Well, I’m back with the next synoptic view of the 4 of 12 Minor Prophets of the Old Testament, Jonah, Micah, Nahum and Habukkuk. You’ll enjoy reading this for all the descriptions of the last days that are so easily recognizable, except to those that will not see!
THE BOOK OF JONAH
JONAH CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
HERE IS THE STORY:
JONAH IS SENT BY GOD TO CALL THE CITY OF NINEVEH TO REPENTANCE. NOT WANTING TO GO TO WORK THAT DAY, HE FLEES FROM GOD ONTO A SHIP. SO GOD SENDS A TEMPEST AGAINST THE SHIP.
THE SAILORS ABOARD BECOME FRIGHTENED AND ASK JONAH WHO HE IS. HE TELLS THEM OF THE PROPHETIC DUTY HE IS RUNNING FROM AND ASKS THEM TO CAST HIM INTO THE SEA.
THEY ARE AFRAID TO CAST AN INNOCENT MAN INTO THE SEA AND PRAY TO GOD THAT HIS BLOOD NOT BE UPON THEM. THEY THROW JONAH OVERBOARD AND THE SEA CALMS.
AND GOD PREPARED A “GREAT FISH” (A WHALE?) TO SWALLOW JONAH UP. JONAH WAS IN THE BELLY OF THE FISH FOR 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS.
(JESUS CHRIST REFERRED TO THE STORY OF JONAH ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN HE ASKED FOR A SIGN FROM HEAVEN. IN EACH CASE HE GAVE “THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAH” WHICH IS THE 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS EVENT IN THE PROPHET’S LIFE AND A FORESHADOWING OF JESUS’ OWN DEATH AND RESURRECTION. SEE MATTHEW 12:39-41; 16:4; LUKE 11:29-30. SO NEWS FLASH PEOPLE —JONAH AND THE GREAT FISH IS A TRUE STORY!)
JONAH CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
JONAH PRAYS TO GOD AND THE GREAT FISH VOMITS JONAH UPON DRY LAND.
JONAH CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
GOD TELLS JONAH A SECOND TIME TO GO PREACH REPENTANCE TO NINEVEH.
FINALLY JONAH OBEYS.HE TELLS THE PEOPLE OF THAT CITY “YET 40 DAYS AND NINEVEH SHALL BE OVERTHROWN.”
THE PEOPLE OF NINEVAH BELIEVED GOD, PROCLAIM A FAST AND PUT ON SACKCLOTH. EVEN THE KING DRESSES IN SACKCLOTH AND SITS DOWN IN ASHES AND CRIES MIGHTILY (WITH HIS PEOPLE) IN PRAYER TO GOD.
GOD SAW THEIR WORKS THAT THEY TURNED FROM THEIR EVIL. SO HE DID NOT DESTROY THE CITY.
JONAH CHAPTER 4 SYNOPSIS:
JONAH EXPECTED GOD TO DESTROY NINEVEH NO MATTER WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY DID IN THE FORM OF REPENTANCE. HE WAS ANGRY WITH GOD FOR SPARING NINEVEH WHEN IN HIS OPINION, ISRAEL (HIS OWN COUNTRY) COULD RARELY EVER GET A BREAK.
A SEVERELY DEPRESSED JONAH ASKS GOD TO KILL HIM.
GOD ASKS JONAH, “IS IT WISE TO BE ANGRY?” HE REBUKES JONAH AND TEACHES HIM A LESSON ON HAVING PITY AND MERCY BY SHELTERING HIM IN HIS MISERY WITH A PLANT (COVERING JONAH FROM THE SUN) —THEN SETTING A WORM UPON THE PLANT TO DESTROY IT— LEAVING JONAH TO ROAST IN THE SUN. GOD ASKS JONAH WHY HE FRETS OVER THE PLANT’S DEMISE IN COMPARISON TO NOT HAVING PITY ON THE 120,000 PEOPLE OF NINEVEH THAT HAVE ALREADY REPENTED FOR THEIR SINS.
THE BOOK OF MICAH
MICAH WAS A NATIVE OF JUDAH, WHO PROPHESIED UNDER KING HEZEKIAH.
MICAH IS THE ONLY PROPHET TO NAME BETHLEHEM AS THE PLACE OF THE ANTICIPATED MESSIAH’S BIRTH.
MICAH CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
MICAH PROPHESIES THE DOWNFALL OF SAMARIA AND JERUSALEM.
MICAH CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL IS LAMENTED.
THE LORD WILL GATHER THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL. (THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!)
MICAH CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
MICAH TELLS US THOSE PRIESTS WHO TEACH FOR HIRE, AND PROPHETS WHO DIVINE FOR MONEY, BRING A CURSE UPON THE PEOPLE.
“THUS SAITH THE LORD CONCERNING THE PROPHETS THAT MAKE MY PEOPLE ERR, THAT BITE WITH THEIR TEETH, AND CRY, PEACE; AND HE THAT PUTS NOT INTO THEIR MOUTHS, THEY EVEN PREPARE WAR AGAINST HIM.”
“THE HEADS THEREOF JUDGE FOR REWARD, AND THE PRIESTS THEREOF DIVINE FOR MONEY; YET WILL THEY LEAN UPON THE LORD, AND SAY, IS NOT THE LORD AMONG US? NO EVIL CAN COME UPON US.”
MICAH CHAPTER 4 SYNOPSIS:
IN THE LAST DAYS THE TEMPLE SHALL BE REBUILT, ISRAEL SHALL GATHER TO IT, THE MILLENNIAL ERA WILL BEGIN, AND JESUS CHRIST WILL REIGN IN ZION.
MICAH CHAPTER 5 SYNOPSIS:
THE MESSIAH SHALL BE BORN IN BETH-LEHEM.
IN THE LAST DAYS THE REMNANT OF JACOB SHALL TRIUMPH GLORIOUSLY (IN BATTLE) OVER THE GENTILES.
“AND THE REMNANT OF JACOB SHALL BE AMONGST THE GENTILES IN THE MIDST OF MANY PEOPLE AS A LION AMONG THE BEASTS OF THE FOREST, AS A YOUNG LION AMONG THE FLOCKS OF SHEEP: WHO, IF HE GO THROUGH, BOTH TREADETH DOWN, AND TEARETH IN PIECES, AND NONE CAN DELIVER. THINE HAND SHALL BE LIFTED UP UPON THINE ADVERSARIES, AND ALL THINE ENEMIES SHALL BE CUT OFF. AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY, SAITH THE LORD, THAT I WILL CUT OFF YOUR HORSES OUT OF THE MIDST OF YOU, AND I WILL DESTROY YOUR CHARIOTS; AND I WILL CUT OFF THE CITIES OF YOUR LAND, AND THROW DOWN ALL YOUR STRONG HOLDS; AND I WILL CUT OFF WITCHCRAFTS OUT OF YOUR HAND; AND YOU SHALL HAVE NO MORE SOOTHSAYERS.”
“YOUR GRAVEN IMAGES ALSO WILL I CUT OFF, AND YOUR STANDING IMAGES OUT OF THE MIDST OF YOU; AND YOU SHALL NO MORE WORSHIP THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS.”
“AND I WILL PLUCK UP YOUR GROVES OUT OF THE MIDST OF YOU; SO I WILL DESTROY YOUR CITIES.”
“AND I WILL EXECUTE VENGEANCE IN ANGER AND FURY UPON THE HEATHEN, SUCH AS YOU HAVE NOT HEARD.”
MICAH CHAPTER 6 SYNOPSIS:
MICAH TELLS US IN SPITE OF ALL GOD’S GOODNESS TO ISRAEL, THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT SERVED THE LORD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
“HE HAS SHOWED YOU, O MAN, WHAT IS GOOD; AND WHAT DOTH THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU, BUT TO DO JUSTLY, AND TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD?”
MICAH CHAPTER 7 SYNOPSIS:
THIS CHAPTER IS ARCHETYPICAL OF THE TIMES WE LIVE IN, SEE HOW HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF ~
“THE GOOD MAN IS PERISHED OUT OF THE EARTH: AND THERE IS NONE UPRIGHT AMONG MEN: THEY ALL LIE IN WAIT FOR BLOOD; THEY HUNT EVERY MAN HIS BROTHER WITH A NET.”
