ok so here we are wondering about the
countryside of midlothian in Scotland and
we're speaking on the 7th prophet in the
series of the minor prophets and that
is the Prophet Nahum. Kind off closed in here
but you'll see around about me
nothing but trees, bushes at the moment
a very very still day, very mild day
I'm gasping for breath here because it's
a long uphill slog where I'm going but
nice day for a walk in October the 29th - 30th
or something like that now very
very mild for this time of year we're
all just get ready for their winter
truly falling in on us especially here
in the borders of Scotland anyway back to
the Prophet Nahum.What's in a name?
Nahum name means consolation
Nahum spoke around 655 bc from the southern
kingdom of Judah and the southern
kingdom of Judah had this the at this
time although an independent country was
in effect a vassal state of Syria who
had taken over the Northern Kingdom of
Israel some 60 years previous 55 years
previous and had threatened numerous
times to come and take over the southern
kingdom as well
a Senacherib was thwarted in his ambitions to
do so and was routed after a plague
killed 185 thousand of his men he in
turn went back to Assyria
and was assassinated by his own
people for this failure while at this
time to see 655 although Judah was free
it was pretty much on a leash by the
Assyrian Empire and what Nahum was
preaching here was
the Vengeance of God what he's saying is
Assyria had their chance if you
remember under Jonah that we all know
about who done a runner and
ended up with the belly of a giant fish
for these troubles. Even he couldn't
escape God's divine purpose for him
which was to be a messenger to Nineveh
and effect to say - turn from your ways or
you will be totally and utterly
destroyed. At this time Jonahs ministry
was extraordinarily; extraordinarily
powerful and the Ninevites did indeed
turn from their ways. Everybody, man woman and
beast clothed in sackcloth and ashes and
and God repented from his ways,
well from his judgment if you like and
spared the Assyrians at that time and
much to join us discussed shall we say
he wasn't happy man. He had the most
effective preaching ministry on the
planet. A whole city gets converted and
he wasn't happy. Well there's a lesson right there
sometimes it's really we want what we
want not what God wants and join wanted
them punished no matter what.
Blood is running out of my arm here..
yeah it's back again in my left arm!
we head up to the moor
alright so here we have Nahum saying
that Nineveh had their chance
they put forward false repentance
in other words they didn't mean it, within
about 20 years of Jonah's preach
they had resorted to their old ways of sack
and pillage and basically turned against
everyone in all sides. Brought them into slavery
including the Northern Kingdom of Israel
and in effect Judah
at this time and so Nahums ministry is basically
one off the Vengeance
of God and saying that someone may think
they have escaped the justice of God but the
Bible says God is slow to anger and
abounding in loving kindness
however the fact is God gets angry i heard it
said to me once that God is a God of
many chances but he is also the God of
the last chance which many people don't
like to acknowledge, but there you are...
there are many many opportunities for
people to repent and many many opportunities
for people to come into salvation to
save Jesus Christ as their Lord, but finally
along comes death and that's the end of
opportunity so he is the god of many
chances and the God of the last chance and
and what Nahum
was telling his people here is
don't dispair because the Ninevites
will be brought to justice. That God's
vengeance is long overdue (in his mind)
and they're gonna get what's coming to
them
now ok, that was Old Testament
we live in New Testament age under a new
covenant and we do speak more on God's
grace and God's mercy. Now God has
always been gracious and merciful but
now if you like we know more off it
through Jesus Christ because
Old Testament was all about the law New
Testament is all about grace, and that
comes through Christ himself. So I
suppose that the more subliminal
message here with Nahum, is God's
vengeance sure enough, but also not to
try and con God, which is what the
Assyrians did to save Nineveh the city.
It was basically a false repentance. So the
Bible is clear, in new Testament and Old
let your yes be yes and you're no be no.
In other words, say what you mean, and mean
If you're truely repentant
then repent. If not... you can con a lot of
people, sometimes even call yourself but
you cannot con the Creator who
sees beyond any veil or screen that you
put up. So there it is, a very short message on
I'l give you a quick look at where I am at
the moment. This is looking well over the
valley and hideous electric pylons that
seem to be wherever you go. And
this is right back up where I've just walked so
there you have it. A very brief summary
of the minor Prophet Nahum.
Thanks for listening in...