Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence. 

    Blog Post: How God Uses Evil to Destroy Evil

    There’s some overlap between Nahum and Habakkuk (two minor prophets that we recently read) in that God uses evil to destroy evil. But why?

    On this rest day, check out this article from The Bible Project called “Nahum’s Oracle and Habakkuk’s Grievance.”

    Worship with us

    Join us in person or online at 9a or 11a at harriscreek.org/live. We will not be having the 7p service for the duration of the summer! We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

    Leave a Comment below
    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.
  • Habakkuk 3

    Habakkuk 3

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Read Habakkuk 3

    Habakkuk’s Prayer

    3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.

    2 Lord, I have heard of your fame;
        I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.
    Repeat them in our day,
        in our time make them known;
        in wrath remember mercy.

    3 God came from Teman,
        the Holy One from Mount Paran.
    His glory covered the heavens
        and his praise filled the earth.
    4 His splendor was like the sunrise;
        rays flashed from his hand,
        where his power was hidden.
    5 Plague went before him;
        pestilence followed his steps.
    6 He stood, and shook the earth;
        he looked, and made the nations tremble.
    The ancient mountains crumbled
        and the age-old hills collapsed—
        but he marches on forever.
    7 I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
        the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

    8 Were you angry with the rivers, Lord?
        Was your wrath against the streams?
    Did you rage against the sea
        when you rode your horses
        and your chariots to victory?
    9 You uncovered your bow,
        you called for many arrows.
    You split the earth with rivers;
    10     the mountains saw you and writhed.
    Torrents of water swept by;
        the deep roared
        and lifted its waves on high.

    11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
        at the glint of your flying arrows,
        at the lightning of your flashing spear.
    12 In wrath you strode through the earth
        and in anger you threshed the nations.
    13 You came out to deliver your people,
        to save your anointed one.
    You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
        you stripped him from head to foot.
    14 With his own spear you pierced his head
        when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
    gloating as though about to devour
        the wretched who were in hiding.
    15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
        churning the great waters.

    16 I heard and my heart pounded,
        my lips quivered at the sound;
    decay crept into my bones,
        and my legs trembled.
    Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
        to come on the nation invading us.
    17 Though the fig tree does not bud
        and there are no grapes on the vines,
    though the olive crop fails
        and the fields produce no food,
    though there are no sheep in the pen
        and no cattle in the stalls,
    18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
        I will be joyful in God my Savior.

    19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
        he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
        he enables me to tread on the heights.

    For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

    Go Deeper

    “Why God?” is the question we see Habakkuk asking the Lord in this book. Why is there injustice? Why is there violence? Why is there oppression? Why is God judging wicked Judah by raising up wicked Babylon? Why isn’t God setting things right? Habakkuk is grappling with some tough questions. He is crying out to God about the oppression and violence in front of him. Why is God tolerating this wrongdoing? Many of us have asked these same questions. How can God be good and there still be evil in the world? How can the Lord love us, but allow us to experience suffering? 

    Habakkuk recognized how dark and chaotic this world can be. He saw the violence and injustice around him and concluded that this world is not how it should be. Despite these questions Habakkuk was asking, he concluded with a joyful praise. He reminded himself of who God was despite his current circumstances. Habakkuk says, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!” (v. 17-18). There is no fruit on the trees, no grapes on the vines, no produce, and no livestock. Regardless of this, he will rejoice. 

    Paul makes a similar statement in the book of Philippians expressing that he has found joy despite his situation. Paul says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13). We can endure all things through Christ. God alone is the source of our joy. However, this is sometimes hard to believe. It is tempting to seek security and satisfaction from the things of this world. But Jesus is so much better than this world has to offer. Our contentment is not found in physical blessing or circumstances, but in a relationship with God. Only He will truly satisfy.

    We can come to the Lord with our honest questions and the ways we feel He has let us down, but it is important to remind ourselves of His consistent character. There is evil in this world, and God is still good and in control. There are troubles in this life, and we can take heart because He has overcome. We can have confidence in God knowing that we don’t see the full picture, He does. The Lord is still on His throne, no matter our circumstances. He is worthy of our trust. He is a just God and will punish the wicked. He will make all things right.

    Questions

    1. What trials or struggles are you currently walking through? 
    2. Is there a time where you have wrestled with believing God is good when your circumstances are not? 
    3. Like Habakkuk, how can you praise God in the midst of trials?

    Listen Here

    Listen to this episode of the Pray the Word podcast with pastor and author David Platt on Habakkuk 3:17-18 and be encouraged today!

    Leave a Comment below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

    Join the Team

    Interested in writing for the Bible Reading Plan? Email [email protected].

  • Habakkuk 2

    Habakkuk 2

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Read Habakkuk 2

    2 I will stand at my watch
        and station myself on the ramparts;
    I will look to see what he will say to me,
        and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

    The Lord’s Answer

    2 Then the Lord replied:

    “Write down the revelation
        and make it plain on tablets
        so that a herald may run with it.
    3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
        it speaks of the end
        and will not prove false.
    Though it linger, wait for it;
        it will certainly come
        and will not delay.

