Judgment
Nahum 3:1–7
Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts. Nahum 3:5

This is a dreadful thing. It is terrible to have the great God of the universe say, “I am against you.” But it is not only to Nineveh that he speaks those words. He speaks them to all who sin against him, whether in Nineveh, Rome, New York, Philadelphia, or wherever the sinner may be. If God says that to you, you should know that it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of such an angry God.

These judgments, recorded so vividly in the pages of the Word of God, are not given to us to titillate our minds by comparing them with their eventual fulfillment in history. God records these judgments to show us that he is a God of judgment as well as of love and that judgment upon the wicked will surely come. The Judge of all the earth does right. What is right where you are concerned? If you have gone your way, spurned God’s law, sought out your own corrupt devices—justice demands your eternal condemnation. God must and will judge you. In terms of that great judgment, which is hell, the fall of Nineveh is almost insignificant.

Earlier in the collection of Minor Prophets, there is another book concerned with Nineveh: Jonah. Jonah was told to go to Nineveh and preach a message of utter and lasting destruction (Jonah 1:1–2; 3:1–2). On that occasion the city turned from its sin, and Nineveh was spared.

If you are not yet a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are in a position similar to Nineveh on the earlier occasion. Judgment hangs over you because God is a God of justice, and justice will be done. But this is the day of God’s grace. Judgment, though imminent, has not yet come. There is still time to turn from your sin and embrace him who said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

God tells you about judgment so you might turn from your sin and seek his face at the cross of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Deliverance is to be found at this cross, because God poured out his judgment there. The cross is your shelter, if you will have it so. It is only as we stand beneath it that we are protected from that greatest of all judgments, which is yet to come.

Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865

Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.