Nahum was a faithful prophet of the Lord who was born in the town of Elkosh, an obscure village in Galilee. Nearby to Elkosh was Capernaum, which in its last four letters contains the name of Nahum who apparently founded the city. Nahum means comfort or consolation, which is most fitting since the prophets were commissioned to "comfort ye, comfort ye My people saith your God" (Isaiah 40:1). It was Nahum's responsibility to speak words of comfort to the Lord's people scattered throughout Israel. His message of consolation was that "the LORD hath His way" (1:3), He rules over all. Every enemy of His people would be destroyed. The specific enemy to which Nahum refers is the Ninevites.
The book begins "the burden of Nineveh." Nahum's message was a declaration of God's determined judgment upon the Assyrian empire and Nineveh, its capital city (1:14). About 150 years prior to this prophecy, Jonah preached in Nineveh and God spared the city of threatened destruction. The king led the people in national repentance. They turned from idolatry to worship the true God. Their repentance, however, was short lived, and soon Nineveh slipped right back into her idolatry and cruel ways. Nahum, therefore, writes of divine vengeance upon the city and the nation. Chapter one announces judgment. Chapter two sets forth the greatness of the judgment. Chapter three describes the judgment. The news of divine vengeance upon the Assyrians would be celebrated by believers throughout the world (3:19). About 100 years after this prophecy, the city of Nineveh was invaded by the Medes and the Babylonians and the kingdom of Assyria fell. Even so, what consolation there is for all of the Lord's people today in the good news that our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered every enemy of our souls. Sin was condemned, the law satisfied, Satan's head crushed, death's sting removed and the grave's stronghold broken by our omnipotent Savior. Let me give this final word of warning to those who know not the blessed Savior. Just as God executed vengeance upon the Assyrians, so He will pour out His retribution upon all those who persist in rebellion against Him. "He reserveth wrath for His enemies" (Nahum 1:2). May the God of salvation give grace to bow to the Lord Jesus Christ and sue for mercy. Through Christ, God, in a righteous way, can and will save the sinful.