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The 365-Day Devotional Commentary

Habakkuk

INTRODUCTION
Habakkuk wrote in the time of godly King Josiah. The prophet was deeply troubled by the injustices prevailing in Judah’s society despite a religious revival. God revealed His intention to use the Babylonians to punish Judah. The Lord went on to show the troubled prophet that the wicked only seem to succeed. Strengthened by his faith, Habakkuk knew God would sustain him in the coming turmoil.
Habakkuk has great value for Christians, for it teaches us that the “prosperity” of the wicked is an illusion, for the evil never truly succeed.

PERFECTED FAITH
Habakkuk 1–3

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength . . . He enables me to go on the heights” (Hab. 3:19).

Faith grows fastest when challenged. What Habakkuk teaches us is that through our doubts and suffering, our faith can and will be perfected.

Overview
Habakkuk complained to God of injustice in Judah (1:1–4). He was told that the Lord was raising up the Babylonians to discipline His people (vv. 5–11). The prophet asked how God could permit the wicked to triumph (vv. 12–17), and was shown that despite appearances the evil man never really succeeds (2:1–20). God then showed Habakkuk the horrors of the coming invasion (3:1–16). Shaken, the prophet determined to trust God, and so reached the pinnacle of faith (vv. 18–19).

Understanding the Text
“Injustice” Hab. 1:2–4. Under Old Testament Law local elders met to settle disputes. There was no police force or national justice system. If local elders took bribes, or if witnesses lied, the law was “paralyzed, and justice never prevails.” Habakkuk complained that the religious enthusiasm generated by Josiah’s revival (see 2 Kings 23) had not touched the hearts of the majority. Because the majority was wicked, the righteous were hemmed in (outnumbered), so “justice is perverted.”
In this morning’s paper one article described how a witness against local drug pushers was being harassed and her family threatened. Our justice system does not distribute responsibility in the Old Testament way. Yet what the individual does remains the key to a just society.
Habakkuk, looking at the corruption in his society, wondered how God could permit Judah to continue in such a state. The answer, of course, is that God would not permit an unjust society to represent Him. There may well be a cost in taking a stand for justice. But there is an even greater cost if we fail to do so!

“I am raising up the Babylonians” Hab. 1:5–11. At the time God spoke to Habakkuk, about 621B.C, the Babylonians (Chaldeans) were a subject people within the Assyrian Empire. In 625B.C Nabopolassar took the throne of Babylon and, within two decades, crushed the mighty Assyrians. This sudden and amazing overthrow of the dominant world power is referred to in verses 5–6, “I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians.”
There may be no obvious threat on the horizon capable of shattering an unjust society. The Book of Habakkuk reminds us how quickly God can raise up and bring down nations, to say nothing of individuals.

“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil” Hab. 1:12–13. As Habakkuk considered God’s plan to use the Babylonians to punish Judah, he was even more deeply troubled.
You and I can hardly understand the terror caused by an invading army in ancient times. Verses 8–11 graphically portray ancient warfare, with swift cavalry attacks in the open, and earthen ramps built up against the walls of besieged cities. The attacking armies were truly “bent on violence.” Defeated foes were subject to torture, women and girls to rape, and even infants were speared or taken by the heels and swung against stone walls. The utter cruelty of the Babylonians repelled Habakkuk. But even more, he knew it must repel the Lord.
God is Israel’s Holy One, too pure to even look on (i.e., “permit”) evil. How then could God permit a people more wicked than His own to triumph over them.
We often may share Habakkuk’s perplexity. We too see the wicked triumph, and we too wonder. How can God, our Holy One, permit such things to happen without acting in judgment? The answer, found in chapter 2, is surprising. God does not “look on” evil! God even now is actively judging those whose success causes us to doubt (see DEVOTIONAL).

Babylonian war memorials show Jewish captives being taken to Babylon. God appointed them to execute judgment on His sinning people.

“Write down the revelation and make it plain” Hab. 2:1–19. Habakkuk had set himself to wait for God’s answer. When it came, the prophet was told to write it down and make it plain—for you and me! We can paraphrase the principles of God’s present judgment of the wicked quite simply.
The wicked man never has enough (vv. 4–5). The wicked man is doomed to dissatisfaction. He is like a furnace, and each success like fuel added to a burning fire. The more he gains, the hotter the fire burns, and the more empty his life becomes! What a judgment this is: to win, and never be able to enjoy it.
The wicked are isolated (vv. 6–8). The wicked man makes his gains at the expense of others. This creates hostility, and makes the wicked man fearful. He knows he has earned the hatred of others, and so finds himself isolated and vulnerable. What a judgment this is: to look around, and know that others hate and fear you. To know that you are truly alone.
The wicked feel insecure (vv. 9–11). Driven by their insecurity the wicked concentrate on material gain. They count on wealth or power to set their “nest on high.” The image is of a vulture, who nests on a mountain crag for safety. This is how the wicked live, desperately trying to erect barriers. What a judgment this is: to know that justice demands one’s ruin, trying desperately to protect himself, but never able to feel safe and secure.
The wicked man’s hopes will be dashed (vv. 12–14). The wicked man builds monuments to his achievements, even as Herod built cities to preserve his name and Hitler strove to create a “thousand-year Reich.” Yet every such effort is in vain: they “exhaust themselves for nothing.” God intends this world to be filled with knowledge of Him, not with monuments to murderers. What a judgment this is: to hope, and see every hope come to nothing.
The wicked will be repaid in kind (vv. 15–17). The actions of the wicked man arouse the antagonism of all around him. There will surely be a backlash. And what a judgment this is: violence, the tool he relied on in his quest for wealth and power, will be used against him, and he in his turn will be destroyed.
Never suppose that the wicked really succeed. An evil empire, or an evil person, may appear to prosper. But beyond the trappings of success, buried deep within the heart of the wicked, is a misery, an emptiness, a fear, that is the mark of the present judgment of the God too holy to look on evil.

