Devastated is how I would describe my feelings today. Devastated over the news coming out of the Middle East, over politics in the United States, rhetoric from all factions that believe they have right on their side. I don’t pretend to have any answers, I am only watching in horror as nations, leaders and groups claim to have a corner on THE truth. Dr. David Jeremiah said this about truth, “just because you believe something doesn’t make it the truth.” Truth is not based on belief; truth is truth, regardless of belief.
Most worldwide conflicts, including the Hamas Israeli War, are born out of each side claiming that right and truth regarding their values gives them the just cause for their actions. In his book, the prophet Nahum explicitly tells us that God is grieved by the death of innocents and His goodness and justice compels Him to orchestrate the downfall of oppressive nations. This prophecy of God’s judgment on evil is good news, unless you happen to be one of those nations facing His judgment. If you are a nation, state, group, sect or faction oppressing anyone, beware. God is grieved. This is a truth.
In preparing a message about the minor prophet, Nahum, I am struck by how appropriate his words are to the world situation today. The book of Nahum is a very gloomy book. It is God’s statement against injustice and oppression on a world level, it is God calling to account all the world empires and governments for their terrible treatment of innocents that are caught in their diabolical schemes and actions.
Nahum uses Ninevah and the Assyrian Empire as an example of how God is at work in history in every age, how He won’t allow the arrogant and violent empires of our world to endure forever. We can review all the fallen empires in history, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, British, Nazi, Japanese, Russian….and think that their downfall was orchestrated by humans rather than God, but that would be a mistake.
Nahum’s book addresses the tragedy of human suffering in every age. We could list the terrible acts of empires, governments, terrorist organizations and nations throughout history: the crusades, the holocaust in Nazi Germany, the innocent people in airplanes and the twin towers during the 9/11 terrorist strike, the Kurdish villagers annihilated in Northern Turkey, the Yazidis Christians persecuted and killed in the Middle East….we could go on and on with lists of innocent people killed. Horrifically, it would be a redundant record of blameless people slain and destroyed by greed, arrogance, and evil due to nations, organizations and people elevating themselves over others, taking what they want, all in the name of truth and right.
Nahum’s book invites every reader to humble themselves before God’s justice and to trust that, in His time, He will bring down the oppressors of every time and age.
Nahum specific prophesy is about the downfall of Nineveh and Assyria. However, the destruction of the Assyrian empire is an image of how God will confront and bring down all violent human empires. This is about God’s commitment to justice, which is as true today as it was in the time of Nahum.
Nahum 1:7 is the good news: The Lord is good, a refuge in the day of distress. He cares for those who take refuge in Him.
Throughout the Bible, God is described as patient and slow to anger. This is a truth and because of these attributes, He gives every country time to repent of sin and follow Him as Lord. But He will not be mocked. Any time a country turns away from Him and rejects His truth and righteousness, the result is evil, and God promises He will step in with judgment. This was true for Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and it will be true for any nation or organization today. As Christians it is our duty to stand up for biblical principles and proclaim Christ, for it is only in repentance and the life-changing message of the gospel that any country can find hope.
Rich truly loved Don Moen’s song, When It’s All Been Said And Done which specifically calls Christians to live for truth, God’s truth. He sang it many times, for many different occasions. It calls us to remember that truth is not based on your belief, truth is truth whether you believe it or not and God calls us to stand on His truths.
When it’s all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth?
Did I live my life for You?
When it’s all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I have done
For love’s rewards
Will stand the test of time
Lord, Your mercy is so great
That You look beyond our weakness
That You found purest gold in miry clay
Turning sinners into saints
I will always sing Your praise
Here on earth and in heaven after
For You’ve shown me Heaven’s my true home
When it’s all been said and done
You’re my life when life is gone…
Christians can learn much about God’s truth from the book of Nahum.
- All through God’s history, great, seemingly invincible nations rise and fall: Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire, Nazi Germany, and the Soviet Union, just to name a few. We live in times of political and economic uncertainty. Christians must remain faithful to God regardless of the political conditions under which they live.
- Unlike Nineveh, believers in Jesus have been given a gift of mercy and grace. Christ paid the price for our sins. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t experience consequences for our sin and other’s sins in this world, i.e. evil, broken families, war, disease, hunger, famine, and a host of other destructive events.
- Finally, God has a broken heart for the innocent people of this world who are killed, maimed, marginalized and ignored. If His heart is broken, so should our hearts be broken.
God is grieved. This is a truth.
Tours to the Holy Land 