In the final verse of Nahum (Nahum 3:19), we encounter an important biblical truth: when evil is overthrown, there is rejoicing. This reality moves us to reflect on God’s righteous judgment and our response to it. Consider: it is right to celebrate evil’s defeat!
When Hitler was defeated, the world applauded. This is good. When good triumphs over evil, it is right to clap. This phrase from Nahum 3:1, “All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you,” is used in places like Psalm 47:1 – “Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!”
The clapping in Nahum 3:19 should be considered as approbation. Ashurbanipal (the Assyrian King) is prophesied to be destroyed, and we are happy. We give our applause!
We can apply this to Satan too. At his final overthrow and casting off into the lake of fire, the people of God will say “Hallelujah!”
I am going to press this further to what could be a hard reality for us to stomach while we remain here in this fallen world. Christians will give their applause to the destruction of all evil. Hitler. Yes. Satan. Yes. Stalin. Yes. Bin Laden. Yes. Hussein. Yes.
But it doesn’t stop there.
What about your grandmother who never repented or only pretended to repent? And you see her on Judgment Day, and the Lord pronounces justice upon her, and she is cast off into the Lake of Fire. Those in Christ will give God glory and praise for His justice.
God’s justice causes His people to exult in His name. On the Day of Judgment as Christ separates the sheep from the goats and you see among the unbelievers your spouse, or your children, or your neighbors, I cannot tell you what all emotions you will feel because I don’t know. But I do know this: You will absolutely glorify God for His justice. You will sing Hallelujah because God is right and good and true and faithful and just.
Let me offer a warning and a hope with that.
A Warning to the Unrepentant
Perhaps a churchgoer is reading this blog and you think, “Well, I go to church sometimes, and I love the people there. Maybe I’m not a believer but at least on the Day of Judgment the gusy in the men’s group or the guy I know on the worship team or the church at large will step up in my defense. They will be on my side.”
The warning is, no they won’t. The redeemed of the Lord will stand with Him against you. And when God casts you off into the eternal lake of fire, it will give the church an added reason to glorify God.
God’s law is good. To break it demands God’s holy justice. And for God to execute His justice upon the wicked, upon all unbelievers, this is good. It is applause worthy. No hand from the church will reach out to save you because our hands will be too busy applauding God’s righteousness.
I do not know how this could not be very sobering to any unconverted soul reading this. I do not know how this thought would not cause you anguish in your mind and conviction in your heart. What a terrible day this will be for unbelievers.
Is There Hope?
There is hope for those who will forsake presumption. Who will consider that on this very day, God in His great mercy has brought you to consider this “random” verse from a Minor Prophet in the Old Testament. Perhaps the destruction of Nineveh and the terrible thoughts about your future we just had would cause you to run to Christ for forgiveness of your sins.
The Lord is so merciful. He is so kind. He is so gracious. He stands ready to redeem. He stands ready to forgive. People are so hard-hearted against their Maker. They walk in darkness, oblivious to the staggering debt of sin they accumulate daily. Many are not merely oblivious, they are indifferent. They have no fear of God before their eyes.
But here at ThingsAbove, we preach the gospel. We preach about the God who saves in Christ by His complete work. By His righteous life. By His death in the place of sinners. By His resurrection. By His glorious ascension to the right hand of the Father. Jesus saves. And He will save you too if you’re willing. In fact, even if you’re unwilling, God can fix that. Because it is God who works in the heart of man to will according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).
A Call to Come
What you need to know is this: The Bible commands you to repent. To believe on Christ. To turn from sin and self and to turn to Christ. Why are you walking on the broad road to hell? Turn aside to the narrow way. Go to Christ. Put your faith in Christ. Call upon the Lord. Go to Him for mercy. Come to Him. The Spirit and the Bride say come. He is worthy of your whole heart.
You can’t make Him Lord. He is already Lord. But what the Scriptures call you to do is bow your heart and life to Him even now. To follow Him. To forsake the way of sin and death. To let go of the world and its trappings. And to come to our merciful King by faith alone who will pardon you, justify you, and give you eternal life.
How could any person refuse such a gracious God?
A Reminder to the Church
Now, believers, I remind you of this. God’s justice is not something to be ashamed of. We do not have to apologize for the holiness of God. Rather, it’s the opposite. We proclaim it! We exult in it! We love it!
This does not give us the desire to “beat people over the head” with impending doom. Instead, it causes us to warn sinners of the coming judgment and to exhort them to turn from sin and flee to Christ for mercy.
And it also gives us this comfort: On the Day of Judgment, no matter who may be sentenced to hell, you will rejoice in the Judge of all the earth who always does right.
