Week 34 Day 4
Habakkuk was a prophet
weighted down
under a heavy load
seeing misery all around him
praying to a seemingly silent God
yet clinging to
the thin threads
of faith and hope
His plan was intentional:
1) Stand on the rampart and watch for God
he would expect God's presence
he would receive correction from God
2) Practice faith and silence
he would live by faith not by sight
he would silence his protests to God
3) Rejoice in the Lord anyway
he would praise God despite his circumstances
and find his joy and strength in God
His concluding faith statement is a classic.
Zephaniah was
a fourth generation descendent
of Judah's king Hezekiah
His theme was the up-coming "day of the Lord"
a time of
judgment
trouble
and distress
Remember that the course of events can be changed
therefore seek
justice
righteousness
and humility
Beyond the judgment will be a new beginning
in the cradle of God's love is
salvation
joy
and singing.
LIFE IN THE MIDST OF DESPAIR
Renounce mourning, rediscover praise; shun pride, seek humility.
Habakkuk 1, 2 & 3 and Zephaniah l, 2 & 3
1The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, "Violence!" and You will not save.
12Are you not from everlasting, my God, my Holy One?
1 I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
4"Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.
20The Lord is in His holy temple; all the earth keep silence before Him."
17Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls--
18Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, the God of my salvation.
19The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet
And He will make me walk on the high hills.
1The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah the son of
Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of
Hezekiah.
14The great day of the Lord is near, and hastens quickly.
The noise is bitter; the mighty men shall cry out.
13That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress,
A day of devastation, desolation, darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
16A day of alarm against the fortified cities and high towers.
17"I will bring distress, and they shall walk like blind men,
Because they have sinned against the Lord;
Blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like refuse."
18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them;
The whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy.
1Gather together, 2before the Lord's anger comes upon you!
3Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld
His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility.
It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger.
17The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love, and rejoice over you with singing."
This Bible passage was condensed from the NKJV
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