Archive for December 2024
Haggai 1-2: A Time to Invest
Haggai 1-2, Job 39, John 20:10-18, Revelation 18 Haggai 1-2: When God’s people returned from exile, they began to rebuild the temple, but after a little while they lost impetus and direction and gave up and stopped the rebuilding. Haggai, under God’s direction and by God’s inspiration, now comes and preaches to God’s people to…
Read MoreZephaniah 3: Promises
Zephaniah 3, Job 38:22-41, John 20:1-9, Revelation 17 Zephaniah 3: Chapter 3 continues Zephaniah’s denouncement of God’s people, and God’s judgment upon sin and wickedness. In particular, the leaders of God’s people have let her down: Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; her priests profane what is holy;they do violence to the law (3:4) But God, nonetheless, has a…
Read MoreZephaniah 1-2: Hide Yourself in Him
Zephaniah 1-2, Job 38:22-41, John 19:38-42, Revelation 16 Zephaniah 1-2: Zephaniah is prophesying during the days of good King Josiah’s reforms. In his prophecy, he speaks of the “day of the LORD,” a fearsome day of judgment, and then also speaks of the blessing and bounty that will come to those who seek the Lord (more on…
Read MoreHabakkuk 1-3: Tread on High Places
Habakkuk 1-3, Job 37, John 19:28-37, Revelation 15 Habakkuk 1-3: Though Habakkuk is a brief book, it is filled with important truth and is profound in its own way. Covering all the ground of these three chapters in short expanse is therefore a challenge—and probably not really possible. Basically, Habakkuk is asking and receiving answers regarding God’s use of…
Read MoreNahum 1-3: Good News
Nahum 1-3, Job 36:16-33, John 19:17-27, Revelation 14 Nahum 1-3: Jonah had preached to Nineveh about a century earlier than this prophecy of Nahum, and when Jonah had preached to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria had repented. But now, when Nahum prophesied mainly to Judah, Nineveh has judgment coming to it for all its evil. It had destroyed Israel’s…
Read MoreMicah 6-7: Steadfast Love
Micah 6-7, Job 36:1-15, John 19:1-16, Revelation 13 Micah 6-7: Renewal cannot come until God’s people learn, “Hear what the Lord says” (6:1). It is critically important today, too, that the church centers its corporate (as well as individual) life around the Bible. We must “hear what the Lord says,” listen carefully, take in his Word, apply it…
Read MoreMicah 4-5: Little Town of Bethlehem
Micah 4-5, Job 35, John 18:28-40, Revelation 12 Micah 4-5: Micah, under the inspiration of God’s Spirit, now turns his eye to the future and the blessing that will come to God’s people through the coming of the Messiah. There will be an international reach to this new work of God (4:1-2); there shall be a conduit of peace…
Read MoreMicah 1-3: Filled with Power
Micah 1-3, Job 34:21-27, John 18:19-27, Revelation 11 Micah 1-3: The first three chapters of Micah have little by way of positive feel-good vibe—interspersed only occasionally with promises of the future Redeemer (the promise of which is more clearly in view in chapter 4). Micah prophesied during a time of prosperity, and warned God’s people…
Read MoreChristmas Is More Than an Evangelistic Opportunity
by Josh Moody The following article was written for Evangelicals Now and published in their December 2024 issue. The origins of Christmas celebrations as we tend to experience them are fraught with controversy – and ignorance, too. It may be that the purported pagan roots of Christmas trees are arguable, but the actual celebration of…
Read MoreJonah 1-4: But Jonah
Jonah 1-4, Job 34:1-20, John 18:1-18, Revelation 10 Jonah 1-4: The Book of Jonah is a small book with a massive message. The prophet Jonah flees from God, refusing to obey his call to go to Nineveh because he knew that God was a “gracious God and merciful” (4:2) and therefore feared that God would forgive…
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