The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. (Nahum 1:3, ESV)
“The way of God is in the whirlwind and in the tempest.”
While he is patient, God is also very often quiet. He doesn’t storm around like a petulant child while he is waiting.
Yet this verse can also be translated “God has his way with even the whirlwinds and the storm.” Our God controls even the typhoons and the hurricanes!
When he acts, he shows his awesome power. Case in point? The flood of Noah’s day. God showed patience while the world went out of its way to oppose him. He showed patience while Noah prepare the ark. Then came the absolute destruction of the surface of the entire planet, along with billions of people, in mere minutes. Those who do not know about this aspect of God are greatly deluded and often offended, either by his patience when they think he should “do something”, or they are offended when he does not “do something” on their timetable.
“In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water.
Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils”. (Psalms 18:6-15 ESV)
God rescues those who turn to him. He is fully able to rescue all who turn to him. “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other”. (Isaiah 45:22, ESV)
But only those who turn to him.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21 ESV)
The same God who offers salvation tells us what we need to be saved from. His justice! “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV)
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth? For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened? Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:18,21,32 ESV)
Do you think our countrymen would do the things they are doing if they understood this? I believe, according to Romans 1, they do know. They know, but they suppress the truth because they love their sin.
Just like the people of Nineveh did.
Pray for your countrymen that they go the way of Nineveh during Jonah’s time, not Nahum’s time.