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good evening to everybody and welcome back to free Grace Baptist Church any visitors out there this evening I squinted my eyes but there's not a there's not a whole lot of people out there but uh it's good to be with you in the house of the Lord tonight it's um good to be back in the house of the Lord this Lord's Day evening uh just a reminder we have Pastor Kirk Patrick with us this evening we do a Pulpit swap every now and then where Pastor Butler goes to Surrey and Pastor Kirkpatrick comes to preach to us and for us so we have him tonight and we bless the Lord for that well let's turn to our Bibles for a call to worship if you'll turn with me to Psalm 119 of Psalm 119 and when you get there you can turn to verse 33 we'll read Psalm 119 33 to 40. Psalm 119 beginning at verse 33 this is the word of the Triune God Teach Me O Lord the way of your statutes and I shall keep it to the end give me understanding and I shall keep your law indeed I shall observe it with my whole heart make me walk in the path of your Commandments for I Delight in it incline my heart to your testimonies and not to covetousness turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and revive me in your way establish your word to your servant who is devoted to fearing you turn away my reproach which I dread for your judgments are good behold I long for your precepts revive me in your righteousness amen will it stand and sing together our first hymn will be 224 that's 2 24 let's stand and sing as a church together foreign [Music] Progressive the reason as silence [Music] your father all right now on my mind come on please be seated let's go to our God In Prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in the fact that we can gather this a second time on this your Lord's day and we do pray that you would be with us that you would help us to worship you are right that we would this evening worship you in spirit and in truth we long as the people of God to hallow your name when we gather together in worship and so we pray this evening that your name would be hallowed in this assembly that we would give you honor that we would give you praise that is truly we recognize Lord God that you are infinite Eternal and unchangeable in all of your glorious Perfections and we pray that we would approach you father Son and Holy Spirit with that posture a right that we would Revere you that we would be found in humility that we would approach you with great joy so do help us to be truly in heart worshiping Father Son and Holy Spirit the one and only living in true God this evening we thank you for salvation by Jesus Christ Our Savior we know that we are found in him safe and alone in him the one who has redeemed us from sin we know that we do not we are not saved by Deeds of righteousness which we have done we cannot approach a holy God in our own works but much rather we've been saved solely and alone by the Perfection of the work of Jesus Christ Our Savior and it's in him that we stand and not on our own Deeds but on the Deeds of the Savior we thank you for his perfect life of obedience we thank you for that perfect death upon calvary's cross wherein he bore the sins of a multitude which no man can number and that perfectly and we thank you for that glorious Resurrection on the third day where he arose in power and in great Victory and truly we confess Lord God that we are saved by the Life by the death and by the resurrection of Jesus Christ Our Savior and that alone and we pray that you would help us to daily rest upon that blessed truth and Lord God to daily give you praise for so great a gospel we do pray that you would be with our fellow Christians in those churches that that we hold near and dear we we think of the church in Surrey the church in Armstrong we think of our brothers and Sistine sisters in Dryden and also our brothers and sisters down in Honduras Lord we pray that you would be with each and every one of those amongst and amidst the Assemblies of those churches we pray that you would lift them up in spirit we pray Lord God that you attend to those who are enduring physical Affliction we pray that you attend to their bodies that you would help them that you would heal them and return to them daily the strength strength in body and we pray Lord God for the for the inner man of each and every one of these precious Saints we pray that you would lift them up in spirit and cause them to uh to walk as it were upon those high places that they might have the joy of their salvation fresh and and at the top of their minds Lord and that they would walk in concert with uh with the saints that they would be rejoicing in Father Son and Holy Spirit singing the Praises of so great a savior we pray this for your churches throughout the world Lord God that you would revive your people that you would cause those churches so called that are no churches at all to to be shut down lord God and that you would cause your people to be found amongst those True Churches who preached the true and saving Gospel of Jesus Christ we it Grieves us Lord God that there are many churches we're not even half a savior is preached and we're not even half a glorious gospel is preached Lord and we do just pray that you would cause your churches those men who enter into pulpits to proclaim the true and saving gospel that they would not shrink back from the full counsel of God but that they would proclaim the Glorious Triune God and the Savior who saves without a helper we do just pray that you would cause your truth to advance throughout each and every country in the world we think of many missionaries who go who go to hostile Nations to preach the word of God to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the midst of tyrannical