July in 2 Kings & 2 Chronicles with Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, and Jeremiah

1. Isaiah 49
2. Isaiah 50
3. Isaiah 51
4. Isaiah 52 & 53
5. Isaiah 54
6. Isaiah 55 & 56
7. Isaiah 57 & 58
8. Isaiah 59
9. Isaiah 60
10. Isaiah 61 & 62
11. Isaiah 63 & 64
12. Isaiah 65
13. Isaiah 66
14. Micah 1
15. Micah 2
16. Micah 3-5
17. Micah 6
18. Micah 7
19. Nahum 1 & 2
20. Nahum 3
21. 2 Kings 22
22. 2 Chronicles 34
23. 2 Kings 23
24. 2 Chronicles 35 & Zephaniah 1
25. Zephaniah 2 & 3
26. Jeremiah 1
27. Jeremiah 2
28. Jeremiah 3
29.  Jeremiah 4
30. Jeremiah 5
31. Jeremiah 6

Put Micah on the Prophets Shelf

Micah 6 & 7 - Blessings Because of God's Goodness

LINK: Micah 6 & 7 (Read over the next two days) 

BACKGROUND 

Micah 6-7 contains the third message of the book and is a courtroom scene. God has an indictment against His people and calls on the witnesses of the mountains and the hills to listen to His case. 

First, He recounts what He has already done for them by bringing them out of slavery in Egypt, recalling the story of Balak and Balaam in Numbers 22-24, and His instructions to them before entering the land He had promised them (Joshua 2:1; 4:19; 5:3-9). The people had forgotten the covenant they made with Him and turned away from God. Yes, they practiced the rituals, but their hearts were not worshipful. True worship should include acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with their God (Micah 6:8). 

Because of God's justice, He would have to punish the nation. They had not acted justly or loved mercy by gaining wealth illegitimately (Proverbs 10:2), cheating customers, and taking advantage of them. Judah also followed the statutes of Omri and Ahab who were two of the worst kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 16:21-22:40).  The captivity would be their punishment. 

Micah 7 begins in utter darkness and gloom (7:1-6) as Micah bemoans the nation's sins, but it ends in hope (7:8-20) as he and the godly remnant waited in hope for salvation after the judgment. Out of the darkness, a light would come because God forgives sin and delights to show mercy (7:9, 18).

REFLECTION/APPLICATION

People have tried all kinds of ways to please God (6:6, 7), but God has made his wishes clear: he wants his people to be just, merciful, and to walk humbly with him. In your efforts to please God, examine these areas on a regular basis. Are you fair in your dealings with people? Do you show mercy to those who wrong you? Are you learning humility? (The Life Application Bible, p. 1576)

PRAYER

Try meditating and praying in Micah 6:8 Lectio Divina style.

Lectio Divina has four steps. They are not "set in stone" though! Don't get caught up with doing it "right" and just enjoy interacting with God over the passage. 

Recenter and Relax Yourself

Recenter your scattered senses on the presence of God. Still your mind, heart, and body. Let go of all other distractions. Relax in His presence and attend to Him. I usually read it again at the beginning of each step.

Read the Passage (Lectio)

Read slowly and attentively, followed by a time of silence.

Read it again and...

Reflect on it (Meditatio)

Listen for a word or phrase that shimmers for you. In what way does it touch your life? Let thoughts surface that connect the text to your life.

Read it again and...

Respond to God (Oratio)

Converse with God about the word or phrase and what it has triggered. Think of God in the second person (“you”). Tell God what you are thinking and feeling. Be honest! What do you want of God? What help do you need?'

Read it again and...

Rest in Him (Contemplatio)

Rest in God’s presence. Be silent and without words. Move on when you are ready. 

(Note: Praying Scripture has nothing to do with “getting through” passages; it has everything to do with letting the meaning sink into your life.)

Take a word or phrase with you and repeat it as you perform your daily activities.

Take time to listen to God’s voice and journal something so you will remember the encounter. We often have our time with God and forget to "listen as a disciple" (Isaiah 50:5). Make sure you write down what He tells you, so you do not forget! 

