Title: The prophet and his subject. [1:1]
The destruction of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, is the subject
of this prophecy.
I. Nineveh's doom by the decree of Jehovah [chapter 1]
A. The goodness and severity of Jehovah. (2-8)
1. Vengeance and mercy of God. (2,3) The prophet uses "Jehovah"
five times in these two verses. He is jealous, as a husband for
a wife. His vengeance is just. He will also execute judgment upon
the enemies of His people. He will not act impulsively, but He
will not excuse the guilty. The force of His judgment will clear
everything in its path.
2. The terribleness of His anger against sin. (4-6) He has the
ability to reveal His power through nature. His presence is able
to throw the whole world, both man and nature, into convulsions.
Who could withstand such power? Not Assyria. He could cover them
like molten lava covers the land when a volcano erupts.
3. The greatness of His mercy a stronghold to the faithful. (7)
This verse presents the other side of God's nature. He is good,
and just as powerful to protect His people as He is to destroy
their enemies (Isa. 37:36-38).
4. The pursuer of His enemies. (8) God is determined to destroy
Nineveh, as a river overrunning its banks, floods and destroys.
It will be a complete destruction (Zeph. 2:13ff.).
B. The complete overthrow of Nineveh. (9-15)
1. God's faithfulness in the present crisis: affliction not again
to come
from Assyria (as in the past). (9-11) This passage is probably
addressed to both Assyria and Judah. "What do you devise
against Jehovah?" To Assyria: You will be destroyed (Isa.
10:24-27). To Judah: I am capable of destroying your enemies.
Assyria considered itself beyond conquering, they were intoxicated
with pride and power. For the use of drunkenness as a sign of
pride see also (Jer. 13:9, 13, 14 and Hab. 2:5). Assyria's entire
spirit and purpose toward Jehovah is one of evil devices. These
devices would come to nothing.
2. Judah delivered from the yoke of Assyria by destruction of
Nineveh's
power. (12,13) Assyria is doomed. Jehovah had used Assyria to
afflict Judah (Isa. 10:5-21), but that source of trouble would
never afflict Judah again. The bonds that held Judah to Assyria
against her will would be broken.
3. Destruction of Assyria. (14) Included in this destruction would
be the end of Assyria's idol gods. The nation would be destroyed
and Nineveh its capital would pass into oblivion.
4. Rejoicing in Zion. (15) When news of Assyria's final destruction
reaches Judah there will be rejoicing. The prophet urges Judah
to remain faithful to God through their feasts of thanksgiving.
While trouble may pursue Judah from elsewhere, Assyria is a threat
no more.
II. Siege and destruction of Nineveh decreed by Jehovah. [chapter
2]
A. Assault upon Nineveh: doom of the city. (1-7)
1. Furious preparation for battle. (1-4) Jehovah will be the scatterer
and shatterer of Nineveh. He will do this through the Babylonians
under Nebuchadnezzar. Here Nahum warns Assyria to prepare for
their judgment. Through the destruction of Assyria, the nation
of Israel could have honor, self-respect, and glory restored.
The references to red here seem to indicate the battle dress of
those coming to conquer Assyria. History points to red as the
battle colors of the Babylonians (Eze. 23:14). The city of Nineveh
will be overrun by the enemy, there will be no stopping them.
2. Hopelessness of resistance. (5,6) The defenders of the city
would watch helplessly as the invaders brought their battering
engines into place. All efforts to defend the city are in vain;
the city is destined to destruction. Jehovah will allow and assist
in this destruction.
3. The city, as a queen, is captured and moans. (7) The picture
here is one of deep anguish and sorrow as the proud city comes
to an end.
B. Flight of the people and sack of the city. (8-13)
1. The inhabitants flee, the city is plundered. (8-10) For centuries,
Nineveh had been a gathering place, but now everyone will attempt
to leave her. The invaders are commanded to completely ransack
the city. Of course the plunder did not rightfully belong to Nineveh
in the first place, as they had stolen it themselves. Now the
city will come to be utterly desolate. The spirit of the people
will be broken. The pain, terror, and torture that they had brought
down on their enemies would now come down on them.
2. The destruction is complete. (11-13) So complete in fact that
for centuries its original location was unknown. Only in the early
1800's were archaeologists able to identify its location with
certainty.The prophet compares the people of Nineveh to the lions.
For centuries, Nineveh had been "king of the jungle."
They had lorded their might over all men, but their enemy is not
just man anymore. Jehovah is against them now. The misery that
Nineveh had brought upon their subjugated nations would end.
III. Nineveh's sins and her inevitable doom. [chapter 3]
A. Nineveh's fate brought upon herself as retribution for her
crimes. (1-7)
1. The graphic description of the battle. (1-3) The city was a
bloody place already, but the invaders would make it even more
so. The fierceness of the battle described here needs little comment.
This fierceness only ends when the corpses of the dead are scattered
and men stumble over them as they rush from place to place.
3. The cause: her sins. (4) Nineveh had worked like a harlot to
conquer the world. Using outward appearance and seductive techniques
along with idolatry Nineveh had appealed to the world and they
had allowed her to lead them.The story of Nineveh can be quickly
summed up by (Prov. 7:11, 27).
4. The uncovering of her shame is of Jehovah. (5-7) While the
nations alone could not overcome Assyria, with God's help they
would shame her before the world. Nineveh would be held up to
reproach and disdain. She will become a gazing stock for all the
world to revile. The sight of her will be so horrid that no one
will want to stay around her for long. No one will bemoan her,
comfort her or give her consolation. The world will accept the
news of her fall as glad tidings.
B. The fate of No-amon is to be the fate of Nineveh. (8-11) Assyria
had destroyed the Egyptian city of No (Thebes). For centuries
No had been an important part of Egypt's power center. The prophet
questions if Nineveh is any better than No. No had been strong
because of its location, as had Nineveh. In the end, No had been
sacked and destroyed and Nineveh was in for a similar fate. Whether
No and Nineveh were intoxicated on their own pride or the cup
of Jehovah's wrath, the end result is the same destruction.
C. Inability of Nineveh's resources to save the city. (12-19)
1. Fall of the outlying strongholds. (12,13) Nineveh's first line
of defense would fall, because their inhabitants were weak.
2. Siege and destruction of the city. (14-19a) The prophet calls
on Nineveh to prepare for the siege, to do all they can to defend
the city. The entire population is pictured as working to prepare
the city. Work that will be to no avail. The city will burn, the
people will die, the destruction will be complete. Their economic
system will fail and the trade routes will cease to come through
Nineveh. As a swarm of insects moving away at the break of day,
the Assyrian army will flee, perish and disappear forever, leaving
no trace of their existence. The siege will last over two years.
The city cannot recover from it, the wound is terminal, it is
final.
3. Universal exultation over the fall of Nineveh. (19b) Not an
expression of selfish glee - as in "they got what is coming
to them" - but a rejoicing over a vindication of righteousness.
The world will expel a collective sigh of relief at the destruction
of Nineveh - "At last!"
Applications for Today
(1)
1:2,3 God is not just good, He is also severe. Rom. 11:22; Heb.
10:26-31.
(2) 2:8-10 God is the ruler over all nations of the earth, not
just the ones who believe in Him. Rom. 1:18-32.