“The wicked one shall no more pass through you; he is utterly cut off” (Nahum 1:15).
Bad parenting can lead to a $700 fine. That will be the price parents will pay if their child is caught bullying a third time in Shawano, Wisconsin. The city council made this decision in an effort to work with parents in an effort to stop bullying. For a first offense, parents are given 90 days to address the problem. The second offense results in a $366 fine.
The bullying issue has drawn a great deal of attention probably because it has grown to include one out of every four children between the ages of twelve and eighteen. Although bullying has been taking place for hundreds of years, children now have to face the additional problem of seeing their bullies on the Internet. From this perspective, their home is no longer a safe place from threats and put-downs.
Judah was facing the oppression of a mighty bully: Assyria. Nineveh, the capital city, was known for containing all of the silver and gold that had been plundered from surrounding nations (Nahum 2:9; 3:1).
Enter Nahum the prophet. This bold man brought the good news that God would put an end to the bullying of this fearsome enemy. Although there is very little biographical information on Nahum, his boldness in speaking out against a mighty nation such as Assyria reveals that he truly believed the message he was proclaiming.
By saying things such as, “The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies,” and “He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:2, 7), Nahum reflected the meaning of his own name—comforter.
Although his message contains an intense prediction of Nineveh’s destruction, it would have brought comfort to those who had feared invasion from the Assyrians.
Often there are opportunities to comfort those who live in fear by pointing them to God, the “stronghold” (Nahum 1:7). Nahum exemplified the type of boldness that brings comfort to those living with bullies.
Almighty God, please give me boldness to encourage those who are afraid.
