The Writings of Nahum

Some books of the Bible are more graphic and violent than people expect.  Nahum is one of these books.  Nahum has a challenge in communicating God’s message of hope.  The Jewish people have suffered long and hard at the hands of nations who do not even worship God.  How can their God allow such destruction to take place? 

Nahum wants to show the compassion and power of God in one picture.  So Nahum tells of the destruction that will happen to the nation of Assyria.  This nation has been so destructive to the Jews.  Assyria has conquered hatefully much of the Jewish nation.  Nahum wants the Jews to know that God is still power and that God has not forgotten about His people, so Nahum tells of the soon to be destruction of the nation that has caused so much pain for the Jews.

For years this nation of Assyria put fear in the hearts and minds of most other nations.  They were strong and without any compassion.  They conquered, murdered and destroyed any other nation who got in their way.  Once Nahum gives this message of their destruction however, the future comes quickly. Within a few generations Nineveh, the main city of Assyria, would be destroyed.

Nahum’s message is not just a message of hope for the Jewish people in their present day suffering. Nahum wants people to know that God is just and compassionate but his judgment is never simply to punish.  God wants to bring about repentance.  God wants people to change and turn towards Him. God wants people to know Him by His mercy and love and not by His wrath and judgment.  God’s judgment is real but through Nahum we learn that it is only a means of bringing His mercy and love to this world.