3<\/strong>. <\/span>Nah 1:3<\/span> continues the description of the relation of Jehovah to His enemies: He is longsuffering, delays chastisement long, but eventually takes vengeance. The meaning of the phrase “great in power” is not clear. If employed in the usual objective sense as Job 9:4<\/span>, the verse would read, The Lord is slow to anger, but great in strength and will by no means leave unpunished (Rom 9:22<\/span>). If “great in power” had a sense parallel to Job 36:5<\/span>, “Lo God is great and despises not, great in strength of heart” (mind), that is, if “strength” referred to attributes of the divine mind, magnanimity and longsuffering, the clause would be connected rather with the first, and the verse would read, “The Lord is slow to anger and great in strength, but he will &c.”; see Num 14:17-18<\/span>, to which the verse has great resemblance. The phrase “will not acquit,” or leave unpunished, is used here absolutely, as Exo 34:7<\/span>, it being readily understood who it is that He will not let go unpunished; cf. Exo 20:7<\/span>; Joe 3:21<\/span>; Jer 25:29<\/span>. For “great in power” some would read the usual “great in mercy.”<\/p>\n With Nah 1:3<\/em><\/span> b<\/em> the prophet passes to the manifestation of these attributes of Jehovah or of Jehovah in these attributes in the tempest. The passage does not seem to possess unity as a description of a single Theophany, but rather accumulates features from various manifestations of the Lord, all illustrating His power and its terrible effects in nature and on men.<\/p>\n hath his way in the whirlwind<\/em> ] i.e. He moves and passes in the whirlwind, which is not the mere wind but also all its accompaniments of cloud and darkness. (The Heb. word for “Storm” is spelled exceptionally here, as Job 9:17<\/span>.) The meaning is not so much that Jehovah uses the whirlwind and storm as the vehicles of His movement as that these commotions and terrors in nature are created by His presence, of which to men they are the tokens. The splendid words “the clouds are the dust of his feet,” like the others “the earth is his footstool” need to be conceived, not explained.<\/p>\n The Lord is slow to anger – <\/B>Nahum takes up the words of Jonah Jon 4:2<\/span> as he spoke of Gods attributes toward Nineveh, but only to show the opposite side of them. Jonah declares how God is slow to anger, giving men time of repentance, and if they do repent, repenting Him also of the evil; Nahum, that the long-suffering of God is not slackness, that He is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.<\/P> And strong in power – <\/B>Divine long-suffering gees along with Divine power. God can be long-suffering, because He can, whenever He sees good, punish. His long-suffering is a token, not of weakness, but of power. He can allow persons the whole extent of trial, because, when they are past cure, He can end it at once. God is a righteous judge, strong and patient, and God wraths every day Psa 7:11<\/span>. The wrath comes only at the last, but it is ever present with God. He cannot but be displeased with the sin; and so the Psalmist describes in the manner of men the gradual approximation to its discharge. If he (the sinner) will not return (from evil or to God), He will whet His sword; He hath trodden His bow and directed it: He hath prepared for him instruments of death; He hath made his arrows burning Psa 7:12-13<\/span>. We see the arrow with unextinguishable fire, ready to be discharged, waiting for the final decision of the wicked, whether he will repent or not, but that still the Day of the Lord will come 2Pe 3:9-10<\/span>. He will not at all acquit.<\/P> The words occur originally in the great declaration of Gods attributes of mercy by Moses, as a necessary limitation of them ; they are continued to Gods people, yet with the side of mercy predominant Jer 30:11<\/span>; Jer 46:28<\/span>; they are pleaded to Himself Num 14:18<\/span>; they are the sanction of the third commandment Exo 20:7<\/span>; Deu 5:11<\/span>. He will not acquit of His own will, apart from His justice. So He saith, I can of Mine own self do nothing Joh 5:30<\/span>, i. e., (in part), not as unjust judges, who call good evil and evil good, following their own will, not the merits of the case; but, as I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just. He cannot even have mercy and spare unjustly, nor without the lowliness of penitence. Even if it is Jerusalem, over which He wept, or His companion, His own familiar friend Psa 55:14<\/span>, He, who is no accepter of persons, cannot of mere favor forgive the impenitent.<\/P> The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm – <\/B>The vengeance of God comes at last swiftly, vehemently, fearfully, irresistibly. When they say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them 1Th 5:3<\/span>, and all creation stands at the command of the Creator against His enemies. He shall take to Him His jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature His weapon, for the revenge of His enemies (Wisd. 5:17).<\/P> And the clouds are the dust of His feet – <\/B>Perhaps the imagery is from the light dust raised by an earthly army, of which Nahums word is used Eze 26:10<\/span>. The powers of heaven are arrayed against the might of earth. On earth a little dust, soon to subside; in heaven, the whirlwind and the storm, which sweep away what does not bow before them. The vapors, slight on outward seeming, but formed of countless multitudes of mist-drops, are yet dark and lowering, as they burst, and resistless. The Feet of God are that power whereby He trampleth upon the ungodly. So it is said to the Son, Sit Thou on My Right Hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. Tempests have also, without figure, been used to overthrow Gods enemies (Exo 14:27<\/span>; Jos 10:11<\/span>; Jdg 5:20<\/U><\/span>; 1Sa 2:10<\/span>; and 1Sa 7:10<\/span>; 2Sa 22:15<\/span>).<\/P> <\/p>\n Nah 1:3<\/span><\/p>\n The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and win not at all acquit the wicked.