Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 14
A DISCOURSE UPON GODS Patience.
NAHUM. I. Verſe 3.
The Lord is ſlow to Anger, and great in Power, and will not at all acquit the Wicked: The Lord hath his way in the Whirl-wind, and in the Storm, and the Clouds are the duſt of his Feet.
THE Subject of this propheſie is Gods ſentence againſt Niniveh, the Head and Metropolis of the Aſſyrian Empire. A City famous for its ſtrength, and thickneſs of its Walls, and the multitude of its Towers for defence againſt an Enemy. The Forces of this Empire did God uſe as a ſcourge againſt the Iſraelites, and by their hands ruin'd Samaria the chief City of the Ten Tribes, and tranſplanted them as Captives into another Country, 2 Kin. 17.5, 6. about ſix years after Hezekiah came to the Crown of Judah. 2 Kings 18. compared with the 17 chap. v. 6. In whoſe time, or (as ſome think) later, Nahum utter'd this propheſie. The Name Nahum, ſignifies Comforter, though the matter of his propheſie be dreadful to Niniveh, it was comfortable to the people of God: For a promiſe is made ver. 7. The Lord is good, a ſtrong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them, that trust in him. And an encouragement to Judah, to keep their ſolemn Feaſts, ver. 15. And alſo in chap. 2.3. with a declaration of the miſery of Niniveh and the deſtruction of it.
Obſerve.
I. In all the fears of Gods people, God will have a Comforter for them. Judah might well be dejected with the calamity of their Brethren, not knowing but it might be their own turn ſhortly after. They knew not where the ambition of the Aſſyrian would ſtop, but God by his Prophets calms their fears of their furious Neighbour, by predicting to them the ruine of their fear'd Adverſary.
II. The deſtruction of the Churches Enemies is the comfort of the Church. By that God is glorifyed in his Juſtice, and the Church ſecur'd in its Worſhip.
III. The Victories of Perſecutors, ſecure them not from being the triumphs of others. The Aſſyrians that conquered, and captiv'd Iſrael, were themſelves to be conquered, and captiv'd by the Medes. The whole oppreſſing Empire is threatned with deſtruction in the ruine of their chief City; accordingly it was accompliſht, and the Empire extinguiſht by a greater power. God burns the Rod, when it hath done the work he appointed it for; and the wiſp of ſtraw wherewith the veſſels are ſcour'd is flung into the fire, or upon the Dunghil.
Nahum begins his propheſie majeſtically, with a deſcription of the wrath and fury of God. ver. 2. God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth, the Lord revengeth, and is furious, the Lord will take vengeance on his adverſaries, and reſerveth wrath for his Enemies: And therefore the whole of it is called ver. 1. The burden of Niniveh, as thoſe propheſies are, which are compoſed of threatnings of judgments, which lie as a mighty weight upon the heads, and backs of ſinners.
God is Jealous,] jealous of his Glory and Worſhip, and jealous for his people and their ſecurity. He cannot long bear the oppreſſions of his people, and the boaſts of his Enemies. He is jealous for himſelf, and is jealous for you of Judah, who retain his Worſhip. He is not forgetful of thoſe that remember him, nor of the danger of thoſe that are deſirous to maintain his honour in the World. In this firſt expreſſion, the Prophet uſes the Covenant Name, God, the Covenant runs, I am your God, or The Lord your God, moſtly God without Lord, never Lord without God: And therefore his jealouſy here is meant of the care of his people, and the relation that his actions againſt his Enemies have to his Servants. He is a lover of his own, and a revenger on his Enemies.
The Lord Revengeth and is Furious.] He now deſcribes God by a name of ſoveraignty and Power, when he deſcribes him in his Wrath, and Fury, and is Furious. Heb. foreign Lord of hot Anger. God will vindicate his own Glory, and have his right on his Enemies in a way of puniſhment, if they will not give it him in a way of Obedience.*Ribera in loc. 'Tis three times repeated, to ſhew the certainty of the judgment. And the name of Lord added to every one, to intimate the Power wherewith the Judgment ſhould be executed. 'Tis not a Fatherly correction of Children in a way of Mercy; but an offended ſoveraigns deſtruction of his Enemies in a way of vengeance. There is an anger of God with his own people, which hath more of Mercy than Wrath; in this his Rod is guided by his bowels. There is a fury of God againſt his Enemies, where there is ſole Wrath without any tincture of Mercy; when his Sword is all edge without any Balſom-drops upon it. Such a fury as David deprecates. Pſal. 6.1. Oh Lord rebuke me not in thy Anger, nor chaſten me in thy ſore diſpleaſure; with a fury untempered with Grace, and inſupportable Wrath.
He reſerves Wrath for his Enemies.] He lays it up in his Treaſury, to be brought out, and expended in a due ſeaſon. Wrath is ſupplied by our Tranſlators, and is not in the Hebrew. He reſerves, what? that which is too ſharp to be expreſt, too great to be conceiv'd. A vengeance it is. And foreign He reſerves it. He that hath an infinite Wrath, he reſerves it, that hath a ſtrength, and power to execute it.