GOD’S WORD FOR JANUARY 5 ~ ~ Micah 7:7 ~ ~ “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.”

We’re looking at the Minor Prophets of the Bible in Michael Youssef’s book, “How To Read The Bible.” Today it’s Micah and Nahum.

MICAH:  SIGNPOST TO BETHLEHEM

In Micah, God warns those who oppress the poor, condemns unjust leaders who take bribes, and predicts an eventual time of world peace when the Lord reigns from Zion, in Micah 4:1-2:

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains;  it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.  Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob.  He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.’  The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

The book is also the source of the beloved prophecy that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

“but you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

This book also contains the beloved words:  “and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8).

NAHUM: A PROPHECY OF DESTRUCTION

Nahum vividly predicts the destruction of Nineveh, calling it “the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims” (Nahum 3:1)  apparently, the repentance of the Ninevites in Jonah’s time didn’t last, because  Nahum was required to speak out against its wickedness again and predict its fall.  Just as Nahum prophesied, the forces of Babylon and the Medes surrounded the city in 625 BC,  laying siege for three months and finally burning it to the ground.

Despite the angry, vengeful tone of much of this short book, Nahum also speaks of God’s unchanging love and righteousness.  God demands justice and punishes ungodliness and violence against the innocent.  That is why the prophet tells us:

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in Him, but with an overwhelming flood He will make an end of Nineveh.” (Nahum 1:7-8).

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CHARLES SPURGEON

     I will strengthen thee.~ ~     Isaiah 41:10

When called to serve or to suffer, we take stock of our strength, and we find it to be less than we thought and less than we need. But let not our heart sink within us while we have such a word as this to fall back upon, for it guarantees us all that we can possibly need. God has strength omnipotent; that strength He can communicate to us; and His promise is that He will do so. He will be the food of our souls and the health of our hearts; and thus He will give us strength. There is no telling how much power God can put into a man. When divine strength comes, human weakness is no more a hindrance.

Do we not remember seasons of labor and trial in which we received such special strength that we wondered at ourselves? In the midst of danger we were calm, under bereavement we were resigned, in slander we were self-contained, and in sickness we were patient. The fact is that God gives unexpected strength when unusual trials come upon us, We rise out of our feeble selves. Cowards play the man, foolish ones have wisdom given them, and the silent receive in the self-same hour what they shall speak, My own weakness makes me shrink, but God’s promise makes me brave. Lord, strengthen me “according to thy word.”

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*IIChronicles 16:9

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is toward Him.”

*Psalm 3:3

“But thou, O Lord art a shield for me: my glory and the lifter of my head.”

*Deut. 1:30

“The Lord your God which goes before you, He shall fight for you, ,,,”

*IIThes. 3:3

But the Lord is faithful, Who shall establish you and keep you from evil.

*ISamuel 2:9

He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, for by strength shall no man prevail.

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