The Lord Cares For His People
The book of Nahum is power-packed with vivid language as God promises to knock down his enemies so his people go up. Particularly the message in Nahum 1: 7-15 is a message worth reading and worth remembering and one that helps us step into the New Year with confidence and joy because the Lord cares for his people. We learn about how The Lord Cares For His People. December 31, 2006
What’s your favorite Bible book? Very few people ever say, “I just love reading Nahum!” because Nahum is a Bible book that is not well known. But it’s a great little book jam packed with some of Scripture’s most vivid language, proclaiming God’s majesty and mercy. Here’s the setting. Seven hundred twenty years before the Baby Jesus was lying in Bethlehem’s manger, the people of Israel were not doing too well. The nation had been split in half by civil war for over two hundred years. In the northern part of the land the people dove head first into horrible, perverted idol worship. They hardened their hearts against the Lord’s love and killed his messengers. Finally God said, “Enough is enough!” He allowed the Assyrian army to wipe them out. But what about the southern half? What about the people of Judah? Would the Assyrians wipe them out, too? That’s when God sent another messenger, Nahum, with a message of comfort: The Lord Cares For His People. He cares enough to:
Give evidence of his love
The people of Judah weren’t exactly a bunch of Polly-purebreds either. They, too, started messing around with illicit worship practices and set themselves up for a spanking from God. When their relatives to the north had been wiped out by the Assyrians, the people of Judah naturally broke out in a cold sweat. “What to do? Where to turn?” Instead to turning to the Lord, here’s what they said, “Let’s find some allies and shore up our defenses.” So, God allowed the Assyrians to push farther south and breathe down their necks. Treasury money to buy allies and tribute money to buy off the Assyrians disappeared faster than a Christmas bonus. The people of Judah suffered a lack of funds and a lack of food. The only thing not in short supply was fear. Finally, they had to admit, “We are sinking in quicksand. We have no branch to grab, no rope to pull us out. We are going down for the third time, and it’s our own fault because of our sins against God and our lack of trust in God.”
What a thrill for them to hear Nahum’s message, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him”. The Assyrians were wicked, ruthless, heathen people. We know that from Nahum’s words, “From you, O Nineveh, has one come forth who plots evil against the LORD and counsels wickedness”. God used those wicked Assyrians to punish the northern half of the Israelites. He used them to breathe down the necks of those in Judah. But he would not allow them to completely destroy his people. Instead, listen to the evidence of his love: With an overwhelming flood [the LORD] will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into darkness … They will be consumed like dry stubble … This is what the LORD says: “Although they are unscathed and numerous, they will be cut down and pass away … The LORD has given a command concerning you, Nineveh: “You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the carved images and cast idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile”. That doesn’t sound too loving, but remember – destruction for Assyria meant rescue for Judah. God’s people would not be wiped out. God’s promise to end a Savior would not be lost. “Although I have afflicted you, O Judah, I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away”. The Lord cared for his people. He cared enough to give them evidence of his love – destruction of their enemies so they could be safe.
Take a peek out the doors when you leave today, and you will not see enemies surrounding this building, cutting off our food supplies, and planning to steal our funds. But we know that each one of us is surrounded by an enemy called Satan and his buddy, our sinful nature. Satan wants to rob us of the treasure of God’s forgiveness. The sinner inside of us wants to cut off the supply of spiritual food for our hearts. Without God’s help we would sink in our own sinfulness, grabbing at the decaying branch of our own good or the flimsy rope of worldly riches. Trusting our own personality or performance or possessions spells certain doom.
What a thrill to know that Nahum’s message is also for us! “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble”. As we look back on the year just past, it doesn’t take too much mental effort to think of all the dumb, stupid, foolish errors we committed or to reflect on the good things we could have done but skipped. With thoughts like that banging on our conscience and pounding us down, entering a new year doesn’t seem like a lot of fun but instead makes us feel dirty and cheap and disgusting. But God has lifted the heavy yoke of guilt off of our shoulders and placed it on Jesus. Jesus sacrificed himself to break the shackles of sin’s power. He delivered us from the clutches of Satan and from being dominated by our sinful side. The apostle wrote, “God demonstrates us love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8). The Lord Cares For His People. He cares enough to give evidence of his love – destruction of our enemies so we can be safe. He cares enough to:
Send messengers of his love
Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, was six hundred miles northeast of Jerusalem. When that city was destroyed, that was good news for the people of Judah, but there were no cell phones, no satellite up-links. The people of Judah were nervously trying to go about their business, looking over their shoulders, worried that the sound of footsteps on the hills would be caused by the boots of enemy soldiers.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard! Could that mean another invasion? No! Listen to Nahum, “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!” The footsteps they heard were from God’s messengers. What a relief! No more nervousness and apprehension! No more nail-biting and tension! There on the mountain top God’s messenger proclaimed good news for all to hear, “The enemy has been destroyed!” The Lord still cared for his people! He cared enough to send messengers of his love.
How did you first hear about God’s love to us through Jesus? God’s messengers are not just pastors. God’s messengers to you might have been your parents, your spouse, a Christian teacher, a neighbor, or a friend. Do you have a friend who is nervously going about his or her business always looking over the shoulder, wondering whether he or she will be able to withstand the pressures of daily life? Do you know someone who is seriously ill, who knows death may come but doesn’t know what death will bring? Do you have a little child or grandchild who hasn’t learned, “Jesus loves me”? What better New Year’s resolution can there be than to tell others about Jesus? Then, one day your friend or that little child may tug on your sleeve and say, “The Lord does care for me. He cared enough to send you as a messenger of his love.” He cares enough to:
Let us celebrate his love
Every year the people of Judah were supposed to celebrate a few major festivals, special celebrations with families gathered in Jerusalem to offer generous gifts of thanks to the Lord and to join their voices in songs of praise. At those feasts they rejoiced over God’s mercy in the past and looked forward to mercy through the coming Savior. But who wanted to sing when an enemy army threatened their very existence? Who could offer gifts of thanks when the Assyrians had burned the grain and corralled the flocks?
But Nahum called out, “Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed”. The Lord God put joy back into their hearts. He returned a smile to their faces. Once the messengers announced deliverance from the enemy, who could be so cold-hearted as to shrug off God’s love as unimportant? Who could be so brazen as to withhold gifts of love to God and shouts of praise? The Lord cared for his people. He cared enough to let them celebrate his love.
Some day take the time to visit or call one or our homebound members. It won’t take long for you to see how they long for worship with fellow believers. They miss the privilege of actively pulling together and pooling resources to do God’s work. They miss the joy of joining voices and raising the roof with songs of praise. Who could be so cold-hearted as to shrug off God’s love as unimportant? Who could be so brazen as to withhold gifts of love and shouts of praise? We need the support and encouragement of fellow believers. What a perfect time, as one year draws to a close and another year begins, to look back on God’s deliverance in the past and to look forward to the joy of heaven! The Lord Cares For His People. He cares enough to let us celebrate his love.
You may not remember the exact dates and historical background for the book of Nahum. But as we close one year and enter another, I pray that you find a slot in your schedule to get acquainted with this little Bible book. You can read it in the time it takes for four commercials in a row during halftime of the Badger game. You see, this little book is power-packed with vivid language as God promises to knock down his enemies so his people go up. That’s a message worth reading and worth remembering and a message that helps us step into the New Year with confidence and joy because the Lord cares for his people. He cares for you. Amen.
Preached at Grace Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI (http://www.gracedowntown.org/) on January 1, 2007
Related Sermons
A Disciple Named __________
Good stories don't have to take long to tell. Take Dorcas, for example. Dorcas was "always doing good and helping the poor," and we'd never know it except for what's written about her in Acts 9:36-42. Like Dorcas, each of us is "A Disciple Named ________. " Each of us makes a difference. May 13, 2012. Read on
Here's Your Invitation to the Best Wedding Reception Ever
Breaking bread together with family and friends opens doors to stimulating conversation, solidifies relationships, and leaves pleasant memories. That's what lies behind the burst of excitement from Revelation 19:5-9, "Here's Your Invitation to the Best Wedding Reception Ever." November 13, 2011. Read on
Too Much Mercy
If people can be too generous or humorous or detailed or nice, can God have "Too Much Mercy"? In Jonah 4:5-11 we read about Jonah's confusion, clumsiness, and even anger at God. The whole time God's mercy was at work within and around him. October 16, 2011. Read on