Fiery Serpents & Scorpions

“Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.
~Deuteronomy 8:11-16

Examining The Scripture CXLVI: ...And Now For Something Completely Different

If you open your Bible to the first chapter of the Book of Haggai (the prophet) you will see something rare and highly unusual in terms of a Jewish prophet and the society he is living in. When Haggai prophesied to the Jews in the society around him, the Jews actually obeyed! Whoa! Imagine that! The year is 520 B.C. the second year of King Darius. On the first day of the sixth month the Lord sends through Haggai a call to the people to “give careful thought to their ways” because they had “planted much and harvested little”. They “ate but never had enough”, “drank but never had their fill”, “earned wages only to put them in a purse with holes”. God was essentially challenging the people through Haggai about their priorities and asking them a rhetorical question about what appears to be a poverty-stricken existence that they are living in. The clinching statement in the challenge is verse 4. He asks them if it is time for them to be living in paneled houses, “while this house remains a ruin”. God is referring to the Temple which had not been repaired or rebuilt since coming back to Jerusalem from captivity because people appeared to be focusing on themselves and their destitute condition (spiritual and economic). The irony of the “paneled” statement is that God was saying these people had lavished so much, time, effort and finances to their own homes that they were paneled…like Solomon’s Temple use to be (1 Kings 6:9, 7:3-cedar).

I guess what really surprises me here is God’s people were still either spiritually ambivalent or just hadn’t gotten the point of the exile. Because the people had gotten so use to thinking that they had found God in the material things of Israel and things like the Temple and not worshipping God proper He had sent them away to Babylonian exile to basically help them sort out their priorities and make them realize that God wasn’t the rituals and sacrifices and the Temple itself but they were only symbolic (this is the problem with idols, even the ones certain Christian denominations don't realize they have). God even said that he would not be with the people if they stayed behind in Jerusalem he would only dwell with those in exile, in Babylonian exile.

Jerusalem and the returnees from Babylonian exile seem to be in a state of moral paralysis and their priorities were completely messed up. Having expected to return to their land and having it be in a state they were familiar with the returned to a city nearly overrun by the desert and things were in ruins. They had no clue where to start or what to do. God was essentially telling them, “WE are starting from scratch and WE are starting with MY house”. God knew that everything else was secondary and being so…already the correct priority (1st, 2nd, 3rd…) of rebuilding was beginning to be established: God first, families, others, and self. It is just a shame that a prophet need to be utilized to get these folks to snap to attention and get with the program. As the first few verse in in this chapter allude and hint at, these people were sort of spiritually empty and “wandering in a spiritual desert”. We could learn a lesson about our priorities and importance of things in our lives today from this episode also. We are often naturally inclined to think of ourselves first before even thinking of even our family. It is sad that we think of the “me” and the “I” before the “we” and the “us”. What we should be doing before we even think at the human level is to think of how God would want us to handle a given situation.

He again exhorts the people to give careful thought to their ways or get their priorities right. Having realized that He should be their first priority God then tells them to go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house (Temple), so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. He also mentions that they expected much but it turned out to be little. We begin to get the understanding that there is a direct correlation between the problems of the people and the condition of the Temple because of the statement, "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.” His signs of withholding blessings from His people were all over and they couldn’t claim ignorance of this fact. He withheld their dew and the earth its crops, He called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.

So they obeyed. Whole-heartedly. Zerubbabel, Joshua, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. Because of this Haggai (God) gave this message of the LORD to the people: "I am with you," declared the LORD.

Baldwin, Joyce G.. "Now or Never." Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Introduction & Commentary (The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary Series). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1981. 37-43. Print.

Lindsey, F. Duane., John Walvoord. "A Judgmental Call To Rebuild The Temple" Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 1538-1540. Print.

Art: Elevate Bible Story background by jermilex

Examining The Scripture CXLV: Roaring Lions & Evening Wolves

Despite Judah's and Jerusalem's sins, God plan to eventually bless His people Zephaniah 3. Before dwelling on what God promises in Zephaniah 3, the first thing we see is negative attributes of Judah/Jerusalem or as verse 1 says, the “city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!” as Jerusalem is confronted about her sin and lack of repentance. Sadly the name Jerusalem means: City of Peace. In Zephaniah’s day it was also referred to as the “Holy City”. She obeys no one and accepts no correction. Nor does she trust in the Lord or draw near to Him. Her political leaders and leaders are “roaring lions” and “evening wolves” that leave nothing for morning. Her prophets are arrogant treacherous men and priests profane the sanctuary and do irreparable harm to the Law. This is in stark contrast to what they should’ve been doing which was acting as intermediaries between God and His people. What we see is that leadership was clearly broken and when leadership political and spiritual is broken more often than not those under this leadership are damaged also.

