THE BOOK OF NAHUM
(“Sleeping Shepherds And Scattered Sheep”)1
Nahum 3:8-19 (NASU)
15“… Multiply yourself like the creeping locust, multiply yourself like the swarming locust. 16You have increased your traders more than the stars of heaven – the creeping locust strips and flies away. 17Your guardsmen are like the swarming locust. Your marshals are like hordes of grasshoppers settling in the stone walls on a cold day. The sun rises and they flee, and the place where they are is not known. 18Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria; your nobles are lying down. Your people are scattered on the mountains and there is no one to regather them.”
(Nahum 3:15-18)
(A) A BRIEF LESSON IN GRAMMAR
(1) The figure of speech known as a “simile”, is used to show how two things – that are not alike in most respects – are alike in at least one very important way.2
For example, no one would ever confuse a “sword” (verse fifteen) with a “locust”. They don’t look anything like – one is a living creature, the other isn’t – one is much larger in comparison to the other. And yet, they both have an insatiable appetite (if you will) for killing, and “consum(ing)”, and destroying (c.f. Nahum 3:15).
Likewise, no one would ever confuse a “marshal” (verse seventeen) (or an “official”, as the NIV calls them) with a “grasshopper”. After all, one is human – the other an insect. One has been created in God’s image – the other has not. And yet, just as “grasshoppers” often seem to disappear as soon as the “sun rises” and warms them up – even so, many of Nineveh’s “marshals” (or “officials”) fled in the heat of the battle that brought down the Assyrian Empire (c.f. Nahum 3:17).
(2) The comparisons some similes make are obvious – like, “he’s as fat as a pig” – or, “she’s as busy as a bee”. “That explanation was as clear as mud” – or, “He was as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party.”3
Other similes, however, may not be as clear (in part because, with the passing of time, we have either lost or forgotten the original basis of the comparison) – like, “as clean as a whistle” (what is there about a whistle that makes it “clean”?) – or, “as cool as a cucumber”5 (I know what cucumbers are, I’m just not sure what makes them “cool”).
You’ve probably heard the expression, “as happy as a lark” (which I think I understand) – or, “as happy as a clam” (which I have some questions about). But have you ever heard the phrase, “as happy as Larry”?3 Who is “Larry” – and why is he so “happy”?
I know you’ve heard the phrase, “as wise as an owl”3 – but what is there about “owls” that makes people think they are so “wise”?
Similes tend to lose their effect, if we don’t understand the basis of the comparison being made.
(3) In tonight’s text (c.f. Nahum 3:15-18), the inspired prophet (c.f. II Peter 1:20-21) uses multiple similes (and maybe a few metaphors, since I often get those two things confused) to give us a prophetic description of Nineveh’s final days.
Hence, in verse fifteen, for example, he compares the warring armies to various kinds of “locust” – both “creeping” and “swarming” (c.f. Nahum 3:15).
In verse sixteen, he compares the “traders” (or “merchants”, as the NKJV calls them) to “the stars of heaven” – as well as to, “creeping locust (that) strips and flies away” (c.f. Nahum 3:16).
In the seventeenth verse, he compares Nineveh’s “guardsmen” to “swarming locust” – and her “marshals” to “hordes of grasshoppers” (c.f. Nahum 3:17).
And finally, in verse eighteen, he compares Assyria’s “nobles” to “(sleeping) shepherds” – and her citizens to sheep (although he never actually calls them that), who have been “scattered on the mountains”, with “no one to regather them” (c.f. Nahum 3:18).
(B) THE IMAGERY OF LOCUST
(1) Last time we noted how Nahum stressed the utter futility of all human effort4 – especially when it comes to thwarting God’s sovereign will5 (c.f. Job 42:2) regarding matters of judgment.6 Hence, even though the people of Nineveh are encouraged to “draw … water for the siege” (verse fourteen), and “strengthen (their) fortifications” – the prophet also tells them (in verse fifteen) that none of these preparations are going to do them any good – that no matter how much effort they expend to defend themselves, “fire and the sword are going to consume them, like a horde of voracious locusts consumes everything in its path” (c.f. Nahum 3:14-15).
(2) The phenomenon of locust was something the people of Assyria and Judah would both have been very familiar with – just like many people in Africa are today.7
Locust swarms can strip thousands upon thousands of acres of grass, crops and other foliage in a matter of days – leaving nothing green or edible behind. Hence, the plague of locust that came upon Egypt in the days of Moses is said to have eaten “every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees … nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt” (c.f. Exodus 10:15).
The Book of Joel says: “What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; and what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten; and what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten” (c.f. Joel 1:4) – the point being that whatever could be eaten by locust was eaten!
