MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/13/2026
8:50 AM
My
Worship Time Focus:
PT-2
“Vengeance For Spiritual Harlotry”
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Nahum
3:4-7
Message of the verses: All because of the many harlotries of
the harlot, The charming one, the mistress of sorceries, Who sells nations by
her harlotries And families by her sorceries.
“Behold, I am against you,” declares Yahweh of hosts; “And I will
uncover your skirts over your face And show to the nations your nakedness And
to the kingdoms your disgrace. I will
throw detestable filth on you And display you as a wicked fool And set
you up as a spectacle. And it will be
that all who see you Will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh s devastated! Who
will console her?’ Where will I seek
comforters for you?” (NASB)
“4 And all for the countless whorings of the
prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her
whorings, and peoples with her charms. 5
Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and will lift up
your skirts over your face; and I will make nations look at your nakedness and
kingdoms at your shame. 6 I will throw
filth at you and treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. 7 And all who look at you will shrink from you
and say, "Wasted is Nineveh; who will grieve for her?" Where shall I
seek comforters for you?” (ESV)
John MacArthur continues “Nahum then described Nineveh
as the charming one, a reference to Assyria’s refined craft of spiritual
seduction by which the empire lured its subjects and vassal states into false
religion. In doing this, Assyria became
guilty of the weightiest crime against God (cf. Deut. 13:1-3; Matt. 18:6; Mark
9:42; 1 Cor. 8:9).”
(cf. Deut. 13:1-3; Matt. 18:6; Mark
9:42; 1 Cor. 8:9)
“1 ¶ "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams
arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes
to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not
known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall
not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD
your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all
your heart and with all your soul.”
“6 but whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone
fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
“42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were
hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”
“9 But take care that this right of yours does
not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”
“Nahum
further depicted Nineveh as the mistress of sorceries. The term sorceries, though not
frequent in Hebrew, has the idea of practicing magic. Its Greek translation in the Septuagint is
the term pharmakos, from which the English word ‘pharmacy’ is
derived. The Assyrian use of magic
likely involved hallucinogenic compounds and intoxicating drugs designed to
facilitate ecstatic and grotesque expressions of idolatrous worship. By designating Nineveh as a mistress, Nahum
portrayed the city as both a seducer and a subjugator, using her wiles to
entice and enslave her victims to the Assyrian religion.
“The results of such spiritual
harlotry were abominable. As Nahum
declared, Nineveh ‘sells nations by her harlotries and families by her
sorceries.’ The prophet likened the
city to a harlot marketing her services for financial gain. In this case, however, Assyria seduced other nations
into spiritual bondage so that she might reap the economic and political
benefits. Enslaving cities and nations
by her sorceries, Assyria conquered these lands and destroyed families,
selling men, women, and children into slavery. The Ninevites also used their captives to
build structures dedicated to Assyria’s gods.
This program of exile and enslavement not only coerced many to worship
the pagan deities of Assyria but also contributed to the wealth and prosperity
of the Assyrian empire (cf. Isa. 49:25; Nah. 3:10).”
(cf. Isa. 49:25; Nah. 3:10)
“25 For thus says the LORD: "Even the
captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,
for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your
children.”
“10 Yet she became an exile; she went into
captivity; her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; for
her honored men lots were cast, and all her great men were bound in chains.”
“As noted
above, when Ahaz turned to Assyria for political support, he demonstrated his
loyalty by installing an Assyrian altar in the temple court (2 Kings 16; cf. Isa. 7-8).
When Rabshakeh later came with the Assyrian army to capture Jerusalem,
he attempted to lure the Judeans away from trusting Yahweh and instead to
follow the king of Nineveh (2 Kings 18:22-25, 30-35; 19:4-6; 10-13, 36-37; Isa.
36:7-8, 14-21).”
(2 Kings 18:22-25, 30-35; 19:4-6;
10-13, 36-37; Isa. 36:7-8, 14-21)
“22 But if you say to me, "We trust in the
LORD our God," is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has
removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this
altar in Jerusalem"? 23 Come now,
make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand
horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. 24 How then can you repulse a single captain
among the least of my master’s servants, when you trust in Egypt for chariots
and for horsemen? 25 Moreover, is it
without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD
said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.’’”
“30 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD
by saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given
into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 31 Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the
king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of
you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of
you will drink the water of his own cistern, 32 until I come and take you away to a land like
your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land
of olive trees and honey, that you may live, and not die. And do not listen to
Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, "The LORD will deliver us." 33
Has any of the gods of the nations ever
delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where
are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of
my hand? 35 Who among all the gods of
the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should
deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”
“4 It may be that the LORD your God heard all the
words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock
the living God, and will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard;
therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left." 5 When the servants of King Hezekiah came to
Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, "Say
to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that
you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me.”
“10 "Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of
Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that
Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria
have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be
delivered? 12 Have the gods of the
nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran,
Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, the king of
Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or the king of
Ivvah?’"’
“36 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and
went home and lived at Nineveh. 37 And
as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer,
his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat.
And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.”
“7 But if you say to me, "We trust in the
LORD our God," is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has
removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this
altar"? 8 Come now, make a wager
with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you
are able on your part to set riders on them.”
“14 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah
deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. 15 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD
by saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us. This city will not be given
into the hand of the king of Assyria." 16 Do not listen to Hezekiah. For thus says the
king of Assyria: Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of
you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of
you will drink the water of his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you away to a land like
your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. 18 Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying,
"The LORD will deliver us." Has any of the gods of the nations
delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where
are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 20 Who among all the gods of these lands have
delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem
out of my hand?’" 21 But they were
silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, "Do not
answer him.’”
“As a
harlot entices a man and leads him off like an ox to the slaughter (Prov.
7:21-22), so the Assyrians brought nations to destruction through their
campaign of exile, enslavement, and idolatry (cf. 2 Chronicles 32:9-19).”
(Prov. 7:21-22)
“21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him. 22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to
the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast”
(cf. 2 Chronicles 32:9-19)
“9 ¶ After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria, who
was besieging Lachish with all his forces, sent his servants to Jerusalem to
Hezekiah king of Judah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem,
saying, 10 "Thus says Sennacherib
king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting, that you endure the siege in
Jerusalem? 11 Is not Hezekiah misleading
you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells
you, "The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of
Assyria"? 12 Has not this same
Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and
Jerusalem, "Before one altar you shall worship, and on it you shall burn
your sacrifices"? 13 Do you not
know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were
the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to deliver their lands out
of my hand? 14 Who among all the gods of
those nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to deliver his
people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15
Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah
deceive you or mislead you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god
of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or
from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my
hand!’" 16 And his servants said
still more against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 And he wrote letters to cast contempt on the
LORD, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, "Like the gods
of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from my hands,
so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand." 18 And they shouted it with a loud voice in the
language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten
and terrify them, in order that they might take the city. 19 And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they
spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s
hands.”
Spiritual
Meaning for my life today: As I look at all of the things that Nahum
wrote before they happened then I can trust the Lord to do what He has promised
to do.
My
Steps of Faith for Today: I trust that I can get a suitable Sunday
school lesson prepared for this upcoming Sunday.
From Dr.
David Jeremiah: “He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself
must pass.” (Thomas Fuller)
For if
you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive
you. But if you do not forgive men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew
6:14-15)
2/13/2026
9:30 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment