Habakkuk (Program #1) – The Introductory Word and the First and the Second Dialogues Between the Prophet and Jehovah

Habakkuk is one of the twelve Minor Prophets in the Old Testament. And the central thought of Habakkuk is this : the righteous God will judge both the evil Israel and the violent Chaldeans, and only the righteous one shall live by his faith that all the earth may know the glory of Jehovah and be silent before Jehovah who is in His Holy Temple. And that His seekers may sing to Him in prayer, in lauding, and in trusting in Him.

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1 Peter (Program #19) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (7)

The apostle Peter said that the water of baptism saves us and he referenced the picture in the Old Testament of Noah’s family being saved in the Ark from the judging water and separated from the condemned world of that time through the water of the flood.

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Nahum (Program #1) – Jehovah’s Judgment on Nineveh

In the Bible story of Jonah, we probably recall, that he was fleeing, running away from Jehovah and the task that God had appointed to Him. That of bringing God’s message of judgment and repentance to the evil city Nineveh.

In the story as Jonah was trying to escape from God, he is thrown into the sea during a raging storm, only to be swallowed up by a giant fish. He remained alive in the belly of the fish for three days until he was spewed out by the fish unto dry land. Well, this is the part of the story that most of us remember and can retell it to our children. But the story continues, for eventually Jonah reached Nineveh, and not only did he proclaimed God’s righteous judgment on that evil city, but he also witness first hand Jehovah’s mercy and salvation upon the people of Nineveh.

Another book in the Old Testament, another book of the Minor Prophets, is that of Nahum. And once again the subject of the book is the city of Nineveh. Only this time we don’t see God’s mercy and compassion resulting in the salvation for the city. Rather we see God’s righteous indignation and judgment upon Nineveh resulting in the city’s ultimate destruction.  What was it about this ancient city that caused it to be the focus and so much attention by the Old Testament prophets?

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1 Peter (Program #18) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (6)

The apostle Peter encourages his fellow believers in Christ to suffer for righteousness by the will of God as Christ did.

We have some wonderful pictures of how we can sanctify Christ in our heart through suffering and also what happened when Christ’s Spirit was made alive in His death.

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Micah (Program #3) – The Greatness of the Prophets in Their Speaking Concerning Christ

Genuine lovers of God’s word have learned that the Old Testament reveals Christ in types and figures and in many places. In fact the Prophets of the Old Testament are particularly rich in the detailed aspects of Christ’s earthly and heavenly ministry revealed in their pages.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, often what they wrote prophetically had both application to their own situations in their time, as well as a clear reference to the coming One, our dear Lord Jesus. Other passages seen uniquely focus on Christ.  Micah 5:2 is such a passage, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, So little to be among the thousands of Judah, From you there will come forth to Me, He who is to be Ruler in Israel; And His goings forth are from ancient times, From the days of eternity.”

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1 Peter (Program #17) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (4 & 5)

The Bible speaks about marriage and about the marriage life in many places.  It’s common for people to select their own favorite passages on this most personal of subjects.  How often, for example do husbands anxious to establish their authority quote such verses as Ephesians 5 :22 where the apostle Paul says “Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord;”  While many wives might prefer to remind their spouses of verse 25 in the same chapter; “Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”  But Peter also speaks of marriage and may in fact offer one of the most excellent passages in all of Scripture on the subject.  Speaking to the husband, he says in chapter 3 of his first epistle, “Husbands, in like manner dwell together with them according to knowledge, as with the weaker, female vessel, assigning honor to them as also to fellow heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.“

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Micah (Program #2) – Jehovah’s Comfort to Israel

The Prophet Micah in the Old Testament speaks of God’s reprove and chastisement of Israel in a very poetic language.

Chapter 1:3-4 “For Jehovah is about to come forth from His place, And He will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains will be melted under Him, And the valleys will be cleft, Like wax before fire, Like water poured down a slope.”

These sobering words caused Micah to weep but as with other prophets Micah also speaks of God’s comforting of His people.  Which ultimately comes at the end of this age in what the prophets of all spoke as the restoration. A coming age when there will be no need of weapons for all the enemies will be gone and Christ will rule, shepherd and protect His people while His people feast and rejoice in loving worship of Him for a thousand years.

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1 Peter (Program #16) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (1 & 3)

The New Testament book of 1 Peter in chapter 2 gives us some marvelous and very experiential expressions concerning our relationship with Christ.  In verse 24 and 25 we see Him not just as our redeemer but also as the shepherd and overseer of our souls.  What does it mean “Christ is our shepherd and overseer?”  To understand these aspects of Christ, we should go back to verse 12 in the same chapter and see that this is Christ in His loving care for His people, even as He comes to inquire of them in the day of His visitation.

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Micah (Program #1) – The Introductory Word and Jehovah’s Reproof on Israel

The prophets of the Old Testament all spoke of the same basic things. First, that Israel had departed from Jehovah which resulted in Jehovah use of the Gentile nations around Israel to chastise her with the hope that she would return to Him.

But the nations were excessive in their treatment of Israel which offended the Lord, causing Him to punish the nations. Both of these things work to bring about the manifestation of Christ, which will eventually result in the restoration of all things including the full promise of Israel with the ushering in of the kingdom consummating ultimately in the New heaven and New earth. Though their expression and the angles from which they speak of these different things vary, the basic thought is the same with all of the Old Testament prophets. And with this is the key, all of these books, the prophets, both Major and Minor open up to us.

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1 Peter (Program #15) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (2)

The word “grace” bears tremendous significance in the New Testament, yet like so many biblical terms, it has become almost a clichéd to many people and it’s been greatly devalued in the understanding of most Christians.  God’s unmerited favor has become the most common definition among believers.   While this does convey a certain  limited sense of the word, it’s obvious by considering Scriptures that this definition is grossly inadequate.

Consider Peter’s use of the word “grace” in 1 Peter 2:19-20 “for this is grace” he writes “if anyone, because of a consciousness of God, bears sorrows by suffering unjustly.  For what glory is it if, while sinning and being buffeted, you endure? But if, while doing good and suffering, you endure, this is grace with God.“

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