The Lord is both powerful and merciful.
READ Nahum in…Additional Resources
READ Overview of Nahum
REVIEW Nahum 1:1-9
-What do we learn about God’s attributes from verses 1–9?
Nahum prophesied of the Lord’s judgments against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and that Assyria had oppressed the Israelites for many years.
-Why was it important for the Israelites to hear Nahum’s message about God?
-Why is it important for us today?
SUMMARY of Chapters 2-3: The terrible destruction of Nineveh is prophesied. “These words were addressed to the Assyrians of Nineveh, they were ironically advised to prepare their defenses. It wa true that [Israel] had before been emptied out and marred at times, but the time had come for Nineveh to be emptied….The prophet, in satirical phrases told them they could prepare for sige but it would be in vain….
“Although it is a taunt-song rejoicing over the vanquishing of an inveterate and violent enemy, this prophetic book teaches some religious truths: The Lord’s patient, great, and just, he is good , dependable, and helpful and the time is coming when all wickedness shall cease and He shall reign in peace” (Rasmussen, Latter-day Saint Commentary on the OT, 666-67)
Overview of Nahum: Chapter 1 Nahum speaks of the burning of the earth at the Second Coming and of the mercy and power of the Lord.
Nahum 1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
2 God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
3 The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
7 The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
9 What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
49-OT SS Lesson: Nov 27-Dec 4 Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah “His Ways are Everlasting”
We can trust the Lord’s will and His timing.
Like many of us, Habakkuk was troubled by what he saw in the world around him.
READ Habakkuk…in Add’l Res
READ Habakkuk 1:1–4 and summarize Habakkuk’s concerns.
-What are Habakkuk’s concerns?
-Who does this prayer remind you of?
READ D&C 121:1
-What similar questions do people ask about God today?
READ Habakkuk 2:1-4
-What counsel did the Lord give in Habakkuk 2:1–4 that helps you trust His will and timing?
READ Habakkuk 3:17-19
-Why might it be hard to “rejoice in the Lord” (verse 18) during hardships like those described in verse 17.
-How can we develop faith like Habakkuk’s?
READ How can we learn…in Add’l Res.
Habakkuk 1:1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
D&C 121:1 O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?
Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Habakkuk 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
READ Zephaniah…in Add’l Res
READ Summary of Zephaniah 1-2…in Add;l Res
Chapter 3 At the Second Coming, all nations will assemble to battle—Men will have a pure language—The Lord will reign in their midst.
READ SUMMARY of verses 1-7…in Add’l Res
SUMMARY of verses 8-13: The people are urged to wait upon the Lord.
-What is the “pure language” spoken of in verse 9?
Two thoughts: 1. The language of Adam, or 2. Our efforts to clean up our language “devoid of blasphemies, filthiness, and inappropriate terms.” (Ludlow, Unlocking the OT, 225)
-What will the circumstances be like for the children of Israel in the day of the Lord (11-13)?
SUMMARY of Zephaniah 3:14-20. The Lord rules in the midst of the righteous.
-Who is the “King of Israel”? (verses 14-15)
-When will the Lord gather Israel? (vs. 20)
READ While Zephaniah…
-How do the words in verses 15 and 20 give hope for the future?
-How do these words help us in hard times?
-When have you felt the blessings of being a member of the house of Israel?
Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.
“While Zephaniah hinted that this gathering could commence prior to the great day of the Lord (2:1-3), he seemed to assign a major portion of that gathering to the period after the Savior’s return (3:15-20). The Lord’s presence among His gathered Saints, we be the cause of much happiness” (Eames, “Book of Zephaniah,183).
My Thoughts: As we study Habakkuk we find a parallel between his experiences and the experiences of Joseph in the Liberty Jail. Both called out to the Lord searching for an understanding or explanation of what was happening. We are reminded that, like these two prophets who desired to know the divine purpose of the events around them, that God expects is to live by faith and faith is not an easy solution. The answers we seek to the problems that are vexing us are not always forthcoming. Instead, we need to learn that faith is trust and confidence in the character and purposes of God. Answers will come, but it will be when God is ready to give them to us, perhaps at a time when we have earned the right to know them.
Are there things that we don’t know or don’t understand. Of course there are. That is all according to God’s plan. If He did not want it this way then there would be no veil placed over the earth. We would not develop faith because we would have no need to. We could not prove ourselves (to ourselves and to God) to be worthy of His blessings. These are sometimes hard lessons for us to learn. But learn them we must.
