Week Forty Reading Assignment:
Micah 5 - Zechariah 9

"Now the God of all made these threats on account of the neglect of the divine, house, though not for any need of it: the Maker of all things has no need even of heaven, creating everything out of lovingkindness alone. Rather, it was in his care for them all and his interest in their salvation that he ordered the rebuilding of the temple so that they might observe the law in it and reap the benefit..."

(Theodorect of Cyr, Commentary on Haggai)

This Week's Teaching Video: Prophet on a Bus

Good Book Review: Tough Crowd

There's an old story that tells of a coach  reprimanding a player who was not living up to his potential.  “Are you ignorant,” the coach demanded, “or just apathetic?”

“I don’t know,” the player responded, “and I don’t care.”

The player in the story is an embodi-ment of the audience for the prophet Zephaniah.  They are both ignorant and apathetic, which makes them a virtually impossible  audience for preaching.  Either quality might be enough to make them unresponsive to God’s word; the combination of both vices, however, was insurmountable.

Zephaniah was a prophet in the southern kingdom of Judah during the 7th-century B.C.  He was likely a  contemporary of Jeremiah’s early ministry, before the reforms of Josiah’s day,

Like Jeremiah, Zephaniah faced a public that was indifferent to their own sinfulness and incredulous about God’s impending judgment.  The brevity of his book, however, and the lack of bio-graphical material, suggests a much shorter ministry than Jeremiah’s. 

The Babylonian cloud was already on the distant horizon at the time of Zephaniah.  It was probably within 30 years of his time that Nineveh fell to the Babylonians, and very shortly there-after that the first group of Jewish exiles were taken away to Babylon. 

“Shameless nation, come to your senses," Zephaniah cried out, "before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you.”   

What to Watch for This Month

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained to two disciples “what was said about himself in… the writings of the prophets” (Luke 24:27 TEV). Watch for passages you think He may have pointed to on that Easter afternoon. 

The prophets see several realities.  They recognize the personal and spiritual realities of an individual’s life and choices.  They work within the framework of a geopolitical reality — kings, nations, armies, and empires.  And they remain in touch with spiritual realities that lie invisibly behind the apparent realities of kings, nations, and armies.  How do you see the interplay of these three levels in the messages and ministries of the prophets?   

Although judgment is often the pre=-ailing theme, most prophets look to a time beyond the judgment.  What are the characteristics of that time?  

As you read each prophet, characterize what seem to be the prevailing sins and failures of the people at that time.

Throughout Scripture, God uses a variety of methods to  communicate His word.  Identify the different methods He uses through the ministries of those prophets you read this month. 

Having read all of the Old Testament prophets, how would you describe the prophet’s job? 

In Matthew, make note of the events that are cited as a fulfillment of some Scripture. 

In Mark, watch for evidence of Jesus’ power and authority.  Also, track the different ways that people respond to Jesus. 

In Luke, make note of these themes: women, children, the poor, the Holy Spirit. 

At the end of a day’s reading, it might be helpful to ask, “If I didn’t know anything about God except for what I read today, what would I know about Him?” 
© 2021 The 3x5 Club