Nahum 3 nahum continues to foretell ninevehs destruction. Date two points of interest help us date the book of nahum. It is clear from nahums book that the destruction of the city had not yet taken place when the prophet was writing. The gospel according to nahum the gospel according to the old testament gregory d. The actual destruction of nineveh took place in 612 b. The consuming wrath of god a jealous and avenging god is the lord, the lord is avenging and wrathful. This little book has only three chapters and 47 verses. Perhaps because nahum isnt quoted in the new testament. Nahum 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. The book of nahum was written 100 years after jonah and deals with the same city of nineveh. The hebrew name nahum means comfort or consolation. The title identifies the book as an oracle concerning nineveh and attributes it to the vision of nahum of elkosh.
But we dont know where that was because it is not mentioned elsewhere in. The lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. One might even say that the book of nahum is a celebration of the fall of assyria. The lords anger against nineveh the lord is a jealous and avenging god. Bible study guide book of nahum united church of god. God has raised up jesus to be the righteous judge of the living and the dead. Although god uses pagans to punish his peoples apostasy and sin, the tool itself is also liable to punishment. Pastor paul leboutillier of calvary chapel ontario oregon teaches through the bible from the hebrew old testament book of nahum. While scholars have proposed a number of theories about nahums hometown, elkosh, the best option identifies it with a city in southern judah that later came to be known as elcesi, near where the prophet micah lived. Nahum explains that because of assyrias pride and cruelty in their. Introduction to the book of nahum the church of jesus christ of. You probably havent done that too many times, have you.
We know this since he refers to the assyrians conquering of thebes in egypt, which took place in 663 b. Nahum must have written his book sometime between 663 b. Jul 10, 2016 the same blood of jesus that speaks for us when we surrender to christ is the same blood that speaks against us if we reject him. The same blood of jesus that speaks for us when we surrender to christ is the same blood that speaks against us if we reject him. The great truths of the book of nahum, for believers today, are its descriptions of gods character and power, for they depict the character and power of jesus christ. The harshness of nahums message reminds us of the harshness with which god must deal with sin. Nahum 2 nahum prophesies of ninevehs destruction, which foreshadows events that will occur in the latter days. From ideas on sermon topics to how to develop church growth to insight on ministry life, preaching helps pastors develop every area of life and work in ministry.
This makes this book a sequel to the book of jonah. Nahum means comfort or consolation and is a short form of nehemiah comfort of yahweh. While scholars have proposed a number of theories about nahum s hometown, elkosh, the best option identifies it with a city in southern judah that later came to be known as elcesi, near where the prophet micah lived. Christ in all the scriptures a m hodgkin the destruction of nineveh is the. Nahums prophecy describes the destruction and carrying away of the powerful egyptian thebes as a past event nahum 3. It is attributed to the prophet nahum, and was probably written in jerusalem in the 7th century bc. Josephus places nahum during the reign of jotham, while others place him in the beginning of the reign of ahaz. Comfort means stop them suffering and make them strong. Nahum 1 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. Nahums book was a comfort to judah since they lived in daily fear of assyria, the great superpower to the north. We recently looked at nineveh in the book of jonah as they repented of their terrible ways. The author of the book of nahum identifies himself as nahum in the hebrew consoler or comforter the elkoshite 1. If there is a book in the old testament known least about, i would pick nahum a. And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the jews and in jerusalem, they put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but god raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who.
Such was the case for the assyrian city of nineveh. If we were to summarize the overall message of the book of job, it would be with this phrase. And thats another whole study to see how the assyrians migrated to europe. Nahum told assyria that god was going to punish them and destroy them for their wickedness. Notice how halleys bible handbook introduces the book of nahum. Scott the book of jonah is a remarkable story perhaps best known for the stubbornness of a prophet, the great fish that swallows and then regurgitates jonah, the conversion of the whole city of nineveh, and the rapid growth and death of a gourd. Review of gregory cooks severe compassion the gospel according to nahum. Chart of old testament prophecies fulfilled by jesus. The city repented at the preaching of jonah, but now nahum spells out her doom because she regressed back into sin. Van gorder nahum the book of nahum is gods message of the impending destruction of nineveh.
Capernaum, the city of galilee so prominent in jesus ministry, means town of nahum, and some have speculated, but. But in a real sense nahum is a consoler to gods people, as he announces judgment against the nation who has oppressed them so severely. The bibles book of nahum is short in length and consists almost entirely of a prophecy of ninevehs. Following is a suggested outline of the book of nahum. Nahum gods sure wrath southside church of christ in. When god delivered the warning through jonah, the people of nineveh repented from the king to the lowest slave. The book of nahum is gods message of the impending destruction of nineveh. The very first verse of this book informs us that the message will be the burden against nineveh nahum 1. Nahum the almost forgotten book nahum one one small, almost forgotten book in the old testament is the book of nahum. He reminds us of noah, whose name also means rest or comfort.