    4 “See, the enemy is puffed up;
        his desires are not upright—
        but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—
    5 indeed, wine betrays him;
        he is arrogant and never at rest.
    Because he is as greedy as the grave
        and like death is never satisfied,
    he gathers to himself all the nations
        and takes captive all the peoples.

    6 “Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying,

    “‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods
        and makes himself wealthy by extortion!
        How long must this go on?’
    7 Will not your creditors suddenly arise?
        Will they not wake up and make you tremble?
        Then you will become their prey.
    8 Because you have plundered many nations,
        the peoples who are left will plunder you.
    For you have shed human blood;
        you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

    9 “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain,
        setting his nest on high
        to escape the clutches of ruin!
    10 You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
        shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
    11 The stones of the wall will cry out,
        and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.

    12 “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
        and establishes a town by injustice!
    13 Has not the Lord Almighty determined
        that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire,
        that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?
    14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
        as the waters cover the sea.

    15 “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors,
        pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk,
        so that he can gaze on their naked bodies!
    16 You will be filled with shame instead of glory.
        Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed!
    The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you,
        and disgrace will cover your glory.
    17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,
        and your destruction of animals will terrify you.
    For you have shed human blood;
        you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.

    18 “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman?
        Or an image that teaches lies?
    For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation;
        he makes idols that cannot speak.
    19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’
        Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’
    Can it give guidance?
        It is covered with gold and silver;
        there is no breath in it.”

    20 The Lord is in his holy temple;
        let all the earth be silent before him.

    Go Deeper

    There is no future for the wicked. 

    As we survey the world today, this promise can be hard to believe. Everywhere we look, the world celebrates the proud. The greedy accumulate wealth and luxuries. The violent wreak havoc on cities without consequence. The drunkards appear to experience more fun and pleasure than we do. The idolatrous seem to have all the answers. 

    Scripture is clear that those who defy God will be judged, and whenever that day comes, they will be brought low before Him. Everyone who appears to gain from their wickedness will receive their due, in this life or the next.  

    Habakkuk 2 is one of the many passages where God explicitly makes this  promise. It opens with Habakkuk receiving a word from the Lord about the coming Babylonian conquest of Judah. He is instructed to send the warning to all the earth and trust that no matter how long it takes, the promise “speaks of the end and will not prove false” (v. 3).   

    The chapter categorizes five types of people (and nations) who will ultimately face God’s judgment: the proud, the greedy, the violent, the drunken, and the idolatrous. Line by line, God lays out the fate of those who defy Him and His ways. Amazingly, these same words apply to our modern world just as they applied to ancient Israel.

    Sins such as drunkenness, extortion, greed, and violence easily translate to the modern world. We can comprehend how wealthy people exploit the poor and how arrogant people acquire power. The description of idolatry isn’t far from our modern understanding either. Maybe we don’t ask carved images to come alive, but we do have technology devices covered in gold and silver. They have no breath, and yet we ask them to “wake up” and give us guidance. While we may be tempted to accuse other nations or other people of sin, let’s not rush past where God’s warnings apply directly to us.    

    Questions

    1. Verses 4-8 are about Babylon’s pride, while verses 9-19 are about Israel’s sin. Why does God allow Babylon to conquer Israel? 
    2. Of the five types of wickedness represented in Habakkuk 2 (pride, greed, violence, drunkenness, idolatry), which applies most to you? What can you apply from this passage? 
    3. How does this chapter end, and why is it significant?

    By the Way

    Habakkuk 2:4 reads, “The just shall live by his faith” (KJV). Paul references this same phrase in his letter to Romans when he talks about how both Jews and Gentiles can find salvation through Christ. “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17, KJV).

    Paul encourages the people that while God’s wrath will come upon those who are wicked and godless, His grace allows anyone who has faith in Jesus to experience His righteousness and to live. All sinners who put their faith in Jesus are justified by God! God is calling us to put our faith in Him because He is gracious to sinners and longs for us to be free from sin that deceives and destroys.  

    Leave a Comment below

    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.

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  • Habakkuk Overview + 1

    Habakkuk Overview + 1

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Habakkuk Overview

    Habakkuk is another one of the 17 prophetic books in the Old Testament. Considered one of the minor prophets, Habakkuk is different from his counterparts because instead of relaying a message from God, Habakkuk is delivering a message to God. This book gives us a glimpse into a prophet’s wrestling with the nature of God and the questions that are on Habakkuk’s mind. 

    Habakkuk prophesied during the reign of King Jehoiakim’s reign from 609–598 B.C. To Habakkuk’s fellow believers in the one, true God, their entire world felt upside down. As a prophet in Jerusalem, Habakkuk looked around and wickedness was on full display and God seemed pretty…silent. In fact, that’s an important sticking point as we read this book: God’s silence has bewildered Habakkuk to the point that he can’t remain silent any longer. And God doesn’t shy away from Habakkuk’s questions–He answers him! 