contexts and much heavy oppressive context Lord and we do just pray that you be with these missionaries cause them to know safety and cause them to know the courage that is found in the Risen and exalted Christ and that they would with eyes of Faith cast cast their Joy their courage and their confidence upon him and help him Lord God or help your ministers throughout the world to preach well the things of our blessed Christ that a multitude of newly redeemed tongues would sing the Praises of the Triune God we do pray that you would be Lord God With Us in worship then tonight we think of our our brother Pastor Kirkpatrick give him what he needs to Proclaim The Riches of the truth to us this evening we pray that as he opens up his Bible and as he begins to speak to us he would know the courage and the confidence of the Triune God as Ministers of the Gospel lean not upon their own strength but upon that which you afford them and we do pray for that for our brother we pray for us this evening that we would receive well the word of God that it would find its Mark in each of each and every one of our hearts Lord and for any and all who have come into these two doors outside of Christ Lord we pray that by amazing and Victorious Grace you would cause them to leave this church this evening he's singing the Praises of so great a savior so do be with us might you be exalted might Our Savior be exalted upon the Praises of this gathered assembly and might all that we do be done unto the praise of Father Son and Holy Spirit we pray in the name of Jesus Christ Our Savior amen will it stand again and sing once again as a church this time we're going to sing 146. that's 146 let's stand and sing together foreign [Music] Jesus Christ [Music] we will always sacrifices on foreign [Music] generation hallelujah praise [Music] you can turn in your Bibles again to with me to the Old Testament as we read consecutively through the Old Testament in the evening worship we're now at numbers 32. numbers 32. and we will read all of the chapter numbers 32 beginning in verse 1 once again the word of the living and true God now the children of Reuben and the children of God had a very great multitude of livestock and when they saw the land of jazer in the land of Gilead that indeed the region was a place for livestock the children of GAD and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses two Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the congregation saying ataroth dibon Nasir nimra heshbon elieela shibam Nebo Bayon the country which the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel is a land for livestock and your servants have livestock therefore they said if we have found favor in your sight let this land be given to your servants as a possession do not take us over the Jordan and Moses said to the children of GAD and to the children of Reuben shall your brethren go to war while you sit here now why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them thus your fathers did when I sent them away from Kadesh barnea to see the land for when they went up to the valley of eshkol and saw the land they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them so the Lord's anger was aroused on that day and he swore an oath saying surely none of the men who came up from Egypt from 20 years old and above shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham Isaac and Jacob because they have not wholly followed me except Caleb the son of Jefe the canezite and Joshua the son of none for they have wholly followed the Lord so the Lord's anger was aroused against Israel and he made them wander in the wilderness 40 years until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone and look you have risen in your father's place a brood of sinful men to increase still more the fierce anger of the Lord against Israel for if you turn away from following him he will once again leave them in the wilderness and you will destroy all these people then they came near to him and said we will build sheepfolds here for our Livestock in cities for our little ones but we ourselves will be armed ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place and our little ones will dwell in the Fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land we will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has received his inheritance for we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and Beyond because our inheritance has fallen to us on this Eastern side of the Jordan then Moses said to them to them if you do this thing if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven out his enemies from before him and the land is subdued before the Lord then afterward you may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel and this land shall be your possession before the Lord but if you do not do so then take note you have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep and do what has proceeded out of your mouth and the children of God dad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses saying your servants will do as my Lord commands our little ones our wives our flocks and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead but your servants will cross over every man armed for war before the Lord to battle just as my Lord says so Moses gave command concerning them to eliezar the priest to Joshua the son of none and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel and Moses said to them if the children of God and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you every man armed for battle before the Lord and the land is subdued before you then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession but if they do not cross over armed with you they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan then the