Nahum prophesied between 663-612 BC about the impending destruction of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. The book serves as a sequel to Jonah and contrasts God's justice in destroying Nineveh with his former mercy in sparing the city after they repented. Nahum focuses on God's message of certain and justified judgment rather than the messenger. Nahum depicts God as the sovereign ruler and divine warrior who will use his power and anger to avenge his oppressed people Israel by destroying their Assyrian oppressors, demonstrating his protection of those loyal to him. The prophecies were fulfilled around 612 BC with the sacking of Nineveh.

1. The Minor Prophets

2. Book of Nahum
The Minor Prophets

3. The Grace and Justice of God- Nahum

4. Nahum:The Sequel to Jonah

5. Author
Nahum, the name means
"comfort" and is related to
the name Nehemiah,
meaning "The Lord
comforts" or "comfort of the
Lord."
Date
In 3:8-10 the author speaks of the
fall of Thebes, which happened
in 663 b.c., as already past. In
all three chapters Nahum
prophesied Nineveh's fall, which
was fulfilled in 612. Nahum
therefore uttered this oracle
between 663 and 612 , most
scholars say its 660 BC

6. Contrasting
Jonah &
Nahum
626JONAH NAHUM
First Book
(4 chapters)
Sequel
(3 chapters)
about 760 BC about 660 BC
Repentance from Sin Return to Sin
Nineveh Delivered Nineveh Destroyed
Israel Responsible Israel Protected
Chance to Repent No Chance to Repent
Narrative Declarative

7. JONAH NAHUM
Focus on the
Messenger
Focus on the
Message
Prophet Disobeys Prophet Obeys
Nineveh Obeys Nineveh Disobeys
Deliverance
from Water
Destruction
by Water
Repented then
Relented
No Repenting,
No Relenting
Jonah's Wrath
Refused
Jonah's Wrath
Revisited
God's Compassion God's Judgment
Contrasting
Jonah &
Nahum

8. Babylonian Empire
Battle of Carchemish (609 BC)
Megiddo: Josiah dies
Egyptians
Arabia

9. • Nothing is known about Nahum except his being an
Elkoshite (1:1).
Authorship

10. The message concerned Nineveh, but
no record exists of it reaching this
empire. It was Judah that needed to
know how God would judge the
nation that persecuted them.
• Contemporaries: Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah
• Assyria conquered Israel about 60 years before (722 BC).
• Now God purposed to visit the former rod of His anger.
• Despite repenting under Jonah, Nineveh was ready for
judgment due to her cruelty in war and greed.
• The power that had ruled western Asia for some three
centuries was now to be broken by the combined might of
the Babylonians and the Medes.
622
Recipients
Historical Background

11. Nahum's Prophecies Happened
Nahum's Prophecies Historical Fulfillments
1:8 Nineveh would be destroyed by a
flood (2:6, 8)
Nineveh was weakened by an unusually
heavy & long flood of the Tigris. This
carried away a great section of the huge
rampart that surrounded the city and
permitted the enemy to force their way in to
capture the city.
1:9,14 Nineveh's destruction would
be final
It was fulfilled in Assyria's utter destruction
& her inability to afflict Israel a 2nd time.
1:10 In the final hours of the attack
the Ninevites would be drunk (3:11)
After the Assyrians had repulsed the
enemy's attack, they got drunk and feasted,
and as a result were surprised by the Medes
and the city was taken.
1:11-12 "From you, O Nineveh, has
one come forth who plots evil against
the Lord and counsels wickedness…"
Sennacherib made arrogant threats in
701 BC against Judah and Jerusalem
(cf. 2 Kings 18–19).
1:13 "Now I will break their yoke
from your neck and tear your
shackles away."
Judah's service to Assyria ended at
Nineveh's demise
(2 Kings 18:14; 2 Chron. 33:11).
Hobart E. Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets (Chicago: Moody Press, 1977).

12. Book Chart
Nahum: Nineveh's Destruction
Certain Detailed Justified
Nahum 1 Nahum 2 Nahum 3
Destruction
Decreed
Destruction
Described
Destruction
Deserved
Verdict of Vengeance Vision of Vengeance Vindication of Vengeance
What God Will Do How God Will Do It Why God Will Do It
God's Anger God's Actions God's Accusations
God's Predictions
for Judah
God's Power
for Judah
God's Justice
for Judah
Title
1:1
God's
Attributes
1:2-8
Plotting
Against
God
1:9-11
Destruction
is Judah's
Deliverance
1:12-15
Battling vs.
Judah's
Splendor
2:1-2
Destruction
&
Despoiling
2:3-13
Destruction
for Cruelty
3:1-7
Drunk
When
Destroye
d
3:3-11
Burned
With
Fire
3:12-19
In Judah Against Assyria's Capital, Nineveh
c. 660 BC

13. God as Sovereign King
Nahum pictured God as the
sovereign ruler of the universe
who controls both nature and
nations, judging them and using
them as instruments of judgment
in accordance with His will. Not
even mighty Assyria, the most
powerful nation on earth in
Nahum's day, could withstand the
LORD's judgment. The LORD would
also destroy Nineveh's idols
(1:14), showing His sovereignty
over the Assyrian gods.
Theology of Nahum

14. Nahum sees the Lord as divine Warrior par excellence. The
book begins with a terrifying portrayal of the angry, avenging
warrior in a storm frightening all of nature with His battle cry
(1:2-6). In this opening theophany, Nahum employed many of
the same motifs used by Assyrian kings to describe their
prowess and exploits in battle. This emphasized that the
LORD, not Assyria's king, was the most powerful warrior. The
"LORD Almighty," or "LORD of Armies," personally announced
He would defeat Nineveh (2:13; 3:5).
Theology of Nahum
God as Warrior

15. God as Judge
Assyria's judgment was well deserved. She had exploited
and cruelly treated other nations (cf. 3:1, 4), including God's
own people (1:15). Although the Lord had used the
Assyrians as an instrument to punish Judah (1:12-13), they
attributed it to their own power (cf. Isa. 10:5-19; 36:4-21).
God saw this arrogance as an evil plot against His
sovereign authority (1:9, 11), so he announced He would
destroy the rebellious Assyrians, avenging His oppressed
covenant people in the process.
Theology & Application

16. God as Israel's Protector
God's judgment of Nineveh would be
an expression of His zealous
devotion to His covenant people (cf.
1:2). Though God had used the
Assyrians to chastise Judah, He
announced through Nahum that the
Assyrian oppression was about to
end (1:13, 15). In delivering Judah
from the Assyrian yoke, He would
once again demonstrate His
goodness to His people and prove
that He does indeed take notice of
those who are loyal to Him and trust
Him for protection (1:7).
Application
Do not
mistake the
patience of
God as the
impotence of
God
––Huang
Sabin
Theology & Application

17. Nahum … our God reigns!
• Nineveh is no more …
• Assyria is no more …
• kingdoms rise and fall …
• empires come and go … BUT

18. Nahum … our God reigns!
take-home message …
our God goes on,
for ever and ever!

19. Conclusion
• God is protective for those who obey Him
• But those who act against Him, He will destroy
• We should take note and obey
• No one is too great or powerful for God to
destroy
– And one day all will stand before God and be
judged (Heb 9:27)
– It is certain, and cannot be changed
• Will you be ready?