By the end of the 20th century the United States dominated the world to such an extent, it seemed the dominance would last forever. The combination of size, natural resources, defensible borders, education institutions, and people who were free to pursue their dreams created a prosperity and strength that was unbeatable. It was not possible for any other country to compete with or defeat the United States. The citizens believed the good times would last forever. However, Nahum contains a stark warning that Americans should heed. Empires do not last forever.
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Transcript:
By the end of the 20th century the United States dominated the world to such an extent, it seemed the dominance would last forever. The combination of size, natural resources, defensible borders, education institutions, and people who were free to pursue their dreams created a prosperity and strength that was unbeatable. It was not possible for any other country to compete with or defeat the United States. The citizens believed the good times would last forever.
However, Nahum contains a stark warning that Americans should heed. Empires do not last forever.
The book of Nahum is an oracle of Ninevah. It starts out with a declaration that Yahweh is the most powerful force in the world. Then there is a declaration by Yahweh that Ninevah will be cut off, and Jacob will be restored.
The second chapter of Nahum describes the defeat of Ninevah and Assyria.
Then the third chapter is a woe about Ninevah.
Nah. 3:1 ¶ Woe to the bloody city, completely full of lies and pillage;
Her prey never departs.
Ninevah was described as a bloody city. That meant Ninevah had killed many people. It was also full of lies and pillage. These are not flattering terms. The intent is to communicate that Ninevah was sinful. Is America sinful, and guilty of lies and bloodshed?
Nah. 3:2 The noise of the whip,
The noise of the rattling of the wheel,
Galloping horses
And bounding chariots!
Nah. 3:3 Horsemen charging,
Swords flashing, spears gleaming,
Many slain, a mass of corpses,
And countless dead bodies —
They stumble over the dead bodies!
Nahum predicted there would be many dead Assyrians in Ninevah. Is the United States about to meet the same fate?
Nah. 3:4 All because of the many harlotries of the harlot,
The charming one, the mistress of sorceries,
Who sells nations by her harlotries
And families by her sorceries.
The phrase “All because” in verse 4 indicates this verse tells us why there would be dead bodies in Ninevah. She was guilty of sorcery and harlotry. Is America guilty of sorcery and harlotry?
Nah. 3:5 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of hosts;
“And I will lift up your skirts over your face,
And show to the nations your nakedness
And to the kingdoms your disgrace.
Yahweh was against Ninevah. He decided to expose her. Is Yahweh against the USA?
Nah. 3:6 “I will throw filth on you
And make you vile,
And set you up as a spectacle.
Nah. 3:7 “And it will come about that all who see you
Will shrink from you and say,
‘Nineveh is devastated!
Who will grieve for her?’
Where will I seek comforters for you?”
At one time Ninevah dominated the known world much as the United States dominated the world by the end of the 20th century. However, Nahum predicted a time would come when all who saw Ninevah would shrink back. Not only would Ninevah fall, but there would be no one to grieve for Ninevah. Does that fate await the United States?
Nah. 3:8 ¶ Are you better than No-amon,
Which was situated by the waters of the Nile,
With water surrounding her,
Whose rampart was the sea,
Whose wall consisted of the sea?
Notice the rhetorical question in verse 8. Nahum asked if Ninevah was better than No-amon. The answer was no. We could ask if the United States is better than previous empires such as the British Empire or the Roman Empire.
Nah. 3:9 Ethiopia was her might,
And Egypt too, without limits.
Put and Lubim were among her helpers.
At one time No-amon was all-powerful due to her position along the Nile and the surrounding nations who supplied her strength. At one time the British Empire and the Roman Empire seemed unbeatable.
Nah. 3:10 Yet she became an exile,
She went into captivity;
Also her small children were dashed to pieces
At the head of every street;
They cast lots for her honorable men,
And all her great men were bound with fetters.
Even though No-amon was powerful, eventually she declined and was defeated. Likewise, the Roman Empire and the British Empire both shrank and lost their glory.
Nah. 3:11 You too will become drunk,
You will be hidden.
You too will search for a refuge from the enemy.
Two times Nahum used the phrase “you too”, meaning Ninevah too would meet the same fate that befell No-amon. Will the United States decline much as Rome and Britain declined?
Nah. 3:12 All your fortifications are fig trees with ripe fruit —
When shaken, they fall into the eater’s mouth.
The fortifications of Ninevah appeared strong but were actually vulnerable. Is the United States military vulnerable to swift defeat?
Nah. 3:13 Behold, your people are women in your midst!
The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies;
Fire consumes your gate bars.
The people of Ninevah were actually weak. Are Americans weak like women?
Nah. 3:14 Draw for yourself water for the siege!
Strengthen your fortifications!
Go into the clay and tread the mortar!
Take hold of the brick mold!
The Assyrians were told to prepare for war. Should Americans prepare for war?
Nah. 3:15 There fire will consume you,
The sword will cut you down;
It will consume you as the locust does.
Multiply yourself like the creeping locust,
Multiply yourself like the swarming locust.
Ninevah was on the verge of being defeated. Is the United States on the verge of being defeated?
Nah. 3:16 You have increased your traders more than the stars of heaven —
The creeping locust strips and flies away.
Ninevah had many traders, but they were fleeing with Ninevah’s wealth. Is this happening to America?
Nah. 3:17 Your guardsmen are like the swarming locust.
Your marshals are like hordes of grasshoppers
Settling in the stone walls on a cold day.
The sun rises and they flee,
And the place where they are is not known.
Those who were supposed to guard Ninevah disappeared when heat came. Will the defenders of America disappear when war comes?
Nah. 3:18 Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria;
Your nobles are lying down.
Your people are scattered on the mountains
And there is no one to regather them.
The king of Assyria was warned that the people who were supposed to be taking care of his citizens were not doing their job. Are the people in Washington DC doing what they are supposed to be doing? Are they protecting and healing the citizens?
Nah. 3:19 There is no relief for your breakdown,
Your wound is incurable.
All who hear about you
Will clap their hands over you,
For on whom has not your evil passed continually?
Nahum ended his oracle by declaring there was no relief for Ninevah. Ninevah’s faults were incurable because of her evil. Is the USA incurable due to our evil?
The United States appears to be unbeatable. However, at one time you could have said the same thing about No-amon, Ninevah, Rome, or the British Empire. They were all powerful empires. They all appeared to have a dominance that would never fade, but they did fade. They did not last forever.
Americans should heed this warning. Just as sin caused the downfall of Ninevah, so too sin can cause the downfall of the United States of America.
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