Friday, December 19, 2025

PT-2 “The God of Irresistible Power” (Nahum 1:3b-6)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 12/19/2025 10:36 AM

My Worship Time                                                   Focus:  PT-2 “The God of Irresistible Power”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Nahum 1:3b-6

Message of the verses:

BETH

In whirlwind and storm is His way,

And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

GIMEL

He rebukes the sea and makes it dry’

He dries up all the rivers.

Bashan and Carmel languish;

The blossoms of Lebanon languish.

HE

Mountains quake because of Him,

VAV

And the hills melt;

Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence,

The world and all the inhabitants in it.

HETH

“His wrath is poured out like fire,

And the rocks are torn down by Him. (1:3b-6)

 

“In the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4  He rebuked the sea, and maketh it dry, and dried up all the rivers: Bashan languished, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languished. 5  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. 6  Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.” (KJV) (Nahum 1:3b-6)

            I continue looking at this passage in my morning Spiritual Diary this morning, as I quote from John MacArthur’s commentary and then add the verses that he references in this section.

            “In addition to the sky, God directs the waters of the earth to execute His judgment.  In stating that He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, Nahum alluded to the splitting of the Red Sea during the Exodus (Exodus 14).”  I will now quote Exodus 14:21-31:  “21 ¶  And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 22  And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 23  And the Egyptians pursued and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24  And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 25  And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fought for them against the Egyptians. 26  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27  And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. 28  And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. 29  But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 30  Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31  And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.”

“Declaring that God also dries up all the rivers, the prophet referred to the crossing of the Jordan River that took place in the days of Joshua and in the time of Elijah (cf. Josh. 3; 2 Kings 2:7-8.”  “14 ¶  And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; 15  And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overflowed all his banks all the time of harvest,) 16  That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 17  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.” (Jos. 3:14-17).  “7  And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. 8  And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.” (2 Kings 2:7-8).   “These historical events indicated that God’s power is not merely metaphorical but literal, and that God exercises full control over nature and wields its forces to accomplish His purposes.  All creation submits to God’s command because He is the sovereign Creator who made the sea and the dry land (Gen. 1:9-10; Job 38:8-11; Psa. 33:7; 136:6; Jer. 5:22; Cf. Matt. 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25; cf. Rev. 8:8-10 and 16:20).”  Now I will quote all of these verses so that we can better understand the point that MacArthur is making. 

“9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10  And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.” 

“8  Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brakes forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9  When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10  And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, 11  And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?”

“7  He gathered the waters of the sea together as an heap: he lays up the depth in storehouses.”

“6  To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endures forever.”

“22  Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?”

  23 ¶  And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25  And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27  But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”

“22 ¶  Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23  But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25  And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commanded even the winds and water, and they obey him.”

“8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. 10  And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;”

“20  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”

“Nahum prophesied that Yahweh would wipe out Nineveh in a flood (cf. Nan. 1:8), which is in keeping with God’s total power over the waters.  The Lord would leverage every element of creation to judge those who opposed His people.”  “8  But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life today:  As I look at all of these verses I can be assured that God is totally in control of all things, and that God will do the things that He promises He will do, and that means that if a person is an unbeliever and realizes’ that, and then confesses that he or she is a sinner and then ask’s the Lord to come into their heart to save them that He will do that.  Confession and then accepting are two things that need to be done.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  God will use these Spiritual Diaries that I write in order to bring people to salvation, and then cause them to grow in the Lord.

12/19/2025 11:13 AM

 

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