Through the Bible in 66 Days - Habakkuk

 

When God Seems Silent: Habakkuk, the Gospel, and the God Who Saves

Most Christians know what it feels like to pray, wait, and wonder why God doesn’t seem to act. The prophet Habakkuk understood this deeply. His short book opens with a cry that many believers have echoed: “How long shall I cry for help?” Habakkuk saw “evil, destruction, violence, strife and contention.” That world feels very much like ours.

Yet Habakkuk’s journey—from confusion to confidence—beautifully mirrors the truth of the gospel itself. His prophecy is not just an ancient complaint; it is a doorway into the good news of Jesus Christ.

1. The Burden of a Broken World (Habakkuk 1:1–4)

Habakkuk begins with a “burden”—a weight he carries as he looks at the injustice around him. He asks why God allows violence and why justice seems distorted. His honesty is refreshing. The Bible never asks us to pretend everything is fine.

The New Testament affirms this same realism. Paul writes, “The whole creation has been groaning” (Romans 8:22). The world is not as it should be. Sin has fractured everything—our hearts, our relationships, our societies.

The gospel begins here: with the acknowledgement that we cannot fix ourselves or our world.

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Through the Bible in 66 Days - Nahum

Nahum: The God Who Judges, The God Who Saves

There are parts of the Bible we rarely visit, and Nahum is often one of them. Yet this short prophecy is very relevant for our generation. It reminds us that God is not only the Saviour who delights in mercy—as Jonah discovered—but also the Judge who acts in righteousness, as Nahum boldly announced.

Jonah's ministry resulted in the repentance of Nineveh. Nahum's ministry, about a century later, announced the judgment of God upon the same people. One hundred (or perhaps 150) years separate these two books. Still, the lesson is timeless: when you forget what God has done for you, you set yourself up for trouble, i.e. God's judgment.

1. The Core Message of Nahum

G. Campbell Morgan summarised Nahum's message like this:

"The core of the predictive message of Nahum was the utter destruction of a great city and a great people by the will and act of God."

R. K. Harrison adds: "In this small prophecy of doom, the author demonstrated… that the God of the nation whom the Assyrians had despised was in fact the artificer and controller of all human destiny."

This is not merely history. It is a reality for us in our current world. It is gospel truth. 

The New Testament affirms the same truth:

• God rules over nations — "He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness" (Acts 17:31).

• God's justice is perfect — "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right" (Genesis 18:25, echoed in the NT principle of divine justice).

Nahum reminds us that God is not passive. He acts, He intervenes, and He judges.

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Through the Bible in 66 Days - Micah

Micah: A Message of Judgment and a Gospel of Hope

The prophecy of Micah is a remarkable blend of honest exposure of human sin and glorious promises of divine salvation. It begins with a God who comes down to judge, yet ends with a God who delights in mercy. Micah shows us the world as it really is—and the Saviour as we desperately need Him to be.

1. The Supremacy of Evil (Micah 7:1–4)

Micah surveys the condition of his nation and finds it barren.

• “The good man is perished out of the earth” (7:2)

• “There is none upright among men” (7:2)

Their evil is not accidental—it is planned, vicious, and wholehearted (“they do evil with both hands earnestly”). Bribery, corruption, and injustice dominate their public life. The rich grow richer; the poor lose even more, and God sees it all.

This is not just Micah’s world—it is ours. Paul echoes Micah’s verdict:

• “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10)

• “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

Micah’s diagnosis prepares us for the gospel: humanity cannot save itself.

2. Only God Can Be Trusted (Micah 7:5–7)

Micah warns that trust cannot be placed in:

• casual friends

• close friends

• confidants

• relatives

• even one’s spouse

Human relationships, however precious, are fragile. But Micah lifts his eyes:

• “I will look unto the Lord” (7:7)

• “I will wait for the God of my salvation” (7:7)

• “My God will hear me” (7:7)

This is the language of faith. The gospel calls us to the same confidence:

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Through the Bible in 66 Days - Jonah

 

The book of Jonah is an emotional roller coaster, and Jonah seems to be extremely volatile. He is not really the type of person that you would imagine being a preacher. 

God told the prophet Jonah that He (God) was aware of what was going on in the world and that he had to go to Nineveh and warn them that they were fast approaching a time when God would judge them. 

Initially, he disobeyed God and ran in the opposite direction. Then, after his near-drowning and rescue by a whale, he accepts the commission and sets off for Nineveh. 

The story ends with his simmering anger with God for being forgiving. He thought that God should have damned the people of the sinful city of Nineveh. In his heart, Jonah obviously knew that God would forgive, which is why in chapter 4, verse 2, he says to God, 'This is what I was talking about in my country'. Presumably, he had argued with God before he decided to disobey, as he knew how God operated: if there was the slightest possibility that the people would turn from their sins, God would forgive them (and that really annoyed him). God is still the same today - He is 'long-suffering . . .  not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance ', (a change of mind and faith in and obedience to God) 2 Peter 3:9. 

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Through the Bible in 66 Days - Obadiah

 

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. The name Obadiah means "servant or worshiper of the Lord," and was the name of thirteen men in the Old Testament.

Edom was a nation whose ancestry traced back to Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (sons of Isaac and grandsons of Abraham). They should have been friendly nations, but over time, they became sworn enemies. The Edomites were a thorn in Israel's side, even though they enjoyed special protection under the Law. Herod the Great, who lived in New Testament times, was an Idumaean (a descendant of the Edomites). After Jerusalem's fall in a.d 70, the Edomites vanished from history. Some, however, suggest that there will be a future resurgence of the Edomites.

This one-chapter book records Edom's antagonism toward its neighbour, Judah. Edom not only disliked Israel, but their hatred ran so deep that they were thrilled to see them in trouble. Instead of helping them, they stood and watched as their capital city, Jerusalem, was ransacked and destroyed by the invading enemy.

 

Key Lessons from the Prophecy of Obadiah

1. God Judges Pride

Obadiah exposes Edom's arrogance—its trust in its strength, position, and alliances. Pride is the root of their downfall.

Pride is a universal human problem; to enjoy the blessings of the gospel, every human being has to humble themselves before God.

New Testament Verses

• "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)

• "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled." (Luke 14:11)

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Through the Bible in 66 Days - Amos

 

The Message of Amos: A Call to Justice, Truth, and Genuine Faith

Amos was possibly the first prophet to write down his prophecy; up until then, the prophets had delivered their messages verbally. He was called to prophesy during the reign of Uzziah in the southern kingdom of Judah and Jeroboam II in the northern kingdom of Israel.

The Political and Moral Conditions

During this time, both kingdoms enjoyed political stability, which in turn brought prosperity. Sadly, it was also a time of idolatry, extravagance, and corruption. The rich and powerful were oppressing the poor. God sent Amos to denounce the people of Israel for their social injustice and turning away from Him. He warned them that disaster would fall upon them for breaking God’s covenant. He urged them to leave the hypocrisy of their public religious events (chapter 5, verse 21). Nevertheless, Amos reminded them that God would remember His covenant with Israel and would restore those who were faithful (chapter 9, verses 11-15).

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Changing the Clocks

 

At the weekend, our clocks go forward an hour, and we move into British

Summer Time, notes Bert Cargill of St Monans Gospel Hall. It is called

British Summer Time, but British summer is a more distant prospect at

the moment!

We will get many reminders to adjust our timepieces before it is officially

due. Still, some folk manage to overlook it, and the next day they find out

that they are out of step with everyone else. Because different people’s

lifestyles are affected in different ways by the change, the need to go

from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time in March and back

again in October is often questioned. But in the meantime, we do it.

Although we can change the time on our clocks, we cannot change time

itself, nor change the regularity of the seasons of the year. These are

linked to the movements of the Earth in its orbit around the sun, 93 million

miles away, just the right distance for life to exist here. Closer to the sun

and everything would roast and expire; farther away and everything

would literally freeze to death. This did not come about by chance. The

God who created the whole universe at the beginning designed Earth to

support life in all its variety.

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