BibleProject | One Story That Leads to Jesusનમૂનો

One of the Hebrew Bible’s most quoted passages is Exodus 34:6. There God describes his own character to Moses: “Yahweh, Yahweh, a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, overflowing with loyal love and faithfulness. He maintains loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, yet he won’t declare innocent the guilty.”

We’ve seen this description of Yahweh’s character show up over and over again in the biblical story. This includes three times in The Twelve: Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2, and Micah 7:18-19.

In today’s reading, the book of Nahum looks to this famous passage to emphasize God’s unwillingness to ignore injustice. Yahweh is merciful and slow to anger. But take note, violent empires! Yahweh’s merciful love does not mean he is indifferent toward evil. He will hold violent, deceitful, unjust people and nations accountable for the harm they inflict.

Nahum communicates his prophecy through poems, announcing the downfall of the biggest, baddest bully on the block—Assyria. The Israelites hear all about the Assyrian army’s unquenchable bloodlust and the utter futility of trying to stop them.

But all who sow slaughter will one day reap ruin. Nineveh, Assyria’s capital city, got drunk on the blood of the innocent and now must brace for a ferocious hangover.

Watch the video to learn about Yahweh’s confrontation of human evil in the book of Nahum.

Reflection Questions

• Compare the way the books of Jonah and Nahum describe Assyria’s capital city, Nineveh: its character, its actions, and its fate. What do these two accounts show you about God’s mercy and God’s just nature, his refusal to let evil ultimately win?
• Nahum’s name means “comfort” in Hebrew. Suppose you were an Israelite living under the violent and oppressive rule of Assyria. What comfort do you think Nahum’s message would bring?