God's Dream

The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. God is jealous, and 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 in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan 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 tangled like thorns, And while drunken like 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 and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile." Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.
(Nahum 1:1-15)

All these verses speak of judgment except verse 7: The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7).

I am only a man--created. I cannot think as God thinks, so I have to describe things in human thoughts.

God had a dream. He wanted to create an universe. He wanted it to be beautiful. He made a beautiful universe, earth, and everything in it--birds, trees, animals, and people. He made it with laws so it would function perfectly.

He gave free will, too, not a sovereign free will. He wanted to have servants that would serve Him freely. He didn't want a bunch of robots that have no free will.

He made the angels. They too were perfect until some made a choice to do things their own way. For them He made a perfect punishment as well.

He made humans--Adam and Eve perfect. Shortly afterward they choose their own way. They didn't want to follow some of God's laws. He made a perfect punishment for them as well--death. He had warned them, but they went ahead and rebelled.

God started the church; the church is the people who are saved by grace alone by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. His church was set up perfectly; it has perfect rules and laws. Jesus, himself, said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

God made me. He has plans for me, things to do, rules to follow, and what am I doing?

He is a great King. He has plans and rules for everything to function beautifully. He has a right to be angry when people don't follow these rules.

All of us like to be thanked for a job well done or for something we have done to help another. Shouldn't He who sends the rain, the sunshine, and has the plants grow be thanked as well?

God punishes rebellion. He punishes those because: Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all! They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness. They say they are wise, but they are fools(Romans 1:20-22).

There is one hope, however, and that is found in verse 7: The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7).

God is not evil to punish; He is good to those who follow His rules and trust Him.