Study Notes Ed Underwood

Matthew: Think Again; The Kingdom of Heaven is Near!

“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Peter to Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew 16:16)

The four Gospels are corresponding accounts that provide a complex portrait of the person and work, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, Savior of the world, and Son of God. These historical books encompass about 46% of the New Testament. Though they were not the first books written, the early church placed the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament because they are the bedrock upon which the book of Acts and the Epistles are constructed.

The Gospels are written as biographies with a purpose. They are thematic portraits of the life of Christ focusing on the brief public ministry of the Son of God. Each author selects distinctive events and teachings of the Lord Jesus to present a purposefully skewed account to accomplish their purpose:

Matthew, a Jew, writes to persuade his countrymen that Christ is their King. Frequently quoting from the Old Testament Scriptures, he argues that Jesus of Nazareth “fulfills what was written.” His birth, life, death, and His resurrection leave only one possible conclusion: Jesus is the Messiah of Israel.

Mark seeks to reach the Roman mindset and presents Jesus as the Servant who came to “give His life as a ransom for many. He begins by serving the masses, but as He is being rejected and His departure grows near, He concentrates on serving His disciples and equipping them to serve others in His name.

Luke focuses on the Greek way of thinking, revealing Christ as the Perfect Man. Dr. Luke highlights the human side of Jesus, describing Him as the one who came to earth “to seek and save that which was lost.”

John writes to everyone, regardless of culture. He selects seven miracles and arranges them carefully to persuade his readers to believe in Jesus as the Son of God who will give them eternal life.

“If a Bible reader were to jump from Malachi to Mark, or Acts, or Romans, he would be bewildered. Matthew’s Gospel is the bridge that leads us out of the Old Testament and into the New Testament.” (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, 1:10) The Old Testament prophets predicted and Israel longed for the coming of the Anointed One who would enter history to rescue humanity and creation. The first sentence of Matthew announces that longed-for event: “This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Matthew referred to the Old Testament more than any other evangelist (author of a Gospel). There are 54 direct citations of the Old Testament, plus over 260 indirect references. No other Gospel contains as many of Jesus’ discourses and directives, and no other Gospel contains as many of the miracles He performed. “Matthew has a twofold purpose in writing his Gospel. Primarily he penned this Gospel to prove Jesus is the Messiah, but he also wrote it to explain God’s kingdom program to his readers. One goal directly involves the other. Nevertheless they are distinct.” (Stanley D. Toussaint, Behold the King: A Study of Matthew, p. 18) Matthew is the only Gospel writer to refer to the church (16:18; 18:17), and he most clearly described the mission of the church in light of the postponement of the promised messianic Kingdom (28:18-20). His concern for making disciples is apparent. He alone of the Gospel writers uses the Greek verb matheteuo, to disciple (13:52;l 27:57; 28:19) and it only appears one other time in the New Testament (Acts 14:21).

Matthew’s theme is that “the kingdom of heaven”—God’s establishment of heaven’s order over all the earth, is “near”—coming soon. And though the physical messianic kingdom is still future, His supremacy is breaking in through His people, the church. Therefore, the readers should “repent” or think again about life and rearrange their priorities to “make disciples of all nations”:

A key phrase in Matthew’s Gospel marks the major movements in the writer’s thinking: “When Jesus finished saying these things” (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1).

Matthew: Rethink your priorities so that you can make disciples to the King!

I. PROLOGUE: INTRODUCTION OF THE KING (1:1-4:11): The promise to Abraham was that “all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name” (Genesis 12:3). Jesus Christ is qualified to be the King who brings this blessing because He is a descendent of Abraham and David. The magi know that the “King of the Jews” had been born, John the Baptist, the prophesied forerunner introduces Him, and His sinlessness is proved when He overcomes Satanic temptations.

II. THE AUTHORITY OF THE KING (4:12-7:29): In a topical rather than a chronological arrangement, Matthew establishes the authority of Jesus Christ in His teaching that presents new laws and standards for God’s people.

III. THE POWER OF THE KING (8:1-11:1): Ten miracles reveal Christ’s right to rule over disease, demons, death, and nature. With that authority, He commissions the 12 to take His message to Israel.

IV. THE OPPOSITION TO THE KING (11:2-13:53): Israel begins to oppose Jesus. Initial enthusiasm over Him degrades to indifference and turns to open conflict over the Sabbath, the source of His power, His sign, and even in His family. Jesus then teaches clearly what His Kingdom is about.

V. THE REACTION OF THE KING (13:54-19:2): Jesus turns His attention from the masses to His disciples as He trains the Twelve through teaching and example to prepare them for their future assignments in the church.

VI. THE OFFICAL PRESENTATION AND REJECTION OF THE KING (19:3-25:46): Jesus teaches His disciples in Judea and enters Jerusalem and the Temple. Official Israel rejects Him and He laments over Jerusalem.

VII. THE KING DESCRIBES THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD (24-25): In the Olivet Discourse Jesus outlines the future for His disciples.

VIII. THE KING IS CRUCIFIED AND RESURRECTED (26-28): Jesus dies for the sin of the world, is buried, and rises again. Then, He appears to His disciples and commissions them to make disciples of all the nations.

MATTHEW AND YOU: The New Testament opens with a birth announcement: The Prophesied King Just Showed Up! Matthew wants his readers to do what John the Baptist told the Jews to do: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!” I believe the kingdom of heaven is the future reign of Jesus over all creation in the Millennial Kingdom, but I also believe that the power of this kingdom is breaking in to space and time during the church age when someone turns to God by believing in His Son, and becomes a new person with a new purpose. Therefore, repent! The verbal form of that Greek word primarily means to rethink life in light of that truth. So ...

Christian, rethink your priorities because the kingdom of heaven is near! 1. DevoteYourselftoHisChurch.Thekingdomofheavenisoverwhelmingthekingdomofearthbythe

irresistible work of Christ in this age—His church (Matthew 16:18; 18:15-22).

2. Devote Yourself to His Commission. The specific way the kingdom of heaven is overwhelming the kingdom of earth today is by His church, His people, making disciples to Him of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20).

Messiah: Matthew presents Jesus as Israel’s promised Messiah (1:23; 2:2, 6; 3:17; 4:15-17; 21:5, 9; 22:44-

45; 26:64; 27:11, 27-37). The phrase “kingdom of heaven” occurs thirty-two times in Matthew but nowhere

else in the New Testament. The phrase, “that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled,”

appears nine times!

Study Notes Ed Underwood

The Bible, The New Testament, and the Gospels

“And so he [Jesus Christ] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive their eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant” (Hebrew 9:15).

We’re all born with questions in our heart that the two most basic sources of human knowledge—reason and experience—cannot answer: Who am I? Why am I here? Does anyone care about me, I mean really? History seems out of control, where is this world headed?

God in His grace has provided another source of knowledge—revelation—to answer the questions of humanity concerning meaning and significance in life. The Bible claims to be God’s special revelation to the beloved centerpiece of His creation—men and women, boys and girls.