“THAT THEY MAY DO EVIL WITH BOTH HANDS EARNESTLY, THE PRINCE ASKETH, AND THE JUDGE ASKETH FOR A REWARD; AND THE GREAT MAN, HE UTTEREST HIS MISCHIEVOUS DESIRE: SO THEY WRAP IT UP.”
(THIS IS A REFERENCE TO OUR CULTURE OF JUDICIAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL CONSPIRACIES.)
“THE BEST OF THEM IS AS A BRIER: THE MOST UPRIGHT IS SHARPER THAN A THORN HEDGE; THE DAY OF THE WATCHMAN AND YOUR VISITATION COMETH; NOW SHALL BE THEIR PERPLEXITY. TRUST YOU NOT IN A FRIEND, PUT YOU NOT CONFIDENCE IN A GUIDE: KEEP THE DOORS OF YOUR MOUTH FROM HER THAT LIES IN YOUR BOSOM.”
“FOR THE SON DISHONOURETH THE FATHER, THE DAUGHTER RISETH UP AGAINST HER MOTHER, THE DAUGHTER IN LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER IN LAW; A MAN’S ENEMIES ARE THE MEN OF HIS OWN HOUSE.”
THE REST OF THIS CHAPTER IS ABOUT ~
THOUGH ISRAEL HAS REBELLED, YET IN THE LAST DAYS THE LORD WILL HAVE MERCY ON HER.
THE BOOK OF NAHUM
NAHUM MEANS “CONSOLER.” NAHUM WAS A NATIVE OF GALILEE. HE PROPHESIED AGAINST NINEVEH WHICH FINALLY FELL IN 606 B.C. ABOUT 200 YEARS AFTER THE PROPHET JONAH HAD CONVINCED THEM TO REPENT OF THEIR SINS INITIALLY.
NAHUM CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
NAHUM SPEAKS OF THE BURNING OF THE EARTH AT THE SECOND COMING.
“THE MOUNTAINS QUAKE AT HIM, AND THE HILLS MELT, AND THE EARTH IS BURNED AT HIS PRESENCE, YEA, THE WORLD, AND ALL THAT DWELL THEREIN. WHO CAN STAND BEFORE HIS INDIGNATION? AND WHO CAN ABIDE IN THE FIERCENESS OF HIS ANGER? HIS FURY IS POURED OUT LIKE FIRE, AND THE ROCKS ARE THROWN DOWN BY HIM.”
THE LORD IS GOOD, A STRONG HOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE; AND HE KNOWS THEM THAT TRUST IN HIM.
NAHUM CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
NINEVEH SHALL BE DESTROYED, WHICH IS THE TYPE OF DESTRUCTION THAT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS IN ISRAEL.
NAHUM CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
THE MISERABLE DOWNFALL OF NINEVEH IS FORETOLD. (IT WAS DESTROYED BECAUSE OF WITCHCRAFT).
THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK
A PROPHET OF JUDAH (600 BC) NOTHING IS KNOWN ABOUT HIM.
HABAKKUK CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS:
WHEN HABAKKUK LEARNED THAT THE LORD RAISED UP THE CHALDEANS (BABYLONIANS) TO OVERRUN THE LAND OF ISRAEL, HE WAS TROUBLED THAT THE WICKED COULD BE THUS EMPLOYED BY GOD TO DO SUCH THINGS.
HABAKKUK CHAPTER 2 SYNOPSIS:
THE LORD ADMONISHES PATIENCE, AND PROMISES THAT THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.
THE EARTH SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
(THE IS A REFERENCE TO THE LAST DAYS AND THE INFLUENCE OF TV AND THE INTERNET!).
THE PROPHET REMINDS US THAT IDOLS HAVE NO POWER.
HABAKKUK CHAPTER 3 SYNOPSIS:
IN HIS PRAYER, HABAKKUK TREMBLES AT THE MAJESTY OF GOD.
NEXT UP — THE LAST 4 OF THE 12 MINOR PROPHETS! ZEPHANIAH, HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH, AND MALACHI