Who can withstand His indignation?This phrase emphasizes the overwhelming power and authority of God. In the context of Nahum, God’s indignation is directed towards Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, known for its cruelty and idolatry. The rhetorical question implies that no one can resist or oppose God’s righteous anger. This echoes similar sentiments found in other scriptures, such as
Psalm 76:7, which speaks of God’s fearsome power. The historical context is significant, as Assyria was a dominant empire, yet even its might could not withstand God’s judgment.
Who can endure His burning anger?
The imagery of "burning anger" conveys the intensity and consuming nature of God’s wrath. This is not a capricious anger but a holy response to sin and injustice. The cultural context of the ancient Near East often depicted gods as having human-like emotions, but the God of Israel’s anger is always just and purposeful. This phrase connects toDeuteronomy 4:24, where God is described as a consuming fire, highlighting His holiness and the seriousness of sin.
His wrath is poured out like fire;
Fire is a common biblical metaphor for judgment and purification. In the prophetic literature, fire often symbolizes God’s purifying judgment, as seen inIsaiah 66:15-16. The pouring out of wrath suggests a deliberate and complete action, indicating that God’s judgment is both thorough and inescapable. This imagery would resonate with the original audience, familiar with the destructive power of fire in their environment.
even rocks are shattered before Him.
This phrase underscores the absolute power of God’s judgment. Rocks, often symbols of strength and permanence, are depicted as being shattered, illustrating that nothing in creation can withstand God’s will. This connects to other biblical passages, such asJeremiah 23:29, where God’s word is likened to a hammer that breaks rock. The shattering of rocks also foreshadows the ultimate judgment and transformation of the world, as seen in eschatological passages likeRevelation 6:15-17.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
NahumA prophet who delivered God's message of judgment against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, known for its wickedness and oppression.
2.
NinevehThe capital city of the Assyrian Empire, notorious for its cruelty and idolatry, which faced God's impending judgment.
3.
God's IndignationRepresents God's righteous anger and judgment against sin and injustice.
4.
The RocksSymbolic of the seemingly strong and unmovable entities that are shattered by God's power.
5.
Assyrian EmpireA dominant power during Nahum's time, known for its military might and oppression of Israel and other nations.
Teaching Points
The Reality of God's JudgmentGod's wrath is real and directed against sin and injustice. It serves as a warning to turn from wickedness and seek righteousness.
The Power of GodGod's power is unmatched; even the strongest elements of creation cannot withstand His judgment. This should inspire awe and reverence.
The Call to RepentanceUnderstanding God's wrath should lead us to repentance and a desire to align with His will, avoiding the fate of those who oppose Him.
God's Justice and MercyWhile God is just in His anger, He is also merciful to those who turn to Him. This duality should encourage us to seek His grace.
The Assurance of God's SovereigntyIn a world where evil seems to prevail, Nahum assures us that God is ultimately in control and will bring justice.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Nahum 1:6?
2.How does Nahum 1:6 illustrate God's power and wrath against sin?
3.What does "who can endure His fierce anger?" teach about God's holiness?
4.How can Nahum 1:6 deepen our understanding of God's justice in Revelation?
5.In what ways should Nahum 1:6 influence our daily repentance and humility?
6.How can believers find comfort in God's righteous judgment described in Nahum 1:6?
7.How does Nahum 1:6 reflect God's nature of justice and wrath?
8.What historical context surrounds Nahum 1:6 and its message to Nineveh?
9.How does Nahum 1:6 challenge the concept of a loving God?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Nahum 1?
11.Is God capable of experiencing anger?
12.What is the Pre-Wrath Rapture doctrine?
13.Psalm 21:8–10: How can the depiction of God’s fiery wrath be reconciled with other scriptures portraying God as loving and merciful?
14.If God is righteous (Jeremiah 12:1), why do the wicked prosper unchecked?What Does Nahum 1:6 Mean
Who can withstand His indignation?“Who can withstand His indignation?” (Nahum 1:6).
• Nahum starts with a question that answers itself: no one.Psalm 76:7 declares, “You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before You when You are angry?” InRevelation 6:17 the terrified nations cry, “For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
• This line reminds Judah—and us—that God’s holiness is not negotiable. When He rises to judge, there is no neutral ground or safe hiding place apart from Him (Malachi 3:2).