Though God demonstrates that He’s there through the general revelation of His creation (Psalm 19:1-6) and has given every human heart the knowledge that He exists (Romans 1:18), His special revelation is His more direct communication to humanity. This may involve dreams, angels, and visions, but we receive special revelation primarily and most clearly through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2) and in the written words, paragraphs, and stories in the 66 Books of the Bible.

Many people, even sincere Christians, struggle as we read through the Bible. We may be familiar with a few of the stories and we may have heard sermons about a number of passages. But we find it difficult to put the pieces of the Bible together and feel lost when we’re trying to read through an entire Book of the Bible.

What we need is the big picture of the Bible—a broader understanding of how the Bible is put together and how the events, people, and places connect. This is what Bible students call a synthetic study of the Scriptures. We’re dedicating two years to a synthetic study of the Word of God—all 66 Books. And it begins today with this overarching sentence on the Bible:

The Bible is God’s masterpiece written to rescue us by revealing God’s Son—Jesus Christ.

The Bible contains 66 Books, 27 of those comprise the New Testament, which begins with the 4 Gospels— historical books that provide an accurate and variegated picture of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

I. The New Testament is the Good News that completes the awesome story begun in the Old Testament of God’s majestic and merciful plan to rescue people and Creation from consequences of human sin (Romans 1:16-17).

A. The Bible is divided between the 39 Books of the Old Testament and the 27 Books of the New Testament. The God of the Bible is the Creator and Redeemer of His creation. He is personally and intimately involved in the lives of people and is moving history according to His plan. The Cross of Jesus Christ—the Son of God’s substitutionary death for the sin of humanity that defiled creation— is the central event of history from God’s perspective. There is a progressive revelation in the Scriptures, meaning that the story and the message unfolds over time.

1. The Old Testament anticipates the work of Israel’s coming King—Messiah—by telling the story of God’s chosen people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

2. The New Testament announces the birth of Messiah and reveals Him as the Son of God who came to take away the sin of humanity. It puts Jesus’ death in perspective and records the beginnings, teachings, and future of the church—those who have received God’s resurrection life, eternal life, by believing in His Son.

3. Jesus Christ claimed to be the Key that unlocks the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-46). The Bible ends by claiming that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelations 22:13) and His announcement that He is coming again (Revelation 22:20).

B. The title, “The New Testament,” transliterates the Greek words, He Kaine Diatheke, which literally means, “The New Covenant.” The term “Diatheke,” or Covenant, characterizes a last will and testament that is ratified when the testator dies. It is a binding covenant or legal contract that blesses the recipients when the benefactor dies. The New Covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ (Luke 22:20) and a person enters into that covenant relationship when he or she comes to God on His terms—belief in His Son (John 6:47). This covenant, or testament, is the unifying theme of the books of the New Testament (1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 8:7-13; 9:15-17).

1. The New Testament is a collection of books that tell one story — the story ofJ esus Christ and His church. They were written from about AD 40-96 in Koine (“common”) Greek. They were separately distributed among the churches of the early church and gradually collected together.

2. The Structure of the New Testament helps us understand the Big Picture!

II. The Bible was not written merely to be understood. It was written to change our life by persuading us to believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and trusting Him and His Word in ways that will instruct us and give us enduring and encouraging hope.

A. Enduring Hope: The New Testament presents the Gospel of Christ, the Good News that when Jesus came the first time it was to deliver us from sin (Romans 1:16-17).

B. Encouraging Hope: The New Testament presents the Hope of the Church, the Promise that when Jesus comes again He will rule and reign in His Kingdom (Revelation 22:20).

Study Notes Ed Underwood

FROM MALACHI TO MATTHEW Galatians 4:4

But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights (Galatians 4:4).

Malachi closed the Old Testament with the last words the Jews would hear from God for four hundred years. A contemporary of Nehemiah, Malachi preached sermons about the problems Nehemiah faced (Nehemiah 13). Time had run out for that generation of Israelites. Refusing to follow the Law of Moses, their only hope to fulfill their mission of blessing the world by saving it from God’s curse (Genesis 12:1-3) was divine intervention. God will send Elijah before the great Day of the Lord. He will restore Israel to the covenant and save the world!

Then, the Lord simply stopped speaking to Israel. Over 400 years later, John the Baptist, the Elijah-like prophet Malachi promised would prepare the way

for Messiah (Malachi 3:2), broke the silence. After preaching repentance to the rebellious nation, John’s message suddenly changed when He introduced Jesus of Nazareth to God’s people, Israel: Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

A lot had changed since the time of Malachi. Rome was the dominant world power and ruled over most of the ancient Old Testament lands. Yet, in a small town of Palestine, Bethlehem of Judea, the one who would save the world was born—Jesus Christ. And though God had been quiet for 400 years, He had not been idle! Concerning the birth of the Savior, the apostle wrote, “But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son” (Galatians 4:4).

God prepared the way for the Savior of the world!

In several extraordinary and wonderful ways, God prepared the world for the coming of Messiah. Both Paul and Mark called attention to the historical era that preceded the coming of Christ to earth.

I. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14) with perfect timing (Mark 1:15; Galatians 4:4).

1. Summary: As a human father chooses the time for the birth of his child, so the Heavenly Father chose the time for the coming of Christ to save the world from bondage to works systems of righteousness (Galatians 4:4).

   1. Context: Israel, was enslaved by the law (and the rest of the world through various systems of works righteousness) until Christ emancipated them.

   2. The Father planned Christ’s coming with precise timing—when the world was ripe (fullness, appropriate, in the context of time, means the complete end of a period of time) for His message of deliverance.

2. Three ways God had been working so that the time would be “full” or ripe for Christ’s coming: 1. Jewish Hope for their Messiah!

a. The entire Old Testament looks forward to the coming of Christ. God had chosen Israel from all the nations of the world (Exodus 1:5-6). Beginning with the promises to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 9:4), they were the guardians of God’s Word (Romans 3:2) and the people from whom the Redeemer would come (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8; Romans 9:5). The Old Testament anticipated Christ’s coming as a suffering and glorified Savior in precise prophecies giving details of Messiah’s lineage, place of birth, world conditions at the time of His birth, life, death, and even His resurrection.

b. Though Israel was disobedient and was under judgment from the days of Malachi, they were in the land as God had promised before the coming of Messiah. Though 400 years had passed and the religious climate had only become worse through Pharisaic hypocrisy and the Sadducees’ secularism, there was a spirit of Messianic anticipation in the air and a righteous remnant was looking for the Messiah (Simeon, Luke 2:25). The Jews offered to the world the hope of a coming Messiah who would bring righteousness to the earth. This tiny captive nation, situated on the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe provided the spiritual heredity of Christianity and, for a time, even gave the infant church its leaders and shelter. Israel provided the spiritual environment to propel the Gospel around the world.

