Nahum Bible Sketch

God is grieved about the oppression of His people by those who are violent and arrogant.

 

Even though God is slow to anger, He won’t leave evil unpunished. 

 

Jesus protects and saves His faithful people from sin.

God is powerful and won’t allow destructive behavior which hurts and causes suffering of the innocent to endure forever. He disciplines, out of love, to bring people to repentance and forgiveness. It is extremely important to know who Jesus is and to depend on Him. Read more about Jesus Christ.

Nahum

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. Nahum 1:7 ESV

 

God’s glory doesn’t change from age to age concerning the cycle of violence.

Creation was perfectly designed, but sin brought evil. No one is immune to the effects and consequences of the fall. Whether it be weakness, an unhealthy attitude, an addiction, cancer, illness, hostility, broken relationship, natural disaster, or approaching death, everyone has or will face some type of trouble or difficulty. While experiencing such things, you may feel lonely, yet you are not alone.

Throughout history and still now, God uses evil to destroy evil and bring about His purposes. He wants to be kind, good and merciful to all. God’s Word shapes and forms us as He intends. We are free to either receive faith and believe Scripture as true; or reject the gift of faith and turn away from the wisdom and help it contains. Only God has perfect knowledge—seeing within hearts of who receives as well as who refuses.

Jesus died and was resurrected to save humankind. God is faithful to all who turn to Him for forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Made holy by the power of God’s gifts of repentance and faith, in confidence which consoles and encourages the terrified mind, they are safe by grace. He cares for, keeps and guides believers who trust His Word which fills them with tenacity, resilience and assurance of hope in Christ. The Holy Spirit provides strength to expect difficulty and death, yet joyfully move forward in this life, honored to share peace with everyone—the certain hope of eternal life with Jesus when there will be no more pain or tears in heavenly paradise.

“The risen Jesus brought the cycle of violence to an end by bringing his non-violent kingdom and overcoming our violence by his self-giving love. Despite the fact so much evil still pervades the world today, we have to hold onto the same hope as the Hebrew prophets, that God is at work bringing about his redemptive plans. We have the great privilege of knowing the name of the world’s gracious judge: Jesus, the Messiah who reigns as King, and who will return one day to finish the work he started on the cross.” Aeron Sullivan

“For Nineveh, God’s patience came to an end. The evil nation of Assyria that had tyrannized surrounding peoples, acquiring wealth and power at their expense, was overthrown, and it disappeared from the annals of history. God’s wrath is revealed against all unrighteousness (Rm 1:18). Because of our sins, we also deserve His wrath and displeasure. Yet ‘God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Th 5:9). God’s wrath was poured out on Christ, and by faith in Him we have pardon and peace.” The Lutheran Study Bible

God’s patience comes to an end for all who suppress truth and refuse mercy. The action of rejecting the Holy Spirit incurs judgement, punishment of eternal death, separation from Christ.

  “…if we think our efforts are able to earn freedom for our souls, we too get it wrong.” The Rev. Dr. Tyler Arnold

Read, Listen and Watch

• God’s work through our problems post 
  
• Nahum 1 Bible study
  
• A Stronghold devotion
• Nahum video 
  

Prayer

“Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”
Rev. Dr. R. Lee Hagan

Ecclesiastes Bible Sketches

Living life backwards

Preparing to die will teach you how to live

In the brevity of life, ignorance is not bliss—it only fools us for a time. Ecclesiastes is God’s Word keeping it real. We learn life is not to be lived as for gain but as for the gift of God. Life in Christ is our wisdom which gives life and suffering meaning. The Christian experience understands the vastness of love. The more intensely you love, the more you hurt in loss. The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know. 

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? —Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

Toil for gain leads to becoming a slave to it—controlled by meaningless vanity, we see weariness, broken mind, discontent, always wanting more—even human wisdom is futile; ambition can be a vice if not in Christ. 

God is the giver of life who provides meaning to it and ability to work for a living. Glory and gratitude to His mercies! Holy Spirit-given faith in Jesus’ work, finished for us on the cross—descent to hell, bodily resurrection and ascension—means grace and victory for repentant sinners.

Ecclesiastes 3:1,6b

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to keep, and a time to cast away —Ecclesiastes 3:1,6b

Cycles of life, from peace and building up to war and destruction, can’t be changed.

Often bad times follow good times; also, often good times follow the bad! Nothing a person does changes these revolving cycles. We know there is more to existence. We try, yet we cannot figure out God’s plans and purposes. By faith given to us, we receive humility to seek Him and ask Him to bless us.

Being caught up in cycles of oppression, envy-fueled labor, worry over wealth, and loneliness add to meaningless of life without God. 