At this point in Judah’s history we see that it is God who is being faithful to the covenant as opposed to God’s covenant people. God’s people are behaving like pagan nations. He then speaks and says, “I have cut off the nations, their strongholds are demolished and their streets are deserted….their cities are destroyed”. In God’s detailing of these actions He is showing what happens to those that do not obey and acknowledge Him as God. God calls Jerusalem to worship in live in fear and awe of Him (respect). This is not to be just a simple emotional reaction to and angry God but a behavioral change indicative of having accept chastisement and repented. There is mention of a cataclysmic end to all those on the earth “The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.”

These statements build the contrast to what follows in the latter portion of this chapter. The chapter as we have seen in other portions of the Old Testament starts out with an itemization or listing of a person or peoples sin, which is quickly followed by the required justice or punishment from God. These dark, ominous and often judgmental tones that open chapters of judgment usually always end in a promised hope of the future and Zephaniah is no different. The chapter shifts gears around verse 9 and the gracious forgiveness of the Gentiles or all the ones that call in the name of the Lord and serve Him shoulder-to-shoulder. The is an idea being presented here of the Gentiles being converted. These aforementioned judgments will not be to annihilate the nations but to purify them and burn off their dross or impurities. Just as God’s Seraphim purified Isaiah’s lips in Isaiah 6 so God will again purge or burn-off man. Only a righteous core will remain after the fire of judgment.

We then reach the passages referring to the remnant or those that are still around after all the judgment and the Day of The Lord. The Jews will finally look by faith upon the Messiah whom they crucified. At that time the Jews will not need to be put to shame because they will be ashamed of what they have done when they see Christ and recognize Him for who and what He is. This will also produce a deep repentance over their transgression. Faith in Christ will make things new. For the first time the Jews will have no enemies because the Lord will have defeated them all. God’s people will rejoice. The people will sing and shout because of all the things that He has done for them. Their punishment will have been taken away. The Lord God will be with them and MIGHTY TO SAVE. God will take great delight in them like a loving parent and they will be content with His love.

Zephaniah then ends with what appears to be a series of blessings promised by God. During 70 years of captivity in Babylon and then in the worldwide dispersion after 70 A.D. the Jewish people will be gathered back together or at least this is hinted at by Zephaniah. His lame people will be rescued. The sorrows for the appointed feasts will be removed from them. The nation will be restored. God’s intervention is evident and imminent in (v. 18-20). In a list the interventions show up as “I will’s” (“some prefaced with “at that time”)

I will remove from you (The sorrows for the appointed feasts)
I will deal with all who oppressed you…
I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered.
I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame.
I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth

Baker, David W.. "The Nature of The Day." Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.. Downers Grove: Inter-Varisty Press, 1988. 115-121. Print.

Wiersbe, Warren. "The Glory of The Kingdom" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 429-432. Print.

Examining The Scripture CXLIV: That Day (of the Lord)

There are a load of references in Zephaniah 1-2 to “a/the day” or “that day” or “that great day of the LORD.” So what is he talking about?

Chapter 1

(v. 7) Be silent before the Lord God! For n the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests.

(v. 8) And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice-“I will punish the officials and the king's sons.

(v. 9) On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold...

(v. 10) “On that day,” declares the Lord, “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,

(v. 14)The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast;

(v. 15) [This verse is chock full of “days” and they all allude to “the day of the Lord” in some shape or form].
(v. 15a) A day of wrath is that day,
(v. 15b) a day of distress and anguish,
(v. 15c) a day of ruin and devastation,
(v. 15d) a day of darkness and gloom,
(v. 15e) a day of clouds and thick darkness,

(v. 16) a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.

(v. 18) Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the Lord.

Chapter 2
(v. 2) ...before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord.
(v. 3) …perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord


The great day of the Lord. It is a term coined sporadically throughout the Old Testament but is very heavily used in Zephaniah, chapters 1 & 2. It is a day of judgment but also a day of hope. It is a day specifically relevant to God and His covenant people in that it will be the historical fulfillment of eschatological and apocalyptic prophecy and expectations related to prophecy. Additionally it is also a day of significance to non-covenant people also. It will be a day when God will act in perfect justice and judgment and loving mercy. Specific faults will be numbered against the perpetrators centering on God’s people, Jerusalem first.