1. Roman peace and roads!

   1. Free movement about the Mediterranean would have been most difficult for the messengers of the Gospel before the reign of Augustus Caesar (27 BC-AD 14). The ancient world had been divided into warring tribes or city-states prior to the extension of Roman imperial power. Roman sailors kept the peace on the seas and Roman soldiers secured the roads of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Roman conquests that resulted in 100 years of relative peace as the church was born had also led to a loss of belief by many peoples in their pagan gods that had failed to protect them against Caesar’s legions.

   2. The Romans developed the world’s first system of roads radiating out from the Roman forum to the corners of the empire. The main roads were built of concrete and some exist today. The Gospel of Christ moved quickly across these Roman roads to strategic cities located throughout the Empire. The Roman Empire provided a political environment unique in history that was favorable to the spread of Christianity in the days of its infancy.

2. Greek language and philosophy!

   1. More than 300 years before Christ, Alexander the Great had swept across the ancient world conquering one nation after another. Though the kingdom he established did not survive his death, the language of his armies, Koine or common Greek, did. By the time of Christ, Koine Greek had become the language of the common man throughout the Mediterranean world. The universal Gospel needed a universal language, and God provided it through the genius and ambition of Alexander—Koine Greek, one of the clearest and most precise languages of all time.

   2. Greek philosophy, though godless, was undermining pagan polytheistic religions around the world because they were rationally unintelligible. The bankruptcy of paganism and consequent pursuits of Greek philosophy left the conquered peoples of Rome thirsty for spiritual reality. Greece provided the intellectual environment that aided the propagation of the Gospel.

II. God always prepares the way for people to meet Christ (Galatians 1:15-16).

A. How did He prepare you for your introduction to His Son? Praise Him for His sovereign grace in the circumstances of your life this Easter Season!

B. Who needs to meet Christ in your world? Ask the Father to prepare the way this Easter Season and tell Him you are willing to share the Good News!

“After Malachi had ceased his prophesying and the canon of the Old Testament closed—that is, the number of the books in the Old Testament was fulfilled and the inspired prophets ceased to speak—God allowed a period of time for the teachings of the Old Testament to penetrate throughout the world. During this time, he rearranged the scenes of history, much as a stage crew will rearrange the stage sets after the curtain has fallen, and when the curtain rises again there is an entirely new setting.” –Ray Stedman

Study Notes Ed Underwood

Sermons By Ed: Malachi: The Only Hope for Your Hearts of Stone—The Lord You Are Seeking!

“I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me.” (Malachi 3:1)

The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for Him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther)

The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11).

Life in the Promise Land was hard, very hard. The Persians still ruled their homeland, crops were failing, and locust plagues ravaged the land (Malachi 3:11). 80 years ago, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah had promised blessing, but the prosperity never came. Even after Ezra’s profound reforms and Nehemiah’s amazing success, most of the people were discouraged and doubtful of God’s goodness and care. The priests were self-serving and led them in cold, ritualistic worship and demanded outward obedience to the Law. But their hearts weren’t in it. On the inside they remained as rebellious as any generation of Israelites.

Foreign cultures had successfully invaded the consciousness and morality of God’s people. The Israelites divorced their wives to marry Gentiles, and greed and injustice was the order of the day. “... Malachi and his contemporaries were living in an uneventful waiting period, when God seemed to have forgotten His people enduring poverty and foreign domination in the little province of Judah. ... True the Temple had been completed, but nothing momentous had occurred to indicate that God’s presence had returned to fill it with glory, as Ezekiel had indicated would happen (Ezk. 43:4). ... Generations were dying without receiving the promises (cf. Heb 11:13) and many were losing their faith.” (Joyce G. Baldwin, “Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary, p. 211)

Using a confrontational style, Malachi encourages them to pursue holiness by exposing their sin. He is the only prophet who ends his book with judgment. His book is an appropriate conclusion to the Old Testament. It stresses the hopelessly sinful condition of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who had been called by God to be a blessing to all nations. His message ends in a curse, leaving the world in need of another plan that isn’t dependent upon the obedience of the nation Israel. That plan will be introduced by the next prophet to speak, John the Baptist, who will, in turn, announce the coming of the One who would be called the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His name is Jesus Christ:

Malachi emphasizes Israel’s God as the sovereign over the whole world, who is extremely patient with His wayward people. The last prophet to speak to God’s people before 400 years of silence, 47 of Malachi’s 55 verses are spoken by God Himself – the highest portion of all the prophets.

I. “I STILL LOVE YOU!” (1:1-5): Malachi’s generation has forgotten how much God loves them. Embittered by the problems of the present, they have forgotten God’s past works on their behalf. God reminds them of His special love by contrasting the fates of Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel).

II. “YOUR PRIESTS DO NOT REPRESENT ME!” (1:6-2:9): Though the returning remnant had succeeded in rebuilding extraneous worship, the priests were taking the lead in hypocritical worship. They exhibited favoritism as they encouraged flawed sacrifices.

Malachi: Doubting God’s love leads to inauthentic worship and calloused disobedience! III. “YOUR MEN DIVORCE THEIR WIVES AND MARRY GENTILES!” (2:10-16): A sure sign of an inner attitude of rebellion against the God of Israel is intermarriage with pagan peoples. Malachi’s generation ignored God’s teaching on the sanctity of marriage.

IV. “YOU DOUBT MY JUSTICE?” (2:17-3:6): Malachi’s generation had become apathetic to the point of doubting if God would ever back up His teaching on the necessity of justice in relationships and society.

V. “YOU’RE ROBBING GOD!” (3:7-12): Malachi’s generation failed to connect their withholding of tithes and offerings with God’s withholding of blessing.

VI. “I WILL JUDGE THE ARROGANCE OF THE PEOPLE WHILE BLESSING THE REMNANT FOR THEIR HUMILITY” (3:13-4:3): Those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name would be spared in the day of judgment as His own special possession.

VII. “I WILL SEND AN ENCOURAGER TO RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE I JUDGE THE EARTH” (4:4-6): Malachi ends on the bitter word “curse.” Although the people are finally cured of idolatry, there is little spiritual progress in Israel’s history. Sin abounds, and the need for the coming Messiah is greater than ever.

MALACHI AND YOU: The Old Testament concludes with a curse. In spite of God’s unfailing love for His people, they are irreparably flawed by sin. The ever-loving, never-failing God pronounces judgment on His never-loving, ever-failing people. But all is not lost. A coming herald will make the way for the One who will encourage God’s people to return to Him.

Two indicators a person has fallen out of love with God:

1. Inauthentic Worship. Like Malachi’s generation they simply go through the motions. Doubting God’s love, they concentrate on the externals of worship while avoiding deep heart-interaction with God. Doubting God’s justice toward them, they give themselves permission to rob God of His lordship of their time and resources.

2. Calloused Disobedience. Like Malachi’s generation their attitude overflows into sinful behaviors. Doubting God’s love, they arrogantly express their cynicism and rebellion. Doubting God’s justice toward them, they give themselves permission to treat others unjustly. Especially the families they abandon through divorce.

Two meditations that will encourage a person to fall back in love with God:

Messiah: The Book of Malachi precedes four hundred years of prophetic silence, broken finally by the words of

the next prophet, John the Baptist: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Malachi predicts the coming of the messenger who will clear the way before the Lord’s First Advent (3:1; cf.

