Habakkuk chapter 1
1The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
Verse one starts off with the burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw from the Lord; and some of these visions were indeed burdens. First Habakkuk is asking why Jerusalem's punishment is so harsh that the wicked appear to be getting a pass. The Lord let's them know that since Israel did not want to serve Him; they will serve a terrible and dreadful nation in the Chaldean's.
12Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
This nations has swift horses and an excellent military; they do not respect kings and princes and eventually they will credit their pagan gods for the strength. Habakkuk ask the Lord are you not the Holy One, why let such a nation prevail over Israel, His people?
When the Babylonians capture men in a net; they praise the net; and Habakkuk like other prophets just thought it would better if a nation that was serving God captured Israel.
As Habakkuk ask this question the Lord lays in with a reply in a vision. He commanded Habakkuk to write it down plainly on tables of paper or stone, so that the person that reads this will run in fear. The vision we're going to read; will happen, it will not tarry or be long and the Lord tells His people to wait on it.
Verse fours we see that Paul was not the first person to say, "the just shall live by his faith." Abraham was just and lived by faith; Noah, king David, Isaac, Jacob, all these had faith in God and that is why we read about them in good ways today. They lived by their belief in God by obeying Him.
9Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
12Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! These are good warnings from God that should be paid attention to. Do not, by evil ways make yourself rich.
13Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
Shockingly true that it is of the Lord that people work very hard every day just to eat, the vanity in that is amazing.
15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! Getting people liquored up to get information out of them or worse to take advantage of them sexually, the Lord is watching this! This did not began in the 20th century; this has been going on for centuries.
18What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? What profit is there in doing these things that are against God. Why teach lies? Why make something with your own hands and praise it? Shouldn't we be praising God? There is no better praise to the Lord than to obey His word. The graven image, the molten image, the idol cannot teach you anything. That statue cannot help you get to the moon let along into God's kingdom.
Habakkuk has seen the vision of the Lord and is getting ready to share it; he asks the Lord to remember to have some mercy while in your wrath. God came from Teman; which is south west of Jerusalem, where the Edomites dwell. The Lord came in full strength and not as a man, and Habakkuk saw the land of Ethiopia heavily afflicted, and the land of Midian scared to death.
12Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
All the elements of the earth are at awe of the Lord, the sun and moon stood still, the waters uttered a loud voice and lifted his hands in praise as the Lord marched through the earth treading the nations down in sore anger. The Lord is doing this to recover His saints, even His anointed people, and he is knocking down kings and many wicked nations, people who are secretly eating up the poor.
16When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
After Habakkuk saw all that the Lord was preparing to do to the earth, he'd seen enough. His belly trembled and he had been scared to the point of shaking. He requested that he certainly be dead in that day than to go through it; because the Lord is going to invade the earth with troops of immortals and a fraction of the earth know this and understand that it is going to happen in this generation. In all of this, the Lord will not abandon His people, and will deliver the righteous, always.
7Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests.
We are moved on into Zephaniah, a prophet who lived and taught during the days of Josiah, king of Judah. Josiah was a good king who, when they found the book of the law and read it to him, changed everything in his administration to the glory of God. Still, the Lord says He will utterly consume all things from off the land. The Lord is going to cut off people who worship pagan gods, who worship the host of heaven (sun, moon, and stars), and those who have turned away from the truth of the Lord, those that have never thought to seek Him, and those who never inquired of the Lord. All these will be violently visited by the Lord. This let's us know that you have to seek God.
You have to make the first move; then He'll make a move towards you. You're first move may be this book and learning how to read through the bible quickly with enough understanding to know that there is a God of Heaven, and how He operates. You have to ask Him out on a date; and He will go out with you; and abode with you and you with Him.
