Priorities Reveal Everything

The Twelve: God has spoken!

The Book of Haggai

Where do your priorities truly lie?

The book of Haggai has some very practical application and instruction for us today.

The Overall Message of Haggai: Consider: Is God truly your main priority?

The basic background to Haggai is this: The Jews had been in exile in Babylon. King Cyrus issued a proclamation that the Jews could go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and he was even going to finance it. So about 50,000 (the remnant) Jews who truly wanted to honor God went back to Jerusalem. They started strong, clearing the rubble and laying the foundation, but then got distracted by many things and for the next 16 years, did no work on the temple.

Haggai issues a Challenge to them: 

Get back to it - rebuild the temple

1. Consider your Ways (1:2-11)

    (look at your priorities & your focus)

This really is the central message of the book: 

Consider your ways or as the NIV translates: Give careful thought to you ways.

While the people had inverted spiritual priorities, there were four positive things about them:

They were:

• The Right people - they weren’t the entire Jewish people. Most had stayed in Babylon

These were the Israelites who had set themselves apart by an obvious devotion to God.

 • The Right place - They were in Jerusalem. We know that worship is not about a specific place, but in the Old Testament - Jerusalem is a special place of worship. Part of God’s punishment had been exiling them away from Jerusalem. 

• Right work - The priority was to be the rebuilding of the temple, and that was their original purpose in returning to Jerusalem, even if they had gotten distracted.

• Right reasons - Their goal wasn’t to “show the Babylonians” or prove they could rebuild - it was to please and honor God.  

The people had lost their passion for the things of God. They had become distracted, doing other things.

Haggai 1:4-6 – Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” ⁵ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. ⁶ You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” 

They were focused on their own lives. And they would not be satisfied. They weren’t satisfied with their pursuits. Sounds kind of like our American culture doesn’t it?

• What things in your life would indicate to others that God is a priority?

Is it that you don’t cuss?

Is it that you come to church on Sunday?

Is it that you eat at Chick-fil-A? 

You voted for the right candidate?

Is it that you have a Bible on your coffee table?

For 16 years the house of God had been a heap of ruined stones, while they were busy fixing up their houses, building a better patio, putting in a pool. It’s not that these things are wrong, but they had priorities were backward. This is so relevant to us today. 

• Does God have priority, or does He have to compete for space?

If we are not careful, our lives can easily become cluttered with secular interests and non-essentials and there becomes less and less time for the things that really matter, Like prayer, reading God’s word, meditation, and worship.

• What are you investing in? (a key question)

Are you committed first and foremost to God? If not, are you any less guilty than they are?

• Are you investing your all in Christ and His Body, the Church?

Mark 12:41-44 – And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. ⁴³ And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” 

The question isn’t “what are you giving?”

• The question is: “what are you keeping?”

There is so much that God calls us to - The commitment should be whole and entire

Give careful thought to your ways

We all have “discretionary time” - time that’s not pre-committed to other things. Things like work, family, sleep.  How are you investing this discretionary time?

• If you are truly fully committed to God, here’s the question you should ask: Have I committed to giving too much of my time/$/etc. to something other than God?

Haggai had pointed out the truth to them. And it must have stung. He pointed out their obvious lack of true commitment to God. But here’s something so encouraging, when he did that, 

• The People Obey (1:12-15)

Haggai 1:12 – Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of the prophet Haggai, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared the Lord.

Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the whole Remnant obeyed the voice of the Lord...  They obeyed!

A major part of God’s plan is to communicate to and teach His people is  through the proclamation of His Word. He did it through Haggai, and He continues doing it today through the preaching and teaching of His Word.

How seriously do you take the teaching of God’s Word? 

This verse also says and the people feared the Lord.

When we talk about “fearing” God, we don’t mean whimpering in the corner cringing in fear.

Think of it this way: 

• Fear of God vs. Fear of Man - it’s a scale

The more you fear man - the less you fear God

Are you afraid of being less popular? Of being looked at like the weirdo?

It’s okay to want to be liked and well-thought of. That’s not bad, but when you let your fear of man take over and displace your fear of GOd....

