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Nahum (whose names means "comfort") proclaimed
God's message of comfort to the Jews. He proclaimed that Judah
need not fear the Assyrians. God would protect His people.
The people of Nineveh, after 120 years, had long forgotten
the message of Jonah and their earlier repentance. They had
attacked and spoiled Israel and now they threatened Judah.
Nahum prophesied that Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, would
be overthrown.
Nineveh was the "lion's den" - the centre of the
cruel empire of Assyria. The armies of Babylon were to be
used by God to overthrow the Assyrians.
Nineveh was captured by the Babylonians in 612 BC and finally
destroyed by the Medes and Persians later. Its ruins were
only rediscovered in the 19th century.
God's words about Himself (Ch.1) were shown to be right.
He is in control of the nations. He will not allow violence
and cruelty to go on unchecked for ever. He will bring peace
to His people (1:15). The Lord is good (1:7).
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