    As we read this book, let it serve as a helpful reminder to us that God’s always working in the world around us–even when He seems quiet and distant. While this book is short (only three chapters), there is much to be learned and applied for us as readers and students of God’s Word. As you’re reading, underline and/or highlight the things that stick out to you. Write questions in the margins or in a notebook and dive in headfirst looking for answers! Ask God to speak to you as we read these ancient words this week.

    Read Habakkuk 1

    1 The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.

    Habakkuk’s Complaint

    2 How long, Lord, must I call for help,
        but you do not listen?
    Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
        but you do not save?
    3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
        Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
    Destruction and violence are before me;
        there is strife, and conflict abounds.
    4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
        and justice never prevails.
    The wicked hem in the righteous,
        so that justice is perverted.

    The Lord’s Answer

    5 “Look at the nations and watch—
        and be utterly amazed.
    For I am going to do something in your days
        that you would not believe,
        even if you were told.
    6 I am raising up the Babylonians,
        that ruthless and impetuous people,
    who sweep across the whole earth
        to seize dwellings not their own.
    7 They are a feared and dreaded people;
        they are a law to themselves
        and promote their own honor.
    8 Their horses are swifter than leopards,
        fiercer than wolves at dusk.
    Their cavalry gallops headlong;
        their horsemen come from afar.
    They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
    9     they all come intent on violence.
    Their hordes advance like a desert wind
        and gather prisoners like sand.
    10 They mock kings
        and scoff at rulers.
    They laugh at all fortified cities;
        by building earthen ramps they capture them.
    11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
        guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”

    Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

    12 Lord, are you not from everlasting?
        My God, my Holy One, you will never die.
    You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;
        you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
    13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
        you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
    Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
        Why are you silent while the wicked
        swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
    14 You have made people like the fish in the sea,
        like the sea creatures that have no ruler.
    15 The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks,
        he catches them in his net,
    he gathers them up in his dragnet;
        and so he rejoices and is glad.
    16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net
        and burns incense to his dragnet,
    for by his net he lives in luxury
        and enjoys the choicest food.
    17 Is he to keep on emptying his net,
        destroying nations without mercy?

    Go Deeper

    Habakkuk wrote this book during the last years of the southern kingdom of Israel when the people had given themselves over to injustice and idolatry. These chapters were likely written after the death of King Josiah of Judah but before the destruction of Judah. Habakkuk is wrestling to believe God is good even in the midst of mass tragedy. He asks questions like, “Why isn’t God saving us from violence?” or “Why does God allow injustice?” 

    If we are honest, these questions don’t sound much different than ones we ask today. Our world is full of injustice, violence, and evil. On top of that, global, up-to-the-minute media makes us hyper-aware of this evil. If we go back to the text, God’s response to Habakkuk’s questions is far from what we would expect. God certifies that He is aware of Israel’s corruption and is going to allow one of the most wicked nations of all the earth to overthrow Israel. The people of Israel who have turned from God will face their punishment from a cruel and ruthless nation. 

    Let’s put ourselves in Habakkuk’s shoes for a moment. Now the question is: “Why would God use wicked people to bring holiness back to Judah?” As followers of Jesus, it makes sense for the injustice and wickedness of the world to concern and disturb us. Habakkuk shows us that we can bring our concerns to God and ask Him to bring an end to the unrighteousness. Habakkuk gives us an example of how to be brokenhearted for those who have turned from God and to petition God to make things right, even if His answer is unexpected.

    Mark 9 tells a story of a young boy who is possessed by a spirit that makes him convulse and become mute. His father brings him to Jesus to see if he can be healed.

    ‘But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’”
    “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
    Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22b-24)

    Jesus questions the father’s faith, and the father is honest in his response. With a simple change in how we word our prayers, they become sentences of faith rather than doubt. Instead of looking at injustice and asking God “why” or “if you can,” we can rely on the hope that Jesus offers and ask God to help us have faith in those areas of doubt.

    Questions

    1. What stuck out must to you in this passage? Why?
    2. What doubts do you struggle with? Have you prayed to God about them? In what ways can you turn doubtful thoughts into faithful thoughts? 
    3. What can you do to spend more time in prayer this week?

    Pray This

    Father, thank you for Your word and that it speaks to things we struggle with even today. Help me to be brokenhearted for sin in our world, but even more, help me know that You are righteous and that You care for us. I believe You are good; help my unbelief. Amen.

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  • Zephaniah 3

    Zephaniah 3

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Read Zephaniah 3

    Jerusalem

    3 Woe to the city of oppressors,
        rebellious and defiled!
    2 She obeys no one,
        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 rulers are evening wolves,
        who leave nothing for the morning.
    4 Her prophets are unprincipled;
        they are treacherous people.
    Her priests profane the sanctuary
        and do violence to the law.
    5 The Lord within her is righteous;
        he does no wrong.
    Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,
        and every new day he does not fail,
        yet the unrighteous know no shame.