Then - a month later:

2. The Good Old Days (2:1-9)

They seemed to be focusing on what had been instead of what was in the future. They realized that the new temple wasn’t going to be as magnificent as the original one.  And there was some frustration, especially with the older people who had seen the first temple.

They apparently had the idea that the external beauty of the temple glorified God more than what went on inside it.

• It’s the activity that goes on inside that matters.

You know what else we do? We talk about the “good old days” They were worried about Solomon’s temple instead of praising God for delivering them and bringing them back from exile.

We have the tendency to do this as well.

Remember the “good old days” This isn’t a healthy attitude to have. 

We should be looking forward, not backward. 

(Philippians 3:13b-15 – But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way)

It’s not about what happened in the past - it’s about what God is doing NOW. What He wants to do in and through us in the future. 

• Your most exciting time of spiritual growth should be RIGHT NOW as you focus on your sanctification and what God is doing in, around, and through your life and ministry.

Here’s an important question: 

• Is your experience of God’s salvation richer now than it was six months ago?

a year?  5 years?  10? 20? It should be. 

3. True Holiness  (2:10-19)

They may have thought - hey! We’re back in the Holy Land - all is well. We are holy. But they weren’t holy

But - they were ignoring the temple. Their harvests weren’t working well. The result was that everything they did was polluted. Haggai took them back to the OT law to teach them a principle.

• Holiness isn’t contagious, but evil is.

You don’t spread holiness by contact, but evil spreads that way. Holiness is an inward condition of the heart

Your heart is made holy only by the presence of the Holy Spirit within you. Holiness isn’t just “don’t go to bars and brothels” and avoid certain websites and you’re good.

4. God’s Signet Ring  (2:20-23)

A signet ring is as symbol of authority. It was used to seal the word of the king. Zerubbabel’s authority came from God. As we look at Zerubbabel we see a few things.

1. We shouldn’t rely on our own strength - but on God’s Spirit working through us.

2. The problems of the day (social, political, economic) shouldn’t deter us from doing what God has told us to do.

3. God will finish what He starts, including His work in us

Philippians 1:6 – And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

We must be intentional.

We must be focused

We must be passionate about God and His Work. 

What you’re passionate about will be evident to those around you.

Reflection Questions:

• What will you do with all of this?

Will you consider your ways?

• Is God truly the priority in your life? HOW is God truly the priority in your life?

Would it be obvious looking at all your financial information? Your Schedule?

Would it be obvious if I were to come spend the evening at your house?

• What are you keeping?

It’s not about what you’re giving. It’s about what you’re keeping. Whether it be money, or time, or talents, or resources.God should come first.

• Do you have a high view of God?

I’ve said for several weeks now that we need to have this

But - if God is not THE priority in your life, you don’t have a very high view of Him.

• Are you being serious about holiness?

Because God is serious about holiness. And holiness can’t just be in certain areas. It must be comprehensive. All-inclusive.

• As you consider your ways, what needs to change?

Because we’ve all got things we need to change. If you’re thinking “well, I think I’m good” then either you’re not really interested in all of this, or you haven’t really considered your ways.

Is God truly your main priority, or have the things of life become more important?

Consider your ways

Soli Deo Gloria!
Rob

<><

The Attributes of God in Prayer

Many are familiar with the "A•C•T•S" prayer pattern.
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication
But all too often, we fly through "ACT" so that we can get to our long list in "S."
My encouragement to you is to spend the bulk of your time in Adoration as we saw in Habakkuk's prayer. To help you with that, below are some attributes of God you can use as you strive to adore Him in your prayer life (both informal and formal prayers).

Click this link:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/Challies_VisualTheology/the_attributes_of_God.pdf
For a PDF chart of some of the Attributes of God. (It's a big file)

OR - Here's a list you can copy and paste and print out in whatever format you'd like:
Holy
All-Knowing
Supreme
Sovereign
Unchanging
Powerful
Faithful
Good
Patient
Gracious
Merciful
Loving
Wrathful
Infinite
Immense
Just
Omnipresent
Immanent
Perfect
Self-Existent
Self-Sufficient
Transcendent
Eternal
Omnipotent
Wise

Here is the prayer that I prayed on Sunday morning at the conclusion of the sermon.
Part of it is assembled from a list of Attributes I had and part of it I wrote:

Lord Jesus, 

You are the Superlative One! 

