Nahum 3:11 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Nahum 3:11

Comments

‘Thou shalt be drunken’ – not literally, but with terror as the enemy approaches, with the cup of judgment which the Lord gives her to drink. ‘Thou shalt be hid’ – which as Matthew Poole suggests is either because they hid themselves to escape from the approach of the enemy, or because they were so diminished that they no longer appeared to have any significance, or else because they were reduced to contempt. The following phrase describes them as doing what they had never done before and seeking the help of neighbouring powers; that would agree more with their hiding themselves out of fear of the enemy.The things they formerly trusted in will let them down. The strongholds they previously relied on would turn out to be hopeless refuges from the Babylonians and Medes coming against them. These refuges are compared to fig trees which, when given a little shake, drop their fruit into the expectant mouth of the eater. In other words Nineveh will yield up her treasures to her enemies and will be unable to prevent herself being robbed of them. Her fortifications will not keep the enemy out, and they will come in and take what they want, just ripe figs are easily shaken from a tree.The hearts of the bravest will quake, and be like the hearts of women in a city under attack. This is not in days when a woman can handle a high-tech weapon, but when native strength is all that a person has to fight with. The gates of Nineveh will be forced open and the enemy will come in unhindered and do whatever damage they think fit. The fortified bars set to strengthen the gates into the city will be consumed with fire, and the city left defenceless.

Application

God does not simply judge Nineveh and overcome her by his superior power. He does so in a way that makes plain the failure of her strength in the process. She is not simply being judged; she is being laid bare as an intrinsically flawed civilisation. Her judgment is at the same time going to be an exposure of her inadequacy. This is part of God’s judgment of her, for she must not be allowed to maintain the fiction that she is as wonderful as she makes out. She fails because of the inherent weaknesses within her. There is an argument in play here, and God will win that argument. Every false system, and every false religion, and every high thing that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God must be brought down, and it must be brought down so as to take from it any claim to greatness. When God judges the world, his judgment will be so thorough that no argument put forth as part of its campaign will be left unanswered. The world will not be left with even a few things that can be said in its favour; it will be left with nothing. If we understand the prophecy rightly, this implies that the collapse of this world will not take place in a moment, but will be long enough for all to observe what is happening.

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Nahum 3:11 Commentary and Bible Study

The meaning of Nahum 3:11 explained