Daily Devotional Saturday 23rd May 2020
by William MoodyNahum 3:1–7
Woe to Nineveh
3:1 Woe to the bloody city,
all full of lies and plunder—
no end to the prey!
2 The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel,
galloping horse and bounding chariot!
3 Horsemen charging,
flashing sword and glittering spear,
hosts of slain,
heaps of corpses,
dead bodies without end—
they stumble over the bodies!
4 And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute,
graceful and of deadly charms,
who betrays nations with her whorings,
and peoples with her charms.
5 Behold, I am against you,
declares the LORD of hosts,
and will lift up your skirts over your face;
and I will make nations look at your nakedness
and kingdoms at your shame.
6 I will throw filth at you
and treat you with contempt
and make you a spectacle.
7 And all who look at you will shrink from you and say,
“Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?”
Where shall I seek comforters for you?(ESV)
Nineveh was a very cruel city, merciless as it conquered other nations. Nahum highlights their bloodthirsty activity (v1-3). But nothing that is done is ever hidden from the eyes of God.
Nahum then focuses on what drove Nineveh to act as it did (v4). Lusting for more to satisfy a sinful heart is very dangerous. Contrast James 4 v1-3 with Philippians 4 v10-13.
Nineveh’s big problem is God’s opposition to her sin (v5, see 2 v13). Let’s never fool ourselves into thinking that God will be anything but opposed to our sin. Not only defeat but great shame is what Nineveh deserves (v5b-6). Mocking and shaming God will eventually bring God’s justice.
Nineveh will be deserted and without comfort (v7). We must think here of the Saviour who took the shame of His people’s sin upon Himself. “Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood”.
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.