(Nahum 1) Losing the Marathon Against God (Part 2)

Nathan Sehi

Nahum • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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In the first section, Nahum declares God is vengeful and patient with the power to accomplish justice. (1:1-5) Nahum then questions the wisdom of rebelling against God. (1:6, 9) The entire section culminates in the prophetic promise of the total destruction of the city of Nineveh. (1:12-14) Though the main focus is God's vengeance against Nineveh; it also emphasizes that God is slow to anger (v. 3), a refuge to his people (v. 7), and Good (v. 7). As whole, Nahum defends God's justice emphasizing his goodness and patience along with his demand for vengeance.

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INTRODUCTION:

ILLUSTRATION:

My son is at that age where kids become a lot of fun.

One of the things he loves is to be chased.

So I will come home, and get hug.

And then say, “you better run”.

and he will take this little feet and run as hard as he can pouncing across the wood floor.

And I will chase him, just enough to keep him running around the coach a couple of times.

And then I will snatch up in my arms and tickle him.

Though I let him run around a little while before I caught him, did he ever really run away from me.

Or even truly escape me.

As His dad,

I have strength, weight, and speed that he doesn’t have.

When we consider, that declares that God is both patient and vengeful.

Isn’t that a lot like our little children running from dad.

I mean:

a. How fast do you need run to outrun God’s judgement?

ELI - Run around in a circle

a. How fast do you need to be to outrun God?

b. How strong do you need to be flee the judgement of God?

How fast do you need to be win an arm wrestling match with God?

c. How smart do you have to be to outsmart God’s wise justice?

How smart do you have to be to

Now these are basic questions.

But often in foolishness -

Unbelievers ( that is people who reject Christ) - try to ignore or run from the judgement of God.

How do they do that?

They Run from God by: Definitely arguing he doesn’t exist.

ILLUSTRATION:

You want to do an interesting study,

go to an atheist blog and write - God is good.

Oh man, you are going to stir up a hornets nest of posts.

I know because my apologetics course made be do exactly that - and I stirred up a hornets nest of mad people.

Others run from God - by living the most sensuous, and wicked life they can find.

They pursue business with the only one ethic, how much money can I make.

They pursue only the pleasures of life -

everything from women to laziness.

everything from women

Or perhaps, they live a life literally ignoring God.

they live a life literally ignoring God.

They live like they have amnesia about God.

It is not that they live in rebellion fleeing to hatred or pleasures,

but they simply ignore the reality of God in their lives.

Suffering happens, and it’s a freak accident.

The go to the mountains and marvel of the earth, but ignore that there is a God who created those mountains.

They may not

Ignoring God -

Run from God - by living in excess.

Stand in defiance of God - by ignoring

Outsmart God?

But often in foolishness -

Believers also try to ignore or run from God’s parental rebuke - Chastisement.

We in foolishness try ignore or run from God in the same way.

Defiantly declare our Spiritual life just fine - after all everyone sins and God accepts you as you are.

Run from God - by living in excess.

You pursue the pleasure while ignoring the Holy Spirit working in your heart.

Stand in defiance of God - by ignoring

Outsmart God?

You go through life - apathetic to the suffering God sends - and apathetic to the wonder of God found in Scripture and creation.

Sounds a lot like unbelievers at times - doesn’t it?

But this begs the question,

can we truly run from God’s judgement or God’s parental rebuke?

talks about just how foolish it is to try to ignore, run, or fight against God’s judgment.

Now last week,

we talked about the question that Nahum addresses in v. 2-3.

Is God good or is god vengeful?

That question is brought into our thinks v. 2-3,

I think the second question and challenge we ought to consider in this chapter,

can we run from God’s judgement.

FURTHER EXPLANATION>

In Jonah,

we saw that a prophet cannot run from God.

The Opposite end of the spectrum,

Nahum addresses whether God’s enemies can run from God.

As we consider these two questions,

Is God good or is God vengeful?

And - Can you run from God’s judgement?

Let’s read our text - and find the answers to those questions.