“The LORD is in His holy temple” Hab. 2:20. Here and in other passages where God is pictured “in His holy temple,” the image speaks of imminent judgment. Note that in Habakkuk’s vision God announces He “is” in His holy temple. There is a great day coming, a day of final judgment. But never assume that God is powerless or inactive now. Habakkuk has shown us that God judges the wicked even as they seem to prosper.
Yet, seeing God in His holy temple, the prophet was confronted with the fact that judgment day for Judah—his own land—was at hand!

“God came from Teman” Hab. 3:1–15. At first Habakkuk welcomed the coming judgment. God would remember mercy even as He poured out His wrath. Perhaps, like Habakkuk, you and I take discipline lightly. Let it come, we think, never realizing the pain that may be necessary to purify us.
God quickly corrected His impatient servant. These verses describe three historic periods of judgment, not from the vantage point of a man, but from the vantage point of one who sees through the veil that isolates us from the spiritual universe. There he discovers an angry God, arrayed in holiness.
In his vision Habakkuk saw, not the plague that devastated the Exodus generation on the plains of Moab (Num. 25), but God Himself, burning in anger, His elemental power shaking the foundations of the earth, coming from Sinai to execute the judgment that Law required (Hab. 3:3–7).
In a second vision Habakkuk saw an enraged God sweeping earth clean by the Genesis Flood (vv. 8–10). In a third vision Habakkuk watched as God “in wrath” came as a mighty warrior to overthrow Egypt’s armies and deliver His people from slavery (vv. 11–15).
Each of these visions was calculated to do just one thing. To show Habakkuk what it really means to experience discipline at the hand of the holy God.

Sinai symbolizes not only God’s Law but His holiness (Ex. 3:4–5; 18:16–24). The place locations mentioned in Habakkuk 3:3–7 tell us that Habakkuk saw the Lord, setting out from Sinai, coming to the plains of Moab to judge Israel for idolatry and immorality (Num. 25).

“Decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled” Hab. 3:16. At last Habakkuk understood. God had satisfied his doubts. Now God was ready to do a deeper work in Habakkuk’s heart.
You see, belief is not simply an intellectual exercise. Faith is not built on intellect alone. The prophet finally realized that he would be among those who experienced the awful devastation of warfare. His fig trees would be shattered, his vines droop to the ground. At last the prophet realized that when the fields of Judah produced no food, he and his own would face starvation. Divine discipline meant all he knew, all he hoped for, all he possessed—would be taken away.
And then, as the prophet trembled at the prospect, a strange peace entered his heart. Though all these things must happen, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD.” In triumph the Prophet Habakkuk reached deep, and found a sustaining faith.
When a nation is judged for its sins, the righteous suffer with the wicked. Faith makes no man immune to the troubles that are common to mankind. But as Habakkuk caught sight of a mountain goat (not “deer”) picking its way on a mountainside, unmindful of the danger of a fall, he realized a wonderful truth. Resting in God, the believer remains secure, whatever his circumstances.
Even in the dreadful days about to come, God would enable His servant Habakkuk to pick his way safely—like that mountain goat—despite the dizzying heights.

DEVOTIONAL
Inside Out
(Hab. 2)
It isn’t fair, of course. All too often the wicked do prosper. Sinners strike it rich while the godly struggle to make ends meet. The profane man, who scoffs at God, stays healthy, while a believer suffers a wrenching back injury or is stricken with cancer. The lazy employee, who lies about coworkers, gets the promotion, while the person who works hard and helps others is ignored.
Looked at from the outside, all these things seem unfair. And they are. Looked at from the outside, you or I might conclude that God is standing back, disinterested, letting people get away with anything they want. Or, even worse, we might conclude that God helps the wicked get ahead of the righteous.
But Habakkuk 2 reminds us, that’s when we look at things from the outside. Such conclusions are based only on what we can observe: on what we can see. And so God invites us, in this fascinating chapter, to look at things from the inside.
When we do look to the inside, we discover that the wicked person who seems most successful is in fact the worst off! The wicked person is worse off because God is at work within, judging sin, and making the wicked man’s every success meaningless.
What does Habakkuk 2 tell us is happening inside the person who succeeds in wicked ways? First, no such success can satisfy, but will only create more desire (vv. 4–5). Second, gains made at the expense of others isolate the “winner” from other people. Increasingly the wicked man finds himself alone, and lonely (vv. 6–8). Third, such gains create a sense of insecurity. A wicked man will try desperately to assure his safety, but the nagging awareness that he deserves punishment robs him of any sense of peace (vv. 9–11). Fourth, the hopes of the wicked are destined to be disappointed. God intends the earth to be filled with knowledge of Him, not monuments to murderers (vv. 12–14). Finally, the acts of the wicked create hostility. The harm a wicked person does others will create a backlash, and the violence he used will be directed against him. Wicked acts plant the seeds of their perpetrator’s destruction (vv. 15–17).
I know.
There are times when it’s hard not to envy the wicked man who prospers. But only if we look at such persons from the outside. Try looking at such men from the inside out. And then stop and think of all you have received in Christ. You have a life that’s full, not empty. You have fellowship with Christian friends. You have the knowledge that you are secure in God’s love. You have the certainty that all you hope for will indeed be yours. And you know that, if you are repaid in kind for the way you treat others, you will receive a blessing and not a curse.
Looking from the inside out, you and I discover the truth. Those the world thinks of as winners have lost.
And we have won.

Personal Application
Learn to evaluate from the inside out, and thank God for your many blessings.

Quotable
“God is not alone when discarded by man. But man is alone.”—Abraham Heschel

The 365-Day Devotional Commentary

THE DAY OF THE LORD
2 Thessalonians 2–3

“For that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawless-ness is revealed” (2 Thes. 2:3).

Holding to Christian teachings involves remembering what lies ahead.

Background
The Day of the Lord. This phrase, that was picked up from the Old Testament has great theological significance. In its broad sense, it identifies any period of time in which God actively rather than providentially intervenes to shape the flow of history.
Most often in prophetic passages, however, it is used of the end times, that final period associated with the return of Christ, the crushing of man’s final rebellion by God, the restoration of Israel and universal peace, the last judgment, and the establishment of a new heaven and earth as the dwelling place of the saved. As noted earlier, these events fit in a span of time, not in a point of time. A number of years, not simply a 24-hour day, is intended when “Day of the Lord” is used. And any Old or New Testament passage mentioning the Day of the Lord is likely to focus on any one of these major aspects of that period.
We must then interpret Paul’s references to the “man of lawlessness” as a marker indicating that the Day of the Lord has come in total context. Some folks at Thessalonica interpreted the persecutions they experienced as evidence that the Day of the Lord had arrived. Paul said simply, “Look around. Do you see counterfeit miracles? Do you see the Man of Lawlessness in control? This is not the Day of Lord.”
Many Christians throughout the ages have experienced persecution even sharper than that suffered by the Thessalonians, and have wondered if what they experienced might be a sign of the end. Paul’s teaching reminds us that in this world, we can expect suffering. But, because in Christ we fix our eyes in a future beyond this world, even in suffering we have hope.

Overview
The Day of the Lord will be marked by the appearance of a “lawless” one and counterfeit miracles (2:1–12). Till then believers are to engage in “every good deed” (vv. 13–17), sure of protection from the evil one (3:1–5). The church is to discipline those who will not work (vv. 8–18).

Understanding the Text
“And our being gathered to Him” 2 Thes. 2:1. There’s nothing like persecution (1:4) to make people eager for Jesus’ return. And there’s nothing like momentary prosperity to drain our sense of urgency. Then when troubles come—a job is lost, a serious illness strikes, an accident takes a loved one—we remember again how vulnerable we are.
In one of his psalms David prayed that God would help him to “know his end,” and remember “how frail I am.” The prayer isn’t morbid at all. It reflects a vital need that each of us has to keep life on earth in perspective. When you and I do this, we look eagerly for Jesus to return, whatever the state of our health or our bank account.

“The man of lawlessness is revealed” 2 Thes. 2:1–4. The reference here is clearly to a person commonly referred to as the Antichrist. He is introduced in Daniel 9:25–27, and his introduction of an abominable image in a Jerusalem temple plays a key role in Jesus’ prophetic teaching (cf. Matt. 24; Mark 13). He appears again in Revelation 13, and is discussed here by Paul, and mentioned by John in 1 John 2:18.
Here Paul picked up the emphasis seen in Daniel and in Christ’s utterances: the Antichrist arrogantly “opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, and even sets himself up in God’s temple.”
I’ve been fascinated to notice in recent Evolution/Creationism debates how some scientists oppose and exalt themselves over everything called God—pushing Him into the realm of the “merely religious” and thus irrelevant. And then such people set themselves up in God’s place, announcing their own answers to the mystery of origins and their own predictions about the future of the universe. What is most fascinating, of course, is their insistence that only they have the right to make such “scientific” pronouncements, and that the Creationist point of view must not even be permitted a hearing. The arrogant spirit of antichrist is deeply rooted in mankind, even though the individual called the Antichrist has not yet appeared.
It is good to remember that the Antichrist, and all who act as he will, are “doomed to destruction.” God will be victorious in the end.

