Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, from Cindi, a daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Today's Blog Title: "Introduction into the Book of Zephaniah"

Today we begin number 9 of the 12 Minor Prophets. the Book of Zephaniah.  Zephaniah is a book of contrasts, and no prophet paints a brighter picture of Israel's future.  Zephaniah has been called "the orator" because of the oratorical style evident throughout the prophecy.  

Zephaniah has some literacy affinities with Isaiah, but more with Jeremiah and Joel.  Both he and Joel paint very dark pictures of the day of the Lord, but in both books beautiful rays of light penetrate the darkness.  Two recurring expressions are important: (1) "remnant," 1:4, 2:7, 9, 3:13 and (2) the "day of the Lord," 1:7-10, 14-16, 18, 2:3, 3:8, 11, 16.

The purpose of Zephaniah's prophecy is to set forth what the day of the Lord will mean to ungodly Judah, to the world powers, 1:2-3:7, and to the godly remnant, 3:8-20.  His theme is the day of the Lord, which destroys the false remnant of Baal, Chapter 1, destroys the God rejecting nations, Chapter 2, and purifies the true remnant, 3:8-20.

Beyond the prophecy that bears his name, nothing is known about Zephaniah.  His name means "Yahweh Hides."  The meaning of his name offers some clue to the characteristics of the prophecy.

OUTLINE OF ZEPHANIAH

I. The Introduction
II. The predictions of judgment in the light of the day of the Lord 1:2-3:7
     A. The warnings of judgments delivered 1:2-2:15
          1. Against Judah 1:2-2:3
          2. Against Judah's enemies 2:4-15
     B. Woe upon Jerusalem pronounced 3:1-7

III. The exhortation in the light of the day of the Lord 3:8-20
      A. To wait for the Lord 3:8-13
      B. To rejoice in the Lord 3:14-20

Jesus Reigns and He Is, Has Been, and ALWAYS Will be In Complete and Total Control!!!. May God's Peace, Love, Strength, and Grace be with you all.  May we as Christians reach to heave with one hand and with the other reach out to this lost and dying world.  May we as John at the close of the Book of Revelation say, "Come, Lord Jesus, Come."

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

     

Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 10 April 2014, from Cindi, a daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords."

Today's Blog Title: "A Hymn Of Faith"
Today's Blog Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 3:1-19
Today's Key Verse: Habakkuk 3:19 "The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills."

Starting in verse 2, we read the prayer of Habakkuk.  One of the most important things that we as Christians need to learn  is to PRAY wisely.  Habakkuk's request for speedy judgment seemed wise to the prophet.  After all, he knew that in WRATH God would remember MERCY.  Yet the prophet had no real conception of what divine judgment would mean for his people, or himself.  It is wiser for us to ask God to do what is best and to be GRACIOUS.  Otherwise the Lord may give us what we ask for--and later we will discover that is NOT what we wanted!!

"I have heard" in verse 2, shows that Habakkuk knew the stories of God's mighty acts as celebrated in song and in the feasts and festivals of Israel.  These mighty acts included: (1) The Exodus from Egypt (2) The Miracles by the Red Sea and (3) The conquest of the land.  As Habakkuk mediated on God's works in human affairs, he was overcome with an awe-inspiring sense of greatness of the Lord, and he prayed for God's renewed involvement in Israel.

"Teman" in verse 3, is a poetic reference to God's appearance at Sinai, Deuteronomy 3:2. The "Holy One" in verse 3, is a name associated with both forgiveness and judgment.  Here in this verse, JUDGMENT is in view, and Habakkuk is given visions of God acting in judgment.  It was best for Judah that God judge that nation soon.  These visions, however, were to prepare the prophet and the reader for what was to come.  We as Christians today, must be emotionally prepared and committed to holding tightly to God when troubles come.

The poetic visions of JUDGMENT in verse 3-15 are descriptions intended to pull away the veil of time and space and look beyond the material universe to sense God's elemental power unleashed in JUDGMENT.  While the specific incidents in which God's anger flared are only hinted at, the place references and descriptions suggest three historic incidents.  

The first picture is of God marching from Sinai along the path His people traveled after receiving the Law. The second is of God's punishment for their sins along the way, and thirdly, the idolatry at Midian.  Other word pictures suggest the Genesis flood, and the destruction of the Egyptian army after Israel's Exodus from Egypt.