No language is adequate to describe You.

You are the Incomparable One! 

Your importance will continue to eclipse all others, outranking every other being in heaven, on earth, or in hell. 

You are the Exalted One! 

For eternity You will forever hold the primary focus of our praises, a position of unrivaled distinction, prestige, and majesty in the universe.

You are the Preeminent One! 

The most important. The one on whom our thoughts must ever dwell. As you were at the beginning , so You will at the end 

You are the Sufficient One! 

Forever proving totally adequate for for all our longings, fears, needs, or heart cries.

You are the Triumphant One! 

You will defeat all foes unconditionally – whether human or demonic – and emerge forever unthreatened, unhindered, and victorious over all opposition, permanently and forever.

You are the Unifying One! 

You will bring all things under Your feet as Lord, You will permanently redeem and reconcile innumerable sinners from all the ages and all the nations. 

Your decrees are irrevocable and Your might is indestructible might. 

And Father, we trust in You.

We confess that all too often our focus is inward.

We ask today, that You would cause our focus to shift from ourselves to you. 

That we would beginning right now - be more intentional as we seek to keep our focus on you. 

Thank you for the life-giving, life-chaning, life-sustaining sacrifice of your Son on the cross for all of those who turn to Him and trust in, rely on, and cling to what He has done. 

We pray this in the name of the Glorious One, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

You CAN trust in God...

The Twelve: God has spoken!

The Book of Habakkuk

Corporately, as a body, we need be growing toward these things: 

A high view of God,

Understanding the sufficiency of His Word,

Growing in the hope of His gospel, and

Experiencing the joy of His church.

As you read through Habakkuk, keep in mind that: 

• Habakkuk is a thinker

In the midst of what’s going on - what Habakkuk came to God with, God’s answer, Habakkuk’s response, and again, God answers, we see in Habakkuk someone who really thinks through things. 

–> Always remember: The Centrality of Christ <–

because it’s here in this book.

The Minor Prophets emphasize:

1. The Sovereignty of God

2. The Holiness of God

3. The Love of God 

As in all of the minor prophets, we clearly see all three of these in Habakkuk.

The Overall Message of Habakkuk: 

In the midst of chaos & evil - you can trust in God

In the formal, literary sense - what we have here is a record of a conversation with God.

Now it wasn’t Habakkuk and God sitting down over coffee and having this conversation. 

It was spread out a little more than that - he carefully crafted what he wanted to ask or say. 

Also, there’s something unique in Habakkuk. In the other minor prophets we’ve looked at, the prophets have come to the people with a message from God - God speaking to His people through His prophets. 

Here, however, Habakkuk is coming to God to speak for the people.

The other prophets make bold declarations – Habakkuk makes inquiry.

Remember that as King of Judah, Josiah had not only attacked pagan idolatry, but had led the people to renew their commitment to God. Then, Jehoiakim came and had turned the nation away from God again. It would seem that Habakkuk was frustrated with this different direction and had been praying for revival.

• We have the classic question here in Habakkuk - how can such bad things happen to good people? God’s people?

We all want to be happy, right? Habakkuk is a prophet who doesn’t appear to be happy. 

1. Habakkuk’s Complaint

• An Honest Question

How can I be happy when it seems that God doesn’t care?

We have a tendency to start doubting God as soon as He stops doing things like what we think He should.

We get nervous, upset, and maybe start complaining. But we need to see these things as things God is using to accomplish His purposes. We’re so prone to idolatry. To putting our trust in our stuff. In our prosperity. In our 401K, in our job, in our government, in our president, in our military...

Instead of trusting in God Himself!

2. The Lord’s Answer

God answers - I’m going to send the Babylonians to be my arm of punishment for the sins of Israel.

Habakkuk is perplexed - confused. Um.... the Babylonians? They’re evil people, they’re not holy. THEY are going to be the punishers? What?!?!?

• How can you use the even-more-wicked Babylonians?