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Mercy, omnipotence, and justice<\/strong><\/p>\n Works of art require some education in the beholder before they can be thoroughly appreciated. There must be something in the man himself before he can understand the wonders either of nature or of art. Certainly this is true of character. By reason of failures in our character, and faults in our life, we are not capable of understanding all the separate beauties and the united perfection of the character of Christ, or of God His Father. Men, through the alienation of their natures, are constantly misrepresenting God, because they cannot appreciate His perfection. This is especially true with regard to certain lights and shadows in the character of God, which He has so marvellously blended in the perfection of His nature, that, although we cannot see the exact point of meeting, yet we are struck with wonder at the sacred harmony. How can God be slow to anger, and yet unwilling to acquit the wicked? Our character is so imperfect that we cannot see the congruity of these two attributes. It is because His character is perfect that we do not see where these two things melt into each other.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>Because He never smites without first threatening.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>But He is very slow to threaten. Gods lips move swiftly when He promises, but slowly when He threatens.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>When He threatens, how slow He is to sentence the criminal.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Even when the sentence against a sinner is signed and sealed, how slow God is to carry it out. Illustrate from case of Sodom. Trace this attribute of God to its source. He is slow to anger because He is infinitely good. And because He is great.<\/p>\n The patience of God<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>This exquisite sensitiveness. He is sensibility itself.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>His abhorrence of sin. It is the abominable <\/em>thing, which He emphatically hates. His whole nature revolts from it. He feels that it is antagonism to His will, and to the order and well-being of the universe.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>His provocation by the world.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>His right to do whatever He pleases. He could show His anger, if He pleased, any when, anywhere, or anyhow.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>To acquit the impenitent, would be an infraction of His law. He has bound suffering to sin by a law as strong and as inviolable as that which binds the planets to the sun. The wages of sin is death.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>To acquit the impenitent, would be a violation of His Word.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>To acquit the impenitent, would be to break the harmony of His universe. If inveterate rebels were acquitted, what an impulse there would be given in Gods moral empire to anarchy. Abuse not the patience of God; nay, avail yourselves of it. (Homilist.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n A discourse upon Gods patience<\/strong><\/p>\n Slowness to anger, or admirable patience, is the property of the Divine nature. This patience is seen in His providential works in the world. Consider–<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>It is a part of the Divine goodness and mercy, yet differs from both. It differs from mercy in the formal consideration of the object. Mercy respects the creature as miserable, patience respects the <\/strong>creature as criminal. Mercy is one end of patience. It differs in regard of the object. The object of goodness is every creature. The object of patience is primarily man.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Since it is a part of goodness and mercy, it is not an insensible patience.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>It is not a constrained or half-hearted patience.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Since it is not for want of power over the creature, it is from a fulness of power over Himself.<\/p>\n 5. <\/strong>The exercise of this patience is founded in the death of Christ. The natural ness of Gods veracity and holiness, and the strictness of His justice, are no bars to the exercise of His patience.<\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> To our first parents.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>To the Gentiles.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>To the Israelites. In particular, this patience is manifest–<\/p>\n (1)<\/strong> In His giving warning of judgments before He orders them to go forth. He speaks before He strikes, and speaks that He may not strike.<\/p>\n (2)<\/strong>In long delaying His threatened judgments, though He finds no repentance in the rebels.<\/p>\n (3)<\/strong> In His unwillingness to execute His judgments, when He can delay no longer.<\/p>\n (4)<\/strong> In moderating His judgments, even when He sends them.<\/p>\n (5)<\/strong> In giving great mercies after provocations.<\/p>\n (6)<\/strong> All this is more manifest if we consider the provocations He hath.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>To show Himself appeasable.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>To wait for mens repentance.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>For the propagation of mankind.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>For the continuance of the Church.<\/p>\n 5. <\/strong>To manifest the equity of His future justice on righteous and wicked.<\/p>\n For instruction–<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>How do men abuse this patience?<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>The second use is for comfort.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>For exhortation. Meditate often on the patience of God, (C. Charnocke.