Daily Devotions
Nahum
"The earth heaves at His presence"
Text: Nahum 1:5
THE PRIDE OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
The Assyrians were proud of themselves as mighty conquerors of nations. This spirit of pride was obviously seen in the speech of the Rabshakeh, a high-ranking official of King Sennacherib.
“Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria…
Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria…
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?
Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?
Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand?”
Isaiah 36:4, 13, 19
It seemed as if the Assyrians were masters of the universe and no one could stop them in their tracks!
THE MAJESTY OF THE LORD GOD
The Assyrians had not reckoned the Lord God of Israel. He alone was the One with the awesome power and authority of the universe!
“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.”
Nahum 1:4-5
1. Real power
a) This is not measured in terms of conquering weaker nations.
b) The Assyrians may boast of their conquests… even of Israel!
2. But could the king of Assyria do the following?
a) Could he rebuke the sea?
b) Could he dry up rivers?
c) Could he make the fertile lands of Bashan and Carmel to wither?
d) Could he cause the mountains to quake at his presence?
3. The supreme power of the Lord God
a) He rebuked the Red Sea and He caused ancient Israel to cross dry-shod (Exodus 14).
b) In the Presence of God at Mount Sinai, the hills quaked greatly when God descended to speak to ancient Israel (Exodus 19:18).
c) No human might can ever be compared with the supreme power that God alone possesses!
An angel of the LORD was sent to battle the mighty Assyrian forces. One single angel destroyed an army of 185,000 troops (Isaiah 37:36)! Let man never boast before the Lord God!