    Jerusalem Remains Unrepentant

    6 “I have destroyed nations;
        their strongholds are demolished.
    I have left their streets deserted,
        with no one passing through.
    Their cities are laid waste;
        they are deserted and empty.
    7 Of Jerusalem I thought,
        ‘Surely you will fear me
        and accept correction!’
    Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed,
        nor all my punishments come upon her.
    But they were still eager
        to act corruptly in all they did.
    8 Therefore wait for me,”
        declares the Lord,
        “for the day I will stand up to testify.
    I have decided to assemble the nations,
        to gather the kingdoms
    and to pour out my wrath on them—
        all my fierce anger.
    The whole world will be consumed
        by the fire of my jealous anger.

    Restoration of Israel’s Remnant

    9 “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
        that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
        and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
    10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
        my worshipers, my scattered people,
        will bring me offerings.
    11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame
        for all the wrongs you have done to me,
    because I will remove from you
        your arrogant boasters.
    Never again will you be haughty
        on my holy hill.
    12 But I will leave within you
        the meek and humble.
    The remnant of Israel
        will trust in the name of the Lord.
    13 They will do no wrong;
        they will tell no lies.
    A deceitful tongue
        will not be found in their mouths.
    They will eat and lie down
        and no one will make them afraid.”

    14 Sing, Daughter Zion;
        shout aloud, Israel!
    Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
        Daughter Jerusalem!
    15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,
        he has turned back your enemy.
    The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
        never again will you fear any harm.
    16 On that day
        they will say to Jerusalem,
    “Do not fear, Zion;
        do not let your hands hang limp.
    17 The Lord your God is with you,
        the Mighty Warrior who saves.
    He will take great delight in you;
        in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
        but will rejoice over you with singing.”

    18 “I will remove from you
        all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,
        which is a burden and reproach for you.
    19 At that time I will deal
        with all who oppressed you.
    I will rescue the lame;
        I will gather the exiles.
    I will give them praise and honor
        in every land where they have suffered shame.
    20 At that time I will gather you;
        at that time I will bring you home.
    I will give you honor and praise
        among all the peoples of the earth
    when I restore your fortunes
        before your very eyes,”
    says the Lord.

    Go Deeper

    This final chapter of Zephaniah begins with a sobering message to the people of Judah but concludes with the hope of restoration. Judah, like the nations surrounding her, had fallen to idolatry, corruption, and wickedness. Zephaniah presents stark contrasts of the righteous, just, perfect God to the reckless, treacherous, profane leaders of Judah. Not only is God’s warning of judgment that He will purge His people presented, but also a message of hope and restoration is promised.  

    Reading the prophets of the Old Testament gives us a vivid picture of how seriously God views sin. As judgments are predicted, there are also reminders of God’s plan to restore and redeem. After God’s judgment, God will transform the lives of His people (those who are repentant and humble before Him.) There is a picture of unity, humility, authentic worship, and life without fear promised to those who seek the Lord. “On that day, the Lord your God will be in your midst, a mighty one who will save.” What a message of hope God offers through Zephaniah’s faithful prophecy. 

    Zephaniah’s picture of God’s delight in His people is worthy of our focus today. Consider the words used to express God’s care: restore, take away judgments, clear enemies, save, rejoice, quiet with love, exult, gather, change shame to praise, restore. Imagine the hope this offered to the people of Judah!

    This description also applies today. Our God rejoices over His own in Christ with loud singing. Notice this is not an insignificant response, this describes a divine celebration! Ultimate restoration and eternal hope have been sealed by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. On that promised future day, when we’re face to face with Jesus, we will rejoice and sing in worship and praise joining in His song of delight.

    Questions

    1. How have you been challenged to view the prophecies of God’s judgment as acts of merciful warnings?
    2. Where do you most long for God to save and restore? 
    3. What is your response to God’s immense delight in you expressed with loud singing?

    A Quote

    “God is so happy in the love He bears to His people that He breaks the eternal silence, and sun and moon and stars with astonishment hear God chanting a hymn of joy.”– Charles Spurgeon

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  • Zephaniah 2

    Zephaniah 2

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Read Zephaniah 2

    Judah and Jerusalem Judged Along With the Nations

    Judah Summoned to Repent

    2 Gather together, gather yourselves together,
        you shameful nation,
    2 before the decree takes effect
        and that day passes like windblown chaff,
    before the Lord’s fierce anger
        comes upon you,
    before the day of the Lord’s wrath
        comes upon you.
    3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
        you who do what he commands.
    Seek righteousness, seek humility;
        perhaps you will be sheltered
        on the day of the Lord’s anger.

    Philistia

    4 Gaza will be abandoned
        and Ashkelon left in ruins.
    At midday Ashdod will be emptied
        and Ekron uprooted.
    5 Woe to you who live by the sea,
        you Kerethite people;
    the word of the Lord is against you,
        Canaan, land of the Philistines.
    He says, “I will destroy you,
        and none will be left.”
    6 The land by the sea will become pastures
        having wells for shepherds
        and pens for flocks.
    7 That land will belong
        to the remnant of the people of Judah;
        there they will find pasture.
    In the evening they will lie down
        in the houses of Ashkelon.
    The Lord their God will care for them;
        he will restore their fortunes.