Life is hard and messy; however, this does not mean suffering has no value and meaning. Pain and trouble help give perspective to joy, hope, and solace. Wisdom is gained in getting through it. There are abundant opportunities to grow in wisdom for life when we are confident it is in the Lord’s control through Christ. Christian prayer—giving expression to the fullness of emotion and repentance—gets at the completeness of who we are as creatures of God, brings healing, hope, forgiveness and consolation.

Life is not fair, it is corrupted by sin. Don’t set out to search the answer to “why?”—you’ll be disappointed and frustrated. Sin and the devil tries to suck joy from us by tempting us with power. How is it fair that One Man should have to take on the sin of everyone else? 

God has drowned sin to death in Christ. The communion of saints connects us to loved ones here and beyond. Repentance is the way to be satisfied and content, remembering the authority of Jesus never goes away. People who trust Christ crave His Word for cleansing, healing, and release. Christ suffered for us. He goes into death and explodes it. Repentant believers have present joy and certain hope of eternal life with Him.

We shouldn’t live in isolation (inward focus), but in relationship with other people who are in Christ (outward focus). 

It is not always what you speak but how you speak. You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are. Take self-diagnosis—ask yourself whom you spend most of your time thinking about.

We look for relief from fear, angst, sadness. Feelings aren’t our sole source of identity. 

“…Our value is determined by the God who created us and His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, who redeemed us. Our Heavenly Father is the Master Craftsman Who designed each minute part of us! Whether our hands are strong and firm or arthritic and weak, they can be folded to thank the God who created them. Whether our feet are long or short, narrow or wide, strong or no longer able to support us, they are able to walk in His ways…” Mustard Seed Devotions, August 07, 2021, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

We find joy in faith; Christ’s obedience—love He has for us—let it settle in you. Knowledge about God is not the same as fear, love and trust in God. 

“…if it is peace you seek—true, everlasting peace, then look to Him who has broken down the ‘dividing wall of hostility,’ separating us from God. If it is new life you’re looking for, then believe in Jesus Christ and you will find it…” Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

Honesty in the name of love and truth is good.

God knows. Think deeply, speak kindly. Be careful of using many words that don’t say much. Tune in to disordered passions, desires, pride, and spiritual laziness. Realize even wisdom can never attain the control over life we desire. Spiritual arrogance, haughtiness, legalism and demeaning actions leave others feeling damaged, hurt and frustrated. Satan wants us to be in despair when things aren’t going well.

Humility is helpful in all things—especially acknowledging your own sinful weaknesses while using wisdom to help others. We can plant seed, yet only God, the Master over everything we do can make it grow. Look at failure through the lens of Grace which has been given to support what God has given us in life.

Repentance calls us to put away selfish and bad thoughts; it brings us to fill time with prayers—specific petitions in a constructive way. When praying for others

• Focus on thanksgiving for them
• For faith—communion with them
• For wisdom in discernment and reaching out

Worship our Creator and King without letting personal dreams dictate how we approach Him.

• Do not rationalize sins.
• Don’t try to tell God how things should be.
• Remember bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit given in Baptism.
• Don’t go through religious motions without taking it to heart (hypocrisy).
• Don’t bargain with God—this is foolish talk.
• Exercise faith—meditate and pray out loud (there’s something powerful in hearing).
• If we don’t know what to say; pray, read and listen to God’s Word, Psalms, devotional materials, hymns, creeds and prayers written by faithful people, available in person at church, in bookstores and online by streaming radio and podcasts.
• Flow thoughts into prayers which shape the doing and being.
• Reflect the fact we don’t know how to do or understand that which only God knows. Many things are beyond our scope. We don’t know how to predict the future, the weather, or trees falling; exactly how the Holy Spirit works; or, how to guarantee success or avoid failure. 
• Think about the undeserved reward in Christ’s victory

Faith keeps us mindful of who we are and Who is the Giver of all things. 

Experience teaches the difficulties of time where we are situated. God will bring judgement and we live shrouded by death. We have two choices

1. be grumpy about it—as a curse, trying to push it away
2. live in Baptism—in hope, we live in Christ and He lives in us
   

Seeing consequences for the reality of our sinful condition, even in the midst of it all, God’s grace is mightily alive. God preserves the heart of those who trust Him. Confession and absolution cleanses, fills with peace and patience. His Spirit brings contentment even in sadness—helps us hold pain and suffering tenderly and see brief moments of joy. 

He restores our soul. As we put trust in Jesus, we respond with thanksgiving and praise for

• gifts of happiness
• enjoyment of blessings
• the promise of eternity with Him

Deeper into Ecclesiastes

Listen to conversations about Ecclesiastes: KFUO Radio—Christ for you. Anytime. Anywhere.

Bible studies series including Ecclesiastes: Life by His Word: Psalms and Wisdom Set