Nahum is written as a prophecy of the destruction of Nineveh, an ancient city that became the capital of the brutal Assyrian Empire. It was written after the time of the prophet Jonah, who also was sent by God to preach of its coming destruction. It seems that the people of Nineveh, in Jonah's day, repented and avoided destruction, but this did not last. Nahum opens with the description of God as One who takes vengeance on His enemies, of which Nineveh was one (Nahum 1:2). God will not allow evil to continue unpunished and will destroy even the strongest of evil enemies (Nahum 1:9, 2:11-13). Though God is a God of holy wrath, He is the perfect balance of sternness and kindness (Romans 11:22). God describes Himself as being "slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin" and in Psalms He is said not to deal with us as our sinful behavior deserves (Exodus 34:6-7; Nahum 1:3; Psalm 103:8,10). In times of trouble, God is also a mighty refuge for those who place their trust in Him, unable to be defeated by anything (Nahum 1:7, 2:11-13; Psalm 46:1).
While the book of Nahum is specifically written to readers in Judah and in prophecy against the ancient city of Nineveh, its themes still apply today. Nineveh was destined for destruction because its people chose to continue living in evil ways and rejected the opportunity to repent and turn to God.
We face that choice every day, from when we first choose to repent and accept Christ as Savior, to every time we face the temptation to sin. God desires that we live holy lives that reflect His perfect holiness (1 Peter 1:16). We, as believers in Christ, should live differently than the evil world around us, choosing goodness and love over the sinful choices of the world. When we fail to do this, as we certainly will, we can remember the truths of Nahum, that God is a God of love, mercy, and patience. He is slow to become angry with us and wants to teach us how to live in better knowledge and reflection of Him (Nahum 1:3). We can give thanks that we serve a God who does not cast us into destruction at every sin we commit. We can find peace and comfort in God, our refuge in times of trouble.
This should not lead us to complacency but to a pursuit of God, even when we fail. He loves us and has good things in store for us if we will turn from our sin and turn to Him. In this increasingly sinful world, we can be assured that God can never be defeated by evil but that He will triumph over it, most powerfully shown through Jesus' victory over sin and death by His sacrifice on the cross and glorious resurrection.
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