Prophet Nahum who lived around 650 BC.

 Today we commemorate the Prophet Nahum who lived around 650 BC. His name in Hebrew means, “comfort” or “consolation” and is believed to be an abbreviated version of the name Nehemiah, meaning “comfort of God (Yehweh).”

Although he is only mentioned once in Holy Scripture (Nahum 1:1), his name in a sense is symbolic to the message of his short, three chapter book (prophecy), which was intended to comfort and console the people of Judah who were being oppressed and brutalized by the mighty Assyrian empire.

Jonah had earlier visited and prophesied to Nineveh, the Assyrian capital around 758 BC. His preaching resulted in a national repentance and return to God. However, this change of heart was short-lived. Nineveh ended up “repenting of its repentance” and returned to idol worship and sinful living. Soon they were back on a course of aggression for world conquest and domination.

Because the Assyrians had again strayed from God, through Nahum, God foretold the complete destruction of their empire. He had spared them once (during the time of Jonah), but would not do so again.

Unlike Jonah, Nahum does not actually go to Nineveh, instead he declares his oracle from afar. Why? Obviously, God knows that the Assyrians will not again repent, thus sadly, there is no need to actually send anyone to them.

Although Nahum’s prophecy is concerned with the downfall of Assyria, it is nevertheless written for the benefit of Judah. God has already demonstrated His extreme patience and long-suffering, now He will demonstrate His wrath! Therefore, the basic message of this prophecy is: though God may be slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, His patience and long-suffering is not to be interpreted or construed as indifference or a lack of power. God will always settle His accounts in full. So, beware!

Fr. John