Nahum 1:9-15

Introduction

[CONTEXT/CIT] In vv. 1-8, YHWH established His power and sovereign right to judge generally. Through His prophet, Nahum, God now announces His power and sovereign right to judge specifically. He pronounces destruction upon Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. And at the same time, He pronounces salvation to His people who have been afflicted by the Assyrians for so long. Thus, Nahum calls for God’s people to worship and obey the Lord (Nahum 1:15).

[READING - Nahum 1:9-15]

Nahum 1:9–15 NASB95

9 Whatever you devise against the Lord, He will make a complete end of it. Distress will not rise up twice. 10 Like tangled thorns, And like those who are drunken with their drink, They are consumed As stubble completely withered. 11 From you has gone forth One who plotted evil against the Lord, A wicked counselor. 12 Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and likewise many, Even so, they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no longer. 13 “So now, I will break his yoke bar from upon you, And I will tear off your shackles.” 14 The Lord has issued a command concerning you: “Your name will no longer be perpetuated. I will cut off idol and image From the house of your gods. I will prepare your grave, For you are contemptible.” 15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Pay your vows. For never again will the wicked one pass through you; He is cut off completely.

[PRAYER]

[TURN] God’s people have always had enemies. In a sin-cursed and fallen world filled with people who hate God, how could it be otherwise?

He said that, as the world hated Him, so it would hate those of us who follow Him.

Jesus said that in this world we would have trouble, but that we were to take heart because He had overcome the world.

We do have enemies, but God uses even the attacks of our enemies for our good. He uses our enemies to discipline us, wake us up, draw us back to Himself, and much more.

But one day every enemy will be placed under the feet of King Jesus, and then only the people of God will be left to worship and obey Him forever.

This is the pattern that we see here in Nahum 1.

Assyria and its capital city, Nineveh, is an enemy of God’s people, but it’s an enemy that God has used to discipline His people because of their sinfulness.

At this point, Assyria has already carried off the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity, but the southern kingdom of Judah remains.

Assyria has reduced Judah to a vassal state. It has demanded tribute from Judah. It has oppressed Judah.

But when Nahum delivers his prophecy, Assyria is not long for this world.

With a message from God, Nahum promises destruction for the enemies of God and celebration for the people of God.

[TS] In Nahum 1:9-15, God alternates addressing the enemies of God and then the people of God, but outline will be just that...

…the destruction of the enemies of God.

…the celebration of the people of God.

Major Ideas

#1: The Destruction of the Enemies of God (vv. 9-11, 14).

Nahum 1:9–11 NASB95

9 Whatever you devise against the Lord, He will make a complete end of it. Distress will not rise up twice. 10 Like tangled thorns, And like those who are drunken with their drink, They are consumed As stubble completely withered. 11 From you has gone forth One who plotted evil against the Lord, A wicked counselor.

Nahum 1:14 NASB95

14 The Lord has issued a command concerning you: “Your name will no longer be perpetuated. I will cut off idol and image From the house of your gods. I will prepare your grave, For you are contemptible.”

[Exp] Let’s back up a moment to v. 8. It’s not included in the passage we’re studying tonight, but it is necessary to consider it in order to understand what happened to Nineveh. It’s says...

Nahum 1:8 NASB95

8 But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of its site, And will pursue His enemies into darkness.

Now, the flood mentioned here has been interpreted as an overwhelming military force—a flood of military power—but it might actually mean a literal flood.

According to some accounts, heavy rains caused the rivers to flood and undermine the Nineveh’s walls, which then collapsed and let its enemies enter.

According to some other accounts, it was Nineveh’s enemies that damned up the river that ran through the city, which resulted in the flooded and destabilized walls.

In any event, God was going to see to it that Nineveh went down.

Verse 9 says that God would make a complete end to Nineveh, and it wouldn’t take Him twice to do it.

Verse 10 speaks of Nineveh as thorns, drunks, and stubble.

Thorns are all thrown into the fire together; their entanglement with one another means that as goes one thorn so goes the others.

A drunk man stumbles into danger either because he doesn’t recognize the danger or because he foolishly thinks he can handle it. The Assyrians have “stumbled” into the wrath of God but will find itself defenseless.

