Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nahum and Habakkuk.

I am not sure that I have ever noticed before that Nahum and Habakkuk both seem to be directing their prophecies primarily against Assyria (Nineveh).  So, Nahum is explicitly prophesying against Assyria (Nineveh), but Habakkuk is a little less obvious.  Habakkuk speaks of God raising up the Babylonians in response to his request that God do something about the strife and wrongdoing he witnesses.  The Babylonians rose up to overthrow the Assyrian Empire.

Having given that background let me get to my thoughts on today’s passages.  As I begin, I believe that these prophecies tell us things about how God works in this world today, long after Nineveh and Assyria have fallen.  Nahum tells us that God is slow to anger, but will not leave the guilty unpunished.  He is good and cares for those who trust in Him, but will strike down those who choose to be His foes with an overwhelming flood that will make an end of them. (Recently I have seen several videos of flashfloods which gives this imagery some perspective).  God will bring an end to their plots against Him and their plots against those who serve Him.  Nahum tells us that Nineveh was a target of God’s anger because it was city of blood and lies that was never without victims.  Habakkuk has almost the same message and presents it in a way which expands on what Nahum had to say.  He starts by crying out to God asking how long the wicked would be allowed to prosper.  God replies to Habakkuk and tells him, tells us, to look at what is happening in the world around him, around us.  God told Habakkuk that he would be amazed at what would happen.  Further God tells Habakkuk that His enemies are arrogant and their desires are not upright, but that the righteous will live by faith.  God warns several groups of people that their actions will lead to consequences that they will not like.  Those who gather stolen goods, or use extortion to gain wealth; those who build their property with unjust gain of any kind; those who use bloodshed and injustice to create their organization (city, country, business, etc.); those who get people drunk in order to take advantage of them.  All of these will experience God’s judgement.  Their actions will come back upon them and they will suffer as much as, or even more than, those they have made to suffer.  Then in response to God’s words Habakkuk stood in awe of all that God has done and patiently waited for His action.  Let us live by faith in God and patiently wait until those who oppose Him and refuse to change learn the consequences of their evil actions.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nahum and Habakkuk.

As I read through the Old Testament prophets I see many prophecies of God’s judgement upon His people for their sins.  I see many prophecies which might lead one to despair concerning the future when we look around at the sins of our society.  Today, Nahum prophesies that the enemies of God’s people will be brought down.  Nahum tells us that despite the seeming dominance of those who oppress God’s people, He will bring them down and bring peace for those who serve Him.  We look around and see the wicked gaining ever more power, the merchants who serve them, and are protected by them, are getting ever richer, but Nahum promises that they will all be brought to dust and that those who serve Him will once more live peaceful, prosperous lives.  As bad as the future looks today, God will send His messenger to bring good news.  In fact, He has already sent His messenger.  When I read Nahum, I decided to write the above before reading Habakkuk, thinking that I would write a completely separate paragraph on Habakkuk.  However, Habakkuk has a very similar theme to Nahum.  It also speaks of how the wicked will be overthrown to the benefit of the righteous.  Habakkuk talks about raising up the Babylonians in a way that no one would believe, which suggests that he is also talking, in part, about the downfall of Assyria.  And Habakkuk has an important message for us about preparing ourselves for this coming overthrow of the wicked.  He tells us that the enemy is puffed up and arrogant, ensnaring many in his net, but that the righteous will live by faith.  So, when we see the wickedness, and the suffering it brings with it, around us, let us keep our faith and know that God has redeemed us.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nahum and Habakkuk.

My first thought as I read today’s passages was, “What is the connection between Nahum and the prophecy which Jonah delivered to Nineveh?”  The Book of Jonah merely records that Jonah’s prophecy was that Nineveh would be destroyed.  Nahum goes into more detail.  Nahum tells us that God is good and cares for those who trust in Him, but that He will put an end to Nineveh because they plotted against Him.  Which gives us two messages for today.  If you look around you see how those in power throughout the world largely act to marginalize and silence those who uphold God’s word.   They seek to diminish their influence by persecuting them in ways which lead others to not listen to God’s message.  Nahum gives those who trust in God a message of hope: God will care for them and protect them.  Nahum gives a warning to those who plot against God’s people: God will overwhelm them like a flood which shall wash away all of the protective barriers which they have erected around themselves.

Habakkuk appears to prophecy about the same events .  He starts by asking God why He allows injustice and violence to continue and thrive.  Before I go on to discuss God’s answer to Habakkuk I want to look a little more into what he says about those he calls upon God to judge.  He tells us that they are a law unto themselves and that the law of the land cannot touch them.  Further, Habakkuk tells us that they worship only their own strength and power.  Just as I saw parallels between the powerful of today and those against whom Nahum prophesied I see parallels here as well.  Habakkuk warns those who have made themselves at ease with unjust gains that God will bring them to justice.  Habakkuk prophesies against Assyria with a prophecy which applies to all who gain by violence and corruption.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nahum and Habakkuk.

The two prophets whose writings we read today share a theme: God will take vengeance on the wicked.  Nahum writes of God’s judgement against Assyria.  In verse six of his first chapter, Nahum writes:

His wrath is poured out like fire;
the rocks are shattered before him.

This evokes molten lava in my mind, the destructive force of a volcano.  I imagine the destruction Mount Vesuvius poured out on Pompei: overwhelming, with no hope of escape.  However, the next line which Nahum writes gives us hope.  The Lord is a refuge in times of trouble for those who trust in Him.  Which brings to mind a picture I have seen, I believe from Hawaii but I am not sure.  The picture shows a somewhat typical suburban neighborhood where lava has flowed through and destroyed everything, except one house stands intact, untouched by the lava flowing through the rest of the neighborhood.  Put your trust in God, and your life can be like that house when it seems like everything will go up in flames.  Habakkuk writes of God using Babylon to bring His judgement upon the wicked, even though Babylon is also wicked.  Yet, Habakkuk also ends with a note of hope for those who trust in the Lord.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nahum and Habakkuk.

Nahum wrote a prophecy similar to the one which the Book of Jonah suggests that Jonah preached in Nineveh.  Except that this time the people of Nineveh did not repent of their sins.  The rulers of Assyria thought they could do as they pleased and no one could hold them to account.  They were mistaken, when God decided to bring His judgement against them, Nineveh fell.  We see people who believe as the rulers of Assyria did, that they can do as they please and suffer no consequences.  Those who do not repent of their sins and turn to God will face God’s judgement.

Habakkuk has a similar theme to Nahum, except his prophecies are aimed first at the elites of Judah and then against the Babylonians.  God tells Habakkuk that He will bring down those who put their trust in wealth or power, those who use violence and deceit to gain.  The righteous will live and thrive by being faithful to God, by trusting in His love for them.  Nothing but sorrow awaits those who put their trust elsewhere.  The wicked may create many barriers between themselves and justice, but God will brush those barriers aside as He comes to redeem those who call on His name.  Terrible times are coming, but if you put your trust in God and do His will, He will come to your aid with overwhelming might.