8And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
The Lord is having a formal banquet, and has invited His guest, which is everyone that has ever been born. He's invited then to His sacrifice, and all who come in dressed in strange clothing will be punished. When we read about Jesus in the New Testament, He will tell us more about this banquet and the punishment for not being dressed correctly (v7-8). The Lord will get all evil; including merchants in Jerusalem who are atheist, this day of the Lord is near and if you feel like there is not enough hours in the day, it is because the day of the Lord is fast approaching. Mighty men in that day will cry bitterly, so if you're punk or soft person, you know you do not have a chance.
15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
The great tribulation leading into the return of the Lord is going to be the most devastating time on the earth. The Lord will bring heavy distress on men, no money will deliver a person at that time, the Lord is going to get rid of all that dwell in the land. What land? The main piece of land the Lord has ever had concern about on the earth. JERUSALEM. So if you are living there at the return of the Lord; it is best to move out voluntarily; than to have the Sheriff foreclose on you and throw you out violently.
It is time to get wisdom and understanding before the Lord returns, all meek people seek Him because with knowledge the Lord may hide you in the place of safety during that day.
8I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
9Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
Throughout the years, the Lord has listened to the conversation of nations and Moab and Ammon's conversation and behavior has caught the Lord's attention. They have ill-treated the people of the Lord, so as the Lord lives, Moab and Ammon will surely pay. The Lord will be terrible to them and will famish all the gods of the earth. All will worship Jesus, even all the Islands of the nations that includes the Americas. The Ethiopians have picked up a big bill because of their treatment of the Falashans. Those Ethiopian Jews, who are really children of Dan, known as Falashans or strangers, those are people of God being ill treated. The Lord is going to deal with Ethiopia. The great city of Nineveh will be torn down and people will only shake their head at the sight of it's destruction.
1Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! 2She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.
Those that hate me, love death, was a quote from the proverbs. Me was wisdom and instruction, so when you do not receive correction and you do not obey, you do not trust in the Lord, the next step is evil and hell, then death. In Israel the princes are terrible lions, the prophets and priest have done violently to God's law by nailing them to a cross that Jesus was only to be put on for the sins of the people.
For this the Lord has punished the earth, cutting off nations, thinking they will fear me after a violent thing like Hurricane Katrina; but instead they rebuild and go right back to wickedness and do even worse than before (v5-7).
8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
The Lord tells His servants to wait on Him, He is coming and will ridiculed the nations with fierce anger and give people one language and serve Him with one consent. There will be no crying over which name to call Him, it will all be the same. So many prophets wrote about the Lord's return and His fierce anger and the wrath of God; and people read it and are not moved with fear; that is amazing to me.
Like Zephaniah sat back and said I'm going to write a scary story for generations after me to read. Zephaniah has no publishing rights and his book is sold in the compilation of the bible each year, millions of copies and he does not see an ounce of royalty money. Man wrote the bible; yes men did write the bible, but not for entertainment but for us to read true historical facts that come from the Lord God who created the worlds. Moses doesn't even have a foundation for his five key books. Man wrote the bible because God inspired them. You may say God has inspired me to write this book. True; but my quotes of God come from the bible; as in God is not showing me any new visions; I do not speak with God in a clear sense. I communicate through the reading of the Word of God.
I haven't seen angels, and I haven't been shown any mysteries of the earth as these men have. I can never write to you and say that God showed me His back parts, as Moses wrote, I can only say God has shown me His words. I just think it is weird how people who want to discredit the bible, discredit the men behind the books written. Okay back to the program at verse 10.
The Lord tells the same story He told back in Deuteronomy 30; that He will recover His people and bring them back to their land.
14Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
The Lord is the king of Israel, and He will be or live in the middle of them and they won't see any more evil. Jesus is the King of Israel, it is Him who Zephaniah is speaking of.
17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. This will be a glorious day that the whole earth is waiting on.
20At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD. This is directed at the children of Israel.
Moving on to Haggai chapter 1
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
2Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.
Zerubbabel was a governor of Judah in a group of Jews who returned to rebuild the Temple of the Lord at the request and command of Cyrus the great. Haggai was a prophet at that time and told the people that the time is not yet to build the Lord's house. But if you read Ezra and Nehemiah; they clearly got the command. However, we'll see what the Lord is speaking about soon enough.