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The God of providence a forbearing God<\/strong><\/p>\n And will not at all acquit the wicked.<\/strong>—<\/p>\n God both forgiving and unforgiving<\/strong><\/p>\n Calvins <\/em>translation is, Jehovah is slow to wrath, and great in power, and by clearing He will not clear. God is irreconcilable to the impenitent. He deals strictly with sinners, so as to remit no punishment. He will not clear by clearing, but will rigidly execute His judgment. There seems to be some inconsistency in saying that God is reconcilable and ready to pardon, and yet that by clearing He will not clear. But the aspect of things is different. The ungodly ever promise impunity to themselves, and in this confidence petulantly deride God Himself. The prophet answers them, and declares that there was no reason why they thus abused Gods forbearance, for he says, By clearing He will not clear, that is, the reprobate: for our salvation consists in a free remission of sins; and whence comes our righteousness but from the imputation of God, and from this–that our sins are buried in oblivion? Yea, our whole clearing depends on the mercy of God. But God then exercises also His judgment, and by clearing He clears, when He remits to the faithful their sins; for the faithful, by repentance, anticipate His judgment; and He searches their hearts, that He may clear them. As then God absolves none but the condemned, our prophet here rightly declares, that by clearing He will not clear, that is, He will not remit their sins, except He tries them, and discharges the office of a judge; in short, that no sin is remitted by God which He does not first condemn. But with regard to the reprobate, who are wholly obstinate in their wickedness, the prophet justly declares this to them,–that they have no hope of pardon, as they perversely adhere to their own devices, and think that they can escape the hand of God:<\/strong> the prophet tells them that they are deceived, for God passes by nothing, and will not blot out one sin, until all be brought to mind. (John Calvin.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.<\/strong>—<\/p>\n The way of the Lord in the whirlwind and in the storm<\/strong><\/p>\n Philosophers contemplate hurricanes as natural evils, and investigate the material causes of these elementary commotions. But Scripture raises us up to a higher sphere of contemplation, and presents to our minds the terrible operations of <\/strong>nature, under consideration of the works and judgments of the God of nature. He commands the storm, whirls the wind, rules the sea, and superintends the destructions of death. The literal sense of the text appears to have a foundation in fact, and may be traced to the terrible hurricane in which the God of Israel came down, and by a mighty angel destroyed the Assyrian camp before Jerusalem.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The way of the Lord in these elementary and violent commotions which have been described.<\/p>\n (1)<\/strong> They are awaked and roused by the Word of the Lord.<\/p>\n (2)<\/strong> They are directed by the will of God.<\/p>\n (3)<\/strong> They are ruled by the providence of God.<\/p>\n (4)<\/strong> They are restrained and moderated by the power of God.<\/p>\n (5)<\/strong> They are calmed by the goodness and mercy of God.<\/p>\n Application–<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>The way of the Lord in whirlwinds and storms, and the illustrations of it, are proofs and demonstrations to the world of His existence and providence.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Exhibitions to our senses of the glory and terror of His majesty.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Declarations to the world that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Admonitions to the nations, to consider the miseries of war, and to settle among themselves those differences for which they have taken up arms against one another.<\/p>\n 5. <\/strong>Calls to the inhabitants of the world, to turn from ungodliness and unrighteousness, and to serve the Lord with reverence and godly fear. Knowing the terrors, and knowing that they are coming upon all who know not God, and obey not the end unbelief, to foresee the great day of His wrath, to believe your guilt and danger, and to hide yourselves under His righteousness. (A. Shanks.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The clouds are the dust of His feet.<\/strong>—<\/p>\n What are the clouds<\/strong><\/p>\n Nah 1:3-6<\/span><\/p>\n He rebuketh the sea.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Gods power<\/strong><\/p>\n Here is a description of Gods power unrivalled in its sublimity and soul-stirring force. Power belongeth unto God. It is absolute, inexhaustible, ever and everywhere operative. He fainteth not, neither is weary. His power is here presented in two aspects.<\/p>\n 1. <\/strong>It works in the air. The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>It works in the sea. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it <\/strong>dry, and drieth up all the rivers. There is undoubtedly an allusion here to the Red Sea and the Jordan. He holdeth the winds in His fists, and the waters in the hollow of His hands. His way is in the sea, and His path in the great waters.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>It works on the earth. Bashan languisheth, and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. No spots in Palestine were more fruitful than these three. But their life and their growth depended on the results of Gods power. Nor is His power less active in the inorganic parts of the world. The mountains quake at Him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at His presence, yea, the world and all that dwell therein. Gods power is seen in all the phenomena of the material world. How graphically and beautifully is this presented in Psa 104:1-35<\/span>. The fact that Gods power is ever acting in the material universe is–<\/p>\n (1)<\/strong> The most philosophic explanation of all its phenomena. The men who ascribe all the operations of nature to what they call laws, fail to satisfy my intellect. For what are those laws! The fact that Gods power is ever acting is<\/p>\n (2)<\/strong> The most hallowing aspect of the world we live in. God is in all. Then walk the earth in reverence.