Nahum 1:1–14 ESV

1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh. 2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. 5 The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it. 6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. 7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. 9 What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time. 10 For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried. 11 From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor. 12 Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. 13 And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.” 14 The Lord has given commandment about you: “No more shall your name be perpetuated; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the metal image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

Nahum 1:

As we consider the text, and the questions related to it -

Is God good or is God vengeful?

And - Can you run from God’s judgement?

From Nahum 1

PROPOSITION: We ought to believe God justly rules in our lives

TRANSITION: and this text gives us 4 reasons’s for why God is just.

TRANSITION: and this text gives us 3 reasons’s for why God is just.

Now we have already looked at part of the answer:

First, We ought to believe God rules justly because -

1) God is Patient. (1:2-3)

a. God is Vengeance.

b. God is patient.

Second, We ought to believe God rules justly because -

2) God has the power to accomplish justice. (1:4-5)

a. Power over Water.

b. Power over Land.

c. Power over People.

We will begin at the 3rd point today.

Thirdly, We ought to believe God rules justly because -

3) God’s Power overcomes his enemies.

Still working under the idea,

God has the power to accomplish justice;

- I would like to add a few more points.

So God has the power to accomplish just,

Nahum 1:6–14 ESV

6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. 7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness. 9 What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time. 10 For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried. 11 From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor. 12 Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. 13 And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.” 14 The Lord has given commandment about you: “No more shall your name be perpetuated; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the metal image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

Nahum 1:

which means:

From we are going to observe the foolishness of rebellion and the total destruction of God’s enemies.

Notice the questions posed in and . The latter half of Nahum begins with 2 sets of questions which are intended to show the foolishness of rebellion.

We observe

a. The foolishness of Rebellion.

b. It is foolish to go against God’s justice.

Notice the questions posed in and . The latter half of Nahum begins with 2 sets of questions which are intended to show the foolishness of rebellion.

Nahum 1:6 ESV

6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

9 What do you plot against the LORD?

After each of those questions,

Nahum either describes

- why it is foolish

- or gives God’s declared judgment of total defeat

+ which in in itself demonstrates the foolishness of rebelling.

For this point,

were going to work through the theme of whether someone can run, ignore, or defeat God’s judgement.

Is that possible?

and through some repeated pictures of defeat,

Nahum is going to answer that question.

Observe the pictures of defeat.

A. They will be completely destroyed (v. 8)

Nahum 1:8 ESV

8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

Nahum alludes to the flood.

God will overcome his enemies like a flood.

When we recall Noah and the flood story in ,

What does this say about God’s judgement?

- The flood utterly destroyed every living creature, except those who accepted God’s protection in the ark.

- That same level of destruction,

is being described against Nineveh.

- Not necessarily a flood, but the completeness of the destruction.

Further,

our text declares God pursue them into darkness.

Why does someone run to the darkness? - to hide!

Sometimes to hide our evilness,

we will search for and find a safe place.

ILLUSTRATION:

I know of one person,

who when they had broken something really important to their parents,

- They went and hid underneath there bed and that person wouldn’t come out.

- And that person staid there,

until finally dad came home.

And with a lot of coaching, talked them out from underneath their bed.

This is what is being pictured here -

God’s enemies are going to realize their mortal danger,

and try to hide in a dark place.

But that is no escape. God is going to follow them into that dark hiding place, and utterly cut them off.

There is no hiding from God’s wrath, vengeance, or punishment.

We know that God rules justly because his enemies are completely destroyed.

Further,

B. They will not rise a second time. (v. 9)

English Standard Version Chapter 1

He will make a complete end;

trouble will not rise up a second time.

Explanation:

The middle east has long been a place where nations power has been tested.

and more than once, a defeated army rose up again.

Many times the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Persians, and the Babylonians were defeated,

but also many times they rose up from that defeat and overcome their enemies.

Assyria is not going to do that again.

Our text declares,

they will not rise up again.

We know that God rules justly because his enemies will not rise a second time.

