Nahum
Twelve Minor Prophets With Major Life Lessons (Series)
Historical setting:
The book of Nahum is a group of poems forecasting the destruction of one of Israel’s main tormentors, Assyria, with Nineveh as their capital city. Assyria was a powerful empire that conquered Israel and exiled the Northern kingdom. (2 Kings 17) The Assyrians were taken down in 612 BC by the Babylonian Empire.
Chapter 1 starts with a poem that tells of the powerful arrival of God’s glory bringing justice on the evil of Israel’s enemies. God shows the destiny of the Godless nations in comparison with the destiny of God’s faithful remnant.
God provides a refuge for all who follow Him. This pronounces the fall of Babylon. (Isaiah 10 &14) and it alludes to the fall of Assyria. (Isaiah 52:7) This is great news for the remnant of Israel. The fall of Nineveh is an example of how God won’t let the arrogant and powerful empires reign forever.
Chapter 2 describes the battle of Nineveh and the defeat of the city to Babylon in multiple stages. Chapter 3 tells of the consequences for the whole empire. (Nahum 3:1) Injustice made Assyria successful, but violence and death sows violence and death. The People cheer for the death of a cruel king.