“The secret power of lawlessness is already at work” 2 Thes. 2:5–7. When terrible things happen to God’s people, it is important to remember one thing. When persecution comes—when the courts decided that permitting a group of Christian young people to meet in a classroom after school hours for Bible study must not be permitted, but that it’s all right for a gay and lesbian teen organization to meet—when a major network determines that it is against their policy to show any program rooted in Christian values—when we see the “spirit of lawlessness” at work—we can take comfort. Paul knew that even then there was one who held back the full expression of that spirit in society (v. 7).
Nearly all commentators agree that the restraining power is exercised by the Holy Spirit. And many suggest that the Spirit’s power is exercised through His church. If this is true, then you and I need to be involved in social issues that affect our faith. We need to take a stand, lovingly and graciously, but firmly, and let the Holy Spirit exercise His restraining influence through us.

“In accordance with the work of Satan” 2 Thes. 2:8–12. The end times will be marked by the sudden emergence of the supernatural into the realm of nature. Miracles will be performed. But this time, by the Antichrist, through power provided by Satan.
It’s strange. People who scoff at the supernatural when we Christians speak of it will be entranced by the counterfeit miracles performed by the Antichrist. Paul said God will send them “a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.” But note. The delusion is sent only to those who have previously “refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
Our only protection against Satan is found in Christ. But in Christ, our protection is guaranteed. The Lord Jesus will overthrow the Antichrist and Satan as well “by the splendor of His coming.”

“Through belief in the truth” 2 Thes. 2:13–17. The willing victims of the Antichrist’s campaign refused to believe the truth. What about those of us who do believe?
Paul says we are loved by the Lord. We are chosen by Him. We experience salvation through the Spirit’s sanctifying work. We have been given hope and encouragement by God, and one day we will even share Christ’s glory. We Christians are the new humanity: God’s new breed of mankind.
You and I as God’s new breed are to demonstrate our nature to all in a most simple way. We are to give ourselves to “every good deed and word.”
This is undoubtedly the real miracle that God performs daily. He snatches men and women from Satan’s realm, human beings who have lived selfishly, driven by personal passions, and through Christ makes us truly good. He transforms us, until we are moved to do good in every deed, and every word. No miracle Satan can empower can match the miracle that is taking place in you and me.

“Not everyone has faith” 2 Thes. 3:1–5. It’s important to pray, as we wait for Jesus to return and the end to come, that we will be delivered from “wicked and evil men.” God will guard us from Satan. But we may experience persecution from those who are in his camp. When we do, Paul has a simple prescription. Keep on loving God. Keep on persevering for Christ’s sake. And keep on living the kind of good life that Paul’s letters exhort.

DEVOTIONAL
Take This Job
(2 Thes. 3:6–15)
The country song must have reflected the frustration many felt with their jobs. “Take This Job and Shove It,” the husky voice echoed from stations all over the land. “I ain’t working here no more.”
Many in Thessalonica felt that way. Jesus coming back? Great! “I quit.”
They did quit. And, since they had to eat, they just sponged off other Christians. And passed their time gossiping.
Paul had a simple response. They won’t work? Then don’t feed them. Each person should earn his own bread. Warn each idler lovingly, as a brother. But don’t feed him.
I intended, when I started this devotional, to write about the sanctity and the fulfilling nature of work. But I think Paul is making another vital point here. That point? If we fail to practice real love, we hurt rather than help those we love.
The real culprits in Thessalonica may not have been the folks who quit work, but the people who fed them! If no one fed the hungry slacker, I suspect they would have gone back to work mighty quickly!
It’s the same with so many things in our lives. We complain about what our kids eat. But then we make them a cheese sandwich instead of saying, “Eat the roast I’m serving tonight or go hungry.”
Rather than set a policy, no TV till after the homework is done, we let a child watch “my very favorite show” first—and then are upset the next morning when somehow homework was forgotten.
Paul’s instructions to the church at Thessalonica remind us. If someone in the family has bad habits, just don’t contribute to them. Unless you or I take a stand that forces others to suffer the consequences of their own bad choices, they’ll keep on making those choices. And, at least in part, it will be our fault.

Personal Application
Don’t feed other’s bad habits by contributing to them.

Quotable
“Did I but live nearer to God, I could be of so much more help.”—George Hodges

The 365-Day Devotional Commentary

2 Thessalonians

INTRODUCTION
Paul’s second Letter to Thessalonica was sent a few months after his first. Some had assumed Jesus’ second coming was so near they could quit work. Paul corrected this misunderstanding, and emphasized the importance of using the present time wisely.

GOD IS JUST
2 Thessalonians 1

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well” (2 Thes. 1:6–7).

A wishy-washy God is a fiction that appeals to the guilty, not the godly.

Overview
Paul praised perseverance (1:1–4), and promised that those who persecute believers will be punished when Jesus returns (vv. 5–10). Paul prayed that till then the Thessalonians would live to glorify God (vv. 11–12).

Understanding the Text
“Your faith is growing more and more” 2 Thes. 1:3. “Faith” seems to be a rather hard thing to measure in normal circumstances. It remains quite invisible—quite “inside.” Even when others are living by faith, what they say and do may seem quite ordinary to us. Only if we could look deep inside would we see what it costs them to maintain an ordinary life.
Don’t be discouraged if others don’t realize how much of your life is lived by faith. God knows and will reward you.