Zephaniah prophesied of, and understood the cause, of Jerusalem’s fall. The people rejected their God. The very people who were the leaders, the ones who were supposed to be the shepherds, the top of the city’s social structure, were wicked and corrupt. Those leaders included the prophets, the priests and the kings, the individuals who were charged with the responsibility of providing leadership within their respective spheres. There was evidence for all too frequent corruption in each of these areas.
This is also evident in our day. Those who should be leaders are often corrupted. They seek after their own welfare, not ours. Our media offers an overabundance of conflicting claims, telling us to trust this faction or that faction. Too often we hear what the scriptures have termed “smooth” teachings, advocating principles that are appealing to our earthly sensitivities and not to our spiritual needs. Zephaniah compared these leaders to lions and wolves who “devour the flesh in the night, and gnaw the bones and extract the marrow afterwards (Zephaniah 3:3).
Our Prophet, President Nelson, through his communication with the Lord, is aware of our needs and instructs us to “hear Him.” The lifeline to our survival and happiness comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The affirming truths of the gospel can be ours, through Him. Peace and safety can be found in our homes, churches and country as we listen to the Lord as He speaks to us. Through the scriptures. Through our prophet and leaders. And individually, through the Holy Ghost. As we listen, and lollow, we will be secure.
This is my testimony.
Have a great week.
Greg
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
The book of Nahum is a short prophecy about the destruction of Assyria.
“In Nahum’s world Asstria was the embodiment of human evil and terror. Of all the oppressive imperial powers that have stained the pages of human history from the past to the present, Assyria claims a place of pre-eminence among evil nations….Not only were atrocities performed but they are described with apparent delight and pride. There was indiscriminate killing,....soldiers and officers were the willing servants of violence, taking pleasure in the abuse of human life and extolling the very acts which degraded their humanity….Nahum cries out not so much for vengeance as for justice, for the rampant evil of Assyria made a mockery out of all human existence” (Craigie, “Nahum” in Twelve Prophets, 2:58.75)
The book of Nahum may not seem very inspirational or uplifting. Its tone is accusatory and vengeful, seemingly bereft of ethical and theological empathy. Nahum’s words almost burn with anxiety to see judgments poured out on the barbarous Assyrians. Nevertheless, Nahum was called to pronounce the Lord’s condemnation on the Ninevites. Nahum testified that though the Israelite nation was militarily feeble and unthreatening, the God of Israel was still God of all the earth, and He was about to unleash His fury and vengeance on His adversaries.
Nahum proceeds to break the usual pattern of doom followed by hope. For Nineveh, there was no hope. Rather, Nahum invites Judah to rejoice in the destruction of Assyria and claim the opportunity to cleanse the temple and worship God freely through prescribed feasts and vows. “Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off” (Nahum 1:15). Unlike Israel, Nineveh would never enjoy a restoration. Decade after decade, Nineveh was terminally pompous, immersed in worldly power, witchcraft, whoredoms, and the supposed merits of materialism (see Nahum 3:4, 16–17).
Under these conditions, God ruled that Nineveh had to be destroyed. And in her destruction Nineveh stands as a symbol of the hopeless condition of the wicked at the time of the Second Coming (see Nahum chapter 1 heading). In this light, the message of Nahum revolves around the question “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord?” The book of Nahum is a hard message to Nineveh but also to people living in the last days who fail to trust in God. Without repentance, their fate is as sure as that of Nineveh. “Who can stand before his indignation? . . . His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end. . . . And while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry” (Nahum 1:6–8, 10). (Blair G. Van Dyke and D. Kelly Ogden, "Amos through Malachi: Major Teachings of the Twelve Prophets," Religious Studies Center. BYU.
Habakkuk prophesied against Babylon in the same way that Isaiah prophesied against Assyria (see Isaiah 10).[22] Babylon would be used as God’s arm to crush Judah. Then, like Assyria, Babylon would be destroyed for their idolatry, their trust in munitions, and their total disregard for social justice and human life. Even with Assyria as a precedent, Habakkuk is dismayed that the Lord would use such a vile and pagan nation to destroy God’s own people.In a prayer similar to Joseph Smith’s later plea, in D&C 121, Habakkuk asks why the Lord has not answered his prayers.
How can we Learn to trust the Lord like Habakkuk?
“Like Habakkuk of old, we may in our anguish feel we may bear anything if we could only understand the divine purpose in what is happening. The ancient prophet learned that the righteous live by faith and that faith is not an easy solution to life’s problems. Faith is trust and confidence in the character and purposes of God….
Our religion is ‘not weight, it is wings.’ It can carry us through the dark times, the bitter cup. It will be with us in the fiery furnace, in the deep pit. ….It is in short, not the path to to easy disposition of problems, but the comforting assurance of the eternal light, by which we may see, and the eternal warmth, which we may feel” (Hanks, “Trust in the Lord,” 14)
Summary of Zephaniah 1-2: Zephaniah begins by “speaking of the day of burning that shall attend the Second Coming….Nothing that is evil and wicked shall abide the day, all that falls short of the required standard shall be burned in the fires of fervent heat, it shall be as with man, so with beast,. Nothing that is corruptible shall remain” (2-3) (McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 541). Chapter 1 also contains the Lord’s promised judgments against Judah for their worship of false gods and idol. Judah’s spirituality has suffered because of their worldliness. Therefore, Judah would be “devoured by the fire of jealousy” (10-18)
In chapter 2 , the Lord’s anger shifts to other nation,....all traditional enemies of Judah. They too shall be destroyed for ‘the Lord will be terrible unto them’ (11).
SUMMARY of Zephaniah 3:1-7: What led to Jerusalem’s downfall? The prophet Zephaniah clearly understood what precipitated Jerusalem’s fall: “She drew not near to her God.” (3:2) According to the description in verses 3-4, there was corruption and wickedness at the top of the city’s social structure. “Shepherds are leaders, those in whose care God has entrusted his children. In ancient Israel and Judah, those leaders included the prophets, the priests, and the kings, individuals charged with the responsibility of providing leadership within their respective spheres. Unfortunately, the Bible show evidence for all too frequent corruption in each of thee areas” (Jackson, Lost tribes and Last Days, 107)
Ponder the following from President Nelson: “[Our] efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.
We simply cannot rely upon information we bump into on social media, with billions of words online and in a marketing saturated world constantly infiltrated by noisy, nefarious efforts of the adversary. Where can we go to hear Him” (Hear Him, 89).
Zephaniah compared these leaders to lions and wolves who “devour the flesh in the night, and gnaw the bones and extract the marrow afterwards. (Adam Clarke’s Commentary [on Zephaniah 3:3])
Zephaniah
Zephaniah’s ministry is characterized by expediency. Manasseh and Amon planted seeds of apostasy that Zephaniah saw grow to full corruption. Not surprisingly, much of the field is worthy only of burning. Like Noah before the Flood and like latter-day prophets before the Second Coming, Zephaniah commands his people to repent post-haste or expect dire consequences.[18] The prophet identifies how Judah has allowed herself to be overwhelmed by worldliness. For example, her people have turned their backs on God (see Zephaniah 1:6); they have embraced the strange clothing styles that fail to reflect the appearance of a covenant people (see Zephaniah 1:8); they lust after worldly wealth and acquire riches through corruption and plunder (see Zephaniah 1:9); and they are spiritually complacent (see Zephaniah 1:12).
Zephaniah also pronounces doom on the unbelieving nations to the north, south, east, and west of Judah. By bundling Judah together with these heathen peoples, Zephaniah suggests that God’s covenant people equal and surpass the wickedness of their neighbors (see Zephaniah 2:4–13). His final proclamation against Judah is that she is polluted, oppressive, unteachable, disobedient, and guilty of wresting the Torah (see Zephaniah 3:1–4). In response to wholesale wickedness, Zephaniah declares that “all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of [God’s] jealousy” (Zephaniah 3:8).
In the wake of this revelation of destruction, Zephaniah employs the phrases “in that day” and “at that time” to dually describe Judah (if they will repent) and covenant people in the latter days who remain unsullied by the influences of the world and witness the Second Coming of the Lord with its accompanying destruction of the wicked. Both are promised the presence of the Lord (see Zephaniah 3:3); an ability to worship God with a pure language (3:9); nontainted temple worship (3:11); trust (3:12); truth (3:13); nourishment (3:13); protection (3:15); and joy, rest, and love (3:17).
In a striking way, Zephaniah displays the fruits of evil and the fruits of righteousness. In three chapters he clearly depicts Judah’s choice in the seventh century BC and, at the same time, our choice in the latter days. If we turn to the Lord, His promises are sure. He will “make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord” (Zephaniah 3:20).