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2 The scatterer has come up against you.
Man the ramparts;
watch the road;
dress for battle;
collect all your strength.
For the LORD is restoring the majesty of Jacob
as the majesty of Israel,
for plunderers have plundered them
and ruined their branches.
The shield of his mighty men is red;
his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.
The chariots come with flashing metal
on the day he musters them;
the cypress spears are brandished.
The chariots race madly through the streets;
they rush to and fro through the squares;
they gleam like torches;
they dart like lightning.
He remembers his officers;
they stumble as they go,
they hasten to the wall;
the siege tower is set up.
The river gates are opened;
the palace melts away;
its mistress is stripped; she is carried off,
her slave girls lamenting,
moaning like doves
and beating their breasts.
Nineveh is like a pool
whose waters run away.
“Halt! Halt!” they cry,
but none turns back.
Plunder the silver,
plunder the gold!
There is no end of the treasure
or of the wealth of all precious things.
Desolate! Desolation and ruin!
Hearts melt and knees tremble;
anguish is in all loins;
all faces grow pale!
Where is the lions’ den,
the feeding place of the young lions,
where the lion and lioness went,
where his cubs were, with none to disturb?
The lion tore enough for his cubs
and strangled prey for his lionesses;
he filled his caves with prey
and his dens with torn flesh.
Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.
(ESV)
Micah’s choice of wording is not random. He sarcastically refers to the nation of Nineveh as lions in verses 11 and 12.
“Archeologists have found a carving from a palace showing an Assyrian king on a lion hunt.”
John MacArthur
The description fit in many different ways. Both their own view of themselves as well as their behavior depicted a den of lions.
“Extremely appropriate is the imagery of a den of lions for the royalty of Nineveh. The royally commissioned reliefs carved in stone depict repeatedly a number of lions. The kings of Nineveh often presented themselves in their annals in terms reflecting the behavior of the lion. In addition, the Assyrians’ cruel tearing of their enemies suits well the crushing assaults advanced by lions.”
New Interational Commentary – Old Testament
Similar to the way the Old Testament writers described the tumultuous sea, the choice of a lion portrayed the strongest and mightiest nation around. One may think, “Who can tame the king of the beasts?” But as many have experienced, being king leads to comfort and complacency. It leads to a false reality where one actually believes they are invincible. This was the attitude of Nineveh. They were full of pride with no remorse for their actions.
What conquers the lion? The fiery flames of the Lord.
“I am your enemy!” says the LORD Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots. Your soldiers will be killed in war, and I will take away everything that you took from others. The demands of your envoys will no longer be heard.”
Nahum 2:13 GNB
There are no words in this world more frightening than God saying “I am your enemy!” Even though it would be the Babylonians who conquered Nineveh, it was ordained and allowed by the hand of God. Nineveh, who was known for burning cities to the ground, would have the same punishment inflicted on them.
This is the judgment of God. This is the judgment that Christ absorbed. If we cannot come back to Christ after reading of God’s judgment, we have missed the story of the Scriptures. He took what we deserved and made a path to eternal life. he is worthy of all praise and glory.