1 The vision of Obadiah.Edom Will Be HumbledThus says the Lord God concerning Edom:We have heard a report from the Lord,    and a messenger has been sent among the nations:“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!”2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations;    you shall be utterly despised.[a]3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,    you who live in the clefts of the rock,[b]    in...  Read More

16 The Lord roars from Zion,    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,    and the heavens and the earth quake.But the Lord is a refuge to his people,    a stronghold to the people of Israel.Joel 3:16 Today, we close out the Book of Joel. The message is very similar to what we found in the last chapter of the Book of Amos and it is summarized by the title of this submission; The Lord Judges But He Al...  Read More

19 The Lord answered and said to his people,“Behold, I am sending to you    grain, wine, and oil,    and you will be satisfied;and I will no more make you    a reproach among the nations.20 “I will remove the northerner far from you,    and drive him into a parched and desolate land,his vanguard into the eastern sea,    and his rear guard into the western sea;the stench and foul smell of him will ...  Read More

Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,    nor fruit be on the vines,the produce of the olive fail    and the fields yield no food,the flock be cut off from the fold    and there be no herd in the stalls,18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.19 God, the Lord, is my strength;    he makes my feet like the deer's;    he makes ...  Read More

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 Faith2 And the Lord answered me:“Write the vision;    make it plain on tablets,    so he may run who reads it.3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time;    it hastens to the end—it will not lie...  Read More

Habakkuk's Complaint2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,    and you will not hear?Or cry to you “Violence!”    and you will not save?3 Why do you make me see iniquity,    and why do you idly look at wrong?Destruction and violence are before me;    strife and contention arise.4 So the law is paralyzed,    and justice never goes forth.For the wicked surround the righteous;    so justice goes for...  Read More

Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations1 Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,    the oppressing city!2 She listens to no voice;    she accepts no correction.She does not trust in the Lord;    she does not draw near to her God.3 Her officials within her    are roaring lions;her judges are evening wolves    that leave nothing till the morning.4 Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men;her priests...  Read More

1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah the son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.The Coming Judgment on Judah2 “I will utterly sweep away everything    from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.3 “I will sweep away man and beast;    I will sweep away the birds of the heavens    and the fish of the sea,and th...  Read More

1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.God's Wrath Against Nineveh2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;    the Lord is avenging and wrathful;the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries    and keeps wrath for his enemies.3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,    and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.His way is in whirlwind and storm,    and t...  Read More

8 He has told you, O man, what is good;    and what does the Lord require of youbut to do justice, and to love kindness,    and to walk humbly with your God?Micah 6:8 After detailing the injustice and corruption of those who should be leveraging their resources for good, Micah offers a poetic verse on how to walk out the Good News of God's redemption plan. In a world of endless self-improvement ad...  Read More

2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for me    one who is to be ruler in Israel,whose coming forth is from of old,    from ancient days.3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time    when she who is in labor has given birth;then the rest of his brothers shall return    to the people of Israel.4 And he shall stand and ...  Read More

11 Its heads give judgment for a bribe;    its priests teach for a price;    its prophets practice divination for money;yet they lean on the Lord and say,    “Is not the Lord in the midst of us?    No disaster shall come upon us.”Micah 3:11 “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.”That’s a bold claim. “God is on our side,” these leaders say. Now, Scripture shows that Go...  Read More