Is God nice? I had never thought of this question until I read these verses. Let’s think carefully before we respond. We know God is kind and loving. But is God anywhere described as “nice”? What do we mean by “nice”? Efforts to domesticate the Lord have failed, without exception. Heinrich Heine said, “God has to forgive me. It is his job.” Sounds presumptuous to me. Years ago, H. Richard Niebuhr captured the problem with taking God’s plan lightly: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.” I can hear somebody saying, “Oh how nice.” But this is not what actually happened.
Like so many of the Old Testament writers, Nahum readily affirmed the goodness of God. As he wrote about the impending demise of Israel’s enemy, the Assyrians, he expressed joy over their downfall. Germans call this Schadenfreude – rejoicing in the troubles of another.
Nahum rejoices over the messengers whose feet bring the good news of the downfall of Assyria. Nineveh will fall. But the Lord will restore. For Nahum God can both express wrath against sin (1:6) and be good to his own people who trust him.
Remember in C. S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Susan is a little frightened at the prospect of meeting Aslan, the Lion. She tremulously tells Mr. Beaver, “Oh I had thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr. Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”
Although God is not ‘safe,’ he saves because he is a Savior. In fact, God offers grace to all, through the crucifixion and resurrection of his Son. Those who, like the Assyrians, refuse to acknowledge God’s goodness will experience his wrath. He so loved the world that he sent his Son to save us. It cost God everything to give us life. This sacrifice cannot be dismissed with the faint praise, “Oh how nice.” Our King is kind and good. Let’s trust him and follow him.
