Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nahum and Habakkuk.

The two prophets whose writings we read today share a theme: God will take vengeance on the wicked.  Nahum writes of God’s judgement against Assyria.  In verse six of his first chapter, Nahum writes:

His wrath is poured out like fire;
the rocks are shattered before him.

This evokes molten lava in my mind, the destructive force of a volcano.  I imagine the destruction Mount Vesuvius poured out on Pompei: overwhelming, with no hope of escape.  However, the next line which Nahum writes gives us hope.  The Lord is a refuge in times of trouble for those who trust in Him.  Which brings to mind a picture I have seen, I believe from Hawaii but I am not sure.  The picture shows a somewhat typical suburban neighborhood where lava has flowed through and destroyed everything, except one house stands intact, untouched by the lava flowing through the rest of the neighborhood.  Put your trust in God, and your life can be like that house when it seems like everything will go up in flames.  Habakkuk writes of God using Babylon to bring His judgement upon the wicked, even though Babylon is also wicked.  Yet, Habakkuk also ends with a note of hope for those who trust in the Lord.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.