    Moab and Ammon

    8 “I have heard the insults of Moab
        and the taunts of the Ammonites,
    who insulted my people
        and made threats against their land.
    9 Therefore, as surely as I live,”
        declares the Lord Almighty,
        the God of Israel,
    “surely Moab will become like Sodom,
        the Ammonites like Gomorrah—
    a place of weeds and salt pits,
        a wasteland forever.
    The remnant of my people will plunder them;
        the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.”

    10 This is what they will get in return for their pride,
        for insulting and mocking
        the people of the Lord Almighty.
    11 The Lord will be awesome to them
        when he destroys all the gods of the earth.
    Distant nations will bow down to him,
        all of them in their own lands.

    Cush

    12 “You Cushites, too,
        will be slain by my sword.”

    Assyria

    13 He will stretch out his hand against the north
        and destroy Assyria,
    leaving Nineveh utterly desolate
        and dry as the desert.
    14 Flocks and herds will lie down there,
        creatures of every kind.
    The desert owl and the screech owl
        will roost on her columns.
    Their hooting will echo through the windows,
        rubble will fill the doorways,
        the beams of cedar will be exposed.
    15 This is the city of revelry
        that lived in safety.
    She said to herself,
        “I am the one! And there is none besides me.”
    What a ruin she has become,
        a lair for wild beasts!
    All who pass by her scoff
        and shake their fists.

    Go Deeper

    In this chapter, we see Zephaniah calling the whole world to repentance! The previous chapter had a message of judgment specifically on Judah and proclaimed that the Lord will sweep away everything from the face of the earth. He will sweep away people and animals, He will sweep away the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the ruins along with the wicked (1:2-3). There will be a sudden end to all who live on the earth (1:18). This message is intense! This chapter continues with the same theme as we see a call of the people to urgent repentance, and the coming judgment against the nations on the day of the Lord. This is the day where the Lord will ultimately judge the earth and the people who inhabit it. 

    Zephaniah lists out nations that will be destroyed, all which are surrounding enemies of Judah. These nations include: the Philistines (v. 4-7), the Moabites and Ammonites (v. 8-11), the Ethiopians (v. 12), and the Assyrians (v. 13-15). The prophet proclaimed that “Moab will be like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah” (v. 9). This is a sobering and humbling comparison. The destruction of Sodom of Gomorrah takes place in Genesis 19. These cities were consumed by sulfur and fire from Heaven as a result of their grievous sin.

    Romans tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Every single person on earth has missed the mark on God’s standards. We know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Death is the consequence of our sin, and judgment and destruction are certain unless we repent. No one can escape judgment apart from God’s mercy. He is gracious and compassionate, but He will judge and destroy the wicked. He is a merciful and righteous God, but we should tremble at His awesome power. The Lord is a mighty warrior that sweeps the wicked away in judgment but saves those who repent and turn back to Him. 

    There is a call in this passage to seek the Lord, seek righteousness, and seek humility. A call to carry out all that He commands us to do. This is also a wakeup call to share the gospel! There are nations who don’t know that the day of the Lord is coming. There are nations that don’t know there is eternal punishment apart from Christ. There are nations just waiting to hear the good news of Jesus! It is God’s desire that the ends of the earth would fear Him and praise Him (Psalm 67). Let’s share the gospel with a sense of urgency, but look forward to the day where every nation, tribe, people, and tongue will be worshiping the Lord for all of eternity (Revelation 7:9).  

    Questions

    1. Do you tend to see God more as merciful or just? What does this passage show you about the character of God?
    2. What would it look like for you to live in light of this coming day of judgment?
    3. What distracts you or prevents you from sharing the gospel? Spend time today praying for the spread of the gospel, both here locally and among all nations! 

    Keep Digging

    Verse 11 tells us that Moab and Ammon will eventually worship the Lord. To learn more about this prophecy and what Zephaniah was saying, read this article from GotQuestions.org.

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  • Zephaniah Overview + 1

    Zephaniah Overview + 1

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Zephaniah Overview

    The book of Zephaniah was written by the prophet Zephaniah whose name means “defended by God.” His lineage included Hezekiah, one of Judah’s godly kings, and he prophesied during the reign of King Josiah who made sweeping reforms after the book of the Law was discovered. Because of Zephaniah’s family of origin (and the fact that he was prophesying in Jerusalem), Zephaniah was an influential person at the center of the religious and political scene of the time. As a prophet (someone speaking on behalf of God), Zephaniah’s message carried a great deal of weight. 

