Book Of Zephaniah

Zephaniah  

Summary: Zephaniah was a contemporary of Jeremiah living in a time of Judah complacent behaviors towards Torah. During this time Assyria was in decline and the jewish people we prosperous. Though Josiah was not king the evil practices of his predecessors Manasseh and Amon still was leaven amongst the people of Judah. Pagan practices of  worshiping Baal, Milcom (Molech) and the star hosts where rampant, the worship of Yahweh was mesh with pagan ritual. Zephaniah calls Judah to wake up as judgement is coming despite their prosperity, peace and wealth. Zephaniah refer to this day as a day of cheer when the all thing will be purified and the evil is purged from God's people. 

Things I Noticed:

1. They bow to the sun, moon and stars while praising the Lord and then swearing to Milcom.

2. Searching the Lamps of Jerusalem will find and punish the complacent whose say in their hearts "The Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill." (Sounds familiar.)

3. God's Jealousy is like a consuming fire.

4. The Lord will be awesome against them he will famish all gods of the earthly realm and make them bow down and know there place. (Modern pagans are in for a huge surprise one day.)

5. God says wait for him.

6. God will gather the nation, he will change there speech to pure speech that all may call upon the name of the Lord.

7. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Well,  I finished reading about Zeph will which will conclude our journey with the minor prophets. The journey continues through Matthew the tax collector who Jesus called friend and wrote a really long book, while the next scripture I read will read is Job. I will be breaking bread with is. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Book of Habakkuk

Habakkuk

Summary: The world is dark, injustice is rampant and evil seems triumphant. This was the time Habakkuk lived in. Like any man he had questions about it all and instead of lamenting why he took them start to God. The book that Habakkuk wrote begins with what he calls an oracle. The best translation is the burden his soul carries. As he puts his burden before God, he gets a stark reply from the Lord that is to be written plainly. The response is that though the wicked have their time, just as the sunsets so does their ambitions, for they will be judged and the righteous shall prevail.

Things I Noticed:

1. The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

2. God has purer eyes to see evil and cannot look at the wicked

3. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end-it will not lie. If it seems slow wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (Really this is a great verse to meditate on about Revelation or any other promise of God.)

4. The righteous shall live by the faith. 

5. Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own and loads himself with pledges (It is reminds me of what happens when one take to many loans or credit.)

6. Woe to him who gets evil gains for his house.

7. You devise shame for your house by cutting off many peoples.

8. For the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. 

9. Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink in order to gaze at their nakedness. (Yep getting someone va-snockered to get into their pant is vile to the Lord.)

10. God's brightness was like a light; rays flashed from his hand and there he veiled his power.

11. Hab 3:17-19  though the things seem to gone hell in a hand basket I will rejoice in the Lord.  

Well,  I finished reading our brave and bold prophet. The journey continues through Matthew the tax collector who Jesus called friend and wrote a really long book, while the next prophet I will visit will be Zephaniah. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Book Of Nahum

Nahum

Summary: Nahum is who Jonah wanted to be. Nineveh had finally pushed God to anger and it was Nahum who pronounced God's Judgment on the city and the lands of Assyria. It is not know wether Nahum wrote this before or after that fall of Assyria, but one thing can be said is that Nahum u clse name means comforter brought comfort to Judah and Israel with his words. 

Things I Noticed:

1. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power.

2. The way of the Lord is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 

3. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt.

4. I will make your grave for you, for you are vile.

5. Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace.

6. The shield of the mighty men is red; his soldiers are clothed in scarlet.

7. And all the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her who rings, and peoples with her charms. (Milday D'Winter in Three Musketeers exemplifies this.) 

Well,  I finished reading our Nahum prophet. The journey continues through Matthew the tax collector who Jesus called friend, while the next prophet I will visit will be Habakkuk. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Book Of Micah

Micah

Summary: We all have contemporaries who are in the same field as us bringing a different perspective to the situation. Micah was such a man being a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea. Written in classical Hebrew poetry his prophesy is just another beautiful showing on how God speaks to us using different styles. Three stanza highlight trials for the capitals, the leaders and the people giving a complete picture of God HATING sin. Still the beauty of each complete part is God's promises still showing us the God LOVES the sinner.  

Things I Noticed:

1. It is a problem to those who devise wicked things and work evil in their beds.

2. Do not rest in places of uncleanness because it destroys with grievous destruction.

3. It is for the heads of the House of Israel to know Justice.

4. Ch 4:1-5 talks about Jesus reign or thats how I perceive it. Where war is ended and every man shall sit in peace being fulfilled. 

