Page 63 - The Minor Prophets - Student textbook

Key Verses:

Nahum 1:7, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.”

Nahum 1:14a. “The LORD has given a command concerning you, Nineveh: ‘You will have no
descendants to bear your name.'”

Nahum 1:15a, “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims
peace!” See also Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15.

"When will the “peace” of Nahum 1:15 come?"

Nahum 1:15 predicts a future time of peace, stating, “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who
brings good news, who proclaims peace! . . . No more will the wicked invade [Judah].”

To discover when this time of peace will occur, we must consider the larger context of Nahum. The
book of Nahum was written to communicate the pending destruction of the city of Nineveh. The
prophet Nahum wrote sometime between 663 and 612 B.C. Nahum 1:1-8 introduces the oracle and
highlights the majesty of God and His attributes. Verses 9-14 focus on God’s anger against Nineveh and
His plans to afflict it.

Nahum 1:15 then looks back at the preceding verses and declares that the destruction of Nineveh by
the Babylonians would be “good news” for Judah. Why? Nineveh was an enemy of Judah and the
capital of the Assyrian Kingdom. In 722 B.C., the Assyrians had defeated the northern kingdom of Israel,
destroying Samaria, its capital. In 701 B.C., the Assyrians nearly conquered Jerusalem, the capital of
Judah. The Assyrians were widely known for their “endless cruelty” (Nahum 3:19), leading God to
condemn Nineveh to destruction.

We know from history that this destruction of Nineveh took place in 612 B.C. at the hands of
the Medes. At that time, Judah was rid of one of its most dangerous enemies. The report of this news
would have been considered “good” to everyone in Judah.

The last half of Nahum 1:15 says, “Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will
the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.” Nineveh’s defeat would result in the ability
of Judah to continue its annual feasts and to fulfill its vows to God in Jerusalem at the temple.

In addition, the Hebrew noun translated “peace” in Nahum 1:15 is sometimes used in reference to
deliverance or freedom from enemy attack (e.g., Jeremiah 4:10; 6:14). The context of Nahum 1:15 fits
this usage, connecting “peace” with the destruction of an enemy.

In the New Testament, Paul quotes part of this verse in Romans 10:15 when he writes, “How beautiful
are the feet of those who bring good news!” This does not mean that Paul believed Nahum 1:15 was a
prediction of the gospel message. Instead, he used this verse to connect the preaching of the gospel
with the deliverance from sin provided by God’s salvation.

Nahum 2:13a, “'Behold I am against you,' says the Lord of hosts.”

Nahum 3:19, “Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about

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