Nahum 2:2 reads “For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.”
What is the excellency of Jacob (who was rechristened Israel (Genesis 32:28))? Physically, the temple (santuary) in Jerusalem, which the descendants of Jacob a.k.a Israel (Jews) desired, was the excellency according to God (Ezekiel 24:21; Psalms 47:4). Spiritually, the excellency of Jacob refers to God himself for God is A excellent Spirit (Daniel 6:3; John 4:24).
The emptiers who have emptied refer to the wicked people of Nineveh that plundered and spoiled (emptied) the lands they captured, depriving the lands of their wealth and worship (Psalm 80:15-16). This included the Jews (the people of Judah) – the Israelites, who are referred to as vine branches (Hosea 10:1, Psalm 80:8-16) that the Assyrians marred.
Prophetically this verse meant that the Assyrian oppressors of Judah (and Israel) will now be destroyed completely (dashed into pieces) by the Babylonians whom the Lord was raising and that God will restore (turn away) the excellency of Jacob (i.e. Israel) for the Assyrians who spoiled Israel and the Jews shall be utterly destroyed (Nahum 1:8,9,15).
By assuring that the Lord has turned away (restored) the excellency of Jacob, God was stating that he shall afflict (chastise) his people no more (Nahum 1:9) and avenge them against their oppressors (Nahum 1:2) and that his people would once again be able to worship God by performing their vows and keeping their feasts of tabernacles (Nahum 1:15), for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb (Jesus) The Excellency will himself be the temple (Revelation 21:22).
Points to ponder:
Jesus is the Excellency of God (2 Corinthians 4:7). He is God The Excellency. He spoke of himself to be the temple of the living God (John 2:19) and when we believe in him, we become the temple of the living God (1 Corinthians 3:17). God restores his excellency in us when we acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus and when we believe in his name, confessing our sins, which his blood cleanses, for the Bible records that we have this treasure (Jesus Christ) in earthen vessels (bodies of ours fashioned from the dust in the earth), that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (2 Corinthians 4:7). No matter who our oppressors are, we need not fret, for God is an excellent God in us – whom do we need to fear? No one! Can it be said of each of us, as it was said of Daniel, that we have A “Excellent” Spirit of God in us?
Nahum 2:2 (KJV)
2 For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.
2 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV)
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
1 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Revelation 21:22 (KJV)
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
