Grace Messages

Last week, we mentioned that we would be reading a PROPHETIC NEWSPAPER for the rest of Nahum! The detail and precision of what he recorded 50 years before it happened is nothing short of miraculous. This morning, we are going to get additional destructive details. This can have a great effect on us and how we view the rest of the Scriptures. To see this amount of detail given, and fulfilled prophetically, should increase our overall confidence in the Word of God.

For the next four weeks, we are going to be reading a PROPHETIC NEWSPAPER! Typically, newspapers report events that have already happened in the past, but since God is outside of space and time, the future can be written as if it has already happened. Chapters 2 & 3 provide more specific details and descriptions of the attack and plundering of Nineveh. Now Nahum 1:15 is actually the beginning of chapter 2 in the Hebrew Bible, and it reminds us of WHY God is stepping in to personally execute judgment on the Assyrians…He loves Israel! God has made promises to Israel that He must keep because of His own character – He is faithful – He cannot lie. This is an extremely comforting truth even for us!

Last week we considered a side of God’s character that does NOT get much attention – His justice. This week we will consider the execution of His just wrath. As a reminder, Nahum had seen all of this in a vision (verse 1), and thus he is simply recording what he has seen. What is amazing is that his prophecy reads exactly like the historical record of the events that would transpire some 40 years later in the future.

This morning we are going to take a look at the character of God, and we are going to look at some attributes of God, that in our culture, are almost uncomfortable to look at too long. These character qualities have to do with the JUSTICE side of the house, and quite frankly many people do not want to think about this. We want love, mercy, and grace! However, we must realize that God’s just nature is “good news” too! For Nahum’s audience, God’s justice for the Assyrians was good news and comfort to them! For us today, since God has a clearly defined standard of righteousness and holiness, you can be assured that if JUSTICE has been executed on God’s substitute (Jesus Christ), then none of it remains for you!

The books of Jonah and Nahum, although separated by 100 years, should always be connected. Both books concern the nation of Assyria and its capital city Nineveh. Jonah gave a direct prophecy of judgment TO Nineveh and Nahum gave a prophecy of judgment ABOUT Nineveh. But what happened IN BETWEEN the two prophecies? As we get ready to dive into Nahum verse by verse, let’s consider the backstory and lead up to Nahum’s prophecy…

Proverbs reminds us that a heart that is healthy is a heart at peace ... contented (14:30). But gaining and maintaining a healthy heart is a challenge in a culture saturated with envy and discontentment. In this message we examine some Scriptures that teach us the source of true contentment.

The 19th Century English poet, Francis Thomson, wrote the poem The Hound of Heaven after his life had been messed up by drug addiction and poverty. He speaks of running away from a God who was pursuing him like a hound in pursuit of a rabbit. We will see that this morning in the life of Jonah. It would be easy to assume that chapter 3, Nineveh’s miraculous response is the climax of the story, but then chapter 4 was written. This narrative does NOT have a clean ending – no closure! But what we do see is a gracious God personally pursuing an unworthy prophet! NOT pursuing him for salvation but pursuing him for fellowship!

Last week, we left Jonah in the belly of his “organic salvation submarine!” Remember, the fish was actually God’s physical salvation plan from Jonah drowning in the sea. This morning, we will see that Jonah receives another chance to fulfill his mission, and unfortunately for Jonah he is very successful on his missionary journey! We are going to see mercy and grace in ACTION this morning! God is going to give Jonah a second chance (that he does NOT deserve), and God is going to give one of the most evil empires in the history of the world a chance to avoid His judgment (they also did NOT deserve this opportunity)!

Last week we left Jonah and the mariners in a precarious situation, and it was all because Jonah had run from God. Remember, Jonah had run because he did not want his name attached to the God’s prophetic warning to Nineveh in case they responded. Thus, Jonah had been identified on the boat as the CAUSE of the violent storm after having done something foolish, even to the heathen mariners. He had attempted to run from the God who created the sea, using the sea as his escape. Even still, the mariners desired to save Jonah’s life by getting him back to shore, but as we will see God had other plans…

This morning we will look at a man of God in complete rebellion against God. Jonah was a man whose theology was orthodox – He knew God’s character accurately, he knew God’s plans are perfect, he knew all of God’s attributes, but he disagreed with God’s evaluation of the Assyrians. God, in His longsuffering, wanted to provide an evil Gentile nation an opportunity to repent and Jonah disagreed with God’s evaluation. Thus, Jonah basically said, “I do not want my name attached to this offer of mercy – NOT to these people!” So, Jonah ran, and as we will see, God caught up to him!