I Samuel 4

[JLG]

1) Joel

https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Joel.html


Author: The Book of Joel states that its author was the Prophet Joel (Joel 1:1).


Date of Writing: The Book of Joel was likely written between 835 and 800 B.C.


Purpose of Writing: Judah, the setting for the book, is devastated by a vast horde of locusts. This invasion of locusts destroys everything—the fields of grain, the vineyards, the gardens and the trees. Joel symbolically describes the locusts as a marching human army and views all of this as divine judgment coming against the nation for her sins. The book is highlighted by two major events. One is the invasion of locusts and the other the outpouring of the Spirit. The initial fulfillment of this is quoted by Peter in Acts 2 as having taken place at Pentecost.


Key Verses:


Joel 1:4, "What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten."


Joel 2:25, "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten..."


Joel 2:28, "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions."


Brief Summary: A terrible plague of locusts is followed by a severe famine throughout the land. Joel uses these happenings as the catalyst to send words of warning to Judah. Unless the people repent quickly and completely, enemy armies will devour the land as did the natural elements. Joel appeals to all the people and the priests of the land to fast and humble themselves as they seek God’s forgiveness. If they will respond, there will be renewed material and spiritual blessings for the nation. But the Day of the Lord is coming. At this time the dreaded locusts will seem as gnats in comparison, as all nations receive His judgment.


The overriding theme of the Book of Joel is the Day of the Lord, a day of God’s wrath and judgment. This is the Day in which God reveals His attributes of wrath, power, and holiness, and it is a terrifying day to His enemies. In the first chapter, the Day of the Lord is experienced historically by the plague of locusts upon the land. Chapter 2:1-17 is a transitional chapter in which Joel uses the metaphor of the locust plague and drought to renew a call to repentance. Chapters 2:18-3:21 describes the Day of the Lord in eschatological terms and answers the call to repentance with prophecies of physical restoration (2:21-27), spiritual restoration (2:28-32), and national restoration (3:1-21).


Foreshadowings: Whenever the Old Testament speaks of judgment for sin, whether individual or national sin, the advent of Jesus Christ is foreshadowed. The prophets of the Old Testament continually warned Israel to repent, but even when they did, their repentance was limited to law-keeping and works. Their temple sacrifices were but a shadow of the ultimate sacrifice, offered once for all time, which would come at the cross (Hebrews 10:10). Joel tells us that God’s ultimate judgment, which falls on the Day of the Lord, will be “great and terrible. Who can endure it?” (Joel 2:11). The answer is that we, on our own, can never endure such a moment. But if we have placed our faith in Christ for atonement of our sins, we have nothing to fear from the Day of Judgment.


Practical Application: Without repentance, judgment will be harsh, thorough, and certain. Our trust should not be in our possessions but in the Lord our God. God at times may use nature, sorrow, or other common occurrences to draw us closer to Him. But in His mercy and grace, He has provided the definitive plan for our salvation—Jesus Christ, crucified for our sins and exchanging our sin for His perfect righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). There is no time to lose. God’s judgment will come swiftly, as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2), and we must be ready. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7). Only by appropriating God’s salvation can we escape His wrath on the Day of the Lord.

 

[JLG]

2) Joel

• Judah is devastated by a vast horde of locusts!
• Everything is destroyed!
• Then a famine occurs in the country!
• It is a sign!
• Enemy armies will devour the land as did the natural elements!
• The Day of the Lord is coming!
• It will be the same with the Big One!
• Do we prepare for it?

 

[JLG]

1) Amos

Amos was a shepherd and farmer from the Judean village of Tekoa, about five miles south of Bethlehem, who had a vision and became a prophet for the Lord. Amos prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel and Uzziah in Judah (Amos 1:1). This would have been around 760 BC, making him a contemporary of Hosea, Joel, and Isaiah. Amos recorded his prophecies in a book bearing his name. He dates his book to “two years before the earthquake” (Amos 1:1).


Amos was distinctive as a prophet for a couple reasons. First, by his own testimony he was “neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet” when the Lord called him into service (Amos 7:14). That is, he had not been trained as a prophet, nor was he seeking the office. The Lord simply decided to use him. Also, most prophets proclaimed their message to their own nation. Amos was called from the southern kingdom of Judah to proclaim God’s word in the northern kingdom of Israel. In fact, the idolatrous priest of Bethel told Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there” (Amos 7:12).


Amos did prophesy against Israel’s neighbors (Amos 1—2), but most of his message was aimed at Israel itself. It was not a popular message in Israel, as Amos boldly pointed out sin and God’s righteous judgment. Many sentences in the book of Amos begin with something similar to this: “This is what the Lord says: ‘For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent’” (Amos 2:6).


