1/30/13

Rejoice with great joy by Jim McGuiggan

Rejoice with great joy

Someone I love beyond words spoke to me on the phone just a while ago. The note that follows tells you how her call affected me.

How it pleases me to hear your tears of joy when you hear something of the gospel that lifts your heart. If a choice had to be made I would rather hear and see that in you than hear that you earned a Ph.d or became famous.

You must rejoice greatly in the fact that you rejoice in this way. To rejoice in something (anything) implies an inner shaping and structure. We can't pretend to rejoice (not to ourselves)--we either do or we don't. If we rejoice it's because we are so shaped within that when this or that is experienced it brings us pleasure. It doesn't matter if it's strawberries and cream or a long drink of cold water or the sight of a playful pet. There are those that are not capable of enjoying the sunshine or good food or the other blessings that we take for granted and that's a great sadness.

To be able to rejoice in the gospel is a gift from God.

It isn't only a gift from God; it's proof that God has been at work in us. At work in us overcoming all the things that would lead us to be indifferent to the gospel. Our rejoicing is proof that God has poured out his love into our hearts (Romans 5:5).

So the rejoicing is not only a deeply pleasant experience it is one of the proofs that God has entered us and called us to himself. It is one of the proofs that we have peace with God. These occasions of deep pleasure are momentary and passing occasions, when he who always dwells in us comes to visit. It's as though someone we long to see rings the doorbell, we open it and there he is. "I just thought I'd drop by for a while. I want you to know I'd miss you if you weren't around." Our hearts surge with that emotion that's so pleasurable it's almost painful and we throw our arms around him and welcome him in.

Such moments come to us as "moments". They pass. But not in the sense that they are "merely passing" things. They are moments when the lasting relationship makes itself felt especially amid the business and cares of life.

To be able to rejoice in God and his gospel is a profound experience so rejoice in the fact that you can rejoice.

