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Tag: The fall of Nineveh

Nahum 3:8-12 – Easy pickings

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On September 4, 2013

In Christian, Nahum, Through the Bible

In the third chapter of Nahum, God singles out a single city, the city of No-Amon as an example to warn the Assyrians that a similar fate like that of No-Amon is soon coming to the wicked people of Nineveh as well. No-Amon is known as Thebes or the populous No (Jeremiah 46:25; Nahum 3:8).

Author Dr. Feinberg, in his book, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum describes that No-Amon was the capital city of the Pharaohs from their 18th to their 20th dynasties and its architecture was so good that the even the Greeks and the Romans admired this city. No-Amon was located on both banks of the river Nile and on its eastern bank (Arabian side) was the well known temples at Karnak and Luxor and on its western bank (Libyan side) was Qoornah and Medeenet Haboo. No-Amon was favorably situated among the canals of the river Nile and sought refuge in the protection as a rampart and a wall of defense provided by the waters (sea) of Nile (Nahum 3:8).  Sir William Smith in his book, The Dictionary of the Bible, writes of Thebes (No-Amon), that poet Homer said it was a city of a 100 gates and from each 200 men with horses and chariots went forth. It was called Diospolis by the Greeks for the Egyptian counterpart of Jupiter was worshiped there. Amon, the chief god of the Egyptians, characterized on relic as a figure with a human body and a ram’s head, was worshipped here. Prophet Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied the judgment of God against this godless and idolatrous city (Jeremiah 46:25; Ezekiel 30:14-16) and true to God’s word, No-Amon was destroyed completely by the Assyrians in 663 B.C. Their young children were dashed in pieces on the top of the streets (in public display), and the honorable men dishonored by being chained and treated as property to be auctioned (cast lots) (Nahum 3:10). Now, the Assyrians trusted in the fortifications of surrounding waters of the river Nile, as did their predecessors (No-Amon), and God’s message of judgment is falling down on them for their godlessness. Nineveh would drink the cup of God’s fury (Jeremiah 25:14-17; Nahum 1: 2) and be drunken (Nahum 3:11) and will try to hide (Revelation 6:16-17) because of the strength of God against them as their enemy (Nahum 3:5).

God then goes on to describe that the strength of the people of Nineveh would not be sufficient to stand against the Medes and the Babylonians that God was sending to punish the Assyrians. The people of Nineveh in all their strength would be easy pickings – easy pickings like fig that falls into the picker’s mouth by just been shaken (not even plucked) (Nahum 3:12). Why, because the men of Nineveh would be as woman and their fortified gates shall be set wide open. No matter how much the people of Nineveh attempted to draw waters to put off the fire set on the bars/gates (Nahum 3:14), by the invading Medo-Babylonian army, it would all be futile. The attempt to build walls of protection with clay, mortar and bricks (Nahum 3:14) would be futile as well, because the hand of the Lord will be against them.

Points to ponder:
Trust in the the Lord God and not in your own fortifications for they are easy pickings for the Lord. Because of our sinful and idolatrous lifestyle we deserve to drink the cup of God’s fury as did the capital city of No-Amon in Egypt and the capital bloody city of Nineveh in Assyria, but thanks be to God, who sent forth his Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly drank the cup of God’s wrath on sin for us (Mark 14:36), once and for all (Hebrews 10:10), so that we may be fortified in the Lord and not be easy pickings for the adversary, the devil. Are you easy pickings?

Nahum 3:8-12 (KJV)
8 Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
10 Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.
12 All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.
13 Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.
14 Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln

Mark 14:36 (KJV)
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Nahum (Overview)

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On July 15, 2013

In Christian, Nahum, Through the Bible

Who was Nahum?
The Biblical book of Nahum was recorded by the prophet Nahum, whom the book refers to as an Elkoshite (1:1).

Where was Nahum from?
No one is certain as to the whereabouts of Elkosh. One theory suggests that this city, where Nahum was from, during the times of Jesus, came to be known as Capernaum, alongside the sea of Galilee for Capernaum means the village of Nahum.

When was the book of Nahum written?
It is a hypothesis that the book of Nahum was written sometime between 663 B.C. and 612 B.C. for Nahum refers to the fall of No Amon (or Thebes) in ancient Egypt (3:8) which happened in 663 B.C. while at the same time predicted the fall of Nineveh (Capital city of Assyria), which happened in 612 B.C., when the Babylonians overthrew Assyria.

Why was the book of Nahum written?
In 722 B.C., the Assyrians had taken the Northern kingdom of Israel captive and were pursuing to take over the land of Judah during the reign of king Hezekiah (701 B.C.). Once when the Assyrians had attempted to take Judah captive, God intervened miraculously and 185 thousand Assyrians in their camp were defeated by the angel of the Lord (Isaiah 37:36) and the evil king of Assyria, Sennacherib, returned to Nineveh. Now Assyria continued to pursue and oppress Judah. Not only did they afflict Judah, the Assyrians afflicted several other nations  and countries, as the book ends with the question as to “over whom has not the wickedness of the Assyrians passed over continually?” (3:19; Isaiah 37:18).

One one hand, while the book of Nahum may seem like it was written as a warning to the evil Assyrian kingdom, this book is more of a message of comfort of the Lord to the people of Judah. Jonah, the prophet had already brought the message of warning to the people of Nineveh, which they heeded and repented, a little over a century before Nahum. But the people of Assyria had returned to their violent, idolatrous, and evil ways and were oppressors of the people of God, when Nahum sees the vision of their utter destruction, a message that would bring comfort and solace to those who were being oppressed (such as Judah).  Nahum means “comfort (of Yahweh)” or “compassion” and the main theme in this book is that God is compassionate (slow to anger – 1:3) who will not afflict his people anymore for their own sins (1:12) by subjecting them longer under the hands of the oppressors (Assyria), but God will be the comfort of his people, as he takes revenge on those who have oppressed them (1:2).

What can we learn from it?
Chapter 1 portrays a JEALOUS God, while
chapter 2 and 3 portrays a JUDGING and JUST God.

There are a few key verses in this book and two of note are “Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.” (Nahum 1:15) and “For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.” (Nahum 1:13).

The first (Nahum 1:15) is a messianic prophecy that was fulfilled in Jesus, who brought good news to the earth, for the angels sang at his birth, “Peace on earth and goodwill to all men.” (Luke 2:14) and his feet walked the way to calvary’s mountain, who by his death on the Cross published a peace (Luke 1:17) that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), completely destroying the wicked one (the devil) and utterly cutting him off i.e., destroying the devil and his works (1 John 3;8). Jesus brings freedom to all those who are spiritually in bondage in sin, by breaking the yoke from them and bursting their bonds in sunder. The Holy Spirit of Jesus is the comfort of God who is now sent unto us, when we believe in Jesus (John 14;16).

Points to ponder:
Do you have peace, that only Jesus can bring? Are you in comfort i.e., do you have the Comforter in you? Trust in the Lord and believe in Jesus Christ so that you may be comforted by his Holy Spirit and have the peace that passeth all understanding.

Nahum 1:13, 15 (KJV)
13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
…
15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

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