Although a simple shepherd and fruit picker, Amos prophesied with confidence that it was God’s message, not his, that the nations needed to hear. Amos 3:7 reflects his conviction that “surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” His book is filled with down-to-earth symbols—bird traps, fishhooks, plumb lines, fruit baskets—that help convey the meaning and importance of his prophecies.


We are not told much about his private life or anything about how Amos died, but an apocryphal work called The Lives of the Prophets says that Amos was killed by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Amos 7 records the interaction between Amaziah and Amos; Amaziah told the king of Israel that Amos was raising a conspiracy against him, and Amaziah told Amos to leave Bethel and prophesy in Judah instead. Amos obeyed God’s word to continue prophesying in Israel. Part of that prophecy was a personal message of tragedy for Amaziah (Amos 7:17).


Amos is not mentioned by name in any other books of the Bible, but his work is quoted twice in the New Testament, once by Stephen (Acts 7:42–43) and once by James (Acts 15:15–17).


God’s words to Israel in Amos 5:4 are also God’s message to every human being: “Seek me and live.” Although angry with His own people, Israel and Judah, and ready to punish the pagan nations around them, God’s deepest desire was that they would turn from their sins and repent. He desires that for us, too (Matthew 3:2; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 2:5, 21). When we repent, God offers forgiveness and cleansing through His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 1:9).

 

[JLG]

2) Amos

• He was a shepherd and farmer from Judah!
• Yah.weh made him a prophet!
• He had to minister in Israel not in Judah!
• He spoke about Israel’s sins toward Yah.weh!
• His message is also to mankind!
• We must turn from our sins and repent!
• If we want to get Yah.weh’s forgiveness and cleansing through His Son, Jesus Christ!

 

[JLG]

1. Obadiah

https://www.gotquestions.org/Obadiah-in-the-Bible.html


Thirteen different men are named Obadiah in the Bible, including the minor prophet who wrote the book of Obadiah. The name Obadiah was common in ancient Israel and Judah. It means “the Lord’s servant” or “worshiper of Yahweh.”


One of the twelve minor prophets: Other than what is disclosed through the book of Obadiah, nothing more is known about Obadiah the prophet. His book, the shortest of the Old Testament with only twenty-one verses, reveals that Obadiah probably lived in the harsh and bitter era after the capture and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. He was most likely a contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.


Obadiah’s prophecies focus on God’s judgment against the Edomites (a hostile neighbor of Israel) for their part in destroying Jerusalem. Obadiah’s message is that God will not forget His people even in their captivity but will accomplish His purpose through and beyond the appalling conditions they endure.


Some of Obadiah’s words are remarkably similar to a few verses in Jeremiah 49, leading some scholars to think that Jeremiah quoted or paraphrased some of Obadiah’s prophecy as he was writing his own oracle against Edom.

 

[JLG]

2. Obadiah

• His name means worshiper of Yah.weh!
• He used to live after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians!
• He speaks against the Edomites who participated in the destruction of Jerusalem!
• Yah.weh will not forget his people!
• Thus his message is also toward us!

 

[JLG]

1. Jonah

https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Jonah.html


Proud, stubborn, disobedient, unfaithful, a grumbler, and altogether a bad-tempered, cantankerous old curmudgeon—this was Jonah, whose name means “dove”! Jonah was the son of Amittai, who came from Gath-hepher in Zebulun (called Gittah-hepher in Joshua 19:10-13). He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind Elisha in his place in the Old Testament. Jonah’s story is told in the short (just 48 verses) but powerful book of Jonah.


When God called Jonah to go and warn the violent and godless Ninevites of their impending doom, all his pride in being a Hebrew—and therefore uniquely favored by the Almighty (so he thought, no doubt along with many others of his nation)—rose up in rebellion. Pagans, to him, were the worst kind of human garbage, not even fit to pollute the good earth by living on it. They were the “untouchables,” and that God should take an interest in them was unthinkable. Therefore, not being one to put up with that which was not to his mind, he fled to Joppa and got himself a passage on a ship bound for Tarshish, which was in the opposite direction from Nineveh.


A human father would probably have shrugged Jonah off in disgust and found someone else more willing to take his message to Nineveh, but not so our Heavenly Father. If God has a purpose for someone, then, the gifts and calling of God being irrevocable, he will either fulfill His purpose, or He will simply roll over him to accomplish what He has foreordained (Isaiah 46:9-10). God rolled over Jonah with a vengeance, causing a violent storm to threaten the safety of his ship and its crew, so that their indignation at his contented snoring through their danger soon put an end to his satisfaction. This unceremonious awakening also awakened Jonah to the fact that, far from being an “artful dodger,” he was being followed by the Almighty. There was nothing for it but to confess what he had been up to and tell the sailors that only by dumping him overboard could they be saved. This they did, and the huge fish sent by God (not a whale as commonly supposed, but some sea creature common to that time) promptly swallowed him up (Jonah 1:17). This, and the immediate stilling of the storm, brought the ship’s crew to faith and salvation as a result (Jonah 1:16). The Lord is not one to miss out on His opportunities!


