OC Bereans

We just surveyed 39 books in less than 15 hours!

My hope (and prayer) for this whirlwind tour was to sufficiently whet your appetite for more in-depth study of these Old Testament books.

Six “minor prophets” (in size, not significance) were covered Monday night.  Since most of you could not attend, here are a few notes to aid your study.

Nahum (3 chs.)
“Big Idea”:  Judgment on Nineveh
Key verses:  1:1-3

Habakkuk (3 chs.)
“Big Idea”:  Divine discipline leads to faith
Key verses:  1:1,5-6; 2:4,18-20; 3:16-19
N.T. connections:  Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38; 12:4-13; Philippians 4:11-13

Zephaniah (3 chs.)
“Big Idea”:  God is sovereign and judgment is coming
Key verses:  1:1,7,14-18; 3:8-9,17,20

Haggai (2 chs.)
“Big Idea”:  Overcoming the “tyranny of the urgent”
Key verses:  1:1-4,8,14; 2:23.  “Word of the Lord” in 1:1,3; 2:1,10,20
O.T. connections:  Ezra 5:1; 6:14

Zechariah (14 chs.)
“Big Idea”:  Apocalyptic look at the glory of Messiah’s rule
Key verses:  1:1-6; 3:1-7; 4:6; 14:9
O.T. connections:  Ezra 5:1; 6:14
N.T. connections:  Matthew 23:33-36

Malachi (4 chs.)
“Big Idea”:  Challenging messages from God
Key verses:  1:1-3,14; 2:1,2,7,13-16; 3:1,7-11; 4:4-6
N.T. connections:  Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:1-3; Luke 7:27; John 1:6-7; Romans 9:10-13

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Postscript: Then came 400 years of silence!  No communication from God.

Do you remember how He broke this silence?  What were His first words?

Only one Gospel writer (the only non-eyewitness) tells us.  Check out Luke 1:1-20, especially verse 13, followed by 1:26-38, especially verse 28.

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Helpful follow-up notes on these Old Testament books, written years ago by Dr. J. Vernon McGee, can be downloaded for free from “Thru the Bible Radio.” A link to their website is included at the right, under “Bible Study Tools.”

~ tr