THE ROAD TO EMMAUS Nahum, Habakkuk & Zephaniah

QUIZ How many books are in the OT? What are the first five books often called? How many are counted as the Writings? How many are considered books of history? How many books of the Major Prophets? How many of the Minor Prophets?

5 12 5 5 12

???

ASSYRIAN THREAT

THEME Yahweh is still jealous for His people and ferociously protective of them. Therefore, they need not fear, for Yahweh is stronger than their enemies and will strip them of their strength.

YAHWEH’S ZEAL TO PROTECT HIS PEOPLE Nah 1:2-5 2The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. 3The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 4He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the bloom of Lebanon withers. 5The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.

YAHWEH’S ZEAL TO PROTECT HIS PEOPLE Nah 1:7-8 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. But with an overflowing flood he will make a complete end of the adversaries, and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

GRACE IN THE END Nah 1:15 Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.

APPLICATION Matt 10:28-31 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

UNLIKELY JUSTICE Hab 1:5-6 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans [Babylonians], that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.

THEME Yahweh is sovereign over even the actions of the wicked. For even in their wickedness they serve Yahweh’s purpose. However, Yahweh is not indicted for evil Himself, for they will be judged for their own wickedness in due time. Thus, the people of Yahweh should patiently wait and trust in their God, and worship Him.

HOW LONG THIS VIOLENCE? Hab 1:2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save?

UNTIL YAHWEH JUDGES WITH A WICKED NATION Hab 1:5-6 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.

DOESN’T YAHWEH LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS Hab 1:12-13 Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH Hab 2:2-3 And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 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.” v. 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH Rom 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." Gal 3:11-12 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith." But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them." Heb 10:38 But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

PRAISE AND TRUST IN YAHWEH Hab 3:17-19 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

Is my joy solely in the Lord? PRAISE AND TRUST IN YAHWEH Is my joy solely in the Lord?

THEME The Day of the LORD will be the most terrible “day” ever, and it is executed against all false gods.

THE DAY OF THE LORD UPON JUDAH Zeph 1:4-6 I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal and the name of the idolatrous priests along with the priests, those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom, those who have turned back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of him.

THE DAY OF THE LORD UPON ALL Zeph 2:3-4 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD. For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.

SALVATION FOR THE REMNANT Zeph 3:9-10 For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. 3:14-15 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.

DAY OF THE LORD

SCHEDULE HOMEWORK: Reflect on your response to a recent trial Read Jeremiah & Lamentations NEXT WEEK: JEREMIAH & LAMENTATIONS