At this point Jonah has now found himself in a situation worse than anything he could have imagined, but like Jacob, he has by now awakened to the fact that God is with him wherever he ends up, in obedience or disobedience. The result is a beautiful prayer of faith rising up from the belly of the great fish, but still with a hint of spiritual pride: “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD” (Jonah 2:8-9).


In response to this prayer of contrition and faith, on his Creator’s orders, the fish then vomits up Jonah on what was probably the shores of Israel. Researchers tell us that it must in all probability have been there because it was a three-day journey on foot from that point to the great city of Nineveh, which is in line with the statement in Jonah 3:3. Ancient cave drawings from this time indicate that Ninevite fishermen lived on the shores of the Mediterranean. This fact is important in illustrating the wonderful way in which God paves the way for His servants to fulfill His commands. The principal goddess worshiped by the Ninevites at that time was Ashtoreth, but they also deferred to the god Dagon who had a man’s upper body and a fish’s tail. Jonah, so the researchers say, would have been bleached completely white from his head to his toes by the acids present in the belly of the fish, and on the sudden appearance of this ghostly figure from the waves the fishermen may have been convinced that this was Dagon’s messenger and fallen flat in worship. These men would have fed and housed Jonah until he was recovered enough from his experience and then, as he was a stranger in those parts, given him directions on how to find their city. Of course, the biblical narrative doesn’t give us these details, but it is fascinating to theorize.


In any case, the biblical text is a masterful expression of understatement: “Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you’" (Jonah 3:1-2). This time, there is no arguing from Jonah, who, although he may be complying on the outside, is still stubbornly disobeying on the inside. He finally arrives at Nineveh and strides vengefully through the city announcing doom and destruction on the people in forty days because of their wickedness and their ignorance of the Lord and His ways. He then retires to a flimsy shelter he builds for himself, probably on a hill overlooking the city, and waits for the fireworks to start (Jonah 4:5). Result? Utterly and absolutely nothing! To his utter chagrin, he finds not just the people from the king down, but their animals as well, clothed in sackcloth and sprinkled with ashes as an indication of their absolute acceptance of the prophetic word sent to them by God, their deep repentance, and their fervent anxiety to get right with the Lord (Jonah 3:5-10). This does not suit our friend Jonah at all and he flies into a fury at God and lets Him have no small piece of his mind (Jonah 4:1-3). God’s answer is to cause a leafy gourd to grow up to help protect Jonah from the blazing sun, for which Jonah is somewhat sullenly grateful, and then to promptly remove it the next day! His reply to Jonah’s bitter complaints about this is that if Jonah can have so much compassion on himself for his loss of comfort in spite of being aware of what a faulty child of God he is, then how much more compassion will Almighty God have on a people who are utterly ignorant of right from wrong (Jonah 4:9-11).


So that is Jonah—a very great comfort to all who fall flat at times when it comes to obedience and who run away from what they know God wants them to do. Jonah’s story is also an object lesson to those who are possessed of a short fuse and those who are at times guilty of a superior attitude to the spiritually ignorant or immature. Like the Ninevites, many around us are in darkness, and but for the grace of God, so would we be. May we all by that grace read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word!

 

[JLG]

2) Jonah

• He was proud, stubborn, disobedient, unfaithful, a grumbler, and altogether a bad-tempered!
• What a strange prophet!
• Not a good candidate!
• Yah.weh sent him to the Ninevites which are Pagans!
• But he is a Hebrew!
• He doesn’t understand!
• So he goes away!
• Yah.weh gives him a lesson!
• Finally Jonah goes to the Ninevites!
• They listen to Yah.weh’s message!
• Jonah is furious!
• Yah.weh gives him a second lesson!

 

[JLG]

1) Micah

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/people/what-was-the-prophet-micah-known-for.html


Micah is known for bringing a message of judgement and restoration that would spur a revival in the land of Judah. Among the prophets of the Old Testament, he is perhaps the most vocal in his demands of justice for the poor and downtrodden. He lashes out at greedy judges, who make money from unjust bribes while ignoring true justice and mercy.






The Book of Micah can be found in the back section of the Old Testament, among the minor prophets. Yet there is nothing “minor” about this prophet other than the length of the book that bears his name.

