Small Group Study of Nahum

Introduction to Nahum

Date: sometime after the fall of Thebes: 663BC—to Assyrian army

Before the fall of Nineveh in 612BC—to Medes and Babylonians.

Context

Hundreds of years of Assyrian dominance of the Middle east.

At the time of Nahum Assyria dominated the Middle Eastern world. The capital of the Assyrians was Nineveh.

By the time of Manasseh, king Israel the Assyrians were an institution. (696-641)

Amon, the son of Manasseh was even worse reigning for only a couple years. (641-639)

Josiah, king of Israel started to institute reforms calling people back to God. Josiah was very active fighting for what was right and turning the nation back to God.

In 627 God began speaking through Jeremiah and Zephaniah calling the nation back to worship him.

Nahum’s message would have fit perfectly as an encouragement to keep on.

The book of the law was found and reforms continued throughout Israel.

Finally the rule of Assyria, Ashurbanipal, died and his death lead to weakness, strife and division. Finally in 612 Babylon gained independence from Assyria, Ashur fell in 614 and finally in 612 Nineveh fell. The great powers of the world found themselves destroyed and gone just as God predicted.

Nahum the man

We don’t know much about him.

Study

God reveals His burden.

Nahum 1:1–3 ESV

1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. 2 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. 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.

Predicting the future

The Assyrians were big on trying to figure out the will of Gods. God spoke simply through Nahum.

Many people believe that the home village of Nahum is on the west side of the sea of Galilee. Capernaum actually means “Village of Nahum” and is on the sea of Galilee today.

Nahum’s name means “comfort” even though his prophecies contain tons of judgement.

Sin brings alienation, God’s justice bring relationship.

God is jealous.

Opening Up Nahum God Is Jealous (v. 2)

In speaking of God as jealous, Nahum is not saying that God is:

CAPRICIOUS—he does not have any unreasonable change of mind or character;

MALICIOUS—he is not spiteful;

VICIOUS—he is not cruel.

God punishes sin

God’s jealousy is willing to wait.

God’s patience doesn’t mean the threat of judgment isn’t there

God delaying judgment is not remission of punishment.

Opening Up Nahum God’s Delay Is Not a Remission of Punishment

Past blessing does not guarantee present peace. The people of each generation must seek and serve God for themselves.

God’s jealousy is often moved to vengeance.

Opening Up Nahum God’s Jealousy Is Often Provoked to Vengeance

In C. S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the children, Peter, Susan and Lucy, are told by the Beavers about Aslan.

Susan asks, ‘Who is Aslan?’

Mr Beaver replies, ‘Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.’

Susan then says, ‘Is he—quite safe?’

‘Safe?’ said Mr Beaver. ‘Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.’

That, in story form, is what the Bible clearly teaches about Almighty God.

Question s

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Why is the punishment for sin so severe? What does this tell us about how God views sin?

Romans 1:18–20 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

If God’s presence is so clear, why do so many people not view creation this way?

Opening Up Nahum To Think about and Discuss

Nahum was unknown, yet he was the mouthpiece of God. In our celebrity-driven age, is it a problem for us, as Christians, to remain in the background so that God’s Word can be heard or do we long to be in a position of prominence?