Nahum 01
v 1. Ninevah was founded by Nimrod and the armies were notoriously cruel. In their own writings they tell of cutting off people’s hands, beheading victims and making a pillar of heads outside the city, cutting a hole in a king’s jaw, tying him up to a dog kennel, and many mutilations of the living before their corpses were stacked.
Over a century before, Jonah had preached a message of repentance, but they had returned to such wickedness that Nahum preaches total destruction. His name means comfort, and his message would bring comfort to Judah, that Ninevah in Assyria would finally fall. The fall came about a generation after his message.
v 2. God is slow to anger, but these people harmed His people and mocked Him. Three times in this verse He promises to bring vengeance upon Ninevah.
v 3-5. God controls the forces of nature, so no nation can stand before Him. In the days of Hezekiah, Sennacherib challenged God and lost 185,000 men one night.
v 7,8. God is good to those who trust Him, but Ninevah would be destroyed by a flood of armies and the flooding Tigris and Khosr, washing away walls to let Babylon in.
v 9-11. In plotting to destroy Jerusalem, Sennacherib was plotting against the Lord. The city felt safe and was drunken and confused when Babylon attacked.
v 12-13. “Quiet and likewise many” means “:strong and many”. There are dozen’s of Assyrian records with this approximate wording. Nahum used it to show that though their entire nation joined as one against the Lord, yet He would overcome them.
v 14,15. Ninevah had desecrated other’s temples, now hers would be destroyed and the whole city brought to the grave, so totally that Alexander the Great went near the site without knowing it was there. In contrast, her destruction would signal peace for Israel. Paul applies the words, Rom. 10:15, to the Gospel of Christ and salvation.
Nahum 02
v 1. Ninevah warned to prepare for battle with enemy (Nabopalasser of Babylon).
v 2. This would give Israel a reprieve, though not complete till the Millennium.
v 3,4. The invaders were dressed in scarlet and their fast moving chariots jostling in the approaches to the city were not speaking prophetically of cars as some think.
v 5,6. The defenders were summoned back to defend the city walls. The invader had made a dam upstream on the Khosr River, then at time of heavy rain opened the gates and allowed it to flood, destroying the city wall and the palace of the king.
v 7. Destiny was decreed and even slave girls wailed and lamented coming exile.
v 8-10. People fled from the flooded city in panic, and the wealth Ninevah and Assyria had from plundering others was now taken from the terror stricken inhabitants.
v 11.12. Sennacherib had boasted that he had power and raged like a lion, and they used lions as symbols, but Nahum mocks them for losing their lion den.
v 13. This battle against Babylon would really be against the Lord. Fire and sword would bring destruction and Assyria would no longer make demands of the helpless nations around them.
Nahum 03
v 1. See 1:1. Bloody city was a correct title. Plundering, the cutting off of head and any extremities of the bodies, impaling and skinning them while still alive was common. A city wall was covered with the skins of victims.
v 2-4. This describes the battle, and the cruelty done to others is done to them. Assyria had lusted for power as a harlot, and ruled and lived by the occult.
v 5-7. Assyria’s shameless actions would be exposed showing her to be so filthy and vile that there would be no one to take pity or comfort.
v 8. Southern Egypt’s capitol, Thebes was called by Hebrews No-amon, city of the god of Amun. It was surrounded by canals and moats, well protected like Ninevah. Assyria had defeated Thebes at some time past and was used as a precedent. Thebes fell to Nebuchadnezzar later.
v 9. Thebes had surrounding allies who could not help, but Ninevah had none.
v 10. Assyrians had ruthlessly massacred infants in the street rather than take them captive, and they cast lots for nobility to be used as slaves.
v 11. A drunken recklessness instead of watchfulness contributed to Ninevah’s defeat. Also people trying to escape were as confused as a drunken person.
v 12. As a ripe fig falls at a touch, Ninevah would fall to the combined forces, of Medes, Scythians and Babylonia.
v 13. The defenders would be helpless as the river undermined their defensive positions and the invaders burned the gates for others to flock in.