“Love . . . is increasing” 2 Thes. 1:3. Unlike faith, love is visible in the most ordinary of situations. When Paul said, “The love every one of you has for each other is increasing,” he was talking about something that can be seen and measured.
We see love in the smile of welcome when friends meet. We see it in the phone call, just to say, “I’m thinking about you. How are you doing?” We see love when a friend says to the harried mom of preschoolers, “Let me stay with your kids today. You need a break.” We see love when the snow is shoveled from an older person’s walk, and in the time spent with a shut-in. We see love in listening, in reaching out a hand to touch, in a comforting hug, a heartfelt prayer.
While faith is hidden in ordinary life, it is through the ordinary things of life that love is most clearly revealed.

“Perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring” 2 Thes. 1:4. Faith, invisible in ordinary life, is clearly revealed in persecutions and trials. The Christian family in rural Colombia that refuses to grow plants that the cartel will turn into drugs—and suffers not only economic loss but also threats of death from the drug lords, displays faith. The Protestant pastor in Rumania, who defied an order to be silent and stimulated the revolt that overthrew the Communist regime in December of 1989, displayed faith. The Christian in the mental institution in Russia, who refuses to stop witnessing, or the parents there who see their children’s hope of higher education lost because they stand fast in their commitment to Christ, display faith.
When trials come, and Christians remain committed to Christ, then the invisible becomes visible, and the world sees that Christian faith is real.
When your turn comes, through personal tragedy or national disaster, stand firm, and hold the banner of your faith high.

“Evidence that God’s judgment is right” 2 Thes. 1:5. God has declared all who believe in Jesus righteous in His sight. He has declared us citizens of His kingdom, brothers and sisters of His Son. When we persevere in our faith, despite persecutions, we vindicate God’s declaration of innocence. We show that knowing Christ does make a difference; that God has made us “new creations” indeed (2 Cor. 5:17).
Our suffering for His kingdom’s sake is evidence, not to God, but to the world. And throughout church history, the willingness of believers to suffer and even die painful deaths for Jesus’ sake has moved many to believe in Him. It has been said, and often proven, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church.”

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you” 2 Thes. 1:6–7. The justice of God is displayed in two ways. One is in His balancing of the moral books by “paying back” those who do evil. This, Paul said, will happen when Jesus returns. The other is in His balancing the moral books by taking on Himself the punishment due those who do evil. This has already happened, and God’s willingness to suffer for us has been displayed on Calvary.
Whether an individual is in the group to whom payment is due, or in the group for whom payment has already been made, is not up to God. It’s up to the individual.
In Christ, God has been more than fair to the wicked. Now it is up to each man or woman to choose to take advantage of God’s unfair provision of salvation, or to demand fair treatment—and be condemned (see DEVOTIONAL).

“To be glorified in His holy people” 2 Thes. 1:10. While punishment of sin is associated with Christ’s second coming, Paul did not say Jesus will return in order to punish. Instead, Jesus will return “to be glorified in His holy people.”
One peculiar feature of diamonds is that, in the rough, they look like dull, ordinary stones. One might pick them up, look at them, and throw them away as valueless. But when cut by a master jeweler, a brilliant stone is revealed. Held to the light, it reflects splendor from every facet.
The world places very little value on Christians. To others we often seem dull, ordinary, valueless. In fact, the more committed to Christ we are, the less we seem to fit into the world’s scheme of things, and the less value we seem to have to people of the world. But when Jesus returns, He will hold us up to His light, and suddenly the facets that trials and persecution have carved will flash with scintillating light. This is why Jesus will return: to hold us up and “be glorified in His holy people.” And to be “marveled at among all those who have believed.”

“We pray constantly for you” 2 Thes. 1:11–12. This is another of those prayers of Paul which teach us how to pray for others. This prayer focuses on “follow-through.”
Christians often have good intentions. We’re often moved by a desire to help, to act, to accomplish something special for Jesus or His people. But that desire often fades just as quickly, and our good intentions are forgotten. Paul asked, and we can pray, that God may fulfill “every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”
Just think. If every Christian’s good intentions were translated into action, how greatly God would be glorified in our lives.

DEVOTIONAL
God Is (Not) Nice
(2 Thes. 1:5–10)
You won’t find it in the Bible. I don’t know of a single text that says, “God is nice.” Particularly when we define “nice” in terms of its synonyms—agreeable, congenial, favorable, and pleasant. God is gracious, yes. And compassionate. But nice? Never.
Some folks, however, want to think of God as being nice. Much too nice to get angry or upset at people. Much too nice to punish sin. Maybe the “God of the Old Testament” was harsh. But, they say, the “God of the New Testament” is loving. And what they mean by loving is “nice.” He’s candy-sweet, and all too innocuous to fear.
Second Thessalonians 1:5–10 must come as a shock to the proponents of “God is nice” theology. What’s this about Jesus coming “in blazing fire and with His powerful angels” to “punish those who do not know God”? What’s this about being “punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord”? Why, that doesn’t sound nice at all!
It isn’t nice. But it is just, and it is right. And most of all, it’s coming. God the loving is also God the Judge. God the tender is God the tough. God the compassionate is God the severe. And when Jesus comes, those who have accepted the Gospel and those who have not will display these desperate aspects of the character of our God.
Then we will shout that God is gracious. And others will confess that God is just.
But no one will assume that “God is nice.”