Recognize the Bible's Central Purpose by Jim McGuiggan

Recognize the Bible's Central Purpose

To study Shakespeare as a way to learn geography is to waste your time and miss Shakespeare. To approach Poetry as you would Maths is to miss poetry's beauty, point and power. We must recognise the kind of literature we are dealing with and it's equally important to recognise the purpose of that literature. (We don't understand a tool until we know what it is designed to do. The same is true of literature. Until we know both what a writer said and why he said it, we don't understand him!)
The Bible has a central purpose. When asked what the Bible was for, James Packer said: "It was written to make friends!" That's too simple, of course, but it is profoundly true! The Bible is written to lead people into life with God through Jesus Christ. This life involves pardon from sin and devotion to the Saviour! The Bible's central aim is unashamedly religious. It's goal is to produce and sustain faith in God through Jesus Christ so that people might return to and remain with God!
The following verses (from among many) tell us plainly why the word of God is given to Man. Please be sure to read them!
There is 2 Tim 3:15 which tells us the Scriptures make us wise unto salvation. John 20:30-31 says the Book was written that people might have eternal life through trusting in Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:23,25 says that the word was preached so people could be 'born again'. Psalm 19:7 says the scriptures revive the soul. Deuteronomy 30:15-16 teaches that God's laws are given that people might have life rather than death, prosperity rather than destruction. 2 Tim 3:16-17 tells us that the scriptures are valuable because they thoroughly equip the man of God for every good work!
Now, what has all this to do with the study of Scripture? To ignore the Bible's central purpose is to misunderstand it! We must listen to it as to the voice of God calling us into loving fellowship with him. We are not to read it as mere observers of some ancient drama, we are to recognise our place in the ongoing drama. We are to recognise its history as Man's history, and ours in particular. If we fail (and we could!), to hear the voice of God in the Bible, calling us and challenging us, we have missed the Bible's message and purpose. It is 'bread'to be eaten rather than simply analysed! To be fed on, more than to undergo constant inspection!
And the Bible is not a substitute for God! To confuse a love letter from our husband or wife with our husband or wife is to violate the purpose of the letter. The love letter is not intended to come between the two lovers. Its aim is to bring the two persons closer together. To substitute the letter for the person is a fundamental error. To confuse God's covenantal law or his message of Good News with God himself is to err at the most crucial level. We must study the Scriptures with open hearts, seeking his friendship. It is a tragedy beyond words to search the Scriptures and miss God (see John 5:39-40).
COME TO TERMS WITH JESUS CHRIST
The central purpose of the Bible is to bring us to life with God and that life is found only in Jesus Christ, Because this is so he is the central character in God's purpose. Therefore, how we stand in relation to Jesus Christ is the issue which must be understood and settled before any other question is given serious consideration.
Our Bible study should begin with the New Testament scriptures. With those which deal most directly with God's liberating work in Jesus Christ and how God wants us to respond to it. We must begin with him and not in the Old Testament. In olden times, says the New Testament (Hebrews 1:1-2), God spoke to the ancients in "fragmentary and varied fashion". In Jesus Christ he has spoken in a final and completed way. God's fullest and clearest revelation has been made in Jesus Christ and that is why he must be the centre and focus of our Bible Study. Read John 14:6, Acts 4:12 and 1 Timothy 2:5 on all this.
Begin your study, then, in the New Testament. Especially the GOSPELS (the first four books of the New Testament) and ACTS. Don't neglect the NT EPISTLES (letters) for they help us immeasurably to understand the GOSPELS. And don't completely avoid the Old Testament. But, in the beginning, make the GOSPELS and ACTS the centre around which your studies revolve. And do so with a view to finding freedom and life with God in Jesus Christ. This is the grand purpose for Bible study!
RECOGNISE THAT SOME TRUTHS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS
All truths are important but some are more important than others. The Bible itself confirms what commonsense tells us. Here are just a few verses which make this truth clear.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 where Paul said some things were "of first importance".
Matthew 23:23 where Jesus rebuked people for neglecting "the more important matters" of the law.
Matthew 5:19 and 22:38 where Jesus speaks of "the least" and "the greatest" commandments.
1 Samuel 15:22-23 where the prophet insists that the Lord delights more in obedience than in the offering of religious sacrifices.
These scriptures say some things mean more to God than others, some truths are more important than others. If we keep this in mind we will give special attention to the more important matters. We will not spend a great deal of time on little questions when major issues stare us in the face. We won't spend a lot of time on obscure verses when plain words demand a response from us. We will gladly tolerate differences on minor issues but we will stand firmly on foundational truths.
As you gain experience you will be able to distinguish more easily between what matters tremendously and what does not, between what is essential truth and what there can be room for honest differences on.
Does the Bible link the subject with salvation or forgiveness? Does it link the subject to life in Christ? Is the topic related to faithfulness to God and our neighbour? Does it seriously affect the 'truth of the Gospel' or how we view an honourable life before God? If it does, the subject is fundamentally important. Learn well the things that are plainly stated, obey the things that are plainly called for and remain open to receive the rest as you continue to gain more experience. Treat no truth as unimportant but follow the Bible when it teaches that some matters "are more important" than others (Matthew 23:23 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Summary:
1) To understand the Bible we must understand its nature and purpose!
2) Its central purpose is to bring us life with God!
3) Christ himself brings us life with God so we must make him the centre of our thoughts!
4) Our study must centre around the GOSPELS and ACTS!
5) Some truths are more important than others!

Bible Reading, Jan. 30

Jan. 30

Genesis 30

Gen 30:1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I will die."

Gen 30:2 Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in God's place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"

Gen 30:3 She said, "Behold, my maid Bilhah. Go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, and I also may obtain children by her."

Gen 30:4 She gave him Bilhah her handmaid as wife, and Jacob went in to her.

Gen 30:5 Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son.

Gen 30:6 Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore called she his name Dan.

Gen 30:7 Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.

Gen 30:8 Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed." She named him Naphtali.

Gen 30:9 When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

Gen 30:10 Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bore Jacob a son.

Gen 30:11 Leah said, "How fortunate!" She named him Gad.

Gen 30:12 Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bore Jacob a second son.

Gen 30:13 Leah said, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy." She named him Asher.

Gen 30:14 Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."

Gen 30:15 She said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes, also?" Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes."

Gen 30:16 Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, "You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." He lay with her that night.

Gen 30:17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son.

Gen 30:18 Leah said, "God has given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband." She named him Issachar.

Gen 30:19 Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Jacob.

Gen 30:20 Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons." She named him Zebulun.

Gen 30:21 Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.

Gen 30:22 God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.

Gen 30:23 She conceived, bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach."

Gen 30:24 She named him Joseph, saying, "May Yahweh add another son to me."

Gen 30:25 It happened, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country.

Gen 30:26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service with which I have served you."

Gen 30:27 Laban said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake."

Gen 30:28 He said, "Appoint me your wages, and I will give it."

Gen 30:29 He said to him, "You know how I have served you, and how your livestock have fared with me.