5. The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like a lion and the beasts of the forests. Sounds like Israel to this day. Surround by enemies inside the country and out. 

6. God wil cut off sorceries and fortune tellers. This is in Ch 5:12 and made me think that it was like new broadcasters, political and economic analysts.

7. What the Lord desires is to do justice love kindness and walk humbly before him.

8. You shall eat but not be satisfied and there shall be a hunger within you. Sounds like how our society behaves. Always looking to be fulfilled and always being left empty. 

9. Look to the Lord and wait on his salvation. God will hear you.

10. When I fall I shall rise.

11. God does not retain his anger forever because he delights in steadfast love. 

12. God will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 

Well,  I finished reading our poetic prophet. The journey continues through Matthew the tax collector who Jesus called friend, while the next prophet I will visit will be Nahum. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Book Of Jonah

Jonah

Summary: The smell of the salty sea, the wind in your face and the smug feeling of succeeding at escaping. That is probably what Jonah felt for awhile as he tried to disobey God. The story of Jonah has been told time over as a favorite story of Jews and Christians alike. Jonah know God well enough that when he was order to give a message to Nineveh a great city who had been terrorizing Israel he upped and left. Like a teenager told to do something he did not agree with. And like a teenager caught God teaches Jonah an even deep lesson of his mercy.

Things I Noticed:

1. The obvious is the Jonah was swallowed for three days by a huge fish. The debates go on about what type of fish to this day. 

2. God literally appointed the fish the job. He sent a messenger who totally told the fish where, when and whom s swallow. That is Awesome.

3. Nineveh believed God and went into repentance immediately everyone dressed in sack cloth from the old people to the babies. That is intense asking.

4. They did not know if God would relent his anger but they where willing of heart to change and repent.

5. God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

6. Jonah had more love for a plant then his enemy.

7. Should God not pity 120,000 people who do not know their right hand from their left?

Jonah got swallowed by a fish but we have to leave our smelly prophet to his sun tanning and read Micah next. As always I am still continuing my journey through Matthew the tax collector who Jesus called friend. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Book of Obadiah

Obadiah

Summary: Brief and to the point. Most of in arguments with our relatives become curt and short with our speech. Obadiah's message to Edom is such a book. As relatives for Israel the ferocious mountain warrios take after the ancestor Esua. Proud brash instead of aiding Israel in helping with there enemies they sat an gloated over Israel's misfortune. Sending some fugitives to the enemy and at times pillaging Israel's countryside.

Things I Noticed:

1. Edom soared like eagles, and there home was set amongst the star (Oba 1:4) [I just liked the wording] 

2. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. (A powerful promise)

Obadiah is finished and Jonah who get fish swallowed is next. As always I am still continuing my journey through Matthew the tax collector who Jesus called friend. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.

Book Of Amos

Amos

Summary: Imagine being a shepherd and a gardener enjoying life and then told to change profession to something far more dangerous. That is Amos' story was not born out of a line of prophets by any means but God called him to prophecy over Israel and her sins. Amos' message is filled with passion, judgement, and main point of seeking justice and righteousness over obligatory religious ceremony. Threatened with death and told to leave Amos stays firm in his obedience his life being as strong a message as his words given from God.

Things I Noticed:

1. Amos was a shepherd. Say What?!  

2. There is such a thing as a covenant of Brotherhood.

3. Amos 2:7 I will let your read that one.

4. They made Nazarite drink wine and prophets we told to "shut their pie holes" 

5. Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has done it? 

6. Houses of Ivory and Great Houses (Story inspiration... I think so.)

7. God makes mountains, the wind, declares our thoughts, makes mornings darkness, treads the heights on the Earth and The Lord, God of the Hosts is his name. (Better recognize.)

8. Seek God and live.

9. Seek good and not evil, that you may live. Hate evil and love good and establish justice at the gates. 

10. Is the day of the Lord darkness and not light. (Judgment is not pretty Amos 5:18-24)

11. Justice like rivers and Righteousness like overflowing streams.

12. Lo-debar

13. The Lord took me from the flock, and the Lord said to me 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

14. In the depths of the sea they are un known mysteries like serpents. (Amos 9:3)

15. In that day I will raise the booth of David and they will posses all the nations who are called by me name. (I shortened this to what caught my attention Amos 9:11-12)

16.  I will plant them on their land and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land I have given them. (Listen world and Iran)

Well,  I finished reading the shepherd prophet. I am still continuing my journey through Matthew the tax collector who Jesus called friend while roping next through Obadiah. Till then, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.