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"The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries"

Text: Nahum 1:2

ESTABLISHING A VITAL THEOLOGICAL TRUTH

One of the challenges that Nahum sought to establish upfront concerned the Being of God. Nahum considered it necessary to establish a vital theological truth about the Lord God.

“God is jealous, and the LORD avenges;
The LORD avenges and is furious.
The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath for His enemies;
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,
And will not at all acquit the wicked.
The LORD has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm,
And the clouds are the dust of His feet.”
Nahum 1:2-3

1. “God is jealous”

a) The word “jealousy” is often understood in a negative way.

b) But this is not always the case.

c) This word may describe “righteous jealousy”.

d) God is righteously jealous in His protection of His people!

2. The “vengeance” of God

a) This word is used three times in Nahum 1:2.

b) This was intended to bring the idea of “emphasis”.

c) Again, this word is often read negatively.

d) But there is no negativity when used to describe how God would battle against wickedness.

3. The anger of the LORD

a) This is the righteous anger of the Lord.

b) It describes His wrath.

c) It is carefully directed against His adversaries.

4. The Nature of God that must be borne in mind

a) He is slow to anger.

b) But He is great in power.

c) His power may be seen in whirlwinds and storms. His power is against “the wicked”.

d) God is not a whimsical Being who is easily aroused to great wrath.

e) God’s judgment against the wicked is carefully and correctly measured.