In light of v. 6-9, we are give another picture

that describes the

C. The helplessness of the guilty. (v. 10)

V. 10 gives 3 descriptions of what rebels are like.

3 descriptions of what rebels are like.

Nahum 1:10 ESV

10 For they are like entangled thorns, like drunkards as they drink; they are consumed like stubble fully dried.

1. The helplessness of the guilty. (v. 10)

1) The 1st description - they are like entangled thorns.

ILLUSTRATION:

Have you ever been picking chokecherry berries and find yourself entrapped by the bushes.

You get yourself in there,

and you are reaching around.

And before you realize it, your entangled in the branches.

That is the first illustration of what the guilty are like.

They can’t get away from God, because they are too entangled to get away.

2) The 2nd description - they are like drunkards who are drinking.

This is the picture of the Guy at the bar,

who can barely stand up, but keeps drinking.

Have you ever seen someone like that in a fight?

My time in the Navy I saw men in this condition -

- and they can’t walk strait,

- can’t find their way into their bed

- or remember where they put their stuff.

There are certainly in no condition to fight.

The enemies of God are so outmatched it would be like fighting a drunk man.

3) The 3rd description - they are burnt up like dried chaff.

ILLUSTRATION:

When you go out to the fields here in Laramie Valley in August,

what is the grass like?

It is dry, coarse, grass.

And what does it take for that to burn?

Not much.

I had some bushes we cut and we stuck the dried thin branches into our fire pit to burn it -

Sometimes that cought on fire before I even had a chance to take my hand out of the fire pit.

The Ninevites are being described

as burning as quick as dried chaff

- which is to say they have no chance not to burn or be destroyed.

These three descriptions - in a powerful way show the Ninevites as helpless against God’s coming judgment.

Not only are they helpless, but they are foolish.

Additionally, Nahum declares the

D. The Worthless Advice of the guilty. (v. 11)

Remember, the question in v. 6,

What do you plot?

Verse 11 is related

Nahum 1:11 ESV

11 From you came one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor.

Many nations in the middle prided themselves with their military counselors.

Remember, the question in v. 6,

What do you plot?

What made the Assyrians, the Babylonians, or the Greeks world empires?

They were brilliant strategists.

Verse 11 is related

ILLUSTRATION: They knew how to move the chess pieces around.

Despite the fact that the Assyrians were some of the best strategists around,

God called their counselors worthless.

ILLUSTRATION:

This is like having a stocks fund manager -

who not just once, but repeatedly sinks your money into worthless companies that go bankrupt.

The best strategist among the Assyrians, that is the Ninevites, is worthless in running from God’s judgement.

You simply can’t outsmart God.

Further,

F. The Greatest Army will not be cut down. (v. 12)

3. The Greatest Army will not be afflicted again. (v. 12)

Nahum 1:12 ESV

12 Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

Nahum 1

2. They will not rise a second time. (v. 9)

History tells us that at this time there was no stronger army,

then the army of the Assyrians.

They had conquered much of the middle east receiving great riches from the nations who paid them as ransom.

Nahum even acknowledges the strength of the Assyrians,

saying they are at full strength and many.

But strength makes no difference to God.

But their strenght makes no

ILLUSTRATION:

We live in a semi-ranching community - and lot of people drive pickup trucks with big front guards.

But I always laugh when I see someone driving around,

and the guard is not just bent, but it is bent into the front of the truck.

I don’t know what they ran into,

but whatever it was - it was bigger and harder.

The fact is,

It doesn’t matter how big of a defense you put up,

God is always going to hit harder and stronger than you can stop.

So can you overpower God - and run from his judgement?

And Again,

- God justly rules this world. >>>> Including against his enemies.

3. The Greatest Army will not be afflicted again. (v. 12)

Finally, Nahum points us to

G. The total extermination of his enemies. (v. 14)

Not that the earlier verses were not strong imagery,

but v. 14 really comes out with the idea of total destruction.

Nahum 1:14 ESV

14 The Lord has given commandment about you: “No more shall your name be perpetuated; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the metal image. I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

but v. 14 really comes out with the idea of total destruction.

