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"All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs"

Text: Nahum 3:12

POWERFUL ASSYRIA

The Assyrians were once a mighty nation. They were powerful and strong. But with the passing of time, the empire had become weak.

“All your strongholds are fig trees with ripened figs:
If they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.
Surely, your people in your midst are women!
The gates of your land are wide open for your enemies;
Fire shall devour the bars of your gates.”
Nahum 3:12-13

1. The Assyrian strongholds

a) A nation is as mighty as the strongholds in the country.

b) But Assyria had become complacent over the years.

c) The strongholds had become weak with the passing of time.

d) The people manning the strongholds had grown lazy and weak.

e) They were now compared to an old fig tree.

i) The tree was laden with many ripened figs.

ii) The country had become vulnerable.

iii) If anyone were to shake the old fig tree, the figs would fall into the mouth of the eaters.

iv) Assyria has become easy pickings for the enemy.

2. A sad description of the people who once made Assyria mighty

a) The Assyrians were compared to “women”.

i) This was a taunt of the soldiers of Assyria.

ii) Once, their army had boasted of mighty warriors.

iii) Now, the army was compared to weak and untrained women who were incapable of defending the nation.

b) The city gates

i) This was the main concourse and was once well-defended.

ii) The gates were now left unprotected.

iii) They were so weakly defended that the enemies could just walk through them; they were wide open.

c) Fire would be used as a weapon to destroy the strongholds of Assyria.

And the Assyrian empire would be helpless to defend themselves!