December 17
Nahum 1:1-3:19
Revelation 8:1-13
Psalm 136:1-26
Proverbs 30:7-9
Nahum 1:1 – Nahum means “comforter”, but there is little comfort in this book. We’ve jumped ahead 150 years since the book of Jonah. The revival faded away and the people forgot when they repented. J. Vernon McGee asks why Jonah was sent personally to Ninevah but Nahum just sent a letter? “Why doesn’t Nahum go? Because they have already had the light, and they’ve rejected it.”
Nahum 1:3 – We’re seeing the need for forensic justification outlined here. Jesus didn’t come to just make good people better or poor people rich; He came to set guilty people free! God cannot let guilty people go free unless there is a substitute.
John MacArthur sees the qualities of the LORD in this chapter: “He is a God of inflexible justice, irresistible power and infinite mercy.”
Nahum 1:7 – How can a good God be furious like fire (Nahum 1:6)?
“God has the absolute right to rule and authority over His creatures because He is God. He makes the laws, He determines the standard and He judges in terms of the results. He created everything at His own pleasure. He didn’t have to therefore He has the total and the perfect right to set the principles by which His creation must function.”
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/1213/who-is-god
Nahum 1:11 – Contrast the wicked counsellor with the Wonderful Counsellor of Isaiah 9:6. A wicked counsellor plots evil against his Creator, a Wonderful Counsellor is the Creator reconnecting with His creation.
Nahum 1:15 – We’ll notice parallels between Nahum and Isaiah. Nahum 1:15 excerpts Isaiah 52:7. Nahum 3:5 references Isaiah 47:3.
Nahum 2:4 – John MacArthur jokes that this verse may be talking about Los Angeles traffic!
Nahum 3:4 – Notice the list of sins. The 7th Commandment and Witchcraft (Exodus 22:18/Deuteronomy 18:10). In Nahum 1:14 we’ve seen the Second Commandment; in Nahum 3:1 we’ve seen the Sixth, Ninth, and Eighth Commandment. At the end of the chapter, we see the rhetorical question, “upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?”
Revelation 8:7 – We saw in Nahum that the LORD held all nations accountable for His laws, now we see Him judging all nations for their sins. The Seven Seals now lead to the Seven Angels. Notice the universal nature of the judgment:
- First Angel – 1/3 of Trees burnt up
- Second Angel – 1/3 of Sea becomes blood
- Third Angel – 1/3 of Rivers became bitter
- Fourth Angel – 1/3 of Sun became dark
Psalm 136:1 – We’re on the second lap through the Psalms – remember Psalm 136? While we’re on this lap, notice again the universal character of God:
- God of gods, Lord of lords, that alone doeth great wonders (Psalm 136:2-4)
- Made the heavens, the earth, the sun and the moon (Psalm 136:5-9)
- Divided the Red Sea and led Israel through it (Psalm 136:13-14)
- Giveth food to all flesh (Psalm 136:25)
Our God is great! Let’s thank the God of heaven (Psalm 136:26)!
Proverbs 30:9 – The dangers of poverty and riches. Notice the conclusion: stealing is not just a violation of the 8th Commandment but of the 3rd Commandment as well. Someone that claims to follow God but disobeys Him, takes the name of their God in vain.