EXPLANATION:

- In Ancient culture,

a nation’s power and wealth was often compared with the Pagan God they followed.

- If a nation conquered another nation,

the cultural assumption was that there God was bigger than the God of the nations they conquered.

>>> In other words, the one who wins the most wars has the biggest God.

- In fact,

it was often the practice to carry off the idol statues and treasure room of pagan temples of the conquered nation,

and to place these articles before the victors idol.

And they did this to demonstrate the power and fame of their Idol god.

- Further, When a person from the Ancient world spoke of the grandeur of their city,

the unspoken implication was that there God was powerful.

It was like bragging rights for their victor.

This is why there is a connection between extermination of the Ninevites - and the temples of Nineveh.

- To say that their name will cease - means they will be exterminated.

To say that their name will cease - means they will be exterminated.

No child, women, or man will be left living to carry the name of the Assyrians on.

This is total annihilation of every living person in the city.

- To say that their name will no longer be spoken from their temples

And their idols are broken

- was to say that Yahweh is hundredfold more powerful than any of the God’s of Nineveh.

In other words,

all the prayers in the world to your pagan empty idol will not stop the true living God from utterly destroying the city.

There pagan God was nothing compared to the Almighty.

So what do these pictures demonstrate,

God justly rules because he conquers his wicked enemies.

As we consider these pictures of defeat;

What do they teach us about our question -

Can you run from the judgement or the parental rebuke of God?

There is no way.

ILLUSTRATION:

Trying to stop God’s judgment or parental rebuke would be like trying to stop the Niagra river.

You an stand in the middle,

just before the falls

you Brace yourself,

you Hold it back with your arms.

But far from stopping it,

you will just drown in the flood of God’s judgement.

There is no competition,

there is no winning a fight against God,

there is no hiding from his judgement.

there is no finding a loop hole

Nahum 1:8

Nahum 1:8 ESV

8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

God as a mighty God of vengeance will have his victory.

Which means as deniers of Christ - even ignoring or rebelling God’s judgement - is not going to stop it.

- there is no running from God’s parental rebuke.

- If you ignore your conscious and the suffering in your life,

he is a good father who will sustain that pressure, lovingly bringing you to a fuller and deeper relationship with Christ.

Which means we have one option,

ask for his Mercy.

Just as Nineveh in Jonah’s day - our only option is to beg for his mercy to relent.

As unbeliever,

your only option is to turn towards the goodness and refuge of God.

That is principally found in our Savior - Jesus Christ. The Son of God who was born to deliver us from our sins and the judgement of sin.

For Believers,

- there is no running from God’s parental rebuke.

- If you ignore your conscious and the suffering in your life,

he is a good father who will sustain that pressure, lovingly bringing you to a fuller and deeper relationship with Christ.

Which means we have one option,

ask for his Mercy.

If you see God rebuking you in your life,

As Believers,

the answer is the same.

If you see God rebuking you in your life,

then, as the song says, run to Christ.

“”

God rules justly in our lives - which means you can’t run from it.

The fourth reason, We ought to believe God rules justly because -

4) God’s just rule ultimately protects his people.

Throughout history,

Many have wondered why God has not delivered them.

Why has God not taken away my struggle?

Why has God not shown mercy when I begged for it?

describes this kind of longing.

Psalm 79:5 ESV

5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?

Psalm 79:4–5 ESV

4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. 5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?

declares the same desire for the Assyrians to be conquered.

Psalm 83:1–2 ESV

1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! 2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads.

And this how Israel is feeling.

How long must they be servants to Assyria?

Why does God allow his enemies to march against Israel?

Why has God not destroyed Assyria for attacking Israel?

And we have different concerns, but the same question?

How long must I suffer?

Why do you allow this thorn in the flesh to continue?

Why does it seem Christians suffer while the ungodly triumphs?

But from this text, God’s goodness and justice for his people is demonstrated.

A. God is a refuge for the suffering. (v. 7)

Nahum 1:7 ESV

7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

Nahum

Our text comforts the hurting and the suffering,

declaring -

God is good - Were right back at that question aren’t we?

