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 2:7a,
"It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away."
All the nations of the world belong to the Lord and he does with them what he pleases. "... for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations." Psalm 22:28. See also Psalm 47:7-8, "For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne." Asaph calls out to God, asking him to vent his wrath on those nations who do not acknowledge him, Psalm 79:6.
God is not just the God of those nations that acknowledge him. He is not just the God of Israel and he is not just the God of America, He is the God of all the nations of the earth. He decides who rules, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:1-2. God also determines which nations will exist, where they will exist and when they will exist, "From one man he [God] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us." Acts 17:26-27.
God decides the fate of all nations. Not just that, but he lets us know that he interacts with the nations in "real time" allowing them to have a part to play in how God might determine their fortunes, "If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it." Jeremiah 18:7-10.
"It is decreed that Nineveh be exiled and carried away."
All the nations of the world belong to the Lord and he does with them what he pleases. "... for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations." Psalm 22:28. See also Psalm 47:7-8, "For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne." Asaph calls out to God, asking him to vent his wrath on those nations who do not acknowledge him, Psalm 79:6.
God is not just the God of those nations that acknowledge him. He is not just the God of Israel and he is not just the God of America, He is the God of all the nations of the earth. He decides who rules, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:1-2. God also determines which nations will exist, where they will exist and when they will exist, "From one man he [God] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us." Acts 17:26-27.
God decides the fate of all nations. Not just that, but he lets us know that he interacts with the nations in "real time" allowing them to have a part to play in how God might determine their fortunes, "If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it." Jeremiah 18:7-10.
As God determined what he would do with Assyria, and its capital, Nineveh, so he does with all nations. Muslim nations, Buddhist nations, apostate nations, communist nations, atheist nations, Christian nations. God is over all these nations and determines the outcomes of each.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a big God. He is transcendent, ruling over the entire earth, and does what he wants. If we learn anything from Nahum, this must be part of it.
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
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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