Sunday, September 11, 2011
Nahum 3:19
Sunday, September 11, 2011 |
There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?
As we read today from the prophecy of Nahum 3, we must be reminded of how cruel the Ninevites had been to the nations and peoples surrounding them.
The Ninevites were a treacherous people. Verse 1 of our extended reading refers to Nineveh as the "city of blood". Nineveh was truly a "city of blood" - blood spilled by her uncontrolled lust and murder. She earned the title by her treacherous practices of cutting off hands and feet, ears and noses, gouging out eyes and lopping off heads.
These mutilated bodies would be impaled or flayed alive through a process in which there skin was gradually and completely removed.
God's judgment on Nineveh would bring relief to all of her neighbors. Reading through Nahum 3 is like reading the pre-written history of this treacherous land. There are a number of prophecies found in Nahum 3 that have already been fulfilled.
For example when the city was captured the people would be drunk, verse 11; the Assyrian fortresses surrounding the city would be easily captured, verse 12; and Nineveh would be destroyed by fire, verses 15.
There are other prophecies found in our reading for today and each of them have been documented, they have been fulfilled. The prophecies of Nahum 3 were all fulfilled between 612 and 609 BC. This empire, that for centuries had been invincible, was totally disintegrated.
Nahum revealed in his prophecy that the Lord would pour out His wrath on Nineveh, 1:2-3, 6and demonstrate his care for those who trust in Him, 1:7.
We can learn from the book of Nahum that God's wrath will eventually fall on sinners and we can be comforted by knowing that those who turn to Him are safe.
A study of prophetic passages in God's Word that have not yet been fulfilled reveal that the seven year period of judgment yet to come will be very similar to the days of Nahum's prophecy. This will be true, especially in relation to the peoples and the geographical locations of past and future prophecies that have been and will be fulfilled.
By the way, Biblical Nineveh is modern day Mosul in Iraq. It is very interesting to know that both Nineveh and Babylon, two major fortressed cities 4,500 years ago were both built by Nimrod, Genesis 10:10-11.
The kingdoms that Nimrod established then are a prototype of what is to come in the future with a world headquarters for the Anti-christ to be located in the exact same geographical location as these two ancient cities, in what is now modern-day Iraq.
The prophetic scenario that includes Iraq, Biblical Babylon, will be fulfilled at the end of the seven year period known as the Tribulation, which means at least seven years from now because the Rapture must happen first, and it hasn’t happened yet. However, it could happen today. Keep looking up.
Prayer Thot: Thank you Lord for the record of prophecies fulfilled which gives me the assurance that all unfulfilled prophecies will be fulfilled by You, the One in control.
For further study - Nahum 3:1-19
As we read today from the prophecy of Nahum 3, we must be reminded of how cruel the Ninevites had been to the nations and peoples surrounding them.
The Ninevites were a treacherous people. Verse 1 of our extended reading refers to Nineveh as the "city of blood". Nineveh was truly a "city of blood" - blood spilled by her uncontrolled lust and murder. She earned the title by her treacherous practices of cutting off hands and feet, ears and noses, gouging out eyes and lopping off heads.
These mutilated bodies would be impaled or flayed alive through a process in which there skin was gradually and completely removed.
God's judgment on Nineveh would bring relief to all of her neighbors. Reading through Nahum 3 is like reading the pre-written history of this treacherous land. There are a number of prophecies found in Nahum 3 that have already been fulfilled.
For example when the city was captured the people would be drunk, verse 11; the Assyrian fortresses surrounding the city would be easily captured, verse 12; and Nineveh would be destroyed by fire, verses 15.
There are other prophecies found in our reading for today and each of them have been documented, they have been fulfilled. The prophecies of Nahum 3 were all fulfilled between 612 and 609 BC. This empire, that for centuries had been invincible, was totally disintegrated.
Nahum revealed in his prophecy that the Lord would pour out His wrath on Nineveh, 1:2-3, 6and demonstrate his care for those who trust in Him, 1:7.
We can learn from the book of Nahum that God's wrath will eventually fall on sinners and we can be comforted by knowing that those who turn to Him are safe.
A study of prophetic passages in God's Word that have not yet been fulfilled reveal that the seven year period of judgment yet to come will be very similar to the days of Nahum's prophecy. This will be true, especially in relation to the peoples and the geographical locations of past and future prophecies that have been and will be fulfilled.
By the way, Biblical Nineveh is modern day Mosul in Iraq. It is very interesting to know that both Nineveh and Babylon, two major fortressed cities 4,500 years ago were both built by Nimrod, Genesis 10:10-11.
The kingdoms that Nimrod established then are a prototype of what is to come in the future with a world headquarters for the Anti-christ to be located in the exact same geographical location as these two ancient cities, in what is now modern-day Iraq.
The prophetic scenario that includes Iraq, Biblical Babylon, will be fulfilled at the end of the seven year period known as the Tribulation, which means at least seven years from now because the Rapture must happen first, and it hasn’t happened yet. However, it could happen today. Keep looking up.
Prayer Thot: Thank you Lord for the record of prophecies fulfilled which gives me the assurance that all unfulfilled prophecies will be fulfilled by You, the One in control.