Is God good or is God vengeful?

For those who suffer,

he is a stronghold in the day of trouble.

And he personally knows the people who are trying to find his protection.

Further,

B. God breaks the bonds of our oppressors. (v. 13)

Nahum 1:13 ESV

13 And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.”

That trial, struggle, conflict ... that you suffer with - God does not leave you out in the cold.

But he will burst the bonds (or shackles) of your suffering.

ILLUSTRATION:

You want to hear greats stories of God breaking the bonds of suffering in people’s life.

Go back and listen to the old unshackled series.

The format is maybe older,

but that series literally hundreds of testimonies of God breaking the shackles and bonds of suffering and sin.

So don’t despair!

If you seek God as your refuge,

he will protect you.

he will be good to you.

and he will save your from your suffering.

How do I know that?

Partially because God says it in v. 7 and 13,

but also because the whole rest of chapter 1 - demonstrates that God will accomplish justice for his people.

And that justice is in the form of punishing Israel’s enemies and delivering them from the oppression of their enemies.

CONCLUSION:

So Nahum answers two important questions about what kind of God we have.

The first,

Is God good or is God vengeful.

The Second,

Can you run, flee, or rebel against God’s vengeance.

And from This Text:

We ought to believe God justly rules in our lives: and this text gives us 4 reasons for why God is just.

1) God is Patient. (1:2-3)

a. God is Vengeance.

b. God is patient.

2) God has the power to accomplish justice. (1:4-5)

a. Power over Water.

b. Power over Land.

c. Power over People.

3) God’s Power overcomes his enemies.

a. They will completely be destroyed (v. 8)

b. They will not rise a second time. (v. 9)

c. The helplessness of the guilty. (v. 10)

- The 1st description - they are like entangled thorns.

- The 2nd description - they are like drunkards

who are drinking.

- The 3rd description - they are burnt up like dried chaff.

d. The Worthless Advice of the guilty. (v. 11)

e. The Greatest Army will be cut down. (v. 12)

f. The total termination of his enemies. (v. 14)

4) God’s just rule ultimately protects his people.

a. God is a refuge for the suffering. (v. 7)

b. God breaks the bonds of our oppressors. (v. 13)

I think this is a fitting argument for God being just and holy in how he rules in our lives.

Application:

As we consider these pictures of defeat;

What do they teach us about our question -

Can you run from the judgement or the parental rebuke of God?

There is no way.

ILLUSTRATION:

Trying to stop God’s judgment or parental rebuke would be like trying to stop the Niagra river.

You an stand in the middle,

just before the falls

you Brace yourself,

you Hold it back with your arms.

But far from stopping it,

you will just drown in the flood of God’s judgement.

There is no competition,

there is no winning a fight against God,

there is no hiding from his judgement.

there is no finding a loop hole

Nahum 1:8 ESV

8 But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

God as a mighty God of vengeance will have his victory.

Which means as deniers of Christ - that neither ignoring or rebelling God’s judgement - is going to stop it.

>>>> Just as Nineveh in Jonah’s day - our only option is to beg for his mercy to relent.

As unbeliever,

your only option is to turn towards the goodness and refuge of God.

That is principally found in our Savior - Jesus Christ. The Son of God who was born to deliver us from our sins and the judgement of sin.

For Believers,

- there is no running from God’s parental rebuke.

- If you ignore your conscious and the suffering in your life,

he is a good father who will sustain that pressure, lovingly bringing you to a fuller and deeper relationship with Christ.

If he can do that for his enemies,

he can do that for the one’s he loves.

Which means we have one option,

ask for his Mercy.

If you see God rebuking you in your life,

then, as the song says, run to Christ.

((((Read the song))))

As believers and unbelievers,

may we embrace the justice of God,

by recognizing that one day all people will stand before God guilty and in judgement,

Or we can choose to plea for mercy,

knowing God is patient, Good, and protector of those who seek him.

May we embrace the justice of God by running to Christ.

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