6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. This sounds like the middle class worker. There is really nothing new under the sun.
7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.
When the Jews returned to build the Temple that Cyrus decreed, they faced opposition from Arabs and Edomites and others who had entangled the land. So many just backed away, rebuilt their houses and lived lushed. The Lord let the Jews go back to build His temple back up not return to their sinful lives. So He brought a drought on the land; and this got them working on the temple. Zerubbabel let the effort and the people did fear the Lord at Haggai's prophesy.
And the Lord was with them; as long as they showed effort. The Lord is with us; as long as we show effort and faith, the Lord will pick up the pieces we humanly drop.
Haggai was told to tell the people that saw the house that Solomon built and the house they see now; and to compare it. The house is nothing today; so the Lord told them to be strong mentally, don't be discouraged, keeping building, He is with you. And Zerubbabel believed and worked hard on the Lord's house.
6For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
The Lord, in a little while, will shake the heavens and the earth at His return and shake up the nations and all nations will come to the Lord's house and see that the glory of it is better than even Solomon's day.
The Coming of the Lord:
20And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
23In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
When the Armageddon is over, in that day the Lord will have Zerubbabel as a sign to the people to show that He has chosen him. Chosen him to do what? To build the 4th temple in Jerusalem. We'll verify this in the next book of Zechariah.
Here is a prophet of the Lord who wrote many great things that are still to be seen. Zechariah lived during the time of the Persian captivity. He also prophesied the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem. He let's us know that the Lord was not pleased with the fathers of Israel who sinned against Him. He tells us not to be like them and to turn to Him; to listen to His prophets that He sent over and over. This is for us as well, to read the words of His prophets.
Zechariah had a vision of four horsemen riding and there was an angel there with him that told him these are the angels that the Lord has sent to walk through the earth and report things. These four angels reported to the angel speaking with Zechariah that the entire earth is at peace. Then the angel asked the Lord how long will He not have mercy on Jerusalem, which He has had hatred for the last 70 years (v7-12)?
18Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
The Lord spoke back by saying He was upset with the children of Israel a bit; but the nations have made Him sorely displeased in being over zealous in their affliction to Israel. Therefore, He is going to have great mercy on the children of Israel. Then Zechariah saw four horns and asked who they were. The four horns scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, we read about them in Daniel (Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, and Roman), the Gentile nations.
Then Zechariah saw four carpenters who come to build Israel back up and cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which scattered Judah (v19-21). Do you see how iron clad the word of God is, from prophet to prophet, it's the same storyline.
5For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
Now an angel went to measure Jerusalem and told Zechariah that Jerusalem will be a city without walls or defense when the Lord returns because He will be wall of fire around Jerusalem.
8For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
9For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.
The Lord warns all the children of Israel as well as strangers who follow the word of God; to remove themselves from the midst of daughter of Babylon, flee out of her because He is getting ready to do something bad to her (v6-7). Look at very eight; the Lord of hosts says He was sent to the nations by some One and anyone that touches the children of Israel even touches the apple of His eye. Jesus is the One that was sent to the nations; and that would mean He was sent by the Father.
After Jesus is finished with the nations; they will know that the Lord of Host sent Jesus and that He just didn't come on His own.
10Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
11And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
The Israelites should be happy in that day because the Lord is going to dwell with them; and during that 1,000 years of peace on earth; the Lord will adopt many nations to Him and everyone will know that Jesus Christ was sent to the earth by the Father. The LORD shall inherit Judah His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. He chose it before came and was killed in it for the sins of the people; and will return and choose it again.
8Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
Joshua was the high priest in that day and the angel of the Lord was around him and Satan standing there to resist him. If you are doing right by the Lord, the Lord will rebuke Satan from you by the angel that encamps around you. Joshua had filthy cloths on and the Lord cleaned Him up through His word with clean cloths. Dirty cloths represent iniquity; the Lord removed that and He had clean cloths.
Just as David was made king forever over Israel, Joshua was made High priest forever over Israel. These men already have their jobs in the future kingdom. We have a chance at attaining similar positions because the Lord says He will make us kings and priests at that time if we overcome.
1And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.
9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
In this chapter, the angel came and woke Zechariah up to show him a vision. The angel told him that Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the house of God; his hand will finish it. But the temple was finished years ago? Yes, and it was crushed to the ground by Titus, another will be made and it will be destroyed until Zerubbabel makes and finishes the final one that Jesus will sit in that we read about in Ezekiel's book. This means Zerubbabel will be resurrected and a team of immortals will build the Lord's house.
If you are alive to see Zerubbabel and the seven angels of God that go throughout the entire earth to report to the Lord building the temple, you will rejoice; because either you are immortal at that time or you are in the process of going to Jerusalem.
14Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
Now back to the two olive trees that were on the right side of candlestick. The are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. More on them later because no one knows who they are.
In chapter five we see a flying roll that represented a curse that flew over the face of the whole earth and it lands on those who steal and those who swear falsely in the name of the Lord. This flying roll, which is a curse, will stay in the house of those who swear falsely by God. If you are telling people that their mother died and went to heaven, "and she is smiling down right now in the name of Jesus," you just swore falsely in the name of the Lord and that flying roll is sitting in your house, waiting to consume you. Don't lie; just read.
1And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
Remember the four horsemen that were keeping the earth at rest in chapter one of Zechariah? Here they are again and they are sitting between two mountains, and these mountains are mountains of brass. This means they are harsh and neither one will budge. One went into the north and the other went into the south country. These two mountains of governments of brass are two solid world powers that will stage the return of the Lord.
15And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
From verse 11 on down we see Joshua anointed high priest over Israel, who will work directly under the Branch, which is Jesus, and we will know that the Lord of Host has sent Him to us.
While in their captivity, the question was asked, should they continue to fast and keep the feast of the Lord. Zechariah responds from the Lord, that the feast we've been keeping these 70 years mean nothing to the Lord if we do not show mercy and compassion to our fellow brothers. You cannot oppress the widow, the fatherless, stranger, and poor and roll on up to church or to a feast. You are wasting your time. The feast and fast are still required and were done even when the children of Israel went into captivity.
12Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
14But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
So just as they turned their ears from the Lord when He sent prophets to warn the Israelites, when they are in captivity and pray to Him, He will turn His ear from them.
The Lord is upset over what has happened to Jerusalem and is waiting to return and make it the city of truth. When He returns for His thousand year reign on the earth, the day of rest, the actual Sabbath day; old men and women will be able to stay in the streets without worry of having their purse snatched or fearing random gun fire. The streets will be full of boys and girls playing having fun with no fear of drug dealers running the off, peer pressure to do bad things, and random gun fire. Because God will be there and He will be there in truth and righteousness.
9Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
10For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
The Lord says to be strong for that time, all of us reading in these days the words by the prophets, like Zechariah, believe in them and be strong, these words were here in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord. The prophets are our guides. Our days are violent because the Lord has set every man against his neighbor to afflict us for disobedience.
13And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
17And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Although the children of Israel have been a curse among the nations, when the Lord returns He will make them a blessing; but they have to keep faith and speak truth to people, execute judgment of truth and peace, do not imagine evil or vain things; because all of these things the Lord hates.
23Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
The day is coming when ten men from different nations will all come and hand around a Jew because they would have seen and heard that the Lord is with them. Imagine that; going from cursed of the earth to blessed. Beautiful.
Verse one starts off with the burden that Habakkuk the prophet saw from the Lord; and some of these visions were indeed burdens. First Habakkuk is asking why Jerusalem's punishment is so harsh that the wicked appear to be getting a pass. The Lord let's them know that since Israel did not want to serve Him; they will serve a terrible and dreadful nation in the Chaldean's.
12Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
This nations has swift horses and an excellent military; they do not respect kings and princes and eventually they will credit their pagan gods for the strength. Habakkuk ask the Lord are you not the Holy One, why let such a nation prevail over Israel, His people?
When the Babylonians capture men in a net; they praise the net; and Habakkuk like other prophets just thought it would better if a nation that was serving God captured Israel.
Habakkuk 2 4Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Verse fours we see that Paul was not the first person to say, "the just shall live by his faith." Abraham was just and lived by faith; Noah, king David, Isaac, Jacob, all these had faith in God and that is why we read about them in good ways today. They lived by their belief in God by obeying Him.
9Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
12Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity! These are good warnings from God that should be paid attention to. Do not, by evil ways make yourself rich.
13Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?
Shockingly true that it is of the Lord that people work very hard every day just to eat, the vanity in that is amazing.
15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! Getting people liquored up to get information out of them or worse to take advantage of them sexually, the Lord is watching this! This did not began in the 20th century; this has been going on for centuries.
18What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? What profit is there in doing these things that are against God. Why teach lies? Why make something with your own hands and praise it? Shouldn't we be praising God? There is no better praise to the Lord than to obey His word. The graven image, the molten image, the idol cannot teach you anything. That statue cannot help you get to the moon let along into God's kingdom.
Habakkuk 3
12Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
All the elements of the earth are at awe of the Lord, the sun and moon stood still, the waters uttered a loud voice and lifted his hands in praise as the Lord marched through the earth treading the nations down in sore anger. The Lord is doing this to recover His saints, even His anointed people, and he is knocking down kings and many wicked nations, people who are secretly eating up the poor.
16When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
After Habakkuk saw all that the Lord was preparing to do to the earth, he'd seen enough. His belly trembled and he had been scared to the point of shaking. He requested that he certainly be dead in that day than to go through it; because the Lord is going to invade the earth with troops of immortals and a fraction of the earth know this and understand that it is going to happen in this generation. In all of this, the Lord will not abandon His people, and will deliver the righteous, always.
Zephaniah chapter 1
We are moved on into Zephaniah, a prophet who lived and taught during the days of Josiah, king of Judah. Josiah was a good king who, when they found the book of the law and read it to him, changed everything in his administration to the glory of God. Still, the Lord says He will utterly consume all things from off the land. The Lord is going to cut off people who worship pagan gods, who worship the host of heaven (sun, moon, and stars), and those who have turned away from the truth of the Lord, those that have never thought to seek Him, and those who never inquired of the Lord. All these will be violently visited by the Lord. This let's us know that you have to seek God.
You have to make the first move; then He'll make a move towards you. You're first move may be this book and learning how to read through the bible quickly with enough understanding to know that there is a God of Heaven, and how He operates. You have to ask Him out on a date; and He will go out with you; and abode with you and you with Him.
8And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.
The Lord is having a formal banquet, and has invited His guest, which is everyone that has ever been born. He's invited then to His sacrifice, and all who come in dressed in strange clothing will be punished. When we read about Jesus in the New Testament, He will tell us more about this banquet and the punishment for not being dressed correctly (v7-8). The Lord will get all evil; including merchants in Jerusalem who are atheist, this day of the Lord is near and if you feel like there is not enough hours in the day, it is because the day of the Lord is fast approaching. Mighty men in that day will cry bitterly, so if you're punk or soft person, you know you do not have a chance.
15That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
18Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
The great tribulation leading into the return of the Lord is going to be the most devastating time on the earth. The Lord will bring heavy distress on men, no money will deliver a person at that time, the Lord is going to get rid of all that dwell in the land. What land? The main piece of land the Lord has ever had concern about on the earth. JERUSALEM. So if you are living there at the return of the Lord; it is best to move out voluntarily; than to have the Sheriff foreclose on you and throw you out violently.
Zephaniah 2
8I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
9Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.
10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.