children of God and the children of Reuben answered saying as the Lord has said to your servants so we will do we will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan but the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us on this side of the Jordan so Moses gave to the children of God to the children of Reuben and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph the kingdom of saihan King of the amorites and the kingdom of OG king of basin the land with its cities within the borders the cities of the surrounding country and the children of GAD built dibon and ataroth and error atoth uh atroth and chofan and jaser and Jog Baha Beth nimra and Beth Herron fortified cities folds for sheep and the children of Reuben built heshbon and eliela and kurgatham Nebo and bailmeon their names being changed and shipma and they gave other names to the cities which they built and the children of machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it and dispossessed the amorites who were in it so Moses gave Gilead to machir the son of Manasseh and he'd dwelt in it also jair the son of Manasseh went and took its small towns and called and called them have off jair then Noba went and took kenath and its Villages and he called it Noba after his own name amen well let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you that we can read from your holy scriptures we thank you we can read of this account of the children of Israel as they seek to go about those things promised to them by you and we do thank you that we can read of this and we thank you that we can read and consider from from the vantage point of spirit wrought and Christian Minds the fact that these things point forward to that great one the Lord Jesus Christ the true Israel of God and we thank you that we can again read from your scriptures that we can read from Full Bibles in our hands that we're able to gather freely unmolested and unimpeded by the outside world and by the government and we do pray that you would help us Lord God from this vantage point to appreciate this freedom and this Liberty we pray that you would cause us now as we continue in worship to rejoice in Father Son and Holy Spirit that we might Rejoice Lord God in the Forgiveness of sins and that righteousness not our own which is from him that we might rejoice in our precious savior the Lord Jesus Christ and that we might now be attentive in that Central act of worship the preaching of your word we pray in the name of Jesus Christ Our Savior amen well let's stand and sing again this time our last hymn before the preaching it's 145 D 145 D let's stand and sing together [Music] foreign [Music] it's true [Music] foreign [Music] okay keep my eyes [Music] foreign you can turn with me in your Bibles to the prophet Nahum chapter 1 Jonah Micah Nahum have a cook in case you're wondering where nahim was I heard a lot of flipping with Philemon this morning and someone mentioned that a lot of people didn't know where it was and that's okay but Nahum is after Micah we're gonna look at verses 7 through 14 this morning uh or this evening sorry but I'll begin reading at verse 1 to set the context thank you Nahum chapter 1 verse 1. the burden against Nineveh the book of the vision of Nahum the elkashite God is jealous in the Lord avenges the Lord avenges and is furious the Lord will take Vengeance on his adversaries and he reserves wrath for his enemies the Lord is slow to anger and great and power and will not at all acquit the Wicked the Lord has his way in the Whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds of the Dust of his feet he rebukes the sea and makes it dry he dries up all the rivers Beijing and Carmel wither and the flower of Lebanon wilts the mountains Quake before him the hills melt and the Earth heaves at his presence yes the world and all who dwell in it who can stand before his indignation and who can endure the fierceness of his anger his Fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knows those who trust in him but with an overflowing flood he will make an utter end of its place and darkness will pursue his enemies what do you conspire against the Lord he will make an utter end of it Affliction will not rise up a second time for while uh while uh while Tangled like thorns and while drunken light drunkards they shall be devoured like stubble fully dried from you comes forth one who plots evil against the Lord a wicked counselor thus says the Lord though they are safe and likewise many yet in this manner they will be cut down when he passes through though I have Afflicted you I will afflict you no more for now I will break off his yoke from you and burst your bonds apart the Lord has given a command concerning you your name shall be perpetuated no longer out of the house of your Gods I will cut off the carved image in the molded image I will dig your grave for your vile amen well let us pray oh Lord oh God we are thankful that you are good we're thankful that you're the one who is goodness itself and you're the one who is to please to create this world and call it very good we're also thankful for what you define as good morally and we're also thankful that you teach us uh what it is to be righteous and what it looks like and namely being found in Christ Jesus and thank you for your goodness towards undeserving Sinners Like Us thank you for your mercy thank you for your grace thank you that you dispelled our misery and removed it and have given us everlasting life and hope and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ and we're also thankful for your goodness and that you shall punish evil you shall make an end to your enemies you shall make an end to the enemies of your people your great and terrifying day of judgment is coming and it is a great and terrifying