20160201 Monday, February 1 2016
Nahum 02: Parades Of Chariots

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings"

The English-language word "parade" originated from a Latin/Roman word, paratus, that referred to a mobilized assembly of military force. Ancient armies commonly marched or rode into battle in such a way because weaponry in the earlier time was very short range. Armed forces parades are still common today however as a public exhibition of military strength, whether as a morale booster for the people of the nation who are paying for the massive cost, and/or as a propaganda demonstration for enemies and imperial subjects in other nations. Most other kinds of parades also employ the same militaristic theme.

Chariots, in their ancient or modern form, have always been a prominent sight in military parades, whether at the time of the drum-up to war, or as a victory parade through a major city that was captured in the subsequent battles. Victory parades are of course also held to celebrate the returning warriors.

Chariots are recorded in Bible history from the earliest times. The chariots of the Egyptian Pharaoh are perhaps the most familiar to many people (see Covered Wagons And War Chariots), however many others had large numbers of chariots, including the Canaanites who had hundreds of them at the time that the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land (see Joshua's Commission) and the Philistines of Gaza (see Where Is Palestine? and Gaza In History And Prophecy) had thousands of iron chariots in the time of King Saul (see Saul's Last Battle). The Israelites also acquired chariots - King David by capturing them in battle (see King David's Empire) and Solomon by purchasing more from Egypt (see The Egypt Connection). Subsequent kings of Israel and Judah also had chariots (see also The End Of The Line For Ahab And Jezebel).

The Assyrians (see The Empires Of Bible History And Prophecy) also had a great force of chariots at the time when the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) appointed them to conquer and exile the Kingdom of Israel (see Why Was Nineveh Saved From Destruction?). However, when the Assyrians failed to continue in their repentance at the time of Jonah (see Their Right Hand And Their Left Hand), the LORD, as recorded in Nahum (Nahum lived and worked over a century after Jonah), empowered their enemies, the rising Babylonian Empire (see The Medes And Chaldees Prophecies), to do to them what they had been doing to others. So then, the Assyrians were subjected to a parade of foreign chariots through their capital city, before it was pulverized into rubble.

"2:1 He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.

2:2 For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.

2:3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. 2:4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

2:5 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. 2:6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. 2:7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts. 2:8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back. 2:9 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture. 2:10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

2:11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid? 2:12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

2:13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard." (Nahum 2:1-13 KJV)

Fact Finder: What sort of supernatural chariot parade did the prophets Elijah and Elisha see?
See Did Elisha Have Chariots of Fire Too?