He is one who speaks a message from god to someone else. Just 100 years earlier, the prophet jonah had been instructed to warn nineveh to repent. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. Nevertheless, as achtemeier and others point out, nahum is primarily a book about god, not human justice, vengeance and war. Thus opens nahums prophecy, and this is the message of this book of the bible for the world today. Jonah had already uttered his message of warning, and nahum was followed by zephaniah, who also predicted zephaniah 2.
When did nahums prophecy of destruction against nineveh get. The book of nahum is one of two books of the minor prophets that centers on nineveh, the capital city of assyria. The writer is nahum, and his name means comforter, but the message that he. But every portion of scripture is indispensable, each has its own contribution to make. This article will seek to identify the overarching message purpose of the book from which the pericopes derive their unit purposes and outline the book by pericope. The story quickly merges into the prophecy against nineveh in nahum 1. But for those who stand against the lord and his people, with an overflowing. The name is probably a passive form comforted with the name yahweh omitted. The book s author is nahum, whose name means comfort. An 18thcentury russian orthodox icon of the prophet nahum. When the prophets were sent to denounce judgments against a nation, or city, their message, or prophecy, was usually called the burden of that people, or place. Yet as such denunciation is directed against israels oppressors, it is indeed a deep comfort. The lord takes revenge against his foes and is furious with his adversaries.
The burden of nineveh of nineveh, see note on jonah 3. Keep your feasts, o judah, fulfill your vows, for never again shall the wicked come against you, he is utterly cut off. Vision refers to the unique prophetic experience of receiving the lords message. The global message of nahum for today it seems strange at first glance that the prophecy of nahum, whose name means comfort, would include so much denunciation and judgment. Gods hot anger burns against the evildoer 127 in nahum but it is god who is delivering the message of judgement and god alone is the avenger. This prophetic vision is addressed to the city of nineveh. God is serious business a report on the problem of nineveh, the way god gave nahum of elkosh to see it. The book of the vision of nahum the elkoshite nahum 1. The prophecy of nahum, written by a hebrew against the capital of a gentile world power nineveh, is a denunciation of rampant militarism and tyranny, especially as it affects gods people. Oracle often indicates a divine message of judgment against a foreign nation isa. It is attributed to the prophet nahum, and was probably written in jerusalem in the 7th century bc. Prediction of the downfall of assyria and fall of nineveh.
Feb 21, 2012 nahum begins in chapter one expressing gods might, power, jealousy, and fury. The book of nahum kjv audio holy bible high quality and best speed book 34 duration. The prophet spoke a message of coming judgment against the assyrian capital of nineveh nahum 1. In the first place, it is among the shortest of the minor prophets and is overshadowed by micah, which precedes it and contains some wellknown messianic prophecies. One might even say that the book of nahum is a celebration of the fall of assyria. Nahum opened his prophecy by announcing that the lord is a jealous god, who takes vengeance on his enemies and is fierce in his anger. In the book of jonah, written in the eighth century bc, we behold a man of god who was called to preach to nineveh. Nahum, and many of the other minor prophetic books, is a bold indictment upon evil and injustice and gives us a glimpse of how god will one day bring his sovereign justice to these horrible injustices in our world today. While nahum is a short book of only three chapters comprised of 47 verses, we would be wise to pay attention to the message of nahum. When god had a message for the people, he spoke through the prophets. Nahum, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of.
The books author is nahum, whose name means comfort. The message of nahum can be summed up in the good news of 1. This is why the apostle paul could say, all scripture is inspired by god and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for. But we dont know where that was because it is not mentioned elsewhere in the. The book of nahum is one that is neglected because it is so obscure, and so small that it is seldom read and much less frequently understood. Overview of the book of nahum third millennium ministries.
The discomfiting but urgent message of the prophet nahum. He stands up against his enemies, fierce and raging. The book of nahum is the seventh book of the 12 minor prophets of the hebrew bible. English standard version an oracle concerning nineveh. Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah. It could be, very well, that the turnaround of king manasseh was himself a part from the message that nahum gave, because when we go back to the book of nahum, and what i want you to do is go back to chapter 1, verse 15. Title the books title is taken from the prophet of gods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. Notice how halleys bible handbook introduces the book of nahum. Nahum, gods oracle against nineveh, destruction in 612 bc. Nahum means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahweh. Aug 30, 2017 the book of nahum kjv audio holy bible high quality and best speed book 34 duration. Minor prophets, contains three chapters directed against the. This prophetic vision is addressed to the city of nineveh, which happens to be the central hub for the evil and cruel assyrian. Habakkuks message is a personal one in which the prophet laments and dialogues with the lord over the justice of his ways in using the babylonians to punish judahs sins.
But we dont know where that was because it is not mentioned elsewhere in. Why is it in the bible and what message does the prophet nahum have for us. His book is a message of destruction for nineveh, and that would have been a message of consolation for the nations she had oppressed. The short prophecy against nineveh is considered to be some of the highest quality of hebrew poetry. Nahums prophecy bible students can find the time of nahum s prophetic message against nineveh from his reference to the destruction of no ch. Book of nahum overview insight for living ministries. If you ever read the book of nahum, youre likely to say, theres not. Because all of the prophets are somewhat similar, our goal is to discover that central core message of the book. When did nahums prophecy of destruction against nineveh.