day for those not in Christ but a great day of comfort for those who are in Christ help us to have a sober understanding of this help us have a Biblical understanding of this as we consider the difficulties what that your word brings to our our minds sometimes so we ask you to help us by your spirit give us illumination from on high help us better understand what your word says we pray that your Saints would be edified we pray that Sinners would be saved and we pray in all things who would be glorified we pray these things in the Name of Christ amen well before coming to Free Grace Baptist Church I attended a church that used to do this saying on a Sunday God is good all the time all the time God is good it drove me nuts every time I heard that and I think the reason it drove me nuts is because I understood something of their theology I believe that God is good all the time yet they never had a place for God's righteous judgment when it comes to seeing his goodness the only one to see God's goodness in his Mercy but they didn't want to see it in his righteous destruction salvation and judgment go together and that's what is conveyed to us here in the prophet Naomi says in verse 7 the Lord is good what makes the Lord good in this chapter and in this entire prophecy is that the Lord is going to bring an end to those who oppress his people the Lord is going to bring an end to Wicked perpetrators in this world and certainly Nineveh was known as that Nineveh was known for the their brutality Nineveh is the capital of Assyria and Assyria was known for bringing much plunder bringing much destruction throughout the Nations around them and so Nahum is prophesying against them Nineveh and Assyria was once the instrument God used to judge the northern kingdoms God used the plundering the blood thirstiness of Assyria to remove and judge the people of Israel for their idolatry but now those who were once the instrument of God's judgment that they are now liable to God's judgment they are cruelty is seen they are throughout the Nations their cruel this cruelty is seen throughout the Empire and God is going to bring an end to their wickedness as far as the time frame of the prophecy of Nahum it's probably sometime around between 6 40 and 622 BC the height of the Assyrian power was 621 BC and it falls in 6 12. so it's probably during the height of their time the height of their empire and here comes nehem and says everything's going to be brought to nothing everything is going to be brought low a great and odd prophecy for Nineveh but a great and comforting prophecy for the people of Judah and certainly this also was during the reign of Manasseh that Wicked king in Israel but that'll play an important role as we go through this evening and the problem that we do very much see in this chapter is the utter end of the wicked that's not so much a problem for the people of God those who find refuge in Jesus Christ but the utter end of the wicked for those who do not believe in Christ Jesus God is going to bring an end to this world God is going to punish idolatry and idolatry will one day be no more perpetuated throughout the Earth the enemies of God who make the lives of God's people miserable they shall receive their due for their wickedness and this is meant to be a comfort for The Afflicted the Lord is good and the Lord will make an end to suffering salvation and judgment go together that's what Nahum wants us to see in verses 7 through 14. he wants us to see how the Lord is good and the Lord is good by being a stronghold for his people but also the Lord is good as one who makes an end to the enemies of God's people so we'll look at this idea of the Lord who is good under two headings this evening first of all we'll see the goodness of the Lord in verses 7 through 11 and secondly we'll see the comfort of the Lord in verses 12-14 so the goodness of the Lord verses 7 through 11 then we'll see the comfort of the Lord in verses 12 through 14. so let's first look at the goodness of the Lord in verses 7 through 11. now it is in the context of the Vengeance of the Lord there is a trifold or three-fold Vengeance Vengeance Vengeance uh in verse two God is jealous and the Lord avenges the Lord avenges and is furious the Lord will take Vengeance on his adversaries I want to add another stanza to Holy Holy Holy and in fact at our church I actually sang Vengeance Vengeance Vengeance I'm not going to do that for you tonight but you could add that to holy holy holy God is a righteous judge a just God and will bring Vengeance Vengeance Vengeance against his enemies it's a controlled but an impending outpouring of his wrath based upon his righteous character and he drives the question in verse 6 who can stand before his indignation this is a question for the proud this is a question for Nineveh who can stand before the Lord God and what's interesting is in John's apocalyptic prophecy in Revelation Revelation 6 as he's talking as he's seeing and easy observes the outpouring of God's Wrath on that final day the question is posed who can stand before God and the question of The Proud in Nahum becomes a question for The Afflicted and a comfort for The Afflicted in Revelation 7. because he goes on to tell us who can stand before God most high it's the 144 000. it's the Church of Jesus Christ it's those who are found in him who can stand on that final day it's those who are found in the lamb who is worthy but the answer to the question of verse 6 is also seen in Nahum in verse 7. the Lord is good who can stand before his indignation the Lord is good he is a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knows those who trust in him we see him give this assertion concerning the Lord's character he said in verse 2 God is jealous and usually when he uses the term god