The Minor Prophets: Nahum Man reaps what he sows

Lesson 7 25 March 2012

Introduction to Nahum
Nahum: means Comfort He is from Elkosh an unknown location in Judea Time period of service: Late reign of Manasseh (55 yrs) Key Event: Manasseh taken prisoner to Nineveh Theme: The Judgment on Nineveh
ca 650 BC 930 BC 722 BC 663 BC 612 BC 586 BC 536 BC 400 BC

The Divided Kingdom

Fall of Samaria

Fall of Thebes

Fall of Fall of Return to Nineveh Jerusalem Jerusalem

The End of the Old Testament

Micah 1
The First Sermon: Samaria and Judea
vs. 2: Gods Call to witness His action vs. 3-5: Gods Indictment against the people
The Northern Kingdom: Samaria The Southern Kingdom: Jerusalem

vs. 6-9: The pronouncement of judgment

For Samaria: Destruction For Jerusalem: The same sinfulness afflicts them

vs. 10-15: The Path of Judgment

The pronouncement is a play on words The literal path of the Assyrian Army in moving toward Jerusalem (cf. 2 Kings 18-19)

vs. 16: The fulfillment of judgment: exile

The fulfillment of the promises of Deuteronomy 28: 63f

Micah 2
The 2nd Sermon: Woe to the Leadership
vs. 1-2: The rich who plot against the poor
Their sin: covetness Their means: power

vs. 3-5: Gods Judgment

They will be unable to save themselves, taunted and have no inheritance in the assembly They will blame God for this calamity

vs. 6-11: The Rise of False Prophets

Attempt to silence the true prophets They deny the anger of the Lord They abuse the people The people wish to hear from the false prophets

vs. 12-13: Gods promise of restoration

Micah 3:1- 4:5

The 3rd Sermon: In Jerusalem
vs. 1-4: Gods Indictment of the Political Leadership
Hate good and Love evil Use people instead of guide them

vs. 5-8: Gods Indictment of the Religious Leadership

Lead the people astray for material good Gods Judgment: no answers from God The true prophet: Filled with the Lords Spirit

vs. 9-12: Gods Indictment of the Justice system

Their number one purpose: to get rich They use the Lord to deny reality

4: 1-5: In the Last Days

Gods mountain will be the center of the knowledge of God Gods law will go forth Peace and security will replace judgment and despair

Micah 4:6-5:5a
The Good Shepherd is Foretold
vs. 6-8: The Promise of Restoration
Those thought to be separated from God will form the remnant

vs. 4:9-5:1: The Judgment of God is redemptive in nature

All that the people go through prepare them for their king

vs. 5:2: The promise of the Messiah

The location is foretold: Bethlehem The divinity of the Messiah foretold: literally from all eternity

vs. 3: The time is in the Lords hand vs. 4-5: The Good Shepherd
The promise of leadership that will not fleece the flock Will lead in the name of the Lord Will provide security Will extend to the ends of the Earth

Micah 5:5b-6:16
The 3rd Sermon: Gods Call to Jerusalem
vs. 5b-15: Gods Judgment against Assyria
The Assyrians will fall The people scattered among the nations will act as the fulcrum of Gods Judgment vs. 11-15: God will judge the nations for:
The reliance on military might The reliance on the grandeur of their culture Their reliance on false religion and false gods

6:1-16: Gods Indictment of Judea

They forgot their heritage The forgot what God required of them in His word vs. 8: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God Gods final assessment of the iniquity of Jerusalem Gods punishment to remove His hand from the peoples lives

Micah 7
The Final Sermon: Judgment and Hope
vs. 1-6: Gods Judgment: The breakdown of civil society
The summer fruit The godly are removed from the land The leadership is corrupt The neighbors and friends are a threat The dysfunction of the family is the greatest threat of all

vs. 7: The Prophets hope vs. 8-13: The People of God will Rise
The prophet acknowledges his guilt before God The prophet recognizes Gods redemption

vs. 14-20: Praise the Lord

God will restore His people and judge those who are not Who is like God who pardons sin and forgives the transgression The voice of hope in the sea of despair

References
The TANAKH. The Book of Micah pp. 1041-1054 The NIV. The Book of Micah The Narrated Bible in Chronological Order. The Prophecies of Micah pp. 803-813 Bill T. and Beyer, Brian E. Encountering the Old Testament pp. 454-456 Boice, James Montgomery. The Minor Prophets vol. 2 pp. 313-365 Unger, Merrill F. Ungers Commentary on the Old Testament pp. 1843-1876