Throughout the years, the Lord has listened to the conversation of nations and Moab and Ammon's conversation and behavior has caught the Lord's attention. They have ill-treated the people of the Lord, so as the Lord lives, Moab and Ammon will surely pay. The Lord will be terrible to them and will famish all the gods of the earth. All will worship Jesus, even all the Islands of the nations that includes the Americas. The Ethiopians have picked up a big bill because of their treatment of the Falashans. Those Ethiopian Jews, who are really children of Dan, known as Falashans or strangers, those are people of God being ill treated. The Lord is going to deal with Ethiopia. The great city of Nineveh will be torn down and people will only shake their head at the sight of it's destruction.
Zephaniah 3
Those that hate me, love death, was a quote from the proverbs. Me was wisdom and instruction, so when you do not receive correction and you do not obey, you do not trust in the Lord, the next step is evil and hell, then death. In Israel the princes are terrible lions, the prophets and priest have done violently to God's law by nailing them to a cross that Jesus was only to be put on for the sins of the people.
For this the Lord has punished the earth, cutting off nations, thinking they will fear me after a violent thing like Hurricane Katrina; but instead they rebuild and go right back to wickedness and do even worse than before (v5-7).
8Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
The Lord tells His servants to wait on Him, He is coming and will ridiculed the nations with fierce anger and give people one language and serve Him with one consent. There will be no crying over which name to call Him, it will all be the same. So many prophets wrote about the Lord's return and His fierce anger and the wrath of God; and people read it and are not moved with fear; that is amazing to me.
Like Zephaniah sat back and said I'm going to write a scary story for generations after me to read. Zephaniah has no publishing rights and his book is sold in the compilation of the bible each year, millions of copies and he does not see an ounce of royalty money. Man wrote the bible; yes men did write the bible, but not for entertainment but for us to read true historical facts that come from the Lord God who created the worlds. Moses doesn't even have a foundation for his five key books. Man wrote the bible because God inspired them. You may say God has inspired me to write this book. True; but my quotes of God come from the bible; as in God is not showing me any new visions; I do not speak with God in a clear sense. I communicate through the reading of the Word of God.
I haven't seen angels, and I haven't been shown any mysteries of the earth as these men have. I can never write to you and say that God showed me His back parts, as Moses wrote, I can only say God has shown me His words. I just think it is weird how people who want to discredit the bible, discredit the men behind the books written. Okay back to the program at verse 10.
The Lord tells the same story He told back in Deuteronomy 30; that He will recover His people and bring them back to their land.
14Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
The Lord is the king of Israel, and He will be or live in the middle of them and they won't see any more evil. Jesus is the King of Israel, it is Him who Zephaniah is speaking of.
17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. This will be a glorious day that the whole earth is waiting on.
20At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD. This is directed at the children of Israel.
Moving on to Haggai chapter 1
1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
2Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.
Zerubbabel was a governor of Judah in a group of Jews who returned to rebuild the Temple of the Lord at the request and command of Cyrus the great. Haggai was a prophet at that time and told the people that the time is not yet to build the Lord's house. But if you read Ezra and Nehemiah; they clearly got the command. However, we'll see what the Lord is speaking about soon enough.
6Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. This sounds like the middle class worker. There is really nothing new under the sun.
7Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. 11And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
12Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.
When the Jews returned to build the Temple that Cyrus decreed, they faced opposition from Arabs and Edomites and others who had entangled the land. So many just backed away, rebuilt their houses and lived lushed. The Lord let the Jews go back to build His temple back up not return to their sinful lives. So He brought a drought on the land; and this got them working on the temple. Zerubbabel let the effort and the people did fear the Lord at Haggai's prophesy.
And the Lord was with them; as long as they showed effort. The Lord is with us; as long as we show effort and faith, the Lord will pick up the pieces we humanly drop.
Haggai 2
6For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
The Lord, in a little while, will shake the heavens and the earth at His return and shake up the nations and all nations will come to the Lord's house and see that the glory of it is better than even Solomon's day.