When God answers this question - we’ll be at the heart of Habakkuk.

• Four History Lessons from the first Two Chapters

1. History is under God’s Control (1:5-6)

It wasn’t the Chaldeans military power that got them where they were. It was God.

2. History follows God’s plan 

The events of history are not accidents, 

3. History follows God’s Schedule

We’re on God’s schedule. He’s not checking our schedules.

4. History Revolves around God’s Kingdom

The key to the history of the world is the kingdom of God. Other nations matter only relevant in how they interact with God’s people.

When you see surprising (or upsetting) things happening in the world, don’t be bothered or question God, instead ask - “How does this relate to the Kingdom of God?”

Better yet, ask:

• “What is there in me that needs to be corrected? Where have I gone wrong?”

3. Another Question, and a a Right Response

Habakkuk backed up, thought about who God was, and trusted Him.

If God is sovereign, this invasion isn’t just chance

If God is sovereign, their victory must be for the good of God’s people.

• There’s definitely thinking going on in Habakkuk’s mind.

4. The Central Truth

2:4 – “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. 

This is quite possibly the great central text of the entire Bible.

• The righteous shall live by his faith

If you understand this, you understand the gospel.

• Righteousness

In ourselves, we are not righteous. 

So how do we get this righteousness that we so desperately need and is apparently freely given?

• Faith

Faith is believing God and acting on that belief.

In Hebrews, all of the heroes of the Hall of Faith - demonstrated their faith through deeds. 

The deeds didn’t save them - they were demonstrations of their faith.

• Live (or Life)

The righteous will [continuously] LIVE by faith.  24-7-365

It’s by faith that the Justified one will live.

Next, Babylon is described.  

2:19 points to their idolatry. Their worship of these non-gods.

Then it takes this dramatic pause in

2:20 – But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” 

This is about “being silent,” or “reverent”

It’s about being quiet in expectancy.  Our God isn’t silent like the pagan gods. Our God speaks! He’s real!!!!

So close your mouth and open your ears, because the real God will speak through His Word.

Mark Dever: If you’re not spending time reading and studying your Bible regularly - what are you spending your life doing? You’re doing something. 

5. The Prayer

Practical elements that should pervade your prayer life.

• Approach with Humility

We cannot succeed if we think that we deserve to be able to speak to God. We are a people who have an entitlement mindset. We do not deserve to be heard. But because of the Love of God. Because of what Christ has done. All of God’s children can come confidently (yet in humility) before their loving Father with all of their concerns. Pains. Joys. 

• When Habakkuk turned his attention from Himself, from His people and turned toward God - there was a significant change.

• Approach in Worship and Adoration

Stand in awe of what He has done.

He began:

You’re probably familiar with the “ACTS” acrostic. 

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication

Adoration is first - but how often do we fly through Adoration quickly, so we can get to our long list of things to pray for? Stop there - spend some time there.

• Approach with God’s Will in the forefront

It’s all too easy to want our own will. But he asks for God’s work and God’s renown to be revived.

This word “revive” - it’s not a “remodel” kind of word. Put on a fresh coat of paint. Sand and re-paint things. Bring in some new carpet and new furniture. 

It means to make alive. The people were spiritually dead. He’s asking for them to be made alive by God’s Spirit.

• Ask for renewal in the midst of bad times.

When you think about it - many of the “great revivals” did happen in the midst of bad times. 

• Ask for Mercy

In Luke 18, what does the “justified man pray? - Lord be merciful to me, a sinner!

• The Conclusion: Victory!

As believers in Jesus Christ - we should approach everything with joy. 

God is sovereign. God is in control. You can have a deep, abiding joy because of what God has done.

Remember in the darkness, what you learned in the light. (from “Jesus is Better” Caleb & Sol)

• He remembers the faithfulness of God. 

(And all before the New Testament!)

Verses 17-18 – Though the fig tree should not blossom, 

nor fruit be on the vines, 

the produce of the olive fail 

and the fields yield no food, 

the flock be cut off from the fold 

and there be no herd in the stalls, 

¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord; 

I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 

Wow! 

