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Habakkuk – The Burden Prophet (2 of 4)

Focus Text: Habakkuk 1.12-2.1

Habakkuk’s second complaint went like this:

“Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction. You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he? Why do You make men like fish of the sea, Like creeping things that…  ( Click for more )

Habakkuk – The Burden Prophet (1 of 4)

Focus Text: Habakkuk 1.1-4

“The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw. O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ And You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.” (Habakkuk 1.1-4).

Perhaps Habakkuk’s…  ( Click for more )

Morality – Let Me Define it!

Focus Text: 1 John 3.4

At the very beginning of the Bible God set forth the idea that there is such a thing as good, there is such a thing as evil, and there is a discernable difference between the two. In fact, this distinction is contained in the very first account of God’s dealings with man. The inspired writer recorded, “And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of…  ( Click for more )

Micah – Prophet of Uncompromising Principles (4 of 4)

Focus Text: Micah 7.14-20

Micah, as we have clearly seen, was a prophet of uncompromising principles. He was also a man of great passion and empathy. He spoke straight from his heart and yet delivered candid and cutting messages of impending destruction upon rebellious Israel. One might think that a person of this demeanor and thought might lose sight of God’s mercy and goodness. Yet, this was far from the case with Micah; he was a man of strict principle and undiminished hope based upon God’s…  ( Click for more )

Micah – Prophet of Uncompromising Principles (3 of 4)

Focus Text: Micah 6.6-8

Ritualism had become a way of life among the children of Israel. Warning upon warning had been delivered by God’s faithful prophets; warnings to forsake the cold and heartless worship practices into which they had fallen and to turn their hearts back to their Redeemer. Yet, to a large measure these pleas had fallen on deaf ears; rituals replaced virtues and rites replaced what was right. Micah was but one of the voices that cried out against this great wrong but his eloquence…  ( Click for more )

Micah – Prophet of Uncompromising Principles (2 of 4)

Focus Text: Micah 3.1-7

Times were not ordinary during Micah’s life. Sin had reached a point in the culture of Israel such that the patience of God had been exceeded. Now that is a frightening statement! Take a deep breath before reading the following words from Micah’s pen; to a believer, they are chilling words which cut the heart and tell of man’s most fearsome fate.

“And I said: ‘Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know…  ( Click for more )

Micah – Prophet of Uncompromising Principles (1 of 4)

Focus Text: Micah 1.8-12

The focus text (Micah 1.8-12) has been called by some the Lamentations of Micah. We will examine this text, the circumstances that surrounded it, and gain significant insight into Micah’s character at the same time.

The situation in the land of the Jews was bleak! Idolatry had made tremendous strides into the hearts and practices of “God’s people.” They had been warned about idolatrous worship from of old, yet many of the descendents of Abraham plunged…  ( Click for more )

Achieving Sainthood

Focus Text: Philippians 1.1-2

“Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1.1-2).

Note the use of the word saints in the preceding quote. Notice that the book of Philippians was written to “…the saints… in Philippi.” Note also that others addressed in the greeting were “…the bishops and deacons.” There are several…  ( Click for more )

Amos – Shepherd Prophet of Judgment (5 of 5)

Focus Text: Amos 9.11-15

From our brief overview of the ministry of Amos, we have seen that he rightly could be called the Shepherd Prophet of Judgment; his pronouncements of doom were frequent, forceful, and sometimes downright frightening. However, lest one get the idea that there is not a glimmer of hope in Amos, we must conclude with a look at the last five verses of his book.

“‘On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its…  ( Click for more )

Amos – Shepherd Prophet of Judgment (4 of 5)

Focus Text: Amos 7.10-17

Godly men have always been the subject of ridicule and persecution; Amos was certainly not an exception. Consider the following paragraph from the life of Amos, the Shepherd Prophet of Israel.

“Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said: “Jeroboam shall die by the sword, And Israel shall surely be led away…  ( Click for more )

Focus Text: Amos 4.1-5

One of the important but often misunderstood facets of biblical inspiration is that God used the personalities and vocabulary of His prophets in delivering His word. By paying attention to the approach and language a prophet takes to a particular situation, one can gain insight into the prophet’s personality and character. By reading these clues, one does not have to be a super detective to learn that a couple of Amos’ strong points were his candor and his passion. We will note some passages…  ( Click for more )

Amos – Shepherd Prophet of Judgment (2 of 5)

Focus Text: Amos 3.1-8

Amos has a powerful and memorable way of putting things; his hearers/readers can not help but pay attention; they can’t help but be impressed by his words. Some of the reasons are evident in the paragraph that follows.

“Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying: ‘You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.’…  ( Click for more )

Focus Text: Amos 1.1,7.14-15

“The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.” (Amos 1.1). There had been other prophets from among the ranks of the shepherds and there would be others. However, had been more blunt or to the point than Amos. His speech was picturesque and drew upon his upbringing and his occupation.

God’s call…  ( Click for more )

Jeremiah – Words from the Heart (4 of 4)

Focus Text: Jeremiah 26

Courage and perseverance go hand in hand and Jeremiah was well acquainted with both virtues; notice the following example.

“So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, ‘You will surely die! Why have you prophesied in the…  ( Click for more )

Jeremiah – Words from the Heart (3 of 4)

Focus Text: Jeremiah 36

One who knows the prophets cannot think about Jeremiah without thinking about his courage. From the world’s perspective, Jeremiah was a failure. He was frequently isolated, alone, lonely, and incessantly persecuted during his ministry. Yet, in spite of all the hardships that Jeremiah endured, he never quit! His desire to please God was greater than his desire for personal comforts and popularity. Even after years and years of teaching and preaching, Jerusalem and Judah were not greatly…  ( Click for more )

Jeremiah – Words from the Heart (2 of 4)

Focus Text: Lamentations 3.48-51

Writing about Jeremiah without mentioning compassion would be like writing about our solar system without mentioning the sun; compassion is at the very center of Jeremiah’s writings, feelings, and personality. We will explore a couple of texts which illustrate this fact.

“My eyes overflow with rivers of water For the destruction of the daughter of my people. My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption, Till the LORD from heaven Looks down and sees. My eyes bring suffering…  ( Click for more )

Jeremiah – Words from the Heart (1 of 4)

Focus Text: Jeremiah 1.4-10

Jeremiah is frequently referred to as the weeping prophet and this with good cause. In the book of Lamentations he wrote, “The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground and keep silence; They throw dust on their heads And gird themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem Bow their heads to the ground. My eyes fail with tears, My heart is troubled; My bile is poured on the ground Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, Because the children and the infants…  ( Click for more )

Lighter than Vanity

Focus Text: Psalm 62.8-9

Ever seen a greased pig contest at a fair - Boys and girls together in a circular area chasing a small but deliberately greased pig? It is chaos! Every one chasing an animal that has a mind of its own only to be disappointed when they lay a hand on the poor pig who wriggles away and escapes yet another time to a more distant and deserted area of the ring. Practically speaking, if the pig doesn’t tire, no one would catch the animal. Life can be like that greased pig! Let me explain.

The psalmist wrote, “Trust…  ( Click for more )

Joel – Prophet of the Day of the Lord (4 of 4)

Focus Text: Joel 2.28-32

Joel’s amazing view of Pentecost (see the focus text) was one which could only have had its origin in heaven! No Jew would have willingly spoken of the day the Gentiles would be redeemed, nor would Jewish readers generally appreciated hearing such a message. From that perspective, it is an amazing thing that the message was ever delivered and also that it survived the cultural environment in which it was delivered and preserved. The Jews certainly did not relish the idea of preserving a book…  ( Click for more )

Joel – Prophet of the Day of the Lord (3 of 4)

Focus Text: Joel 2.28-32

Joel was not a prophet who sought to be politically correct; we have already established that from our overview of a few of his works and motives. However, neither was he a prophet only of doom and gloom. In fact, the latter part of the second chapter of Joel contains one of the brightest and most exciting prophecies in all 66 books of God’s word! Today’s message will focus on the hope that Joel had and the hope that he imparted to others through his prophetic office.

“And…  ( Click for more )

Joel – Prophet of the Day of the Lord (2 of 4)

Focus Text: Joel 1.1-5

"The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel. Hear this, you elders, And give ear, all you inhabitants of the land! Has anything like this happened in your days, Or even in the days of your fathers? Tell your children about it, Let your children tell their children, And their children another generation. What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust…  ( Click for more )

Joel – Prophet of the Day of the Lord (1 of 4)

Focus Text: Joel

There is great debate over the time period in which the book of Joel was written and the exact conditions that prevailed, conditions which compelled him to write with such vivid picture words and phrases. But, there can be little debate over the fact that Joel was absolutely focused on the coming day of the Lord. In his little three chapter book, he used this phrase at least once in each chapter. This repetition was doubtless due to the fact that Joel knew for certain the terror that would befall the…  ( Click for more )

John the Immerser – The Harbinger of Messiah (5 of 5)

Focus Text: Mark 6.16-20

“But when Herod heard, he said, ‘This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!’ For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. For John had said to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing…  ( Click for more )

John the Immerser – The Harbinger of Messiah (4 of 5)

Focus Text: Matthew 3.13-17

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God…  ( Click for more )