The wicked must answer
Nahum 1:14 The Lord has given a command concerning you: “Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile.”
The prophet Nahum was warning of God’s impending judgement on Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria. The Assyrian’s were the most cruel of their time, even to the point of the most throughout history. In their conquests of lands in they were merciless and evil people. They slaughtered children and tortured many unto death in horrible acts of evil. They seemed to take great joy in their wicked ways. They were the baddest of the bad, and feared by all. God had even allowed them to do His work for him in the punishment of the Israelites for their sinning against God. But that did not excuse the Assyrians from having to answer to God for their own sin. God had sent Jonah to warn them; they repented and were granted grace in impending judgement. But their repentance was short lived, and God sent Nahum to proclaim it was time for the great city of Nineveh to fall under His righteous hand.
When you see these senseless acts of violence in todays society, many times they are under the guise of religion. They have been led to believe that an act of terror, to kill the innocent in the name of their god, gets them in the good graces of their god. They will receive a reward for killing in the name of their god? In what god’s name is killing good? In what god’s name are they granted judgement on another person’s soul? What kind of evil god is so weak that he needs his followers to make eternal decisions for him? The simplicity at the core of their belief system is a failure; one of evil and idolatry of oneself. The will have to answer to the eternal God for their actions. Nahum 1:2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
The entire book of Nineveh should strike fear in those that are against God. The proofs of His final judgement lie within these scriptures. Nineveh was completely destroyed, never to be rebuilt again in history. In fact, the Assyrians disappeared from history itself after the destruction of its capital city. Nahum was bringing a message of hope to Israel in this prophecy, for both kingdoms had suffered under Assyria. This impending judgement on the evil of that day, and the evil of this day, should spur you to share your hope that lies in Christ. When evil grabs our attention, and makes us question the frailty of life, it is a prime opportunity to share your hope in Christ for eternity after this one. 1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (ESV)
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