In verse 16, Habakkuk was overcome with a sense of awe at God, as well as a sense of his own weakness.  The prophet encouraged the godly not to be anxious in adversity.

In verse 19, "the LORD God," or "YAHWEH" which is tied to the term "Adonai," which means, "Lord."  God will strengthen those who TRUST in Him, Psalm 18:32,39. FAITH is that wonderful capacity to TRUST God and find COMFORT in Him, when all in this world seems to crumble around us.  Habakkuk has sensed the disaster which will soon strike Judah and he has discovered that despite everything, he can still REJOICE in the Lord.  As Habakkuk concludes his book, he reminds us, that those who live by FAITH will have the same confidence that a sure footed deer has in climbing mountains.  We as who are righteous as God's Children, and with God's STRENGTH, will occupy "the high hills."

This concludes our study on the Book of Habakkuk. The next Blog Writing will take us into an introduction to the Book of Zephaniah. 

Click on this link www.cindi-davis.blogspot.com for a Bible Verse Writing from 1st Corinthians 6:19-20

May God's Peace, Strength, Love and Grace be with you all.  May we a Christians reach to heaven with one hand and with the other reach out to the lost and dying of this world.  May we as John at the close of the Book of Revelation say, "Come, Lord Jesus, Come."   

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi

Bible Scripture Reading

"Greetings in the Name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ for 8 April 2014, from Cindi, a daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords."

Today's Blog Title: "The Just Live By Faith"
Today's Blog Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 2:1-20
Today's Blog Key Verse: Habakkuk 2:4 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by faith."

"I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart" in verse 1, means that Habakkuk had stationed himself as a watchman to look at the nations just as God had commanded him to do.  "What He will say to me" in verse 1, shows Habakkuk's FAITH in his anticipation of a response from God.  "When I am corrected" in verse 1, indicates the prophets submission to God.

"Write the vision..upon tablets" verse 2 refers to the common practice of writing public notices with such large characters on clay tablets  that a running man might read it.  What God is about to reveal to Habakkuk is important and everyone needs to understand the Lord's response.

In verse 4, two classes of people are contrasted:

(1) The proud, haughty Chaldeans who will be the victors in the forth coming conflict
(2) The righteous ones of Judah who will appear to be defeated in the forth coming conflict, but in reality will be the victors because of their faith in the Lord.  

"The just shall live by faith" in verse 4,  is often quoted in the New Testament in support of the Doctrine of Justification by FAITH, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38.  Thus the Old Testament prophecy anticipates the New Testament gospel which shall ultimately conquer the nations and bring them to Jesus.

In verse 5, "he is like hell and cannot be satisfied" means that however "successful" the wicked are, nothing they gain can give them rest or satisfaction.  What a terrible judgment this is. To have everything you want, except satisfaction. 

"Woe" in verse 6 is an oracle of judgment consisting of two parts: (1) a declaration of the wrong and (2) a notice of impending judgment.    The hostility that wickedness creates is additional evidence of the present judgment of God on sinful women and men.

In verses 9-11, the uneasiness and underlying insecurity felt by the wicked person is expressed in his drive to "set his nest on high" and so "escape the clutches of ruin." Living with anxiety and being driven by fear is hardly a blessed state.  God is judging the wicked even while they seem to be most prosperous.

In verses 12-14, God intends to fill the earth with knowledge of the Lord, not with monuments to murderers.  Whatever the wicked accomplish it will crumble, and the wicked person will be forgotten. The "LORD of hosts" in verse 13, speaks of God as the commander of the armies of the heavens. "The Glory of the LORD" speaks of the full manifestation of His person, significance, presence and wonder. 

"You are filled with shame instead of glory" in verse 16, means that only God's kingdom is glorious.  "The cup of the LORD'S right hand" represents the wrath of God. Isaiah 51:17, Revelation 14:10 and 16:19.

"The Lord in His Holy temple" means that the Lord is sovereign and Holy and that He looks at the nations of this earth and hold them accountable.  The call to silence in verse 20 is not an invitation to worship, but a command to reflect on the terrible;e state of all who fall into the angry hands of God.

May God's Peace, Love, Strength, and Grace be with you all.  May we as Christians reach to heaven with one hand and with the other reach out to the lost and dying of this world.  may we like John at the close of the Book of Revelation say, "Come, Lord Jesus, Come."

Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi