Nahum and Habakkuk.
Nahum.
The Prophet. His name means "consolation", and he was a native of
Elkosh, a small town of Galilee. We do not know where he uttered his
prophecy, whether from Philistia or at Nineveh. It is thought that he
escaped into Judah when the Captivity of the Ten Tribe began and that
he was at Jerusalem at the time of the Assyrian invasion.
The Prophecy. The date, if the above conclusions are to be relied
upon, would be in the reign of Hezekiah, King of Judah, which would be
between 720 and 698 B. C. Others put it between the destruction of
Thebes, 664 B. C. and the fall of Nineveh, 607 B. C. claiming that it
might be either during the reign of Josiah, 640-625 B. C. or in the
reign of Manasseh, 660 B. C. The theme of the book is the approaching
fall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, which held sway for centuries
and has been regarded as the most brutal of the ancient heathen
nations. The purpose, in keeping with the name of the author, was to
comfort his people, so long harassed by Assyria, which was soon to
fall and trouble them no more. The style is bold and fervid and
eloquent and differs from all the prophetic books so far studied in
that it is silent concerning the sins of Judah. It is a sort of
outburst of exultation over the distress of a cruel foe, a shout of
triumph over the downfall of an enemy that has prevented the
exaltation of the people of Jehovah.
Analysis.
I. The Doom of Nineveh Pronounced, Ch. 1.
II. the Siege and Fall of Nineveh, Ch. 2.
III. The Sins Which Will Cause Nineveh's Ruin, Ch. 3.
For Study and Discussion. (1) The striking features of the Divine
character seen in the book. How many in 1:2-3? (2) The description of
Nineveh-not only her wickedness, but her energy and enterprise. (3)
The doom predicted for Nineveh-analyze the predictions to the
different things to which she is doomed. (4) Pride as a God-ward sin
and its punishment. (5) Cruelty, The man-ward sin and its punishment.
Habakkuk.
The Prophet. His name means "embracing," and he very likely was a
contemporary of Jeremiah and prophesied between 608 B. C. and 638 B.
C. at a time of political and moral crisis. He may have been a Levite
connected with the Temple music.
The Prophecy. As Nahum prophesied the fall of Assyria for its
oppression of Israel, Habakkuk tells of God's judgments upon the
Chaldeans because of their oppression. The style is poetical and
displays a very fine imagery. (1) There is a dialogue between the
prophet and the Divine ruler. (2) There is a prayer or psalm which is
said not to be excelled in any language in the grandeur of its
poetical conceptions and sublimity of expression.
Its purpose grew out of the fact that they were no better off under
the rule of Babylon (Chaldeans) which had overthrown Assyria than they
were formerly while Assyria ruled over them. It intended to answer the
questions: (1) How could God use such a wicked instrument as the
Chaldeans (Barbarians) to execute his purposes? (2) Could the Divine
purpose be justified in such events? God's righteousness needed
vindicating to the people. (3) Why does wickedness seem to triumph
while the righteous suffer? This is the question of Job, applied to
the nation.
Analysis.
I. The Problem of the Apparent Triumph of Sin, Ch. 1.
1. Why does sin go unpunished? 1-4.
2. God says he has used the Chaldeans to punish sin, 5-11.
3. Are they confined to evil forever, 12-17.
II. The Impending Punishment of the Chaldeans, Oh. 2.
1. Waiting for the vision, 1-3.
2. Vision of five destructive woes, 4-20.
III. An Age of Confidence in God, Ch.3.
1. Prayer of the disquieted prophet, 1-2.
2. Past history has shown that God will finally destroy Israel's
enemies, 3-15.
3. The prophet must joyously trust God and wait when in
perplexity, 16-19.
For Study and Discussion. (1) The morals of the people. (2) The
character and deeds of the Chaldeans. (3) The Universal supremacy of
Jehovah. (4) The proper attitude amid perplexing problem. (5) Faith
and faithfulness as a guarantee of supremacy and life.
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