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So it was that Ezekiel comforted them with a promise that God would seek out His sheep, destroy their enemies, regenerate the heart of the entire nation, and—in one of the most memorable illustrations of salvation—raise an entire valley of dead bones back to life. In other words, there would be a day in which God would single-handedly grant spiritual revival to all Israel (cf. Rom. 11), just as He does in the life of each individual who comes to saving faith today.
Read MoreWhy had the southern kingdom of Judah fallen to the Babylonians? What was the purpose of exile? Did Yahweh forget about His covenant people? Was there any hope of restoration? Writing to (and for) the exiles in captivity, Jeremiah the prophet put together a series of funeral dirges—lament songs—that answered these questions.
Read MoreJust as a potter can reshape a spoiled jar, so too could God reshape the nation (cf. Jer. 18:6). And in fact, God promised He would do just that. There would indeed come a day in which God would provide a New Covenant, one that—unlike the Mosaic Covenant—would be permanent, personal, and perfect (cf. Jer. 31:31-37).
Read MoreThe evidence that Habakkuk understood all of this is found in the final chapter, in which Habakkuk uttered a lyrical, liturgical prayer expressing that he indeed would trust God no matter the circumstances.
Read MoreAs divine warning shots, those past acts of judgment merely foreshadowed the judgment that God still has yet to unleash upon the earth. Zephaniah prophesied that there is coming a time in which the whole earth will be consumed (cf. Zeph. 1:18).
Read MoreUnlike Jonah, who was a messenger of grace to the city of Ninevah one hundred years prior, Nahum was a messenger of judgment. Writing decades before the fall of Ninevah, during the reign of King Manasseh in Judah, Nahum not only predicted the outpouring of God’s wrath upon Assyria, he pronounced it—and for good reason.
Read MoreAside from the Psalms, no other book is referenced in the New Testament as much as the book of Isaiah. Thus, whether you are familiar with Isaiah’s prophetic word or not, your theology has been heavily influenced by it.
Read MoreAlthough this book is among the better-known accounts in Scripture, its meaning is not. To the secularist, this is nothing more than a ridiculous story of an impossible event. To the very young, this is nothing more than a fanciful tale of a strange event. But to the born-again student of Scripture, this is a miraculous account of a sovereign God.
Read MoreMost do not consider the major questions in life until they are at the very end of it—just like Solomon. But those of us who have God’s Word, particularly as it is recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes, possess an unmatched treasure that makes us wise beyond our years (cf. Psa. 119:99).
Read MoreAs you teach through this wonderful text, you have the distinct privilege of pointing out the one who fulfills Micah’s message of hope: the Lord Jesus Christ—who is the good shepherd of His sheep (cf. John 10:11), the godly king from eternity and Bethlehem (cf. John 1:1, Matt. 2:5-6), and the great high priest who expiated the sins of His people (cf. Heb. 10:11-12).
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