The Downfall of Nineveh

(I told myself to keep this post short, but once I got started...well, sorry....it just isn't happening! ;)

I just finished a short study in Nahum and though it only has three chapters, there were a lot of neat things in there! The book tells Nahum’s prophecy of the destruction of Nineveh. I am not sure if I realized before that Nineveh ended up getting destroyed. I always think of Jonah saving it and that’s the end of the story…but Nineveh turns its back on God again and this time it is utterly destroyed. The book of Nahum starts out by stating why Nineveh is going to be destroyed. Vrs. 2 “God is jealous (demanding of exclusive loyalty), and the Lord revengeth; the Lord is furious; The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and reserveth wrath for His enemies.” Because God wants to be the one and only priority in our lives, when we turn our attention to other things, He will take action, in order to bring us back to Him. And if we refuse to allow Him to do that, then we are in for BIG trouble. Vrs. 6 “Who can stand before His indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him.” Lets just say that after reading that I was feeling a little bit weak! ;) But Nahum goes on to give such an encouraging promise in the very next verse. Vrs. 7- “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” Though we may go through times of hardships, often because of the mistakes of others, God knows those who are trusting in Him and He will be there for them every step of the way! However Nahum goes on describe how Nineveh has slowly let their guard up until the enemy is able to walk right into their city and because of that they are ruined. 2:10-13 "She (the city) is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid? The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin. Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts" I didn't quite understand all that talk about the lions etc. the first time I read through those verses, but the more I studied them, I think I started to understand. Nahum is referring to the enemy as lions. He says that they are able to just roam the streets, and even the mother lions let their babies go off by themselves, because they know they don't need to be afraid. Who is going to stand up and fight against them? The city has just completely given up and allowed the enemy to take over, so that they no longer even need to worry about someone fighting against them. He goes on to say what the result of their surrender to the enemy will be...3:3 "The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:" (Yeah, I know! Thats so disgusting!) Because the people of Nineveh refused to turn back to God again, He in turn, let them have their way and turned His back on them. Nahum tells the people that though they think they will be able to fight against the enemy when the time comes, because they don't have God on their side, they will have no strength. Vrs 12"All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater." Nahum continues on throughout the rest of the book to describe the defeat and end of Nineveh. Unfortunately they never turn back to God and their destruction isn't very pretty! After reading the whole story though, I was left with two thoughts. 1. Wow! What a sad story! and 2. If I don't continually trust in God, continually ask Him for His forgiveness and help and continually fight my battles, I will end up just like Nineveh. The enemy will be able to walk right into my life and won't even worry about me trying to fight them, because they know that I have no strength on my own. Nineveh was completely wiped out simply because they did not keep God first in their life. I need God! I need Him to be my support. I need Him to be my comfort. I need Him to be my Counsellor. I need Him to guide me. I need Him to save me. I need Him to be my judge. I need Him to be my Redeemer. I need Him to be my refuge. I need Him to teach me. I need Him to be my light. I need Him to give me a passion for Him. I need Him to lift me up. I only need Him!

Chrystal D.

Psalms 44:3- For they got not the land in possesion by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but Thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favour unto them.