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The Character of God. Nahum 1-3. The Character of God. “The Lord is a jealous and avenging God” (1.2a) “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power” (1.3a) “The Lord is good” (1.7aα) . The Character of God.
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The Character of God Nahum 1-3
The Character of God • “The Lord is a jealous and avenging God” (1.2a) • “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power” (1.3a) • “The Lord is good” (1.7aα)
The Character of God • “This sudden shift from the portrayal of God’s violent rage to a celebration of his goodness may initially seem abrupt, but these two sides of God’s character are in fact very closely connected. God’s wrath is simply the reverse side of his goodness, because…it is precisely Yahweh’s violent judgment on his enemies that effects the salvation of his friends. He will save them by annihilating the enemy” (Roberts 1991: 52).
“The Lord is good” (1.7a) • Good = pleasant; agreeable • “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (Ps 145.9) • “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (Ps 100.5)
“The Lord is good” (1.7a) • “a refuge in times of trouble” (1.7aβ) • “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him” (Ps 34.8). • “The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil” (Prov 10.29
“The Lord is slow to anger and great in power” (1.3a) • Joel: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (2.13b). • Jonah: “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (4.2c).
“The Lord is slow to anger and great in power” (1.3a) • The Pharisees “were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath” (Mark 3.2). • Jesus “looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored” (Mark 3.5).
“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God” (1.2a). • Jealous=intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness • “Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land” (Deut 6.14-15) • “Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Ex 34.14)
“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God” (1.2a). • Avenge = to exact satisfaction for (a wrong) by punishing the wrongdoer • “Yahweh has seen his people’s affliction and that he is about to take vengeance on Judah’s cruel and unjust oppressor” • “The awesome terror of God’s avenging power is both frightening and reassuring to the oppressed” (Roberts 1991: 39).