The Daily Fountain Devotional Thursday, December 15, 2022
The Daily Fountain Devotional Thursday, December 15, 2022
Thursday, December 15, 2022
TOPIC: SURRENDER
TEXT: Nahum 1:1-13
1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. 2 God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth, and is furious; the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. 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 whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. 5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. 6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
7 The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. 8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. 9 What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. 10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. 11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the Lord, a wicked counsellor. 12 Thus saith the Lord; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. 13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
The Daily Fountain Devotional Thursday, December 15, 2022
INTRODUCTION TEXT
God used the prophet Nahum to announce; the fall of Nineveh, signaling the complete overthrow of Assyria. This was the same people the prophet Jonah had preached to. To Jonah's preaching, and much to his dismay, they repented. But apparently this repentance was short-lived; they returned to their sins. Nineveh had become the leading military power in the Near East, and as is usual with success, is now filled with pride; they no longer trembled at God's word as they did when Jonah preached. Now Nahum warns: "What do you conspire against the LORD?" (v.9). Sin is a futile conspiracy against God's commands and purpose. But note that God also will make a complete end.
And God truly did. Nineveh fell in 612 B.C.
We must never lose sight of the fact that God will judge sin. No one can stand before His indignation; no one can endure the heat of His anger for His wrath against sin is poured out like fire (v.6). What sin might you repent of today? On the contrary, the Lord is good and is a stronghold in the day of trouble; but this is only for those who take refuge in Him (v.7). The only safe place against the rage ^f sin is God. Are you in Him? Have you taken refuge in the Rock of Ages? Are you born again? Do not wait to face His wrath; surrender to His grace today.
Prayer: Rock of Ages, cleft for me; let me, Hide myself in Thee.