Nahum 2:1-13: a reflection

1He who dashes in pieces has come up against you. Keep the fortress! Watch the way! Strengthen your waist! Fortify your power mightily! 2For the LORD restores the excellency of Jacob as the excellency of Israel, for the destroyers have destroyed them and ruined their vine branches. 3The shield of his mighty men is made red. The valiant men are in scarlet. The chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the pine spears are brandished. 4The chariots rage in the streets. They rush back and forth in the wide ways. Their appearance is like torches. They run like the lightnings. 5He summons his picked troops. They stumble on their way. They dash to its wall, and the protective shield is put in place. 6The gates of the rivers are opened, and the palace is dissolved. 7It is decreed: she is uncovered, she is carried away; and her servants moan as with the voice of doves, beating on their breasts. 8But Nineveh has been from of old like a pool of water, yet they flee away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one looks back. 9Take the plunder of silver. Take the plunder of gold, for there is no end of treasure, an abundance of every precious thing. 10She is empty, void, and waste. The heart melts, the knees knock together, their bodies and faces have grown pale. 11Where is the den of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion and the lioness walked with the lion’s cubs, and no one made them afraid? 12The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, and strangled prey for his lionesses, and filled his caves with the kill and his dens with prey. 13“Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions; and I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

The prophet Nahum announces the fall of Nineveh, the cruel city that had preyed on many peoples like a lion tearing prey for its cubs. He pictures Nineveh as a lion's den, filled with the plunder of its violence; but now God declares, Behold, I am against you, says the LORD of Armies. The cruel oppressor, that had torn and devoured others, filling its dens with prey, is now itself brought down. God sets himself against the oppressor; the city that preyed on others without fear meets the God who opposes those who prey on the weak. God's word to the cruel oppressor is, I am against you.

Notice against whom God sets himself: the cruel oppressor who preyed on others. Nineveh had been like a lion, tearing and devouring, filling its dens with the plunder of the peoples it had crushed, and no one made it afraid. But God declares himself against it: I am against you. The oppressor that preyed on the weak without fear now meets the God who opposes such cruelty. God is not indifferent to the oppressor's violence; he sets himself against those who prey on others, who tear and devour the weak. The cruel power that seemed untouchable meets its opponent in God, who is against the oppressor. God's stance toward the cruel oppressor is opposition: I am against you.

That is worth taking to heart, for God is against the cruel oppressor, and this is a comfort to those they prey upon. When we or others suffer under cruel oppressors, those who prey on the weak and seem untouchable, we can feel that they will never be opposed; but God declared himself against Nineveh, the cruel oppressor. God is not indifferent to the cruelty of oppressors; he sets himself against them. This is a comfort to those they prey upon: God is against their oppressor. When you or others suffer under a cruel oppressor who seems untouchable, take comfort that God is against the oppressor, as he declared himself against Nineveh. Take comfort that God is against the cruel oppressor who preys on the weak, however untouchable they seem, as he declared to Nineveh, I am against you; for God is not indifferent to the cruelty of those who prey on others, but sets himself against the oppressor, and this is a comfort to those who suffer under them.

Lord, the prophet Nahum announces the fall of Nineveh, the cruel city that had preyed on many peoples like a lion tearing prey for its cubs. He pictures Nineveh as a lion's den, filled with the plunder of its violence; but now you declare, behold, I am against you, says the LORD of Armies. The cruel oppressor, that had torn and devoured others, is now itself brought down. You set yourself against the oppressor. Show me against whom you set yourself: the cruel oppressor who preyed on others. Nineveh had been like a lion, tearing and devouring, filling its dens with the plunder of the peoples it had crushed, and no one made it afraid. But you declare yourself against it: I am against you. The oppressor that preyed on the weak without fear now meets you, who oppose such cruelty. You are not indifferent to the oppressor's violence; you set yourself against those who prey on others. The cruel power that seemed untouchable meets its opponent in you. Take that to my heart, for you are against the cruel oppressor, and this is a comfort to those they prey upon. When I or others suffer under cruel oppressors, those who prey on the weak and seem untouchable, I can feel that they will never be opposed; but you declared yourself against Nineveh. You are not indifferent to the cruelty of oppressors; you set yourself against them. When I or others suffer under a cruel oppressor who seems untouchable, help me take comfort that you are against the oppressor, Lord, as you declared to Nineveh, I am against you; for you set yourself against those who prey on others, and this is a comfort to those who suffer under them.