    History shows that as a young man, Zephaniah was surrounded by blatant idolatry, child sacrifice, and unjust killings under the evil reign of King Manasseh (think of Nineveh). Even so, God raised him up to be a prophet who would stand before the people and declare God’s judgment and hope to those who had gone astray, people who worshiped Baal, Molech, and even the stars in heaven, instead of God. The worship of the one, true God had fallen to the wayside and judgment was coming. 

    So, how do we apply this short book to our own lives? Zephaniah’s message, like so many other prophets, is to repent from wickedness. When we live in unrepentant sin and go through the motions of religiosity, we make a mockery of God. When we treat worship as something that happens for 75 minutes on Sunday mornings and live like the rest of the world does the rest of the week, we make a mockery of God. The call of Zephaniah is to repent and live in a holy manner. May God use the book of Zephaniah to point out the parts of our own lives that need to be fully surrendered to Him. 

    For The Bible Project’s overview of Zephaniah, click here.

    Read Zephaniah 1

    1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, during the reign of Josiahson of Amon king of Judah:

    Judgment on the Whole Earth in the Day of the Lord

    2 “I will sweep away everything

        from the face of the earth,”
    declares the Lord.
    3 “I will sweep away both man and beast;
        I will sweep away the birds in the sky
        and the fish in the sea—
        and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble.”

    “When I destroy all mankind
        on the face of the earth,”
    declares the Lord,
    4 “I will stretch out my hand against Judah
        and against all who live in Jerusalem.
    I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place,
        the very names of the idolatrous priests—
    5 those who bow down on the roofs
        to worship the starry host,
    those who bow down and swear by the Lord
        and who also swear by Molek,
    6 those who turn back from following the Lord
        and neither seek the Lord nor inquire of him.”

    7 Be silent before the Sovereign Lord,
        for the day of the Lord is near.
    The Lord has prepared a sacrifice;
        he has consecrated those he has invited.

    8 “On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice

        I will punish the officials

        and the king’s sons
    and all those clad
        in foreign clothes.
    9 On that day I will punish
        all who avoid stepping on the threshold,
    who fill the temple of their gods
        with violence and deceit.

    10 “On that day,”

        declares the Lord,

    “a cry will go up from the Fish Gate,
        wailing from the New Quarter,
        and a loud crash from the hills.
    11 Wail, you who live in the market district;
        all your merchants will be wiped out,
        all who trade with silver will be destroyed.
    12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
        and punish those who are complacent,
        who are like wine left on its dregs,
    who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing,
        either good or bad.’
    13 Their wealth will be plundered,
        their houses demolished.
    Though they build houses,
        they will not live in them;
    though they plant vineyards,
        they will not drink the wine.”

    14 The great day of the Lord is near—

        near and coming quickly.

    The cry on the day of the Lord is bitter;

        the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.

    15 That day will be a day of wrath—

        a day of distress and anguish,

            a day of trouble and ruin,

        a day of darkness and gloom,

            a day of clouds and blackness—

    16     a day of trumpet and battle cry
    against the fortified cities
        and against the corner towers.

    17 “I will bring such distress on all people

        that they will grope about like those who are blind,
        because they have sinned against the Lord.
    Their blood will be poured out like dust
        and their entrails like dung.
    18 Neither their silver nor their gold
        will be able to save them
        on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”

    In the fire of his jealousy
        the whole earth will be consumed,
    for he will make a sudden end
        of all who live on the earth.

    Go Deeper

    Zephaniah boldly stepped into his calling to draw the hearts of the people back to God. These were people who enjoyed wealth and prosperity while growing complacent in their worldly comforts. They were a people who had embraced pagan customs and worshiped foreign gods. He delivered crushing, blunt words of God’s swift judgment on those who defied the Lord. “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the Lord. I will sweep away both man and beast; I will sweep away the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea–and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble” (v. 2-3). 

    Zephaniah’s words were piercing and to the point, warning that destruction was sure to those who had forsaken the Lord. God had spoken and the people were guilty and doomed. Would the hearts of the people be stirred to repent and return to the God of their ancestors? Would they accept the correction delivered through Zephaniah? Verse 6 gives an indictment on the people saying, “And I will destroy those who used to worship me but now no longer do. They no longer ask for the Lord’s guidance or seek my blessings.” Today some might label this as a “deconstruction of faith.” Scripture reveals they trusted more in themselves, prosperity, and power than God. Their love and affection for God had grown cold as they slipped into idolatry clearly ignoring God’s commands. Keep in mind this was not a pagan nation, but Judah, the tribe through which the Savior of the world would come: The Lion of Judah.

    Zephaniah wrote that the day of the Lord was near (1:14), that it would be a time of wrath (1;15), and that it would come as judgment on sin (1:17). Pastor Chuck Swindoll says: “Zephaniah’s prophecy shouted out for godliness and purity in a nation sinful to its core. The people of Judah had long since turned their backs on God, not only in their personal lives but also in their worship. This reflected the depth of their sin and the deep need for God’s people to be purged on their path to restoration.” 

