His accounts in October." That editor was right!

1. sometimes even dedicated Christians are tempted to complain because of what they see in the world around them

a. perplexed by the success and prosperity of the wicked, oftentimes at the expense of the righteous, they ask, “Why doesn't the Lord do something about it?” or

b. “Why doesn't He reward those who fear Him, and judge those who disregard Him?”

2. be patient, God is Sovereign, He will reward the righteous and judge the unrighteous

a. He doesn't always settle His accounts in October, but He does settle His accounts!

3. renew you vision of God’s sovereign power

E. ACT ON YOUR BELIEF THAT GOD IS INVOLVED IN LIFE AND HISTORY

“The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” (Nahum 1:7, NIV84)

1. God does not sit up in Heaven idly watching the world go by

2. God rules in the affairs of men

ILLUS. Thomas Kempis, a 15th century Catholic theologian, wrote: "Man proposes; God disposes."

3. this is the lesson with which history confronts us all—God is able to work his sovereign will despite man

4. we may not be able to understand all the mysteries of God’s will and purpose

a. but never assume that God sits idly in heaven just watching human history pass before His eyes

5. act on your belief that God is involved in life and history

Nahum preached the fall of the great city. To the people of Nahum’s day, his message was one of comfort and deliverance of oppressed people.

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