Habakkuk wasn’t afraid of anything because His God was greater than all of that. 

• Here is a high view of God

When we have this right view of God, we can look at whatever is going on in our lives through the right lens.

And rejoice in the Lord. Taking joy in the God of our salvation.

Reflection Questions:

• Where are you looking for happiness?

You’ll only find it in the person and work Christ. You’ll only find it in the Gospel.

• If we can see God’s hand in the history of the Bible, why don’t we follow that path forward to the history that’s unfolding today, right in front of us?

Are you more focused on your own situation, or on God’s plan, purpose, and schedule?

• Do you contemplate the glory of God?

Or are you all about the glory of me? Because it’s one or the other.

How are you pointing to God with the details of your life?

• “What is there in me that needs to be corrected? Where have I gone wrong?”

• The Prayer Question

Charles Spurgeon says “Prayerless souls are Christless souls”

Do you have both informal and formal prayer in your life?

And finally, do you understand what it means when it says

• The righteous shall live by his faith

You should be growing in your understanding of righteousness, faith, and living it.

Stay Calm and.....

1 Peter 3:13-17 – Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. 

There’s no doubt that things in our country have changed significantly. Things that would have only been whispered about in shame have become points of pride in today’s world. It’s remarkable how fast all of this has happened. 

And it would appear that things are only going to accelerate and keep going in the same direction. What’s a Christian to do?

First - Don’t panic. God is still in control. He is still on His throne. He is still sovereign. Nothing has happened that is outside of His divine providence. We won’t always understand all He is doing, but we don’t have to. As for me, I don’t want to serve a God that’s not in complete control. His sovereignty is taught in the Bible over and over, right alongside our responsibility to be obedient. Keep all of that in mind. 

Next - Be saturated in His Word. In His Word, we’ll find all of the answers because His Word points us continually to Him “in whom we live and move and have our being.” There’s nothing new to know. No new “flash of inspiration” that you need in order to handle what’s going on today. 

Focus - Sharpen your focus on Him. In 1 Peter 3:13-17 (above), we have such a clear exhortation for what’s going on today. Let’s walk through it briefly so that you can be blessed by what GOD is doing in HIS world today (the one He placed you in and the time He placed you here). 

ZEAL - be passionate for what you know is good. This doesn’t mean that you’re a jerk about it. That’s easy to be, but be passionate for the truth.

SUFFERING - the Bible promises many times that Christians will suffer. So if that’s coming, so be it. But let it be for the right things, not for being pushy or insensitive or rude. Let it be for passion about righteousness.

HONOR CHRIST - think about this often. Create reminders. Write it on your hand, make it your screensaver, put post-its in your home, car, and office. Always think: “will this honor Christ?” A believer will know the answer. 

BE PREPARED - this is critical. There are many issues facing us today. We must be prepared to discuss them intelligently. First: know the Gospel, for that’s the starting point of everything. Next: be diligent to prepare yourself to discuss these issues and know what the Bible really says about them. So many people have twisted what the Bible really says about things. Many people have a wrong mindset about what it says.

GENTLENESS/RESPECT - Gentleness is one of the fruits of the spirit. It should show itself through respect. If you hold to a Biblical worldview, then you WILL disagree with many people. It’s okay to disagree. Don’t be the one who defines “tolerance” by demonstrating that it only means they tolerate you (it shouldn’t be a one-way street).

GOOD BEHAVIOR - we should not only be ready to proclaim the Gospel, but it should show in all of our deeds. The popular statement “preach the Gospel always, when necessary, use words” needs to be tweaked a bit. It should say “Preach the Gospel always, using both words and deeds.” Be an ambassador for Christ. Let God make His appeal through you (both words and deeds) because if you’re a believer the old has gone and the new has come. You are a new creation and in Him you have the righteousness of Christ. That should be something that everyone you encounter sees.

Now go back and read the passage at the top one more time!

Soli Deo Gloria! (for the glory of God alone!)

Rob

<><

Put on your "Gospel Glasses" now!

The Twelve: God has spoken!

The Book of Nahum

We need to be a people who are striving to have 

A high view of God,

Understand the sufficiency of His Word,

Growing in the hope of His gospel, and

Experiencing the joy of His church.