• The comfort is implicit: if the Lord alone is unstoppable, His covenant people need only stay close to Him. Judgment falls on His enemies, but those who belong to Him are secure (Psalm 46:1-3).
Who can endure His burning anger?“Who can endure His burning anger?” (v. 6 b).
• The phrase shifts from resisting to enduring.Jeremiah 10:10 says, “At His wrath the earth quakes and the nations cannot endure His indignation.”Isaiah 33:14 asks, “Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire?”
• This “burning” speaks of intensity. Unlike human fury—often impulsive—God’s anger is pure, measured, and perfectly just (Romans 2:5).
• For sinners, endurance is impossible. Yet the gospel shows that Christ bore this burning anger in our place (Isaiah 53:4-6;2 Corinthians 5:21). Those who trust Him do not face it; those who reject Him will (John 3:36).
His wrath is poured out like fire;“His wrath is poured out like fire” (v. 6 c).
• Fire consumes, purifies, and spreads.Deuteronomy 4:24 states, “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire.”Hebrews 12:29 repeats the same truth for New-Covenant believers.
• Nahum’s imagery fits what eventually happened to Nineveh: archaeology shows the city burned fiercely when it fell. The prophecy is more than metaphor; God’s words became literal history (Nahum 3:15;2 Peter 3:7).
• For the faithful, the picture of fire also reassures: trials that feel scorching are instruments of refinement, not destruction (1 Peter 1:6-7).
even rocks are shattered before Him.“Even rocks are shattered before Him” (v. 6 d).
• Mountains seem immovable, yet “The mountains quake before Him and the hills melt away” (Nahum 1:5). At Sinai “the whole mountain trembled violently” (Exodus 19:18).Judges 5:5 reports, “The mountains quaked before the LORD.”
•Jeremiah 23:29 compares God’s word to “a hammer that shatters a rock,” underscoring that the hardest hearts cannot resist forever.
• For Assyria, whose fortifications were built of massive stone, this was a direct warning: walls, armies, and idols offer no refuge when the Creator speaks (Isaiah 2:19-21).
summaryNahum 1:6 piles question upon question, image upon image, to proclaim one truth: God’s wrath is irresistible. No one can withstand, endure, escape, or outlast it. His anger is burning, His judgment consuming, His power able to pulverize the very rocks. Yet folded into the warning is hope: the same God who shatters stone shelters those who trust Him. By fleeing to the refuge He provides—ultimately fulfilled in Christ—we move from the path of His indignation to the embrace of His mercy.
Verse 6. -
Who can stand? (
Psalm 76:7;
Joel 2:11;
Malachi 3:2; comp.
Revelation 6:17).
His fury is poured out like fire (
Deuteronomy 4:24); like the brimstone and fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (
Genesis 19:24), or like the molten lava that issues from a volcano (
Jeremiah 7:20). Septuagint (reading differently),
ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ τήκει ἀρχάς:
consumit principatus (Jerome).
Are thrown down; rather,
are rent asunder (comp.
1 Kings 19:11;
Jeremiah 23:29). If such is the power of God, how shall Assyria resist it?
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Whoמִ֣י(mî)Interrogative
Strong's 4310:Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffixcan withstandלִפְנֵ֤י(lip̄·nê)Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440:The faceHis indignation?זַעְמוֹ֙(za‘·mōw)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2195:Froth at the mouth, furyWhoוּמִ֥י(ū·mî)Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4310:Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffixcan endureיָק֖וּם(yā·qūm)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965:To arise, stand up, standHis burning anger?בַּחֲר֣וֹן(ba·ḥă·rō·wn)Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2740:A burning of angerHis wrathחֲמָתוֹ֙(ḥă·mā·ṯōw)Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2534:Heat, anger, poisonis poured outנִתְּכָ֣ה(nit·tə·ḵāh)Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5413:To pour forth, be poured outlike fire;כָאֵ֔שׁ(ḵā·’êš)Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 784:A fireeven rocksוְהַצֻּרִ֖ים(wə·haṣ·ṣu·rîm)Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6697:A cliff, a rock, boulder, a refuge, an edgeare shatteredנִתְּצ֥וּ(nit·tə·ṣū)Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5422:To pull down, break downbefore Him.מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃(mim·men·nū)Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4480:A part of, from, out of
Links
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OT Prophets: Nahum 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who (Nah. Na) 
