The selected verse on Biblehub’s devotional page for the evening of February 22nd is Nahum 1:3. In the NKJV, this verse reads “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.” The larger passage is a declaration of judgement against the nation of Assyria, and the capital city of Nineveh in particular. Those familiar with the Bible will remember Nineveh from the story of Jonah, and that the Lord spared this city from His judgement before.
That was about a century prior to this time. Back then, the people of Nineveh repented in response to the Lord’s call through Jonah. However, they have since backslid into their old ways. As such, their evil has again aroused the anger of the Lord, and He is set to destroy them. Some time later, a rebellion would break out in the Assyrian capital and unnaturally heavy rains weakened the city’s defenses. The result was the total destruction of the city, just as the Lord foretold through Nahum.
Key Points
There are a few statements in Nahum 1 that beckon closer consideration. The first comes in verse 2: “God is jealous.” This provides insight not only regarding the character of God, but also the morality of jealously. God is supremely good. There is no sin in Him. Thus, jealously cannot be considered sinful. On the contrary, there is a righteous nature to jealously, otherwise God would not experience such an emotion.
We experience jealously when intimate boundaries are violated. It can be defined as “intolerance to unfaithfulness” or “vigilance in guarding a possession.” This is not to be confused with covetousness/envy, another Biblical concept that involves having a desire for something that does not belong to you. Due to the careless use of language by many, people may sometimes consider jealousy and envy to be synonyms. However, it is important to distinguish between the two, since the Bible makes such a distinction. Jealousy is righteous, while envy is wicked. Therefore, we risk leading people astray by equating the two. Instead, jealousy and envy must be clearly distinguished from one another in our minds.
Another statement worth examining comes from verse 3, “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.” This is a reminder to those who might foolishly think that God is being unfair when He destroys a city or a nation. On the contrary, God abstained from destroying Nineveh for a century, only unleashing His wrath upon them after they backslid into their old ways which He previously warned them about. Oftentimes, people are quick to forget their wrongdoings when they are about to be held accountable, and they may try to gaslight the judge by falsely claiming that the justice they are facing is unjust. A quick reminder of the truth is sufficient to rebuke them.
In verse 7, we read “The Lord is good.” This is a simple, yet profound statement in light of the context. The Lord has just detailed His total destruction to be wrought upon His enemies. This is indeed very good, for to continue in abstaining from justice at this point would not be merciful. It would be enabling of sin, and God is not an enabler of sin. That would not be good, but evil. Thus, the Lord must eventually deal out justice to those who continue in error. We too must recognize the line between merciful abstention and sinful enabling. Like the Lord, we should be slow to anger and quick to forgive. Yet, as His servants, we must also be good, not abstaining forever from putting an end to evil lest we stray from the path of good in so doing.
A Hard Path to Follow
Prepare in me, oh Lord, a heart quick to forgive.
One slow to anger, and always cheerful to give.
Yet, let me not falter when justice need be done.
Lest I come to heed not You, but heed the evil one.
Make me wise to know how long to bear with one most vile.
Lest I do make sin to abound and become one You revile.
Still More to Learn
Nahum is one of the shortest books of the Bible, yet also one of the most dense in terms lessons packed into each verse. This is by no means an exhaustive look at Nahum, and I would encourage everyone to read it in its entirety along with some extra research on world history surrounding the time when it was written. The insight one can gain in pursuing an understanding of the Lord is well worth the time and effort.
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