Friday, January 30, 2026

“Destruction of Pride” (Nahum 2:8)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/30/2026 10:29 AM

My Worship Time                                                                           Focus:  “Destruction of Pride”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Nahum 2:8

            Message of the verse:  “Though Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days, Now they are fleeing:  Stand! Stand! But no one turns back (2:8).”

“8  Nineveh is like a pool whose waters run away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry, but none turns back.” (ESV)

            John MacArthur writes:  “Before describing Nineveh’s downfall, Nahum recognized the city’s pride of place in the ancient world.  Nineveh was one of the largest and most magnificent cities in the ancient Near East.  It enjoyed thriving trade and abundant agriculture.  A literal oasis in the desert, Nineveh was like a pool of water throughout her days.  The prophet depicted Nineveh as a pool of water, like a reservoir or lake created by a spring (cf. 2 Sam. 2:13; 4:12; 1 Kings 22:38; 2 Kings 18:17; Isa. 22:11).”

(cf. 2 Sam. 2:13; 4:12; 1 Kings 22:38; 2 Kings 18:17; Isa. 22:11).”

“13  And he said, "Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul’s daughter, when you come to see my face.’”

“12  And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.”

“38  And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the LORD that he had spoken.”

“17 ¶  And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab-saris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Washer’s Field.”

“11  You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago.”

“For a city to survive and prosper, it needed water nearby.  Nineveh not only enjoyed such a benefit, being located near various rivers (Tigris, Khosr, and Tebiltu), but it was even considered self-sustaining because it was so well supplied with water.  Nineveh was known for its riches and abundant natural resources throughout her days, starting from the dawn of civilization (cf. Gen. 10:11).”

(cf. Gen. 10:11).”

“11  From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah,”

“Because of its prime location, the Assyrians made the city their capital (cf. 2 Kings19:36; Isa. 37:37), and established it as a center for culture (with libraries of Ashurbanipal), agriculture, and trade (see ‘Historical Setting’ in the Introduction.

(cf. 2 Kings19:36; Isa. 37:37).”

“36  Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went home and lived at Nineveh.”

“37  Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh.”

“That Nineveh was like a pool of water explained its prosperity and self-sufficiency.

            “But God would turn Nineveh’s strength into weakness—the water that sustained its life would become the force of its destruction, as floodwaters collapsed the city’s defenses.  Depicting the response of the people, Nahum stated, ‘Now they are fleeing.’  Though people had flocked to Nineveh to escape the desert, at Nineveh’s fall, they would flee from the city to escape destruction.  As prophesied in Nahum 2:6 ‘the gates of the rivers’ would open and a torrent of water would flood the city destroying key defenses and allowing the enemy to pour in.  While the people would flee, shouts would be heard, ‘Stand! Stand!’ as military leaders barked out orders for their soldiers to hold their position (cf. 2 Kings 3:21; Neh. 13:19; Hab. 2:1).”

(cf. 2 Kings 3:21; Neh. 13:19; Hab. 2:1)

“21  When all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armor, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out and were drawn up at the border.”

“19  As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.”

“1 ¶  I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.”

“But such a summons to bravery would have no effect.  Despite the calls to stop running, no one turns back.  In full retreat, both the common people and the military forces would seek a way of escape.  Nineveh’s pride would be brought low.  As the Lord illustrated in Assyria’s destruction, pride come before a fall (Prov. 16:18; 20:23).”

(Prov. 16:18; 29:23).

“18 ¶  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

“23 ¶  One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.”

Spiritual Meaning for my life today:  I want to remember these two verses from Proverbs.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I do not want to be prideful, for I know that does not please the Lord.

Dr. David Jeremiah writes “All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because the reckoned on His being with them. (J. Hudson Taylor)

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26)

1/30/2026 11:06 AM

 

 

 

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