God Has Good News For All Nations

Good News for All Nations

Isaiah 40

The Book of Isaiah is divided into 66 chapters and we know this was done by man. As we begin our study in chapter 40 we will see a great transition in the prophecies of Isaiah.

We could say that the Book of Isaiah is divided into two divisions. The first division we studied last quarter. If we remember Isaiah spent a lot of time on the coming of the Messiah and Israel's past.

In this second division, we will see Isaiah prophesy of Israel's deliverance.

The Bible has 66 books and is divided into the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament.

We will see that the Book of Isaiah is roughly divided the same, with 39 chapters teaching the coming of Christ, the Messiah and 27 chapters dealing with the deliverance of Christ and the promise of eternal freedom.

As we begin we will see it has been many years since the time of Hezekiah. Israel returned to idol worship and God allowed the Babylonians to capture Israel, even Jerusalem but as Jeremiah prophesied they would only be in captivity for 70 years.

This was not only the time of Isaiah but also of Jeremiah and Daniel and some others.

Even while Israel was in captivity, Isaiah was preaching of comfort and freedom that was coming to this nation!

Again, the truth is God's redeeming power is clearly pictured in these words of Isaiah!

These things still called for repentance and a return to the Lord!

Let's Begin:

*****Isa 40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

God's instructions to His prophet was to comfort the Jews in this terrible situation that they were in!

Isaiah was not speaking to the inhabitants of Jerusalem nor of Judah in this day, he was speaking to the Jewish exiles in Babylonia.

Jerusalem and the Temple lay in ruins which will be referred to as the "old waste places".

Isa_58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.

Notice this also refers to the Second Coming of Christ and His work on Mount Zion.

At this time, it is Babylon that is the dominating power in the world but even that would not last very long. Babylon over thru Nineveh and the Assyrians in about 606 BC and Babylon was overthrown by Cyrus in 538 BC, only 68 years. It would be Cyrus who would allow the Jews to go home and even finance the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.

Of course, Isaiah could not have known these things but he did know what God said would be the truth and he knew God would deliver his people from this captivity.

It is the voice of God that now directs His prophet to comfort His people.

God as a tender Father, will always reach out to His people and as His people suffer the Lord also feels that suffering Himself!

The people needed comfort and they needed a double amount.

Isaiah would have to change the way he delivered his message from the time of Hezekiah, which was a bold message of repentance and now be gentle in his message as these Jews had been humbled and were being humbled by captivity again.

It was time to reach into the hearts of these people with the love that God had for them, even when they had rejected His message.

They were in Babylon because of sin and they were beginning to realize this truth.

*****Isa 40:2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

The first need of every soul, is forgiveness!

Our soul can endure suffering when that suffering comes from our own mistakes but being unforgiven is a life of misery!

Before God can repair our mistakes and allow us to learn from them, we must be assured of forgiveness!

The Promise to the Church:

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

The Promise to the Jews:

Mic 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Mic 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

We must also realize that even when we are forgiven and God has issued His pardon, we must still reap what we have sown.

It was now Isaiah's job to convey this message to those Jews in captivity!

According to the prophet Jeremiah, these Jews would have to serve 70 years in captivity and the Lord would also honor this prophecy.

Jer_29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

When these Jews were made aware of the promises of God, they then had great hope that their suffering would end but it did still required repentance.

Repentance is always required before forgiveness can come!

And then another great prophecy.

*****Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah prophesied that before the Lord would come He would send some human to prepare the way.

The message to these Jews was that Jehovah had already put the necessary forces in motion to bring about the return of these captives.

There would be a revelation of Divine Glory for all the world to see!

1) First, we see that this relates to the deliverance of these Jews out of Babylon.

They would have to repent and straighten out their lives and remove all crooked, and unrighteous behavior.

We do know that after this time in Babylon the Jews never became idol worshipers again even in our day.

2) Second, we should know that this applies to John the Baptist.

Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Before the Lord Jesus would reveal His ministry, His way must first be prepared for Him!

The way of the Lord is by the way of "Holiness".

Today this seems to be forgotten!

Again, the message of John was to repent.

What was John's job?

Luk 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

Luk 1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

Luk 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

And why was John to be in the power of Elias (Elijah)?

Because this prophecy has a third meaning.

3) Third the return of the Messiah.

Isa 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

Isa 35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Why was John the Baptist in the power of Elijah?

Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

Mat 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Here the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking of His Own Second Coming.

Elijah will also return in person to make way for the return of the Messiah.

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

One of these two witnesses are Elijah and though there is great debate, the other would be Enoch because according to the Word of God every man must see death and Elijah and Enoch are the only two in the Bible who have not yet seen death.

Even the Lord Jesus Christ saw death!

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

It is when the Lord Jesus Christ returns that He will make everything straight, every valley will be exalted, every hill made low, the crooked will be made straight, and the rough places plain!

Therefore, these words came from the mouth of the Lord to His prophet!

When all the preparations are made, then there will be a complete revelation of the "Glory and the Might" of the Lord!

Why do we know this refers to the end times of the Tribulation Period? Because "all flesh will see it together"!

Rev_1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

This still has nothing to do with the calling out of the Church that was formed by His first coming!

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

There would not be much comfort of the Saints, knowing we would have to go through the Tribulation and see the wrath of God which He said we would not see.

1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The thing that we should see clearly is that when we repent and return to the Lord, we can level out the paths of our lives and when we are faithful and consistent in our Christian life, we will ride smoothly when we are on the mountain top and when we pass through the valleys of life with confidence.

We can fill secure knowing that we will see the Lord in all His glory and He will welcome us with open arms!

Getting back to these Jews, we can be sure that by no longer having a home, being a stranger in a foreign country, ruled by a ruthless and unmerciful king, their future did not look very promising. They knew that no one on this earth now had the power to save them.

Isaiah's message was that no matter what they thought, there is a God, the One true God who can do all things.

*****Isa 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Isa 40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

Isa 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

When we focus on this world, nothing in this life seems very promising. The voice of reason teaches us that we have only a few years to live and in fact we do not know what tomorrow will bring!

God says if we would just awaken to His truth, we could rest in our spirit and life would be tolerable knowing that there is really a life after the death of this flesh!

Compared to the glory of God, the glory of the human(flesh), a creation of God, is no more than common grass!

Like the grass, we are subject to all the tragedies that happen to grass. The glory of the grass is short lived until it withers away and is gone. Even when a blade of grass is at its full strength it can be trampled upon, or parched by the Sun, plucked by some other flesh, or even mowed down to nothingness.

If the grass has any glory at all, it is when it is flowering which may be the only time that it is noticeable as no one really pays attention to common grass!

Unlike the grasses, the Word of God has a life that compares to the God who gave it, it is eternal!

The doctrines of the Word of God abide forever. They are not just theories as those of philosophers but are eternal truths!

The promises of God are sure! The punishments and the rewards are real!

To those who are "Born Again" into the family of God, all things have changed!

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

The Word of God does not contain the "Gospel", the Word of God is the "Gospel"!

Any false doctrine of man will fade, as will the grasses of all flesh, that have not been "Born" into the family of God!

All corruptible seed will perish!

When we trust the truth of the Word of God then hopelessness disappears. The knowledge of a great future is enduring because God will fulfill His promises, because every promise is God's guarantee!

The Word of God is incorruptible because it was given by the Holy Spirit!

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

We serve a Great Big God who is also Mightier than any power on this earth!

*****Isa 40:9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

This Scripture may be from Isaiah to all the prophets of his time to go to Zion and proclaim the "good tidings" of God but in truth this is a command for not just all Pastors, and all Missionaries, but to all the children (the Saints) of God to proclaim the "good news" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

God says go to the highest mountain and proclaim the salvation of God with all the strength we possess!

The message of salvation is so important that it must be declared to everyone.

Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Salvation is no longer a mystery to the Church but most of this world still live believing salvation is only a mystery that cannot be solved and it is our only job to see that these who are lost get the opportunity to know the Lord and His salvation plan!

We must not be cowardly by shrinking back from proclaiming the "Good News" of the Gospel!

We must not fear rejection and we must not fear persecution!

We must not tone down the message of God, it still requires true "faith" and real "repentance" to be rescued!

The "Good News" must not be twisted into a lie, making everyone acceptable by their own beliefs or their own works.

The "Good News" is not to be treated like it is some secret that the world does not need to know.

The Word of God will always do what it was intended to do!

Isa_55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

There is still only one truth and only one way to reach the glory world of Heaven and have eternal life!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The truth is, the Lord is coming in a marvelous way just as He came the first time in the virgin birth.

1) He is first coming, as a thief to remove His Church so that the Church will not see His wrath upon this earth full of unbelievers!

1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

2) Then He is coming to show His wrath to all unbelievers and then to fulfill the promises made to King David.

1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Notice that God says, without a doubt, that He will return as the Messiah!

*****Isa 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

Behold our God will come with all His Might and all His Majesty, His Beauty!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the arm of God.

Psa 80:17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

His reward is with Him and His work is before Him:

Joh 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Joh 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

God promised to rescue His people from Satan, Jesus did that on the cross on Mount Calvary. That work is finished:

Joh_19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When the Lord returns, He will complete all the remaining work that needs to be done:

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

What is the Lord doing right now?

1) Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

2) Rom_8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The Lord will not stop His work until He has redeemed every believer and brought justice to this world by striking down all His enemies!

Then all the redeemed will see a side of God that we have only read about and only dreamed about!

*****Isa 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

The Lord who will show no pity in His destruction of all unbelievers and His enemies, will become a tender Shepherd to those who love Him.

Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Joh 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

All those from the time of Adam until the day the Lord calls out His Church and those that are saved during the Tribulation years and that remnant of Israel, who have answered the call of God, are all the flock of the Lord, and will have eternal life through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ.

As always, those who are weak will be carried in the bosom of the Lord, and the Lord will lead His flock at the pace of those who are young!

It is true that the remnant of the Jews had this picture of the Lord, which was a true picture but it will also be true for that remnant of the Jews during the time of Jacob's trouble.

And the Lord our King will also be the Shepherd who calls His Church home.

The picture we should all see is that the Lord holds each of His flock close to His heart!

The Lord will never forsake His children!

Where ever our Shepherd leads, we are content to follow!

How great is our God? Here is just an example:

*****Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Notice the reference to the hand which in fact only the human has and it is wonderfully constructed as is every part of our bodies.

It is the hand of God that refers to God power and authority!

It is the arm of God that gives leverage to God's hand!

We read in another place where the heavens are the work of God's fingers.

We know that Jehovah spoke our world into existence but we would be fools to not see that we are all shaped by the hand of our Mighty God!

This hand is so powerful that once we are in His hand there is no power on earth or in Heaven that can take us out of God's hand!

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

Who can do such things but our God, Jehovah?

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Fall of Nineveh

The Fall of Nineveh

Book of Nahum Chapter 1

We have been seeing that the armies of Sennacherib, the King of Assyria had become the dominate power in the known world now until God clipped their wings.

We should understand that Nineveh was the capitol of Assyria now and God had also prophesied of the downfall of Nineveh.

This is another thing that the people of Judah should have understood.

While Isaiah was speaking to King Hezekiah of the victory to those who trusted in the Lord.

The prophet Nahum was speaking of the destruction of Nineveh.

We must also remember the Prophet Jonah had preached in Nineveh and the whole city had turn to the Lord but by this time they had reverted to their old ways and were led there by their own government.

Far too often, when people talk about God, they ignore His "justice" and His "judgment" and speak only of His love.

This is a dangerous thing to do because, God is not only a "loving" God, God is also a "just" God!

The truth is, it is God's love for all believers and those who trust in Him and His Word, that will cause the "Judgment" of God to fall on those who do not believe in His existence and who reject the Word of God.

And they seem to forget that God loves His Holy name and everything His name stands for, which is love, joy, peace, righteousness, and holiness.

God will therefore execute vengeance on all those who reject, ignore, neglect and curse His Holy Name!

As we go through this lesson, we can be sure that in "typology", Nineveh is a type of all those who rebel against Jehovah, our God.

Let's begin:

*****Nah 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

We know that God spoke to His prophets in many ways, to Nahum, God used visions.

That word burden in this passage means, these Scriptures are a message of doom to Nineveh and as I said this message is also intended for all those who rebel against the Lord.

Now, Nineveh was the capitol city of Assyria and remember Assyria is oppressing Judah as Nahum receives these visions from the Lord.

So, Nahum is saying, this Book of Nahum is a Book of Visions given to him by the Lord.

We already know, the words of God's prophets were as God speaking Himself!

An Elkoshite was anyone who came from Elkosh and not much is known of this place or it's true location.

So, let's witness the visions God gave to Nahum.

*****Nah 1:2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

It is a fact that our God is a jealous God!

In our relationships with the opposite sex, we find that "jealousy" is one is one of the strongest passions of our nature!

When we see, these things written of the Lord, this word is used as an illustration, rather than expressing the emotions His divine mind.

The Lord presents Himself as the Husband of the Church and the Church as the "Bride of Christ".

We can see, it is the Lord's desire to maintain the purity of the relationship between Himself and His Church.

The emotions of "Love" can make us all selfish in keeping that one we love, for ourselves.

The "jealousy" of the Lord is in fact a Godly jealousy.

The "jealousy" of God is awakened by the long-continued injuries inflicted of the people of God!

The fact is, God is love but God is also just and those that God has already justified are His as His children and God will avenge any harm to His children!

There can be no "true love" without "justice" and God is always ready to defend His honor and His family!

We can be sure God is working behind the scenes to stop those causing harms to His people but for the most part God may withhold His hand of vengeance for a time, as He does now, until He returns to settle all things. He reserves His wrath for His enemies! Which means He is watching and waiting until He has had enough of this abuse of His children and no one else will repent of their sin.

We all know, to withhold anger will only it to grow and grow until it must be released.

We should clearly understand that the destruction of Assyria was God's doing and Assyria no longer exist as a nation.

Nineveh was established by Nimrod and then became the capitol of Assyria in the time of Sennacherib and Assyria ruled the Near East for more than 65 years until about 612 BC when until Babylon destroyed it and later the Medes and the Persians.

The Assyrians were a cruel, and oppressing and a murderous people, whose leaders were greedy and ambitious to expand their kingdom.

Countless multitudes of other evil people were slaughtered and mutilated by the Assyrians and any survivors were made slaves.

In our lesson, we will see that God had reached a point where He could no longer tolerate this evil nation, as He did the Canaanite and we should see this as an example of the return of Christ when God has had enough of this evil world.

The people of Nineveh were far beyond repentance and returning to the Lord and the Lord always know these things!

We should also see that the prophet Nahum had the message of God's last warning to these people and their last chance to repent.

Eze 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

This is a great burden to the Lord God because He has no pleasure in having to do these things,

Eze 18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

The jealousy of God is not built on envy, God cherishes who He is and protects His possessions as any good husband and father should do.

God demands worship, praise, and service by His people but they must willingly offer these things, not out of fear but out of love and God will not accept any rivals for this affection to Him!

Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Common sense should tell us all, that God will have to carry out His vengeance and justice to all those who reject Him!

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

God must obey all His Written Word or we would not be able to trust any of His Word and He has no problem in doing this!

Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

God shows great patience now but that patience will come to an end one day soon and God's wrath will be seen!

*****Nah 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

It is a fact that God's patience is the only reason evil people and evil nations can continue in their evil ways and why is God like this?

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Longsuffering is the same as patience!

God delays His judgment but the truth is God will never (not at all) acquit the wicked!

Notice how God's lips move quickly when He promises but move more slowly when He is warning.

When God warns, He is very slow to sentence, allowing every possible moment for repentance.

We all know the sentence against every sinner, is death.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God is slow to carry out this sentence even though sin is an abominable thing to God. God hates sin!

God is right to do anything He pleases at any time He so desires!

Remember when all those that have refused to repent and return to the Lord, stand at the White Throne of Judgment, they will be without an excuse and they can in no way blame the Lord for their demise!

The Lord has great power and this includes great power over Himself to carry out that sentence of death. It takes much power to restrain the Almighty God and only He has that power within Himself.

None of us should forget, that God has never, even one time, pardoned an unrepented sin!

The greatest exercise of God's patience is found in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross!

Notice God will warn before He strikes and He warns so that maybe He will not have to strike!

Now God does not travel around using these powerful storms as a vehicle of travel. Nor are these storms created by His presence.

BUT the earth is God's footstool to do with as He pleases. We are all in fact, God's creation!

We have a great example of these things in the time of Noah.

1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Are the clouds the dust of God's feet?

We know that the earth is God's footstool and the Earth is made of dust, the same dust the we are made of. Scientific discovery has confirmed that the clouds owe their glory and their beauty and even their existence to the presence of dust particles in the atmosphere. The liquid vapor condenses on the particles and then become visible. So yes, the clouds are certainly the dust of God's feet!

What did Jesus Christ say?

Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

And again, in the Book of Revelation

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

And of course, that is not all as Nahum describes the return of Christ.

*****Nah 1:4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

We should clearly understand, God's power is absolute, limitless and inexhaustible and works everywhere within His created world!

No one and nothing else, will be able to stop the wrath of God, when He decides it is time!

We know of God's works in the air and now we see God's works in the sea. We can see that God says look what He has already done to the Red Sea and the River Jordan for examples.

Amo 5:8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:

In the time of Nahum, Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon were the most fruitful places in all of Palestine but their growth depended entirely on the results of God's power over the rain.

We must understand, nature is alive but not by any power of its own. All the forces of nature are by the personal energies of the Lord!

And that's not all:

*****Nah 1:5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

God is not the cause when that tornado destroys your home.

God is not the cause when that earthquake destroys a city.

God is not the cause when those bad things happen in nature.

BUT, we should be aware that God has absolute control over nature and nature will be used when God brings His wrath on the disobedient of this world. To be honest, nature has no choice in this matter, "the earth will melt in the presence of God" because of His Glory.

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

So, in truth, who on this earth has the power to stop the wrath of God?

*****Nah 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Those that reject God and reject the Word of God live by one option, they reject the existence of God, so they are not concerned about His return.

But those who know there is a God because the works of creation prove it, are truly foolish if they do not repent and return to the Lord.

The Word of God is the truth and God's warnings are real!

God's fury will be poured out like fire! We already have the example of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or like the molten lava from a volcano.

Jer 7:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

And notice, those rocks and those mountains are thrown down by God Himself or we should say in His presence.

Assyria resisted the truth of God with a 200,000-man army and God dispatched one Angel who could have destroyed them all, but then there would have been no witnesses to tell others of the Mighty God of Israel, Jehovah God so, only 185,000 were destroyed and 15,000 witnesses to tell the truth of the Holy One of Israel!

When the Lord is our protection, we are safe and God knows all those that belong to Him and who have answered His call!

*****Nah 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Repeatedly we see that the wrath of God will not fall upon those that have repented and returned to the Lord.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

There are many reasons to repent and return to the Lord better than this one, because there are too many benefits of being a child of God to mention here, but this one must be counted also.

We can draw much comfort knowing that Christians will not go through the seven years of tribulation on this earth but God will remove His Church before this period begins!

It is certain that God will offer more help to the poor and oppressed than He does the rich but rich or poor. God will only offer His shelter and protection to those that trust in His name and in His Word!

It is that same presence of God that causes utter destruction that protects those that love Him. Just as in the Jews escape from Egypt, "we are covered by the blood and not just any blood but the blood of the Lamb of God.

Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

True believers walk with the Lord and just like Enoch, before the wrath of God we, in a sense, will all just walk on up to Heaven in His Glory, when God calls out His church.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Just after the time when God removes His Church, this world will see the wrath of God!

*****Nah 1:8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

Nah 1:9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

Nah 1:10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

As God affords His protection to the max for those who love Him, those that remain will see God's wrath to the max!

Eze 7:8 Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.

Eze 7:9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth.

Eze 7:10 Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.

We know that God put an end to Nineveh and God will do the same to this world we live in!

God's goodness demands that He carry out a perfect "Judgment" upon those who have rejected Him!

God's people must be vindicated or God would not be the God that He claims to be!

There are great plots to destroy the message of God and the messengers of God throughout this world and even in America.

BUT, any attack of God's people is a direct attack on God Himself!

**God will put an end to all plots against Him, when the Lord Jesus returns to establish God's Kingdom!

Many Christians suffer persecution and are refused many things, while if they refuse an unbeliever, they are punished.

**God will put an end to all those who cause trouble for God's people when the Lord Jesus returns, He will rule with a rod of iron!

God will put an end to the pain God's people suffer in this world!

We may not have the thorns such as grow in Palestine but when you are walking through the brush and a thorn bush grabs your clothing it takes a few moments to get yourself free and move on.

God said His enemies will be as drunkards caught up in a thorn bush, unable to free themselves. They and the thorns are like worthless brush fit only for burning.

Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

Yes, it's true that great thorn hedges were planted in such a way to protect the sheep from predators and the King of Assyria felt like his great city walls offered that same protection from his enemies and Nineveh was considered impenetrable. So, the soldiers would have drunken feasts when attacks came rather than prepare for defense, since no army have ever entered Nineveh.

Babylon seized upon this foolishness and after Nineveh became Babylon, Cyrus and the Medes proved this to be the downfall of Babylon which was Nineveh. In typology, this is what the Lord is describing for those who reject His warnings and think they can protect themselves from the wrath of God!

Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

In truth God cannot build His Kingdom until all the brush has been removed!

There are always those who plot against the Lord!

*****Nah 1:11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.

It is probable that Nahum was referring to Sennacherib that imagined such evil against the Lord but the fact remains that whoever is considered by the prophet, is a picture of Satan.

In the end, those who have followed Satan will find Him to be a worthless counselor!

We can see an example here of how foolish it will be for anyone to enter a conflict with the Lord!

Rom_1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

The Lord put a stop to Sennacherib.

The Lord has put a stop to many wicked rulers.

The Lord will put a stop to Satan! Satan is not God's equal, he is only a tool in the hands of God!

*****Nah 1:12 Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

Corrupt rulers most often bring ruin to their own nations.

In Hebrew, that word "quiet" means complete. No doubt the military of Assyria was well trained and battle hardened and they were complete in their ability for warfare. They were organized. They were disciplined. They had the proper equipment. That had many, they were an overwhelming force for any nation to overcome.

The Lord says even though this military was all these things, they would be cut down, they would be destroyed.

The Lord warns all those who rebel against Him, including all so-called powerful nations, they will cut down and destroyed when the Lord returns.

When that "one" Angel passed through the Assyrian army 185,000 were cut down.

Though the Lord had allowed these Jews to be afflicted by these Assyrians, He would not allow it to continue anymore!

*****Nah 1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

We should know that the affliction on God's people was due to God's discipline for rebellion!

God used this wicked king and his nation Assyria, to be the agent of this discipline.

We see this repeatedly in the Old Testament, and we can be sure God does the same today, not only to Israel but to other nations as well! "Wake up America"

Judah had paid tribute to Assyria from the time of King Ahab and sent presents to the king since the time of Kind Ahaz and were in bondage by the Assyrian army, the most powerful military of that day.

God is saying that He would remove this yoke of Assyria from Israel forever and we know that Assyria no longer exist as a nation!

In "typology" this should remind us that the Lord Jesus Christ has set each believer free from the bondage of Satan forever and after God is through using Satan for His agent of discipline, Satan will be put away, so we can consider that he will no longer exist. "This time gets closer with every passing day"!

Those Ninevite, by seeking to destroy Israel, would only cause their own destruction.

Again in "typology" we can see this happening in our world today, as the wicked followers of Satan try to destroy Christianity and Israel, they are only hastening their own destruction!

We must understand that the discipline of the Lord is used to cause rebellion to cease from His people. When we seek the Lord, we are very aware that we must put away all sin in our lives or the Lord will not hear our prayer.

Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

God will use whatever agent it takes to correct us and in most cases, it will be sinful people, but it can also be disease, or finances or sadly He may take away someone we love.

We can see that it is our own sin that can destroy our families and others we love!

God only disciplines us because He loves us!

Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

In our discipline, God is fulfilling a promise He has made to us.

The Lord has promised to deliver us from the things that bring us into bondage in this life!

These include alcohol, drugs, foul language, even gluttony, and we must include all manner of sexual sin. Not only fornication and adultery, but also homosexuality. Sin is sin and God must deal with all sin that becomes a yoke of bondage in our life!

Through Jesus Christ the power of sin can be conquered along with the power of death!

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

"wake up world"

What did God promise Israel?

*****Nah 1:14 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

Nah 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

God first addresses the Assyrians:

1) The Assyrian people would become extinct and we know that this has happened.

In "typology" we must understand that one day God will remove all unbelievers from this world.

2) In the middle of his house of worship, even among all the false gods of Sennacherib, God would take his life.

We know that two of the sons of Sennacherib murdered him as he worshipped in the place of his idols.

We see that sin destroys families!

3) We see that Sennacherib was certainly a type of the Antichrist because God said he was vile.

God said this man was useless, "he was weighed in the balances and found wanting".

Dan 5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

The truth is, all those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ will face the "judgment" of God and because they are "vile" their names will be removed from ever existing, their names will not appear in the Lamb's Book of life!

God guarantees the destruction of all evil in this world and none will be allowed in the New World to come!

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

God then turns His attention to Judah.

The purpose of God's vengeance is to bring freedom and freedom of worship to His children!

God gives us the picture of a messenger racing over the hills to bring the good news that the enemy has been destroyed.

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

It is time for Judah to get back to the worship of their Savior. To perform the vows, they had made to the Lord. They could enjoy the peace that the Lord had provided. They had been delivered once again!

God promises each of us peace and He will deliver!

That peace of God can come only through Jesus Christ!

When we trust the Lord Jesus Christ as our Deliverer and our Savior we are to become faithful and consistent worshippers!

When we make a vow to the Lord, God expects us to keep it!

After we all we should all have the same understanding and the same goal!

Psa 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psa 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Psa 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Questions?

Let's Pray!