Nahum 2:11

Is this a sarcastic question — "Where is the lions' den?" What has become of her proud boasts of being the Queen-City of the nations?

Then comes the prophet's triumph over the city that had been the terror of Israel. This was the old enemy that had triumphed over them so proudly and for so long. Assyria was the chief enemy God had used in the days of the kings to check or crush the pride of His people by their own pride… This is a vivid picture of the commanding place among the nations that Assyria had long held, right up to the moment of its ruin.

The records show the great cruelty of the Assyrians, who were less humane than the Babylonians. They impaled some of their victims, burned others, and they even skinned the king of Hamath alive. Nahum 2:12 points to this cruelty.

It plundered the nations around it. The prophet Nahum compares it to a family of lions that "fill their caves with prey and their dens with torn flesh" (Nahum 2:11-12). At the same time it was heavily fortified. Its huge walls stood a hundred feet high, and their fifteen hundred towers defied every enemy.

Poor Israel had suffered for their sins under God's government. But He was not indifferent to the vanity and arrogance of the nations He used to punish His people. We learn this in Jeremiah 1:17-18. It shows Israel as "a scattered sheep," and Assyria and Babylon as lions devouring him. God had already dealt with Assyria. He would soon deal with the king of Babylon too.

At the same time we must remember this. Whatever the greatness of Nineveh, and whatever terror the city inspired among the nations, imperial power never belonged to it. Those who say it did mistake the facts and confuse the position of Assyria with Babylon. Scripture shows that Assyria was only the greatest among allied or independent powers.

Let Nineveh now defend herself if she could. But no — enemies would invade that den of lions, and the young lions would be destroyed, unable to defend themselves… No doubt this had a fulfilment in history when Nineveh fell. But it will be fully accomplished when the Assyrian returns. I do not mean this city itself, which was destroyed, but the power that will hold its territory and inherit the pride of the land of Nimrod.

Then the LORD speaks of how complete her judgment and overthrow will be: "Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke… I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard."