SECURING THE NEXT GENERATION
(OUR little guys…)
THE BOOK OF NAHUM
The Old & New Testament saints looked at life generationally, and that is how we should think as well. (Proverbs 30:11-14; Matthew 12:38-42; 24:34).
CONTRASTS AND COMPARISONS BETWEEN NAHUM AND JONAH
· Jonah sent his message to Nineveh with a lesson for Judah, whereas Nahum sent his message to Judah (80 to 100 yrs. later) with a lesson to Assyria (and us).
· The same key opens both books-mercy and justice (Exodus 34:6-7; Nahum 1:3; Jonah 4:2).
· The Conclusion of each book leaves you with an unanswered question.
NAHUM’S WORLD
· Ten of twelve tribes were already in captivity and Judah was a vassal to Assyria.
· Assyria had decimated the Northern Kingdom and many southern cities as well (722BC).
· Outline of the book: (1) A Prologue of ‘Who God Is’ both in mercy and justice. (2) The fall of Nineveh. (3) The fall of Assyria (612 BC) by the Babylonians.
· Nahum’s message is harsh and filled with graphic language of death, destruction and war. Some have wrongfully said of Nahum “The paradox of the book is that the literature is as good as the religion is bad.”
· Our response should be imprecatory Psalms- It is a picture of gratitude for the removal of evil and that’s not bad religion. But it’s not a delight in their demise. Psalm 69:24 "Pour out Your indignation on them and let Your burning anger overtake them." Nahum is a blood-curdling song of rejoicing that Nineveh has fallen…for they trampled God’s mercy.
THE GREAT LESSON
Nahum proclaimed destruction to Nineveh because the saints in Nineveh had failed their generation (LK.12:48). Generational crop failure is a real thing: We can lose the next generation due to spiritual neglect. Judah had watched Nineveh squander their repentance. But what have they learned?
We forget that perseverance is the only biblical means of assurance: Behold the goodness and severity of God (Rom.11:22). We need to finish the race before we start fitting ourselves for the crown (Heb.3:10).
HOW DO WE SECURE THE NEXT GENERATION?
1. Our children must be born again- They must know the mercy of God. “Our children are conceived and born in sin, and therefore children of wrath, insomuch that [they] cannot enter the into the kingdom of God except [they] be born again” (London Baptist 1689, WCF).
2. Parents must nurture heartfelt obedience to God- (Proverbs 22:6; 23:26). Covenant unfaithfulness is not always the parent’s fault, but it is their responsibility. We can all say, “I could have done more.”
3. Godly parenting requires us to instruct our children in the Christian faith (2 Sam.6:20; Ps.34:11-14; 90:16; 105:5-6; 118:15; 132:12; 147:13).