of the name God he's referring in connection with the Nations God is God overall God is jealous but here he uses the Covenant name of the Lord the Lord is good Yahweh is good the Nations need to learn that God is jealous and Judah needs to know that the Lord is good but perhaps there is some ambiguity going on in these verses we haven't seen the name of Judah mentioned until verse 15 or the name Nineveh mentioned just yet except in verse 1 and perhaps there is some warning as much as it is a comfort but a warning for Judah Judah has seen what God did to the northern kingdom God Judah has seen and already experienced some of the Affliction under Assyria and they know that if they continue in their idolatry God will bring judgment upon them as well and that's exactly what he does not with Assyria but with Babylon us Syria is going to be no more one day Babylon will be no more but before God takes out Judah he takes out Assyria first but regardless the true Remnant the people of God the faithful under the Old Testament even if they go and they do go into captivity they still have this prophecy as an assurance they still have this prophecy as an encouragement the Lord is good he is a stronghold in the day of trouble he is A Mighty Fortress for his people though the Earth be moved though the mountains quake and melt at him he is the stronghold he he's already talked in verse 5 about how the mountains Quake before him and the hills melt before him and the Earth heaves out his presence yet the people of God those who put their faith in him shall stand those who put their faith in him can find refuge in this one who is terrifying in this one who is Almighty they can find Everlasting protection and have him as a refuge he is a stronghold in the day of trouble and Judah had experienced much trouble a lot of it of their own doing but they nonetheless still had experienced it Hezekiah was almost wiped out by Assyria 701 BC a Syria almost took out the southern Kingdom they had made their way all the way to Jerusalem they were this close Hezekiah calls upon God God routes sinach he's pushed away but Assyria Still Remains the superpower but God does deliver them God does deliver Judah in Isaiah 36-39 which is also Second Kings 18 and following but he is that stronghold and they would have known this or they should have known this in their history this is years after that it happened they should have known God had protected his people the Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knows those who trust in him something about that nearness something about that Covenant connection some of that Covenant relationship he knows those who trust in him those who put their faith in him those who fear Him rather than man we distinguish or theologians have distinguished between a servile fear and a filial fear a servile fear and a loving fear we see as Joshua and Israel are engaging in their Conquest against the Nations we see the servile fear they're fearful of Yahweh they are fearful of Israel but they don't find refuge in Yahweh instead they try to fight to The Bitter End one who has a servile fear might be fearful of what Yahweh can do but rather than find refuge in him they'd rather hide under a rock they'd rather find refuge in Iraq rather than God most high and you see that in Revelation 6 they're running away here's judgment oh I'm gonna hide under this rock have them fall upon me because they're fearful of Yahweh but a filial fear a loving fear is a fear of faith it Finds Its faith in Yahweh the one we are terrified of we find refuge in him the one who is Almighty is our stronghold the one who is all-powerful is our protector and he is the one whom God's people can look to for strength and Aid he is the one who is a refuge and a shield for his people this is the opposite of what Nineveh shall receive only the people of God receive this assurance he knows those who trust in him and this language of knowing does come up in Genesis Chapter 18 as God is about to tell Abraham what's going to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah he says I know him the Lord knows his people and knows that knows those who put their trust in him so he is a stronghold we see his goodness he protects his people but we also see his goodness as he brings an end to the wicked in verses 8 through 11 and notice if you see in the second line of verse 8 he will make an utter end of its place or better he will make an utter end of her place that's what it should say and her place probably refers to the goddess Ishtar the goddess of Assyria he's going to bring an end to her at this point as Syria thinks Ishtar is the queen of the world at this point as Syria thinks their god or goddess is mightier than all the other gods that's usually what happened if a nation conquered another Nation it meant or at least was assumed that that Nation had the mightiest god well what is Yahweh saying here though it might look like Ishtar has power in reality it is is God I will make an utter end of her place I will bring her down I will bring judgment upon her and we see some flood overtones by the mentioning of a flood in verse 8 but with an overflowing flood we see this in Genesis 6 through 9 God brings judgment upon the Earth he brings judgment Upon This World God is going to bring judgment upon Nineveh for all her wickedness but also as well there perhaps is a reversal when Assyria invaded Israel and Judah she was called a overwhelming flood in Isaiah 7 through 8. so she who once was this overwhelming flood this once one who was once an instrument of judgment is now going to be judged herself with an overflowing flood he will make an utter end of her place and also Darkness will pursue his enemies we all love Psalm 20 836 and we should surely goodness and mercy shall pursue