Nahum 3:8 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Nahum 3:8

Comments

‘Art thou better than populace No?’, or taking this as a proper name, ‘than No-Ammon’ (city of Ammon)’. This is Thebes, the capital of upper Egypt, destroyed by the Assyrians sometime in the 660s BC under Ashurbanipal. Thebes was another great city that was dependent upon its river defences, hence the reasoning here. ‘Do you, Nineveh, think you are any better protected than Thebes? Yet you yourself brought her down, and you did it easily.’ She seemed to have natural defences, very hard to penetrate: situated in the midst of the fan shaped alluvial plain where the Nile spreads out before draining into the Mediterranean, a ready barrier against enemies. This surrounding water is referred to as if it was a sea all around her. ‘But this water did not stop you overcoming her, Nineveh.’ Further details are given to draw attention to her prowess. She was the capital of Egypt and ruled over a vast territory, including Egypt and Ethiopia, and had recognition and help from two other north African nations mentioned here: Put (probably Libya) and Lubim. But all this which was to her glory did not prevent Assyria taking her. And if Assyria did this to others, how can she imagine that she is impregnable? ‘Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.’ Thebes went into captivity, into slavery, and her young children were defenceless, and were dashed to pieces on every street – a sample of the cruelty of the Assyrians as their soldiers acted without pity and without restraint. Those sold into slavery were treated like goods for which men barter and cast lots. Their former dignity did not protect them, but the great ones – those who were used to being saluted and revered – were put in chains as slaves.

Application

All this is said to argue the foolishness, the vain confidence, the overconfidence that Assyria had, that Nineveh had. She told herself that she could never be brought down, even though she had done it to others, better protected than herself. How full of self-confidence man away from God is! What nonsense he tells himself in his effort to boost his spirits as he pursues his godless lifestyle! The truth is that his life is hanging by a thread, and he is constantly dependent on God for every breath he takes, even while he complains that God does nothing for him. He has so many gifts which are given to mankind alone, and not to any of the animals: the gift of reason, the ability to enjoy deep relationships, creativity, language, understanding of his place in the universe. But he is so vulnerable. What can he do to heal even the smallest wound? He is reliant on processes which God has put in place, and which for the vast majority of his time on earth he has understood very little about. Then there is the whole issue of his provocation of God. Could not the Lord end this world at a moments notice? Do we deserve to have a second longer to live out our lives? How much we need his patience to open up a day of grace, a day when we can respond to his call. The problem of our sin is unsolvable for us. We cannot reconcile ourselves to a holy God by anything that we do. How can we possible resist the Lord when he comes from heaven to judge the world. He forgets nothing that we have done. Our record of sin is blazon before him, and it is beyond our ability to give any ransom for our souls. We are doomed, consigned to everlasting punishment, unless his mercy is extended towards us. Does a person taunt his judge or provoke his executioner to act?

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Nahum 3:8 Commentary and Bible Study

The meaning of Nahum 3:8 explained