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Message #6 Nah.2:9-13
Here we have somewhat of a parable: The Parable of the Lion’s Den. Here we note that the Shepherd, The Chief Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, the Good Shepherd has come up before the Lion’s Den to destroy it. He has come up to destroy it so completely that the den shall not be reestablished, that the lion(s) shall no longer harm His sheep (Zeph.2:13-15; Lev.26:6; Psa.4:8—Israel nor Judah was going to have to fight one battle. All they would have to do is stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord). And one day, the Lord’s Day, the Lord will fight His own battle and conquer all nations and deliver His city, the city of Zion, the City of David, Jerusalem.
Remember that Israel is His fold as well. And the Lord would protect them from the world just as He protects us today. And that how the Lord will one day destroy the World-powers, the Nations and her leaders shall all come into subjection and under the power of the Almighty Lord, Jesus Christ. Nah.2:13—“Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts,…”. That is the wrong Lord to have against you. For this is the Lord who rules and reigns as He pleases. Who permits things to happen as He so chooses and brings about His determinate will. This is the Sovereign God, while all others are subject to the counsels of His mind; He does as He pleases. This is the God that knoweth the end from the beginning (Isa.46:10).
I. The Description of the Den: Nah.2:11,12 a. It’s Site: Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. i. Old: Extending over centuries at least. We are familiar when Nineveh was begun to be built. There a few generations after the flood (Gen.10:11). ii. Spacious: having caves in it for its prey, and room in it for the lion, lionesses, and lion’s whelps to walk about. iii. Strong: surrounded on two sides by water, seemingly impregnable—a secure retreat, in which its inhabiting wild beasts felt safe. b. It’s Occupants: The Lions above referred to: i. The old lion—The King of Assyria—Kg. Sennacherib (Isa.10:12; 37:36-38; 2Kgs.19:36,37; 2Chron.32:21—Though this was not the time of the fulfillment of Nahum’s Prophecy we do see the Old Lion was even destroyed in the walled city of old. How useless are the world’s defenses against the LORD hosts). ii. The lionesses—the queens and concubines of the reigning prince. These were as equally wicked as the Old lion and the young whelps. iii. The lion’s whelps, or young lions: the Old lion’s sons, princes, nobles, and warriors. These were just like the Old lion, hungry for blood, gain, and destruction. iv. The Lion’s Symbolic: The lion is the natural symbol of Assyria, both from the animal’s cruel, predatory, ravenous habits; but was also the chief national emblem. The lion also depicts the nature of the Assyrians in their brute bestiality toward other people’s: They sought the blood of others, and made them their ravin, and robbed them of their earthly goods including their lives. c. It’s Prey: i. The Spoils of the Nations: Nah.2:9,10. Syria, Phoenicia, Philistia, Israel, Judah, and even Egypt had felt the might of Assyria and contributed to swell the coffers of the Ninevites. d. The Prophet does ask the question: “Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions…and none made them afraid?” Nah.2:9 It is no longer there. No longer is that established and fortified city there, but has been brought down. All of her defenses, all off her cruelty and sin, and all of her lions were no match for the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev.5:5-7). That is Jesus. And He shall come and he shall destroy the Old lion that lieth in wait to deceive and destroy as well as the nations that deceive and seek to war with God.
“And none made them afraid?”—Nah.2:9—The Assyrians were not even afraid of the Lord (recall the words of blaspheme which Rabshakeh said unto the Jews at the wall of Jerusalem (Isa.36:4-21). They had NO FEAR of God (and that is what many are like in this generation: They do NOT fear God (Eccl.12:13—Does it make sense now why God’s Word isn’t being kept? People do not fear God). And the Assyrians are an example of the World, the nations and it is clear that the nations (ours included) does not fear the Lord.
Are there not now, Old lions, lionesses, and Lion’s whelps who are in power of nations and are doing that which is contrary to the Word and Law of God? But note as Nahum does continue: “Where is the lion that did tear in Pieces enough for his whelps, and Strangled for his lionesses, And filled his holes with prey, And his dens with ravin [prey]. Nah.2:12
The Assyrian Emperor (King) provided for his own by plundering other nations through war. This is what the leaders of nations seek to do today. They pillage and plunder others to provide for themselves. This is in great contrast to that which The Lord does for His own people. And Nineveh was large enough to have rooms filled with that which was given to them for tributes and that which they did spoil from other nations (i.e. the ravin).
II. The Destruction of the Den: Nah.2:9,10,13—Nahum tells us that the Lord was against Nineveh and this should be enough for people to know that destruction will come (Psa.34:15,16—the eyes of the Lord were upon Judah and God would not suffer Jerusalem to be overthrown. And so He did defend her and set His face against the Assyrians). Every single child of God knows what it is to have God’s face set against him/her (Rom.8:7). a. The Spoil: Vv.9—The spoil was that which had come from the nations which Assyria had attacked and raped from them all their goods. They had spoiled them (much like the Nazis did with the Jews in WW2). The Assyrians had taken that which belongs unto the Lord (Hag.2:8). Some of the silver and the gold had been given as a tribute (or payoff) to Kg. Sennacherib by Hezekiah (2Kgs.18:13-16). It was not Sennacherib’s. It was not Assyria’s. It was the Lord’s and God would not let them have it. Abundance of fine furniture was found in Nineveh, but it would not be left there. b. The Desolation of Destruction of God: Vv.10—It was going to be a total and complete laying to waste (“Empty, void, and waste” also rendered sack, and sacking and ransacking). I related unto you how that there was but 2 mounds left when the Lord was done with Nineveh (Isa.29:3,4; Ezek.33:29; Zeph.1:14-18 w/ Nah.1:2—God is a Jealous God: Jealous over His people). c. The heart melteth: Nah.2:10—a common expression for fear and dependency. Previously we noted how that none made them afraid, but now the heart does melt with fear. Did we not read how that they shall be so fearful that they shall cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them (Rev.6:16). The Lord come up before their faces is what struck such fear in them (Nah.2:1). And we pray even now that God would strike fear in the hearts of people today that they might turn to Him seeking salvation by the Blood of His Son; that presidents, and kings, and the powers that be would seek the will of God and that the Lord may cause them to fear before Him.
d. The Effect of the Lord against You: Vv.13—
“O Nineveh, thou shalt suffer all that has been spoken. I the Lord will burn to ashes thy chariots, and will cause thy nobles and satraps [political henchman] to be devoured by the sword; never again shalt thou lay countries waste, nor exact tribute, nor will thy emissaries voice be hear throughout thy provinces.” (Jerome: Pulpits Commentary Pg.29, Vv.13 of Exposition).
Nineveh would cease to be upon this earth. And one day the Lord shall do the same to those who oppose Him, His people, His kingdom. They shall all be destroyed (Rev.18:19).
CLOSING: People say, “That didn’t happen”. I assure you that it did. People say, “That isn’t going to happen when the Lord comes to the earth again.” I assure you that it will. God told us it would in His word. Now if God told Nineveh and Judah through the prophet Nahum the destruction of Nineveh was going to take place and it did, we ought believe God the more concerning the destruction of the nations at the Great Day of His Coming. People say, “Well, I just can’t believe that.” They think if they stick their head in the sand like an ostrich then it isn’t true. But I want to tell you that is how many ostriches get eaten. They put their head in the sand and lion eats them. They think if they don’t see it then it can’t be true. God’s Word declares these truths. Now if man keeps himself in such ignorance that he cannot understand or be profited by these glorious flashes of heavenly light, who will finally bear the shame, the book of light or the uninformed mocker? I am going to believe what God’s Word of light says! (Psa.119:89). |