Dec. 21, 2021
God’s Justice and Salvation
The book of Nahum gets its title from the prophet, whose name means "comfort." God’s people can take comfort in Nahum’s message that God will judge the wicked, in this case, the evil Assyrian empire. Nahum’s oracle (or message) is a sequel to Jonah. While Assyria’s capital, Ninevah, repents in Jonah’s story, they have returned to violence, lust, and greed in Nahum. The Lord promises to destroy the wicked and deliver His righteous remnant.
In Revelation, John records a vision of the cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan. Jesus has defeated Satan, the ancient serpent (Genesis 3:1-15), through his sacrificial blood. Jesus Christ, the promised son of Israel and Eve (Genesis 3:15), rules all nations with a rod of iron (Psalm 2). The archangel Michael (Daniel 10:13-21, Jude 1:9) and heaven’s armies continue Christ’s victory over the dragon.
Through these graphic images, John encourages believers to take comfort in what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.