The Divine Warrior (7 of 12)
Series: Return and Seek: The Minor Prophets
Patrick Edwards
Nahum
Introduction
One of the great emphases we find in American evangelicalism is that the Gospel holds the good news that the God of the entire universe wants a personal relationship with you. More than just wanting it, He has made a way through Jesus Christ for it to be so. Thus, we have rightly preached the same words that Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, ''You must be born again''. Naturally, then, so much of our music, our teaching, our writings, and our discipleship is centered around you and Jesus, that friendship, the close intimate relationship, that companionship for everyday life.
And these things are all true! We should emphasize and preach them. But unfortunately, often times we have so emphasized the personal implications of the Gospel that we have neglected the cosmic ones. In other words, yes while Jesus is your personal savior, He is also King over all. As the apostle John reminds us, ''He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world,'' (1 John 2:2). While, ''He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,'' (2 Corinthians 5:21), He is also ''The God of peace [who] will crush Satan under your feet,'' (Romans 16:20). As we saw in the book of the Exodus, God is a mighty in power, He vanquishes His enemies, He humbles the proud. The Lord is the divine warrior.
The theme of judgment plays heavily in the prophet Nahum, and, no doubt, that's not a message that anyone gets terribly excited to hear. Sometimes the fact that God judges and destroys the wicked, that condemnation of a holy, righteous God awaits those who refuse Him makes us feel uncomfortable. We all like talking about the mercy and grace part of God, but His wrath, not so much.
And yet, as we've seen thus far in the Book of the Twelve, judgment and restoration are co ...
Series: Return and Seek: The Minor Prophets
Patrick Edwards
Nahum
Introduction
One of the great emphases we find in American evangelicalism is that the Gospel holds the good news that the God of the entire universe wants a personal relationship with you. More than just wanting it, He has made a way through Jesus Christ for it to be so. Thus, we have rightly preached the same words that Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, ''You must be born again''. Naturally, then, so much of our music, our teaching, our writings, and our discipleship is centered around you and Jesus, that friendship, the close intimate relationship, that companionship for everyday life.
And these things are all true! We should emphasize and preach them. But unfortunately, often times we have so emphasized the personal implications of the Gospel that we have neglected the cosmic ones. In other words, yes while Jesus is your personal savior, He is also King over all. As the apostle John reminds us, ''He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world,'' (1 John 2:2). While, ''He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,'' (2 Corinthians 5:21), He is also ''The God of peace [who] will crush Satan under your feet,'' (Romans 16:20). As we saw in the book of the Exodus, God is a mighty in power, He vanquishes His enemies, He humbles the proud. The Lord is the divine warrior.
The theme of judgment plays heavily in the prophet Nahum, and, no doubt, that's not a message that anyone gets terribly excited to hear. Sometimes the fact that God judges and destroys the wicked, that condemnation of a holy, righteous God awaits those who refuse Him makes us feel uncomfortable. We all like talking about the mercy and grace part of God, but His wrath, not so much.
And yet, as we've seen thus far in the Book of the Twelve, judgment and restoration are co ...
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