Here are two handouts and a podcast interview about Lectio Divina that I did with my friend, Paul:

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina in a Community (Since we talked about leadership yesterday, why not lead a group through this?)

Lectio Divina Podcast Interview

Micah 3-5 - The Second Message Aimed at Leaders

LINK: Micah 3-5

BACKGROUND

The second message begins with the word "hear." The last message was almost all judgment with a little bit of hope. This one contains a two-to-one ratio of hope to judgment. Things are looking up!

Micah 3 contains the judgment that is specifically directed at the leaders of Israel and Judah who hated good and loved evil which was the opposite of what they were supposed to do (Amos 5:15)! They left the people helpless by unfair actions, bribery (3:11; 7:3), theft (2:8), oppression (3:9), and bloodshed (3:10; 7:2). These leaders were a far cry from God's ideal for leaders described in Exodus 18:21 as "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness." Micah proclaimed destruction on the nation because of the sin of the leaders who were leading the people into wicked behavior. This destruction would happen in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army attacked the city (2 Kings 25).

Micah 4-5 foretells a future time when God will reign over His perfect kingdom. Micah 4:1-3 is very similar to Isaiah 2:2-4 which should not be surprising since the same God was speaking through both of them at the same time! The coming kingdom will have a temple that is prominent in the world (4:1a), people of the world will be attracted to Jerusalem (4:1b), it will be the place of instruction for the world (4:2a), revelation will go forth from there (4:2b), the Lord will be the judge of Jerusalem (4:3a), there will be no more war (4:3b), Israel will dwell in peace (4:4), they will be spiritually sensitive to God (4:5), Israel will regather (4:6), they will be made strong (4:7), and Jerusalem will have dominion (4:8). Yet before all this could happen, they would be exiled to Babylon but return and face nations gathering against them.

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

The most important thing in Micah 5 is the prediction of the birth of a ruler who would come out of little Bethlehem (5:2) whose greatness would reach to the ends of the earth (5:4), and He would be their peace (5:5, see also John 14:27). Of course, this is a prophecy about Jesus, who was from "long ago"! 

In addition to these things, Christ will destroy Israel's enemies, purge Israel of false worship, and will execute vengeance on the nations who refuse to obey the Lord.

REFLECTION and APPLICATION (from 2009)

Leadership is a big responsibility, and Israel and Judah's leaders failed miserably.

What are the characteristics of a good leader? We can learn so much from some of the people we have already studied in the Bible Book Club: Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, Elijah, and Elisha. We will also learn about Ezra and Nehemiah later this year. 

They were not perfect, but they looked out for the welfare of their people and did not exploit them like the leaders of Israel and Judah in Micah's day. Also, good and godly leaders look to God and turn their people back to God.

We all have leadership roles: in the home, at work, and at church. Take some time to evaluate your leadership today. What can you learn from the good and bad examples of leadership in the Word of God?

I recently came across a book on leadership by a man I really respect called:

The Perfect Leader by Kenneth Boa

I just listened to the first two chapters on my Kindle last night, and it is fast becoming one of my favorite books on leadership!

I also like these books:

Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Chambers

Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby

The Making of a Leader by J. Robert Clinton

(Clinton's book is the one I used to create the Timeline Reflections Handout that I have recommended several times in the Bible Book Club.)

PRAYER

Lord, give us the grace to lead in ways that point people to You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Micah 1 & 2 - The First Message of Judgment

LINK: Micah 1 & 2  (Read over the next two days)

If you have not already done so, please read Introduction to the Prophetical Books before starting your reading of Micah. 

Isaiah Part 1, p. 5: Precept Upon Precept, Precept Ministries.

BACKGROUND

Book of Micah

He was from the Judean town of Moresheth-Gath, 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. Micah's name means "Who is like Yahweh?" Micah was the contemporary of Isaiah and prophesied for about 32 years. His message was similar to Isaiah's in that he spoke about the Assyrian destruction of the Northern Kingdom and the Babylonian defeat of the southern kingdom.

Here is where Micah fits within the historical narrative of the Bible:

2 Chr. 27-32:750-697 (2 Kings 16-20)

                     755-714: HOSEA 1-14 (Northern)

----------------722 ASSYRIAN CAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL (NORTHERN KINGDOM)

2 Chr. 33:     697-640 (2 Kings 21)

                     739-681: ISAIAH 1-66

                     733-701: MICAH 1-7

                     650-701: NAHUM 1-3

The book of Micah has three messages with each one beginning with the exhortation to "hear" or "listen." Like the message of Isaiah, the theme of judgment is prominent, but both books stress the restoration of Israel to prominence in the world with the Messiah as the exalted Head.

Micah 1-2

The First Message: Judgment Will Come

The southern kingdom is heading toward captivity. In this message, Micah predicts the coming judgment, laments over the people, and condemns the sins of Judah and their false prophets. He specifically condemns the exploitation of the poor by seizing their land (2:1-3). See Leviticus 25:25-28.

It is not all gloom and doom though. Micah gives us a little ray of hope in 2:12-13. The remnant will regather, the nation will be blessed, and the Lord will lead His people as a King (2:13b; Isaiah 33:22; Zephaniah 3:15; Zechariah 14:9).

No REFLECTION and APPLICATION because this is a "Keep Reading" day! Enjoy, and I hope you can catch up if you are behind!

PRAYER

Lord, open our ears so that we might hear the message You have for us through the book of Micah. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Introduction to the Prophetical Books

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS

Download the Year Two BBC Overview and Timeline 

The Bible is not written in chronological order but according to the type of book:

Books of Moses (Law or Pentateuch): Genesis - Deuteronomy 
History: Joshua - Esther
Poetry and Wisdom Literature: Job - Song of Solomon
Major Prophets: Isaiah - Daniel
Minor Prophets: Hosea - Malachi

I find it easier to understand prophecy when it is read in the context of the historical period. So, that is why we are interspersing the prophets in the historical context of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. 

I will not be doing a strictly chronological approach because I do not want to jump back and forth once we start a prophetic book. So, when we get to a book like Isaiah, that covers the reign of four kings of Judah spanning six decades, we will read through all of those kings in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles before we study the entire book of Isaiah.

The prophetical books are broken up into two sections: 5 Major Prophets (Isaiah - Daniel) and 12 Minor Prophets (Hosea - Malachi). We will read them in chronological order. That way we will get breaks between the longer major prophets of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel with the shorter Minor Prophets. Here is a brief rundown of the order of the historical dates for each prophet with the Major Prophets highlighted in bold. They are all B.C.:

841-824.....Obadiah (this date is hotly debated!)

825-809....Joel

784-772.....Jonah 

767-755.....Amos 

755-714.....Hosea 

-----722 Assyrian Captivity of Northern Kingdom of Israel

739-681.....Isaiah 

733-701.....Micah 

650-620....Nahum 

636-623....Zephaniah 

627-574.....Jeremiah 

574-538.....Lamentations 

621-609.....Habakkuk 

605-586 Babylonian Captivity of Southern Kingdom of Judah

605-536.....Daniel 

593-559.....Ezekiel 

------538 Cyrus of Persian issues edict allowing Jews to RETURN to land

520-505.....Haggai 

520-489.....Zechariah 

435-415.....Malachi 

Theologically, the prophets concentrate on warnings of impending judgment, teachings about righteous living, encouragement to the faithful and oppressed, and predictions of God's future plans.

                                                                                         

I am approaching the prophets with fear and trembling! :)  I hope that you are game and that breaking up the longer books of the Major Prophets with the shorter books of the Minor Prophets will make it easier! I believe God has so much to teach us through the study of these books.

I LOVE what Eugene Peterson says about the prophets:

Over a period of several hundred years the Hebrew people gave birth to an extraordinary number of prophets – men and women distinguished by the power and skill with which they presented the reality of God. They delivered God’s commands and promises and living presence to communities and nations who had been living on god-fantasies and god-lies. 