<\/p>\n Gods control over nature, and deliverance of His people<\/strong><\/p>\n In these <\/em>words them is a striking display of the power, the severity, and the long-suffering and mercy of God.<\/p>\n Verse 3<\/span>. The Lord is slow to anger<\/B><\/I>] He exercises much longsuffering towards his enemies, that this may lead them to repentance. And it is because of this longsuffering that vengeance is not speedily executed on every evil work.<\/P> <\/P> Great in power<\/B><\/I>] Able at all times to save<\/I> or to destroy<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> The Lord<\/B><\/I> hath <\/B>his way in the whirlwind and in the storm<\/B><\/I>] These are the effects<\/I> of his power<\/I>; and when they appear unusual, they may be considered as the immediate<\/I> effects of his power: and although he be in them<\/I> to punish and destroy, he is in them to direct<\/I> their course<\/I>, to determine their operations<\/I>, and to defend his followers from being injured by their violence. The pestilential wind which slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand<\/I> of the Assyrians did not injure one<\/I> Israelite. See Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>The first characteristic of God. Slow to anger.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The link between the first sentence of the text and the last. He is great in power. He that is great in power has power over Himself. When Gods power doth restrain Himself, then it is power indeed.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The last attribute is this–He will not at all acquit the wicked. Never once has God pardoned an unpunished sin. Trace this attribute to its source, and you find it in this, because He is good. (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>Implies great power. Note–<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>His patience precludes not the punishment of the impenitent. And will not at all acquit the wicked.<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The nature of this patience.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>How this patience, or slowness to anger, is manifested.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>Why doth God exercise so much patience?<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The admirable patience of the divine being. The prophet adds a reference to the power of God, and His punishment of the wicked, in order to guard men against presuming on His forbearance. We need not stay to prove that slowness to anger is a property of God. Divine patience could not be displayed unless there were sin. There was abundant evidence of the Divine goodness before man transgressed; but none of the Divine patience. When our race rebelled, Divine patience displayed itself. There could be no forbearance, no long-suffering, in the sense in which we now use the word, unless there were the <\/strong>possibility of ultimate pardon. When the Almighty spares a sinner, He is even more wonderful than when He builds a universe. But the Divine patience is in no degree opposed to the justice and faithfulness of God. It leaves room for the exercise of every other attribute.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The mysterious and awful character of divine providential operations. God has everything at His disposal; and He accomplishes His purposes, and works out the counsel of His own will, through a varied instrumentality. Our text, with its sublime and magnificent imagery, is full of consolation to the afflicted as well as terror to the impenitent. (H. Melvill, B. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The way of God is generally a hidden one. When God works His wonders, He always conceals Himself. Even the motion of His feet causes clouds to arise.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>Great things with us are little things with God. What great things clouds are to us! Great things are they? Nay, they are only the dust of Gods feet.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The most terrible things in nature have no terror to the child of God. Sometimes clouds are fearful things to mariners. But them is nothing terrible now, because it is only the dust of my Fathers feet.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>All things in nature are calculated to terrify the ungodly man. Sinner, hast thou ever seen the clouds as they roll along the sky! Those clouds are the dust of the feet of Jehovah. If these clouds are but the dust, what is He Himself? (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>As operating irresistibly in nature.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>As irresistibly opposed to the wicked. Who can stand before His indignation! (Homilist.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>Gods control over the powers of nature. With the terrible effects of His wrath. He ruleth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The essential goodness of Gods character, and the all-sufficiency of His protection. Both the scenes of external nature, and the general condition of nations and individuals will, on the slightest reflection, convince you of the prevailing goodness of God. If them is any doubt on the subject, turn to the book of inspiration.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>The means whereby man may avert Gods anger, and secure His favour (ver. 7). He knoweth them that are His. Trust in Him is the grand means to be employed. The faith that is wrought in your hearts by the Holy Spirit of God. This faith will work submission to Him will, and repentance towards Him. This faith will lay hold of the stronghold that can defend in the day of trouble. This faith worketh by love. (Hugh Hughes, B. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n