John Calvin Commentary Nahum 1:5

"The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt; and the earth is upheaved at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein." — Nahum 1:5 (ASV)

Nahum still continues on the same subject—that when God ascended His tribunal and appeared as the Judge of the world, He would not only shake all the elements but also constrain them to change their nature. For what can be less consistent with nature than for mountains to tremble and for hills to dissolve or melt?

This is stranger than we can comprehend. But the Prophet intimates that the mountains cannot continue in their own strength, except insofar as they are sustained by the favor of God. Then, as soon as God is angry, the mountains melt like snow and flow away like water.

All these things serve this purpose and are intended for this end: that the wicked might not daringly despise God’s threatening, nor think that they could, through His forbearance, escape the punishment they deserved. For He will be their Judge, however He may spare them. And though God is ready to pardon whenever people hate themselves on account of their sins and seriously repent, He will still be irreconcilable to all the reprobate and the perverse. The mountains, then, before Him tremble, and the hills dissolve or melt.

From these words, this useful instruction may be gathered: the world cannot stand for a moment, except insofar as it is sustained by the favor and goodness of God. For we see what would immediately happen as soon as God shows the signs of His judgment.

Since the very solidity of mountains would become like snow or wax, what would become of miserable people, who are like a shadow or an apparition? They would then vanish as soon as God manifested His wrath against them, as it is said in Psalm 39, that people pass away like a shadow (Psalms 39).

We should always remember this comparison whenever forgetfulness of God begins to creep over us, so that we may not provoke His wrath by self-satisfaction, for nothing is more pernicious. Burned, then shall be the earth, and the world, and all who dwell on it.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, that as You set before us here as in a mirror how dreadful Your wrath is, we may be humbled before You, and voluntarily cast ourselves down, so that we may not be laid prostrate by Your awesome power.

O grant that by this instruction we may be truly prepared for repentance, and so humbly pray to avert that punishment which we daily deserve because of our transgressions, so that in the meantime we may also be transformed into the image of Your Son, put off all our depraved lusts, and be cleansed from our vices. May this continue until at last we appear in confidence before You and are gathered among Your children, so that we may enjoy the eternal inheritance of Your heavenly kingdom, which has been obtained for us by the blood of Your Son. Amen.