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.

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:

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. 

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)

Through the Bible in 66 Days - Daniel

 

The book of Daniel is one of those remarkable portions of Scripture that lifts our eyes above the chaos of earthly kingdoms and reminds us—firmly, repeatedly, gloriously—that God is in control. Whether in the courts of Babylon or in a den of lions, whether interpreting dreams or standing before kings, Daniel’s life is a living testimony to the sovereignty of God and the faithfulness of His people.

As the book of Daniel opens, the nation of Judah is in a dark place. The nation has been carried away into exile, just as the prophets had warned (2 Chronicles 36:15–21). Jerusalem lies in ruins. The temple is destroyed. The people of God are scattered. Yet even here, in the ashes of judgment, God is at work. He has not abandoned His promises.

Among the exiles are four young men from the aristocracy of Judah—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—who are selected for training at the Babylonian court (Daniel 1:3–4). They are far from home, surrounded by pagan culture, pressured to conform, and stripped of their identity. Yet they resolve that they will not defile themselves (Daniel 1:8). Their faithfulness in small things becomes the foundation for God to use them in great things.

And isn’t that the Bible pattern? God takes people in weakness, in exile, in difficulty, and He works through them so that His glory shines brighter than their circumstances. As Paul reminds us, ‘God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise,’ 1 Corinthians 1:27.

God Reveals Mysteries

Much of Daniel’s story revolves around dreams and visions—Nebuchadnezzar’s troubling dream in chapter 2, the handwriting on the wall in chapter 5, and the great prophetic visions in chapters 7–12. Kings tremble, wise men fail, and empires shift, but Daniel stands calm because his confidence is not in Babylon’s wisdom but in the God who ‘reveals deep and hidden things,’ Daniel 2:22.

When Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great statue, he declares a truth that echoes through the whole book: ‘The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed,’ Daniel 2:44. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall—Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome—but God’s kingdom stands forever. This is the heartbeat of the gospel: the king has come, His kingdom is advancing, and His victory is certain. Christ Himself proclaimed, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand,’ Mark 1:15.

Faithfulness Under Pressure

Daniel’s life is not easy. He serves under multiple kings and two empires. He is promoted to high office—second in command in Babylon (Daniel 2:48) and later honoured under the Persian administration (Daniel 6:3). Yet with every promotion comes new pressure.

In Daniel 6, jealous officials manipulate King Darius into signing a decree forbidding prayer to anyone but the king. Daniel knows the cost, but he continues to pray three times a day, just as he had always done (Daniel 6:10). His faithfulness leads him straight into the lions’ den.

But the God who rules kingdoms also shuts the mouths of lions. Darius declares, ‘He is the living God… His kingdom shall never be destroyed,' Daniel 6:26. Once again, the gospel shines through: God rescues, God reigns, and God vindicates His people. As Paul writes, ‘The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom,’ 2 Timothy 4:18.

A Greater Son of Man

Daniel’s visions point forward to Christ in breathtaking ways. In chapter 7, Daniel sees ‘one like a son of man’ coming with the clouds of heaven, receiving everlasting dominion (Daniel 7:13–14). Jesus takes this title—the Son of Man—as His own, declaring that He is the fulfilment of Daniel’s prophecy, Matthew 26:64. 

The kingdoms of this world may wax and wane but the Son of Man will one day reign for ever.

Living as Exiles Today

Daniel teaches us how to live faithfully in a world that does not share our values. Like Daniel, believers today are ‘exiles’ (1 Peter 1:1), citizens of heaven living in foreign territory. We face pressures to conform, temptations to compromise, and challenges that test our loyalty to Christ.

But Daniel’s story assures us that:

• God is sovereign over history.

• God is present in our trials.

• God honours those who honour Him.

• God’s kingdom will triumph.

And ultimately, Daniel points us to the gospel—the good news that Christ has conquered sin, death, and every earthly power, and that His kingdom is unshakeable.

May we, like Daniel, live with courage, conviction, and confidence in the God who rules over all.

All photos courtesy of Unsplash