Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
As the world and America continue trying to adjust to the American election process and results; as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues now with foreign mercenaries joining the fight; and as the horrible chaos and bloodshed in the middle east continues as Iran and its proxies relentlessly pummel Israel with drones and rockets; do you find yourself shaking your head wondering if it can get any worse?
Of course, we know YES, as world history shows us, it can yet get much, much worse and therefore we continue seeking to open our hearts to hear God’s words to us in very complex, painful, difficult times like these.
Yesterday we concluded twelve (12) weeks of looking at the God sent messages recorded for our turbulent world by the Jewish prophet Isaiah. It’s been amazing how often words Isaiah recorded 2700 years ago fit with the events of our day. We have no record of exactly when the prophet Isaiah died, but as we saw several weeks ago, most Bible scholars believe Isaiah was executed by the Jewish king Manasseh who was leading Jerusalem and Jews in turning their backs on the God of Israel. Manasseh reigned as king in Jerusalem 55 years, (697-642bc) longer than any other Jewish king! (2 Kings 21:1) While not specifically mentioned by name, many Bible scholars believe Isaiah is among those referred to in Hebrews 11:37 in this description of some of the martyrs whose messages from God were rejected: “…They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword…”.
Manasseh’s wicked reign is described in painful detail both in 2 Kings 21:11-18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1-20. This look into the record of King Manasseh gives us an understanding of his failed leadership: “He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshipped them… He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, consulted mediums and spiritists… Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites. The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention…” (2 Chronicles 33:2-10)
It’s hard to even imagine a Jewish king leading God’s people in such rebellion against God! It was a very dark time in Israel’s history. After the prophet Isaiah was killed the people floundered and for several years no other God honoring prophetic voice rose up to challenge Manasseh’s wickedness. It was a time of dark spiritual silence for the people. Then God’s patience ran out and God brought dramatic discipline on King Manasseh, for the record says: “So the LORD brought against Manasseh the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose and bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon! (2 Chronicles 33:11)
Interestingly we have no record the Assyrian army did any damage to Jerusalem, nor did they drag off large numbers of other slaves. It was a discipline of God focused on King Manasseh for his wicked, failed leadership of God’s people! Can you envision this picture? The Jewish King bound like a slave, and with a hook in his nose like an animal, as he is dragged off on a 700-mile journey to Babylon, in shackles and shame.
Now watch this my friends. Nineveh was the famous capital of the Assyrian empire and Babylon was a city far to its south, rising in global significance but under the watchful eye of the Assyrians. I believe it’s possible Manasseh was taken as a prisoner of war to Babylon rather than Nineveh to be an example to any aspiring leader in Babylon who might be thinking about leading an uprising against mighty Nineveh! We don’t know exactly how long Manasseh was held in Babylon, but I wonder if it was during those very dark and tumultuous months that God raised up the Jewish prophet Nahum with a very significant message to all Jews?
The remarkable story of the great city Nineveh and God’s prophet Jonah was well known to all Jews, even though it had happened about 100 years BEFORE King Manasseh was dragged off as a slave to Babylon. I think it’s safe to say all Jews still had a lingering wonder about WHY God had spared Nineveh from His promised judgement during Jonah’s days. Now with King Manasseh in shackles in Babylon and Jerusalem in turmoil, do you suppose the Jews were giving up any hope of a bright future?
Nahum’s message was shocking! Here’s what the people of Jerusalem heard: “A prophecy concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and vents His wrath against His enemies. The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.” (Nahum 1:1-3a)
Now what do you suppose the Jews who heard this message imagined God was declaring? Of course, they knew the Assyrians were enemies of God and His people since they’d ravaged the northern kingdom Israel and now had taken the King of Jerusalem captive! But I doubt any Jewish person could imagine mighty Nineveh being punished by God when God had actually spared and blessed it little more than 100 years before?
I don’t know how long God let this first message simmer, but soon Nahum came proclaiming this second very specific and powerful word from God: “Who can withstand God’s indignation? Who can endure His fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before Him.” (Nahum 1:6)
The people of Israel knew their history well and they knew Nahum was telling the truth. From the days of Moses and God’s deliverance of His people through the plagues, to the days of King Asa and later King Jehoshaphat and even in recent memory the days of King Hezekiah, God had many times delivered His people from their enemies by His mighty power. But that was the past. They really had no reason to imagine God might come to their rescue and do something spectacular in their time.
Let’s pause right here, for hundreds of millions of people in our world today are feeling much the same as they watch the ‘saber rattling’ of so many world leaders. What do you think my friends? Will God simply allow our world to self-destruct or is God watching, as He always has, and is God ready to act in His mighty power, as only God can?
Let’s reflect with this song and tomorrow we’ll return to see what God said and did next through Nahum at a very strategic moment in Israel’s history.
Today’s Scripture: Nahum 1:1-6.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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