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In this week's There is Nothing Minor about Grace series we will look at two Minor Prophets, Zephaniah and Haggai. We will learn from them that God gives perfect direction    

Zephaniah's name means, God has concealed or hidden. This is good news for Judah because there are hard times coming. The prophet describes three special “days” two of which are grievous, while the third is glorious.

1. The first grievous day: Historical in scope, it includes Judah and her surrounding neighbors and is fulfilled by the Babylonians.

A. For Judah (1:1-13; 2:1-3; 3:1-5) We see her sins.. But Zephaniah tells  Judah to repent and escape God’s wrath. 

Gather together, gather yourselves together, you shameful nation, before the decree takes effect and that day passes like windblown chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you. 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. (2:1-3)

B. The Gentiles (2:4-15) This is a list of Judah’s enemies who will also face Babylonian destruction.

2. The second grievous day: Prophecy that will include all nations and is yet to be fulfilled by the King of heaven. The day of the Lord probably refers to the Great (1:14) Tribulation. Divine wrath will occur to all the earth (1:15-18; 3:6-8)

That’s why we all must be ready for the Lord’s return. ⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ⁹ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. ¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6-11

Blessed Assurance

Habakkuk teaches us to be assured in your decision to follow Christ (who leads to Father). He was reassured because of what he has heard (2:14; 3:1-2)- of God’s fame and deeds and that someday the entire earth will be filled with God’s glory, and what he now sees (3:3-19) – God’s splendor, strength, salvation, and security. He is the King of Glory!

We need to trust in God in our time of fear and time of famine just like this Minor Prophet. 

I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,  yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

    I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. - Habakkuk 3:16-19 

Give God the glory he deserves and remember the Lord always fulfills His promises! Amen?

Embrace

The Minor Prophet, Habakkuk, name means Embrace. Now this isn't just a hug it can also mean "to hold on tight" like in wrestling! Have you ever wanted to be consoled with a hug but got squeezed instead? That's what happens in Habakkuk. He asks God to do something about how bad his world was around him (Judah). I think he was hoping for a God movement or Revival. Instead God's answer was very different which led to more questions. The prophet searches for answers to his questions and is reassured by God. (1:1-17; 2:1-13, 15-20)

What will God do about Judah’s sins? (1:1-4) In the midst of the sins of violence, destruction, arguing, fighting, and injustice God is silent until now. Judgment will follow at the hands of their enemy, the Babylonians.

Does Judah have to be punished? (1:5-11) Yes, the Babylonian soldiers are described as swift leopards, fierce wolves, and devouring eagles who laugh at their enemies.

Will Babylon be punished? (1:12-17; 2:1-13, 15-20) Yes, and until then the righteous should live by faith. The reasons for their destruction are numerous but at the end it is their evilness and greed.

God deserves respect – “The Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him”. (20) Habakkuk realizes that regardless of the circumstances all believers are to not lose faith and honor God. Regardless of how He answers our prayers.

Ask God for His "embrace" today. Be ready and obedient to His response. (Even if it hurts.)

One Idea

Nahum’s message has been called the “prophecy of one idea” – the fearful idea that God is angry against sin. The idea of divine retribution is still an essential part – and it’s one the prophet presents very effectively.  It’s also found in the New Testament in a letter that Paul writes to the church in Rome. 

Read Romans 1:16-20 We are all exposed to God’s wrath! He is angry when we suppress the truth about Him – in the case of those who deny the very existence of God; they’re suppressing the evidence that this marvelous universe bears all the hallmarks of having been designed by a supernatural designer. Judgment has already begun.

 Romans 1:26-31 reads like a modern list of the ills in our society. People sinning and turning away from God is not a new concept even though it appears to be getting worse.

Nahum’s reminder to all of us is that the judgment of God for each of us is well deserved. Amazingly enough it is escapable! God offers each of us a way to salvation – the one and only way through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Remember what Paul said in Romans 1:16-17: “The gospel… is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

Or as Nahum put it: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Nahum 1:7 NASB) 

Have you found this refuge?

The Bigger They Are

Yesterday we looked at Nahum's prediction about the fall of Nineveh and the Assyrian empire. The rest of the book describes how it happens. Former allies become enemies. They surround Nineveh and dam the canal that flows through the city. When a great reservoir was established they broke the dams and the city was flooded. Wall and buildings made of sand and mud melted and the town was destroyed. Let's take a more detailed look at the scripture.

Nahum’s Description of Nineveh’s Fall 

A.  The sources of her destruction (1:8; 2:3-4) Waters will overflow and warriors will invade.

B. The severity of her destruction (2:1-2, 6-11, 13; 3:2-3, 11-19) The city will stagger like a drunkard, it’s fortresses fall, soldiers are helpless, and Nineveh will be sacked and burned.

C.  The strength of God’s judgment (2:1-2, 6-11, 13; 3:2-3, 16-19) The Ninevites struggle to defend but to no avail and the city is completely obliterated.

The people had trust in what they built with their own hands and the army they created.In the end it was their downfall. I think we can learn a great lesson from this. 

Amen or Oh-me?

Pride Comes Before

The name Nahum means Comforter. God is bringing "comfort" to Israel by the prophet predicting Nineveh’s fall. The Assyrians were mortal enemies of Israel. God had spared them 100 years ago during Jonah's time time, but would not withold His judgment now. We can learn through Nahum's prophecy: 

The purpose of the destruction. (1:1-2, 7, 9-15; 2:12; 3:1, 4-10) God will accomplish this for two reasons:

1. To protect Judah (1:1-2, 13, and 15) God is jealous over those He loves and takes vengeance on all who would harm them. The people will soon rejoice over the destruction of the cruel Assyrian Empire.

2.  To punish Nineveh (1:9-12, 14; 2:12; 3:1, 4-10) Her wickedness: Defiance of God, Idolatry, terrible bloodshed, and involvement with the occult.

We also have no doubt about the power behind the destruction (1:3-6) When sinful men exhaust God’s patience, they face the terrible power of God’s wrath which is like a raging storm and consuming fire!

The Assyrians trusted in their own power and strength. They forgot how the Lord had spared them when they repented under Jonah's warning.Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to always,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Amen?

Be Careful

This week we will be studying Nahum and Habakkuk under the theme God fulfills His promises.The over riding theme of the Minor Prophets has been to get right with God and stay faithful. From the New Testament we receive a beautiful promise, Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence. So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. - Hebrews 4:16  God's love, mercy, forgivness, and great grace are available if we repent and focus on living our lives in a Christ honoring way. 

The lessons I have learned from this week's study is to "be careful". From the time we are young we are given warnings about being careful, so harm would not come to us. God's Word also offers us wise counsel on the subject. Through the Minor Prophets Nahum and Habakkuk we can learn:

Be careful what you trust in. (keep looking up)

Be careful what you pray for.(you might get something you didn't expect)

Be careful in what you choose.(there are eternal consequences)

Read the book of Nahum by tomorrow, and we will start the discussion on who and what we should trust in.

Those who are far from you will perish;

    you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

But as for me, it is good to be near God.

    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;

    I will tell of all your deeds. - Psalm 73:27-28