Not just any judgment, The Judgment. It is eminent and it is inevitable. It is viewed as a day of reckoning when a person's

“deeds will return upon your own head” Obadiah 15

When sinners will not repent and offer themselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) while allowing Jesus to act as their substitutionary atonement to satisfy God’s wrath, then they themselves become the sacrifices for sin. Then they become victims of their own sins because the wages of sin is death. Sin demands either Jesus’ or yours, if it’s yours you suffer damnation and separation from God for eternity as punishment.

The Judgment of God’s People (v 1:8-13):

Comes first, centered on the religious and economic practices there. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48

The Judgment of The Gentiles/The World (v. 1:14-18; 2:2-3):

Comes second. It is during this period that we see allusions to cataclysmic battles encompassing or involving the entire world. In particular we see a grocery list of characteristics in verse 15 given in a staccato manner like blasts from a machine gun, Day of Wrath, Day of Distress, Day of Anguish, Day of Ruin, boom boom boom. Also, although we do not see anymore mentions of “the day” or “day” we do see certain nations called out by name for judgment. This perhaps could be because of the strained or poor relationship they had had with God’s chosen people. They are:
(1) Philistia (v. 4-7)
(2) Moab & Ammon (v. 8-11)
(3) Cush (v. 12)
(4) Assyria (v. 13-15)

Baker, David W.. "The Day of Yahweh." Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.. Downers Grove: Inter-Varisty Press, 1988. 94-102. Print.

Blue, J. Ronald., John Walvoord. "The Reasons For God’s Judgment on Nineveh" Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 1508-1516. Print.

Wiersbe, Warren. "The Prophet Worrying" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 412-417. Print.

Examining The Scripture CXLIII: Habakkuk Ponders God's Greatness

Habakkuk 3: The structure of this chapter is that of a “prayer psalm” which are leaders or lead into lament or petition Psalms. If we are looking for the closest parallel to a Book is is Psalms. It is closest akin to Psalms 7 (Baker 68). The closest it comes in terms of topic to one that we reviewed the Examining the Scripture series is Psalms 19: Examining The Scripture LXXX: Psalm 19 - Revelation of Creation which also sort of praises God for His design of His creation. The prophet has turned to praising the Lord rather than criticizing and questioning Him as if He was on trial (v. 2).

The prayer to God in verses 1 to 15 are Habakkuk pondering the greatness of God just as David did in the first few verse of Psalm 19. There are also some striking similarities in terms of the topic of Habakkuk 3 to the Song of Moses in Exodus 15, although the structure of Habakkuk is not quite the same as Exodus 15 nor is the entire storyline.

(v. 3-15) God is Praised for His Presence of Majesty

(v. 3a) God’s Arrival: God comes down to His people as a theophany at Sinai to establish His covenant and to liberate His people.
(v. 3b-7) God’s Appearance: At Sinai God had come like a storm sweeping down from the mountain. “His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth”.

(v. 8-15) God’s Actions

(1) We see his actions in nature (v. 8-11)
(1a) Wrath against the rivers, streams, rage against the sea
(1b) The mountains saw God and writhed
(1c) Sun and moon stood still in the heavens

(v. 12-15) God's Actions and Among the Nations

(2) Threshed the nations
(2a) Crushed the leader of the land and stripped him
(2b) To save His anointed
(2c) Trampled the sea with you horses churning the great waters


(v. 16-19) Habakkuk’s Peace in Ministry

(3) His heart pounded, lips quivered, legs trembled and decay crept into his bones (his nervous system went bonkers or internally he was a mess as often happens to people under severe anxiety or stress)
(3a) Even in his weakened state he found a peace and a sense of purpose in his prophetic ministry because a sovereign God was his strength. A God that made his feet like a deer so he could go to the heights.

Baker, David W.. "Habakkuk’s Psalm." Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.. Downers Grove: Inter-Varisty Press, 1988. 68-77. Print.

Examining The Scripture CXLII: The Question of Evil & God's Gavel

Habakkuk’s dialogue with God is seperated into speeches in 1:1-4, 1:5-11, 1:12-2:1, and 2:2-20.

Speech I
Habakkuk 1:1-4

Habakkuk’s first dialogue is actually a clarion call of every person that has ever sat there and asked “Why does God never answer my prayer?” or “Why does God allow good people to suffer and bad to prosper?” Habakkuk is puzzled why the Lord appears to be doing nothing when everything Habakkuk understands about God dictates in Habakkuk’s mind that God should do something like judging, sending fireballs from heaven, smiting somebody or zapping something and burning it to a smoldering cinder. Habakkuk wants to know why God continues to make him look upon injustices without doing something about them. He wants to know why God is dragging His “feet” tolerating and the abounding conflicts, destruction and violence that are before Him. (v. 4) The people had even neglected God’s Law. Therefore the “Law is paralyzed (numbed)” and the wicked have “hemmed in the righteous”. Why doesn’t God care? God needs to act according to Habakkuk! We see similarities here to the book of Job where a human being thinks he knows what God should be doing (see Examining The Scripture LXXIV: Job's First Discourse & The Problem of Suffering). What we should realize right off the bat is that we need to take what we've learned from the story of Job and also apply it here. We do not know the mind of God nor should we assume to. God does things in His own time for His own purposes and we neither have the ability to nor the position to understand why. What we see in Habakkuk similar to the Book of Job is that God actually condescends to give Habakkuk an answer. An answer that he views as troubling as the allowance of evil and injustice that he is faced with. Habakkuk is in a Catch-22.


Speech II
Habakkuk 1:5-11

The Lord replies to Habakkuk and tells him to “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. God through His sovereignty over all nations was about to do something that would knock Habakkuk’s socks off (sorry, I thought all the K’s were funny). The Lord was about to raise up the Babylonians and they would sweep across the land and seize places that were not their own. According to the Lord they would be fearful and dreaded, a law unto themselves solely out to further themselves and their own honor. By implication, nothing would stand in their way and they would march over the land like an unstoppable juggernaut. They would “fly like a vulture swooping to devour…bent on violence. Their hordes would advance like desert wind, gather prisoners like sand. Nothing would stop them not kings, fortified cities. There only belief is in their own power. You get the sense this will be a merciless onslaught.

Speech III
Habakkuk 1:12-2:1


As if the Lord’s first response isn’t enough, Habakkuk goes looking for trouble by leveling another complaint or lament at God based off of God’s answer (he’s a glutton for punishment). Like a good believer should he starts out praising God’s justice and holiness attribute(s) . He really concentrates on God’s holiness and everlasting nature. That he is perfectly just and it is proper that He judge men. This is then contrasted with the fact that the people would be helpless against Babylonian incursion. How could God allow His weak people to be invaded by a people that would ruthlessly steamroll them and annihilate at will. Why would God employ a people worse than Judah to punish them? Habakkuk couldn’t grasp God’s reasons. He never questions whether or not they deserve it, it is the severity he is now concerned with. Habakkuk closes his lament stationed on the ramparts to see what God would say in reply.

Speech IV
Habakkuk 2:2-20

God replies not only to Habakkuk but also to the people by telling him to write down the revelation and make it clear on tablets so that a herald can run with it. An end is coming and it is certain although it may not happen immediately. It would happen at God’s “appointed time”. We see a threat of impending doom being made that would now hang over Judah like a dark cloud. The threat/promise itself would be its own punishment in the form or anxiety for any that heard and believed it. No one would know for certain when that day would be.

In verses 4 and 5 we see an introduction to verse 6-20 which are described as “taunting woes”. This introduction alludes to the fact that Babylonians were puffed up (like a bloated toad). Their desires are not upright which is in stark contrast to people that need to live by faith. Their wickedness like wine betrays them. Their arrogance doesn’t rest and their greed is like the grave, never satisfied with its totals of victims.

So begins the “taunting woes” of chapter 2. The interjection woe is used to show pronounced distress in the face of a disaster and was used quite often by the prophets, especially here in Habakkuk.

The Woe of Self Ambition and Intimidation (v. 6-8)

(a) Woe to him who piles up goods: In accruing ill-gained plunder leads to the next question
(b) How long will this go on? How long would evil aggressors be permitted to keep ill-gotten plunder?

Having not gotten an answer the questioning continues...

(c) Will debtors not suddenly arise? Won’t victimized nations not revolt
(d) Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Babylon would become the victim by the very nations they victimized.
(e) The spoiler would be spoiled

The Woe of Hedonism & Covetousness (v. 9-11)

(a) The Babylonians are guilty of unjust gain. God hats injustice. They also used this gain to self-aggrandize.
(b) To elevate themselves by stepping on the necks and backs of those conquered and because of this they will forfeit their own lives
(c) The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it. Even if every single person was exterminate the remaining woodwork and stone would bear testimony to the Babylonian’s cruelty

The Woe of Iniquity & Exploitation (v. 12-14)

(a) The very foundation of Babylon were built on bloodshed this is especially true of Nineveh as indicated by the word “city”.
(b) All the efforts of Babylonians will amount to zero . Their labor will only add to their downfall. As opposed to the Lord whose glory will fill the whole earth.

