(영문 설교) You will seek refuge

“You too will become drunk; you will go into hiding and seek refuge from the enemy.” (Nahum 3:11)

 

At the end of the 7th century BC, Nahum the prophet prophesied God’s judgment toward Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, and Assyria was a powerful empire at that time. No matter how strong a country is, if sin and arrogance prevail, it eventually ends up being destroyed. Nineveh had repented because of Jonah’s proclamation and escaped judgment before, but as time passed, she fell into the sinful again. The development of civilization brings prosperity, but the country does not survive permanently on account of that. In the text, Nahum the prophet prophesied frankly on the demise of the secular state. Unless anybody, individuals or nations, depend on God the Righteousness, they have no choice but to enter the path of destruction after all.

 

Nahum took No-amon as an example and emphasized the fact that No-amon was eventually destroyed. Located on the upper Nile, No-amon had been the capital of Egypt once, the city was known by the Greek as Thebes. No-amon was a city rich in water. In order for people to live gather, a smooth supply of water is essential. Also, in order to prevent enemy attacks, a country must be located in a safe terrain. For drinking water and for the defense of the outside world, the Nile was an important reason for No-amon to locate there. Cush and Egypt were territories the base as strong forces for No-amon, and Put and Libya were allied with No-amon. Despite such favorable conditions in geographical and international political situations, No-amon was fallen by Ashurbanipal, King of Assyria, in 663 BC.

 

People may better develop by overcoming difficulties if in adversity. However, with development, they by indulgence and arrogance, often ruin their own life. If the people of a country become prisoners of another country, they lose all their previous freedoms and become beggars or slaves. Even their own pampered children can’t be taken loved from enemy. Regardless of honor they had, the past glories are all gone away. That’s the principle the world works also God’s strict rule to the nature. Therefore, you need to use it with thanks when you have something given with oneself, also you need a life that is always to make right awake oneself. Jesus said, in Matthew 2:42, to stay awake because the time of last judgment will come like a thief. The maidens who had prepared oil were able to participate in the feast at the time the groom came, but the maidens who did not prepare were eliminated.

 

The prophet Nahum warned that in the time of destruction, Nineveh would find a place to hide and flee, in the midst of dissipation. Becoming drunk, seeking refuge, crumbling fortresses, weak troops, submission for the enemy, the burnt bars of gates, these things are the miserable images of the end of Nineveh, Nahum said. Nineveh should had dealt with the situation to be surrounded by the enemy in advance. They had to prepare drinking water, build the fortresses, and repair the brick work. But timing was too late unfortunately. Even if the cattle are lost and the barn is to be repaired then, a fire will come out of the brick kiln and swallow them, it said. And like a swarm of locusts’ attack, the sword will cut them down. Even the guards and officials will run away. Nahum said the shepherds will be sleeping, the nobles lie down to rest and the people disperse in the mountains. In the end, there had been no other ways to recover a ruined country.

 

Life is only one chance given by the Creator. Everyone would realize the fact that life is too short as they get older, even if life seems to be long when they are young. You can quickly see how fast time is, looking at the hands of the clock on the wall. During the second hand keeps spinning, the minute hand and hour hand that seem to stop turn and turn before you know it. In Ephesians 5:16, it says, “~ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” In order to use well opportunity, careful judgment and action are necessary. If you discern and understand the will of the Lord, you can maintain a sincere life in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And if you have exchanges between saints through praise, thanks for everything, andpractice from the heart of faith in fear of Christ, those would be a way to use time well.

 

Causal retribution is the strict natural law by God the Creator. People are often misunderstood and mistaken that the Lord who gives grace will slightly turn a blind eye to his mistakes of deeds. It is God’s grace to get the condemned eternal prisoner the restoration of salvation by receiving the indulgence through faith. But not it’s God’s grace to let alone the exonerated and reinstated live to live in profligacy. Nineveh has committed much atrocities until then, but now Nineveh became mock rather by those who had been suffered before Nineveh was destroyed.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on Feb 5th 2023)