v 14. Again in mockery, Nahum tells them to have clean water prepared for the siege and new bricks ready to repair or throw up a new defense wall.
v 15-17. The enemy would come in like a swarm of grasshoppers, burning and destroying, so Ninevah should try to increase in number to defend themselves. The merchants and leaders would be frightened and try to flee away in the night.
v 18,19. Those not captured or killed would be so scattered that the empire would be totally destroyed, never to rise or be rebuilt. Israel and others oppressed by cruelty of the Assyrians would find comfort in their destruction. God’s vengeance is delayed, but if people don’t repent, His vengeance will ultimately come.
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In the early 90's I started studing the bible by taking colleger courses, because I believe the Lord wanted me to become a pastor in a Nazarne Church. My goal has changed with all my studies. I have read and compared numerous translations and commentaries in my many years of studying the bible. Some of these authorities disagree with each other. I come across information on studies and classes that I have taken 15 to 20 years before and I have no documentation of where it came from. Plus I have given away or returned many books for college classes that I have taken. So if I have failed to give someone the credit that is due them I ask for their forgiveness. The following is a list of translations and commentaries that I still have and use.
ANSWERS to 200 of Life's Most Probing Questions by Pat RobertsonOUR ETERNAL HOME by Richard W. Dehaan,
PROPHECY STUDY BIBLE by Tim Lahaye
READER'S DIGEST JESUS AND HIS TIMES by the Readers Digest Association Inc,
REFLECTING GOD STUDY BIBLE By Zondervan Corporation;
SAINT JOSEPH EDITION OF THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by Catholic Book Publishing Co.
SEVEN KEYS TO FAMILY POWER by Billy Joe Daugherty,
SIX HOURS ONE FRIDAY by Max Lacado,
THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE by the Zondervan Corporation;
THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD by Jocyce Meyer,
THE BIBLE PROMISE BOOK by Babbour Publishing Inc,
THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER by Charles Mortimer Guilbert
THE BOOK OF HOPE by Tyndale House Publishiers, Inc,
THE BORN AGAIN CATHOLIC by Albert H. Boudreau,
THE CASE FOR CHRIST by Lee Strobel,
THE CATHOLIC ANSWER BOOK by Peter MJ Stravinsiasi
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BIBLE KNOWLEDGE by Mark D. Taylor;
THE DAY CHRIST DIED by Jim Bishop,
THE GREAT BIBLE QUESTION AND ANWERS BOOK by Playmore Inc
THE HOME BIBLE STUDY COURSE by Dr. Harold L. Wilmington;
THE KING JAMES BIBLE ARCHAIE WORDS DEFIND by David W. Daniel
THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMPANION by David W. Daniels;
THE KING JAMES STUDY BIBLE by Thomas Nelson Publishers,
THE LAYMAN’S BIBLE DICTIONARY by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray;
THE LAYMAN’S PARALLEL NEW TESTAMENT by Zondervan Bible Publisher
THE LAYMAN'S LIST by Calance Stucup
THE MESSAGE BIBLE by Eugone H. Peterson,
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE by World Catholic Press;
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE Saint Joseph Edition;
THE NEW STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE by James Strong LL. D S.T.D.;
THE RISKS AND REWARDS OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE by Cardinal Francis Arinze
THE TRINITY by Rose Publish
THE VERY FIRST ESTER by Paul L. Maier,
THE WAY CATHOLIC LIVING BIBLE by Tyndale House Publishers;
UNCHRISTIAN by David Kennan and Gabe Lyon
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S LOVE by Ronald Greib
VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WORDS By W. E. Vine;
WHAT’S SO SECRET ABOUT THE RAPTURRE? By Christian Record Services, INC
WHEN GOD WINKS AT YOU by Tomas Nelson
WILLMINGTON’S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE by Dr. H.L. Willmington,
WOMAN OF FAITH STUDY BIBLE by Zschech/Heillsong
YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER by New Leaf Press
YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS by Anthony Wilhen
08/19/2011