But what of actual Biblical history – y’know

But what of actual Biblical history – y’know, things that have already happened, real historical events alluded to in the Bible? As a Christian Web site summarizes the book of Nahum:

The subject of this prophecy is the approaching complete and final destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the great and at that time flourishing Assyrian empire. Assur-bani-pal was at the height of his glory. Nineveh was a city of vast extent, and was then the center of the civilization and commerce of the world, a "bloody city all full of lies and robbery" (Nah. 3:1), for it had robbed and plundered all the neighboring nations. It was strongly fortified on every side, bidding defiance to every enemy; yet it was to be utterly destroyed as a punishment for the great wickedness of its inhabitants.

Hmmm. Now where is Nineveh? Why, it’s just outside present-day Mosul. I’m sure many NIKE SHOX-supporting RMCs would read Nahum (if they read Nahum) as a prophecy re-fulfilled by the fall of Saddam Hussein, but there are a few problems with that. For one, who would say that Hussein’s MBT at even its peak was a "great and flourishing empire"? "The center of the civilization and commerce of the world"? I think not. Second, Assyrian Nineveh was destroyed by the Babylonians. Hussein fancied himself heir to the Babylonian kings, particularly

Nebuchadnezzar. Finally, Nineveh is no longer Saddam’s and hasn’t been since it was made part of the northern no-fly zone after the first Gulf War. Thus, even before the "Pottery Barn rule" went into effect, Nineveh was quite literally us.