Nahum has a different vibe about it than the other Minor Prophets - but when you really look at it. When you study it and see it through the lens of the Cross - it’s a beautiful message. 

The “Minor Prophet Big Picture”

–> Always remember: The Centrality of Christ <–

in all of Scripture. Because it’s always about Him in whom we live and move and have our being.

and that in everything He might be preeminent

The Minor Prophets emphasize:

1. The Sovereignty of God

2. The Holiness of God

3. The Love of God

And we so clearly see all three of these in Nahum.

The Overall Message of Nahum:  Judgment and Deliverance

To rightly understand Nahum, we need a little history:

Nahum was founded by Nimrod, the first on earth to be a mighty man. (Genesis 10:8-11), so he was responsible for the first world empire.

The city goes back to 5,000 BC.

Nineveh is first mentioned in 2200 BC in the Code of Hammurabi.

Hammurabi was the king who made the name of the goddess Ishtar famous in the temple in Nineveh.

In the middle 800s, the kingdom of Assyria began to really expand and they encountered Israel 

The first time the Jews were really humbled was the Assyrian King Shalamaneser III. It’s significant that his attack was from Nineveh. Tiglath-pileser - invaded and took over. Then, his son attacked, died during the campaign - but things didn’t come to a halt when the king died. His son, Sargon came in and brought the Northern Kingdom to an end. Remember - all these things had a connection to Nineveh.

Sargon’s Son - Sennacherib did some great things for Nineveh:

He doubled the size of Nineveh, making it the Largest city in the world.

The Palace at Nineveh was called “the Palace with no Rival.”

They definitely thought they were invincible. They had a 46 Acre armory that took six years to build.

They were the world power that nobody thought could be conquered. 

They were also known for their cruelty and lack of mercy. 

If you were a captive and didn’t cooperate, you would be either skinned alive or crushed to death by your own son. 

• Nineveh had become the concentrated center of evil. 

They were the very definition of cruel torture. 

Here’s how you should think of Nineveh – A great city that had existed almost from the beginning of time. They were the power that you didn’t dare confront. They couldn’t be defeated. They were, essentially, invincible. This was the empire that Nahum prophesied against.

A prophet from a tiny nation, from a town so small that we don’t really know where it was, Speaking to the greatest empire in the world.

Then - a few years later - it was overthrown never to be inhabited again. 

In 612 BC - Nineveh fell - completely destroyed - burned and leveled.

It went from being the very center of history, the most powerful nation in the world, to being essentially forgotten.

• Nahum’s name means “comfort”

An interesting name for a prophet writing a book whose central focus is the destruction of the mightiest city in the world. But - the fall of Nineveh would bring hope and comfort for Judah

None of the other minor prophets are this bold, this intense, or this beautifully poetic. When you study it as poetry it’s a regular and perfect poem. One commentator said, “Nahum’s poetic ability is unexcelled among OT poets” 

The Three Chapters of Nahum form the three major themes in the book.

Chapter 1. Character of God

This is not a book about humans or vengeance. It’s a book about God. Nineveh will be judged because it’s God’s enemy, not because of Judah

• Nahum teaches us to trust God and to believe

Especially when it would seem that we are completely powerless to do anything about what’s going on. (because we are...) Nahum 1:7 – The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. 

Nahum pictures God as faithful (1:7), merciful (1:3), , and just (1:2-3), good (1:7) (ALL THE TIME)

Here’s something I want you to remember - it will come back:

• To truly end oppression requires the removal of the oppressor.

The question comes up:

• Who Is in Charge?

Ultimately - we’re all control freaks. We want to be in charge. We want to be the boss. But ultimately, we know who’s in charge, right? But - do we think about that?

Think about this for a minute: How often do you think about trusting in God? Have you, today, thought about the fact that you are completely dependent on Him? Did you think about how desperately you need Him? Did you think about how faithful He is to you? All the time?

• You are not in charge. 

And this was the biggest problem of the Ninevites - they thought they were in charge. 

The first chapter of Nahum is about the Sovereignty of God.