Gen 30:30 For it was little which you had before I came, and it has increased to a multitude. Yahweh has blessed you wherever I turned. Now when will I provide for my own house also?"

Gen 30:31 He said, "What shall I give you?" Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it.

Gen 30:32 I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted one, and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. This will be my hire.

Gen 30:33 So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter, when you come concerning my hire that is before you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and black among the sheep, that might be with me, will be counted stolen."

Gen 30:34 Laban said, "Behold, I desire it to be according to your word."

Gen 30:35 That day, he removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

Gen 30:36 He set three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Gen 30:37 Jacob took to himself rods of fresh poplar, almond, plane tree, peeled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

Gen 30:38 He set the rods which he had peeled opposite the flocks in the gutters in the watering-troughs where the flocks came to drink. They conceived when they came to drink.

Gen 30:39 The flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.

Gen 30:40 Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the black in the flock of Laban: and he put his own droves apart, and didn't put them into Laban's flock.

Gen 30:41 It happened, whenever the stronger of the flock conceived, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods;

Gen 30:42 but when the flock were feeble, he didn't put them in. So the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

Gen 30:43 The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Haggai - Build The Temple (1:1-2:23) by Mark Copeland

"STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

Haggai - Build The Temple! (1:1-2:23)

INTRODUCTION

1. In our survey of "The Minor Prophets", we now jump ahead about
100 years...
a. Prophets like Zephaniah, Nahum, and Habakkuk prophesied shortly
before the seventy years of Babylonian captivity (i.e. before
606-536 B.C.)
b. Following the return under the leadership of Zerubbabel (536
B.C.), it was not long before two more prophets were sent to the
people of Israel

2. These prophets were Haggai and Zechariah, the first of which we
shall consider in this lesson...
a. Concerning the MAN
1) His name means "Festival" or "Festive"
2) What we know of Haggai is limited to his book and references
in Ezra (see below)
3) Together with Zechariah he motivated the Jews in rebuilding
the temple
b. Concerning the MESSAGE
1) It is commonly dated around 520 B.C. (the second year of King
Darius - Hag 1:1)
a) For the foundation of the temple had been laid shortly
after the arrival under the leadership of Zerubbabel (i.e.,
536 B.C.) - cf. Ezra 3:8-13
b) Yet opposition to rebuilding the temple stopped it for 16
years - Ezra 4:1-24
c) God then raised up Haggai and Zechariah - Ezra 5:1-2; 6:14
2) The theme of Haggai's preaching: Build The Temple!
a) His message contains four separate proclamations
b) All within four months - cf. Hag 1:1; 2:1,10,20

[As we outline and briefly consider the message of Haggai, we begin by
noticing...]

I. A WORD OF REPROOF

A. BUILDING THE TEMPLE IS LONG OVERDUE...
1. Haggai takes the Lord's message to Israel's leaders - Hag 1:1
a. Zerubbabel the governor (who lead the first group of exiles
back home)
b. Joshua the high priest (also known as Jeshua, Ezra 2:1-2,
36,40; 3:2-8)
2. The Lord takes issue with what the people have been saying
- Hag 1:2-4
a. They have been saying the time is not right to build the
temple
b. The Lord challenged them as to whether they should live in
paneled houses while the temple lies in ruins

B. THE PEOPLE SHOULD CONSIDER THEIR WAYS...
1. The Lord challenged them to consider what was happening - Hag 1:5-6
a. Their efforts were much
b. But they received little in return
2. To motivate them in building the temple, their trouble is
explained - Hag 1:7-11
a. They needed to build the temple and thereby glorify God
b. For their efforts to obtain much for themselves was
frustrated by God
1) They looked for much, but God blew it away
2) While His house lay in ruins, they were busy building
their own
3) Therefore God had called for a drought on the land and
its fruit

C. THE TESTIMONY OF THE PROPHET IS HEEDED...
1. With the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the people obeyed
- Hag 1:12
2. The Lord promises to be with them - Hag 1:13
3. Stirred up by the Lord, Zerubbabel and Joshua lead the remnant
to resume work on the temple - Hag 1:14-15

[From Hag 1:1,15, we can determine that it took 24 days for the people
to begin rebuilding the temple. About a month later (cf. Hag 2:1),
another message from the Lord comes by way of Haggai. This message
is...]