Isaiah 40:3). John the Baptist later fulfills this prophecy, but the next few verses (3:2-5) look to Christ’s Second

Advent. “Elijah the prophet” will encourage repentance before the day of the Lord (4:5). John the Baptist was

this Elijah (Matthew 3:3; 11:10-14; 17:9-13), but Elijah will also appear before the second coming of Christ

(Revelation 11:6).

First Advent of Christ

To Rescue from Sin Suffering Servant Messenger to prepare the way (3:1a) (John the Baptist, Matt. 11:10; 17:11-12) Lord comes to the Temple (3:1a) (Triumphal Entry, Matt. 21:12-14) Cross of Christ Offers Love

Second Advent of Christ

To Rescue Creation Conquering King Messenger of the (new) Covenant (3:1b-4) (Jesus Christ, Matt. 26:28) Angel (messenger) of the Lord (3:1b-4) Elijah encourages repentance (4:4-6) Day of the Lord (4:4-6) Offers Hope.

Study Notes Ed Underwood

 Zechariah The King Is Coming!

“‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.” (Zechariah 4:6) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for Him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11).

The Jews had been living in exile in Babylonia for 70 years. They had not been able to practice their formal worship as the Mosaic Law prescribed, because the Babylonians had destroyed their Temple and they had no authorized altar for sacrifices. They were forced to settle for private and public prayers while facing toward Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10). They gathered in synagogues to hear the Law read and worship God in exile.

Imagine their joy when King Cyrus of Persia allowed them to return to their land in 538 B.C. The first wave of 50,000 Jewish pilgrims returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel. They enthusiastically rebuilt the brazen altar and resumed offering sacrifices, and laid the foundation for the reconstruction of the second Temple. They even celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles that first year. Envision their discouragement when Samaritan leaders with ties to the Persian authorities resisted their Temple construction. The former exiles felt threatened and unable to accomplish God’s first priority for the returning remnant—reestablish worship that glorifies Him. They went about their daily routine, and concentrated on rebuilding their lives—their businesses, their homes, and their farms—while ignoring their mandate to rebuild the Temple.

Sixteen years later, God called Haggai and Zechariah to expose their misplaced priorities and challenge them to rebuild the Temple, because God had greater plans for them than they ever imagined. In 520 B.C. Zechariah encouraged the returning remnant to rebuild the Temple by inspiring hope in the discouraged community. His book, the “Revelation” of the Old Testament, persuaded the Jews to lift their eyes to see the larger purposes and plans of their God. The Lord who rules over all is at work for His people and is moving history toward the return of His King—first to save, and then to reign. “[Zechariah’s] book is the most Messianic, the most truly apocalyptic and eschatological, of al the writing of the Old Testament.” (Joyce G. Baldwin, “Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary, pp. 69-70)

Zechariah’s message reminds discouraged believers of all generations that in spite of difficult circumstances, God’s all-encompassing power and unrelenting purpose cannot be resisted:

Zechariah emphasizes the irresistible power of God: “The Lord of Hosts” (“Lord who rules over all,” NET) occurs 35 times.

I. EIGHT VISIONS (1:1-6:8): The book opens with an introductory appeal to the people to repent and return to God unlike their fathers who rejected the warnings of the prophets (1:1-6). A few months later, Zechariah has a series of eight night visions, evidently in one troubled night. The first five are visions of comfort, and the last three are visions of judgment. The angel who speaks with him interprets the visions, but some of the symbols are not explained.

Zechariah: Your King is coming!

Live with confidence in His unseen power and unfulfilled promises.

Vision

Horses Among the Trees Four Horns & Four Craftsmen Man with the Measuring Line Cleansing of Joshua Golden Lampstand & Olive Trees Flying Scroll Woman in Basket Four Chariots

What they knew ...

Their depressing circumstances The power of their enemies About Jerusalem Their adversary Responsibility to be light Present sins Widespread evil Need for God in chaos

What they didn’t know ...

The presence of a watching angel God’s plan to destroy the enemies Jerusalem’s glorious future Their divine advocate Supernatural resources Response to sin God would purge evil God would win

*from the notes on Zechariah, by Tom Constable II. THE CROWNING OF JOSHUA (6:9-15): The crowning of Joshua (6:9-15) anticipates the coming of

the Branch who will be King and Priest (the composite crown).

III. FOUR MESSAGES (7-8): In response to a question about the continuation of the fasts (7:1-3), God gives Zechariah a series of four messages—a rebuke of empty ritualism, a reminder of past disobedience, the restoration and consolation of Israel, and the recovery of joy in the kingdom. God’s point is that it is more important how you live than how you fast (7:8-14). Rather than celebrating the fasts of the exile to commemorate their past failures, they should now commemorate the feasts to celebrate God’s blessing in the land.

IV. TWO BURDENS: The first burden (9-11) primarily concerns the First Advent and rejection of Israel’s coming King. The second burden (12-14) primarily concerns the Second Advent of Christ and the acceptance of Israel’s King. The Jews of Jesus’ day had missed the distinction between these two imbedded events. Like all the prophecies concerning the coming career of Messiah-King, we know now that the prophet was describing two events that were blurred into one. This is the “telescopic” or “foreshortening” principle of understanding prophecy. The prophets are presenting two mountain peaks—the First and Second Coming of Messiah—but not the valley in between—the time of the Gentiles, the Church Age. With New Testament perspective, we see this foreshortening in Zechariah.

9:9 speaks of the 1

st

st Advent, 9:10, the 2nd. 11:7-16 speaks of the 1 Advent, chapter 12, the 2nd. 13:7

st speaks of the 1 Advent, 13:8-9, the 2 . Peter describes this dynamic and our need to carefully divide

the Scriptures: “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ (1st Advent) and his subsequent glory (2nd Advent)” (1 Pet 1:10-11)

ZECHARIAH AND YOU: Your King is coming! Evil happens, but God will eventually defeat evil. His power cannot be resisted and His purposes cannot be thwarted. He is moving history toward His end, despite human and Satanic opposition. Even though we live in times of darkness and discouragement, we should live with the unshakeable confidence in His presence, power, and promises. What is hard in your life right now? What difficult or discouraging assignment have you received from God?

“‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.” (The Lord of Hosts to Zerubbabel, Zechariah 4:6)

For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comprehension, because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” (Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

QUESTIONS: Where does it hurt? What don’t you understand? Take that hurt and that confusion and plant it into a garden of trust and hope. Don’t put your faith in circumstance; put your faith in the Rejected One who will be crowned in His Kingdom!

nd

Study Notes Ed Underwood

Haggai: Finish the Task! “I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord who rules over all.” (Haggai 2:7)

The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for Him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11).

The Jews had been living in exile in Babylonia for 70 years. They had not been able to practice their formal worship as the Mosaic Law prescribed, because the Babylonians had destroyed their Temple and they had no authorized altar for sacrifices. They were forced to settle for private and public prayers while facing toward Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10). They gathered in synagogues to hear the Law read and worship God in exile.

Imagine their joy when King Cyrus of Persia allowed them to return to their land in 538 B.C. The first wave of 50,000 Jewish pilgrims returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel. They enthusiastically rebuilt the brazen altar and resumed offering sacrifices, and laid the foundation for the reconstruction of the second Temple. They even celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles that first year. Envision their discouragement when Samaritan leaders with ties to the Persian authorities resisted their Temple construction. The former exiles felt threatened and unable to accomplish God’s first priority for the returning remnant—reestablish worship that glorifies Him. They went about their daily routine, and concentrated on rebuilding their lives—their businesses, their homes, and their farms—while ignoring their mandate to rebuild the Temple.

Sixteen years later, God called Haggai and Zechariah to expose their misplaced priorities and challenge them to rebuild the Temple, because God had greater plans for them than they ever imagined. In 520 B.C. Haggai delivered four short messages in four months. His message was simple and focused: Rebuild the Temple, because God has chosen you to glorify Him worldwide. The Temple is described as God’s dwelling place on earth, a center of worship, and as a symbol to the nations of YHWH’s greatness. “Interestingly, Haggai’s message has none of the elements so characteristic of the other biblical prophets. For instance, he wrote no diatribe against idolatry. He said nothing of social ills and abuses of the legal system, nor did he preach against adultery or syncretism. His one theme was rebuilding God’s temple.” (Robert L. Alden, “Haggai,” in Daniel-Minor Prophets, vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 573)

This little book is a reminder to God’s people of all generations to assess their priorities, and to persevere against discouraging opposition in doing His will: Haggai’s words are emphatically authoritative: “Thus says the Lord” occurs 26 times in 38 verses.

I. CHALLENGE TO FINISH THE TEMPLE: In his first sermon, Haggai calls the nation back to their God-given priority—build the temple—and tells them that they have been living with the wrong priorities (1:1-15). Then, a month later, the prophet promises that the glory of the temple they are about to build will be greater than Solomon’s! (2:1-9)

Haggai: Rearrange your priorities and get on with serving God!

Messiah: The promise in Chapter 2, verse 9, pointed ahead to the crucial role the Second Temple would

have in God’s redemptive plan. Herod the Great would later spend a fortune on the project by enlarging and

enriching this temple. And it would be filled with the glory of God incarnate every time Christ came to

Jerusalem and entered the Temple. This is the same Temple Haggai’s audience was being challenged to

build.

II. PROMISE TO RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSING: Now joined by the voice of Zechariah, Haggai explains the perverse nature of evil and the problem of defilement in his third sermon. He promises God’s blessing to be upon the people, but they must repent and obey (2:10-19). Then, in the final sermon, Haggai promises God’s future blessings of His people demonstrated in his destruction of the nations and the future recognition of Zerubbabel (2:20-23).

HAGGAI AND YOU: The path of a follower of the Lord Jesus isn’t an easy one. Though He always provides the power and He is always with us, He asks us to do some hard things. Nevertheless, there is usually an initial enthusiasm for following Him, but invariably opposition and hardship discourage us. Haggai’s call to the returnees to finish the task exposes four common problems discouraged followers of God face that may make us lose heart and abandon our assignment.

Think of that one assignment the Lord Jesus has given you that now seems unattainable. Or maybe that one goal you’ve abandoned because of discouragement, opposition, and failure. Here are four mistakes we make that sidetrack us from our goals in Christ and in life:

1.Misplaced Priorities: The returnees got busy with everything else in life but building the Temple.Their days were filled with good things, but not the most important thing. Initial enthusiasm is great for getting started. But if we’re thinking that the initial enthusiasm we have for any ministry assignment or worthwhile endeavor in life will sustain us, we’re dreaming. A sure sign of maturity in life and in Christ is the understanding that “it” is always going to be much harder than we first envision. If we’re not prepared for hardship, we’ll turn our efforts and time toward secondary priorities, and convince ourselves that they are far more important than they really are in the long view or from God’s perspective.

2. Loss of Perspective: During the first year of rebuilding the Temple they were discouraged by comparison and intimidation. Some of the older people were telling them that the foundation they were laying was nothing compared to the greatness of Solomon’s Temple, and the Samaritans were telling them that they would persecute them if they didn’t stop building. Forgetting that they were called by their great big God to build this Temple, not Solomon’s, and forgetting that He is the God of history, they stopped building. When times are tough our naysayers and enemies feel far more persuasive and powerful than they actually are. If we’re not growing in our appreciation of the power and presence of our God, we’ll blow up our problems in our mind and quit.

3. Excessive Fears: Suddenly it seemed as if everything and everyone had turned against them, and they began to imagine frightening scenarios. And then those scenarios became so real in their minds that it froze them. Their Gentile tormentors and enemies would do “this” or “that” if we resisted them. If we’re not spending time in our Father’s Word and with His Son, His promises become less and less real to us, and the lies of our enemies and the possibilities of our problems become more and more “real.”

4. Unrealistic Expectations: The postexilic community thought that returning to the land would solve all their problems. Instead, their problems just began. “Why is this so hard?” Why aren’t we having more success?” Why don’t I see results?” are questions that we all ask. But when we become sidetracked by our naïve expectations, we’ll begin to either blame God for not “blessing” us in this endeavor, or we’ll decide that He must not have been “in this.”

QUESTION: What is that one area of your life where you’ve allowed the discouragement of hardship to sidetrack you? Tell a friend or your HUB group your frustrations and sit down with the Book of Haggai for insights on how to get back on track.

Study Notes Ed Underwood

Zephaniah: Judgment and Deliverance in the Day of the Lord

“Be alert before the Lord God, for the Lord’s day of judgment is almost here.” (Zephaniah 1:7) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the

Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11).

Zephaniah was the great grandson of godly King Hezekiah of Judah. His name, “Yahweh hides,” probably means that he was one of the descendants of David hidden from the atrocities of evil King Manasseh. As royalty, Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem and spoke primarily to the leaders and the privileged of Jerusalem during the reign of his relative, King Josiah.

The prophet spoke to Judah during a time of relative peace and top-down reform under Josiah. However, the fifty years of enforced idolatry and gratuitous injustice and immorality had entrenched the Judean society in wickedness and rebellion against God. King Josiah’s reforms failed to penetrate the culture, and the Babylonians were emerging as a powerful enemy.

God sent Zephaniah to tell Judah to embrace Josiah’s reforms in their hearts. He warns them of the coming Day of the Lord—a phrase repeated 23 times in only 3 chapters! Obadiah and Joel introduced the concept of the Day of the Lord, but Zephaniah speaks more of the ultimate Day of the Lord when God will destroy His enemies, remake creation, and keep all of His promises to Israel and Gentiles who trust in Him. The Day of the Lord is any “day,” or time, in history when God intervenes dramatically to control human events. “Zephaniah’s purpose was to announce coming judgment on Judah in the Day of the Lord. However, he said that judgment would extend to all the nations of the earth, indicating that the Day of the Lord would also bring deliverance of Israel and the Gentiles.” (Charles H. Dyer, The Old Testament Explorer, p. 809)

This little book is a grim reminder to those who oppose God that He is not ignoring their callous rebellion. But it also offers great hope to all who trust in the God of Zephaniah:

Zephaniah: Rejoice in the assurance of the coming Day of the Lord!

The Lord Jesus alluded to this Minor Prophet on two occasions (Matthew 13:41; 24:29) to connect Zephaniah’s Day of the Lord with His Second Coming.

I. JUDGMENT IN THE DAY OF THE LORD: The prophetical oracle begins with an awesome statement of God’s coming judgment upon all the earth because of the sins of humanity. The Day of the Lord will come with wrath and irrevocability, and God will have the last word. (1:1-3:8)

1. JUDGMENT ON THE WHOLE EARTH AND JUDAH: God vows to make an end to both humanity and the animal world (1:2-3). Zephaniah then concentrates on the judgment of Judah (1:4-18), listing some of her offenses. Judah is poisoned with idolatrous priests who promote the worship of Baal and nature. Her leaders are completely corrupt. However, by His grace, Yahweh appeals to His people to repent and humblethemselves to avert the coming disaster before it’s too late (2:1-3). (1:4-2:3)

2. JUDGMENT ON JUDAH’S NEIGHBORS AND JERUSALEM: Like Amos before him in the north, Zephaniah pronounces God’s coming judgment on the nations that surround Judah (2:4-15). Then he turns his attention to Jerusalem, the city of his ancestor, David (3:1-8). Like the pagan nations around her, Jerusalem

“is disobedient; she refuses correction. She does not trust the Lord; she does not seek the advice of her God”

(3:2). (2:4-15)

II. DELIVERANCE AND BLESSING IN THE DAY OF THE LORD: Zephaniah assures his readers who trust in His God that the Day of the Lord isn’t all bad news. God’s dramatic intervention in history will bring deliverance and blessing to those who turn to God. (3:9-20)

A. FUTURE BLESSINGS FOR GENTILES: With imagery from humanity’s original rebellion at Babel, Zephaniah looks forward to the time when human language will become a unifying factor and God’s people will gather from all nations to worship Him. (3:9-10)

B. FUTURE BLESSINGS FOR ISRAEL: The remnant of Israel will be gathered, redeemed and restored. They will rejoice in their Redeemer, and He will be in their midst. (3:11-20)

ZEPHANIAH AND YOU: The Day of the Lord is a consistent theme of the Bible. I believe Zephaniah speaks of several “days” of the Lord. The day of judgment when the Babylonians would take Judeans into captivity and the day of blessing when God returned them to the Land. The future day of judgment for Israel during the Great Tribulation and its day of blessing during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. However, the most specific Day of the Lord Zephaniah pictures and Jesus and the Apostles spoke of is the coming Day of the Lord when God will destroy sin by recreating the heavens and the earth after the Millennium. 2 Peter 3 is the “Zephaniah of the New Testament.”

1. Just as in the days of Zephaniah, doubters and critics will always say that prophecies concerning the Day of the Lord are invalid because God hasn’t intervened in human history as dramatically as the writers of Scripture predict (2 Peter 3:1-10). Don’t make that mistake! Just as He did at His Incarnation, Jesus will show up again. He will fulfill every Biblical prediction concerning His Second Coming.

2. Just as in the days of Zephaniah, God’s people are given something to do until the Day of the Lord arrives. For us, it is to join God in His relentless pursuit of those who need to turn to Him (2 Peter 3:8-9). This is a great motivator for us! We can become part of the answer to our Breakthrough Prayer to bring us 250 more who are folded into our redeemed community. Please pray for the privilege of reaching just one who is outside of the grace and mercy of God in your world by name.

3. Just as in the days of Zephaniah, our society is irreversibly polluted by injustice and rebellion against God. The solution isn’t top-down through reform and legislation. This doesn’t mean we’re not politically astute and active. It means that our hope isn’t in America; it’s in our God. Our sin, the sin of humanity is too severe to be “fixed” by earthly reform. God will have to intervene by recreating everything to erase the impact of our sin.

   The only deliverance from sin is through Jesus’ work on the Cross. The only final solution for sin’s stain on Creation is the Day of the Lord.

Messiah: Jesus associated Zephaniah’s day of the Lord with His second advent, making it clear that He is the One who will fulfill the great promises of the prophet.

Study Notes Ed Underwood

Habakkuk God’s Judgment of Cruel Empires

“Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness” (Habakkuk 2:4).

The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11).

Habakkuk spoke to the generation of Judeans who lived under the reign of evil King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim and the leaders of Judah were leading the nation toward disaster. Wickedness and unrighteousness were everywhere. Few everyday Judeans followed the law, and the rich and powerful ignored the law’s command that they treat one another justly. In the face of the growing threat of the ascending Babylonians, Judah had put her faith in unrighteous treaties with Assyria and Egypt, rather than her God.

The prophet calls out to God to stop tolerating the evil and injustice in Judah. “Do something about this mess,” Habakkuk prays. And God answered: “Don’t worry! I’m planning to send the Chaldeans, a people even more corrupt than Judah, to chasten my people.” When Habakkuk reacts with shock and dismay, God patiently instructs His messenger until at last the prophet responds with a psalm of praise.

Habakkuk honestly struggles with the way God orders the events of history and the injustice He seems to tolerate. “The prophet asked some of the most penetrating questions in all literature, and the answers are basic to a proper view of God and his relation to history. If God’s initial response sounded the death knell for any strictly nationalistic covenant theology of Judah, his second reply outlined in a positive sense the fact that all history was hastening to a conclusion that was [as] certain as it was satisfying.” (J. Ronald Blue, “Habakkuk,” in Daniel-Malachi, vol. 7 of The Expositor’ s Bible Commentary, pp. 495-496)

Like Jonah, Habakkuk’s book records a dialogue between him and God, but with key contrasts:

Jonah

Habakkuk

God called on Jonah Jonah ran from God Prayer and trouble Ends in foolishness Salvation of God to the Gentiles In the fish

Habakkuk called on God Habakkuk ran to God Prayer after trouble Ends in faith Sovereignty of God over the Gentiles On the watchtower (2:4)

God responds to Habakkuk’s honest struggle with some of the most perplexing problems believers face in Habakkuk 2:4. Many consider as the theme verse for the entire Old Testament: “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity (or “righteous”) will live because of his faithfulness (“honesty, integrity, reliability, faithfulness” in his relationship to God).”

God inspired Habakkuk’s prophecy to vindicate His justice so that His people would have hope.

Habakkuk: When this world gets you down, keep talking and listening to God ...

And, be faithful to Him and trust Him for the results!

I. HABAKKUK’S PROTEST: “God, this is unfair and unjust!” In the first dialogue Habakkuk asks God how long He will allow the wickedness of Judah to go unpunished (1:1-4).