The Woe of Indignity, Drunkenness & Violence (v. 15-17)

(a) The Babylonians are pictured as barbaric like a drunk giving neighbors wine to intoxicate them so that they can engage in evil and and expose their victims to shame.
(b) There is mention of the “cup of the Lord’s right hand” which is a cup of wrath coming to be poured out
(c) Not only did Babylon commit atrocities against other men but apparently against animals and lands too.

The Woe of Idolatry (v. 18-20)

(a) Idols are of no value for they are deader than the stone they are made from, they are not gods, just lawn ornaments.
(b) To trust in such an object was to trust a lie. People were deceived and deluded by these things. If they were receiving guidance from them it certainly was guidance and knowledge from God but from a satanic source.
(c) The Lord on the other hand is the Creator or the creator of the idol and is therefore worthy of honor. The Lord, giver and taker of life.

Baker, David W.. "The Problem of Wickedness." Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.. Downers Grove: Inter-Varisty Press, 1988. 52-67. Print.

Blue, J. Ronald., John Walvoord. "The Reasons For God’s Judgment on Nineveh" Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 1508-1516. Print.

Wiersbe, Warren. "The Prophet Worrying" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 412-417. Print.

Examining The Scripture CXLI: Staccato Judgment

Notice the crisp, short phrases in Nahum 3. What is he describing? Why is Nahum using this type of writing style? It is as if Nahum is deliberately crafting this passage for effect. His prose is constructed to convey impact to the reader or audience. To borrow a modern image, it is like the staccato outburst of a gunfire. “Woe” statements or pronouncement of judgment/wrath and destruction on Nineveh is taking place in this chapter. The verse(s) in this oracle are punctuated and deliberate in cadence and impact. Blood, lies, plunder victims, whips, horse, chariots, cavalry, swords, spear, casualties...BANG, BANG, BANG like blows or strikes of punishment being delivered. They evoke the nature of the battle scene that they are portraying. According to the Expositors Commentary (Longman et al) these verse end with guttural consonants in their original Hebrew, that when expressed audibly are staccato and jarring like the “crack of whips” and “jolting chariots” that they are describing. We must keep in mind that Assyria was a brutal regime known for diplomatic misdealing, extreme heavy-handed tactics and torture such as flaying people alive, dismembering and impaling them as shown in the reliefs below.

Nahum is describing in vivid artistic prose the downfall and destruction of Nineveh from four vantage points in time. The actual battle (v. 2-4), looking ahead to God’s opposition against them (v. 5-12), siege and battle (v. 14-17), and looking into the past in defeat (v. 18-19). Their downfall is directly attributed to being a harlot or whore or all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, a mistress of sorcery's, prostitution, and witchcraft are vividly outlined in punctuated phrases in verse 4 and 5. Their idolatry (often paralleled in scripture as prostitution; or cheating and turning to another god), pride and arrogance would be an integral part of their demise too.

The Lord declares that He is against them. He will lift their skirt over their face and show the nations their nakedness and kingdoms their shame meaning that the Lord will return violence with violence, shame with shame. By the measure you do unto others the same will be done unto you. We truly see the spiritually depraved condition of Nineveh in this chapter. The Assyrians in the past had lied to other nations and broke their promises and destroyed them similar to Hitler and Chamberlain in WWII. They systematically slaughtered people without regards to age or sex. These are the types of things that would be visited back on the Assyrians.
The staccato cadence seems to ease and lessen slightly in verse 7-19 but the impact still remains in these verses. The once invincible Assyria is compared to Thebes who was once greater that Assyria but had succumbed to Assyria in 663 B.C. to become pretty much a footnote in history. Nineveh will suffer a similar fate. Even though Assyria is commanded to prepare for the coming siege (v. 14-16) but it will be to no avail as they will be destroyed. The remainder of the chapter is an address to the Assyrian leader(s) and basically looks like a funeral dirge and amounts to a “how the mighty have fallen” statement.

Johnson, Elliot E., John Walvoord. "The Reasons For God’s Judgment on Nineveh" Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 1502-1504. Print.