Personal Application
Maintain your respect for God: don’t fall into the trap of dismissing Him as “nice.”

Quotable
“The demand that God should forgive such a [sinful] man while he remains what he is, is based on a confusion between condoning and forgiving. To condone an evil is simply to ignore it, to treat it as if it were good. But forgiveness needs to be accepted as well as offered if it is to be complete: and a man who admits no guilt can accept no forgiveness.
“In the long run the answer to all those who object to the doctrine of hell, is itself a question: ‘What are you asking God to do?’ To wipe out their past sins and, at all costs, to give them a fresh start, smoothing every difficulty and offering every miraculous help? But He has done so, on Calvary. To forgive them? They will not be forgiven. To leave them alone? Alas, I am afraid that is what He does.”—C.S. Lewis

The 365-Day Devotional Commentary

Obadiah

INTRODUCTION
Obadiah is a prophecy of destruction, directed against Edom, a land across the Jordan River from Judah that was populated by descendants of Jacob’s brother, Esau (Gen. 25). Obadiah said the Edomites collaborated with foreign invaders of Judah and mistreated Jerusalem’s survivors; a charge which fits six different occasions in Judah’s history! It is most likely that Obadiah predicted Edom’s overthrow just after the Babylonian invasion of Judah in 586 B.C. Edom disappeared as an independent kingdom the latter half of the sixth century B.C., and its ruin is referred to in Malachi 1:3–4.

JUDAH’S ENEMIES PERISH
Obadiah

“Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever” (Obad. 10).

Those hostile to God’s people take a great risk when they act against them.

Background
Names in Obadiah. The prophet used a number of different racial and geographic terms in this short book. The majority are synonyms used to identify either Edom or Judah. These names reflect the Hebrew custom of identifying peoples by their ancestors (thus “Esau” is another name for Edom and “Jacob” for Judah) or by place names (thus “Teman” also refers to Edom, and “Mount Zion” to Judah). If this is kept in mind the message of Obadiah will be much clearer.

Overview
Edom would be pillaged and her people slaughtered (vv. 1–9) as punishment for violence she directed against Judah (vv. 10–14). In the coming Day of the Lord all nations will judged and their lands occupied by God’s own (vv. 15–21).

Understanding the Text
“The vision of Obadiah” Obad. 1. Nothing is known of Obadiah as a person. His name, however, means “servant of Yahweh.” Obadiah did not think it was important even to identify himself, as most Hebrews did, by stating their father’s or family name. Obadiah saw himself simply as God’s servant. What was important was the message he had to deliver.
You and I want to adopt Obadiah’s perspective. Oh, yes, we are important—important to a God who loves us for ourselves rather than for what we do for Him. But when we’re given the mission of speaking for God, we must exalt the message. Obadiah would do nothing to detract from his message by drawing attention to himself.

“You who live in the clefts of the rocks” Obad. 2–4. Edomite population centers were built on a great ridge of mountainous land opposite the Dead Sea. These heights, ranging from 4,000 to 5,700 feet, made the land easily defensible, and it was in fact protected by a series of stone fortresses built to command the roads that wound up precipitous cliffs and traced the edges of terrifyingly deep gorges. These natural defenses contributed to the pride of Edom, reflected in their rhetorical question, “Who can bring me down to the ground?”
How dangerous a sense of security is! The Edomites felt untouchable. Arrogant, they struck out at Judah from behind the barriers they thought protected them. Undoubtedly if they had felt vulnerable they would never have risked trying to harm their neighbor.
God said to Edom, “I will bring you down.” In this saying Obadiah reminded all of us that no one is ever beyond the reach of God. Every person is responsible for his actions, and every person is within reach of the disciplining hand of the Lord.

“Because of the violence against your brother Jacob” Obad. 10. The ancient covenant that God made with Abraham guaranteed that God would bless those who blessed him and his descendants, and curse those who cursed him and his progeny. God recalled His promise, and announced through Obadiah that Edom would be “destroyed forever” because of just such an offense.
What a revelation of the nature of God’s commitment to His word. If Obadiah did prophesy just after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, as many believe, the generation of Jews that were Edom’s victims was an apostate generation. They willfully abandoned God to serve idols, and consciously rejected His word. They were themselves under the ban: themselves doomed to judgment. Even so God intended to keep His ancient promise. Those who cursed His people must be cursed. Edom must fall.
Remember this verse and its historical context next time you fail yourself and God and, burdened by a sense of shame, wonder if God can forgive you. God remains fully committed to every promise He has made to you in Christ, even as He remained fully committed to Judah despite far worse sins.
God keeps His word. You can trust Him to keep on loving you, keep on working with you, until at last you do reflect the very character of Christ.

“Look down on them in their calamity” Obad. 11–14. The text shows a fascinating progression in the behavior of Edom toward Judah. At first, as the invasion developed, the Edomites stood off, to watch and enjoy the discomfort of Judah (vv. 11–12). When it became clear that the people of Judah were losing, the Edomites became more brave. They marched through the gates of the ruined city to gather all the loot that might be left. They then became bolder still, and positioned troops along escape routes to “cut down their fugitives” and “hand over their survivors.” It was a classic case of waiting till the fight was over, and then hurrying in to kick the loser.
Kicking a person who’s down has always been popular, because it carries little risk. At least, little risk of the victim kicking back. What people need to remember, however, is that God takes the side of the oppressed.
So, if in your home, office, or your community, you’re ever tempted to join the crowd that kicks one of life’s underdogs, remember Edom. A victim may seem defenseless. But he or she has God on his side.