In the Book of Micah, we find a beautiful path to repentance, restoration, and a promise of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Although we know little about Micah’s background, we do know when and where he prophesied, and the effect his prophecy continues to have on us today. His power as a prophet and call to turn away from sin and towards the Savior continue to bring us hope, and shape who we are as believers.

Where Do We Find Micah’s Story in the Bible?
“But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin” (Micah 3:8).

Micah’s name means, “who is a God like You?”, and his name itself becomes a meaningful theme for the book of Micah, as he summarizes his prophecy in Micah 7:18: “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”

It is stated in verse 1 that Micah is from Moresheth-Gath, a village located near the border of Israel and Philistia. It would have been considered ‘in the country’ in this time, as it was an agricultural area not near any major cities. This puts him in good company with the prophet Amos, who “was a shepherd who took care of sycamore-fig trees.”



There is no serious doubt that Micah is the author of the book that bears his name, as is also clearly stated in verse 1. Micah’s ministry likely occurred late in the reign of Jotham, and continued into the early years of King Hezekiah’s reign. This would place the book of Micah between the years 730 – 690 B.C.

Although it can be easy to think of one prophet coming after another, in order of their Biblical books, the reality is that many of them lived and ministered at the same times. Micah is no different, and he would have been a contemporary of three other prophets: Amos and Hosea in the northern kingdom of Israel, and Isaiah in the southern kingdom of Judah.

What Was Micah Known For?
The echoes of Micah’s effective ministry can be felt throughout the Old Testament as well as the New. He is not only referenced in his own book, but he is also mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah as laying the foundations for the spiritual reforms undertaken by Hezekiah: “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets’” (Jeremiah 26:18).

Micah is known for bringing a message of judgement and restoration that would spur a revival in the land of Judah. Among the prophets of the Old Testament, he is perhaps the most vocal in his demands of justice for the poor and downtrodden. He lashes out at greedy judges, who make money from unjust bribes while ignoring true justice and mercy.

He starts his book by speaking of the coming judgement of God, and makes clear that this judgement is a response to the transgressions of the people (Micah 1:5). In Micah 6:14:16 we see that the judgment will be harsh, and that it will be unavoidable.

Yet the beauty of Micah’s prophecy is that it assures us God will not end the story there. In fact, some of the most powerful promises of restoration, hope, and a coming Messiah are spoken by Micah:

“He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever” (Micah 4: 3-5).

“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago” (Micah 7:19-20).

What Is the Message of the Book of Micah?
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Justice. Love. Mercy. Humility. The overarching message of Micah is that God is Holy, and as a Holy God we should seek to act in a way that is becoming His holiness. Because He is holy, here are consequences to sin, yet there is hope for those who turn to Him. In the midst of crooked and depraved leadership, Micah 6:8 gives us a path to seek holiness, and is among the best-known verses of Scripture.

Another powerful prophecy from Micah is one we hear every year at Christmas, the one that tells us that the birth of Christ would occur in Bethlehem; "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). Over 700 years later, this prophecy would be fulfilled the night that Jesus was born.

Micah may have been from the country, but he had a strong grasp of literary technique and utilized powerful metaphors and vivid imagery throughout his prophecy.

What Happened to Micah?
We do not know how Micah lived out the rest of his life. However, it is clear from Jeremiah’s mention of him that he did not live out his days in fear of punishment or death, as so many prophets did. Instead, Jeremiah writes that his prophecy made a change and had a positive effect, “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the LORD and seek his favor? And did not the LORD relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them?” (Jeremiah 26:19).

The prophets in Scripture faithfully brought the Word of God to the people, no matter how unpopular that message may be. Many of these prophecies were unpopular and ended in persecution for the prophets. Thankfully for Micah, the people heard the message and turned to God, at least in the short term. Ultimately, this prophecy of judgement would come to pass.



Far from being an old, boring message for a people long ago, Micah’s words of promise and restoration after captivity still bring us hope today as we leave behind the captivity of sin, and walk into the hope and joy only found in Christ.

 

[JLG]

2) Micah

• Micah’s name means, “who is a God like You?”
• He was a contemporary of Amos and Hosea in the northern kingdom of Israel, and Isaiah in the southern kingdom of Judah!
• He is also mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah as laying the foundations for the spiritual reforms undertaken by Hezekiah!
• Micah is known for bringing a message of judgment and restoration that would spur a revival in the land of Judah!
• He starts his book by speaking of the coming judgment of God, and makes clear that this judgment is a response to the transgressions of the people!
• Justice. Love. Mercy. Humility!
• He speaks about the birth of Christ in Bethlehem!
• Jeremiah writes that his prophecy made a change and had a positive effect!
• Far from being an old, boring message for a people long ago, Micah’s words of promise and restoration after captivity still bring us hope today as we leave behind the captivity of sin, and walk into the hope and joy only found in Christ.

