Today’s Bible Reading: 2 KINGS 23:1-28, 2 CHRONICLES 34:29-33, 35:1-19, NAHUM 1:1-3:19
Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
Trouble comes to all of us. It may not come in the same form or fashion that it comes upon someone else, but it is unavoidable and often unpredictable. The intensity and the impact of trouble my vary, but it still comes just the same. When our trouble is substantial, stifling and severe we can only hope there is something or someone that will help us handle our trouble.
Trouble was brewing in Israel. This was not a minor infusion of difficult, but a massive outpouring of the full measure of the wrath of the Almighty upon the land. The preceding verse declares the impending devastation that was looming on the horizon. The prophet states, “Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.” (Nahum 1:6). This declaration of doom meant disaster was at their door. Terrible trouble had turned up.
But as with so many of the proclamations of mayhem spoken by the prophets there was within them a pronouncement of the Lord’s magnificent mercy. Here in the middle of His description of the disaster that was waiting in the wings was a declaration of who the Lord is and what He had provide for His people in this time of trouble. The prophet says, “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”. Here was their hope and help in their trouble, the Lord who is good and who does good for His people.
There are three truths that we can take away from this text to hold to in our times of intense trouble. They are God’s goodness exist, God’s goodness is expressed, and God’s goodness is extended. First, consider the phrase “God is good”. This is enough to hold on to in our time of trouble. God’s character is good. Every aspect of who He is good. It is an unchangeable part of His being. He can’t not be good and He can never be bad. He is good. He is also good in His conduct. God can never do anything bad, all His actions are good. He always does what is good. He is good and He does good.
In our text we see an expression of God’s goodness in His provision for His people the midst of the problem. Notice the phrase: “a stronghold in the day of trouble”. The Lord is the one to whom we can run to when trouble has run upon us. He is the fortress that will surround us in our most severe struggles. We need not fear in the “day of trouble” because the one greater than our trouble has provided a bulwark between us and our trouble. He is good and expresses His goodness in His provision for us.
Finally, in our text we see God’s goodness extends to His people. Contemplate the last phrase of our text which says, “he knows those who take refuge in him.” God’s goodness extends to all men as he is the one who makes “. . . his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt 5:45). His blessings extend to believers and non-believers alike. But there are also blessings that extend only to His people. The “stronghold” mention above was provided for those who know Him and will embrace Him in their troubled times.
God is good. His goodness is expressed in His provision and protection of His people in times of tremendous trouble. What a great truth to hold to in our dark days ahead. It is a passage to plant in the recess of our memory so we can recall it and remember who our Lord is and how He will respond to those who “take refuge in Him” in their time of trouble.
Today thank the Lord that He is good. Praise Him that He is specifically good to you. Thank Him that He is a reliable and resilient “stronghold” in you day of trouble”.
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