The wrath of God-a warning.
I. NECESSARY AS TO ITS EXISTENCE Based upon the character of God as a jealous God. Jealous:
1. For his own glory, and therefore admitting of no rival claimant to man's worship and homage (Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24).
2. For his holy Law, and therefore shut up to punish iniquity (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; Deuteronomy 29:20; Joshua 24:19).
3. For his own people, and therefore impelled to take vengeance on their adversaries.
II. RIGHTEOUS AS TO ITS CHARACTER. Directed only and always:
1. Against his adversaries; i.e. against those who decline to do him homage, and show this by worshipping idols.
2. Against those who dishonour his holy Law by their disobedience and unrighteousness.
3. Against those who oppress and tyrannize over his people, as the Assyrians had done and were doing.
III. FURIOUS AS TO OPERATION. The wrath of Jehovah is not a trifle. Nahum speaks of it as something that has fury in it (verses 2, 6). The prophets generally represented it as terrible in its forth flashing against sin and sinners (Deuteronomy 29:28; 2 Chronicles 28:13; Isaiah 13:9; Jeremiah 21:5; Zephaniah 1:18; Zechariah 7:12). Christ did not view it as of small moment (Luke 21:23; Luke 22:22). Reason does not warrant the idea that it will be slight and easy to bear, it being the anger of a great and holy God.
IV. SLOW AS TO MANIFESTATION. It does not spring forth readily. Scripture distinctly testifies that God is slow to anger (verse 3).
1. Jehovah himself claimed that such was his character,
2. The Bible throughout concedes to him this character. Moses (Numbers 14:18), David (Psalms 86:15), Jonah (Jonah 4:2), Micah (Micah 7:18), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:17), alike proclaim it. In the New Testament, Paul (Romans 9:22) and Peter (2 Peter 3:9, 2 Peter 3:15) entertain the same idea.
3. Experience sufficiently confirms the Divine claim and the Scripture representation. The providential treatment of the world, of the antediluvian race, of Israel and Judah, of Nineveh and Babylon, of unbelievers in Christendom and of idolaters in heathendom,—the best evidence that God is not willing that any should perish.
V. CERTAIN AS TO INCIDENCE.
1. His character such as to demand this. "He will by no means clear the guilty." If he did he would contradict the representations of his character, falsify his word, and endanger his government. Hence his long suffering cannot arise from any secret sympathy which he has with sin, but must spring solely from his own inherent mercifulness.
2. His power sufficient to secure this. If Jehovah is slow to anger, this proceeds not from any defect in his ability to execute wrath upon his adversaries. He is of great power—a truth explicitly set forth in Scripture (Genesis 18:14; Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 7:21; Job 9:4; Psalms 89:8, etc.), and amplified and illustrated by Nahum, who depicts that power in a threefold way.
APPLICATION. "Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?" (verse 6).
Consolation in God.
I. IN HIS LOVE. "The Lord is good."
1. Revealed in his Word.
2. Attested by his works.
3. Experienced by his saints. From the beginning of time downwards, good men have been partakers of, and delighted to bear testimony to, the goodness of God, saying, like David, "The Lord is my Shepherd," etc. (Psalms 23:1); "He hath dealt bountifully with me" (Psalms 13:6); confessing, like Solomon, "There hath not failed one word of all his good promise" (1 Kings 8:56); acknowledging, like Jacob, "He hath fed me all my life long unto this day" (Genesis 48:15).
4. Illustrated by his Son. The highest, clearest, and fullest evidence that God is good was furnished by Jesus Christ, who was good in himself (John 10:11), and went about continually doing good (Acts 10:38).
II. IN HIS POWER. "He is a Stronghold in the day of trouble."
1. Accessible.
2. Impregnable. This inevitable, considering what kind of a fortress it is—Divine, and by what munitions it is guarded, the royal battalion of the Divine attributes, by Jehovah's omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, faithfulness, wisdom, holiness, love, Against this manifestly no weapon can prevail. "Mine omnipotency shall be your guard. I am God Almighty, your Almighty Protector, your Almighty Benefactor. What though your enemies are many? More are they that are with you than they that are against you; for I am with you. What though they are mighty? they are not almighty," etc..
3. Sufficient. Every succour the soul needs in its day of trouble is found in God, and found oomph rely—for the soul's guilt, pardon (Isaiah 1:16; Isaiah 43:25); for its pollution, cleansing (Ezekiel 36:25); for its anxiety, peace (Isaiah 26:3; Matthew 11:28); for its weakness, strength (Isaiah 45:24); for its darkness, light (Psalms 118:27; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5); for its death, life (Isaiah 25:8; Romans 4:17).
III. IN HIS KNOWLEDGE. "He knoweth them that put their trust in him." He knoweth them:
1. Collectively. All that belong to the body of his believing people he exactly and always knows, so that he can think and speak of them as his people (Isaiah 32:18; 2 Timothy 2:19), as Christ does of those who are his (John 10:14).
2. Individually. Not in the mass merely, but separately and singly, he knows them (2 Samuel 7:20; Psalms 139:1; 1 Corinthians 8:3, Hebrews 4:13), as Christ also calls his own sheep by name (John 10:3).
3. Thoroughly.
4. Efficiently. Different from the wicked, whom he knows afar off (Psalms 138:6), i.e. as persons estranged from and hostile to him elf, them that put their trust in him he knows appreciatively and helpfully, so as to love, cherish, protect, and assist them. "Though the Lord be-high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly"—to their persons to love them, to their characters to admire them, to their wants to supply them, to their souls to save them.
CONCLUSION. Note:
1. The characters of those for whom this consolation exists—they put their trust in God. Remark upon the simplicity and efficacy of faith.
2. The evil fate of them who, being destitute of faith, are his enemies—they shall be destroyed by an overrunning flood, their habitations swept away, their persons engulfed, their hopes disappointed, their projects defeated, their ambitions scattered to the winds; they shall be pursued by (or into) darkness (see next homily).