Friday, October 10, 2014
Nahum 1:14 The Lord has given a command concerning you: "Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile."
CALLED TO SPEAK GOD'S WORD
A short message from a short book ... the prophet Nahum.
The prophet Nahum was sent to bring words of judgment to the city of Nineveh. Nineveh had experienced God's grace and mercy through God's unwilling prophet, Jonah. But then they returned to their false gods, and the LORD sent Nahum with ominous words.
How did Nineveh escape God's Judgment the first time? They repented of their sins and called upon the LORD. Much to Jonah's chagrin, the LORD had mercy on them and withheld His Judgment, not merely because they repented, but because He is merciful.
How then can people TODAY escape God’s Judgment? They can escape judgment by repenting of their sins and calling upon the LORD, Jesus the Christ.
How did the Ninevites call upon the name of the LORD the first time? Did they just one day decide to change their lives? No, God Himself brought it about through His powerful word communicated by means of Jonah.
How can people today call upon the name of the LORD? While there are some Christians who say that we are all "just good enough" to decide for ourselves to believe in Jesus and "call upon the name of the Lord," that's not what Jesus said (John 6:44 NKJV):
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."
How does the Father draw or lead people to Jesus? He has chosen to communicate His Salvation by word of mouth and we have been called by the Savior Jesus to do just that! God help us to proclaim Christ and what He has done!