 

[JLG]

1) Nahum
https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Nahum.html


Author: The author of the Book of Nahum identifies himself as Nahum (in the Hebrew “Consoler” or “Comforter”) the Elkoshite (1:1). There are many theories as to where that city was though there is no conclusive evidence. One such theory is that it refers to the city later called Capernaum (which literally means “the village of Nahum”) at the Sea of Galilee.

Date of Writing: Given the limited amount of information that we know about Nahum, the best we can do is narrow the timeframe in which the Book of Nahum was written to between 663 and 612 B.C. Two events are mentioned that help us to determine these dates. First, Nahum mentions Thebes (No Amon) in Egypt falling to the Assyrians (663 B.C.) in the past tense, so it had already happened. Second, the remainder of Nahum’s prophecies came true in 612 B.C.


Purpose of Writing: Nahum did not write this book as a warning or “call to repentance” for the people of Nineveh. God had already sent them the prophet Jonah 150 years earlier with His promise of what would happen if they continued in their evil ways. The people at that time had repented but now lived just as bad if not worse than they did before. The Assyrians had become absolutely brutal in their conquests (hanging the bodies of their victims on poles and putting their skin on the walls of their tents among other atrocities). Now Nahum was telling the people of Judah to not despair because God had pronounced judgment and the Assyrians would soon be getting just what they deserved.


Key Verses:


Nahum 1:7, “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.”


Nahum 1:14a. “The LORD has given a command concerning you, Nineveh: ‘You will have no descendants to bear your name.'”


Nahum 1:15a, “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!” See also Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15.


Nahum 2:13a, “'Behold I am against you,' says the LORD of hosts.”


Nahum 3:19, “Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?”


Brief Summary: Nineveh once had responded to the preaching of Jonah and turned from their evil ways to serve the Lord God. But 150 years later, Nineveh returned to idolatry, violence, and arrogance (Nahum 3:1–4). Once again God sends one of His prophets to Nineveh warning of judgment in the form of the destruction of their city and exhorting them to repentance. Sadly, the Ninevites did not heed’s Nahum’s warning, and the city was brought under the dominion of Babylon.


Foreshadowings: Paul uses shades of the imagery of Nahum 1:15 in Romans 10:15 in regard to the ministry of the Messiah and the apostles. It may also be understood of any minister of the Gospel whose business it is to "preach the Gospel of peace." God has made peace with sinners by the blood of Christ, and has given to His people the peace that “transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). The preacher’s work is also to "bring glad tidings of good things" (KJV), such as reconciliation, righteousness, pardon, life, and eternal salvation by a crucified Christ. The preaching of such a Gospel, and bringing such news, make their feet beautiful. The imagery here is of one who runs to others, eager and joyful to proclaim the Good News.


Practical Application: God is patient and slow to anger. He gives every country time to repent of sin and follow Him as Lord. But He is not mocked. Any time a country turns away from Him and rejects righteousness, evil results, and He steps in with judgment. This was true for Assyria, and it will be true for any nation today. As Christians it is our duty to stand up for biblical principles and proclaim Christ, for it is only in repentance and the life-changing message of the gospel that any country can find hope.

 

[JLG]

2) Nahum

• Nahum means “Consoler” or “Comforter”!
• Nahum tells the people of Judah not to despair because God has pronounced judgment and the Assyrians will soon be getting just what they deserve!
• God is patient and slow to anger. He gives every country time to repent of sin and follow Him as Lord!
• This was true for Assyria, and it will be true for any nation today!
• As Christians it is our duty to stand up for biblical principles and proclaim Christ, for it is only in repentance and the life-changing message of the gospel that any country can find hope!

 

[JLG]

1) Habakkuk
https://www.gotquestions.org/Habakkuk-in-the-Bible.html


Habakkuk was a prophet who penned the biblical book called by his name. His book is among the minor prophets and is unique in including a doxology (Habakkuk 3). Very little is known about Habakkuk and his life except for what is mentioned in his short book. There is even disagreement over the meaning of his name, whether it means “embracer” or “embraced.” Some commentators have conjectured that Habakkuk is the Shunammite woman’s son, whom Elisha said she would “embrace” (2 Kings 4:16, ESV) and who was later raised from the dead (verses 32–37). Although it is an interesting theory, there’s no way to prove that the Shunammite’s boy grew up to become the prophet we know as Habakkuk.


Since Habakkuk prophesied about the Babylonians and the destruction of Jerusalem (Habakkuk 1:6), most biblical scholars believe that the book of Habakkuk was written sometime in the 600s BC, possibly around 605. Based on the content of his prophecy, many scholars place him around the same time as Jeremiah, who also prophesied about the coming Babylonian Captivity. It is possible that, like Jeremiah, Habakkuk lived to see the destruction of Jerusalem.