Stubble is what’s left in the field after the harvest. When fire touches it, it is quickly consumed. Nineveh will be quickly consumed.

The fire that is alluded to in v. 10 may throw us off because of the flood mentioned in v. 8, but after the city walls were flooded, the city was also burned by its enemies.

Excavators at Nineveh (on the outskirts of Mosul in modern-day Iraq) have discovered large deposits of ash, which are evidence of a gigantic fire.

Nineveh was quickly consumed.

Verse 11 speaks of a “wicked counselor” that has gone out from Nineveh —one who has plotted evil against the Lord.

Some people think that this refers to a specific Assyrian king, like Sennacherib who made Nineveh the capital of Assyria and moved against Judah when Hezekiah was King of Judah.

It could just as easily refer to another one of Assyria’s kings or to the whole line of Assyria’s kings.

But the phrase “wicked counselor” is interesting because it literally means “counselor of Belial,” which reveals the satanic influence that lay behind Assyria’s power.

This is why God says what He says in v. 14...

Nahum 1:14 NASB95

14 The Lord has issued a command concerning you: “Your name will no longer be perpetuated. I will cut off idol and image From the house of your gods. I will prepare your grave, For you are contemptible.”

God always proves Himself mightier than the false gods of pagan nations. Yes, Assyria’s name will only be used as a reference to a nation that once existed but no longer exists. But God will go deeper than the name.

He will cut off Assyria’s idols and images. The so-called “gods” of Assyria will be tossed on the hash heap of history as well.

And because Assyria worshiped these satanic idols and images, their grace was dug. They were contemptible. They were vile.

That word “contemptible” or “vile” actually means “light” in the sense of being morally “insubstantial.” It’s used in Daniel 5:27, which says...

Daniel 5:27 NASB95

27 “ ‘TEKĒL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.

Nineveh was morally deficient. Nineveh had been weighed on the scales and found lacking.

They would be left with no name, no gods, no life.

Nineveh was done.

[App] Let me give you a point of application from the verses we’ve looked at so far...

Notice that God says in v. 9, “Whatever you devise against the Lord, He will make a complete end of it.”

‘Whatever’ is a broad term and intentionally so because no weapon or plan or scheme or whatever will stand up to God.

Think of the mightiest military you can think of. Some weapon might prosper against it, but nothing that is against God will prosper.

[Illus] In California there is a plan or scheme that has come against God’s people, calling on them to give up church indefinitely so that they can protect their people from COVID-19.

Many churches are obeying the Lord rather than the state or local governments that have called for these shutdowns, but one that has received national recognition is Grace Community Church and it’s longtime pastor, John MacArthur.

Grace Community suspended services for some weeks when COVID first made its ways across the nation, but then was told (as where all the churches in California) that the suspension of services needed to be indefinite.

In other words, the government would tell believers when they could go back to church.

Grace Community decided it was time to go back to church.

The church has been meeting for some weeks now despite intimidation and threats from state and local government, and some people (even some other Christians) have asked, “Why doesn’t Grace Community just comply with the orders?

Responding to that question, John MacArthur (in video sent to me by Stan) recently read the list of demands placed upon churches in California that wanted to keep meeting together. Here they are...

No indoor services.

Every attendee has to be pre-registered.

Every attendee has to be screened (their temperature taken) upon arrival.

Attendees can only be on campus for scheduled events.

Six-foot of social distance must be maintained at all times.

Every other parking place must be left empty so social distance can be maintained in the parking lot.

There must be marked pathways throughout the campus, which are to monitored by staff.

Masks must be worn at all times.

Social distance must be maintained in the restrooms, which also must be monitored by staff.

Restrooms are only to be used during the services so fewer people will crowd into them.

There must be tape on the ground marking distances, so people know how far to stay away from each other.

There must signs indicating these governmental mandates.

Mandates like no singing, no shaking hands, no hugging, no pew Bibles or hymnals, and no Lord’s Supper elements or offering plates passed.

Disposable seat coverings are to be used and then changed between every service.

Services are to be shortened.

