Do you know one of those people who can whistle loud enough to rise above the din of a crowd and command everyone’s attention? God doesn’t whistle in today’s passage, but He does command the silence of the Assyrian messengers as He demonstrates His awesome sovereignty over all.

In verse 11 the prophet asks, “Where now is the lions’ den, the place where they fed their young?” He goes on in verse 12 to help us understand the significance of his question: “The lion killed enough for his cubs and strangled the prey for his mate, filling his lairs with the kill and his dens with the prey.” This lions’ den was a place of safety and refuge for the lion, his mate, and his cubs. It’s where he would bring back the prey he’d killed so that his lion family could feast on the carcasses.

Lions in the ancient Near East, just like today, were majestic and feared predators, the “king of the jungle,” because of their might and hunting abilities. The psalmist likens his enemies to lions that would “tear me apart” (Ps. 7:2); the apostle Peter compares the devil to “a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8); and John the Revelator tells of his conversation with “one of the elders,” who proclaimed that “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed” (Rev. 5:5).

The Lord who rules in Revelation promises here in Nahum that He will “devour your young lions”—the powerful warriors of Assyria—and states, “The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard” (v. 13). Nothing can stand against the might of the Lord—not even the strongest foes you can imagine. He alone is sovereign, He alone is God. He alone silences all His enemies. What a God!

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God’s people in the Old Testament were fickle—sometimes following the Lord faithfully and experiencing His blessing and sometimes turning from Him and experiencing His discipline. The same as us, really. But God is never fickle—He always keeps His covenant and always restores His people. In todays’ passage we read God’s promise to “restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel,” even “though destroyers have laid them waste and have ruined their vines” (v. 2).

The passage begins with a warning against the Assyrian nation, who had oppressed God’s people and conquered the nation of Israel in 722 BC. Nahum proclaims that “an attacker advances against you, Nineveh” and that they should “brace yourselves [and] marshal your strength” (v. 1). Despite the call to prepare for battle, Assyria is already as good as defeated, for even though “Nineveh summons her picked troops,” “they stumble on their way” (v. 5). The Lord promises that the capital city of Nineveh—and with it the nation of Assyria—will fall: “The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses” (v. 6). And just as the Assyrians had exiled the Israelites—and many nations throughout the ancient world—“Nineveh will be exiled and carried away” (v. 7). Once Assyria had plundered many nations, but now the Lord commands, “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” He declares: “Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, every face grows pale” (v. 10).

Though this passage may be difficult to read because of its depictions of God’s judgment and wrath, it clearly portrays God’s justice and righteousness. As Nahum said in chapter 1, “the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished” (Nah. 1:3). Likewise, today’s passage shows that God is faithful to His covenant and that He is sovereign over all things—even the most powerful nations in the world.

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I’ve been fascinated with World War II history since I was around thirteen years old. In that great conflict there was a clear villain, and, in the end, the good guys won. The Nazis were defeated, and many were brought to justice for the unspeakable evil they perpetrated upon the Jewish people.

Today’s passage in Nahum is easier to understand when we compare it to our satisfaction and joy at the Nazi defeat in World War II. Speaking of Assyria, a ruthless empire that conquered much of the ancient Near East, the Lord says, “Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be destroyed and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, Judah, I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away” (vv. 12–13).

God would judge the nation that brought destruction, death, and pain to His people, and He would free His own people from oppression. God’s deliverance of His people—coupled with His judgment of Assyria—was reason for rejoicing: “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!” (v. 15).

Now that the evil nation had been routed, the Lord commanded His people: “Celebrate your festivals, Judah, and fulfill your vows” (v. 15). Vows to God were a voluntary way to worship Him in the Old Testament. God commanded festivals, such as Passover and Booths, as a way for His people to remember and celebrate His protection and provision for them. Thus, God tells His people—and us today—to worship Him because He judges sin, because He protects His people, and because He is just and righteous. One day Christ will return and make a permanent end to all evil, and we will worship Him in eternity!

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