us all the days of our life that is an assurance for the people of God as we make our way through this vain life in which we live but notice what he says concerning the wicked Darkness will pursue her all the days of her life that is a terrifying thought isn't it a deprivation of the light a deprivation of what is good that is what sin deserves that is where sin should lead and yet there is mercy and forgiveness in God but those who don't believe in Christ Darkness will pursue his enemies to the end of their days and he goes on to say in verses 9 through 11 he's going to bring an end of conspiring he's going to bring an end to Ishtar an idolatry but he's going to bring an end to the conspiring of those who made up Ishtar what do you conspire against the Lord certainly Psalm 2 com comes to mind why do the Nations rage and plot a vain thing the Lord sits in the heavens and he laughs he shall distress them in his deep displeasure why do you Nineveh conspire against the Lord Assyria probably thought they were the superpower I mean they were they probably thought they were Superior to Yahweh or Ishtar was Superior to Yahweh they probably thought that they subdued the patriarchy of Yahweh but what we see here God is in control and has other plans what do you conspire against the Lord he will make an utter end of it he will bring it down it shall never be again Affliction will not rise up a second time I know babylon's coming but Assyria will be no more Assyria will be brought low as Syria will fall in 612 by the hands at the hands of Babylon but I will bring an utter end to her as she shall not rise up again a second time now think about this this is the height of a serious power if you imagine hearing Echoes or hearing this thought and hearing this potential idea coming from this guy named Nahum yeah what do you mean we're going to end we're the mightiest Nation we're the ones who are have might and power what do you mean it's going to be brought low it's the same in hosea's day I mean they had a great time of prosperity under jeroboam II Here Comes Hosea you're going to be judged if you don't do what Yahweh says it's not unlike today is it talking to young people especially hey you should really believe on the Lord I'll do that later in life everything I just want to have fun now we'll just wait for later on people push things off and in times of prosperity people don't think about these things nothing is new Under the Sun but Yahweh will bring her low she shall no longer bring Affliction against other people she shall be pricked verse 10 for while Tangled like Thorns she shall be deadened and helpless that's probably what drunkenness infers here and while drunken like drunkards and she shall be devoured they shall be devoured like stubble fully dried and the reason from you comes forth one who plots evil against the Lord a wicked counselor they had terrible and vile Kings Asher bernapal was the one who was reigning at this time but they were known for their brutality and God has said saying I'm going to bring you low because of your wickedness because of your vileness because you are a son of Belial God is good in this way we see how our good God brings an end to the wicked but the comforting thing is that our good God will protect his people and bring an end to the wicked he protects Us in the days of evil the present age in which we live in is called in the New Testament the present evil age for a reason this is not our Heavenly home this is not what we long for we long for something far greater we long for something where there is no more sin no more sorrow and no more suffering thankfully God forgives us of our sin he saves us but he also promised to protect us in this life doesn't he he promises to be with us and never leave us nor forsake us but that me that might mean and usually means we have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death it's not going to be easy it's not going to be a walk a cake walk but God will be with us as we walk through this world this is helpful for a perplexed people brother do you ever read the news and see what's going on and just have despair do you ever realize think about all that has to you have to do in your life and all the difficult relationships and wonder where in the world can I go well thankfully Brethren all that will end one day and something far greater shall come but in the meantime God walks with us doesn't he he is patient he is kind but he is our protector and there are many things that we don't see coming that he protects us from there's probably a lot of things we've never seen coming that God protects us from he is our stronghold McKay says it applies whenever a person feels he is up against it whatever it may be the word Trouble covers both intense turmoil and external circumstances and inner distress then the Lord acts as a refuge an impregnable Mountain Fortress which since it cannot be taken by the enemy provides security for the one who who has felt himself about to go down in battle God will be with us to the end God will has said he will walk among the lampstands and he who overcomes shall eat from the tree in the paradise of God he protects Us in the days of evil but he's also promised to Deliver Us from the days of evil right that is something that still awaits the people of God that's why we long for Judgment at least I long for judgment in that way I long for Christ to come back I long for this world to end I love my children but I long for this world to come to an end because it's tiring it's exhausting there's sin there's people who run countries poorly there's inflation that's going on there's I mean myriads and myriads of things in our vain miserable life in which we live the day of evil and its end is something we ought to Long forts what makes the