Hear, O peoples, all of you, listen, O earth, and all who are in it. Micah 1:2 TODAY AT MOODY Even during the summer break, our faculty members are busy preparing for the next school year or teaching in Summer School. Today, please remember in your prayers Moody’s Bible faculty: Trevor Burke, Ernest Gray, John Hart, and William Marty.
Monday, June 1, 2009 Read: Micah 1:1-2 TODAY IN THE WORD Some people tend to like their spirituality quick and easy. After all, there’s work to do, places to go, people to see. Holiness? I’ll listen to a podcast while I exercise. Servanthood? Our Sunday school class is doing a DVD series on that. Bible study? The One-Minute Bible—and yes, there really is such a thing—is a lifesaver. Patience? Who’s got time for that? Products abound to feed us Christianity in bite-size servings, especially while we do other activities such as commuting, cooking, and answering e-mail. Treating our faith as eat-and-run fast food does not do it justice, and certainly leaves no room for appreciating the “minor prophets.” But Micah, Habakkuk, and Malachi, the three books we’ll study this month, are “minor” only in the sense that they are short. In fact, they are as Spirit-inspired as every other book of the Bible. Micah’s name means “Who is like the Lord?”, a rhetorical question that indicates God’s incomparable greatness. Micah prophesied during the same general period as Isaiah (v. 1). His themes include judgment, hope, salvation, idolatry, injustice, worship, covenant faithfulness, leadership, repentance, and the coming of the Messiah. During his ministry, the kings were mostly disappointing—Jotham was weak, Ahaz was wicked, and only Hezekiah initiated spiritual reforms. Micah may not have seen these bear fruit, however, since it is believed he died early in Hezekiah’s reign. Other than his hometown of Moresheth, a village 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem, nothing is known of his biography. The summons to listen in verse 2 is repeated two other places in the book (3:1; 6:1). These calls serve to divide Micah into three main sections, each of which communicates a message built around the main themes of judgment and salvation. Interestingly, the call is to all the peoples of the world, not only Israel and Judah. “Holy temple” is a figurative expression for heaven and a reminder of the covenant. Through this book, heaven is calling earth to come and witness the justice of God. TODAY ALONG THE WAY “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” Jesus said (Luke 8:8). As we study Micah, Habakkuk, and Malachi this month, pray for ears to hear and a heart open to receive God’s words as given through these three “minor prophets.” God was speaking for the benefit not only of the original audience, but also to believers like us. Pray that the Holy Spirit will teach you key truths and show you how to apply them in your daily spiritual walk. 2009 Copyright Moody Bible Institute • www.todayintheword.org This email was sent to chrisw01@comcast.net, by todayintheword@moody.edu Update Profile/Email Address | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy