Nahum 1 Devotional

Fierce Power, Safe Refuge

“The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.”Nahum 1:7 (BSB)

Nahum begins with a portrait of God before it turns to Nineveh. The LORD is jealous for what belongs to him and fierce toward his enemies. He is also patient, but his patience is not weakness, and he will not clear the guilty (1:2-3). Whirlwind and storm are the road he travels, the sea dries up at his rebuke, and the mountains shake before him (1:3-5). No one can stand up under his anger (1:6).

In the middle of all that power comes a quiet line. The LORD is good, a fortress when trouble comes, and he looks after everyone who trusts him (1:7). The strength that brings Nineveh's cruelty to an end is the shelter of those who rely on him. For Judah, that judgment means a broken yoke and a messenger on the mountains announcing peace (1:13-15). Paul uses the same picture of welcome feet for those sent with the gospel (Romans 10:15). Because God's power is good, you can run toward him rather than away.

To think about: What trouble are you facing today in which you need to treat God as your fortress rather than your threat?