Commentary: Nahum1-3. Repentance is the most desired by God from us.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Repentance can hold God’s judgment back and set a man before the throne of grace. It could go a long way in healing our wounds because of God’s mercy. Nahum’s prophetic ministry came about 100 years after Jonah preached repentance and brought revival into the city of Nineveh. Nineveh was evangelized by Jonah and the city came to accept God as the only God. By the time Nahum was raised for this ministry, Nineveh had forgotten the revival of the time of Jonah and resorted to wicked ways of bloodshed, idolatry, harlotries, and pride. Witchcraft had taken over and oppression greatly increased.

Nahum 3:1-4 “Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not; The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots. The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses: Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.”

Nahum’s message starts with acknowledgment of God’s greatness and awesomeness; He cannot be restricted by any natural means. For instance, Nahum talked about the mountain quaking before Him and the hills melting away. He further declares that He has His ways in the whirlwind and in the storm. In addition, he said the people of the earth also heave at His presence. God is great. God may be long-suffering and merciful, His judgment is great also; this is part of His greatness. No matter how good you are beloved, stay away from sin.

Psalms 125:3 “For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.”

The rod of the wicked in this context could be regarded as God’s rod of judgment. Mind you, God is not the wicked but He could allow the wicked to have his ways to chastise His children.

Psalms 89:30-32 “If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.”

He had used Babylon before to deal with the Judeans. Sin can open the door to series of unpleasant hard times. However, repentance is the key to staying the rod of punishment. As a child of God, stay away from sin and iniquity.

Let us seek for the old path where we could find rest. Let us listen to the trumpet’s sound, wherewith we could escape the calamity to come. Our reading for today is Habakkuk1-3. Keep the fire of burning and alive.

Pastor Supo Abayode

+1-302-230-6792

MFM Delaware, USA