Nahum 3:1–7

In Nahum 3 the prophet says, "Woe to the bloody city." That is what Nineveh had been to Israel above all. "All full of lies and plunder" — rather violence, the usual twofold form of wickedness. "No end to the prey!" The reference is no doubt to the people carried off and never restored.

Nineveh was a bloody city, because her kings never knew peace but were constantly at war. The Hebrew Ir-Damim means "city of blood drops." They boasted of making the blood of their enemies run like rivers. It was a city full of lies and plunder. No one could trust her word. She broke truces and covenants. She deceived nations with lying promises of help and protection. As the second chapter said, she was as fierce as a lion, and the prey never departed.

The Assyrians carried out that judgment in a way that insulted God Himself. They did not merely chasten His guilty people. So they had to be ready for their own doom. So we see the combined truth set before us — the destruction of Nineveh, but not apart from the discipline of Israel. The Lord does judge Israel. His own people at least had the knowledge of righteousness, and to a large degree the responsibility for it. If He judges them, how will the ungodly and the sinner appear?

God granted Nineveh forty days' respite, with blessed results. But the people soon returned to their wicked ways. That is why Nahum 3:1 says, "Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder." This was about 100 years after Jonah's visit, as we have already noted. Even then judgment waited another century… Favour granted by God and then despised brings heavy judgment from Him.

The repentance in Jonah's day secured nothing, and neither did the Reformation in Christendom. It did not prepare Nineveh for glory, or for a place in the kingdom of God. It may have left some moral fruit in a remnant even in this later day of Nahum. But Nineveh as a city or kingdom had gone back, like a washed sow to her wallowing in the mud. She had ripened herself for being cut off from the land.

Next comes the stern condemnation of the Lord, who once spared but now would have Nineveh know that this was not mere jealousy on behalf of others, but His own resolve to disgrace the one who had so enjoyed herself and misled others.

The Assyrian is a symbolic or representative figure, as well as a real individual… He began the captivities of God's people. In his day he stood for the hostility of the earth, the hostility of the Gentile world, to God and His people. So the Spirit in the prophets sees the Gentile in him. He looks down the long view that then opened, to the very end of the earth's history under the man of the world. Then the full and ripened wickedness of man will call out the closing, clearing judgments of God.

But does judgment close the story? That never has been the case, nor could it be. It only makes way for the purpose of God… In the words of another writer, "God's vengeance delivers the world from the oppression and misery of the yoke of the enemy and of lust. Then it may flourish under the peaceful eye of its Deliverer."

Then comes (verses 2, 3) a vivid sketch of the enemies' advance to attack and to kill… And this slaughter and ruin come from the idolatry of Nineveh, and from her efforts, all too successful, to lure others into it.

We have heard even respected Bible teachers say that Nahum predicted the automobiles racing along our streets. Such fanciful, far-fetched and arbitrary applications of the Word of God do immense harm. Nahum does not anticipate the automobile, but gives a picture of the besiegers of Nineveh with their chariots, drawn by swift horses.

Nineveh was a bloody city, for her kings never knew peace, but were constantly at war. The Hebrew Ir-Damim means "city of blood drops." They boasted of making the blood of their enemies run like rivers. It was a city full of lies and plunder. No one could trust her word; she broke truces and covenants and deceived nations with lying promises of help and protection.

But she received as she had sown.

Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, was threatened in the cry of Jonah, and in the end it was destroyed because of its sins. Nahum, the prophet, carries a special charge: "The burden of Nineveh." He foretells exactly the weight of divine judgment resting on this guilty city, before the city falls. All its piled-up evil, even from the days of Nimrod, had its just repayment from the hand of God.

A hundred and fifty years before, God had sent warning to the guilty city by His servant Jonah. The message had been received, and Nineveh had turned in repentance to God. But the generation Jonah preached to had passed away. Nineveh had gone back to her vileness and wickedness, like a pig going back to the mud. God had waited a century and a half before stepping in with judgment. That waiting proved He was patient in grace. But the time for judgment was at hand, and those whom Nineveh had oppressed and afflicted could lift up their heads and rejoice.

