Nahum 3:11

Nahum 3:11 says, Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.  Nineveh was to be reduced to a state of drunkenness.  Those who are drunk cannot be expected to act rationally. They would look for a place to hide in from their enemies, but none would be found.  When we make God our enemy through sin, we are as illogical as a drunk, and there is no place to hide from His judgment.  Verse twelve adds, All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the first ripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.  God said that all their strongholds would be devoured by others.  They may have been rich and powerful, but others would take all that away.  Verse thirteen continues, Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.  At the risk of being called sexist, this says that the men of Nineveh would be as weak as women and all their defenses would be destroyed.  Verse fourteen states, Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.  Nahum's prophecy from God was that the people of Nineveh prepare for a siege.  When we are in defiance against God, we may lay up stores to see us through life, but they will ultimately be destroyed.  Verse fifteen adds, There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.  This is a continuation of the warning of the coming total destruction of Nineveh.  Verse sixteen says, Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.  Though Nineveh was exceedingly rich, their riches would soon be spoiled and fly away.  Anything we gain outside the will of God will be the same.  No matter how much we accumulate in this world, it will eventually pass away.  Only those things done for God will last.  Verse seventeen adds, Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.  The rulers and military leaders were going to flee when trouble came.  They thought of themselves as powerful men, but Nahum said God saw them as grasshoppers.  That is the total of our strength before God.  Verse eighteen continues, Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.  God said that those who were supposed to protect and care for the people were asleep.  They felt secure in their own power and were not prepared for the coming destruction.  People may be asleep in their sinful nature and feeling secure today, but God has already sent His warning that judgment is coming.  Verse nineteen concludes, There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?  Nahum concludes God's prediction of the coming destruction saying that there was no healing for them.  When someone rejects God's gift of salvation there is no healing for them.  Though God is patient in love, He will not wait forever for a person to accept His gift of salvation.