    God takes seriously our relationship with him and the influence we have on others. He does not wink at sin or turn a blind eye to rebellion, as an individual or a nation. Zephaniah’s words ring just as true today as they did then. Surely Zephaniah would have agreed with the words of the prophet Jeremiah, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land” (33:3).

    Questions

    1. What idol is currently causing you to stumble in your obedience to God?
    2. Where have you forsaken the Lord and your love for him grown cold/apathetic?
    3. Do you daily ask and seek God’s guidance through scripture and prayer?

    A Quote

    D.A. Carson, one of the leading New Testament scholars of our era, said this:

    “People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

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  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence. 

    Watch This: Reading the Prophets

    The Bible is made up of several different types of literature that are all meant to be read differently. To learn more about how to read the prophets (which we’re doing right now), check out this five minute video from The Bible Project.

    Worship with us

    Join us in person or online at 9a or 11a at harriscreek.org/live. We will not be having the 7p service for the duration of the summer! We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

    Leave a Comment below
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  • Nahum 3

    Nahum 3

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Read Nahum 3

    Woe to Nineveh

    3 Woe to the city of blood,
        full of lies,
    full of plunder,
        never without victims!
    2 The crack of whips,
        the clatter of wheels,
    galloping horses
        and jolting chariots!
    3 Charging cavalry,
        flashing swords
        and glittering spears!
    Many casualties,
        piles of dead,
    bodies without number,
        people stumbling over the corpses—
    4 all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,
        alluring, the mistress of sorceries,
    who enslaved nations by her prostitution
        and peoples by her witchcraft.

    5 “I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
        “I will lift your skirts over your face.
    I will show the nations your nakedness
        and the kingdoms your shame.
    6 I will pelt you with filth,
        I will treat you with contempt
        and make you a spectacle.
    7 All who see you will flee from you and say,
        ‘Nineveh is in ruins—who will mourn for her?’
        Where can I find anyone to comfort you?”

    8 Are you better than Thebes,
        situated on the Nile,
        with water around her?
    The river was her defense,
        the waters her wall.
    9 Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength;
        Put and Libya were among her allies.
    10 Yet she was taken captive
        and went into exile.
    Her infants were dashed to pieces
        at every street corner.
    Lots were cast for her nobles,
        and all her great men were put in chains.
    11 You too will become drunk;
        you will go into hiding
        and seek refuge from the enemy.

    12 All your fortresses are like fig trees
        with their first ripe fruit;
    when they are shaken,
        the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.
    13 Look at your troops—
        they are all weaklings.
    The gates of your land
        are wide open to your enemies;
        fire has consumed the bars of your gates.

    14 Draw water for the siege,
        strengthen your defenses!
    Work the clay,
        tread the mortar,
        repair the brickwork!
    15 There the fire will consume you;
        the sword will cut you down—
        they will devour you like a swarm of locusts.
    Multiply like grasshoppers,
        multiply like locusts!
    16 You have increased the number of your merchants
        till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky,
    but like locusts they strip the land
        and then fly away.
    17 Your guards are like locusts,
        your officials like swarms of locusts
        that settle in the walls on a cold day—
    but when the sun appears they fly away,
        and no one knows where.

    18 King of Assyria, your shepherds slumber;
        your nobles lie down to rest.
    Your people are scattered on the mountains
        with no one to gather them.
    19 Nothing can heal you;
        your wound is fatal.
    All who hear the news about you
        clap their hands at your fall,
    for who has not felt
        your endless cruelty?

    Go Deeper

    Nahum begins this chapter with a “woe oracle” announcing impending doom on Nineveh, the city and nation known for its bloodshed, cruelty, and wickedness. As the prophet vividly describes specific sights and sounds of Nineveh’s downfall, his message is clear: God’s judgment will prevent Assyria from ever inflicting horrific practices upon her captives and promoting pagan worship throughout its empire. This destruction would be total devastation of this nation saving Judah from Assyria. 

    Nahum also references the fall of the Egyptian city, Thebes, that was viewed as indestructible and yet the Assyrians destroyed that city. His description predicts an even more devastating fate for Nineveh. These words would be ludicrous to an arrogant Assyrian, but to the people of Judah who were existing in the shadow of the Assyrian empire and had witnessed the northern kingdom of Israel’s defeat and deportation, this brought immense hope. Nahum exalts God’s justice and sovereign power as a place of refuge. God is their refuge and hope. He is the faithful and true judge. God, the Holy One, is faithful to stand with those who belong to Him.

    How are we to process the prophet Nahum’s message? It is often difficult to comprehend God’s great love and His wrath. His perfection and absolute holiness demand that wickedness and cruelty be addressed. Notice that His wrath does not come without warning. Nahum’s prophecy is pronounced to warn and remind the Assyrians of the awesome power of God and to encourage the downtrodden people of Judah that He would orchestrate the downfall of this enemy. As Nahum described in chapter 1, “God is slow to anger, but great in power; He will never leave the guilty unpunished. He is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who take refuge in Him.” In His time, God will confront and bring justice to every oppressor.

