Nahum 2:1-13 The Scatterer
God Himself will be contending with the city of Nineveh. HE is the Scatterer and will bring about the destruction of Nineveh through the hands of man.
The Assyrians were a proud and mighty people. Their center was Nineveh. God had decreed an end to their bloody ways. God initially used them to bring about judgment for Israel. They were also ‘taxing the life’ out of Judah. Israel wasn’t their only conquest but they are the ones God has been devising ‘lessons’ for Israel through the Assyrians.
Nineveh was enjoying their ‘place’ in history. They were ‘king’ of all they surveyed. But their treatment of God’s family cried out for correction. God would do MORE than finish whatever the previously conquered nations failed to do. He would utterly wipe Nineveh off the map. He would scatter anyone who was saved from facing the sword. Nineveh would never be rebuilt.
God could have struck down Nineveh as He did with Sodom and Gomora, but He chose a different route for their demise. There would be no pillars of salt marking the spot. No monument raised in their memory. The only thing left would be the memory of a once powerful empire and a cautionary tale for others would be oppressors.
I wonder if the shields of Babylon were painted red or stained red. I also wonder why they chose “scarlet” as their color. In movies and television shows about the Roman soldiers, they have scarlet, or at least red, in their armor. Was there a psychological reason for this? According to experts, red was considered a “demoralizing color” as it represented the blood of the enemy splashed on the uniform of the conquer.
Red is what is known today as a “power color”. It is said to command respect for the person wearing it as well as boost their confidence. I have actually tried proving this out. I had a time when I was dealing with a person who was not listening to my needs. I had met with this person numerous times in order to get a task accomplished. On day, I purposefully wore a red shirt. The person not only listened that day, but completed the task I had been requesting. I don’t know for sure if it was the red psychologically impressing her or if I was presenting myself different because of the ‘power’ I was feeling. Just a side note. You might try it yourself and see if red works in your life.
My bible helps tells me that there were two rivers that ran through the city of Nineveh and that there were a series of gates and dams on each. The Babylonians most likely used these to deny the people water and later, to flood them out. The siege lasted only three months as a result of this tactic. That was a VERY short battle, even by today’s standard with advanced weaponry. There have been shorter battles recorded.
Nineveh was also a ‘treasure trove’ for its conquers. As the capital of the Assyrian empire, the wealth of all its conquests would be stored there. God said; “Plunder the silver, plunder the gold! There is no end of the treasure or of the wealth of all precious things” (verse 9). In other words, the city was WEALTHY and anyone who sacked it would be RICH. Making someone ‘rich’ wasn’t God’s intent. It was simply a byproduct of His intent to judge Assyria for their extremely vicious treatment of His people. The original ‘mama bear’ attitude.
I will climb out on a limb here and say that God gave the battle plans for this conquest. Assyria was no easy prey. And, as the heart of that empire, Nineveh was NOT easy pickings. I have no doubt that God ‘whispered in the ear’ of the military commanders of Babylon. He gave them ideas that hadn’t occurred to others. He did the same with David when he conquered Jerusalem. In ALL the conquests before hand NONE had thought to use the water ways to access the city. Because of that strategy, David was able to do what none had accomplished before him. And he made sure to shore up that vulnerability when he made Jerusalem his home.
This brings to mind how God gives us wisdom in facing our ‘battles’ in life, WHEN WE ASK HIM. I’m in need of that wisdom in the two issues that have been plaguing me for the last year. I fear that my ‘conventional wisdom’ has made matters worse in at least one of these issues. The other one can’t do me any more harm than has already been done. I PRAY my earlier actions haven’t made the second one unsalvageable.
Father God, I know this is WAY off topic of today’s reading, but I need Your help. I need YOU to intervene in both these matters in my life. I KNOW You know exactly which issues are plaguing me. I don’t know what to do to resolve either dispute. I need Your hand to move on the ‘simple’ one and grant me favor in the eyes of those holding my payment without rendering services. Have them return ALL my money to me right away.
For the relations with the neighbor, I ask for peace. I don’t expect there will ever be ‘good’ neighbor relations, but I pray that You would ‘settle the dust’ and not let him get any worse. Thank You for the independent reports of his actions so I am no longer concerned about flooding. Help us ALL to ‘let sleeping dogs lie’.
THANK YOU for ALWAYS looking after Your children! I KNOW I can trust You with ALL the concerns AND direction for my life. Give me peace and grant me Your wisdom in my daily walk. In ALL areas of my life.