But where is Nineveh today? Opposite the town of Mosul there are miles of ruins… The Medes took the city and destroyed it in 625 B.C. No one has tried to rebuild it since, and it is not the will of God that it should ever be rebuilt. Nahum predicted that destruction in great detail. Strikingly, he was a Galilean prophet, as Jonah was. He wrote about 100 years after Jonah's mission, and the ruin he foretold was still another century ahead. Who told Nahum about the great disaster? Many today reject the very idea. But if God is God, it is as easy for Him to speak of the future as of the present.

All this is, no doubt, a picture of what will take place on a still larger scale at the end of the age. The "Assyrian" of the last days will be Israel's great enemy. Nahum's prophecy certainly looks on to his destruction… and to the deliverance of the people of God that follows.

Then comes (verses 2, 3) a vivid sketch of the enemies advancing to attack and kill… And the reason given for this slaughter and ruin is the idolatry of Nineveh, and her efforts — all too successful — to lure other nations in.

Nineveh was a bloody city, for her kings never knew peace, but were constantly at war. The Hebrew Ir-Damim means "city of blood drops." They boasted of making the blood of their enemies run like rivers. It was a city full of lies and plunder. No one could trust her word. She broke truces and treaties. She deceived nations with lying promises of help and protection. As chapter 2 says, she was as fierce as a lion, and her den was never without prey.

But she received as she had sown. The next two verses show once more the scenes of slaughter in her hour of judgment.

It was an attack filled with rage, just as we found in the prophecy of Nahum (ch. 2:3-4; 3:1-3). "They all come for violence." The prophet, horrified at the state of the people, cries out to the Lord: "Violence!" God showed him that this violence would get its just punishment in the violent behaviour of Babylon. History repeats itself, people say with a sigh. It does. But that is only because the traits of sinful man repeat themselves, challenging God's holiness and daring Him.

She made herself attractive as a harlot does, to ensnare and beguile weaker nations. Like all these ancient cities, she was full of witchcraft — that is, sorcery. The power of darkness showed itself in the rule of evil spirits, and Nineveh invited them in. Egypt, Babylon, Nineveh and other centres of paganism were full of the occult, and practising it hastened their ruin. The same evil powers will bring our own age to its doom.

It is a solemn thought that, however great His patience, a day is coming which will prove that He does not bear with evil. Yet it is a comforting thought too. God's vengeance sets the world free from the oppression and misery of the yoke of the enemy and of lust… He is slow to anger. And His anger is all the more terrible because it is the justice of One who is never impatient.

God gave Nineveh forty days of grace, and the results were wonderful. But the people soon went back to their wicked ways. That is why Nahum 3:1 calls it the bloody city, full of lies and robbery… The explanation is this. God favoured Nineveh with a special message, and the city bowed to it. But the generations that followed gained nothing from that, and went straight back to their old ways… When God grants favour and people despise it, heavy judgment follows.

No doubt this was fulfilled in history when Nineveh fell. But it will be fulfilled completely when the Assyrian returns. I do not mean this city itself, which is destroyed. I mean the power that will hold its territory and inherit the pride of the land of Nimrod.

Next comes the stern condemnation of Jehovah. He had once spared her. Now He would have Nineveh know that this was no mere jealousy on the part of others. It was His own resolve to disgrace the one who had so enjoyed herself and misled others.

Soon they were to prove what it is to have Jehovah against them — His hand stretched out to leave them desolate and waste... Yet I may add a warning for any careless soul who glances over these pages. It was awful to learn in this way that He who had so spoken and acted is Jehovah, shown in the chastening of Israel and the judgment of the nations. But His dealing must be beyond comparison more solemn with every soul in Christendom who trifles with the name and word of the Lord now.

She made herself attractive, as a prostitute does, to trap and mislead weaker nations. Like all these ancient cities she was full of witchcraft, that is, sorceries. The power of darkness showed itself in the rule of evil spirits, which Nineveh welcomed... Egypt, Babylon, Nineveh and other centres of paganism were full of occultism, and practising it hurried on their doom. In the same way, the influence of these same evil powers will bring the doom of our age to its head.

She had acted the prostitute, and now she receives a prostitute's punishment: public exposure. Nations and kingdoms would stare at her, as the righteous God stripped her of everything and exposed her shame. There would be no one to grieve over the vile mistress of witchcrafts.

