Nahum 1:1-3

This study was done using the Amplified Bible, which I don't have permission to publish, so I will replace the verses here with the American Standard Version.  Because of that some of the comments may not totally make sense because the AMP has expanded explanations.  I would highly recommend going to a site like BibleGateway.com where you can read the AMP version for free.

Nahum Chapter 1:1-3

1  The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

A. The name Nahum means "comfortable" or "comfort".  It's interesting that a prophet named comfort is one who is given a burden to declare.  He is given judgement to proclaim.  

B. Elkosh means "God is my bow".  So far this city has not been discovered by modern archeology, but it is believed by many that it was originally in Galilee.

2 Jehovah is a jealous God and avengeth; Jehovah avengeth and is full of wrath; Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for his enemies. 

 A.  The Lord isn't just jealous as so many Christians seem to assume.  We have this idea that when we worship idols God just sort of sits on His throne seething and crying about it.  However God is a God of action, not just words or emotions.  He doesn't just feel jealous, but he acts upon that jealousy.

In line with God being action oriented, is that He is also measured in His actions.  He is full of wrath, but it is not an uncontrollable wrath.  He doesn't spontaneously combust, he is calculated in this wrath and stores it for the right time.  This gives opportunity for grace and mercy, which is always His preference.  He gives lots of time, storing that wrath in the hopes that repentance will be accepted by those He is calling.

3 Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means clear [the guilty]: Jehovah hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

A.  God will not clear the guilty.  What an interesting statement, because we often say even in church that we are all guilty of sin, but that simply is not true any longer.  If we are guilty we will go to hell, this verse confirms that, but guilt no longer belongs to us.

B. The KJV translates this verse, "He will not acquit the wicked."  The Hebrew literally is, "He will not make the wicked clean."  In this we see the hole in the theology that we are all sinners even after salvation.  God will not make the wicked clean, therefore the only way to escape judgement is to be innocent and pure, which is what was accomplished on the cross and is received by faith.