The book begins similarly to the book of Malachi with a ‘burden’. A heavy pronouncement, an oracle or judgment.
It wasn’t going to make pleasant hearing or reading. The Assyrians had taken the northern kingdom of Israel in 722BC and tried to take Judah but they had been defeated by The LORD (The angel of The LORD Isaiah 37). This would make pleasant hearing and reading for Judah for they were undoubtedly in fear of Assyria. To know that God was pronouncing judgment upon that nation would be pleasing to them.
“The burden against Nineveh” (v1) It was a message of importance, heavy in the sense that it would produce grief and sorrow. Nineveh was a great city and after the preaching of Jonah, all had repented from the king downward. However, it hadn’t lasted and they had returned to their evil ways, thus, God pronounces judgment upon them. Not only did Nahum receive the message from God but God also revealed it to him in a vision (v1). We have to remember that these were God’s words given to him. Peter tells us that human writers ‘spoke as they were moved by The Holy Spirit’ (2 Peter 1:21).
It is interesting to note and worth consideration that God not only deals with individuals, but He also deals with nations. Individuals and nations ignore God at their peril. G. Campbell Morgan suggests, “This is the prophecy which sets forth, more clearly than any other, the truth concerning the wrath of God, in its national application”.
The situation is reminiscent of our nation today. Our nation, who once was described as ‘A Christian Country’, whether that was strictly correct or not, has been blessed greatly by God. We had leaders who feared God but there is no doubt that we, as a nation have turned our back on God. Laws contrary to His Word have been passed and are still being considered. An evil minority have influenced our leaders and are getting a lot of their own way, much to our detriment. Whether this is because we Christians have ceased to truly follow God is a good question, but we see, sadly, established churches going against God’s law. I don’t know if it is too late for us believers to influence our country’s leaders, but the time has certainly come for us to take our stand for Christ in an evil generation. It may mean persecution and sacrifice but stand we must. We need people like Daniel, Joseph and others to make our stand and maybe, God will relent of His judgment. The Bible seems to indicate that it is possible for believers to offer prayers of repentance for our nation – Nehemiah 9, Daniel 9, Exodus 34:9. May we seek His face for forgiveness and He will restore our land and deliver us from evil.
Every year (November 11) people remember by wearing poppies, laying wreaths etc. It is only right that we should remember those who fought for the freedom we have in our land. But how many really remember that God was on our side, yes! I really believe He was.
In his books – Trumpet Sounds for Britain’ David Gardner
refers to the miraculous working of Almighty God in delivering our beloved Land from the hands of the enemy. e.g. at least three great miracles happened to bring us victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. (1) no sooner had the Armada left Tagus on the 20th May, they were battered by a southern gale. The elements were so against them that so much damage was done to the ships that the whole fleet had to put into Corunna to refit, This leading to a delay of 2 months which gave England breathing space to make final preparations to meet the invasion. The delay also resulted in the Spaniards’ miscalculation of the tides. Those same storms had driven our fleet back into Plymouth when they had already been at sea intent on attacking the Spanish coast.
By the time the Armada reached the eastern end of the Channel it made the fatal mistake of anchoring in Calais where the Squadron of the Queen’s ships had been stationed and they now joined the main fleet in the straits which meant that the whole of the English sea power was combined against Spaniards.
(2) The Duke of Medina—Sidonia, who was in command of the Armada, had sent messengers on to the awaiting Duke of Parma at Dunkirk, announcing his arrival offshore and he fully expected to find Parma’s troops coming out to meet him. Now, there were two conditions required to sail out of Dunkirk harbour — a favourable wind and a high tide. Neither prevailed, in fact it was a neap tide, which meant the phase of the moon was such that the difference between high and low tide was far less than at any other time of the month, there was very little water in the harbour at all. Parma the greatest soldier in the Spanish Empire found himself well and truly locked in harbour by adverse winds and tides. This was truly God’s doing If the Armada had been allowed to sail in late May/early June as intended, it could have been far different.
