What does Nahum 3:10 teach about God's justice and sovereignty over nations? Verse in focus “Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity; her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were bound in chains.” (Nahum 3:10) Historical snapshot: No-Amon’s downfall • “She” refers to No-Amon (Thebes), Egypt’s proud capital, famed for its rivers, walls, and alliances (Nahum 3:8–9). • Despite unmatched defenses, Thebes fell to the Assyrians in 663 BC; her people were slaughtered and her leaders humiliated. • Nahum reminds Nineveh, “You conquered her—yet even she could not escape My judgment. Nor will you.” God’s justice highlighted • Sin invites certain judgment – Cruelty toward the weak (“infants were dashed to pieces”) provokes divine wrath (Psalm 94:5–7; Matthew 18:6). • Judgment is proportional and public – Thebes’ violent deeds boomeranged on her in full view “at the head of every street” (Galatians 6:7). • No favoritism – Nobles and “great men” were chained just like commoners (Romans 2:11). • Justice may appear delayed, never denied – Decades passed before Thebes fell, yet God’s word was fulfilled (2 Peter 3:9). God’s sovereignty over nations • He raises and removes kingdoms – “He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others” (Daniel 2:21). • Military might and geography cannot shield a nation He has decreed to judge (Isaiah 40:15; Psalm 33:16-17). • He uses even pagan powers as instruments of His purpose – Assyria toppled Thebes; later Babylon would topple Assyria (Habakkuk 1:6; Jeremiah 25:9). • National destinies rest in His hand, not in alliances or rivers (Proverbs 21:1; Acts 17:26). Supporting scriptures • Jeremiah 18:7-10—God uproots or builds nations based on their response to Him. • Obadiah 1:3-4—pride lulls nations into false security. • Isaiah 10:12—after God uses a nation as His rod, He judges its arrogance. Timeless takeaways for today • No nation is too cultured, wealthy, or strategic to escape accountability before God. • Moral decay and oppression inevitably draw divine intervention. • National repentance can still avert or delay disaster (2 Chronicles 7:14; Jonah 3:10). • Believers rest in the assurance that history’s chaos is under God’s steady rule, and His justice, though sometimes slow by human reckoning, is always certain. |
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