Not only was he a prophet, but Habakkuk was also a skilled poet. In the book of Habakkuk, the prophet shows great literary prowess in recording a dialogue between himself and God, as well as including a psalm-like song intended to be performed with instruments (Habakkuk 3:19). Whether or not he played music himself is unknown, but it is a possibility.


Habakkuk was saddened by the rampant injustice and violence occurring around him, and he was puzzled by God’s toleration of it. In his questioning of God, the prophet asks, “Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds” (Habakkuk 1:3). Clearly, Habakkuk was not afraid to ask the Lord questions, which shows that the prophet had a strong relationship with Him. Habakkuk’s questions of why God would allow suffering and let evilness go unpunished are answered; the Lord declares He would bring judgment on the people through the Babylonians (verse 6).


God’s choice to use Babylon puzzled Habakkuk even more, and he again questioned God: how could God use such a violent, idolatrous group of people to carry out a righteous judgment (Habakkuk 1:12–13, 16)? God answered Habakkuk by assuring him of the judgment the Babylonians themselves would face at a later time (Habakkuk 2:8, 16).


Habakkuk accepts God’s answers and shows himself to be man of great faith. Despite the fear, suffering, and trouble the prophet faced, Habakkuk proclaims, “I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:18). Like Habakkuk, we can ask God about events happening in our lives, and like Habakkuk, we can conclude that “the Sovereign LORD is my strength” (verse 19).

 

[JLG]

2 Habakkuk

• Habakkuk means “embracer” or “embraced.”
• Habakkuk prophesied about the Babylonians and the destruction of Jerusalem!
• Habakkuk was saddened by the rampant injustice and violence occurring around him, and he was puzzled by God’s toleration of it!
• Habakkuk was not afraid to ask the Lord questions, which shows that the prophet had a strong relationship with Him!
• Habakkuk’s questions of why God would allow suffering and let evilness go unpunished are answered; the Lord declares He would bring judgment on the people through the Babylonians!

 

[JLG]

1)

1. Zephaniah

https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Zephaniah.html

Author: Zephaniah 1:1 identifies the author of the Book of Zephaniah as the Prophet Zephaniah. The name Zephaniah means "defended by God."

Date of Writing: The book of Zephaniah was written during the reign of King Josiah, likely in the early part of his reign, between 635 and 625 BC.


Purpose of Writing: Zephaniah’s message of judgment and encouragement contains three major doctrines: 1) God is sovereign over all nations. 2) The wicked will be punished and the righteous will be vindicated on the day of judgment. 3) God blesses those who repent and trust in Him.


Key Verses:


Zephaniah 1:18, "Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth."


Zephaniah 2:3, "Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger."


Zephaniah 3:17, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."


Brief Summary: Zephaniah pronounces the Lord’s judgment on the whole earth, on Judah, on the surrounding nations, on Jerusalem, and on all nations. This is followed by proclamations of the Lord’s blessing on all nations and especially on the faithful remnant of His people in Judah.


Zephaniah had the courage to speak bluntly because he knew he was proclaiming the Word of the Lord. His book begins with "The word of the Lord" and ends with "says the Lord." He knew that neither the many gods the people worshiped nor even the might of the Assyrian army could save them. God is gracious and compassionate, but when all His warnings are ignored, judgment is to be expected. God’s day of judgment is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures. The prophets called it the "Day of the Lord." They referred to various events such as the fall of Jerusalem as manifestations of God’s Day, each of which pointed toward the ultimate Day of the Lord.


Foreshadowings: The final blessings on Zion pronounced in 3:14-20 are largely unfulfilled, leading us to conclude that these are messianic prophecies that await the Second Coming of Christ to be completed. The Lord has taken away our punishment only through Christ who came to die for the sins of His people (Zephaniah 3:15; John 3:16). But Israel has not yet recognized her true Savior. This is yet to happen (Romans 11:25-27).


The promise of peace and safety for Israel, a time when their King is in their midst, will be fulfilled when Christ returns to judge the world and redeem it for Himself. Just as He ascended to heaven after His resurrection, so will He return and set up a new Jerusalem on earth (Revelation 21). At that time, all God’s promises to Israel will be fulfilled.


Practical Application: With a few adjustments in names and situations, this prophet of 7th century B.C. could stand in our pulpits today and deliver the same message of judgment of the wicked and hope for the faithful. Zephaniah reminds us that God is offended by the moral and religious sins of His people. God’s people will not escape punishment when they sin willfully. Punishment may be painful, but its purpose may be redemptive rather than punitive. The inevitability of the punishment of wickedness gives comfort in a time when it seems that evil is unbridled and victorious. We have the freedom to disobey God but not the freedom to escape the consequences of that disobedience. Those who are faithful to God may be relatively few, but He does not forget them.

 

[JLG]

- Somebody says: Why are you looking for a small prophet?

- My answer:

- They are not well known!

- Moreover, when there are few words, it may be more concentrated!

- Thus more powerful than what people may expect!

- There are warnings toward Israel, Judah and other nations!

- There are warnings toward mankind!

- Every part of the Bible has importance even if the majority doesn't care!

- Written a long time ago but still useful today!

 

[JLG]

2)

1. Zephaniah

• Zephaniah’s message of judgment and encouragement contains three major doctrines:
• 1) God is sovereign over all nations.
• 2) The wicked will be punished and the righteous will be vindicated on the day of judgment.
• 3) God blesses those who repent and trust in Him.

• Zephaniah pronounces the Lord’s judgment on the whole earth, on Judah, on the surrounding nations, on Jerusalem, and on all nations.

• God is gracious and compassionate, but when all His warnings are ignored, judgment is to be expected.
• God’s day of judgment is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures.
• The prophets called it the "Day of the Lord."
• They referred to various events such as the fall of Jerusalem as manifestations of God’s Day, each of which pointed toward the ultimate Day of the Lord.
• Zephaniah reminds us that God is offended by the moral and religious sins of His people.
• God’s people will not escape punishment when they sin willfully.
• Punishment may be painful, but its purpose may be redemptive rather than punitive.
• The inevitability of the punishment of wickedness gives comfort in a time when it seems that evil is unbridled and victorious.
• We have the freedom to disobey God but not the freedom to escape the consequences of that disobedience.
• Those who are faithful to God may be relatively few, but He does not forget them.

 

[JLG]

1. Haggai

https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Haggai.html


Author: Haggai 1:1 identifies the author of the Book of Haggai as the Prophet Haggai.

Date of Writing: The Book of Haggai was written in approximately 520 B.C.


Purpose of Writing: Haggai sought to challenge the people of God concerning their priorities. He called them to reverence and glorify God by building the Temple in spite of local and official opposition. Haggai called them not to be discouraged because this Temple would not be quite as richly decorated as Solomon’s. He exhorted them to turn from the uncleanness of their ways and to trust in God’s sovereign power. The Book of Haggai is a reminder of the problems the people of God faced at this time, how the people courageously trusted in God, and how God provided for their needs.


Key Verses:


Haggai 1:4, "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"


Haggai 1:5-6, "Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.'"


Haggai 2:9, "'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."


Brief Summary: Will the people of God reconsider their priorities, take courage, and act on the basis of God’s promises? God sought to warn the people to heed His words. Not only did God warn them, but He also offered promises through His servant Haggai to motivate them to follow Him. Because the people of God reversed their priorities and failed to put God in first place in their lives, Judah was sent into Babylonian exile. In response to Daniel’s prayer and in fulfillment of God’s promises, God directed Cyrus the Persian king to allow the Jews in exile to go back to Jerusalem. A group of Jews returned to their land with great joy, put God first in their lives, worshiped Him, and began to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem without the aid of the local people who lived in Israel. Their courageous faith was met with opposition from the local people as well as the Persian government for approximately 15 years.


Foreshadowings: As with most of the books of the minor prophets, Haggai ends with promises of restoration and blessing. In the last verse, Haggai 2:23, God uses a distinctly messianic title in reference to Zerubbabel, “My Servant” (Compare 2 Samuel 3:18; 1 Kings 11:34; Isaiah 42:1–9; Ezekiel 37:24,25). Through Haggai, God promises to make him like a signet ring, which was a symbol of honor, authority, and power, somewhat like a king’s scepter used to seal letters and decrees. Zerubbabel, as God’s signet ring, represents the house of David and the resumption of the messianic line interrupted by the Exile. Zerubbabel reestablished the Davidic line of kings which would culminate in the millennial reign of Christ. Zerubbabel appears in the line of Christ on both Joseph’s side (Matthew 1:12) and Mary’s side (Luke 3:27).


Practical Application: The Book of Haggai draws attention to common problems most people face even today. Haggai asks us 1) to examine our priorities to see if we are more interested in our own pleasures than doing the work of God; 2) to reject a defeatist attitude when we run into opposition or discouraging circumstances; 3) to confess our failures and seek to live pure lives before God; 4) to act courageously for God because we have the assurance that He is with us always and is in full control of our circumstances; and 5) to rest secure in God’s hands knowing that He will abundantly bless us as we faithfully serve Him.