The Coming of the Lord:
20And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
23In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
When the Armageddon is over, in that day the Lord will have Zerubbabel as a sign to the people to show that He has chosen him. Chosen him to do what? To build the 4th temple in Jerusalem. We'll verify this in the next book of Zechariah.
Zechariah chapter 1
Zechariah had a vision of four horsemen riding and there was an angel there with him that told him these are the angels that the Lord has sent to walk through the earth and report things. These four angels reported to the angel speaking with Zechariah that the entire earth is at peace. Then the angel asked the Lord how long will He not have mercy on Jerusalem, which He has had hatred for the last 70 years (v7-12)?
18Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
The Lord spoke back by saying He was upset with the children of Israel a bit; but the nations have made Him sorely displeased in being over zealous in their affliction to Israel. Therefore, He is going to have great mercy on the children of Israel. Then Zechariah saw four horns and asked who they were. The four horns scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem, we read about them in Daniel (Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, and Roman), the Gentile nations.
Then Zechariah saw four carpenters who come to build Israel back up and cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which scattered Judah (v19-21). Do you see how iron clad the word of God is, from prophet to prophet, it's the same storyline.
Zechariah 2
Now an angel went to measure Jerusalem and told Zechariah that Jerusalem will be a city without walls or defense when the Lord returns because He will be wall of fire around Jerusalem.
8For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.
9For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.
The Lord warns all the children of Israel as well as strangers who follow the word of God; to remove themselves from the midst of daughter of Babylon, flee out of her because He is getting ready to do something bad to her (v6-7). Look at very eight; the Lord of hosts says He was sent to the nations by some One and anyone that touches the children of Israel even touches the apple of His eye. Jesus is the One that was sent to the nations; and that would mean He was sent by the Father.
After Jesus is finished with the nations; they will know that the Lord of Host sent Jesus and that He just didn't come on His own.
10Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
11And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
The Israelites should be happy in that day because the Lord is going to dwell with them; and during that 1,000 years of peace on earth; the Lord will adopt many nations to Him and everyone will know that Jesus Christ was sent to the earth by the Father. The LORD shall inherit Judah His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. He chose it before came and was killed in it for the sins of the people; and will return and choose it again.
Zechariah 3
Joshua was the high priest in that day and the angel of the Lord was around him and Satan standing there to resist him. If you are doing right by the Lord, the Lord will rebuke Satan from you by the angel that encamps around you. Joshua had filthy cloths on and the Lord cleaned Him up through His word with clean cloths. Dirty cloths represent iniquity; the Lord removed that and He had clean cloths.
Just as David was made king forever over Israel, Joshua was made High priest forever over Israel. These men already have their jobs in the future kingdom. We have a chance at attaining similar positions because the Lord says He will make us kings and priests at that time if we overcome.
Zechariah 4
9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
In this chapter, the angel came and woke Zechariah up to show him a vision. The angel told him that Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the house of God; his hand will finish it. But the temple was finished years ago? Yes, and it was crushed to the ground by Titus, another will be made and it will be destroyed until Zerubbabel makes and finishes the final one that Jesus will sit in that we read about in Ezekiel's book. This means Zerubbabel will be resurrected and a team of immortals will build the Lord's house.
If you are alive to see Zerubbabel and the seven angels of God that go throughout the entire earth to report to the Lord building the temple, you will rejoice; because either you are immortal at that time or you are in the process of going to Jerusalem.
14Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
Now back to the two olive trees that were on the right side of candlestick. The are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. More on them later because no one knows who they are.
Zechariah 5
Zechariah 6
2In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
Remember the four horsemen that were keeping the earth at rest in chapter one of Zechariah? Here they are again and they are sitting between two mountains, and these mountains are mountains of brass. This means they are harsh and neither one will budge. One went into the north and the other went into the south country. These two mountains of governments of brass are two solid world powers that will stage the return of the Lord.
15And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
From verse 11 on down we see Joshua anointed high priest over Israel, who will work directly under the Branch, which is Jesus, and we will know that the Lord of Host has sent Him to us.
Zechariah 7
12Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.
14But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
So just as they turned their ears from the Lord when He sent prophets to warn the Israelites, when they are in captivity and pray to Him, He will turn His ear from them.
Zechariah chapter 8
9Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.
10For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.
The Lord says to be strong for that time, all of us reading in these days the words by the prophets, like Zechariah, believe in them and be strong, these words were here in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord. The prophets are our guides. Our days are violent because the Lord has set every man against his neighbor to afflict us for disobedience.
13And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
17And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
Although the children of Israel have been a curse among the nations, when the Lord returns He will make them a blessing; but they have to keep faith and speak truth to people, execute judgment of truth and peace, do not imagine evil or vain things; because all of these things the Lord hates.
23Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
The day is coming when ten men from different nations will all come and hand around a Jew because they would have seen and heard that the Lord is with them. Imagine that; going from cursed of the earth to blessed. Beautiful.
Zechariah 9
We see a lot of prophecies here; but a few to pay attention towards:
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
11As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
12Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;
The children of Israel are to rejoice greatly because their King is coming to them. Who is he? We know He is just and has salvation, and is humble, will come in riding a donkey; the colt the foal of an ass. This was Jesus as He made His entry into Jerusalem the week that He was killed. This is the triumphant entry, as scholars call it. He is the King of Israel and it is He who has salvation with Him.
Verse nine is His first coming, and verse 10 is His second coming; where He will unit the 10 tribes and Judah together, by war speak peace to the nations and dominate the earth from sea to sea. This is reading with understanding; those verses are not just two regular verses in the bible anymore to you.
Also in verse 11, He has set all on earth free by the blood of His covenant to get us out of a pit where there was no water. If you're in a pit where there is no water, like Joseph's brothers threw him in, you will eventually die. By dying for our sins, Jesus allowed us out of this pit in which we were going to die in. It's like a man in jail for life, although he repents of what he did, he still has to serve his sentence; unless a judge or President pardons him. Until the pardon comes he has to stay in that pit no matter if he keeps all the laws, we needed Jesus to die and rise again to deliver us.
And for the punishment that Israel as a nation has received, He will give them double reward for their suffering.
Ask the Lord for His word and He will give it, the only reason the world does not have the true word nor understanding is because diviners have seen lies, told false dreams, comfort people in vain, and Israel has been in trouble because they had no shepherd. The Lord punished the goats or the flocks for this, which are His people, but will again restore them. We know the routine here.
10I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.
12And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.
This finishes our readings for today. Be blessed in them, meditate upon them and be glad in the Lord for His good mercy.
10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
11As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.
12Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;
The children of Israel are to rejoice greatly because their King is coming to them. Who is he? We know He is just and has salvation, and is humble, will come in riding a donkey; the colt the foal of an ass. This was Jesus as He made His entry into Jerusalem the week that He was killed. This is the triumphant entry, as scholars call it. He is the King of Israel and it is He who has salvation with Him.
Verse nine is His first coming, and verse 10 is His second coming; where He will unit the 10 tribes and Judah together, by war speak peace to the nations and dominate the earth from sea to sea. This is reading with understanding; those verses are not just two regular verses in the bible anymore to you.
Also in verse 11, He has set all on earth free by the blood of His covenant to get us out of a pit where there was no water. If you're in a pit where there is no water, like Joseph's brothers threw him in, you will eventually die. By dying for our sins, Jesus allowed us out of this pit in which we were going to die in. It's like a man in jail for life, although he repents of what he did, he still has to serve his sentence; unless a judge or President pardons him. Until the pardon comes he has to stay in that pit no matter if he keeps all the laws, we needed Jesus to die and rise again to deliver us.
And for the punishment that Israel as a nation has received, He will give them double reward for their suffering.
Zechariah 10
10I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.
12And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.
This finishes our readings for today. Be blessed in them, meditate upon them and be glad in the Lord for His good mercy.
No comments:
Post a Comment