Nah 1:9 | KingComments | STEP | The prophet speaks these words to the Assyrians, but they are meant to reassure the God-fearing part of God’s people, who fear a new invasion by the Assyrians. Nahum reassures them with the statement that the LORD knows not only their hostile manifestations, but also their sinful deliberations preceding them. What the nations conceive is judged by the LORD as “a vain thing” ( ; ). What they devise is in their opinions directed against Judah, but in fact it is directed against the LORD. Therefore they will not be able to carry out anything of all their inventions, for the LORD himself will make a destructive end to this enemy ( ). As additional encouragement He tells His people that they will not get into trouble again. The first distress is mentioned in . His judgment of Nineveh is final, with no possibility of this hostile power coming upon them again (cf. ). “The distress” is an expression that connects the events of the days of the judgment of Nineveh with the time of the great tribulation in the end time ( ) which is called “a time of distress for Jacob” ( ). Here the gaze is shifted from the historical destruction of Nineveh to the days immediately preceding the appearance of Christ. Christ will then personally exterminate the Assyrians or the king of the north on His return to earth ( ). There will be no second distress for Israel after the first attack and destruction by the Assyrians.

‏ Nahum 1:9

The Judgment Is Final

The prophet speaks these words to the Assyrians, but they are meant to reassure the God-fearing part of God’s people, who fear a new invasion by the Assyrians. Nahum reassures them with the statement that the LORD knows not only their hostile manifestations, but also their sinful deliberations preceding them. What the nations conceive is judged by the LORD as “a vain thing” (Psa 2:1; Acts 4:25-26).

What they devise is in their opinions directed against Judah, but in fact it is directed against the LORD. Therefore they will not be able to carry out anything of all their inventions, for the LORD himself will make a destructive end to this enemy (Pro 21:30). As additional encouragement He tells His people that they will not get into trouble again. The first distress is mentioned in Nah 1:7. His judgment of Nineveh is final, with no possibility of this hostile power coming upon them again (cf. Isa 37:23-29).

“The distress” is an expression that connects the events of the days of the judgment of Nineveh with the time of the great tribulation in the end time (Mt 24:21) which is called “a time of distress for Jacob” (Jer 30:7). Here the gaze is shifted from the historical destruction of Nineveh to the days immediately preceding the appearance of Christ. Christ will then personally exterminate the Assyrians or the king of the north on His return to earth (Dan 11:45). There will be no second distress for Israel after the first attack and destruction by the Assyrians.