 

[JLG]

2) Haggai

• Haggai sought to challenge the people of God concerning their priorities.
• He called them to reverence and glorify God by building the Temple in spite of local and official opposition.
• Haggai called them not to be discouraged because this Temple would not be quite as richly decorated as Solomon’s.
• He exhorted them to turn from the uncleanness of their ways and to trust in God’s sovereign power.
• The Book of Haggai is a reminder of the problems the people of God faced at this time, how the people courageously trusted in God, and how God provided for their needs.
• His message is definitely for us today!
• What are our priorities?
• Do we make the right choices?
• Do we trust Yah.weh?

 

[JLG]

1. Zechariah

https://www.gotquestions.org/Zechariah-in-the-Bible.html

Zechariah (alternate spelling Zacharias or Zachariah) was an Old Testament prophet who prophesied in the days of Haggai and who wrote the book of Zechariah (Ezra 5:1; Zechariah 1:1). This prophet is also mentioned by Jesus as having been murdered by the rebellious and disobedient Jews of his day (Matthew 23:35).

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-minor-prophets/zechariah

Who wrote the book?
Grandson of the priest Iddo, Zechariah prophesied to the people of Judah after they returned from their seventy years of exile in Babylon (Zechariah 1:1; Nehemiah 12:1, 4, 16). Zechariah’s grandfather returned from Babylon, his young grandson in tow, with the first group of Israelites allowed back, in 538 BC under the decree of Cyrus, king of Persia. Because of his family lineage, Zechariah was a priest in addition to a prophet. He, therefore, would have had an intimate familiarity with the worship practices of the Jews, even if he had never served in a completed temple. As a “young man” at the time of his first prophecies (Zechariah 2:4), his life more than likely extended into the reign of Xerxes I (485–465 BC), the king best known in the Bible for making Esther the queen of Persia (Esther 1:1).1

Where are we?
Zechariah, a young man, especially when compared to his contemporary Haggai, came alongside the older prophet to deliver messages from the Lord to the Jewish remnant recently returned from Babylon. While Haggai’s overall message had more of a cautionary tone to it (pointing out the Jews’ sin and self-focus), Zechariah emphasized a tone of encouragement to the struggling Israelites trying to rebuild their temple.

Zechariah’s dated visions and messages in chapters 1–8 all take place in the same general time period as Haggai’s, beginning in October–November 520 BC with a call for the people of Judah to repent (Zechariah 1:1). He then received eight visions on the restless night of February 15, 519 BC (1:7), followed by four messages that he preached on December 7, 518 BC (7:1). Though his final messages in chapters 9–14 go undated, the mention of Greece in 9:13 suggests the prophecies came much later in his life, presumably sometime in the 480s BC, before Ezra (458 BC) and Nehemiah (444 BC) arrived to again revitalize the Jewish people.

Why is Zechariah so important?
The book of Zechariah contains the clearest and the largest number of messianic (about the Messiah) passages among the Minor Prophets. In that respect, it’s possible to think of the book of Zechariah as a kind of miniature book of Isaiah. Zechariah pictures Christ in both His first coming (Zechariah 9:9) and His second coming (9:10–10:12). Jesus will come, according to Zechariah, as Savior, Judge, and ultimately, as the righteous King ruling His people from Jerusalem (14:8–9).

What's the big idea?
Meaning “Yahweh remembers,” Zechariah’s name was appropriate to the purpose of his prophecies.2 His book brims over with the hope that God would remember His promises to His people, even after all the time they spent outside the land. The prophet used a simple structure of eight visions (Zechariah 1:1–6:15), four messages (7:1–8:23), and two oracles (9:1–14:21) to anticipate the completion of the temple and, ultimately, the future reign of the Messiah from Jerusalem. Like many of the prophets, Zechariah saw isolated snapshots of the future; therefore, certain events that seem to occur one right after the other in Zechariah’s prophecy actually often have generations or even millennia between them.

For a people newly returned from exile, Zechariah provided specific prophecy about their immediate and distant future—no doubt a great encouragement. Their nation would still be judged for sin (5:1–11), but they would also be cleansed and restored (3:1–10), and God would rebuild His people (1:7–17). Zechariah concluded his book by looking into the distant future, first at the rejection of the Messiah by Israel (9:1–11:17), and then at His eventual reign when Israel will finally be delivered (12:1–14:21).

How do I apply this?
Have you struggled with discouragement? Read Zechariah. While the book contains its share of judgments on the people of Judah and beyond, it overflows with hope in the future reign of the Lord over His people. It’s easy to get caught up in the oftentimes depressing events of day-to-day life, to lose our perspective and live as people without hope. The book of Zechariah serves as a correction for that tendency in our lives. We have a hope that is sure. How refreshing!