    As we read Nahum’s words, let’s be reminded that this holy, righteous, good God sent His Son to bear the full weight of God’s wrath toward our sin, so that we may experience eternity with Him. Jesus’ sacrifice of His life on the cross, experiencing the wrath that we deserve, invites us to mesh God’s righteous wrath and His immense love. This realization prompts grateful love and humility. 

    Questions

    1. How does Nahum’s prophecy encourage you that God will deal with evil?
    2. How does the intensity of God’s wrath also reflect the intensity of His great love?
    3. How does discovering that Nahum’s prophecy was fulfilled increase your trust in God’s promises?

    Did You Know?

    History confirms the fulfillment of Nahum’s prophecy. Nineveh was utterly destroyed in 612 B.C. The Babylonian army conquered the city, which was flooded, burned, and plundered. The Assyrian empire vanished. Its ruins were not discovered until 1845.

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  • Nahum 2

    Nahum 2

    Editor’s Note

    We’re also going to take a brief pause from our summer books (1 & 2 Chronicles) to read from some of the minor prophets that are either directly mentioned in 1 & 2 Chronicles or that lived and prophesied within the time frames of those books. 

    These short prophetical books help us understand what God’s people would have been hearing (and feeling) as they lived through some tumultuous times and help add color to the historical books we’re reading over the next couple of months! 

    Read Nahum 2

    Nineveh to Fall

    2 An attacker advances against you, Nineveh.
        Guard the fortress,
        watch the road,
        brace yourselves,
        marshal all your strength!

    2 The Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob
        like the splendor of Israel,
    though destroyers have laid them waste
        and have ruined their vines.

    3 The shields of the soldiers are red;
        the warriors are clad in scarlet.
    The metal on the chariots flashes
        on the day they are made ready;
        the spears of juniper are brandished.
    4 The chariots storm through the streets,
        rushing back and forth through the squares.
    They look like flaming torches;
        they dart about like lightning.

    5 Nineveh summons her picked troops,
        yet they stumble on their way.
    They dash to the city wall;
        the protective shield is put in place.
    6 The river gates are thrown open
        and the palace collapses.
    7 It is decreed that Nineveh
        be exiled and carried away.
    Her female slaves moan like doves
        and beat on their breasts.
    8 Nineveh is like a pool
        whose water is draining away.
    “Stop! Stop!” they cry,
        but no one turns back.
    9 Plunder the silver!
        Plunder the gold!
    The supply is endless,
        the wealth from all its treasures!
    10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
        Hearts melt, knees give way,
        bodies tremble, every face grows pale.

    11 Where now is the lions’ den,
        the place where they fed their young,
    where the lion and lioness went,
        and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
    12 The lion killed enough for his cubs
        and strangled the prey for his mate,
    filling his lairs with the kill
        and his dens with the prey.

    13 “I am against you,”
        declares the Lord Almighty.
    “I will burn up your chariots in smoke,
        and the sword will devour your young lions.
        I will leave you no prey on the earth.
    The voices of your messengers
        will no longer be heard.”

    Go Deeper

    Nahum 2 is a continuation of the previous chapter as Nahum, the prophet, tells of the vision God gave him. The people of Nineveh had returned to their wicked ways and they faced judgment. This prophecy from Nahum is graphic as it foretells impending doom and destruction. Reading it feels dark; hearing it in person must have felt even more ominous. As we read this today, it’s fair to wonder what we are supposed to do with Nahum 2.

    There are two contrasting pictures painted by Nahum in this chapter: we see that “the Lord will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel” (v. 2) and that Nineveh is facing a crushing defeat, with God opposing the Ninevites (v. 13). This is a reversal of fortunes for the people of God who have faced opposition and resistance. They would experience a restoration and would be lifted up by God. Think of the hope they must have felt hearing those words for the first time! 

    For the Ninevites, however, the opposite was in store for them. Pastor and commentator David Guzik said this in his Enduring Word commentary:

    “What a terrible thing to hear from God! The principle of Romans 8:31 is true for the believer: ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ Accordingly, the opposite is also true – if God is against you, then who can be for you?”

    This passage is a reminder God was and still is in the process of reconciling the world to Himself. Nineveh was a broken place overrun with idolatry and evildoers and God promised His people that He would restore them and punish evil all at the same time, even though it seemed like a dark and hopeless place. 

    Fast forward seven centuries (and 400 years of silence!) and God sent His son into a dark world with the promise that He was going to save the World through Jesus. Even though the circumstances seemed less than ideal at the time, God had a plan and knew what He was doing. Today, let’s cling to the hope that we have been given through Jesus and trust that God is still in the process of restoring our broken world. 

    Questions

    1. What stuck out to you in your first read through this passage? Why? 
    2. Can you think of a time you saw God restore a situation that seemed hopeless? What did you learn from watching that?
    3. How is God asking you to be light in a dark world today?

    Keep Digging

    Wondering why God judged Nineveh so harshly? Check out this article from GotQuestions.org.

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