Nahum 3:1-19 Bloody City
Through Nahum, God calls Nineveh a “bloody city.” They are twice bloody; once for the way they acted towards others before the fall, and the devastation after the fall.
Assyria was a brutal and cruel. It was notorious for its treatment of those it conquered; including taxing them to death. Assyria was NOT a ‘compassionate captor’. Those who lost in battle to her were put to shame, demoralized or killed. This was exactly what would happen to Nineveh. “Turn about is fair play.” Or ‘poetic justice’.
My middle son, when he was young, would walk up behind his sister when she was busy with something and grab a hand full of her hair. He would then take off running, still holding to her hair. This was of course very painful and distressing to her. He would receive ‘correction’ for his behavior but he continued to do it for a LONG time.
When my youngest was little, he would do the same thing to my middle son. Of course, he received ‘correction’ but I also felt it was true justice for my middle son. ‘Turn about is fair play’. Nineveh would receive in kind, exactly what she had dispensed to others.
Something that I’m curious about is, what was the actual cause of Nineveh’s fall? The last time we were together, we learned about the damns and locks for the waterways of Nineveh. Today, we see fire mentioned as the tool of destruction. My bible helps tells me that there is archeological evidence of a massive fire in the ruins of Nineveh. Were fire AND flood both used in Nineveh’s destruction? If so, which came first? I would think it would be VERY problematic to try and burn a soaked city. Likewise, the flood would extinguish the fire, limiting its damage. It did take three months for Nineveh to fall so I suppose that both could have been employed over that period of time.
Another thing that my bible helps talks about is how the leading men were bargained for on the slave auction block. The more intelligent men went for higher prices but were still slaves in the end. I imagine that would be VERY demoralizing. To go from leading citizen to slave in one move. Some escaped to other regions but they would never again be the ‘makers of an empire’.
GOD is the one who brought Assyria down. He used the coalition from Babylon to do it with, but HE was the architect. And He did it because of how they treated HIS children. That was His primary case against them. Yet, He speaks of them ‘prostituting’ themselves several times. They were not a nation ruled by God. They had MANY gods that they worshiped. I know that God loves and created ALL mankind, but why was Nineveh held to the standards of Israel regarding following God?
Is it because they DID turn to Him after Jonah warned them? Having turned to God for forgiveness and then turning back to their original ways may have been their GREATEST sin. I wonder what would have happened if they had remained true to God. Would they have been less cruel in their conquest of others? Israel wasn’t ‘gentle’ when they conquered the Promised Land.
I find myself contemplating the contrast between how ‘judgment’ was addressed in the Old Testament compared to the New Covenant. Jesus teaches us to love your enemies and to do good to those who spitefully use you. He also tells us to ‘turn the other cheek’. Is this because WE are not the ultimate judge? GOD is. HE knows the hearts of every man. He will judge each person in the end, including those of Nineveh, the bloody city. I suppose that steering nations was important to His plan. He had to keep things ‘on track’ for Jesus’ entry into the world. God’s finger prints in focus.
Father God, I KNOW You know best. I trust You to work in this world to bring about ALL that needs to happen. I TRUST You to work in my life just as fully. I don’t know how ALL things NEED to unfold for me to be where You want me. I know that I would like some things to be different, but if that is not in YOUR plan for me, I will live with that answer. ‘Take the wheel’ and steer my life on the course YOU laid out for it; bumps and all!