“For all nations” Obad. 15–21. Obadiah announced that the principles seen in his oracle against Edom have universal application. They do. One day God will openly act on behalf of the victims of every oppressive power. Even nations will answer to Him. When that happens every Esau will be destroyed, and Judah, the “loser,” will occupy their territory.
There is no “ill-gotten gain.” There is only “ill-gotten loss.”

DEVOTIONAL
Like One of Them
(Obad. 11–12)
I confess! I do like to read the comics when I get up in the morning. At least, I like to read three of them—Calvin and Hobbes, Sally Forth, and For Better or For Worse.
Last week—the first week of school—the little girl in Better threw her teddy bear on the school bus. She was assigned the painful task of writing a note of apology. In a later set of panels she aimed the bear carefully, and bopped her big brother squarely in the back of the head! Why? Because he was the one who encouraged her to toss the bear on the bus in the first place, and then laughed when she got caught and was punished.
I don’t suppose cartoonist Lynn Johnston had been reading Obadiah. But she might have been. Obadiah 11 and 12 reads, “On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction.” In comic strip terms, “I didn’t throw any bear!” And again in comic strip terms, “Na Naa Naaa! That bus driver got you good. Ha ha ha!” I suspect everyone suppressed a smile of satisfaction when the bear plopped on the brother’s head. He sure deserved it!
That’s what God said to Edom through Obadiah. And what He says to us. You can’t stand around when you see your brother a victim, egg on the perpetrators, and be guiltless. If you don’t step in with help, you are “like one of them.”
Biblical faith doesn’t let us stand on the sidelines when others are victimized. Even if the “others” aren’t particular friends of ours. Even if they are our enemies.

Personal Application
Don’t stand by when you see others in need. Help.

Quotable
“When a man does love his enemies, he knows that God has done a tremendous work in him, and everyone else knows it too.”—Oswald Chambers

The 365-Day Devotional Commentary

GOD’S GLORY RETURNS
Ezekiel 40–48

“The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when He came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory of the LORD entered the temple” (Ezek. 43:3–4).

The last chapters of Ezekiel describe the worship of a restored Israel, and a return of the glory of God. Here, Ezekiel looked ahead and assured the exiles, God’s glory will return.

Background
Puzzling prophecy. This is one of the most difficult of all Old Testament prophecies. For those who spiritualize biblical prophecy, the problem lies in the multitude of details provided concerning the construction of the new temple. It’s not just a question of what each detail might mean. The careful verbal blueprint reminds us of the instructions Moses was given for constructing the tabernacle—and those were intended to be literally carried out.
The main detailed specifications offer no problem for the literalist. Yet for the person who views Ezekiel’s description here as a prediction of what will actually happen in the future, there are other difficulties. For instance, where do the scenes described here fit in Scripture’s overall vision of Israel’s future? And particularly, how does it relate to Revelation 21–22’s similar description of the eternal state. And, what about the sacrifices to be offered on the future altar? Doesn’t the New Testament teach that Christ’s one sacrifice of Himself did away forever with the need for animal offerings? (cf. Heb. 7:18; 9:12, 25–28) Such questions can, of course, be answered. The sacrifices of the Mosaic era were intended to simply portray redemption. Apparently the sacrifices of Ezekiel’s temple also serve as reminders of Christ’s work. Since several of the feasts of the Old Testament era are not mentioned in Ezekiel, it seems that he describes a whole new system of worship, to be conducted in the very presence of the Messiah.
Though many delight to speculate on such issues when reading these chapters, our purpose is different. Rather than try to fit Ezekiel’s final vision of the future into any prophetic scheme, we want to see what that vision suggests to us for our lives today. And there is something here for us to apply.

Overview
Ezekiel gave details of a new temple to be constructed in Jerusalem (40:1–42:20). God’s glory will fill that structure (43:1–12), and commemorative sacrifices will be offered on its altar (vv. 13–27). Priests and Levites will again serve God (44:1–31) in sacred precincts (45:1–12). Israel will celebrate God’s festivals (46:1–24) as a river flowing from the sanctuary waters the land (47:1–12), which once again has been allotted to Israel’s tribes (v. 13–48:35).

Understanding the Text
“He took me to the land of Israel” Ezek. 40:1–5. In the year 573B.C Ezekiel saw the last vision reported in his book. In it he was transported to Israel, and told to communicate everything he saw to the house of Israel.
The very first thing that the prophet saw was a glorious temple. He was guided through it, and given every relevant dimension of what he saw.
One day these words may serve as a verbal blueprint to be followed by God’s people. Many believe so. But to us today the immediate fixation on the temple reminds us that God is to have priority in our lives. As Ezekiel went on, his wondering gaze would shift to the king’s palace, the city, the changed geography of Jerusalem, and ultimately to the land itself, once more divided among the 12 tribes of Israel. But the most wonderful sight of all, the most compelling, the thing that demanded his initial attention, was the temple. You and I may be blessed in many ways, and the sights we see around us may be glorious. But there is nothing more beautiful, nothing more worthy of our attention, than God Himself. If God is the center of our lives, as the temple is the focal point of future Israel, everything else will fall into place.