The discomfiting but urgent message of the prophet nahum a voice of blazing heat and pellucid clarity, nahum reminds us that, like justice and love, vengeance is an element of gods being. Selected answer false question 25 0 out of 1 points the book of nahum is a. Apparently, their reform had only been shortlived and now god was going to visit upon them utter humiliation and devastation. Nahum is not quoted in the new testament, although there may be an allusion to nahum 1. New living translation this message concerning nineveh came as a vision to nahum, who lived in elkosh. Most of these book were written to the people of israel and judah, but nahum, obadiah, and jonah are more concerned with surrounding nations. The book of the vision as prophets were of old called seers, so their prophecies were called visions.
Nahum was a prophet of god and his message comes in the form of a prophetic vision. Avoiding the fierce punishment of the lord is not dependent on ethnicity, class, intelligence, skin color, or family history, but on repentance and faith. Though nahums context is distant, the holy spirit speaks again in a new context that of our modern listeners. Nahum begins in chapter one expressing gods might, power, jealousy, and fury. Bible study guide book of nahum united church of god. Highlights from the books of nahum, habakkuk, and zephaniah. The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. Thus opens nahums prophecy, and this is the message of this book of the bible. The very first verse of this book informs us that the message will be the burden against nineveh nahum 1. Josephus places nahum during the reign of jotham, while others place him in the beginning of the reign of ahaz, judahs next king, or even the latter half of the. Oct 30, 2017 the book of nahum serves as an example, both then and now, to encourage us that god does not take evil and injustice lightly. Nahum delivered his messages during the reign of josiah around the same time daniel commenced his prophetic ministry. This summary of the book of nahum provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nahum.
Vision refers to the unique prophetic experience of. The message of nahum sermon by daniel austin, nahum 1. Book of nahum old testament britannica encyclopedia britannica. Selected answer false question 25 0 out of 1 points the. Introduction the author the name nahum means comfort or consolation. Aug 22, 20 one minute summary of the book of nahum. Nahums prophecy against the city of nineveh would have been significant for. The god of heaven is a god of mercy to the penitent, yet a god of doom to the impenitent.
His word came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. Book of nahum, the seventh of 12 old testament books that bear the names of. When its destruction arrived, people would exclaim, nineveh is. Nahums announcement was a comfort and a consolation to the inhabitants of judah, as it predicted the downfall of assyria, a savage and cruel enemy of israel and judah. Prophesying more than 40 years before the destruction of jerusalem in 607 b.
Nahum is merely the vehicle through which it is delivered. Nahum revealed the angry side of god as he railed against assyria. What we do have in the book of nahum is a remarkable prophecy, but one. True during an extravagant banquet belshazzar desecrated the temple vessels taken fromjerusalem. Mar 10, 2016 the discomfiting but urgent message of the prophet nahum a voice of blazing heat and pellucid clarity, nahum reminds us that, like justice and love, vengeance is an element of gods being.
The books title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. Theres a wellknown passage here that nahum directs to the people. Berean study bible this is the burden against nineveh, the book of the vision of nahum the elkoshite. The name nahum occurs in the new testament where it is found in lukes genealogy of our lord jesus christ.
Listen to chuck swindolls overview of nahum in his audio message from the. After yahweh is introduced as a righteous, powerful, angry warrior against whom no one can stand, nahum asserts that he will protect those who trust in him and judge their enemy nineveh because it plotted against him 1. Nahums style of writing complements other poetry found in the bible and helps the reader understand the message by not deviating from the standard. This is apropos because his message of the coming judgment on nineveh comforted judah after their suffering at assyrias hand. Study guide for nahum 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. It is called an oracle concerning nineveh and the book of the vision of nahum nah. The major thrust of the book, from beginning to end, is the fall of nineveh, described as the bloody city 3. For the kings of assyria rebelled against god and his rule and honored their manmade idols of silver, gold, and stone 2 kings 18. Nahum is a biblical book that christians find easy to avoid. When its destruction arrived, people would exclaim, nineveh is laid waste 3.
The book of nahum presents a sobering graphical depiction of the unleashing of gods wrath against the wickedness of nineveh. The prophet zephaniah of judah predates both nahum and habakkuk. All scripture is inspired by god and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for. But we dont know where that was because it is not mentioned elsewhere in the bible. He was raised up to preach gods judgment for a second time to nineveh. This message concerning nineveh came as a vision to nahum, who lived in elkosh. Nahums prophecy bible students can find the time of nahum s prophetic message against nineveh from. The book contains the vision of nahum, whose name means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or. The book is an oracle which concerns nineveh, a vision which comes from nahum the elkoshite 1.
509 759 753 1213 607 520 633 933 1207 1654 745 1581 1492 1369 1074 111 626 1372 1394 99 1223 780 464 1134 415 63 423 1078 736 1396 1500 537 633 1169 638 421 835 861 3 654 241 680 1243 1320