Nahum 1:9-15 - The Four Announcements

Bradley Milks

Nahum - Yahweh the Divine Warrior • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Introduction

Scripture

Nahum 1:9–15 ESV

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.” 15 Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

Outline

Nahum 1 - God’s Righteous Anger

Nahum 1:1 - Introduction

Nahum 1:2-8 - The Universal Judgment of Yahweh

Nahum 1:9-15 - The Four Announcements

Nahum 1:9-11 - Judgment Upon Assyria

Nahum 1:12-13 - No more Affliction

Nahum 1:14 - End of the Assyrian King

Nahum 1:15 - Good News!

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Nahum is to reveal Yahweh as the great Divine Warrior who issues judgment against the Assyrians and rescues His people and the Messianic seed

Main Point

The Lord gives four announcements revealing the destruction of Assyria and the deliverance of Judah

Nahum 1:9-11 - Judgment Upon Assyria

Nahum 1:9–11 ESV

9 What do you plot against the Lord?

Sennacherib’s military attack against 46 fortified towns in Judah in 701 BC

Sennacherib promises that he would come and take Jerusalem

Isaiah 36:13–20 ESV

13 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. 15 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’ ”

He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time.

He will make a complete end

Assyria/Nineveh will come to an end

The complete theme of the oracle

Trouble will not rise up a second time

Assyria’s destruction will be so total that they will never cause trouble again

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

Entangled thorns

Spiny vegetation that became entangled as it grew

The only worth they had was being burned

The Assyrians are worthless and devoted to destruction

Drunkards as they drink

Drunkards are useless and are unable to be helpful

Like drunkards they will be useless before the judgment/wrath of God

They are consumed like stubble fully dried

The Assyrians are easy prey will be swallowed up by fiery wrath

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

Nahum 3:18 ESV

18 Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them.

This worthless (wicked, evil to his moral core) counselor is most likely Sennacherib who ruled from 705-681 BC

Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah is noted in 2 Kings 18:13-19:36

Worthless

Beliyyaal reserved for people who have committed the most evil crimes against Israel

This word eventually becomes the proper name “the Devil”

2 Corinthians 6:14–15 ESV

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

Opponents of God Himself

Nahum 1:12-13 - No more Affliction

Nahum 1:12–13 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. 13 And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.”

12 Thus says the Lord, “Though they are at full strength and many, they will be cut down and pass away.

Thus says the Lord

Prophetic message from the Lord

Though they are at full strength and many

The Assyrian’s military has strength and number

They will be cut down and pass away

Despite their strength and number the Lord will bring them to an end

God is not going to wait for the nation to slowly lose power

Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more.

The covenantal discipline from the Lord has issued against the Judahites is going to come an end

However, the Babylonians will soon come against Judah and God will send them into exile - how can this be possible?

Affliction from the Assyrians will end

Nineveh’s destruction against God’s people also functions symbolically

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

Judgment is imminent

Freedom from slavery and bondage is coming

The yoke of oppression from the Assyrians will finally be over

Nahum 1:14 - End of the Assyrian King

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.”

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.

The Lord has given commandment about you

You - Most likely the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal (669-627 BC)

No more shall your name be perpetuated

There will be no more descendants for the king

The great family name and dynasty of the king shall come to an end

From the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the metal image

Isaiah 10:10–11 ESV

10 As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, 11 shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?”

The war is not simply a war of Judah vs. Assyria - this war is Yahweh vs. the gods of Assyria and they shall fall

The temple of gods shall be utterly destroyed

I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

Ashurbanipal is worthless and there is no chance of restoration for him or his dynasty

Ashurbanipal would not determine his grave, God would

Nahum 1:15 - Good News!

Nahum 1:15 ESV

15 Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

15 Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace!

The good news is that Assyria will soon come to an end

This freedom will not come about as a result of their doings, but God’s alone

This will bring an end to hostility and restore wholeness

Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

Keep your feasts, O Judah

As a result of peace, the Judahites are commanded to keep the feasts that were prescribed in the Torah

Fulfill your vows

Covenantal commitment

Never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off

Assyria is done

Live in Celebration and Covenant with the Triune God as the Enemy will be Defeated!

Romans 10:14–17 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.