The beautiful poetry of Nahum has some rhetorical questions

Chapter Two tells us that Destruction is Coming

There’s certainly some suspense here. We read this knowing what’s going on. But imagine you were a Jew living in Jerusalem.

You hear this prophecy. The power of God. Destroying His enemies. This is intense. 

Then, in Nahum 2:8 – Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away.

OH!! This is talking about Nineveh? This is great!

The point of the book is right at the end of Chapter 2 – Nahum 2:13 – Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard. 

You will be wiped out completely! I can’t imagine more serious words. 

God Himself declares “I am against YOU!”

• If you’re not a believer in Jesus Christ, (One who has turned from their sins and trusted in, relied on, and is actively clinging to what He did on the cross,) you are God’s enemy!

and destruction is coming.

Chapter 3 - Final Judgment

It just keeps on going. The certainty of destruction continues. For more than 100 years, no one had known anything but Assyria and Nineveh being THE ruling force. But it was all about to come back to them. 

All of this evil that they had been doing to others, was about to be done to them.

Remember: this message of the horrific destruction of Nineveh was written to God’s people. 

They got to see what would happen to Nineveh. This should have been an encouragement to God’s people.

• The defeat of the ultimate enemy.

The main religion for the Assyrians was the worship of Ishtar - who was often referred to as “the prostitute.”

This is a reference to the pagan idolatry and depravity that existed in the city.

• God is a holy God - He will not endure evil forever.

When God is against you - what happens?

• You’ll be seen for who you really are

Nineveh would be exposed for who she really was. 

• Sin has consequences.

What Nineveh had done was coming back to her.

The theme here is 

• No hope for Nineveh
All of the things you would do to protect yourself  won’t help you.

Here that it all comes into view. You must look at all of this from the right perspective.

When you put on your "Gospel Glasses" and look at this book from the right perspective, it all becomes so clear.

• The Right Lens

Everything becomes so clear

• We’re Nineveh.

And the entire book points us to the Gospel. It calls us to repentance.

The sins of Nineveh were great - but what does Paul say to us?

Romans 3:10-18 – “None is righteous, no, not one... Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness....Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  (That kind of sounds like Nineveh)

But - 

• Nineveh is also sin.

Sin cannot be conquered. It is a foe that you cannot defeat. When you come to understand the holiness of God. That He requires perfection That He will as Acts 17:31 says: judge the world in righteousness

You realize how much trouble you are in.

• All sin is active rebellion against a holy God.

It makes you His enemy, no matter how nice or polite your rebellion might look.

No matter what you’ve done to ensure your trip to heaven. 

Your sin is a foe that you cannot defeat. You cannot fix the problem of your sin and separation from God.

You can’t trust in anything you have done or might do.

But - if you have come to an awareness of your sinfulness. Your depravity.

And you have turned to Christ and what He did on behalf of all those who trust in Him.

Then you can be saved from destruction just like Jerusalem was. 

• We must realize that we have an invincible foe. 

One we cannot defeat on our own. That foe is our own sin. That foe is our own flesh.  On our own, we cannot possibly hope to escape.

But God. Demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

• God has defeated sin in Christ

Reflection Questions:

• Do you understand the Character of God?

Do you really understand His sovereignty? Do you study God?

• How often do you thank God for every breath?

Every heartbeat. Every detail of every day? Have you really contemplated lately the reality of “in Him all things hold together” lately?

• Do you realize that your sin is an undefeatable foe without Christ?

And that’s not just for those who are not believers.

It’s for believers as well. We need to see the idols in our lives more clearly. The things that become more important than God in our lives. The things that distract us. 

What are the rivals of God in your own life?

• Has the old passed away?

Has the new come?

Every sin ever committed by every person who ever lives. Will be punished.

God’s wrath will be poured out on sin.

Nineveh drank the cup of God’s wrath.

They drank it fully.

But for those who believe. For those who have called on His name and trusted in Him - He drank that cup for us.

Nahum means comfort.

There is comfort for God’s people because He has defeated the undefeatable foe - He has defeated sin.

If you haven't had a chance, you can watch my sermon on Nahum on our Vimeo Page.