Lesson OneNAHUM 1–3

God's Judgment Against Nineveh

"While most Old Testament prophetic books predict God's judgment against Israel and Judah, the prophecy in Nahum is directed against Nineveh, capital city and representative of the nation of Assyria. Because Assyria was a wicked nation, noted especially for its cruelty in warfare, the prophet makes no apology for predicting its destruction. He throws himself into his denunciation of Nineveh with enthusiasm and a taunting tone.... What Nahum utters against Nineveh is God's message to all evil nations."

"Nahum means 'comfort' or 'consolation' (of God). This is very thought-provoking since Nahum's entire message concerns the destruction of Nineveh....

"Nahum prophesied ... around 620 B.C., about the time of Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and the early part of Jeremiah's ministry....

"Nahum's book ... provided answers to the questions of God's people: 'Has God forsaken us? Why are the Assyrians prospering? Are God's promises empty?' Nahum affirms that God may be 'slow to anger,' but He 'will not at all acquit the wicked' (1:3). Moreover, God is indeed 'a stronghold in the day of trouble' (1:7). This is also a vital message for today — in the press of circumstances and misfortune, God's people are prone to forget that God is in control."

"As a true prophet of Yahweh, Nahum was profoundly aware that the Lord, the incomparable and all-powerful God, held universal dominion over the kingdoms of this world. Like his predecessor Isaiah, Nahum was also a gifted poet. Using a wealth of imagery and pictorial language, the prophet portrays the total destruction of Nineveh by an anonymous enemy, and so voices the universal relief and joy of all who suffered under the oppressive regime of a merciless tyrant."

1. For getting the most from the books of the Minor Prophets, one of the best guidelines is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, words which Paul wrote with the Old Testament first in view. He said that all Scripture is of great benefit to (a) teach us, (b) rebuke us, (c) correct us, and (d) train us in righteousness. Paul added that these Scriptures completely equip the person of God "for every good work." As you think seriously about those guidelines, in which of these areas do you especially want to experience the usefulness of the books of Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi? Express your desire in a written prayer to God.

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2. Think also about these words of Paul to Timothy: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). As you study God's Word of Truth in these final six books of the Old Testament, the Lord calls you to be a "worker." It takes work — concentration and perseverance — to fully appropriate God's blessings for us in this book. Express here your commitment before God to work diligently in this study of the last six books in the Minor Prophets.

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3. Glance ahead through the pages of Nahum and briefly scan all three chapters. What are your overall impressions of the book, including its structure and its themes?

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4. Now turn your focus to the first chapter of Nahum. What are the great truths about God that are evident in these passages?

Nahum 1:2-5

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Nahum 1:6-9

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Optional Application: After His resurrection, when Jesus was explaining Old Testament passages to His disciples, we read that He "opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45). Ask God to do that kind of work in your mind as you study the book of Nahum, so you're released and free to learn everything here He wants you to learn — and so you can become as bold and worshipful and faithful as those early disciples of Jesus. Express this desire to Him in prayer.

For Thought and Discussion: How familiar is the book of Nahum to you? What have been your previous impressions of this book?

Prophecy (1:1). Or "burden" (NKJV). See also Isaiah 13:1; 17:1; Habakkuk 1:1; Zechariah 9:1; 12:1; Malachi 1:1. "The Hebrew for this word is related to a Hebrew verb meaning 'to lift up, carry' and is possibly to be understood as either lifting up one's voice or carrying a burden. Such an 'oracle' often contains a message of doom."

Jealous (1:2). "The emphasis is on God's desire for righteousness."

Bashan ... Carmel ... Lebanon (1:4). "These three places were noted for their fertility, vineyards, and trees."

The Lord is good (1:7). "Even in the manifestation of His wrath God proves His goodness. ... The goodness of the Lord is seen in the fact that He is a refuge in distress."

5. What do we learn about the Lord's enemies in 1:8-11?

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Optional Application: The prophet's words of praise for God in Nahum 1:7 occur in a message of great judgment against an ungodly power. What personal encouragement do the words of praise in Nahum 1:7 bring to you, especially in light of the evil in today's world?

Overwhelming flood (1:8). "Symbolic of an invading army (see Isaiah 8:7-8)."

6. What significance do you see in the Lord's promise to His people in 1:12-13?

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7. What is the emphasis in the message to Nineveh (or, in particular, Assyria's ruler) in 1:14?

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You (1:14). The NIV here adds "Nineveh" in brackets. The pronoun here "is masculine singular in Hebrew. Nahum suddenly switches to directly addressing the Assyrian king(s): the Assyrian monarchy would come to a decisive end."

8. What is the emphasis in the message to the Lord's people in 1:15?

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9. What does the first chapter of Nahum reveal most about God's heart and character?