II. GOD’S RESPONSE: “Don’t worry; I’ve got this!” God’s startling answer is given in 1:5-11: He is raising up the fierce Babylonians as His rod of judgment upon sinful Judah. The Chaldeans will come against Judah swiftly, violently, and completely. The coming storm from the east will be God’s answer to Judah’s crimes.

III. HABAKKUK’S PROTEST: “God, this is ridiculous; this is even more unfair and more unjust!” God’s answer to the first question leads to the second protest in 1:12-2:1. The prophet is more perplexed than ever and asks God how the righteous God can punish Judah with a nation that is even more wicked. Will the God whose eyes are too pure to approve evil reward the Babylonians for their cruelty and idolatry? Habakkuk stands upon a watchtower to wait for God’s reply.

IV. GOD’S RESPONSE: “Trust Me; I’ll vindicate the righteous and destroy the wicked!” The Lord answers with a series of five woes. God is aware of the sins of the Babylonians, and they will not escape His terrible judgment. But Judah is guilty of the same offenses and stands under the same condemnation. Yahweh concludes His answer with a statement of His sovereign majesty: “But the Lord is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence” (2:20).

1. Habakkuk 2:4 sums up the entire message of the Old Testament. It’s been translated two ways through the centuries:

   1. “Beholdtheproud,Hissoulisnotuprightinhim;butthejustshalllivebyfaith”(NKJV).

   2. “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of

      integrity will live because of his faithfulness” (NET Bible).

   3. I prefer the NET Bible because I feel it is truer to the Hebrew text. The Hebrew word, emunah, translated “faith” in the NKJV, nowhere else refers to “faith.” Its usage carries the idea of “honesty, integrity, reliability, and faithfulness” in someone’s conduct. The person this word refers to is the person of “integrity” or the “righteous” one. Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted three times in the New Testament—Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. In all three the emphasis is on the contrast between the way those who do not belong to God live and those who do believe in God. In Romans 1:17, the righteous are living by faith in the gospel. In Galatians 3:11, the righteous are justified before God because they are living by faith. In Hebrews 10:38, the righteous ones who live by faith are not shrinking back from their faith in the Superior Christ.

2. The thrust of the verse is therefore the same whether we are emphasizing the faithful life or the faith that a faithful life requires. The context is trusting God when He seems unfair and the contrast is between those who do not live for Him and those who do.

V. HABAKKUK’S PRAISE: “My trust is in you because you will never be outwitted or frustrated.” Habakkuk concludes his book with a psalm of praise in 3:19. He now acknowledges God’s wisdom in the coming invasion of Judah, and though it terrifies him, he will trust in the Lord. God’s creative and redemptive work in the past, gives the prophet confidence in the divine purposes, and hope at a time when he would otherwise despair. “I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!” (Habakkuk 3:18)

HABAKKUK AND YOU: Habakkuk 2:4 is like a lock that opens the door to the life that makes sense even when this world doesn’t. The trust that leads to a life of faithfulness to God in spite of circumstances is the great divider of the way we face hardship, injustice, and unfairness. Habakkuk: We struggle; we protest; we wait; and we decide whether to get up and trust Him one more day by staying faithful to Him.

Messiah: The word “salvation” appears two times (3:13, 18) and is the root word from which the name

“Jesus” is derived (Matthew 1:21). When He comes again, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of

the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (2:14).

Study Notes Ed Underwood

Nahum God’s Judgment of Cruel Empires

The Lord is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him (Nahum 1:7). The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther)

The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11).

Nahum prophesied the destruction of Nineveh to encourage the people of Judah. Surrounded by high walls, fortified with two hundred towers, encircled by a deep moat, Nineveh was truly an invincible and impregnable fortress—or so the Ninevites thought! Nahum foretold that this proud city and its inhabitants would be powerless to stand before God’s coming wrath. In the 100 years since Jonah’s remarkable revival, the people of Nineveh had returned to their defiant, immoral ways. Nahum’s preaching is not a call to repentance (like Jonah’s), but a decree of death for an evil and cruel people who have worn out the patience of God.

The name “Nahum” means “comfort” or “consolation.” His message of the destruction of Nineveh would be a comfort to the nations she had oppressed. Like Jonah, who prophesied about 100 years earlier, Nahum directed his message against Nineveh, the city originally founded by Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-12). The revival in response to Jonah’s message of judgment about 760 BC was short-lived. In 722 BC, Sargon II of Assyria destroyed Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and scattered the ten tribes. Led by Sennacherib, the Assyrians also came close to capturing Jerusalem in the reign of King Hezekiah in 701 BC. By the time of Nahum (660 BC), Assyria reached the zenith of its prosperity and power under Ashurbanipal. Nineveh became the mightiest city on earth with fortifications that seemed and resources to withstand a twenty-year siege. Nahum’s prophecy of the capital’s overthrow seemed unlikely indeed.

Nahum was the master poet of the prophets who has been called the poet laureate among the Minor Prophets. “His reverence for the almighty, trust in divine justice and goodness, condemnation of national iniquity, positive conviction that God will keep His word—these are qualities of true greatness. Add to that Nahum’s mighty intellect, his patriotism and courage, his rare, almost unequaled, gift of vivid presentation, and he indeed looms as one of those outstanding figures in human history who have appeared only at rare intervals.” (Walter A. Maier, The Book of Nahum: A Commentary, p. 20)

Jonah

Nahum

The Mercy of God 760 BC Repentance of Nineveh Emphasis on the Prophet Disobedient Prophet Obedient Nineveh Deliverance from Water

The Judgment of God 660 BC Callous Cruelty of Nineveh Emphasis on the Prophecy Obedient Prophet Disobedient Nineveh Destruction by Water

Nahum: God is a refuge for His people!

God calls Nahum to proclaim the coming destruction of Nineveh in order to encourage and comfort Judah.

I. THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH DECREED: Nahum prophesies that judgment is certain on Nineveh because it plotted against God. This is a message of comfort to the people of Judah (1:15). The threat of Assyrian invasion will soon be over. (1)

II. THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH DESCRIBED: Nahum prophetically describes the defeat of Nineveh showing that God is the judge to encourage the people of Judah to realize that God is more powerful than the mighty Assyrian empire. Assyria will be conquered, but Judah will be restored. Nineveh is burned and cut off forever. (2)

III. THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH DESERVED: Nahum declares the reasons for judgment on Nineveh in order to encourage Judah to remember that God is in control and will fight for His people because they are under the covenant. The city is cruel and corrupt. With all of its resources it cannot forestall divine judgment. (3)

NAHUM AND YOU: This book is specifically about God’s judgment on Nineveh and the Assyrians. The broader truths of God’s judgment of evil in this world and His care and protection of His people are relevant to any generation. Here are a few thoughts about how we can apply Nahum to our daily lives:

1. Historic Sweep! The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished (Nahum 1:3). The reasons God brought Nineveh and the Assyrians down are the same reasons He will humble any world power. Any nation or movement that thirsts for conquest, practices cruelty and brutality to oppress others, tyrannizes the weak and innocent, and worships false gods can expect Nineveh’s fate. Ultimately, God’s justice will prevail.

