Session 3: Nahum Historical Background
75% of the book of Nahum is predictive toward the fall of the Assyrian capital, Nineveh.
● What does Nahum’s name mean?
● How does God prophesying the destruction of Nineveh bring comfort to the Israelites?
Authorship and Dating
Very little is known about the prophet Nahum.
● This is the only prophetic work that identifies itself as a “book.” (1:1)
● Some think this is an indication that Nahum is less of a preacher and more of a scholarly writer or composer.
● Nahum is from Elkosh. The location is unknown and is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture. Some think it may be Capernaum which means “the village of Nahum.”
What major events happened on each of these dates that help us piece together the context of Nahum’s prophecy?
● 780-760 BC
● 722 BC
● 625 BC
● 612 BC
Nahum was written between 663-612 BC, likely sometime closer to Nineveh’s ultimate demise (625-612 BC).
The Ninevites
The opening verse describes the purpose for Nahum’s writing: “A prophecy concerning Nineveh.”
● This prophecy is literally an oracle of “burden.” (Isa 12:1; 14:28; 15:1; 21:1; 22:1; 23:1; Jer 23:22-27; Zech 9:1)
● It is a threatening message from God about Nineveh’s impending doom.
● As the capital, Nineveh can be read as a representation for the Assyrian Empire. (3:18)
Jonah and Nahum
As we have been talking about the history of the Ninevites, you may remember:
● Jonah was called to preach God’s impending destruction of the people because of their wickedness. This was between 780-760 BC.
● Jonah reluctantly obeyed the Lord, and the Ninevites believed God and repented. (Jonah 3:5)
● God decided to relent his anger toward the Ninevites because they turned from their wicked ways. (Jonah 3:10)
● The city was spared. Jonah knew that he is a “gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love.” (Jonah 4:2)
The Lord relented because Nineveh repented during Jonah’s ministry. Why is God so angry and hostile towards them 150 years later when Nahum is writing?
● It could be because Jonah preached during a time of Assyrian weakness under Shalmaneser IV.
● The people were more receptive because they were hurting and because a guy had just been puked out of a great fish.
● The Assyrians expanded their reign of terror as they grew strong under Tiglath-pileser III and Shalmaneser V.
● The Ninevites were ruthless to the Israelites and took Northern Israel into captivity in 722 BC.
While they repented at the preaching of Jonah, it was short-lived. The Assyrians viciously invaded lands and intimidated all who stood in their path of terror:
● Raped and pillaged.
● Sacrificed children.
● Cut off hands and feet, ears, and noses.
● Gouged out eyes, lopped off heads.
● Impaled people for sport and piled corpses at the city gate.
● Flayed victims alive and displayed their skins on the city walls.
Conclusion
The Assyrians dismantled Northern Israel and were a constant threat to Southern Judah, particularly Jerusalem. A reckoning is coming, and God will use Nahum to deliver this message of complete destruction of this wicked superpower nation.
Jonah presents God as “slow to anger and abounding in love.” Nahum reminds the Ninevites that “the Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.” (1:3)
Nahum is a great book of comfort and hope when we see people suffering at the hands of evil. Nahum promises, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end to Nineveh.” (1:7-8)
