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The book of Nahum contains some wonderful poetry. I first came across it when I was doing religious studies at school. It has wonderfully gory battle scenes, full of chariots and swords and corpses. Perhaps the Bible isn’t so bad after all, I thought.
It’s a prophecy of the fall of Nineveh, the Assyrian capital. The Assyrians had ravaged Israel and were threatening Judah. They were a brutal, sadistic people whose atrocities against their conquered subjects made them feared and loathed.
The book starts with a deeply unfashionable idea. “The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes, and maintains his wrath against his enemies.” Nineveh, you will get what’s coming to you.
Well: there’s been a good deal of bloodshed throughout Christian history, and it’s all too easy to assume we’re on the side of the angels when the sabres start to rattle and the drums begin to beat. In fact Christians have been oppressors as well as victims. So it’s much saferto talk about love, and forgiveness, and peace.
We gain by that. But we lose something, too. Throughout the book of Nahum there is a barely-restrained fury at what the Assyrians have done. The prophet is consumed by anger at the devastation caused by these torturers and murderers. He wants justice.
We should remember Jesus on the cross, forgiving his enemies. But we should hold in tension with that the Jesus who whipped the money-changers out of the Temple, and denounced evil, and warned against the wrath to come.
Nahum denounced Nineveh because it was oppressive. I think there’s actually something very Christian in that holy rage against wrongdoing.
Civilians in Syria are being bombed and gassed, children in Yemen are starving. There’s been an explosion in child pornography – and every image represents a criminal act. Nearly half of the world’s population – more than three billion people – live on less than $2.50 a day, while more than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty – less than $1.25 a day. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. Many who survive grow up stunted because of chronic malnutrition. Women are raped, abused and cut. The list goes on.
I wonder if Jesus looks at his church sometimes and thinks, “These people are just too nice. I’d like to see them lose their tempers with sin.”
Nahum finishes: “Nothing can heal your wound, your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?” (3:19).
Where are the Christians prepared to fight against the endless cruelties of the world today?
Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
