Ashurbanipal (685 BC – c. 627 BC), also spelled Assurbanipal or Ashshurbanipal, was an Assyrian king, the son of Esarhaddon and the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (668 BC – c. 627 BC). He established the first systematically organized library in the ancient Middle East, the Library of Ashurbanipal, which survives in part today at Nineveh.
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One of the posts that appears here quite often in the top ten is THIS POST ABOUT BILLY GRAHAM. Over two years after the “top tenner” appeared, I followed up with THIS POST.
Now, THIS ARTICLE, opens with the following sentence:
“’God’s prophet’ – famed evangelist Billy Graham – is praying America will experience another ‘great spiritual awakening.’”
I beg to differ. I think Billy Graham was a great evangelist, but I don’t think he is a prophet.
Opinions, opinions; we all have them. I admire Mr. Graham for trying to further the kingdom.
The article promotes a nationwide day of prayer, repentance and fasting on Sept. 11 – the 9/11: National Day of Prayer and Repentance.
How can any Christian not be for that?
THE ARTICLE goes on to state:
“Graham compared America to the ancient city of Nineveh, the lone superpower of its time. When the prophet Jonah finally traveled to Nineveh and proclaimed God’s warning, the people repented and escaped judgment…”
The piece mentions a New York best-selling book entitled “The Harbinger.” Rabbi Jonathan Cahn’s book describes several “harbingers” that relate the 911 event to the story of the Assyrians.
I studied the Assyrians when I was in college. They could indeed be considered the world’s first “terrorists” as the book claims (if I remember correctly). To be honest, I couldn’t finish the book and I can’t really put my finger on why. I think it was the emphasis placed on the 911 tragedy that finally made me close the book.
There is a question that I have that maybe you can help me with. The story of Jonah and the repentance of the inhabitants of Nineveh is well-known. It is followed, approximately 250 years later, by another “minor” prophet named “Nahum.” Nahum contains four major prophecies concerning the fall of the great Assyrian empire. I did a report on this in college. The historical facts line up perfectly with the proclamations of the little-known prophet. Nahum, like a true prophet of God, did not err in the slightest. His final words of judgement are:
Nahum 3:19
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 There is no relief for your breakdown,
Your wound is incurable.
All who hearabout you
Will clap their hands over you,
For on whom has not your evil passed continually?
My question is:
Are we closer to the Nineveh of Jonah’s day, or closer to the Nineveh of Nahum’s day?
I have a leaning, but your opinion is the one is seek. Please comment.
CR
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Wings of the Wind 
Hi Chris, is he also referred to in Ezra 4:10? [.. and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest that are in the country beyond the River…]: ??
Chris, I think through the “Messainic” voice of the church universal, which is spreading His message of deliverance to the captives, (Isaiah 61) with a proclamation of the only saving message for mankind, we have a form, if you will, of a “modern” Jonah or John the Baptist for that matter, reaching out to humanity right now to turn around, repent. In other words, Jonah is preaching but man is not listening now. God help us. blessings, Kassey
He is indeed the one referred to in Ezra 4:10, Kassey. My son’s Ryrie Study Bible has a footnote that says that Ashurbanipal reigned from 668-628. His Bible spells it Osnappar. My King James Bible spells it Asnappar. Any way it is spelled, I think we have the same guy.
It is interesting that you mention Jonah. I’m sure you are familiar with the words of Jesus:
Matthew 12:40
“…for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Jonah’s words are as relevant today as they were approximately 2,800 years ago.
And, as you have written, man is not listening.
God’s blessings…
Hello, Chris – I think we’re probably closer to the Nineveh of Nahum’s day. “Gloom and doom” is passé, or is relegated to late-night comedy. In Jonah’s day they took it seriously, and Jonah apparently had at least a hint (Jonah 4:2) that things would play out as they did.
Not so today. Who goes to ANY street in America, announces God’s inescapable wrath against us for murdering over 50 million babies, and thinks it’s even possible that people will repent? The Planned Parenthood exposé videos should shatter our hearts … but no shattering is visible on the streets or in the churches.
Ruth Graham’s quip regarding God either judging us or apologizing to Sodom and Gomorrah has a shelf life. Wilkerson began warning the U.S. in 1974 and the proverbial frog has been simmering ever since. We don’t realize how far gone we are because we have short attention spans, we’re well-pacified by electronic gadgets, and we compare ourselves to each other instead of considering the timeless standards of God’s judgments, laws and precepts. Killing inconvenient children is now a “Constitutional right” along with the practice of sodomy. Claims that we are a wicked society are met with a shrug, or the dazed look of total lack of comprehension.
Long answer to a short question.
Hi Steve.
I’m sorry it took so long for me to respond but, honestly, I haven’t checked my blog for at least a month.
I also think we are closer to the Nineveh of Nahum’s day. Just a few years ago (2008) the citizens of my state (Arkansas) passed a law that prohibited homosexual couples from adopting or fostering children. It wasn’t long before one judge ruled the law unconstitutional and his decision was upheld by the Arkansas State Supreme Court 7-0. It was a clear case of judicial tyranny. The people had voted by a clear majority that they didn’t want children to be raised by those in direct violation of Biblical principles.
How far backwards we have gone since 2008. The Planned Parenthood videos should shatter our hearts. Instead, it is somehow still difficult to defund PP of taxpayer funds. Anything less than shutting the evil place down is a Godless response. I’m glad you mentioned the churches, Steve. A recent Barna poll found that churchgoers want to hear their leaders discuss things like homosexuality and abortion in their sermons. Sadly, most pulpits are quiet when it comes to these simple moral questions. I think many pastors fear a mass exodus if such topics are mentioned. And I think many of them are right. So here we are. The frog is almost dead.
In 2008 we (Christians for the most part) passed an anti-homosexual bill in our state. Now the definition of marriage has been redefined in the United States.
“Claims that we are a wicked society are met with a shrug, or the dazed look of total lack of comprehension.”
I couldn’t agree with you more, Steve.
Also, thank you for your comment. There is so much craziness going on today, I really should get back to blogging occasionally just to get stuff off my chest.
“The timeless standards of God’s judgments, laws and precepts” that you have mentioned are, as you know, everlasting and dependable. I praise Him for his mercy.
May God bless you and yours…
We can see all around us the breakdown of our society as its moral decay eats out its heart and its rebellious sinfulness against Jesus Christ has cast it into a dying coma. Only the work of God through the preaching of the true gospel can bring about a transformative work. Only God can raise the dead, and He does so as His Gospel and His Word are preached and taught by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since must of the “evangelical” leaders of this nation are deceivers, we must look to God and be faithful to do His work. Amen! Lord Jesus may Your great grace bring life from death.
https://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2015/10/31/nation-of-deception/
Hi Eliza.
Tom Phillips, VP of the Billy Graham Association, recently spoke at a very questionable “Christian” meeting. I bring this up because of the post you commented on and the “breakdown” that you mention that is also very clear to me. Deception is the word of the day. Jack Hayford also spoke at the meeting. I haven’t tracked him for a long time but years ago I thought of him as Biblically sound.
You can see the information here:
http://scatteredsheepreport.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-king-and-queen-of-new-religious.html?spref=fb
Thank you for your comment. We are on the same page. I look forward to checking out your blog.
God’s blessings…