Thought from today’s Bible reading from Nahum 1-3.
As the prophet Nahum announces God’s coming judgment against Nineveh, there is an interesting phrase that is used to describe the mighty city.
“Behold, your people are women in your midst! The gates of your land are opened wide to your enemies; fire consumes your gate bars” (Nahum 3:13).
This is not meant to be a disparaging remark against women. Nor does it mean that there would be no males in the city. Rather, it is simply pointing out that in the face of God’s judgment, their soldiers would not be able to fight against Him. In those days, the warriors would be men. Even in our modern culture, this is still generally true. So the point is that the warriors would be unwilling or unable to defend against God’s judgment. Notice a few other passages that use this same type of language:
“In that day the Egyptians will become like women, and they will tremble and be in dread because of the waving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He is going to wave over them” (Isaiah 19:16).
“A sword against their horses and against their chariots and against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her, and they will become women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!” (Jeremiah 50:37).
“The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting, they stay in the strongholds; their strength is exhausted, they are becoming like women; their dwelling places are set on fire, the bars of her gates are broken” (Jeremiah 51:30).
The lesson is that we cannot fight against God. No matter how strong or powerful we are (or think we are), He will defeat us if we rebel against Him.
Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
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