(3) Because the devastation caused by these creatures (when they swarm) is so total and virtually impossible to stop, it’s often associated in Scripture with God’s judgment. Hence, Second Chronicles chapter seven talks about the Lord commanding “locust to devour the land” (c.f. II Chronicles 7:13) – while among a list of curses God said He would bring upon His people (in the Book of Deuteronomy), if they did not obey Him, was “locust” consuming their fields (c.f. Deuteronomy 28:38).
Elsewhere, Scripture says: 34“HE (i.e. GOD) spoke, and locusts came … even without number, 35and ate up all (the) vegetation in their land, and … the fruit of their ground” (c.f. Psalm 105:34-35) – and again: “HE (i.e. THE LORD) gave … their crops to the grasshopper and the product of their labor to the locust” (c.f. Psalm 78:46).
These and other verses underscore the fact that God is ultimately behind locust plagues, using them for His own divine purposes – and that when we encounter them in Scripture, they are almost always connected with judgment.
(4) It’s not within the scope of this message to discuss whether or not that’s true in every instance today. What we do know, is that here in the Book of Nahum, the imagery of locust (not a literal locust plague, but the imagery) is used to describe how God’s judgment upon the Assyrian Empire would unfold in the final days of its existence – beginning, in the first part of verse fifteen, where God said the armies of the Medes and Babylonians8 would destroy Nineveh and her people, just like a swarm of locusts strips the land of its foliage, leaving nothing but ruin and destruction behind.9
(C) A MIXED SIMILE
(1) You’ve heard of “mixed metaphors”? – like, “We need to get all our ducks lined up on the same page”?10 Well, in verse fifteen we have a kind of “mixed simile” – in this regard, that the imagery of “locust” is applied, first, to Nineveh’s attackers – and then, in the last half of the verse, to the Assyrians themselves11 (c.f. Nahum 3:15). Let me explain.
In the first part of verse fifteen, Nahum tells the people of Nineveh: “… fire will consume you, the sword will cut you down; it will consume you as the locust does …” (c.f. Nahum 3:15). As we’ve already seen, the inspired prophet was saying that “fire” and “the sword” were going to “consume” the Assyrians just like “locusts consume” everything in front of them. Or, to put it another way, their enemy was going to use “fire” and “the sword” to completely destroy them, just like “locusts” destroy everything in their path (c.f. Nahum 3:15).
(2) In the last part of verse fifteen, however, Nahum continues talking about “locust” – only he switches from talking about the Medes and Babylonians, to talking about the Assyrians, when he says: “… Multiply yourself like the creeping locust, multiply yourself like the swarming locust” (c.f. Nahum 3:15).
In other words, numbers will do them no good11 – for even if they were as numerous as a horde of locust – even if they could send wave after wave after wave of fighting men into battle – they were not going be able to escape the judgment God was going to bring upon them on account of their sins.12 Their enemy was going to prevail and utterly destroy them, leaving them with nothing. No wealth (c.f. Nahum 2:9-10), and no army (c.f. Nahum 3:3) – no city (c.f. Nahum 3:12), and no kingdom.
(3) An alternate interpretation says the last half of verse fifteen is still referring to Nineveh’s attackers – with the idea being that, the Medes and Babylonians were going to be so numerous, there would be nothing the Assyrians could do to turn them back – just like no one can stop an advancing swarm of locusts.
Either way (it seems to me), the point remains the same. Nineveh was going down to utter and complete defeat – a defeat she could not prevent – a defeat from which her people would never recover, or rise again to be a force in the world.
(4) And remember, this is not just an interesting piece of historical information. It’s also an inspired warning (c.f. II Timothy 3:16) – a prophetic picture (or type) of what will happen at the final judgment, to all those who have rejected Jesus Christ as Savior – who have “trampled under foot the Son of God … regarded (His shed blood) as unclean (and therefore, unworthy of their trust) … (and) insulted the Spirit of grace” (c.f. Hebrews 10:29). On that day, everyone who is not covered by the blood of Christ (c.f. Hebrews 9:14), and clothed in His righteousness (c.f. Isaiah 61:10), will be swept away to a living destruction (c.f. Revelation 20:15; 21:8) – from which there will be no recovery, no relief, and no escape (c.f. Luke 16:26).
(D) GOD AND GENERALS
(1) Moving on to verse sixteen, the prophet is clearly speaking to Nineveh when he says: “You have increased your traders more than the stars of heaven – the creeping locust strips and flies away” (c.f. Nahum 3:16). Both the NIV and NKJV use the word “merchants” instead of “traders” – however, the two-fold thought remains pretty much the same.