II. A WORD OF SUPPORT

A. ARE THE PEOPLE DISCOURAGED?
1. Haggai is sent again to Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the faithful
remnant - Hag 2:1-2
2. Those who had seen the former temple in its glory are asked if
the present temple appears as nothing in comparison - Hag 2:3
-- The new temple evidently did not compare with the temple built
by Solomon

B. THE LORD PROVIDES A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT...
1. The Lord encourages them to be strong, for He is with them
- Hag 2:4-5
2. The Lord promises to make the glory of this temple greater
- Hag 2:6-9
a. By shaking the nations and having them come to "the Desire
of All Nations"
1) This can be translated "the desired of all nations will
come", perhaps speaking of the nations bringing their
wealth to the temple - cf. Hag 2:8; Isa 60:5
2) Many see a Messianic reference in this phrase, though no
reference is so made in the New Testament (He 12:26-27
does make an allusion to verse 6)
b. By giving peace "in this place"
1) Some see another Messianic reference in this phrase
2) Certainly Jesus as the Prince of Peace, came to the
temple

[With such a word of encouragement, the people would continue with
their task of rebuilding the temple. But all was not well in the eyes
of the Lord; He needed Haggai once again to prophesy to the people, so
two months later (cf. 2:1,10) comes...]

III. A WORD OF EXPLANATION

A. THE PEOPLE ARE OFFERING A WORK THAT IS UNCLEAN...
1. Through two questions, the Lord challenges the priests to
think - Hag 2:10-13
a. Can holiness be transferred through casual contact? - No
b. Can defilement be transferred through casual contact? - Yes
2. Well, the people are unclean, and what they therefore offer is
unclean! - Hag 2:14
a. Unclean people can't build a holy temple
b. Therefore, their offering is unclean!

B. ONCE AGAIN THE PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO CONSIDER...
1. First, begin considering what God has done in the past - Hag 2:15-17
a. Before the stone was laid in the temple, things were scarce
b. The Lord even brought blight, mildew and hail to frustrate
their labors, but they did not heed Him
2. Now, begin considering what God is promising to do - Hag 2:
18-19
a. Begin considering that very day (24th day of the ninth
month)
1) Consider what has occurred from the day the temple's
foundation was laid
2) Is there seed in the barn? (no) Nor has the produce
yielded its fruit
d. But beginning that very day (24th day of the ninth month),
God was going to bless them!

[With such a promise, they would likely repent and build the temple as
they should. To encourage them further, Haggai has one last message...]

IV. A WORD OF PROMISE

A. GOD WILL OVERTHROW THE KINGDOMS OF THE NATIONS...
1. This message came at the same time as the third message - Hag 2:20
a. On the 24th day of the ninth month, of the second year of
Darius
b. Nearly four months after the first message - cf. Hag 1:1
2. Directed to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah - Hag 2:21-22
a. God proclaims He will shake heaven and earth
b. He will overthrow the kingdoms of the Gentiles
c. This He will do, "everyone by the sword of his brother"
-- Note: Just as He did before, using Assyria to punish
Israel, Babylon to punish Assyria, Medo-Persia to punish
Babylon, etc.

B. GOD'S SPECIAL PROMISE TO ZERUBBABEL...
1. In the same day that God will overthrow the nations - Hag 2:
23a
2. God will make Zerubbabel as a signet ring, for God has chosen
him - Hag 2:23b
a. Many see a Messianic reference in this promise
1) For God calls Zerubbabel "My servant", an expression
often used in Isaiah in reference to the Messiah - cf.
Isa 52:13; 53:11
2) And God says "for I have chosen you" (Messiah means
anointed, chosen)
b. That as governor of Judah and descendant of David,
Zerubbabel represents the Messianic hope that has been
renewed and would be ultimately fulfilled with the coming
of Jesus!
-- Note: With His exaltation to the right hand of God, Jesus
began to rule the nations "with a rod of iron", as
Revelation vividly depicts - Re 1:5; 2:26-27; 3:21; 17:14

CONCLUSION

1. Haggai's message was primarily designed to encourage Zerubbabel and
the faithful remnant of Israel who had returned from Babylonian
captivity...
a. To finish rebuilding the temple
b. To do so in a manner that would honor and glorify God
c. To look to the future with hope and promise

2. Like other books of the Old Testament...
a. Haggai was "written for our learning" - Ro 15:4
b. There are lessons that can easily be gleaned from this book, such
as:
1) The importance of putting God first - Hag 1:2-4
2) The need for every one to work, not just the leaders - Hag 1:
12-15
3) The danger of letting evil contaminate our efforts to serve
God - Hag 2:11-14

3. As Christians, we are blessed to be "a holy temple in the Lord" - Ep 2:19-22; cf. 1Pe 2:5
a. The foundation of this temple has been laid
b. But the need for building upon the foundation continues!

Living in a highly materialistic society, it may easy for us to neglect
the ongoing construction of the Lord's house. Perhaps we need to
remember the words of the Lord through Haggai:

"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses,
and this temple to lie in ruins?" (Hag 1:4)

If we are indeed guilty of neglecting the Lord's house, then heed also
these words of Haggai:

"Consider your ways!"

Habakkuk - From A Sob To A Song (1:1-3:19) by Mark Copeland

                    "STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

               Habakkuk - From A Sob To A Song (1:1-3:19)

INTRODUCTION

1. We have seen that during the O.T. period known as "Judah Alone"...
   a. Zephaniah was prophesying to Judah
   b. Nahum was pronouncing God's judgment upon Nineveh

2. Then there was Habakkuk, a prophet filled with troubling questions
   a. Concerning his NAME
      1) It means "Embrace"
      2) "His name, as Luther well puts it, speaks as one who took his
         nation to his heart, comforted it and held it up, as one
         embraces and presses to his bosom a poor weeping child,
         calming and consoling it with good hope." (Geikie)
   b. Concerning the DATE
      1) Around 612-606 B.C.
      2) Just as Babylon was making her westward move toward world
         conquest
   c. Concerning his MESSAGE: the book easily falls into three sections
      1) A "burden" - Hab 1:1-2:1
      2) A "vision" - Hab 2:2-20
      3) A "prayer" - Hab 3:1-19

3. We note an immediate difference between Habakkuk and other 
   prophets...
   a. Instead of taking the Lord's message directly to the people (as 
      do most prophets)
   b. He takes the complaint of the people directly to the Lord, 
      representing them in the complaint
   -- As he does so, it has been said that Habakkuk goes "From A Sob To
      A Song"

[This process begins with a "burden" as found in the first section of
his message...]

I. HIS "BURDEN":  FAITH GRAPPLING WITH A PROBLEM

   A. THE PROPHET RAISES A QUESTION...
      1. He laments over apparent rule of wickedness and violence
      2. How can the Lord justify His apparent indifference to such 
         things? - Hab 1:1-4

   B. GOD'S ANSWER...
      1. He is not indifferent!
      2. He is doing something that will be hard to fathom - Hab 1:5-11
         a. Raising up the Chaldeans (Babylon) to execute His judgment
         b. Using a violent nation that arrogantly thinks it is serving
            its own god (and purpose)

   C. THE PROPHET'S SECOND QUESTION...
      1. How can a holy God employ such an impure and godless agent? 
         - Hab 1:12-17
      2. This is hard for Habakkuk to understand, but he will watch to
         see what the Lord will say to him - Hab 2:1

[Indeed, it is a heavy "burden" for Habakkuk. God has answered his
first question by saying He will use the Chaldeans to punish the
wickedness and violence in Judah.  But the Chaldeans are wicked also,
how can God use them?

Habakkuk receives his answer in the form of a "vision"...]

II. HIS "VISION":  FAITH GRASPING THE SOLUTION

   A. GOD'S ANSWER:  FIRST, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITH...
      1. Habakkuk is to write what God reveals to him - Hab 2:2-3
      2. The proud is not upright; but the just shall live by his faith
         - Hab 2:4

   B. GOD'S ANSWER:  SECOND, GOD WILL JUDGE THE PROUD...
      1. Woe to the proud possessed with the lust of conquest and 
         plunder - Hab 2:5-8
      2. Woe to their efforts to build a permanent empire through 
         cruelty and godless gain - Hab 2:9-11
      3. Woe to those who build cities with bloodshed - Hab 2:12-14
      4. Woe to those with cruelty in their treatment of those they
         conquered - Hab 2:15-17
      5. Woe to those given over to idolatry - Hab 2:18-20
         a. Who worship that in which there is no breath at all
         b. While the Lord is in His holy temple, before whom the earth
            should keep silence

[The answer to Habakkuk's second question appears to be this:  While 
God may use a wicked nation like Babylon to punish the wickedness of 
Judah, He will not let Babylon's wickedness go unpunished either!  

In the meantime, the just (righteous) person will live by his faith in
God, which Habakkuk illustrates with his "prayer"...]

III. HIS "PRAYER":  FAITH GLORYING IN ASSURANCE

   A. PETITION FOR GOD'S ACTION AND MERCY...
      1. Written in the form of a psalm - Hab 3:1,19c
      2. Asking God to revive His works, and in His wrath remember 
         mercy - Hab 3:2

   B. PRAISE FOR GOD'S PAST DELIVERANCE...
      1. His mighty works in the past - Hab 3:3-7
      2. Bringing both judgment to the wicked and salvation to His 
         people - Hab 3:8-15

   C. PROFESSION OF FAITH...
      1. He trembled at what he has heard, that he will have rest in 
         the day of trouble - Hab 3:16
      2. But he expresses his faith, that while trouble may come he 
         will rejoice in the Lord who will be his strength - Hab 3:
         17-19
      -- Here we find one of the greatest expressions of faith found 
         anywhere!

CONCLUSION

1. What lessons can we glean from this short book? (as suggested by 
   Homer Hailey)
   a. The universal supremacy of God's judgment upon the wicked
      1) God would use Chaldea to punish wicked Judah
      2) Then Chaldea would be destroyed for its own wickedness
   b. Evil is self-destructive
      1) If the righteous can be patient, trusting in the Lord
      2) The tyranny and arrogance of the wicked will eventually fall
   c. The fact of divine discipline
      1) In Job it is shown in the suffering of the individual
      2) In Habakkuk it is shown in the suffering of the nation
      -- In both cases, suffering is disciplinary

2. Perhaps the most important lesson concerns the value of "faith"...
   a. By it the righteous in Habakkuk's day would live
   b. Even more so today!
      1) In receiving salvation - Ro 1:16-17
      2) In persevering - He 10:35-39
      -- Notice that both quote from Hab 2:4

But our faith must not be a shallow faith; it must be like that 
expressed by Habakkuk...

   "Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines;
   Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no
   food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there
   be no herd in the stalls;"

   "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my
   salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like
   deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills."
                     
                                   Habakkuk 3:17-19

Is this our kind of faith?

Nahum - The Fall Of Nineveh (1:1-3:19) by Mark Copeland

                    "STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

                 Nahum - The Fall Of Nineveh (1:1-3:19)

INTRODUCTION

1. At the same time Jeremiah and Zephaniah were pronouncing judgment 
   against Judah, another prophet was directing his attention at one of
   her enemies

2. The prophet was Nahum, whose name means "Consolation"
   a. The name "is in a sense symbolical of the message of the book,
      which was intended to comfort the oppressed and afflicted people
      of Judah" (Eiselen)
   b. Concerning the MAN
      1) His home was Elkosh, of which little is known - Nah 1:1
      2) Some think that Capernaum (lit., "village of Nahum") may have
         been his birthplace
      3) He was contemporary with Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah
   b. Concerning his MESSAGE
      1) His message is usually dated around 630-612 B.C.
         a) The northern kingdom of Israel was already in Assyrian 
            captivity
         b) Assyria itself was still a world power, though in a state
            of decline
      2) The theme of his message is simple:  "The Fall Of Nineveh"
         a) This makes his work a complement to that of Jonah
         b) Though by this time no mercy would be shown, judgment would
            be final

[The book of Nahum can easily be divided into three sections which 
coincide with the three chapters.  In the first section we find...]

I. NINEVEH'S DOOM DECLARED

   A. THE CHARACTER AND POWER OF THE LORD...
      1. God's vengeance, even though He is slow to anger - Nah 1:1-3a
      2. The fierceness of His anger described - Nah 1:3b-6
      3. The goodness of the Lord, as a stronghold to the faithful 
         - Nah 1:7
      4. The pursuer of His enemies - Nah 1:8

   B. THE COMPLETE OVERTHROW OF NINEVEH...
      1. She will not afflict again, despite her plotting against the
         Lord - Nah 1:9-11
      2. Judah will be delivered from Nineveh's affliction - Nah 1:
         12-13
      3. Nineveh's destruction has been commanded by the Lord - Nah 1:
         14
      4. There shall be good tidings in Judah, she can keep her feasts
         - Nah 1:15

[Having "declared" Nineveh's doom in the first section, we now find...]

II. NINEVEH'S DOOM DESCRIBED

   A. THE SIEGE AND CAPTURE OF THE CITY...
      1. Furious preparation for the battle is described - Nah 2:1-4
      2. Resistance is futile, captivity has been decreed - Nah 2:5-7
         a. Note verse 6:  "The gates of the rivers are opened, and the
            palace is dissolved"
         b. "The Babylonian Chronicle tells that Nineveh fell because
            the flooding rivers made breaches in the city's defenses."
            (Believers' Study Bible)

   B. THE UTTER SACK OF THE CITY...
      1. Her inhabitants flee, the city is plundered - Nah 2:8-10
      2. Her destruction will be complete, Nineveh as a dwelling of
         devouring lions will be no more - Nah 2:11-13

[Thus far, Nineveh's doom has been "declared" and "described" by Nahum.
In the third and final section, we find him saying...]

III. NINEVEH'S DOOM DESERVED

   A. BECAUSE OF HER SINS...
      1. Her woe will be due to her sins - Nah 3:1-4
      2. The Lord will uncover her shame and make her a spectacle - Nah 3:5-7

   B. SHE IS NO BETTER THAN NO-AMON...
      1. Nineveh is no better than No-Amon (Thebes in Egypt) - Nah 3:8
      2. Who despite her strength, was carried away into captivity 
         - Nah 3:9-10
      3. So it will be with Nineveh - Nah 3:11

   C. HER STRENGTH AND WEALTH WILL NOT SAVE HER...
      1. Her strongholds will fail - Nah 3:12-13
      2. All her efforts, her wealth, her army, will be futile - Nah 3:14-17

   D. HER END HAS COME...
      1. Her leaders are dead, her people scattered - Nah 3:18-19a
      2. Those who hear of her fall will rejoice - Nah 3:19b
 
CONCLUSION

1. The message of Nahum for the people of God is one of consolation...
   a. That those who afflict God's people will be judged - Nah 1:2-3;
      cf. Lk 18:7-8
   b. That God is a stronghold in time of trouble - Nah 1:7;  cf.
      Ps 27:5
   -- Are you trusting in God as your Stronghold?

2. The message of Nahum for those who do evil is one of warning...
   a. Don't rely on what mercy was shown to your ancestors (e.g., as in
      the days of Jonah)
   b. The Lord may be merciful and slow to anger, but the day of 
      judgment does finally come!
   -- Are you trusting in what your parents or ancestors may have done,
      to escape the judgment of God?

This message of Nahum is reminiscent of the words of Paul:

   "Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who
   fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His
   goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."  (Ro 11:22)

Let us be sure to "continue in His goodness", lest we too experience 
the "severity of God"!

Nahum 1:1 (NKJV)

1 The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

Zephaniah - Through Judgment To Blessing (1:1-3:20) by Mark Copeland

                    "STUDIES IN THE MINOR PROPHETS"

          Zephaniah - Through Judgment To Blessing (1:1-3:20)

INTRODUCTION

1. In our survey of "The Minor Prophets" we now come to the first of
   three prophets who preached to Judah alone, following the downfall
   of the northern kingdom of Israel

2. The prophet is Zephaniah, whose name means "Jehovah Hides"
   a. Concerning the MAN
      1) King Hezekiah was his great-great-grandfather - Zeph 1:1
      2) This has prompted some to call him "the royal prophet"
      3) He was contemporary with Jeremiah, as were Nahum and Habakkuk
   b. Concerning his MESSAGE
      1) Zephaniah prophesied in the days of Josiah, king of Judah
         a) Josiah ruled from 640-609 B.C.
         b) He was a good king, a great reformer - 2Ch 34:1-3,29-33;
            35:1-19
         c) Josiah's reforms were short-lived, however, and the nation
            soon apostasized after his death
      2) Zephaniah proclaimed the coming "day of the Lord" - cf. Zeph 1:7,14-16
         a) So vivid are his descriptions that George Adam Smith wrote:
            "No hotter book lies in all the Old Testament."
         b) And yet it ends on an encouraging note concerning the
            future
         -- Therefore its overall message is: "Through Judgment To
            Blessing"

[As we get into the book, we note that it can be divided into three
sections.  The first section encouraged the people to "look within"...]

I. GOD'S WRATH COMING UPON JUDAH

   A. THE LORD IS BRINGING JUDGMENT!
      1. The prophet announces a universal and all-consuming judgment
         - Zeph 1:1-3
      2. With special mention and attention given Judah - Zeph 1:4-6

   B. THE "DAY OF THE LORD" IS AT HAND!
      1. This "day" as it will affect Judah and Jerusalem - Zeph 1:7-13
         a. Punishment upon the princes and king's children (note, the
            king himself is not mentioned), and upon those who are full
            of violence and deceit
         b. There will wailing and mourning in the city of Jerusalem
         c. The Lord will search out and punish the complacent
      2. This great "day" described - Zeph 1:14-18
         a. A day that is near and hastens quickly
         b. A day of devastation, desolation, darkness, and distress
         c. A day in which silver and gold cannot deliver one from the
            Lord's wrath

   C. AND SO - A CALL FOR THE NATION TO REPENT!
      1. Before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon them - Zeph 2:1-2
      2. To seek the Lord, to seek righteousness, to seek humility
         - Zeph 2:3

[Having encouraged the people to "look within" and see the need for
their own repentance, Zephaniah now prompts the people to "look around"
to see...]