If at the church someone comes into contact with an individual outside of their immediate family for more than 15 minutes, they are to self-quarantine for two weeks.

And remember this is what they are being asked to do indefinitely.

But make no mistake; although it is under the guise of public health, this is an attack on the people of God—it is an attack on the bride of Christ.

But the confidence of Grace Community—and our confidence in the face of every enemy is the promise that God makes to His enemies—Whatever you devise against the Lord, He will make a complete end of it.

At some point in some way, this overreach by California’s government will come to an end—God will see to that.

And I believe that when it comes to an end, Grace Community will still be there still gathering together as the Lord commands.

[TS] ...

#2: The Celebration of the People of God (Nahum 1:12-13; 15).

Nahum 1:12–13 NASB95

12 Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and likewise many, Even so, they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no longer. 13 “So now, I will break his yoke bar from upon you, And I will tear off your shackles.”

Nahum 1:15 NASB95

15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Pay your vows. For never again will the wicked one pass through you; He is cut off completely.

[Exp] Some news sounds too good to be true, but when that good news comes from the Lord, you can trust that it is.

Verse 12 shifts from God addressing Nineveh to God addressing His people.

He says that Nineveh will be cut off and will pass away.

He says that He will break the yoke of Assyrian oppression from around the neck of Judah.

He says that He will tear off the Assyrian shackles from Judah’s hands and feet.

But this couldn’t have been easy for Judah to believe.

At the time of this good news, Assyria was at or near full strength.

Today you can actually see a bas-relief (a sort of raised etching) that shows Sennacherib’s invasion of Lachish in 701 B.C. There are large numbers of carefully positioned armies—archers, spearmen, slingers, and others—all supplied with ladders, battering rams, and other assault equipment.

This is what Judah would have thought of when it heard that Nineveh will be cut off and pass away.

It looked like there may never be an end to Assyrian power.

Furthermore, the people of Judah (at least those paying attention to God) understood that Assyria was a rod of discipline that the Lord used to address Judah’s rebelliousness. Had Judah suddenly become less rebellious than it had been in the past?

But even if it was a bit hard to believe, the people of Judah could believe it with absolute certainty because the Lord said it—Thus says the Lord...

The Assyrian oppression of Judah, which began in 743/733 B.C. during the reign of King Ahaz (2 Kings 16:7-8) and lasted until the reign of King Josiah (640-609 B.C.)—approximately a hundred years or so—was coming to an end.

By God’s hand, Assyria was going to decline and then cease to be a nation.

In response to this tremendous news, God’s people were to celebrate with worship and obedience. That’s what v. 15 points to...

Nahum 1:15 NASB95

15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Pay your vows. For never again will the wicked one pass through you; He is cut off completely.

Nahum loves his own feet! His feet are the ones carrying this good news to God’s people!

This good news is the announcement of peace! Never again would wicked Assyria pass through them. It would be cut off completely.

Assyria’s fall means peace for the people of God, and it means opportunity for the people of God.

Now that Assyria’s oppression was at an end, they could celebrate their feasts as God commanded.

Now that Assyria’s oppression was over, they could pay the vows they promised to God.

While they were under siege, they had not opportunity to do these things.

But now that they had been set free by God’s grace, they were to respond with worship and obedience.

[APP] Let me give you point of application regarding these verses...

As I’ve said, Nineveh’s destruction was good news to the people of God. It was gospel to them—the end of judgment and the dawn of salvation—the revelation of peace with God at least temporarily.

But the language that is used at the beginning of v. 15 is the language that Paul used in Romans 10:13-15 where he writes...

Romans 10:13–15 NASB95

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

Some pair of beautiful feet brought the Gospel to us—the end of judgment and the dawn of salvation—the revelation of peace with God eternally through faith in Jesus Christ!

And now we are tasked with being that pair of beautiful feet for others. We are to preach and send preachers so that others can know about the coming end of all our greatest enemies—Satan, sin, and death—through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And what is the right response to this grace? Worship and obedience.

[TS] ...

Conclusion

God will bring an end to every enemy.

We can trust that, because He has said that.

Let us receive His grace as the good news that it is, and let us worship and obey.