Repent or Perish [The Book of Nahum]

The people of Ninevah assumed the Lord God of Israel would do nothing in response to their provocations against Him, but the Lord gave His servant Nahum a Word for them…

“The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies; the Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked.” [1]

This principle is true for every person. God will not acquit those who sin. We either bring our sin to the foot of the cross, and confess our need of God’s Savior, Jesus Messiah, or we perish in our sin.

Once people questioned Jesus about the especially horrible deaths of some people…

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” [2]

The Prophet David verified the everlasting judgment of those who fail to repent of wickedness..

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.” [3]

Sin yields unwanted consequences. Our first parents were exiled from paradise. The Israelites were taken captive from their homeland into exile after they defiled the holy land by sacrificing their babies to idols and committing sins against the poor and weak among them.

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its [the wicked one’s] place, and darkness will pursue His enemies.” [4]

The Lord hears the cries of those who pray to Him. He takes their affliction personally…

“What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.” [5]

Thankfully, the Lord is great enough and compelled enough to rescue His people from the wicked.

“Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings Good Tidings, who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off.” [6]

The Lord’s Word to Nahum closes with a reminder to the King of Assyria about the extent of his wicked deed… “for upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?” [7]

On a personal level, it is advisable for each of us to ask the Lord to make known to us where we have wronged Him and other people, and to ask Him and them to forgive us. Each of us need to realize and confess how much we need the atoning blood of Christ to wash away our sins so that we do not perish in them.

[1] Nahum 1:2-3
[2] Luke 13:1-3
[3] Psalm 9:17-18
[4] Nahum 1:7-8
[5] Nahum 1:9
[6] Nahum 1:15
[7] Nahum 3:19