Preparing for Christmas Advent Devotional 22
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Nahum 1

1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

God's Wrath Against Nineveh

2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
and keeps wrath for his enemies.
3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
he dries up all the rivers;
Bashan and Carmel wither;
the bloom of Lebanon withers.
5 The mountains quake before him;
the hills melt;
the earth heaves before him,
the world and all who dwell in it.

6 Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
7 The Lord is good,
a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
8     But with an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries,[a]
and will pursue his enemies into darkness.
9 What do you plot against the Lord?
He will make a complete end;
trouble will not rise up a second time.
10 For they are like entangled thorns,
like drunkards as they drink;
they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
11 From you came one
who plotted evil against the Lord,
a worthless counselor.

12 Thus says the Lord,
“Though they are at full strength and many,
they will be cut down and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
13 And now I will break his yoke from off you
and will burst your bonds apart.”

14 The Lord has given commandment about you:
“No more shall your name be perpetuated;
from the house of your gods I will cut off
the carved image and the metal image.
I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

15 [b] Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace!
Keep your feasts, O Judah;
fulfill your vows,
for never again shall the worthless pass through you;
he is utterly cut off.

 

Advent Day #22
Joy Koch

We’re familiar with sequels – mostly books and movies – and in Nahum we find the sequel to Jonah regarding the fate of Ninevah. One hundred years after the Ninevites repented and turned from sin, evil once again reigned in the land of Assyria. Proud of their self-sufficiency and military might, they had conquered much of Israel and Judah, forcing payments of tribute. Through the prophet Nahum, God announced judgment on this idolatrous, arrogant people. Disobedience and injustice would be severely punished. Though slow to anger and longsuffering (in the days of the Ninevites and in our world today), our righteous God judges and avenges sin!

In God’s wrath against the people of Ninevah, the wicked would suffer just judgment. This is good news to Nahum and God’s people in Judah – their conquerors and tormentors would be destroyed! God, their stronghold and refuge, would bring peace and deliverance for His people. He is the God who saves! Blessing and hope at last!

And the good news was much more than temporary relief in those days of Ninevah. We read in Nahum 1:15 “Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace!” As told in Luke 4:16-21, Jesus Himself chose similar thoughts about tidings of peace when reading aloud from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives…” And then Jesus announced this Scripture had been fulfilled! HE is our peace and freedom, a taste of which God’s people in Nahum’s time had been foretold!

One additional phrase of note in Nahum 1:15 – “the feet of him who brings good news”. This reference to “feet” suggests someone physically moving ahead/actively bringing the good news of Jesus’ coming to earth, not only as a baby but His soon-coming second advent when He will return…and we will worship Him forever! May we be faithful as His feet, hands, and voice!

 

  1. What about your feet? Are they taking you to share the hope of the Savior we celebrate this season? Who is waiting to hear the good news from you?
  2. God was slow to anger and longsuffering with the Ninevites before carrying out judgment, patiently waiting for their repentance once again. Prayerfully consider if/how He may be desiring you to turn from disobedience, self-sufficiency, sin.

 

 

Father, You brought judgment on the proud, sinful Ninevites so deserving of Your wrath. Give me eyes to clearly see blindness to my own sin and abuse of Your mercy and kindness. At this time of heightened anxiety and lack of peace in the world, spur me on to do good by using my feet and voice to share the good news of my risen Savior, Jesus, the hope of the world.
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