Main Street Baptist Church

(Monday, Jan. 5, 2009)  Suppose someone invited you our to lunch and took you to a nice restaurant. They ordered expensive food for both of you, enjoyed the meal, then got up and walked out without waiting for the check. When you asked them why they didn’t pay they were surprised, saying they didn’t know they had to pay and weren’t prepared to pay. They just wanted a nice meal is all! Sound unbelievable? Everyone knows you must pay for what you do. Or do they? Often people sin assuming they’ll never have to pay for it. God holds each one accountable for their sin. Unless it is put under the blood of Jesus, it remains on the account of the one who committed the sin.

Nineveh is a prime example of this. Founded by Nimrod, who also founded Babel, it was a large, virtually impregnable city. The walls were 100 feet high and wide enough for 3 chariots to ride side by side. In addition there were 1,500 towers which were 200 feet high. A moat 60 feet deep and 140 feet wide surrounded the whole city. The walls were 60 miles long, making the city about 350 square miles. The Tigris River flowed along one side and the Khoser River came through the town. This provided valuable water as well as further protection. Suburbs and fields surrounded the city. At least 1 million people lived there. These were cruel, heartless people. They had a mania for blood and savagery, comparable to the worst in Nazi Germany. They didn’t just defeat other nations, they enjoyed bringing the worst suffering and misery possible. Jonah’s revival of 150 years earlier had completely faded and their evil was worse than ever.

DOOM DECLARED (1) I don’t know what kind of speaker Nahum was, but he was a tremendously gifted writer. The book is a beautiful literary masterpiece. He uses special Hebrew words to describe God. He points out God is very angry at Nineveh for its sin. God has been patient but even God’s patience has limits -- and His limits are almost here. God is all powerful, and withholding judgment so far wasn’t done because He was weak but to give more time for repentance. Actually God isn’t being cruel in destroying Nineveh, He has been very patient with them. Judging them brings justice to the world and glorifies Him. It just gives them what they chose anyway.

Ironically, God used the rivers and walls they used for protection to destroy them. That was His show of justice on them.

DOOM DESCRIBED (2) Nehemiah not only tells WHAT will happen (chapter 1) but also HOW it will happen (chapter 2). Babylon will use the rivers to flood the city and easily destroy it. Inside the nobles and people will be so overconfident that they will party and be drunk, not believing Nineveh could fall. They will be wrong! History records the fall of Nineveh just exactly as God predicted!

DOOM DESERVED (3) In chapter 3 the WHY of the destruction is detailed. The people are evil, cruel and bloody. They are guilty of idolatrous practices, witchcraft and destruction. They will reap what they owed. They showed no one mercy, and none will be shown to them. The city will be so thoroughly destroyed no one will even remember its location. That is what happened. For almost 3,000 years its very location was unknown, not until 1842. The city literally sinned itself to death. It didn’t even try to change or think of repenting. It died. Somehow they thought God would judge lesser nations for lesser sin, but they would escape. Not so. Unfortunately there are many parallels with America. I remember hearing Billy Graham say that if God doesn’t judge America He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah! Well, God isn’t going to apologize. There is a price to pay for sin.

No one would think of going into a restaurant and not having to pay for the food they eat, but many today think they won’t have to pay for their sin. This applies to nations and individuals both. Aren’t you glad that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross and, because you accepted His free gift of salvation, you don’t have to worry about that any more? Take some time now and thank Him for what He has done for you and what He will do for you.

TITLE: After Writer

AUTHOR: Nahum (“Comforter”)

DATE of WRITING: 661 - 612 BC

PLACE of WRITING: Israel

TIME COVERED: About 50 years

RECIPIENTS: Nineveh

KEY VERSE: 3:5-7 "I am against you," declares the LORD Almighty. "I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. I will pelt you with filth, I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. All who see you will flee from you and say, 'Nineveh is in ruins-- who will mourn for her?' Where can I find anyone to comfort you?"

KEY WORD: “Vengeance/Revenge” 3 times

PURPOSE: About 150 years after Jonah’s revival, Nineveh is deep in sin so God announces their destruction because of sin.

THEME: The justice of God in destroying Nineveh

Spend some time reading this book this week.