2. Prophetic Precision! Nahum predicted that Nineveh would fall due to an “overwhelming flood” (1:8), and this is exactly what occurred. Extra-biblical historical sources record twelve specific fulfillments of details of Nahum’s prophecies. The Tigris River overflowed its banks and the flood destroyed part of Nineveh’s “impregnable” wall. The Medes/Babylonians invaded through this breach in the wall, plundered the proud but cruel city, and set it on fire. Nahum also predicted that Nineveh would “be hidden” from history (3:11). Again, after its destruction in 612 B.C., archeologists did not discover the city’s ruins until 1842 A.D.

3. Comfort and Protection! The LORD is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress and he protects those who seek refuge in him (1:7). This is a mean and sin-stained planet. Enemies rise and fall; world powers rise and fall; God’s people are treated unfairly, even cruelly. But through it all we can depend on Him. He is our only good and sure Protector and our only dependable refuge.

Messiah: Though there are no direct messianic prophecies in Nahum, the divine attributes described in 1:2-

8 picture Christ’s work as the judge of the nations in His second advent.

Study Notes Ed Underwood

Micah: God’s People in Court He has told you, O man, what is good and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God. (Micah 6:8)

The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther)

The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11).

Micah prophesied in the days of Jotham (739-731 BC), Ahaz (731-715 BC), and Hezekiah (715-686 BC), kings of Judah. Although Micah dealt primarily with Judah, he also addressed the northern kingdom of Israel and predicted the fall of Samaria (1:6). Much of his ministry, therefore, took place before the Assyrian captivity of Israel in 722 BC. His strong denunciation of idolatry and immorality also suggest that his ministry largely preceded the revival and sweeping reforms of Hezekiah. During Micah’s time, the kingdom of Israel continued to crumble inwardly and outwardly until its collapse. The Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-pileser III, Shalmeneser V, Sargon II, and Sennacherib reached the zenith of its power and became a constant threat to Judah. A contemporary of Hosea in the northern kingdom and of Isaiah in the court of Jerusalem, Micah was not as aware of the political situation as Isaiah, but he showed a profound concern for the sufferings of the people. His prediction of future Babylonian captivity for Judah (4:10) must have seemed ridiculous to his countrymen since Babylon was still under strong Assyrian domination and Hezekiah’s future successful campaign against the Assyrians seemed impossible.

Micah’s message alternates between threat and hope—threat of judgment due to disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant, and hope of restoration due to God’s promises to His people. Like Amos, Micah exposed the people’s failures in social justice. Unlike Amos, Micah encouraged the believing remnant with exciting insights into the career and kingdom of its coming King.

“Micah’s doctrine of the remnant is unique among the Prophets and is perhaps his most significant contribution to the prophetic theology of hope. The remnant is a force in the world, not simply a residue of people, as the word ‘remnant’ (she’erit) may seem to imply. It is a force that will ultimately conquer the world (4:11-13). This triumph, while presented in apparently militaristic terminology (4:13; 5:5-6), is actually accomplished by other than physical force [cf. Matt.5:3-12]. By removing everything that robs his people of complete trust in him (5:10-15), the Ruler from Bethlehem will effect the deliverance of his people. The source of power for God’s people in the world is their absolute trust in him and his resources.” (T.E. McComiskey, “Micah,” in Daniel-Minor Prophets, vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p 399.)

The Book of Micah divides between three oracles, each beginning with the command to “listen.” Each message of judgment is important, but there is also mention of restoration of a remnant. Ultimately God would restore the descendants of Jacob to a position of world leadership under their Messiah.

I. LISTEN, ALL YOU NATIONS! Judgment is coming on Israel and Judah, but the nation will ultimately be restored. (chapters 1-2)

Micah: The Ruler from Bethlehem will establish justice in this world.

Until then, promote justice; be faithful, and live obediently before your God!

Beginning with a general declaration of the condemnation of both Israel and Judah, Micah declares both kingdoms will be overthrown because of their rampant treachery. He uses a series of wordplays on the names of several cities of Judah in his lamentation over Judah’s coming destruction (1:10-16). This is followed by some specific causes for judgment: premeditated schemes, covetousness, and cruelty. Nevertheless, God will regather a remnant of his people (2:12-13).

II. LISTEN, YOU LEADERS OF JACOB, AND YOU RULERS OF THE NATION ISRAEL!

Blessing will follow judgment. (chapters -5)

In the previous oracle Micah emphasized judgment and devoted only two verses to blessing (2:12-13). In this oracle 1/3 contains judgment (chapter 3), while 2/3 emphasize blessing (chapters 4-5). Micah systematically condemns the princes (3:1-4) and the prophets (3:5-8) and concludes with a warning of coming judgment (3:9-12). Then Micah moves into a two-chapter message of hope, which describes the reinstitution of the kingdom (4:1-5) and the intervening captivity of the kingdom (4:6-5:1), concluding with the coming Ruler of the Kingdom (5:2-15). The prophetic focus gradually narrows from the nations to the remnant to the King.

III. LISTEN, TO WHAT THE LORD SAYS! The third oracle summarizes what the prophet has already said and adds an appeal to God on behalf of his countrymen. (chapters 6-7)

In his two controversies with His people, God calls them into court and presents an unanswerable case against them. The people have spurned God’s grace, choosing instead to revel in wickedness. Micah concluded with an amazing series of appeals to the character of the Lord and His promises to pardon Israel’s iniquity and renew the nation in accordance with His covenant.

MICAH AND YOU: Micah’s writings provide some of the clearest day-to-day guidance for God’s people of every generation. That guidance is summed up in the theme verse of the book, Micah 6:8: He has told you, O man, what is good and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.

1. Promote justice! Live and encourage the principles of what will be true in the world to come—the Kingdom of God—in the here and now world. (2:1, 8-9; 3:11; 6:11) Two questions: (1) Do you factor in God’s love for the poor in your politics? (2) Are you involved in a ministry to the poor and oppressed in your community?

 

2. Be faithful! Love God and others loyally by delivering on your capacity and commitments to meet their needs in the power of Christ. The prophecy of Micah gives us hope, in spite of the injustices and wickedness of this world. Our unshakeable confidence in Jesus Christ, the Ruler from Bethlehem, gives us courage to extend mercy to those in our world, to love them loyally. We live for the world to come, when He will reign and this world will be perfectly just! (2:13; 4:1-7; 5:1-9)

3. Live obediently before your God! Walk humbly and without arrogance in fellowship with God pursuing His priorities and will for your life instead of your own. God’s grace gives us power. Our absolute trust in Him and His resources is the source of our power (5:10-15). His unconditional love for His people is the source of our confidence (7:18-20).

Messiah: Micah 5:2 is one of the clearest and most important Old Testament prophecies: “But you,

Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth

to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This

prophecy about the birth and eternality of the Messiah was made seven hundred years before His birth. The

chief priests and scribes paraphrased this verse in Matthew 2:5-6 when questioned about the birthplace of

Messiah.