Everyone more or less believes in God. But most of us do our best to keep God on the margins of our lives or failing that, refashion God to suit our convenience. Prophets insist that God is the sovereign center [emphasis mine] not off in the wings awaiting our beck and call. And prophets insist that we deal with God as God reveals himself, not as we imagine him to be [Isn't that powerful? Ponder that for a moment].  

These men and women woke people up to the sovereign presence of God in their lives. They yelled, they wept, they rebuked, they soothed, they challenged, they comforted. They used words with power and imagination whether blunt or subtle. . .  

Prophets make it impossible to evade God or make detours around God. Prophets insist on receiving God in ever nook and cranny of life. For a prophet, God is more real than the next-door neighbor.  (The Message Remix, p. 1194, 1197)

With fear and trembling, let us start the prophets in the next post!

Micah 7 - Woe, Wait, Rejoice

by Katrina

LINK: Micah 7

BACKGROUND
Micah cries out with woe about the great sinfulness of the people. He can't find a righteous person anywhere in the land of Judah! But he personally will watch and pray and trust only in the Lord. Although Micah knows that judgment is coming for his people, he also looks to the future when God will restore Israel and fulfill all that He has promised to His chosen people.

The last three verses of Micah (along with the book of Jonah) are read in the synagogue on the Day of Atonement each year. An orthodox Jew goes to a running stream or river and symbolically empties his sins out of his pockets and into the water while reciting these three verses.

While this is a vivid image of casting our sins into the depths of the sea, we know that this is not the means by which God removes our sin. He does it through the blood of Jesus. Because Jesus bore our sins for us and was punished for them, God can pass over our sins.

REFLECTION/APPLICATION
Reflect on verses 18-20 today. (You might enjoy reading it in several different translations.) Rejoice and praise and worship God for the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus!

PRAYER
There is no other God like You, Lord! You are the only one who has made provision for the forgiveness of sins. Thank You for the blood of Jesus that takes away our sins and makes us Your children. You are a God who delights in unchanging love for Your children. Thank You for Your forgiveness and never-changing love toward me! Because of Jesus, amen.

Micah 6 - Just Do It!

by Katrina

LINK: Micah 6

BACKGROUND
Chapters 6 & 7 contain Micah's third message to Judah.

Chapter six is one of those chapters that gives us a glimpse into God's heart. He sets up a courtroom scene and then says to His people (Katrina's paraphrase), "What have I done to deserve the treatment you give me? I have done good to you and have shown you mercy. I have revealed Myself to you. Yet you ignore Me and disobey Me. Why?"

Judah's response - "How about if we patch things up with a few sacrifices and get on with life?"

But the Lord is not interested in sacrifices that are meaningless ritual. What He really wants them to do is repent from the heart and change their ways as a reflection of that change. God is not impressed with outward actions that we use to attempt to cover our sin.

So the conversation continues with God spelling out for them one more time what their sins are and how they will be judged for them. God sums up this indictment with the statement that they have degenerated to the very low level of Omri and Ahab.

REFLECTION
Micah 6:8 is an often quoted verse from this book. "He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

When the people of Judah thought they might appease God by throwing a few sacrifices His way, God made it clear that that's not what He was after. He was after changed hearts. This was not something new that they'd never heard before. God had been saying it for centuries. Humble yourselves and repent!! Then you must treat others with justice and kindness.

Although the concept is simple, humility does not come easily to us as humans. It would be easier if we could appease God with sacrifices and be done with it. But that really is a very shallow approach to God. And God won't settle for shallow sacrifices. He wants our hearts!

APPLICATION
Verse eight reminds me of the Nike slogan, "Just do it!" We know what God wants us to do, because He tells us. But we have to humble ourselves and "just do it!" Sometimes God nudges me to do something and I resist. Eventually, I either obey Him or harden my heart toward Him. In the end, I always find out it would have been better to obey in the first place! How about you? Is there anything God has been whispering to your heart for you to do? Just do it!

PRAYER
Thank you, Father, for revealing yourself to us through your word and your Holy Spirit. You invite us to walk humbly with you, and you teach us your ways. Keep our hearts soft toward you to hear your voice and obey you. For your glory, amen.