The Armada turned to face its pursuers, a fierce gun battle took place; When it seemed that hardly a Spanish ship would be able to get away, suddenly both sides ran out of ammunition. The English also ran short of food, so some of them had to break off the action and put back into harbour. The work of destruction had been left to a mightier foe than either Howard or Drake, and this is the (3) miracle.
As the tormented Armada headed northwards out of the fight followed by the silent English ships, it was caught by a fierce gale and driven, in mountainous seas, by strong winds and racing tides round the north of Scotland, some its ships were driven even further north and were wrecked on the coast of Norway. While the remainder rounded Scotland, the wind suddenly shifted to the north—east compelling them to head for the west coast of Ireland where they were driven ashore on the rocky coast and perished. 5,000 lives were lost.
The English had not lost a single ship, and scarcely 100 men.
H.M. Queen Elizabeth I made sure it was recorded “He blew His winds and they were scattered” on a monument overlooking Plymouth Sound. Churchill in more recent times made his assessment “The Armada had completed the process which persecution under Mary had begun, that of making England a Protestant Christian country.
Coming closer, in 1918 — many stories are recorded which only go to show that Almighty God again fought for this land, and on Aug 4th the fourth anniversary of Britain’s declaration of war against Germany, it was proposed to hold a National Day of Prayer. This was an unprecedented act. It was to be led by H.M. King George V in the form of a service in St. Margaret’s. 
Westminster.
General Dobbie states that the decision to issue the call to prayer was made around the 1st July; Immediately, a remarkable change came over the situation. On 18 July, Marshall Foch gained a victory over the Germans between the Aisne and the Marne, and caused them to make a hasty and costly withdrawal.
The National Day of Prayer was observed on 4th August — and just four days later an Allied attack on the Western Front began, during the opening stages of which, the tide was so turned in the Allies’ favour that the advance commenced and never ceased until the Armistice was signed on November 11th.
It was really miraculous. On August 8th began the battle of Amiens the first of a series of victories which in a hundred days, brought about the complete downfall of the German army.
The Times special correspondent wrote later in the year
“…. surely it was more than coincidence that depression was 
turned into triumph immediately following the National Day of Prayer. Victory was in the air from that day forward.”
Sir Wm Dobbie records that ‘The weather, which hitherto had mostly been unfavourable to us, now was just what we needed….’ ‘The Allies (according to German sources) were favoured by a thick fog.’
Again, there was plenty of evidence that God had worked to turn the tide from. that July decision for prayer. He moved in response to a nations’ prayers. Similar evidence is available in 1940 when King George VI called for a National Day of Prayer on 26th May, the whole nation was at prayer that Sunday, leading to an unexpected decision by Hitler to overrule his generals, strange things happened at Dunkirk and Flanders. Truly amazing things were happening, signs that an intervening Power was at work. I could go on… The Battle of Britain e.g.
Archbishop Temple in his sermon on Battle of Britain Sunday 26 Sep. 1943 said, “We may and must believe, that He who has preserved our land in a manner so marvellous, has a purpose for us to serve.”
The Bishop of Chelmsford in the Sunday Chronicle in April 1945 ‘wrote “If ever a great nation was on the point of supreme and final disaster, and yet, was saved and reinstated, it was ourselves. We have been saved for a purpose; we have a mission to discharge in the world.”
We see God’s mighty hand at work throughout history even down to our present day. But, as happened on many occasions to Israel, and when it did, though they went through captivity and great persecution, God was always ready to hear their cry to Him.
In Judges 2v12 we read “We forsook the LORD God of our fathers and proceeded to fly in His face.”
Sadly, Britain is in the same position today, as in the case of Israel – “ANOTHER GENERATION AROSE WHICH DID NOT KNOW THE LORD OR THE WORKS WHICH HE HAD DONE” (Judges 21v10-15)
David Gardner ends volume 2 with a chapter entitled — ‘The Tragic Landslide’ and he mentions many ways in which we as a nation and individually have gone away from God, the God who has done so much for us in former days.
We have reversed our legislation by placing laws on our Statute Book which legalise things which the Bible states to be abominable. Children are being taught things in school which are against God’s Word. We are bombarded by the media things which we would once have thought disgusting and they are made to look attractive. All these and more are leading our generation into total depravity. Things which were only looked at ‘behind the bike shed’ are now totally open and brazen.
We have had several calls over the years for a debate on morality including the former Archbishop of Canterbury and a former Prime Minister. It is good to see that people want to talk about it but a debate won’t cure it. It is not a debate we need. We must get back to the root cause – a departure from God and His Word.
Vance Havner wrote ” People used to blush when they were ashamed. Now they are ashamed if they blush. Modesty has disappeared and a brazen generation with no fear of God mocks at sin. We are so fond of being called tolerant and broadminded that we wink at sin when we ought to weep. There was a time when sinned shocked us, but as the brainwashing progresses, what once amazed us only amuses us….”
Back to Nahum, obviously there had been a failure to tell the generation of God, as there has been in our lifetime. They were specifically told to tell their children and their children’s children. But sadly, they failed, just as we have. We have a generation today 
which is pagan, totally Godless. Is it any wonder that God could be angry with us?
We are reminded by Nahum (v2-8) of how merciful God is “….jealous and takes vengeance on His enemies” but He “is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.” Alan Redpath explains about the jealousy of God in ‘Law and Liberty’ – “God’s jealousy is love in action. He refuses to share the human heart with any rival, not because He is selfish and wants us all for Himself, but because He knows that upon that loyalty to Him depends our very moral life… God is not jealous of us: He is jealous for us.” He is absolutely just and deals with sin, as one writer said, ‘sin must be paid for either in hell or at the cross’.
Nahum goes on to remind us of the power of God – “The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, and the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.”
In the light of such great power how can we not trust in Him for everything? He controls all and nothing can withstand Him. To be in His mighty hands should fill us with confidence and trust. How can we not come before Him in repentance and faith for the forgiveness of our sin?
He continues with a reminder of ‘how good God is.’ – “The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.“
What assurance and confidence we have when our trust is in The Living God. What calamity will befall those who do not. He knows those who trust in Him. What a joy to know that He knows us, even knows our names. Our names are written in The Lamb’s book of life, what more do we need? He knows all about us, our needs, our sadness and our desires. We are in a personal relationship with Almighty God! He is good and He never changes – “He is the same yesterday, today and forever.” He will never let us down even though we may let Him down.
He will, however, not overlook sin. “The soul that sins shall die.” Jesus dealt with sin once for all on the cross, it cost Jesus His life and God will not overlook it. One writer comments that the reference to “….overflowing flood” – the walls of Nineveh collapsed when there were heavy rains which caused a flood.
“What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, they shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counsellor.” (v9-11)
The city was destroyed and lost hence, “…. the utter end of its place”.
“Thus says the LORD: “Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down when he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; For now I will break off his yoke from you,
And burst your bonds apart.”” (v12,13)
No doubt the enemies thought they were safe in numbers and strength, God says that He will cut them down and He promises to afflict His people no more. They had been afflicted for their disobedience to God but God is a God of mercy. When we repent and turn to Him, He will forgive our sin and remember them no more.
“The LORD has given a command concerning you: “Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the moulded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile.”” (v14)
Despite being a great city and nation, they were vile. God indicates that their name will not be remembered any more, and He will even dig their grave. What a statement!
“Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off” (v15).
These are similar words to Isaiah 52:7. Good News is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Son of God, the Messiah. The two passages are different in context. Isaiah is pointing to the coming of Jesus whereas Nahum is pointing to the defeat of their enemies. He urges them in the light of this to be faithful to God.
