NAHUM: "Diyn"

Jonah is held in juxtaposition with another prophet that gets categorized in the Assyrian time period. The prophet Nahum is the other side of the tension, the other side of God’s nature in the cosmic equation of evil. As I have stated before, I adamantly believe that this tension between God’s love and God’s justice is not a matter of equal and opposing forces. God’s love far outweighs His desire to bring vengeance and wrath. I believe the Tanakh is incredibly clear on this point and it is our Western mindset that struggles with this way of thinking. For us, we either want one or the other or complete balance. Yet the message of Nahum stands as a testimony to the way life really is.

We have talked about mishpat, the idea of Eastern, patriarchal “justice.” We have repeatedly made the point that biblical justice is the idea of putting things in their proper place. Mishpat has very little to do with retribution. Mishpat is the rampant idea that runs throughout the Tanakh — much more than any other expression of justice.

And yet, there is another Hebrew expression of justice. Even though it’s used far less often, the word diyn is also used to communicate judgment. While even this word doesn’t carry the idea of retribution, it does have an air of finality. Diyn is a necessary part of mishpat. There are times and places where, in order to restore humanity, in order to pursue mishpat to its natural end, a judgment has to be pronounced and a decision must be made. There comes a time when discussion is over and we need to get on with restoring the world.

This is the message of Nahum. The problem with the book of Jonah is that, while the book explains God’s apparent inaction and unbelievable patience, it still doesn’t deal with the problem of evil that continues to exist. So, while God’s incredible patience is the very thing that gives us so much hope, and while His patience is the very catalyst for mishpat in most situations, our souls still look at injustice and cry out for deliverance.

And God is patient and patient and patient and forgiving and patient and mournful and patient and pleading and grieving and patient…

… and then God acts.

This is the book of Nahum. As the people of Israel look at the brutality of Assyrian warfare and the terrible rule of empire, they cry out for justice. As one more daughter gets raped and one more child is impaled on a pole and one more elderly couple is burned in their home, the people cry out for God’s rescue. And while God sees the incredible potential of each and every Assyrian and patiently waits for them to come to repentance, there comes a time where God announces their coming destruction.

And God sends His message through the prophet Nahum: “Enough is enough.”

And this message to Ninevah will be God’s message of hope to His people, who have now become the oppressed. God, through the voice of Nahum, will poetically announce that He has heard the cry of His people and will bring mishpat. Nahum is here as a proclaimer of God’s diyn.

And I have the same problem with Nahum that I had with Joshua. And yet, I’m left here being reminded of how glad I am that I don’t have God’s job. I would never even begin to know when to show patience and when to bring diyn. I would make a lousy god.

King of Assyria, your shepherds slumber;
    your nobles lie down to rest.
Your people are scattered on the mountains
    with no one to gather them.
Nothing can heal you;
    your wound is fatal.
All who hear the news about you
    clap their hands at your fall,
for who has not felt
    your endless cruelty?

And so we have to hold Jonah in one hand and Nahum in the other. We have to hear that God hears the cry of the hurting and promises us that He’s in the business of mishpat.  And He invites us to trust in His goodness and perspective. He invites us to trust in His wisdom and His timing.

He invites us to trust the story.