The Pulpit Commentary — Nahum — Section 35

.fi.g11mtive rep1·ese11tafions are sustained by historical fact. The more familiar we hecome with Assyrian history the more do we trace in that vast heathen power the prevalence of the h1mghty, overbearing spirit. Its rulers and people vainly supposed that national greR.tness consisted in the possession of might to be used in oppressing other nations and peoples. To be able t-0 depict upon the walls of the palaces of Ninus bait-le-scenes indicative of milit1ny triumph, accompanied by great spoil and cruel chastisement inflicted upon their adversaries, seems to have been their highest 11mbition. Their whole relationship to Israel and Judah was based upon this principle. The fa~oured of Heaven, having forsaken their God,.and hence lost his protecting care, turned in their exigencies to .Assyria for aid, but only to find, in this supposed helper against their foes, a more powerful enemy. In this way the kingdom of Israel WILB fil'flt made tributary to .Assyria by Pnl (2 Kings xv. 17-20), and, soon after, its trib~s were carried away into captivity by Shalmaneser (2 Kings xvii. 3-23), whilst the kingdom of Judah in like manner became compelled to acknowledge the lordship of Tilga.th-Pilneser (2 Chron. xxviii. 16-21). Hezekiah sought to cast off the .Assyrian yoke, but this only resulted in the nation, in Nahum's time, being brought into circumstances of extreme peril (2 Kings xviii. 13-J.7), and from which eventually supernatural help alone was able to deliver it (Isa. xxxvii. 36). II. DIVINE I'!\'TERPOSITION PROMISED ON BEHALF OF THE OPPRESSED. (Ver. 2.) Such Interposition bad in a measure but recently taken place (Isa. xxxvii. 36). "The angel of death" had "breathed in the face of the foe," and had caused " the might of the Geutile" to "melt like snow," and the oppressor to return humbled to his capital (Isa. xu::vii. 37). The time, however, for the complete and final interposition of Heaven bad not yet arrived. Still, it should come. The seer, in rapt vision beheld it as though it bad been then in opere.tion, and for the encouragement of the oppressed he declared that the Divine eye observed all that was being endured, that the Lord .Almighty still regarded them with favour (ver. 2), and would yet make them "an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations" (Isa. Ix. 15). Ill. 'l'HIS DrvTh'"E INTERPOSITION EVENTUALLY TO BE EXPERIENOED VIEWED AB OARRYlNG WITH IT THE ENTIRE OVERTHROW OF THE OPPRESSOR. {Ver. 1.) .Asshur should in due course be br-ought low, and the yoke of bondage should fall from off the necks of the captives. In "the day of visitation:" 1. .Agents should not be.wanting to carry out the Divine behests. The defection of the Assyrian general, the forces of the King of Media, and the overflowing of the Tigris, should all combine to bring about the accomplishment -0f the Divine parpose; and these forces are here personified as "the dasher in pieces" (ver. 1). 2. Resistance shovkl be in vain. They might •• keep the munition, watch the ways," etc. (ver. 1), but all 'to no purpoBe. The proud power must inevitably fall, and in its overthrow proclamation be made that it is not by means of tyranny and oppression and wrong-doing that any nation can become truly great and lastingly established, but by the prevalence in its midst of liberty, virtue, and righteoumees. Nineveh in her downfall " ... seems to cry alond To warn the mighty and instruct the proud That of the great, neglecting to be jnst, Heaven in a moment makes e. heap of dust." S.D.H. Vers. 3-13.-The downfall of Nineveh, as illUBtrative of the Divine and the human elements in revi/,a,tion. There are two elements in the Bible, the Divine and the human. God speaks to UB in every pa:;e, nor does he speak ~he leBS e~phatically, but all ;he more eo, in that he addresses UB through men possessmg throbbmg hearts, and who were passing through experiences. like our own. W? hop.our ~he v_olume as being in the highest sense God's W.ord, nor do we honour 1t the lees ID. this respect because we rejoice that lie has been pleased to make holy.men the me~1um of ~m- munica.ting his will. The account given in these verses of the predicted nun of Nineveh must be taken as a whole, and in the graphic picture here presented to us we have strikiugly illustrated this twofold character of the Scriptures of eternal truth. l. THE ACCOUNT CONTAINEll HEBE OF THE PBEJlICTED OVERTHROW OF NINEVEH sE11vEs To ILLUSTRATE THE DrvINE ELEMENT IN REVELATION. Nahum flourished in the 1111. D, 1-18,] THE BOOK OF NARUM. 83