Longman, Tremper, and David Garland. "The Fall Of Nineveh." Daniel-Malachi (Expositor's Bible Commentary, The). New Rev ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009. 589-600. Print.

Wiersbe, Warren. "God Is Just: Nineveh Will Fall" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 408-409. Print.

Examining The Scripture CXL: Contrasting Attributes Toward Man

Its 3:01 am in the morning and I can't sleep. So what does a normal person do? Drink a glass of milk or herbal tea, right? What does a man do that is being inexorably drawn and called by the Lord towards some currently unseen goal in ministry? He sits here and does Bible study and types on his laptop. It is now 3:03 am. Nahum Nahum ahum...ahahumummmmzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz "hmmphh"..."ahem"

Ah yes, now I remember.

We get into a little bit of Theology in Nahum. Two different aspects of Holy God are described in a contrasting manner. The attributes of His character contrasted between how a righteous man would experience God in their lives and how an unrighteous or wicked man would experience Him. There is a distinct dividing line. The distinctions will become brutally evident in my next post when I describe Assryia's treatment of their Jewish captives as these will be the unrighteous that are being punished.

Context:

Jonah had pronounced Nineveh’s doom over a century before this episode if they did not repent and turn from their wicked ways. God relented because the people of Nineveh repented. God was long suffering and full of grace when it came to Nineveh as wee will soon see again in this passage. The Assyrians had again turned to their evil ways. While this oracle is primarily direct at impending judgment of Assyria if they don’t “get their act together”, there is also a vicarious element in this oracle directed at Judah to learn from Assyria’s poor example. Chapter 1 is a descriptive psalm of God about Himself as this is coming through one of His prophets. God is making statements about Himself though Nahum.

God’s Character:

From the outset we see the Lord’s wrath personified and His anger against Nineveh is on full display. We also see His jealousy and wrath and they are constant until the other side blinks. God is unchanging so this can only mean one thing about God’s enemies. If you have managed to become his enemy or He seeks vengeance on you it is because you are diametrically opposed to him as a sinner either in righteousness, holiness, etc. How do we know that God is not capricious in his use of the attributes like jealousy and anger? First off, if anyone has read the Bible from Genesis to Nahum that would understand why. Secondly as outlined in Chapter 1, the LORD is slow to anger and great in power. Because He is just He has to judge and because of this the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.

God’s Power:

We then see a shift of description of His actions being like things of nature such as a whirlwind, a storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. This is symbolic of the fact that God is about us and above earth (creation). He is omnipotent and sovereign over all He has created and can rebuke the sea and dry it up, he can make all the rivers run dry. Areas known to men such as Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. Even the mighty mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. No one can endure His righteous and fierce anger. His wrath is poured out like fire and it seems to burn until the fuel for it (sin & evil) is completely consumed. Wow…rocks shatter before Him (cool visual).

God’s Character Realized By Man

In contrast, the Lord is also good and a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. We then see a jump right back to the idea of not trifling with God because with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh (disobedient sinful people) he will pursue his foes into darkness. Whatever plans or evil plotted against the Lord He will bring to an end. As if to put a finer point on this it additionally says that “trouble will not come a second time”.
God’s Verdicts (Judah & Assyria)

The wicked will be entangled among thorns and drunk from their wine…and will be consumed like dry stubble. We then have a direct quote verbatim from the Lord, “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be cut off and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, O Judah , I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away." Neither numbers or strength will allow Assyria to prevail against Judah and eventually Assyria will pass from the “scene”. In the end Assyria will cease to exist because of a lack of descendants. The Assyrian practice of destroying conquered peoples places of worship will be turned on them in the form of destruction of their idols. The chapter closes with an ever-present promise of either restoration or renewal as opposed to the present or impending situation. It is a message of peace being proclaimed. A promise of a time when they will fulfill their vows and they will never be invaded and those that oppose them will be destroyed completely.

What is really being driven home in this chapter/oracle is that God is ever full of grace. The Lord always leaves the option for repentance right to the bitter end. Until the dying breath…and I imagine many may be saved on their death bed (no atheists in foxholes). This chapter also delivers alternating verdicts for her acquittal and hope and of Assyria’s destruction because of their wickedness.

Baker, David W.. "A Psalm to Yahweh." Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah.. Downers Grove: Inter-Varisty Press, 1988. 27-32. Print.

Wiersbe, Warren. "The City Is No More" Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament: The Prophets (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 2003. 406-407. Print.