II. GOD'S WRATH COMING UPON SURROUNDING NATIONS

   A. GOD'S JUDGMENT ON NATIONS EAST AND WEST...
      1. Philistia - Zeph 2:4-7
         a. It's cities will be made desolate, the inhabitants
            destroyed
         b. The land will be for the remnant of Judah, whose captivity
            God will restore
      2. Moab & Ammon - Zeph 2:8-11
         a. They shall be like Sodom and Gomorrah
         b. Because of their pride, and for their mocking reproach of
            God's people
         c. And God will one day be worshipped by people from all
            nations

   B. GOD'S JUDGMENT ON NATIONS SOUTH AND NORTH...
      1. Ethiopia will by slain by the sword - Zeph 2:12
      2. Assyria with its capital Nineveh will become desolate - Zeph 2:13-15

   C. AND SO - WOE TO JERUSALEM...
      1. She has rebelled against the Lord - Zeph 3:1-5
         a. She has not obeyed His voice nor drawn near to Him
         b. Her civil and religious leaders are like lions and wolves,
            insolent and doing violence to the Law
         c. The unjust knows no shame; the Lord, however, is righteous
            and never fails in His justice
      2. She has ignored God's judgment upon other nations - Zeph 3:6-7
         a. Which should have prompted her to receive God's instruction
         b. But instead the people corrupted all their deeds

[Finally, lest the faithful remnant despair, Zephaniah ends his message
with a "look beyond"...]

III. THROUGH JUDGMENT TO BLESSING

   A. WAIT UPON THE LORD...
      1. The faithful are told to wait for Lord to carry out His
         judgment - Zeph 3:8
      2. Even as Micah said he would do - cf. Mic 7:7-9

   B. GOD WILL RESTORE HIS PEOPLE...
      1. After His judgment, God will restore to the peoples
         (Gentiles?) a "pure language" to worship and serve Him in one
         accord - Zeph 3:9
      2. His dispersed ones (Israel?) shall bring offerings from afar
         - Zeph 3:10
      3. God will remove the proud from His "holy mountain", leaving a
         meek and humble people who will trust and rest in the Lord
         - Zeph 3:11-13

   C. AND SO - THERE WILL BE JOY IN JERUSALEM...
      1. For the Lord will remove their judgments and their enemies
         - Zeph 3:14-15
      2. For the Lord will be in their midst, providing them with
         gladness, love and singing - Zeph 3:16-17
      3. For the Lord has given them great assurance - Zeph 3:18-20
         a. God will gather those who sorrow over the reproach of His
            people
         b. God will deal with those who afflicted His people
         c. God will gather those who have been driven out, and give
            them fame and praise

CONCLUSION

1. The message of Zephaniah is a simple one:  Judgment is coming, but
   blessings will follow for those who heed the warning to repent
   a. It was a message that would later comfort the remnant taken away
      into Babylonian captivity
   b. It was a message that perhaps had an initial fulfillment
      following their restoration under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah
   c. But I believe the ultimate fulfillment pertains to the age of the
      Messiah
      1) Which began with the establishment of His spiritual kingdom,
        the church
         a) Into which God is "gathering" His people - cf. 1Th 2:12
         b) In which we enjoy the presence of God and His blessings
            - cf. He 12:22-24
      2) Which will be culminated when Jesus comes again - Re 21:1-22:5

2. The message of the apostles is not really much different today...
   a. The "day of the Lord" (of which Zephaniah's "day" was a type) is
      coming - 2Pe 3:7-10
   b. God's people (i.e., the church) are admonished to remain faithful
      - 2Pe 3:11-14

Are we heeding that message?  For those willing to listen, here is what
else Peter had to say...

   "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
   out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of
   the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to
   you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of
   restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of
   all His holy prophets since the world began. (Ac 3:19-21)

Be converted through your obedience to the gospel of Christ (cf. Mk 16:
15-16; Ac 2:38), and you too can "look beyond" the coming judgment for
the blessings to follow!