Nahum 1:9

Nahum 1:9 says, What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.  This was likely a prophecy to the Assyrians and certainly to Nineveh, but it applies just as well to anyone.  What can we imagine against God that is going to give us any power over Him.  People may believe that God is powerless in the world, but they confuse His patient grace with an inability to act.  Verse ten adds, For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.  Though the Assyrians felt they were a great power in the world and denied the existence and power of God, they would be like drunks caught in thorns before God's judgment.  Verse eleven continues, There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counseller.  This likely referred to  Sennacherib, who spoke blasphemy against God.  He felt that his power was greater than that of God, and taught others to believe that God was powerless if He even existed.  There are countries in the world today that teach that there is no God and who put their faith in their own power.  They will ultimately be just as tangled up in their own lies and face God in His wrath and not His mercy.  Verse twelve states, Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.  Though referring immediately to those who had oppressed God's people in that day, we can take comfort in the fact that those who oppress God's people today will ultimately be defeated.  When we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord then God will afflict us no more.  Verse thirteen adds, For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.  God was going to remove the bond of captivity from His people.  When Christ came into the world, this promise was completely fulfilled.  Until we come to God through Christ the bond of sin will never be broken.  Verse fourteen continues, And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.  Though God's people were going to be set free, Sennacherib and those in power were going to be destroyed completely.  They had brought idolatry into the worship of God's people.  When we accept Christ, all of the idols of our life are destroyed.  If we allow them to come back into our lives, or our worship of God, then we become vile in God's eyes.  Though through our faith in Christ we are still God's children forever, the things that we do that are not guided by God will be destroyed.  Verse fifteen concludes, Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.  Nahum stated that upon the mountains were the feet of the One Who brought good tidings.  I believe this is a reference to the coming of Christ.  Judah was told to keep their feasts and perform their vows because the wicked would no longer pass through.  This will only be true when Christ returns for His people, but in the meantime we are to remain faithful to Him.  The power of sin and death over us, as followers of Christ, has been utterly cut off.