Nahum the
prophet was commissioned to alert the city of Nineveh concerning
their pending judgment. The Ninevites were used by the LORD to judge
both Israel and Jacob, and the conquering armies of Babylon who were
clad with “red shields” and “scarlet” clothing
with “flaming raging chariots” would be rushing through their
streets in destruction. In chapter two and verse five of his
prophesy, Nahum shared how the LORD “shall recount his worthies”
where we read:
He shall
recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk;
they shall
make haste to the wall thereof, and the defense shall be prepared.
The
verse begins, “He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble
in their walk;” Nahum began with the words, “He shall
recount” or “remember, recall and call to mind” “his
worthies” which refers to “great and majestic ones who were
nobles, chieftains and servants”: “they shall stumble”
or “stagger, totter, be feeble, made weak and overthrown” “in
their walk” which means “in their going, traveling, marching
and caravans”. The LORD through the Babylonians would “remember”
the “nobles and chieftains” among the city of Nineveh in His
destruction.
The
verse goes on to say, “they shall make haste to the wall
thereof, and the defense shall be prepared.” Nahum continued,
“they shall make haste” or “be hurried, anxious,
precipitate and impetuous” “to the wall thereof” which
refers to “a wall of protection”, “and the defense” or
“hedge, fence, screen, overshadow and cover” “shall be
prepared” which means “made firm, stable and established”.
When the attack of the Babylonians would take place, the people
within the city of Nineveh would rush to the protective walls of the
city where they would prepare to defend against them.
When
we consider these words of Nahum, we see the futility of the
Ninevites to defend against the Babylonian judgment of God. Though
they are “noble”, they would not stop the opposing army, and
though they run to their “walled” defenses, they would not be
able to stop the enemy. The time for repentance had passed, and
judgment was now upon them. This will be the same for those who
remain in opposition to Jesus Christ and His Salvation plan. There
will be a day where neither position or protection will serve to keep
them from the judgment of God. The time for humbling ourselves is
well before the day of judgment, and those who are wise will turn to
Jesus before there is no where to run.
Next
time Nahum writes how “the
gates of the rivers shall be open”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment