Nahum 3; Habakkuk 1-2

Nahum 3

“Woe to the bloody city…”

• Nineveh defined by:
  • Lies
  • Violence
  • plunder
  • Whips, wheels, galloping horses
  • Piles of corpses
• “mistress of sorceries”
  • Nations “ensnared”

“Behold, I am against you…” (see Nahum 2:13)

• City personified as a woman exposed
• Once admired, now mocked
• “Who will grieve for her?”  answer: no one

Reference: Thebes/ No-Amon

• Powerful Egyptian city
• Yet destroyed
• Thebes fell,  Nineveh will too
• Strong alliances didn’t save Thebes and it won’t save Nineveh

False Security Exposed

• Fortresses = like ripe figs (easily shaken down)
• Troops = weak
• Gates = open to enemies
• Fire will devour
• “Draw water… strengthen defenses…”
  • (It won’t help)

Ineffective Nineveh 

• Merchants, commanders, generals, shepherds, nobles – numerous but ineffective 
• Leaders are asleep
• People scattered
• Final verdict:
  • No healing
  • Wound is fatalNations rejoice: “Who has not felt your endless cruelty?”

Habakkuk 1

From: https://www.preceptaustin.org/habakkuk_1_commentary

From: https://readingthebible2020.wordpress.com/2020/08/19/habakkuk-overview-for-tomorrow/

Habakkuk: Hebrew: חֲבַקּוּק (Ḥăvaqqûq) Likely means “to embrace” or “to cling”

Approximate Date: ~610–600 BC. Right before Babylon rises to power.

Placed Between Two Major Events

1. Decline of Assyria
2. Rise of Babylon

“O LORD, how long shall I cry for help?”

• problem: violence in Judah
  • God seems silent
  • No justice
• “law is paralyzed”

God responds: “Look… be astounded…”

•  Unexpected answer: Raising Babylon (Chaldeans)
• Description:
  • Bitter, hasty nation
  • Feared and dreaded
  • Power is their god

Habakkuk: “Are you not from everlasting, O LORD…?”

• He affirms God’s holiness
• But struggles:
  • “Why do you look at traitors?”
  • Why tolerate greater evil?

He asks, why do you make people like fish caught in nets

• Babylon = vicious fisherman

Habakkuk 2

The Watchtower Posture

“I will take my stand…”

• Habakkuk waits expectantly
• alert, patient, listening

The LORD answers

“Write the vision…”

“The righteous shall live by his faith” (2:4)

• אֱמוּנָה (ʾemunah) = faithfulness, steadfast trust
• Proud (Babylon) will fall
• Faithful will live

Five Woes Against Babylon

Woe 1  Plunderers Plundered

• Violence returns on them

Woe 2 Unjust Gain

• Building security through evil
• Even stones cry out

Woe 3  Violence in Building Empires

• Cities built by blood
• “The earth will be filled…” glory of the LORD replaces human cities

Woe 4 Shame & Exploitation

• Humiliation imagery
• Violence returns

Woe 5  Idolatry is Empty

• Idols:
  • Silent
  • Lifeless

“The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence…”

• God reigns
• Human pride silenced

Application

God sees injustice, both in His people and in the world.Sometimes His timing and methods are hard to understand. Our role is not to control how God works, but to live in faith and trust that God is just.  Even when evil seems to win, it is temporary, and God will ultimately prevail.