Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Zephaniah+003   Zephaniah 3 (ESV) Israel’s Joy and Restoration 14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Zephaniah+002   Zephaniah 2 (ESV) Judgment on Judah’s Enemies 1 Gather together, yes, gather, O shameless nation, 2 before the decree takes effect —before the day passes away like chaff— before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord. 3 Seek the Lord, all you humble…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Zephaniah+001   ZEPHANIAH INTRODUCTION The reign of King Manasseh of Judah was the time of greatest corruption, injustice and paganism in Judah’s history. But Manasseh’s grandson King Josiah reasserted the nation’s faith and obedience to God and its independence from foreign empires. One reason for this seems to be that a…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Habakkuk+003   Habakkuk 3 (ESV) 16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord 17 Though the fig tree should not…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Habakkuk+002   Habakkuk 2 (ESV) 1 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith 2 And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Habakkuk+001   HABAKKUK INTRODUCTION Near the time of the transition from the Assyrian to the Babylonian empires (late 7th century BC), the prophet Habakkuk engaged in a profound dialogue with Israel’s God. The form of his book is a short series of complaints, or laments, followed by the divine responses. When…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Nahum+003   Nahum 3 (ESV) Woe to Nineveh 1 Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey! 2 The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! 3 Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end—…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Nahum+002   Nahum 2 (ESV) The Destruction of Nineveh 1 The scatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength. 2 For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and ruined their branches. 3 The shield of his…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Nahum+001   NAHUM INTRODUCTION In 612 BC the Assyrian Empire was nearing collapse. Its capital Nineveh was about to fall before a combined invasion of Babylonian, Medean and Scythian forces. But those living in the nations that Assyria had cruelly oppressed felt little pity. In their view, the Assyrians were simply…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Micah+007   Micah 7 (ESV) God’s Steadfast Love and Compassion 18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot.…