Nahum 2:8

Nahum 2:8 says, But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.  Nahum said that Nineveh of old had been like a pool of water, always replenishing itself.  Now, instead of relying on that refreshing pool and defending it, they would flee from the army coming to defeat them.  They would be called on to stand, but no one would even look back from their flight.  People today may have what they think is an inexhaustible supply of wealth and power, but when God comes in judgment, all they will think of is to flee from His sight.  None will be able to stand and fight.  Verse nine adds, Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.  All the wealth that Nineveh had and the things she prided herself on were going to be taken away.  All the things that we pride ourselves on will be taken away when we stand before God, because it all belonged to Him from the beginning.  All we can offer to God is ourselves.  Verse ten continues, She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.  From a rich and powerful city, Nineveh would we empty and void.  Nineveh's leaders and riches would be gone.   Verse eleven states, Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid?  Then verse twelve adds, The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.  The rulers of Nineveh were compared to lions, who had destroyed anything in their way and claimed anything they wanted as their own.  The question in verse eleven was where were they now that God was pronouncing judgment on them.  They would no longer have these dwelling places and strongholds.  Verse thirteen continues, Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.  God told them that their destruction would be complete.  The people of Nineveh had avoided destruction before by turning briefly to God, but they had soon fallen back into their old ways.  If people are not totally dedicated to God, then they will soon fall back into their old sinful nature.  We are forever saved by Christ, but that does not mean that all our descendants nor all those around us are, which is why we must continually proclaim the gospel.