The book of Nahum is the opposite of the book of Jonah. Both books deal with the city of Nineveh, but whereas Jonah brought, or extended, God’s salvation to that sinful city, Nahum brought God’s judgment upon Nineveh. Jonah reveals that God in His salvation is the God of all the peoples of the earth, not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles. Nahum reveals that God is also the God of all peoples in His judgment. Thus, God is the God of all peoples both in judgment and in salvation.
The book of Nahum shows us why God judges a city. In this book we see both the fact and the cause of God’s judgment on Nineveh. God extended His salvation to Nineveh, but Nineveh was sinful and invaded Israel.
In Nahum 1:1 we have the introductory word.
In Hebrew Nahum means “comfort” and “avenge,” signifying that Jehovah God comforts His elect, Israel, and avenges Israel of her enemy, Nineveh.
The time of Nahum’s ministry was about 713 B.C. That was the year in which Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, invaded Israel.
The place of Nahum’s ministry was the southern kingdom of Judah. History tells us that Nahum grew up in Galilee, in a town called Elkosha, which is near Capernaum. The name Capernaum may mean “the city of Nahum,” indicating that it had much to do with Nahum. Although Nahum was a northerner, the place of his ministry was in the south.
The object of Nahum’s ministry was the great city of Nineveh. The cities of Babel and Nineveh were built by Nimrod (Gen. 10:8-11) and became the capitals of the nations of Babylon and Assyria. Nimrod, the first type of Antichrist, was the first to oppose God, and both of these nations were strong figures of mankind in their opposing of God. Actually, Assyria was the first nation to come and devastate Israel, invading Israel in 713 B.C. (2 Kings 18:13—19:37), more than one hundred years before the Babylonian invasion in 606 B.C.
The subject of the book of Nahum is Jehovah’s judgment on Nineveh as the capital of the evil Assyria.
The central thought of Nahum is that Jehovah judged Assyria, avenging Israel of her enemy to restore her for her comfort.
The book of Nahum has three sections: the introductory word (1:1); Jehovah as the majestic Judge (1:2-7); and Jehovah’s judgment on Nineveh (1:8—3:19).
In 1:2-7 Jehovah is revealed as the majestic Judge. First, we see that Jehovah is the Judge and then we see the majesty of Jehovah as the Judge.
As the Judge, Jehovah is a jealous God and One who avenges. He avenges and is full of wrath; He takes vengeance on His adversaries; and He reserves wrath for His enemies (v. 2). He is slow to anger and great in power, and He will by no means clear the guilty (v. 3). In verse 7 the prophet declares, “Jehovah is good, / A stronghold in a day of distress; / And He knows those who take refuge in Him.”
Verses 4 through 6 speak of the majesty of Jehovah as the Judge. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; He dries up all the rivers; the mountains quake because of Him; and the earth is heaved up at His presence (vv. 4-5). Hence, the prophet asks, “Who can stand before His indignation, / And who can maintain himself in the fierceness of His anger? / His wrath is poured out like fire, / And the rocks are broken down by Him” (v. 6).