The Lord commanded Jonah, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me" (Jonah 1:2). He clearly gave this command nearly 150 years before Nahum's prophecy. Both books are entirely taken up with God's dealings with Nineveh. The book of Jonah teaches that God is patient and merciful. Where there is repentance, God will hold back His judgment. But the book of Nahum teaches something else. The God who sees the end from the beginning will carry out the judgment He announced, once He decides the time of His patience is over.

Nineveh is the proud glory of the world, which recognises nothing but its own importance. She is the world as the open enemy of God's people, simply by her pride. God will judge her like all the rest, and she will disappear for ever under the judgment of the Almighty.

Next comes the stern condemnation of the Lord. He once spared her, but now He would have Nineveh know that this was no mere jealousy of others. It was His own resolve to disgrace her — she who had so enjoyed herself and misled others.

She had acted the harlot, and now she receives a harlot's punishment: public exposure. The righteous God stripped her of everything and exposed her shame. She would be a public spectacle for nations and kingdoms. There would be no one to lament over the vile mistress of witchcrafts.

Like all these ancient cities she was full of witchcrafts, that is, sorceries. The power of darkness showed itself in the rule of evil spirits, which Nineveh courted... Egypt, Babylon, Nineveh and other centres of paganism were full of occultism. Practising it hastened their doom. The same evil powers will complete the doom of our own age.

A hundred and fifty years before, God had sent warning to the guilty city by His servant Jonah. Nineveh received the message and turned in repentance to God. But the generation Jonah preached to had passed away. Nineveh had returned to her vileness and wickedness, as a sow goes back to her wallowing in the mire. God waited a century and a half before stepping in with judgment. That proved He was longsuffering in grace. But the time for judgment was now at hand, and those whom Nineveh had oppressed and afflicted could lift up their heads and rejoice.

The repentance in Jonah's day secured nothing, just as the Reformation in Christendom secured nothing. It did not prepare Nineveh for glory, or for a place in the kingdom of God.

Egypt, Babylon and Nineveh stand out for what they morally represent. Egypt is the world in its natural condition, out of which the people have come. Babylon is corruption in the activity of power, by which the people are enslaved. Nineveh is the haughty glory of the world, which recognises nothing but its own importance. By its pride alone, the world is the open enemy of God's people. She will be judged like all the rest, and will disappear for ever under the judgment of the Almighty.

Nahum's prediction came true, but the prophecy also served to bring out what would happen at the end. Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, is long gone. Yet the judgment on Nineveh describes what will come upon the nation that bears the character of the Assyrian in the last days. It may reach his territory too.

Next comes the stern condemnation of Jehovah. He once spared Nineveh. Now He would have her know that this was no mere jealousy of others, but His own resolve to disgrace her — the city that had enjoyed herself so much and misled others.

She had acted the harlot, and now she receives a harlot's punishment: public exposure. Nations and kingdoms would stare at her, as the righteous God stripped her of everything and exposed her shame. No one would mourn the vile mistress of witchcraft.

This slaughter and ruin are traced to the idolatry of Nineveh, and to their efforts, all too successful, to entice others.

A hundred and fifty years before, God had sent warning to the guilty city by His servant Jonah. Nineveh received the message and turned to God in repentance. But the generation Jonah preached to had died out. Nineveh had gone back to her vileness and wickedness, as a sow goes back to wallowing in the mud. God waited a century and a half before He stepped in with judgment, and that proved He was longsuffering in grace.

The repentance in the day of Jonah secured nothing, just as the Reformation in the Christian world secured nothing. It did not prepare Nineveh for glory, or for a place in the kingdom of God.

Nahum was the Barnabas of the Old Testament, for his name means "consolation," and the great object of his prophecy was to comfort the sorrowing and downcast hearts of the people of God.

Look at one of the finest cities the world ever knew, a city that existed very early after the Flood — Nineveh. Historians tell us it ran about eighteen miles in length. A wall more than a hundred feet high surrounded it, wide enough to drive three chariots side by side, and decorated with fifteen hundred towers. The modern excavations prove the magnificence of the past and fallen greatness of Nineveh.

No doubt this had a historical fulfilment in the fall of Nineveh. But its full accomplishment will come when the Assyrian returns. I do not mean this city itself, which was destroyed, but the power that will hold the territory and inherit the pride of the land of Nimrod.