Tuesdays Are for the Old Testament
8/27/24
Lessing, R. Reed, & Steinmann, Andrew E. (2014). "Chapter Thirty-Four: Nahum." In Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. (507-516).
Nahum the prophet is a shadowy character. Lessing and Steinmann note the only detail given in the book is his home village of Elkosh, a town which is hard to pinpoint (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 507). His prophecy, directed against Nineveh, comes at a time when they will not respond as they did at the time of Jonah. Lessing and Steinmann date the fall of Nineveh in 612 B.C.
Considerations of authorship have often centered around the "semi-acrostic poem in Nah 1:3-7" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 507). Attempts have been made to complete the poem or extend it into the next chapter. While some scholarship has attempted to push the work to a period after the exile, others have begun to find integrity in the work and to date it shortly after the middle of the 7th century B.C.
Nahum is characterized by vivid images and poetic beauty but at the same time by a stern message. The fall of Nineveh is to be a terrible thing (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 508). The book does divide fairly neatly into its three chapters. In the first, God is the divine warrior. In chapter two, he brings battle against Nineveh. In chapter three the fate of Nineveh is revealed. From a textual standpoint the various Qumran fragments and the Septuagint witness to the Masoretic Text being accurate. However, versification does differ slightly (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 509).
Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, is portrayed in artwork "as a ravenous lion" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 509). Nahum uses these themes in his description of Assyria, particularly in 2:12. By the later part of the 8th century B.C., the Assyrian lion brought Samaria and the northern kingdom of Israel to destruction. Nahum depicts Nineveh in a very negative manner (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 510). Lessing and Steinmann observe the same characteristics are found in other accounts of the Assyrians. Nahum does mention the fall of Thebes as having already occurred, thus dating his writing after 663. Nineveh has not yet fallen, so the work was composed before 612. Lessing and Steinmann discuss the defenses of Nineveh in some detail (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 511).
Divine vengeance serves as a primary theological emphasis in Nahum (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 511). God the warrior comes to defeat the enemies. Lessing and Steinmann note that we often characterize vengeance as a senseless activity. However, in the case of God's vengeance, it is measured activity in accord with known divine law. Both God's wrath and mercy are carried out in accord with his word (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 512).
The gospel of peace serves as an important theological issue. Nahum 1:15 speaks of the coming of the gospel. God's beneficent reign is coming (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 512). The fall of Nineveh ushers in God's justice.
Christ is seen in Nahum as we realize that God is the strong protector (1:7-8). The warrior God fights for his people who trust him (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 513). Sin and grace are seen as God's judgment against Nineveh results in his grace and peace being available to Israel (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 514).
8/27/24
Lessing, R. Reed, & Steinmann, Andrew E. (2014). "Chapter Thirty-Four: Nahum." In Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. (507-516).
Nahum the prophet is a shadowy character. Lessing and Steinmann note the only detail given in the book is his home village of Elkosh, a town which is hard to pinpoint (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 507). His prophecy, directed against Nineveh, comes at a time when they will not respond as they did at the time of Jonah. Lessing and Steinmann date the fall of Nineveh in 612 B.C.
Considerations of authorship have often centered around the "semi-acrostic poem in Nah 1:3-7" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 507). Attempts have been made to complete the poem or extend it into the next chapter. While some scholarship has attempted to push the work to a period after the exile, others have begun to find integrity in the work and to date it shortly after the middle of the 7th century B.C.
Nahum is characterized by vivid images and poetic beauty but at the same time by a stern message. The fall of Nineveh is to be a terrible thing (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 508). The book does divide fairly neatly into its three chapters. In the first, God is the divine warrior. In chapter two, he brings battle against Nineveh. In chapter three the fate of Nineveh is revealed. From a textual standpoint the various Qumran fragments and the Septuagint witness to the Masoretic Text being accurate. However, versification does differ slightly (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 509).
Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, is portrayed in artwork "as a ravenous lion" (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 509). Nahum uses these themes in his description of Assyria, particularly in 2:12. By the later part of the 8th century B.C., the Assyrian lion brought Samaria and the northern kingdom of Israel to destruction. Nahum depicts Nineveh in a very negative manner (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 510). Lessing and Steinmann observe the same characteristics are found in other accounts of the Assyrians. Nahum does mention the fall of Thebes as having already occurred, thus dating his writing after 663. Nineveh has not yet fallen, so the work was composed before 612. Lessing and Steinmann discuss the defenses of Nineveh in some detail (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 511).
Divine vengeance serves as a primary theological emphasis in Nahum (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 511). God the warrior comes to defeat the enemies. Lessing and Steinmann note that we often characterize vengeance as a senseless activity. However, in the case of God's vengeance, it is measured activity in accord with known divine law. Both God's wrath and mercy are carried out in accord with his word (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 512).
The gospel of peace serves as an important theological issue. Nahum 1:15 speaks of the coming of the gospel. God's beneficent reign is coming (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 512). The fall of Nineveh ushers in God's justice.
Christ is seen in Nahum as we realize that God is the strong protector (1:7-8). The warrior God fights for his people who trust him (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 513). Sin and grace are seen as God's judgment against Nineveh results in his grace and peace being available to Israel (Lessing & Steinmann 2014, p. 514).
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