DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

This is a prophecy against Nineveh. "The burden against Nineveh." (Nahum 1:1)

Nineveh was a great city. It was founded by Nimrod, a greatgrandson of Noah through Ham and his son, Cush. It developed into a great city, but it was also one of great wickedness.

This is not the first time God spoke a word against Nineveh. God had dealt with Nineveh 150 years before when he sent Jonah. Nineveh was a wicked people when Jonah went to them. They repented and God did not send judgment. But through the years, they had forgotten how God had shown them His mercy and grace. By the time we get to Nahum's prophecy, Nineveh is called "a bloody city, full of lies and robbery, a warring city" (3:1). It had been an oasis – a pool of water (2:8) – but it would become desolate (3:7). God decreed that they would be led into captivity (2:7). It is noteworthy that God does not send a message of repentance as with Jonah, but one of judgment.

In Nahum's prophecy, God intersperses Judgment and His gracious character of mercy. For example, in Chapter 1, verse 2, the Word says, "God is jealous...The LORD avenges and is furious….He reserves wrath for His enemies." The very next verse (verse 3) says, "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power."

In verse 7, "The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who trust in Him." But the next verse says that "with an overflowing flood, He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies."

How do we square God's wrath and vengeance against His enemies with His gracious longsuffering and goodness?

I think the answer is that you can't have one without the other. It reminds me of the old song that may be out of date in our culture, Love and Marriage, "You can't have one without the other." It is still true. God's character demands the marriage of perfect justice and perfect love and mercy. Judgment without mercy and would require a God who is not loving. But a loving, merciful God who does not hold people accountable for their sins would not be a just God.

God is perfect in all of His ways. What may see to be a contradiction in human thinking is in reality the perfect marriage. What a perfect God we serve – perfect in justice and perfect in love and mercy. Listen to what Moses said about our God: "He is the rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He" (Deuteronomy 32:4). Then after listing all the good things God had done for Israel and how they had gone away from Him, he said, "The Lord will judge His people and have compassion on His servants" (vs. 36). Judgment and compassion are intertwined together.

Justice, love, and Mercy met and were joined together in marriage at the Cross. When Jesus died, He satisfied God's requirement for justice on sin. But it was love and mercy that put Him there. He took the judgment that should have been mine because of His love. Hallelujah!

Love, Dad