Commuter Bible

Like Jonah before him, the prophet Nahum preaches devastation and ruin for Ninevah, the capital of Assyria, a place of unparalleled power and wealth. Though they thought themselves to be secure from danger, their downfall came after nearby rivers flooded the city and destroyed part of the city wall, allowing Babylon to enter easily and set it ablaze. Later in Habakkuk, the prophet of the same name is recorded speaking to the Lord on behalf of his people. He openly and honestly struggles with understanding why God would allow injustice to prevail. By his conversation with the Lord, we are reminded of the sovereign power and authority of God, who calls the righteous to live by faith.

The prophet Zephaniah extends an urgent invitation to seek the Lord and only the Lord. At the time of Zephaniah’s prophecy, even the priests in the house of the Lord were worshipping other gods. He predicts that a day of the Lord is approaching to eliminate those who rebel against Him, but in His grace, he will leave a meek and humble remnant. Later, in 2 Thessalonians, Paul writes to the church concerning how they should live in light of Christ’s impending return. Rather than live idle lives, they are encouraged to work until that day comes, giving glory to God by loving each other well and committing themselves to faithful obedience.

Early this week I got really sick. I did the best I could with what I had, but in my less-than-lucid state, I accidentally posted last year's episode of Joel 1-3. This simply means that the secondary reading was off, and some of you heard Isaiah 44 instead.

To make it up to those who heard the wrong chapter of Isaiah, I've included this bonus episode as a supplement. Thanks for your patience and prayers!

Jude 2 ::: John

As we finish out the second half of the book of Micah, we’ll immediately see another crystal clear prophecy; this one predicts that the coming Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, a small town that was unlikely to have anything significant take place within it. God promises that one day he will remove those earthly and idolatrous occupations which keep his people from worshipping him rightly, asserting that nations who have not obeyed him will receive his anger and wrath. Finally, Micah looks past the coming destruction of Israel to declare the future hope of redemption for those who repent from their sin and serve the Lord.

Given the time frame established by the prophet himself, Micah’s prophecies are astoundingly clear and accurate, as he clearly pronounces the fall of Samaria, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the coming captivity in Babylon. The people had grown comfortable in religious activity but they were excusing sin and denying the possibility of judgment. He urges God’s people to consider the nature and character of God Himself, and in so doing, they ought to repent in light of his justice and holiness.

Joel is one of the shortest books of the Old Testament and is divided in two parts. The first half describes a plague of locusts that invade the land and destroy the land’s produce, threatening the survival of animals, people, and even grain offerings before the Lord. That section ends with a plea for God’s people to confess their sins, transitioning to the second half of the book, which contains promises of the Lord to restore and rebuild his people and the land. Interpreters debate about the relationship between the locusts & the army; is the army a swarm of locusts, or is Joel comparing the people of the army to that of a swarm of locusts? Maybe both! Regardless, the promises of God to restore repentant people resound w/ hope & joy.

On his second missionary journey recorded in Acts, Paul stopped in the port city of Thessalonica, preached in the synagogue, and a church formed in the city. In just a few short weeks, a riot began, and Paul was forced to leave the fledgling church body. Here in today’s passage, Paul attempts to answer some unresolved questions that they have covering an array of topics. Though they had some misunderstandings, overall, they appear to be a faithful, God-fearing church, laboring side-by-side while looking for the Lord’s return.

Contrary to Victorian era illustrations and Michelangelo’s chubby cherubs in the Sistine Chapel, angels are always described as glorious and fear-inducing. Whenever someone sees a vision of an angel in Scripture, the person who sees them is dumbfounded and crippled by fear. In most instances, the angel has to tell the person not to fear and followed by supernatural help to recuperate. Such is the case with Daniel, who receives an interpretation of his vision from an angel. There’s far too much to talk about concerning the historical fulfillment of Daniel’s vision, but the prophesy moves from near future to the end of days when it is mentioned that the king will do whatever he wants.

For great deals on Bibles and Bible study tools, visit lifeway.com/blackfriday

We are now in the second half of Daniel which focuses on the dreams and visions that Daniel himself received. These visions include imagery of beasts, animals, and horns, representing kingdoms and the kings who come from them. Some of what Daniel sees is explained within the text itself while some remains the topic of debate and speculation to this day. Some, however, has clearly been fulfilled, like the goat which tramples the ram. The goat is the Greek Empire and it’s conspicuous horn is Alexander the Great, who trampled the Medo-Persian empire only to die suddenly at the peak of his power. Antiochus emerges from one of the four new kingdoms, a ruler who persecutes the Jews, stops regular sacrifices, and defiles the temple.