Recently Joshua’s family moved from their country home into a new home in town. Joshua wondered how he could tell the children in his new neighborhood about his friend Jesus. When he heard that some children would be going from house to house collecting treats to celebrate Halloween, he wondered what he could do to … Continue reading –>
“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; . . . Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; he will make … Continue reading –>
Read Habakkuk 3. What is Habakkuk doing there, and why is that so important, especially given the tough circumstances and difficult questions he is facing? Habakkuk expresses his acceptance of God’s ways in a prayer set to music (Hab. 3:19). Being fully aware of God’s power, he asks the Lord to remember His mercy when the … Continue reading –>
God’s answer to Habakkuk’s question in Habakkuk 1:17, as recorded in chapter 2, continues in the form of a song that mocks the proud oppressor. No less than five woes (Hab. 2:6, 9, 12, 15, 19) affirm the message that Babylon’s doom is sealed. The punishment on the enemy will be in accordance with the “measure for measure” principle. What … Continue reading –>
In Habakkuk 1:12-17, God’s answer to Habakkuk’s questions poses an even more vexing question: can a righteous God use the wicked to punish those who are more righteous than they? Habakkuk’s question in verse 17 had to do with divine justice. Habakkuk was puzzled, not only by the degeneration of his own people but also by the certainty … Continue reading –>
Read Habakkuk 1. What are the questions that the prophet asks of God? Though his situation is, of course, different from ours, how often do we find ourselves asking these types of questions? Habakkuk is unique among prophets because he did not speak for God to the people but rather spoke to God about the people. The prophet … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Hab. 1:1-17, 2:2-4, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 11:1-13, Habakkuk 3, Phil. 4:11. Memory Text: “‘For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea’” (Habakkuk 2:14, NASB). Key Thought: We may not understand always why tragedy happens, but we can trust God, no matter what.May not understand always why … Continue reading –>
“If Jerusalem had known what it was her privilege to know, and had heeded the light which Heaven had sent her, she might have stood forth in the pride of prosperity, the queen of kingdoms, free in the strength of her God-given power. There would have been no armed soldiers standing at her gates. . … Continue reading –>
Mandela Hector lives in Trinidad. He had no special interest in religion. Then his cousin invited him to attend his church, and Mandela realized that God wanted to be part of his life. He bought a Bible and began reading it. Questions arose in his mind that his cousin’s pastor couldn’t answer, so Mandela searched … Continue reading –>
Micah’s book begins with a description of judgments, but it ends with words of hope. There are people who try to explain away or deny the reality of God’s judgments. To do so is to fall into the trap that Micah’s contemporaries did, those who believed that God never would send judgments on the chosen … Continue reading –>
