The book of Nahum is a very small book in the Old Testament. A lot of times, we don’t read this book because it’s tucked away in the Old Testament, and it primarily focuses on the judgment of God. Many preachers may also avoid preaching from this book, so you may not hear many messages on it. It has only three chapters, and they are very short—so short, in fact, that you can probably read the entire book in two minutes.
This book contains the prophecy or oracle directed to the people of Nineveh. Most of us are familiar with the story of Nineveh because of Jonah. Jonah was called to go and preach there, but instead, he fled to Tarshish. After being swallowed by a great fish and going through various trials, Jonah eventually obeyed God, and the people of Nineveh repented after his preaching.
Nahum’s prophecy takes place about 100 years after Jonah’s time. Although the people repented during Jonah’s time, after 100 years, they had again turned away from God. Nineveh, at that time, was a significant city, an important intersection of highways and markets. It was a thriving city, much like a modern-day New York. The wealth, culture, and commerce of Nineveh made it flourish, but it also led its people to rebellion and a forgetfulness of God.
To address their sin, God raised prophets like Jonah, and later Nahum, who came to warn them. Nahum prophesied about the coming destruction at the hands of the Assyrians and Persians, who would invade and take them captive. This prophecy came to pass about 50 years after Nahum’s warnings.
Though Nahum's message primarily speaks of God's judgment, it also contains themes of God's mercy and grace. In Nahum 1:7, we read: "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him." Even amidst the message of destruction, Nahum speaks of God's goodness and His care for those who put their trust in Him.
In a poetic way, Nahum describes God's presence in nature, saying, "His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet" (Nahum 1:3). The clouds, which we often associate with gloom and darkness, are portrayed as the very dust of God's feet. This idea is powerful, reminding us that even in the darkest storms of life, God is present.
During a recent trip to Iceland, it was constantly cloudy, and we longed to see the Northern Lights. However, due to the weather, we didn’t get to see them. Cloudy days can feel gloomy, and for many, they bring about feelings of sadness and lethargy. Studies have even shown that cloudy weather can have negative effects on our minds and bodies. But Nahum’s words remind us that even in these clouds, God is at work.
Clouds can symbolize more than just weather. In scripture, clouds often represent God's presence. God appeared to Moses in a cloud, and in the New Testament, a cloud covered Jesus during His transfiguration (Matthew 17:5). In Revelation, we read that Jesus will return "with the clouds" (Revelation 1:7). Clouds, rather than being mere obstacles to the sun, are often signs of God's nearness.
Nahum’s imagery of the clouds being the dust of God’s feet also reminds us that when clouds cover our lives—whether literal or metaphorical—God is already there. His presence precedes the storm, and His power reigns over it.
Like the great flood in Noah’s time, where the skies were filled with clouds, a rainbow eventually appeared as a sign of God's promise. So too, in the storms and whirlwinds of our lives, God's promises remain, if we look for them.
We know storms in life are inevitable. Some of them, like health issues or financial struggles, we may see coming. Others, like sudden tragedies, can strike without warning, like a tornado. In those moments, when everything seems to be falling apart, we must remember that God is in control. He’s in the storm, and His presence is in the clouds.
In times of difficulty, when we face our own whirlwinds, we often experience God's presence most clearly. When we reflect on those hard times, we can see how God was with us, guiding us through the storm. Like many saints before us, we realize that the hardest moments in life often become the times when we experience God's power most intimately.
The great figures of the Bible—like Abraham, David, Daniel, and the three young men in the fiery furnace—experienced God's presence in their darkest times. Daniel was rescued from the lion's den, and the three young men were saved from the furnace by the presence of a fourth figure, who was God Himself.
Similarly, when the disciples were caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, they thought they would perish. But Jesus walked on water, came to them, and said, "Don't be afraid; it is I" (Matthew 14:27). In the same way, when we face the storms of life, we can take comfort knowing that God has already been there. The dust of His feet—the clouds—surround us, reminding us that He is in control.
So the next time you find yourself on a gloomy day, step outside, look up at the sky, and remember: the clouds are the dust of His feet. God is present in the clouds, and He is in control of every storm.
May the good Lord bless these words to our hearts.
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