Nahum

"The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings” (Nahum 2:3–4).

“Could anybody have described an automobile better than that before there was such a thing as an automobile? Certainly they travel like the lightning, and they look like torches—especially in the evening when the lights are on—and they jostle against each other. If you want a demonstration of that, just go to one of the body repair shops and see how many of them come in all bruised!

“The thing that I liked about that particular passage of scripture is that it describes the day of the Lord’s preparation. We live in that day. Five hundred years ago this prophecy could not have come true, but today there is no other answer for that prophecy than an automobile. The importance of the prophecy is that it describes the day of his preparation.” (Elder LeGrand Richards, Ensign, May 1980)

Days to Read: 1

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I was almost going to call this book “Na-ho-hum” before I read the passage above! To me it seemed same-old, same-old, meaning we’ve heard all of this before. Nahum speaks about what the earth will be like at the Second Coming. Apparently we will have automobiles (obviously, since we have them…). I wonder if the people in Nahum’s time were a little bit confused. (“No way, Nahum. There’s no such thing as chariots with lights that go that fast…).

Anyway, my two favorite passages in the book are chapter 1 verse 3 and 7. Verse three states that the “Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked” and verse 7 says, “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” Very comforting, indeed. No wonder in the Bible Dictionary it states that Nahum means Consoler.

Do you ever wonder what these prophets are like? We know nothing about Nahum except the three short pages he writes. A seminary teacher told me once that he was the prophet for the people of Judah, in the south, whatever that means. When I read that he was “consoler,” and
then those comforting scriptures, it made believe that he was a kind man, reminding me of President Hinckley. If you read these short chapters, you will also find some poetry. Some of the writings are very beautiful, something I would picture President Monson quoting or something.

Definitely not “ho-hum.”

Next up: Joshua chapter 1