“The Lord Avenges and is Furious” (Nahum 1:1-8)

“The burden against Nineveh.  The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.  God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges and is furious.  The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies.” (vs1-2)

God is just in hating sin and sinners, punishing those eternally in hatred who do not receive Him in repentance.  He says, “God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; the Lord avenges and is furious”.  He’s not just nice and merciful, but He’s angry too!.  He continues, “The Lord will take vengeance on His enemies; the Lord is slow to anger (which makes sin that much more sinful) and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked” (vs2-3a).  He is no “winking at sin” god who doesn’t punish, but He holds justice highly, never pardoning without Christ’s death.  In fact, His punishment of others unfolds a glimpse of what His Son Jesus endured.  He suffered God’s wrath, fully, for His people, dying in our place, and His Father will by no means clear the guilty!  Someone tonight said, “You can’t come to the Father, except by the Son”, recognizing the holiness of God.  But, if you don’t believe the gospel, then what His Son endured in the agony of the cross WILL come upon you, not for a few hours, because He as God was able to suffer away sin, but as a human being, suffering eternally under torments.

Secondly, He's all powerful, almighty, and one to be feared.  He says, “The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.  He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers.  Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts.  The mountains quake before Him, the hills melt, and the earth burns at His presence.  Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.  Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger?  His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him” (vs3b-6).  He's no play god, impotent, powerless, talking, but not responding.  The world and your soul is in His hand. He does as He pleases, always, in all things, even human destruction, earthquakes, and death.  It would be smart to spend your life at peace with Him, doing His will, so you can be saved.  Fighting God is STUPIDITY; it is the irrationality of fools (Prov 14:9).

Finally, Trust will be rewarded and your life spared, but don’t think there’s another way (vs7-8).  He says, “The Lord is good”, saves sinners, gives us what we need, freely, bearing patiently with us in our sin, and bringing us to heaven by grace and goodness.  He says, “A stronghold in the day of trouble”, a refuge from the storm, Someone to run to and get SAFETY.  “And He knows those who trust in Him”, favoring us in His love, knowing our faith, sacrifices, sufferings, and ensuring us it is not in vain.   He is God, merciful and just.  He is One to be believed, so that wrath misses you.  Put your faith in Christ, trusting His blood (work of redemption) to save you, trusting He earned the Spirit, so that you might be mighty over sin.  He rewards believers with eternal peace. “But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies”.