READING: Nahum 1-3
“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God.”
Nahum 1:2
I read of great awakenings in American history, and I long to see such events happen today . . . of times when people hung on to their pews under the conviction of the Holy Spirit . . . when entire cities gathered in the square to hear the famous evangelist speak . . . when noonday prayer meetings were so powerful that companies closed over lunch to allow their employees to attend. I read of these events – of revival that swept the Eastern seaboard of our country – and I wonder what happened. History has shown us that yesterday’s awakenings are no guarantee of God’s blessings today.
The book of Nahum is a reminder to us of that same truth. In the 8thcentury B.C., the city of Nineveh repented under the preaching of Jonah. God granted grace to them—despite Jonah’s protestations—and the city turned to Him in sackcloth in repentance of their sin.
In today’s reading, though, everything had changed. God was ready to rain down judgment on Nineveh. They had conquered their foes, but they had done so in cruelty. In fact, Nahum summarized his book with this question about Nineveh’s demise, “All who hear the news about you will clap their hands because of you, for who has not experienced your constant cruelty?” (Nah. 3:19). The very city that had years before turned to God in repentance would now suffer under the hand of God’s wrath.
Thus, we are again reminded that yesterday’s victories are no guarantee of God’s blessings today. Unless we cling to the Word of God and follow Him fully, we’re all in danger of sliding in the wrong direction. It’s only because God is “slow to anger” (Nah. 1:3) that we have any hope.
ACTION STEPS:
- Hold tightly to God’s Word, and encourage your children and grandchildren to do the same.
- Pray for God to bring revival to your city.
PRAYER: “God, help me to hold tightly to You.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Zephaniah 1-3