day so of the Lord so terrifying and wonderful all at the same time God is good it to save Sinners and to show Mercy but God is also good to bring an end to this present age and thankfully Brethren the past 2000 years have been cleanup right God is making an enemy uh making his enemies his footstool the Lord Christ is making his enemies his footstool we have to view it in that way Christ has come Christ has defeated Death Christ has been resurrected Christ is ascended into heaven and Christ currently Reigns now he's just cleaning up everything we think he's taken too long he might take another 2 000 years who knows but he is doing that right now his Mercy endures forever I used to sing this song at our old church pops or I guess a popular uh Christian song Give Thanks the Lord he is good his love endures forever I mean that comes straight out of the Bible right Psalm 136 so not so bad except when he wrote that song or the writer wrote that song he forgot verses 15 and 17 or 15 through 17 of Psalm 136 but overthrew pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea his Mercy endures forever to him who led his people through the Wilderness for his Mercy endures forever taemu struck down great Kings for his Mercy endures forever and slew famous Kings for his Mercy endures forever Scion King of the amorites for his Mercy endures forever an awking of beishan for his Mercy endures forever nobody wants those verses they want the first ones and they're wonderful he is the god of gods he is the Lord of lords but he's also the one who overthrows his enemies that's where we can see God's goodness he protects us but he also brings an end and will bring an end to the wicked that's where we can see the goodness of God and all this should be a comfort to the people of God and that's what we can see in verses 12-14 the comfort of the Lord in verses 12 through 14. and notice in verses 12 and 13 we see his comfort in Breaking shackles or Breaking Chains and the first thing he says before he goes before he talks about the shackles being released he says and talks about the sure defeat of the safe verse 12. thus says the Lord though they are safe and likewise many that was the taunt of Assyria they didn't think anybody was going to take them down they didn't think anybody was going to remove them they thought they were eight feet tall and bulletproof as Pastor Butler says all young people think they're eight feet tall and bulletproof right but they are going to be brought low these ones are going to be brought down they think they are safe and many they think all the good times are just going to keep on going everything's going to be fine and wonderful all the time though they think they are safe and likewise many yet in this manner they will be cut down they will be brought low and even in 701 when sennakare was making his way through Judah he taunted Yahweh he taunted Hezekiah he says you trust in that God and what did Yahweh do by the angel of the Lord he routed the armies of Assyria so they have taught it in the past and God is going to bring them Lo these ones who think that they are safe and what's interesting he starts off verse 12 with thus says the Lord that is the only time in this prophecy where this prophetic formula is used thus says the Lord so he wants us to pay attention here in verses 12 through 14 especially and he especially wants us to see that though they think they are saved they shall be brought down and it's not going to be a close shave yet in this manner they will be cut down when he passes through as Robert then says it's going to be a passive city that is mowed down like grass there is nothing that they can do they shall be utterly removed and utterly destroyed and what he's doing here as well is putting side by side the Destinies of Judah and the Destinies of Nineveh Nineveh is going to be no more Nineveh is going to be brought low but Judah shall continue he goes on to talk about that sure release in verse 12 and verses 12 and 13. though I have Afflicted you I will afflict you no more though I have Afflicted you one thing that's very interesting about this entire prophecy and especially verses 12 and 13 is that judah's Affliction is because of their own idolatry if you read in second chronicles 33 we read about the wickedness of Manasseh we also read about his conversion a lot of old boys say he was converted and I think so but before he got there he was the Wicked king and the worst King in all of Judah what did he do he did way worse than any other kings who came before him and well who took him into captivity it was Assyria that dragged him into captivity and that was there that then Manasseh praised the Lord God and entreats the Lord and that is when God brings him back but the point is judah's problems and afflictions are brought upon them by God I have Afflicted you though I have done this thing Yahweh has done this through this Tyrant Yahweh has done this through these Wicked people that's how Yahweh Works doesn't he he sometimes judges his people through other tyrants and then after that he will judge those tyrants God can judge his church through tyrants and then hopefully God removes those tyrants but what you see here is that Judah wasn't looking for Yahweh but God says I will remove your chains I will afflict you no more I will break off this his yoke from you and burst your bonds a part of the Affliction of Assyria shall not rise again but judah's Affliction shall be no more cook says nowhere does Nahum suggest that God's intervention comes because of the righteous suffering of his people rather God intervenes in nahim despite his people's adultery and The Gospel According to nahim we are not sick we are not saved not because we are righteous but because we take refuge in God that's the promise that he