Nahum's fulfilled prophecy - Ruminating in the Word of God

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,
yet they stumble on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
the protective shield is put in place.
The river gates are thrown open
and the palace collapses.
It is decreed that Nineveh
be exiled and carried away."

Nineveh, founded by Nimrod, Genesis 10:8-12, was the capital of
Assyria. This was the city Jonah was sent to 150 years earlier, when
they repented as a response to the message of the Lord Jonah took to
them. It was the Assyrian army that destroyed the northern ten tribes
of Israel in 722 BC. and now they faced God's wrath themselves. The
city was destroyed by the Babylonians in 612 BC.

It is interesting to note Nahum's comment about the river's floodgates
in 2:6 (see also 1:8). From historical records, we know the Khosr
River, which ran through the city, flooded during the siege, causing
the floodgates to break down as well as destroying a part of the wall
protecting the city making it vulnerable to those who destroyed it. It
is prophecy fulfilled.

It is also interesting to note that it was fashionable, prior to the
mid-nineteenth century, for critics of the Bible to proclaim there
never was a city of Nineveh, further proving the notion the Bible was
unreliable. However, as always happens, the critics wind up with egg
on their faces when archaeology catches up with the Bible, which
happened after 1850.

What was prophesied about Nineveh came to pass just as the Lord
proclaimed it would through his prophet Nahum. So much of the Old
Testament is fascinating because of the very nature of prophetic
fulfillment. God, who exists beyond the dimensions of time and space
knows what is going to happen and, sometimes, when it suits his needs,
tells us about it ahead of time. This was the case with Nahum's
vision.

As I read of the various prophecies of the Old Testament, and their
eventual fulfillment, it always reminds me of those prophecies from
Scripture that are yet to be fulfilled. Those of us who are of faith
are aware of some coming events, and await those with great
anticipation.

Among these things are the eventual turn of Israel back to her God
when she finally embraces her Savior, Jesus Christ; the final filling
of God's kingdom -his family; the second coming of Jesus Christ to
planet earth; the end of this age; the resurrection of both the
eternally dead and those who will be ushered into eternal life;
judgment day when all have to give an account of themselves to God;
the judgment of those who are not of faith; and the "eternal
pleasures" at the right hand of God for the faithful (Psalm 16:11.)
and more.

The wise read the Scriptures and avail themselves of its truths.
Having been inspired by God, the Bible is his word to us, containing
those things he wants us to know. It is within its pages we learn of
where we came from, who we are, where we are going and why we are
here. We learn of God, what he is like, what his agenda is, and what
he is doing. Nothing comes close to the Bible as it stands alone as
God's reliable and truthful message to each one of us.

Hardly something we want gathering dust on our coffee tables...

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!

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Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com