“I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east” Ezek. 43:1–12. This is the most significant element in Ezekiel’s vision. In chapters 8–11 we have a report of Ezekiel’s vision of the departure of God’s glory. Now the prophet described a return. Once again the living, vital presence of the Lord Almighty would reside among His Old Testament people.
What is the significance of God’s instruction to the prophet to “describe the temple . . . that they may be ashamed of their sins”? Simply that the description of future splendor will so powerfully demonstrate what Israel will become, that the very contrast would drive God’s people toward holiness.
We find a similar thought in the New Testament. In 1 John 3 the apostle looked foward to Christ’s coming, and announced that though we do not now know what we will be, we know that when Jesus returns we will be like Him. And, John said, “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (v. 3). To know what God intends for us, to realize what we are becoming, is a powerful motivation for holy living.
This same theme is seen later in Ezekiel 45:9–12, a passage addressed to Israel’s current “princes” (leaders). Ezekiel had just described the land to be set aside for the city of Jerusalem and its ruler, bordering on the temple itself. The rulers of the people would be the closest of all to the Lord. Thus God said through the prophet, “Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right.” With a clear vision of what the future holds for us, the grip of selfish gain is relaxed, and we begin to act in harmony with who we truly are and will become in the Lord.

“I am to be the only inheritance the priests have” Ezek. 44:1–26. The duties of priests and Levites mimic their responsibilities in the Mosaic era. But after outlining their duties, the Lord added the verse above.
In past and future, Israel’s priests were not given tribal land. They had no earthly inheritance. They were to belong to the Lord, and the Lord Himself was to be their inheritance.
What a blessing to be freed from the tyranny of possessions. How wonderful to focus only on God, to desire only to please Him, to know that while the material things we own are ours on loan, we do not possess them—and they do not possess us!

“You are to divide it equally among them” Ezek. 47:13–48:35. The prophecy of Ezekiel ends with God’s people back in their land. There is an equal place set aside for each tribal group.
In the time of Joshua the territories allotted the tribes were unequal. Some clans were larger than others, and had need for more space. But now, at history’s end, all such distinctions will be lost. None is greater, none smaller. And each has an equal place in the glorious kingdom of God.
There are many distinctions that people make between themselves and others now. Distinctions of wealth, of education, of position or prestige. We even make such distinctions in our churches, mentally ranking our fellow believers as up or down the spiritual ladder. That is a mistake. A mistake that will never be repeated in eternity. There too God’s grace will be divided equally, for each of us will gladly stake a claim to fame on one thing, and one alone. We are sinners. Saved by grace.

DEVOTIONAL
Worship the Lord
(Ezek. 43–44)
As Ezekiel wandered in his vision through the future temple, he was amazed at its size and beauty. The careful detail in which he recorded every measurement tells us that. But there is one verse that tells us more—about the temple, about Ezekiel, and about ourselves.
The verse, Ezekiel 44:4, describes the prophet coming to the front of the temple and there he said, “I looked and saw the glory of the LORD filling the temple of the LORD, and I fell facedown.”
What do we learn about the temple? In his vision, Exekiel had been impressed by the temple. He had looked in wonder at the portico of the outer court. He’d wandered through the rooms set aside for the priests. But when he came around front, and caught a glimpse of the glory of the Lord, Ezekiel fell facedown, and worshiped.
You and I may be impressed by the beauty of our churches. We may look in wonder at the crowds gathered there. We may be impressed by the qualifications of our ministers. But all such things are external; just the facade. What we need to do is figuratively come around to the front. We need to forget what we see looking at our faith from the back and side, and peer in the front door. When we do, everything else seems to disappear, for there, in the heart of the sanctuary, we too are able to see the glory of the Lord.
Many things about our churches are important. But the only thing that is truly essential is that when we come to worship we see and respond to God.
What do we learn about Ezekiel? That he was a searcher. He was impressed by the structure he examined. But he was not satisfied. Only when he was brought around to the front and saw the glory of the Lord did he fall down and worship. Ezekiel wanted God Himself, and finding Him worshiped.
What do we learn about ourselves? Like Ezekiel we can’t be satisfied with the temple, however impressive it may be. Our destiny like Ezekiel’s, the end of our quest, is realized when we see the Lord, and worship Him.

Personal Application
In church and in personal devotions, seek to meet and worship God.

Quotable
“Some people praise God for the good feelings it gives them; they praise Him because they think it makes everyone else feel good; they praise Him because they think that is simply what every good Christian should do. They do not focus their minds on God. The result is that their false praise drives out the true. Praise becomes mere pleasant-feeling babble.
“We need to speak directly to God, not to ourselves or our neighbors. As we look at Him, we will naturally praise Him for the real qualities we see. Our awkwardness will fade into the background as our attention is less and less on ourselves and more and more on Him.”— Tim Stafford