The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nahum 2:5,
"Nineveh summons her picked troops..."
Nineveh had her choice hand-picked troops to defend her. The vision Nahum was given prophesied that the city would call out it's very best to protect her as the enemy advanced. How many were the "picked troops"? 2,000? 20,000? 200,000?
It made no difference whatsoever how large or how well equipped the defenders of the city might have been. The Lord told Nineveh, "I am against you", verse 2:13. And, in verse 2:7 we read, "It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away."
Once the Lord decided to destroy the city, nothing could stand in the way.
It is fascinating to me to read in the Scriptures all the various ways the Lord teaches us that nothing can stand in his way and, in the same vein, he is all anyone needs to bring success or victory. Our God is omnipotent: all powerful. Our faith is measured by our trust in his power. As Paul says, "He [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'" Romans 4:20-22.
"Nineveh summons her picked troops..."
Nineveh had her choice hand-picked troops to defend her. The vision Nahum was given prophesied that the city would call out it's very best to protect her as the enemy advanced. How many were the "picked troops"? 2,000? 20,000? 200,000?
It made no difference whatsoever how large or how well equipped the defenders of the city might have been. The Lord told Nineveh, "I am against you", verse 2:13. And, in verse 2:7 we read, "It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away."
Once the Lord decided to destroy the city, nothing could stand in the way.
It is fascinating to me to read in the Scriptures all the various ways the Lord teaches us that nothing can stand in his way and, in the same vein, he is all anyone needs to bring success or victory. Our God is omnipotent: all powerful. Our faith is measured by our trust in his power. As Paul says, "He [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'" Romans 4:20-22.
Here are a couple of examples:
Recall Israel's refusal to take possession of the promised land when God brought Israel out of Egypt? In Numbers 13:31 the ten unbelieving spies told Israel, "We can't attack those people [the current residents of the promised land]; they are stronger than we are." The nation was persuaded they were not strong enough to do what God told them to do (despite the Lord's help) and so they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years as a result of their lack of faith in God. Afterward, with Joshua, they did enter the promise land and seized it. When they expressed their lack of faith in God to provide them victory, they numbered 603,550, Numbers 1:46 In Numbers 26:51 we read of the second census, 601,730. It was with this number, 40 years later, they took the land. The size of the army didn't matter. God was with them.
Remember the story of Gideon? Israel's enemies were like swarms of locusts, innumerable. God sent Gideon to expel the enemy saying to him, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive." Judges 6:16. To prove he was all Israel needed to overcome their enemies, the Lord pared down the number of Israel's fighting men to just 300, Judges 7:7, and gave them trumpets and empty jars with torches inside, 7:16. With the Lord on their side, Israel won the victory.
Throughout the Scriptures the Lord tells us he is all we need. He is sufficient. With the Lord on our side we lack nothing we need. Likewise, those in opposition to God find that nothing can stop the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Recall Israel's refusal to take possession of the promised land when God brought Israel out of Egypt? In Numbers 13:31 the ten unbelieving spies told Israel, "We can't attack those people [the current residents of the promised land]; they are stronger than we are." The nation was persuaded they were not strong enough to do what God told them to do (despite the Lord's help) and so they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years as a result of their lack of faith in God. Afterward, with Joshua, they did enter the promise land and seized it. When they expressed their lack of faith in God to provide them victory, they numbered 603,550, Numbers 1:46 In Numbers 26:51 we read of the second census, 601,730. It was with this number, 40 years later, they took the land. The size of the army didn't matter. God was with them.
Remember the story of Gideon? Israel's enemies were like swarms of locusts, innumerable. God sent Gideon to expel the enemy saying to him, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive." Judges 6:16. To prove he was all Israel needed to overcome their enemies, the Lord pared down the number of Israel's fighting men to just 300, Judges 7:7, and gave them trumpets and empty jars with torches inside, 7:16. With the Lord on their side, Israel won the victory.
Throughout the Scriptures the Lord tells us he is all we need. He is sufficient. With the Lord on our side we lack nothing we need. Likewise, those in opposition to God find that nothing can stop the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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