NAHUM LESSON 2


     We will begin this lesson in Nahum 2:1 "He that dasheth in pieces
is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make
[thy] loins strong, fortify [thy] power mightily."

     Nahum tells Nineveh, that they had better prepare, because war is
coming. They had been very cruel in their dealings with God's people,
and now, God is sending His judgement upon them. They can prepare all
they want to, but God will destroy them for their evil deeds.

     Nahum 2:2 "For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob,
as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out,
and marred their vine branches."

     This is a reminder, that it was the chastisement of God that had
brought down Israel. God has not forgotten the cruelty of the
Assyrians on His chosen people, and God will destroy them. Isaiah 10:5
"O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is
mine indignation."  This is just one Scripture about the Assyrians.
Read the rest of the account by continuing on with verse 6.

     Nahum 2:3 "The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant
men [are] in scarlet: the chariots [shall be] with flaming torches in
the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly
shaken."

     Nahum describes the attack on Nineveh, as if he were there. He
sees blood all over the shields. The battle is so great, that even the
fir trees tremble. The red in the soldiers garment, probably, speaks
of the wrath of God upon the people against God. In the following
verse, we see that red in battle speaks of taking peace away.
Revelation 6:4 "And there went out another horse [that was] red: and
[power] was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the
earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto
him a great sword."

     Nahum 2:4 "The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall
justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like
torches, they shall run like the lightnings."

     There were so many chariots in the street, that it seemed as if
the chariots were crashing into each other, and probably, they were.
The swords and the chariot wheels looked like lightning, when the sun
shined upon them.

     Nahum 2:5 "He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in
their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence
shall be prepared."

     Recount, in the verse above, means to mark so as to be
recognized. This is checking up on who he can depend upon to fight and
protect them the best. Which of his soldiers have the best record? The
best soldiers in the country will gather at the wall to defend the
city.

     Nahum 2:6 "The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the
palace shall be dissolved."

     This is speaking of the river of people who come against the
city. They are overwhelmed and destroyed. There is no defence against
God.

     Nahum 2:7 "And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be
brought up, and her maids shall lead [her] as with the voice of doves,
tabering upon their breasts."

     "Huzzab" is, probably, not a name of a person, but is speaking of
the city of Nineveh. This just speaks of Nineveh as being taken
captive.  The people in this city, and the smaller cities around her
have gone into mourning for the destruction of Nineveh. The "tabering
upon their breasts", possibly, means they were beating upon their
breasts, because their hearts were broken.

     Nahum 2:8 "But Nineveh [is] of old like a pool of water: yet they
shall flee away. Stand, stand, [shall they cry]; but none shall look
back."

     We remember from our study in Jonah, that Nineveh was a city of
over 120,000 people. Nineveh had been a city that all the nearby
cities went to from time to time. They had been a beautiful city with
trafficing. The smaller cities came there for trade, and for
entertainment. They do not stand. They fall to God's punishment on
them. They are so thoroughly destroyed, they will not be a place of
gathering again.

     Nahum 2:9 "Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold:
for [there is] none end of the store [and] glory out of all the
pleasant furniture."

     There had been so much gold and silver in Nineveh, that some of
the furniture was made of these precious metals. They had cruely taken
these precious metals, when they had attacked other surrounding
countries.

     Nahum 2:10 "She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart
melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain [is] in all
loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness."

     Fear was so great, that it seemed as if their hearts melted. The
knees smiting together was another way of showing the overwhelming
fear that gripped them. Their pain was from their fear, as well. The
face turning black was, probably, with the tremendous grief.

     Nahum 2:11 "Where [is] the dwelling of the lions, and the
feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, [even] the old lion,
walked, [and] the lion's whelp, and none made [them] afraid?"
     These Assyrians were so ferocious, they were thought of as lions.
When God destroyed Nineveh, it was as if He had killed the lion in his
own den. The headquarters of these ferocious people was destroyed.

     Nahum 2:12 "The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps,
and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and
his dens with ravin."

     This is just saying, that they were so ferocious, and so
uncaring, about others, that they had taken all that had any value
away from the people they fought. They were not satisfied to take
enough for their needs, they had stripped all the wealth away from
their neighbors, and greedily kept it for themselves.

     Nahum 2:13 "Behold, I [am] against thee, saith the LORD of hosts,
and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour
thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the
voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard."

     The LORD of hosts is the same as Almighty God. Chariots, in this
Scripture, are speaking of all the war materials. God destroyed all of
their fighting men. They would never, again, be able to pillage and
destroy their neighbors and their goods. These "messengers" were those
who carried decrees from their king. The Lord destroyed all their
weapons of war, and destroyed the city, as well.





























                          Nahum 2 Questions



1.  Nahum tells __________ that they had better prepare.
2.  They had been _________ in their dealings with God's people.
3.  What had really brought down Israel?
4.  Quote Isaiah chapter 10 verse 5.
5.  The shield of his mighty men is turned ______.
6.  How does Nahum describe the attack on Nineveh?
7.  Quote Revelation chapter 6 verse 4.
8.  There were so many chariots in the street, it seemed they were
    doing what?
9.  What does "recount" in verse 5 mean?
10. Who fought in Nineveh?
11. What is the river in verse 6?
12. "Huzzab" is, probably, who?
13. Why were people in the nearby cities mourning?
14. How big was Nineveh?
15. What happens to their gold and silver?
16. Where had they gotten it?
17. There had been so much gold and silver, that their __________was
    made of it.
18. How was their fear described?
19. Why were they called lions?
20. When God destroyed Nineveh, it was as if He had killed the _______
    in his own den.
21. The LORD of hosts is the same as __________ ______.
22. Who were the "messengers"?