This post is Day 28 in a series of studies about “The Fig Tree”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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The Fig Tree – Day 28

These words are given not to scare us, but to convince us that the Almighty God is Lord of the whole earth and will do what He says. He is a God of love who wants no-one to perish, but longs for all sinners to repent and turn to Him.

Nahum 3:12-13

All your defenses will be like fig trees with the earliest figs. When shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater. Look at your soldiers; they’re women!

The Thought

Given about 640BC, this hard prophecy from another lesser known prophet, was not against the Jews. It was against the Assyrian empire and particularly the capital city Nineveh. The Assyrians thought they had built strong fortresses for protection. God saw these strongholds as fig trees blown by the wind.

The Assyrian empire was huge and very self confident. They had conquered Israel in 722BC.

Jonah had prophesied against the same city a century earlier. At that time they had repented and received a “stay of execution”. Sadly they did not repent a second time and the prophecy was fulfilled a few years later. The city became a ruin and was only discovered by archeologists some 2500 years later.

Do we truly understand that “God’s word is living and active” and it “judges a person’s thoughts and intentions”. (Hebrews 4:12)

Do we truly understand that “Falling into the hands of the living God is a terrifying thing” (Hebrews 10:31)?

These words are given not to scare us, but to convince us that the Almighty God is Lord of the whole earth and will do what He says. He is a God of love who wants no-one to perish, but longs for all sinners to repent and turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9).

Action

Read through the 3 short chapters of Nahum and feel the anger of the Lord against the cruel Assyrians. He still feels the same way today about satan and his demonic force.

Praise God for His saving grace, and pray for those you know who are not yet sure which side of the dividing line they stand.