(a) First, dominate nations usually become trade nations13 – and Assyria was no different. Indeed, at that particular moment in history, Nineveh was situated in a geographic spot that actually helped her dominate much of the known world’s commerce.14 Hence, “traders” (c.f. Nahum 3:16) flocked to the city in huge numbers, to do business – and with them came massive amounts of wealth, as the previous chapter noted in verse nine, saying: “… there is no limit to the treasure – (there is) wealth from every kind of desirable object” (c.f. Nahum 2:9).
(b) However (and this is the second half of the prophet’s two-fold thought), all of Nineveh’s countless “traders” (c.f. Nahum 3:16), along with the vast amounts of wealth she had managed to accumulate, as a result of being the center of the business world, would do her no good on the God-appointed day of judgment. Indeed, all the treasures she had amassed would come to nothing (c.f. Luke 12:16-21) – for just as “the creeping locust strips (a field or orchard bare) and (then) flies away” (c.f. Nahum 3:16) – so Assyria’s enemies would thoroughly plunder Nineveh, leaving nothing of any value behind (c.f. Nahum 2:9-10).
As we noted in an earlier message, archeologists, sifting through the ruins of Nineveh, have found very little in the way of gold or silver – or anything else of monetary value, for that matter.14 Which simply underscores the accuracy of Nahum’s prophecy – that her locust-like enemies did literally “strip” her bare – before “flying away, leaving her in utter ruin (c.f. Nahum 3:16).
(c) I know the NIV reads a little differently (i.e. “You have increased the number of your merchants till they are more than the stars of the sky, but like locusts they strip the land and then fly away”) – leaving one with the impression that it was the “merchants” who stripped Nineveh of much of her wealth, before abandoning her to her enemies (see Nahum 3:16, NIV). Hence, one commentary say: “Nineveh had accumulated vast amounts of wealth by trading … but now those merchants, by looting, would take back much of the merchandise.”15
It’s not my intent to be dogmatic about this – but, I can’t imagine the Assyrians would let merchants loot the city before the Medes and Babylonians arrived. Nor can I imagine the Medes and Babylonians giving fleeing “traders” safe passage out of the city after they arrived – especially if they were carrying vast amounts of wealth and goods with them. Hence, I agree with those who think the “locust” spoken of in verse sixteen refers to the enemy army12 (c.f. Nahum 3:16).
(d) As far as the Assyrian Empire is concerned, however, the result would have been the same – whether it was the soldiers of the Medes and Babylonians who did the striping, or “traders” who did the looting – or even a combination of both. Nineveh literally lost everything that had any real value – just as lost men and women will lose everything they once held dear on the Day of Judgment (c.f. Revelation 6:12-17; 18:1-14).
(2) Continuing on, Nahum writes (in verse seventeen): “Your guardsmen are like the swarming locust. Your marshals are like hordes of grasshoppers settling in the stone walls on a cold day. The sun rises and they flee, and the place where they are is not known” (c.f. Nahum 3:17). (Instead of “guardsmen” and “marshals”, the NIV talks about “guards” and “officials” – while the NKJV uses the words “commanders” and “generals”. Still others refer to them as “princes” and “captains”.16)
(a) While the precise identity of these people may be uncertain, it’s clear they were either leaders in the Assyrian government17 – or important, prominent men within the city.18 The kind of men people turn to in difficult times – the kind of men citizens expect to provide leadership in times of crises – the kind of men folks like you and I look to for answers (and help) in the face of natural disasters, or military attacks.
(b) So, what did the leaders of Nineveh do? How did Nahum say they were going to respond to the crisis of an invading army outside their city’s walls? How did the inspired prophet say they would react in the face of an impending defeat? He said, they would run away! He said they would be useless and worthless. He said they would be like “grasshoppers” on a stone wall “on a cold day” – who fly away as soon as the sun warms them up – and are no where to be found (c.f. Nahum 3:17). He said that when the city and citizens of Nineveh needed them most – when it was time for them “earn their pay” (as it were) – when it was time for them to put their life on the line for their people (having reaped many personal benefits from them over the years, due to their position) – they would either be long gone, or of no help whatsoever.
(c) Having put their trust in human leadership, the people of Nineveh would be sorely disappointed – indeed, in many respects, they would be left to fend for themselves – and try and defend themselves. Having put all their hopes for the future on their civil government, and the abilities of the people who ran it, to protect them and provide for them – in the face of divine judgment, they would find their leader’s promises empty, their programs fruitless, and their presence virtually (or perhaps literally) non-existent.
James Boice says, tradition has preserved testimony to the effect, that – in anticipation of an attack upon Nineveh – thousands of bureaucrats managed to flee the city, and were later involved in setting up a short-lived kingdom in the vicinity of Haran,19 several hundred miles to the south (which is something we’ve mentioned in at least one earlier message).20
In this regard, then, I’m reminded of a passage from the Book of Psalms that says: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we (will) trust in the name of the Lord our God” (c.f. Psalm 20:7, NIV) – and again, from the Book of Isaiah: “Woe to those who … rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but … do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!” (c.f. Isaiah 31:1).
(d) I know Romans chapter thirteen says, “governing authorities” are (ordinarily) “a minister of God” for our good (c.f. Romans 13:1, 4). But, Scripture also says, everyone who puts all their hopes in civil authorities (rather than Jesus Christ) is depending on a “crushed reed” (c.f. II Kings 18:21) – and on “a people who (in many instances) … are not for help or profit, but for shame and … reproach” (c.f. Isaiah 30:5).
Everyone who ultimately trusts in themselves (or someone just like themselves – i.e. another person) doesn’t just have the proverbial “fool for a client”, he also has a fool for a leader. Better to heed the counsel found in Psalm One Hundred Forty-Six, that says (in part): 3“Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. 4His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. 5How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; 7who executes justice for the oppressed; (and) gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free. 8The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous; 9the Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked. 10The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations …” (c.f. Psalm 146:3-10).
(3) Finally, Nahum writes (in verse eighteen): “Your shepherds are sleeping, O king of Assyria; your nobles are lying down. Your people are scattered on the mountains and there is no one to regather them” (c.f. Nahum 3:18).
(a) Very quickly – the term “shepherds” (c.f. Nahum 3:18) refers to Assyria’s leaders,21 perhaps those who did not flee the city in the face of the enemy – while the fact they “are sleeping” either refers to their being dead,9 or perhaps to their negligent or lethargic leadership.22
The same points are being made when Nahum says: “your nobles are lying down” (c.f. Nahum 3:18) – meaning that, when Nineveh finally falls, it will either be (in part) because most of her leaders are dead, or because they are as useless as if they were asleep.
(b) As a result, the people of Nineveh (particularly those who survive) will be “scattered on the mountains” like sheep, with “no one to regather them” (c.f. Nahum 3:18) – which is just another way of saying that, the Assyrian people would be slaughtered in such great numbers, and the survivors scattered in every direction, that neither the city nor the empire would ever rise again. And of course, except for a brief attempt to revive the kingdom in the vicinity of Haran (which ended in failure) that’s exactly what happened.
(4) Let it be said, then – for the encouragement of elect saints – that, in contrast to the leadership of Nineveh, we Christians have a God who never slumbers or sleeps. Psalm One Hundred Twenty-One says: 1“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? 2My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (As a result) 5The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand … 7The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. (Because He never sleeps) 8The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in (i.e. every aspect of your life) from this time forth and forever” (c.f. Psalm 121:1-8).
(5) Let it also be said (for the encouragement of God’s covenant people) that we have a Shepherd, who, unlike the king of Assyria and Nineveh’s other leaders, will not abandoned us to wander alone “on the mountains” (c.f. Nahum 3:18) – but instead, will come find us when we have been scattered, and gather us (or “regather” us, as the case may be) to His fold (c.f. Luke 15:1-7).
Listen, then, to these words of comfort from the Book of Ezekiel: 11“For thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day. 13I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them … by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. 14I will feed them in a good pasture … There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture … 15I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,’ declares the Lord God. 16‘I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment” (c.f. Ezekiel 34:11-16).
This is a description of our Shepherd – who has a name – and His name is “Jesus” (c.f. John 10:11; Revelation 7:17).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1Wiersbe: Be Amazed; p. 106.
2http://www.rhlschool.com/eng3n25.htm
3http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/spoon/similes.php
4Robertson: The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah;
The New International Commentary on the Old Testament;
p. 120.
5Sproul: Essential Truths of the Christian Faith; p. 69.
6http://www.wpcpca.org/Archive/01-18-09-pm.html
7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Locust_Outbreak
8Wiersbe: Be Amazed; p. 102.
9MacArthur: The MacArthur Bible Commentary; p. 1027.
10http://www.jimcarlton.com/my_favorite_mixed_metaphor.htm
11Robertson: Ibid; p. 124.
12Wycliffe Bible Commentary; p. 869.
13Boice: The Minor Prophets; Vol. Two; p. 71.
14IBID; p. 64.
15The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament; p. 1504.
16Unger: Commentary on the Old Testament; Vol. II; p. 1893.
17Wiersbe: Ibid; p. 105.
18English Standard Study Bible: Footnote on Nahum 3:17;
p. 1718.
19Boice: Ibid; p. 62
20http://www.wpcpca.org/Archive/11-09-08-pm.html
21The New Geneva Study Bible: Footnote on Nahum 3:18;
p. 1441.
22Robertson: Ibid; p. 127.