A Reflection over Nahum 1:7 NASB
“The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who take refuge in Him.”
Nahum 1:7 NASB
Whether we are for or against the actions taking place in Washington, we can’t help being unnerved by it. What will the United States look like in ten years, twenty and dare we go out to thirty. Keeping our fears to ourselves is a common way to march through times like these, I offer another more tried and true answer. Take refuge in God.
There is one thing both the Bible and history confirm: We cannot escape trouble. One of the comforts of dipping into the Old Testament is bringing us up front and personal to the characteristics of God. We often don’t want to discuss, in fact, we might not even want to acknowledge some of these never-changing characteristics (attributes). Yet, if we fail to see them, we fail to recognize the positives in these often-disturbing attributes. Remembering, God is jealous for us, omnipotent (all powerful) and completely just, and righteous— the very definition of good is our God. Without God being this whole perfect God He wouldn’t be trustworthy, capable, nor Jehovah, El Shaddai (God Almighty)
I’ve spoken to people all over the world about God and what they think He is and isn’t. One thing I find is a common thread, a desire to ditch the powerful justice of God. More often than not when I asked people which God they would rather meet up with, they say Jesus, loving, kind, forgiving Jesus.
God Himself is not separate within His trinity. He is one. Each person of the Godhead plays a role in the whole. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are woven together in a mystery we cannot understand. Some people would like to just stay clear of the Old Testament with God being so wrathful and fire and brimstone falling down. However, if we dismantle God’s Attributes to only those things we like, we are in danger of removing the very things that make Him the great God that He is.
Nahum is a prophetic book in the Old Testament. Who wrote it? A prophet named Nahum (meaning “comfort” or “consolation”) from Elkosh perhaps referring to an Assyrian city possibly ‘al-Kush’ on the banks of the Tigris River not far from Nineveh, capital of Assyria.
When did he write it? Historians mark the timeframe between 663 and 612 BC. The book foretells of the fall of Nineveh. The theme of Nahum is the destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire.
“Nahum was written to demonstrate God’s sovereignty in judgment and salvation, warning sinners of God’s exacting justice and encouraging saints of God’s unfailing redemptive purpose in advancing his kingdom against all opposition.” — The Gospel Coalition Commentary.
We find Nahum at the beginning of this book explaining what he was writing “the oracle about Nineveh” and claiming he had received a vision (a divine message or revelation).
God clarifies three different characteristics of Himself in this first chapter of Nahum. Most of all Nahum shows God’s justice is inflexible. That means there is no partiality in God’s taking care of evil.
1. God is jealous.
Not the whimpering petty type of jealousy. God is a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24) You see, God is zealous for truth, for His own glory, and for His people.
2. God is an Avenger.
He is not vindictive, malicious, nor even capricious. He must avenge because He IS Yahweh, the covenant making and keeping God. His avenging is an overflowing from His covenant faithfulness.
3. God is proficient in executing his Divine wrath.
There is no fury like Divine fury. Those opposing Him should be aware and warned.
God is watcher over all. He is observing and inspecting. Nothing escapes His eyes. You might say, I don’t like that kind of God. But stop! Think about what you are wanting to kick to the side from God’s Character.
God is a jealous god; he is jealous for our love toward Him. He cares about each hair on our head, his thoughts toward us number the sand on the shore, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, He made us in His image. He loved us so much He gave His only Son to die on a cross that we might live in eternity with Him. I myself don’t want those parts of God to be removed.
God is All Power, and Righteously Just. Without these He could not take care of each and every one of His children. He couldn’t protect us, guide us, provide for us. Without Justice being righteous, He wouldn’t be able to determine what evil needed to be removed from eternity and what didn’t.
God is good. He is all good with nothing entering His goodness that is evil. This means outside of time and into eternity we will completely enter into His forever goodness. This also means when we accept Jesus and His Holy Spirit enters our hearts, we have continual goodness wrapping us up in His arms daily. He promises us His goodness. He will be with us, protect us, be our strength, provide our needs, give us peace, and never leave nor forsake us. Without Him in whole, we can’t have all those benefits.
Because He Is the I AM, i am,
Robyn Rochelle E. Cox with
Mr. Biff Cox
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