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In the second chapter of Nahum, "the focus falls on Nineveh. Nahum's prediction reads like an eyewitness account of the city being attacked, overrun by the enemy, and plundered."

10. In the battle description that unfolds in Nahum's second chapter, what images impress you most, and what do they bring to mind for you?

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11. What reason for the Lord's judgment against Nineveh is given in 2:2, and what significance do you see in this?

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Red ... scarlet (2:3). "These terms emphasize the awe-inspiring appearance of the approaching army, whether the color refers to their actual robes or to the blood stains on them."

12. How is the battle's onslaught portrayed in 2:3-5?

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13. How are Nineveh's failing defenses portrayed in 2:6-10?

In the second chapter of Nahum, "the focus falls on Nineveh. Nahum's prediction reads like an eyewitness account of the city being attacked, overrun by the enemy, and plundered."

River gates (2:6). "Nineveh was located on the bank of the Tigris River, and a smaller river flowed through the city. Conflicting ancient accounts ascribe the fall of Nineveh to flooding when the enemy redirected the dams and sluices of the water system."

14. In 2:11-12, what is the effect of the lion imagery and what it says about Nineveh?

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Lion and lioness (2:11). "The Assyrian kings exhibited ferocity in their attacking and 'devouring' other lands, and called themselves lions."

15. What is the emphasis in the Lord's message of judgment in 2:13, and how does it serve as a focal point for chapter 2?

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In the final chapter of Nahum, "the various parts all contribute to its literary unity, and together they emphasize the irreversible doom of Nineveh. The prophet ... places the fate of Nineveh in a universal perspective."

16. As the battle descriptions continue in Nahum 3:1-3, what images impress you most, and what do they bring to mind for you?

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17. What is the essence of the charge against Nineveh in 3:4?

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18. What is the emphasis in the Lord's message to Nineveh in 3:5-7, and how does it serve as a focal point for chapter 3?

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19. For comparison with Nineveh, what is the main truth about Thebes given in 3:8-10?

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For Thought and Discussion: What does the book of Nahum reveal about God's general attitude toward nations that are ruthlessly aggressive? And how might this message apply to some of the world's nations today?

For Further Study: Nineveh is on center stage in two short books of the Bible — Jonah and Nahum. What contrasts do you see in the perspectives that these two books give us concerning Nineveh?

Put and Libya (3:9). Put is "a neighbor of Egypt, but its location is uncertain."

20. As the battle descriptions continue in 3:11-15, what images impress you most, and what do they bring to mind for you?

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21. What are the main points being made in the imagery of the locusts and grasshoppers in 3:15-17?

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22. What is the final emphasis of the book in 3:18-19?

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Who has not felt your endless cruelty? (3:19). Nahum and Jonah are the only books in the Bible that end with a question. Both books focus on the powerful Assyrian city of Nineveh.

"Although most Old Testament books end with a vision of blessing, the book of Nahum omits that conventional ending."

Optional Application: In what ways do you recognize that the prophecies in the book of Nahum will reach their complete fulfillment only at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? And what relevance does this fact have for your own life in this world?

23. In your study of the book of Nahum, what have you learned most and appreciated most?

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24. What would you select as the key verse or passage in Nahum — one that best captures or reflects the dynamics of what this book is all about?

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25. What does the book of Nahum communicate most to you about the heart and character of God?

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26. List any lingering questions you have about the book of Nahum.

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27. Because all of Scripture testifies ultimately of Christ, where does Jesus come most in focus for you in this book?

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For Thought and Discussion: Here in Nahum, what do you think accounts for the intensity of the Lord's language against Nineveh?

For Further Study: Scan the messages of judgment against ungodly nations that we find in such passages as Isaiah 13–23, Jeremiah 46–51, Amos 1–2, and Obadiah. What similarities to Nahum do you find in those passages?

28. In Romans 15:4, Paul reminds us that the Old Testament Scriptures can give us endurance and perseverance on one hand, as well as comfort and encouragement on the other. In your own life, how do you see the book of Nahum living up to Paul's description? In what ways do the Scriptures help to meet your personal needs for both perseverance and encouragement?

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For the group

(In your first meeting, it may be helpful to turn to the front of this book and review together the section titled "How to Use This Guide" on pages 5–9.)

You may want to focus your discussion for lesson 1 especially on the following issues, themes, and concepts, which are recognized as major overall themes in Nahum. How do you see these being dealt with in this book?

• God's justice

• God's anger against evil

• The moral responsibility of nations

• God's omnipotence

The following numbered questions in lesson 1 may stimulate your best and most helpful discussion: 3, 9, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28.

Look also at the questions in the margins under the heading "For Thought and Discussion."

Optional Application: Which verse or verses in the book of Nahum would be most helpful for you to memorize so you have them always available in your mind and heart for the Holy Spirit to use?