CHRIST IS RISEN!

CHRIST IS RISEN!!!!!!

Need I say more?


This will be the last post in this blog for this year.  If you want to keep following Sharkbait go to http://sbreef.blogspot.com for Sharkbait's Reef.  It's not as serious as this site, but there are some good comments there. 

Malachi

Malachi prophesied in about 450BC, and had some harsh words about empty rituals. He also spent a lot of time passing on GOD's promise of messiah. "But unto you that fear my name, a Sun of Righteousness shall rise, with healing in his wings."

After the prophecies here, GOD was silent until the arrival of John the Baptist.



The book of Malachi is a reminder that God always had a perfect rescue plan for us, and that it was effected by Jesus here on earth.

MALACHI
You have lost your way.
Your faith you weaken in vain,
I will send my light.

Are you ready for tomorrow?

You know what is coming...

Zecheriah

We spoke yesterday about Haggai telling the people to rebuild the temple, while Zecheriah goes further and says they need to rebuild in preparation for the coming of their messiah, but that some will make their hearts as stone and close their ears.

ZECHERIAH
Turn to me I say.
You have made your heart as stone,
All will soon be gone. 

 

Zechariah also made a number of predictions about the coming of Jesus, and the end times.
And we know that all the prophecies about the coming messiah came true...

So we can have faith in the rest of his prophecies.

God tells the people to turn to Him, so that he can turn to them.
As they prepared their temple for his coming, so we need to keep preparing our hearts.

Today we remember the crucifixion...

But Sunday is coming.

Haggai

There came a time in history, when the people were allowed to return to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon. At this time, two prophets both encouraged the people to rebuild the temple which had been destroyed in the conquest.

Haggai points out to the people that they should be more concerned with building the temple, before their own comfort.

HAGGAI
Look first to my house.
From this day I will bless you.
Show your strength and work

God's priorities need to be our priorities.

What God values, we need to value.

If we put God first in all things, then he will bless us in the rest.

Zepheniah

If Habbakuk was one of the least known prophets, then Zepheniah on the other hand is one of the least mysterious of the prophets.

He wrote his prophecy in about 630BC, and he is even identified as being the grandson of King Hezekiah. He also prophesied that "The day of the Lord is near." Quite a strong warning to the people about their behaviour. But he also reminds us that the faithful have nothing to fear from this. "The Lord your GOD in the midst of you is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy."

ZEPHENIAH
Rejoice, we are saved.
God’s might in our midst.
We need know no fear

God never surprises us with judgment.  He gives his people fair warning, and thus the day of Judgment should hold no fear for us.

God will judge, but we are saved.  

Amen

Habbakuk

Habakkuk is one of the most mysterious prophets of the Old Testament; we know little about him.
He argued with GOD when he found out that GOD was planning to use the Chaldeans to punish His people. He said that the Chaldeans are even more disobedient that the people of Judah, but GOD reminds him that He has a plan, and it is not our place to understand it.

A reminder that GOD know what he is doing, and will redeem his people eventually.

HABBAKUK
Trust God, and his plan.
The just shall live by his faith.
Just you wait and see.

Sometimes the world seems out of control, but God is always in control.
Do we ever feel like we have a 'better' idea than God?
Do we have faith that even if ours sounds better, He knows what he is doing?
Do we really?

Nahum

Over the last few days, we looked at the role of Assyria in the history of GOD's people.

They were warned and saved through Jonah.

They destroyed Israel and Judah in Micah.

But after being warned and saved once, powerful Ninevah has fallen back again.

It has become a 'city of blood' and GOD's hand will not be stayed a second time.

Nahum brings a prophecy of destruction against them, which brings to an end our Assyrian tale.

NAHUM
A city of blood.
My anger is slow, but sure.
No escape this time.

GOD might be slow to anger, and swift to forgive....

..but he does not let us get away with sinning forever without consequence. 
The most powerful nation in the world falls, because it fails to turn back to GOD when he warns it.

Grace is not a license to sin.  We still need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, but with the confidence that comes from knowing our redeemer lives.