Book of nahum, the seventh of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets grouped together as the twelve in the jewish canon. One such theory is that it refers to the city later called capernaum which literally means the village of nahum at the sea of galilee. In the book of nahum, jesus christ is seen as the avenger of gods people, our strength and our shield, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and a prophet of comfort and vengeance. His whole book with its three chapters deals with the coming destruction of nineveh. Read the gospel according to nahum by matthew harmon on. The book contains the vision of nahum, whose name means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or. It is his divine will that young people come to faith in jesus christ and find salvation through the gospel and the work of the holy spirit to bring them to faith. For many years, when nahum, habakkuk and zephaniah lived, it ruled most of the world. The book of nahum comes some one hundred years after the. Book of nahum overview insight for living ministries. The focal point of the entire book is the lords judgment on nineveh for her oppression, cruelty, idolatry, and wickedness. The book of nahum is the seventh book of the 12 minor prophets of the hebrew bible.
They were enemies of god, just as we all are outside of a relationship with jesus christ romans 5. Nahum gods sure wrath southside church of christ in fort. The second clue as to the writing of the book of nahum is that the prophecy is about the coming destruction of nineveh nahum 1. Second, the remainder of nahums prophecies came true in 612 b. The theme of the prophecy is the fate and destruction of nineveh, the onetime capital city of the mighty assyrian empire, which had destroyed israel and taken many inhabitants of the land captive 722 b. This summary of the book of nahum provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nahum. The books title is taken from the prophetofgods oracle against nineveh, the capital of assyria. The only mention in scripture of nahum the elkoshite occurs in the first verse of his own book. Bible study guide book of nahum saturday, august 24, 2012 background on nahum the name nahum means comfort and is related to the name nehemiah, meaning the lord comforts or comfort of the lord. As you read through the book of nahum, you may feel at times like youre in the middle of the most gruesome battle ever to have taken place on earth.
Nahum 1 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Mar 09, 2014 pastor paul leboutillier of calvary chapel ontario oregon teaches through the bible from the hebrew old testament book of nahum. Nahum, gods oracle against nineveh, destruction in 612 bc. The book of nahum contains a prophecy that nineveh, the capital of assyria, would be destroyed because of its peoples wickedness. Nahum is the seventh chronologically of the minor prophets, and he ministered during the. Introduction to the book of nahum church of jesus christ. Nahum gods sure wrath southside church of christ in fort myers. Nahum received a divine vision that revealed a condemning judgment against nineveh and assyria nahum 3. The lord is slow to anger but great in power, and the lord will by no means clear the guilty. The prophet nahum descibes what happens when an empire abandons the law of god. The prophecy of nahum, written by a hebrew against the capital of a gentile world power nineveh, is a denunciation of rampant militarism and tyranny, especially as it affects gods people. The date of the book is, therefore, between 667 and 612 bc. Christ in all the scriptures a m hodgkin the destruction of nineveh is the one burden of nahum. Ninetyeight percent of nahums prophecy is about judgment, battle, fury, wrath, and righteous anger against a depraved nation of people.
Assyria was a country to the north and east of israel. Outline of the book of nahum floral heights church of christ. Yet as such denunciation is directed against israels oppressors, it is indeed a deep comfort. His book is a message of destruction for nineveh, and that would have been a message of consolation for the nations she had oppressed. The first clue as to the date of the prophecy of nahum is given in nahum 3. Aug 25, 20 but in a real sense nahum is a consoler to gods people, as he announces judgment against the nation who has oppressed them so severely. Jan 02, 2020 first, nahum mentions thebes no amon in egypt falling to the assyrians 663 b. In this book, nahum portrays the downfall of nineveh and assyria as an image of how god will confront and bring down all violent human empires. Do you see the bad news and the good news in these two verses. Few old testament books give us as much information on this subject as nahum. The book of the vision as prophets were of old called seers, so their prophecies were called visions. First, there are explicit gospel promises in nahumpromises of good news and peace nah. Nahum did not write this book as a warning or call to repentance for the people of nineveh. There are many theories as to where that city was though there is no conclusive evidence.
The major thrust of the book, from beginning to end, is the fall of nineveh, described as the bloody city 3. The 18th volume in the highly acclaimed the gospel according to the old testament series, this series is a boon to pastors, teachers and all who would. In a variety of ways, the prophecy of nahum brings home the gospel and carries along the redemptive story that culminates in jesus christ. Foreshadowings of jesus as the christ author david r. The prophets name means comfort, and his word of comfort is for judah, the lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him nahum 1.
People in general want to know whether world leaders will find peace or if our modern weapons of mass destruction will wipe all life from the earth. This prophecy is a consolation the meaning of nahum s name for judah to know god remembers his people and punishes his enemies. Nahum 1 nahum explains that the lord will burn the earth at his second coming but will show mercy to the righteous. A couple of interesting verses in nahum are god is jealous, and the lord avenges. This prophecy is a consolation the meaning of nahums name for judah to know god remembers his people and punishes his enemies. Introduction the author the name nahum means comfort or consolation. The focal point of the entire book is the lords judgment on nineveh for her oppression, cruelty, idolatry and wickedness. As nahum is giving this message of punishment god also has a message of comfort to those who trust him. Ninevehs fall, which is nahums theme, would bring comfort to judah. There are many theories as to where that city was though.