gives to Judah even in the midst of their Affliction and even the Affliction they brought upon themselves thankfully God is good in this way and thankfully God will also Comfort his people by blotting out the names of their perpetrators verse 14. the Lord has given a command concerning you now talking to Nineveh your name shall be perpetuated no longer out of the house of your Gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image God is jealous and Furious I will dig your own grave for you are vile eventually this comes up later on in the prophecy we see the intensity of the woes brought upon Nineveh in chapter three but here we see a foretaste of what that could look like your name shall be no longer your God shall be brought down I will cut off all your images I will remove your molded images I will show that I am the one true God he does this with Dagen in the the the Temple of the Philistines the Temple of Dagon he falls down before the Ark of the Covenant in first Samuel 5 or even Egypt's Gods Not that there are any other gods but Yahweh shows that there is only one true God and that is him but he shows his might and his power against the gods of Egypt according to Exodus 12 12. he's going to do the same thing here with the Niva he is the same God who is mighty and strong he is the same God who is good and he's brought down idolatry in the past and he's going to bring it down again here with Assyria you shall be no more you shall be brought low and he says I will dig your grave for you are vile Yahweh hates wickedness Yahweh is angry with the wicked every day and Yahweh is long-suffering because he hasn't brought final judgment yet but one day Yahweh will bring judgment upon all those who do not believe upon him and all this is meant to be a comfort for the people of God I know that's kind of hard to wrap our heads around sometimes but that's the purpose and that's the point the people of Judah are going through a difficult time brought upon by themselves and yet Yahweh still says I will bring an end to these Wicked oppressors that is good news for them isn't it look at verse 15 behold on the mountains the feet of him who brings Good Tidings when Nineveh comes to an end it is good news for the people of God you see the comforting thing about God's goodness and his Mercy enduring forever is that we don't deserve it do we God is gracious and kind to forgive God is gracious and kind to save God is gracious and merciful to even save a great multitude that no man can number brethren we don't deserve anything we don't even deserve the food we have sorry to say it like everything is a gift from God is it not the creator of this world he made it all it is all his and he's given it to us and it is good thankfully he's also the Redeemer and he is good toward wretched sinners in his mercy and in his grace we have mercy for the undeserving when we see that with verse 12 and thankfully his Mercy shall never end is that the blessing of the New Covenant that being found in Christ Jesus his mercies shall endure forever and his mercies shall never end those who are in Christ have fled the judgment to come that's what Christ does upon the cross end time judgment comes forward poured out upon him those who believe upon him might not have to bear it forever and ever Christ is our Ark Christ is our safe haven and it's through him that we can pass through judgment and it's through him that we can say God is good he is a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knows those who trust in him and we should be able to say whether in the manifestation of his Mercy or the manifestation of his Justice his Mercy endures forever because the Lord is good let us pray oh Lord Our God we are thankful that you are good and we are thankful that we see your goodness in your mercy and in your grace thank you that you have removed our misery and thank you that you have given us so many things that we do not deserve especially uh the spiritual blessings in the Heavenly places thank you that you have regenerated thank you that you've given the gifts of faith and repentance thank you for the gift of justification adoption sanctification perseverance and the promise of glorification thank you so much for your salvation uh prior to that end time judgment we are thankful that as you Taria does bring the salvation of undeserving wretches like us and we are thankful so much that Christ when he went to that cross and when he bled on calvary's tree he did so in our stead and had the wrath of God poured out upon him in our stead that when we go to the Judgment we do not need to fear we know we are not guilty we know that we have been uh Justified we know that we have been declared righteous because of what you have done in Christ Jesus and so we ask and pray that as we walk this world and as we still see much wickedness we ask and pray that we would walk by faith we pray that we would trust in your ways we pray that we would trust in your judgments and we do long for the end time judgment to come we long for this present evil age to be no more we long for the the ending of wickedness we long for these things to be no more and be a thing of the past and we know that when you come again you shall judge in righteousness whether it's found in Christ or whether it's one who is punished in their own sin so we pray if they're here today who do not know you we pray that they would flee the Wrath to come in Christ Jesus that they would believe upon him and find mercy and forgiveness and we pray O Lord that you would do this Great and Mighty thing thank you for your comfort thank you that you are good and we pray that you be glorified in all things and we pray these things in the name of Christ amen we'll close the brief time meditation pianos finished you are dismissed