Habakkuk

Imagine a sensitive Jewish man about 600 B.C. thinking about the world situation and the future of his land, Judah. He sees his people have strayed from their religious heritage, but God has not stepped in to make it all right. He asks God why the wicked seem to be doing well—where’s their punishment? Later he asks why God would use the hated Babylonians, a wicked bunch much worse than the backsliding Jews, to punish his people. Habakkuk offers questions and answers with a concluding prayer.  See 1:5-11. What is God’s answer to why evil people are not being punished? See 2:2-20. What is God’s answer to why the Babylonians are being used to punish the Jews? 5.  Habakkuk 2:4 was a key verse for Paul in the New Testament and Martin Luther. Can you see why?

Zephaniah

Covering events about 630-610 B.C., this book comes from one who was a contemporary of Jeremiah. Zephaniah predicts a future catastrophe, the Day of the Lord (1:7-3:20) , which will be judgment not only on Judah but on the entire world because of wide-spread corruption. Is there a typical prophetic pattern of judgment and restoration?  There is a long genealogy in 1:1. Why does he stress this? Look at chapter 1; it is frightening in its scope. But then chapter 2 offers some hope. Who’s to blame for the ills of the land? See 1:4-6, 3:4-5, 3:1-3.  Notice the interesting interplay between God and the prophet. Watch for a shift in pronouns. Who’s speaking in each section—1:2-6, 1:7, 1:8-13, 1:14-16, 1:17, 1:18-2:7, 2:8-10, 2:11, 2:12, 2:13-3:5, 3:6-13, 3:14-17, 3:18-20?