Micah announces that God’s justice is coming in order to create a new future of love and faithfulness on the other side of Israel’s sin and exile. The book of Micah describes God’s coming judgment on Israel because of its rebellion. The Assyrian Empire and then the Babylon Empire would destroy the nation and leave …
Category Archives: Discipleship
38625 Overview: Nahum
Nahum portrays the downfall of Nineveh and Assyria as an image of how God will confront and bring down all violent human empires. The book of Nahum is a collection of poems announcing the downfall of Assyria, one of Israel’s worst oppressors. Referencing Daniel, Exodus, Isaiah and Babylon, Nahum shows us that the destruction of …
38626 Overview: Habakkuk
Habakkuk struggles to understand God’s goodness in the midst of such evil and injustice in the world. The book of Habakkuk is a compilation of the prophet’s laments, not an accusation against Israel and its sin or a message to the people on God’s behalf like some of the other prophetic books. Instead, Habakkuk questions …
38627 Overview: Zephaniah
Zephaniah announces God’s purifying judgment on Israel. It will remove evil and open up a new future where all people can flourish in peace. The book of Zephaniah contains some of the most intense images of God’s justice and love found in the prophetic books. Zephaniah warns Israel and the surrounding nations that the day …
38628 Overview: Haggai
Haggai challenges Israel after the exile to remain faithful to their God and rebuild the temple. The people of Israel were conquered by Babylon because they broke their covenant with God through idolatry and injustice. The book of Haggai was written 70 years after this prophesied exile and recounts the experience of a small group …
38629 Overview: Zechariah
Zechariah’s visions foster hope in the future promise of the messianic kingdom, and challenge Israel after the exile to remain faithful to God. Almost 70 years after the exile, the Israelites were experiencing hardships and wondered if prophetic promises of a New Jerusalem would ever be fulfilled. The book of Zechariah answers this question through …
38630 Overview: Malachi
Malachi accuses Israel of selfishness after the exile and announces that the day of the Lord will purify Israel and prepare them for God’s kingdom. One hundred years after exile, the Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem were as evil and corrupt as their ancestors. The book of Malachi addresses their corruption regarding issues like …
38631 Overview: Psalms
The book of Psalms has been designed to be the prayer book of God’s people as they wait for the Messiah and his coming kingdom. Written to join the Hebrew Torah, or the first five books of the Old Testament, the Book of Psalms is a remarkable collection of poems from David, Moses, and other …
38632 Overview: Proverbs
The book of Proverbs invites people to live with wisdom and in the fear of the Lord in order to experience the good life. Proverbs offers human words or human wisdom as a vehicle for the divine Word. The two voices we hear in Proverbs 1-9 have been fused together to help us understand that …
38633 Overview: Job
Job explores the difficult question of God’s relationship to human suffering, and invites us to trust God’s wisdom and character. Set in Uz, an obscure land far from Israel, during an unknown time period, the book of Job focuses on questions about God’s justice and why good people suffer. At the same time, it also …