Nahum: The Good Judgment of GodSmakprov

The Refuge of God for Sinful People

Chapter 3 begins with the panic and confusion that will happen when Nineveh is attacked. The nation that has done evil to others will now have it done to it. Assyria is now facing the consequences of its sin. Nahum uses intense language that shows us what ultimately happens when God is against you.

The intense language of Nahum can also make us feel uncomfortable because in our day we often refer to sinful and wrong decisions as “mistakes.” Any wrong we do just kind of happened by accident, or so we tell ourselves. Or we assume that the really bad things we, or others do, is because trauma we have experienced causes us to do it.

To be sure, trauma is real and can have devastating effects. Certainly, our trauma and experiences shape our decisions. However, Scripture and Nahum are clear about the end result of rejecting God and going our own way.

Just as Thebes, the capital of Egypt and the most powerful city in the most powerful kingdom of the world, fell to the Assyrians, now the Assyrians will also fall. No matter what they do, they will be unable to stop it. As the book of Nahum shows us the character of God, it also reminds us that our sin will also not go unpunished.

While we may have not done all of the evil things some of the Assyrians did to the people they conquered, we still fall short of the perfect and holy standard of a righteous God. If God really is good, He must confront anything that is not good.

In chapter 3 Nahum mentions the various ways Nineveh will come to ruin and be unable to ever again rebuild itself into a powerful nation. Everyone will rejoice at the news of Nineveh’s downfall as their oppressors can rule them no more. Nineveh appeared unbeatable, and now they will be unable to stop what will happen to them.

Like Nineveh was unable to stop what was going to happen, the same thing can happen to us and our sin. Apathy towards sin leaves us unprepared for its consequences. For many of us, some of the biggest struggles we currently face started as something small that we didn’t think was that big of a deal. But if we could go back now, we would have taken it more seriously from the very beginning.

The book of Nahum shows us what God will ultimately do with all sin and evil, and it is heavy to read. But we can’t forget God’s motivation for judging sin. It’s not because he is angry or cold. It’s because of what Nahum says in chapter 1 verse 7, which was the motivating factor for God judging Nineveh: The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; he cares for those who take refuge in him.

Our sin is heavy, but His grace is more. Instead of running from God in shame, we can go to Him in repentance. Jesus gladly laid down his life and experienced the judgment we deserved, so that our good and righteous God could welcome us into His kingdom.

Will you take refuge in Him?

Today’s reflection

What do you think it means to take refuge in the Lord? What does it practically look like for you to do that today?

Going Deeper

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