SCRIPTURE: Nahum 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
‘I am against you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.’ [Nahum 2:13]
To understand this angry posture of God against Nineveh, think about the anger and justice of the nations against the Nazis in Europe during WW2.
This message is directed to Nazis on behalf of the oppressed Polish, French and Dutch, and especially to the Jews that were being annihilated by the Nazis.
God is declaring to Hitler and his vicious SS that their days are numbered.
It may help to think of Nahum’s words in this way, because it helps explain God’s anger.
God is not just annoyed that He is being ignored; He is angry at injustice and cruelty.
He is against everyone that is against justice and truth and mercy and kindness.
He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. [Luke 11:23]
Jesus came as a living expression of God’s heart for justice, truth, mercy and kindness.
He saw the hardship of the masses, and it broke His heart.
As He went, He did what He could to give them hope, and He sent His disciples on the same mission.
And He warned everyone who did not join Him in this mission – if you are not for me, you are against me, and therefore against God.
Those who do not support Jesus’ mission of justice actually serve the enemy; by their action or inaction, they are undermining God’s desire for people and this planet.
If we are against Jesus, then we are against God, and God is against us.
When the first Jesus followers began to implement Jesus’ mission of justice and mercy, a wise Jewish leader observed: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God. [Acts 5:38-39]
Fighting against God…
If we are not helping God and Jesus, we are fighting against them.
And then He is against us…
PRAYER:
Lord, these words challenge me to take a stand, to decide once again which side I will be one. Will I join You in Your mission, or will I actively (by what I do) or passively (by what I fail to do) go against You?