Joel, Micah and Habakkuk – these ancient prophets have urgent relevance for a church and world at the beginning of a new millennium. They emphasise the life-or-death importance of listening to what God has to say, in times of disaster, disobedience and destruction.
– Joel, facing the bleakness of national disaster, anticipates a future outpouring of God’s Spirit.
– Micah declares that God’s punishment for wickedness is certain and just, but that he will preserve a faithful remnant.
– Finally, facing imminent destruction of the city, the land and the people, Habakkuk remains sure that God’s hidden purposes are being worked out.
These prophets stood in their marketplace, powerfully applying their messages from God. David Prior shows that, like them, the church needs to be willing to share God’s word in today’s marketplace. Only this stand will bring hope, rather than despair, to a society under God’s judgment.
The Bible Speaks Today series covers every book of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture. These revised editions are redesigned inside and out and have been sensitively updated with contemporary language and Bible translations to help you follow, study and teach the Bible in today’s world.
Tabla de materias
General preface ix
Author’s preface xi
Chief abbreviations xiii
Select bibliography xiv
The message of Joel
Introduction 3
1. Cry to God (1:1-20) 8
2. Return to God (2:1-17) 37
3. Rejoice in God (2:18-32) 54
4. Fear God (3:1-21) 72
The message of Micah
Introduction 99
5. Preface (1:1) 106
The first cycle: pervasive evil and a promised king (1:2 – 2:13) 108
6. Micah’s message to the world (1:2-16) 108
7. The preacher for this people (2:1-13) 122
The second cycle: ungodly leadership and God’s promised leader
(3:1 – 5:15) 133
8. Micah’s message to the leadership of the nation (3:1-12) 133
9. Micah’s message of a future beyond the ruin of Jerusalem
(4:1 – 5:15) 146
The third cycle: a time of disintegration and desolation (6:1 – 7:20) 167
10. A message of gloom and doom (6:1 – 7:7) 167
11. A message of light and love (7:8-20) 193
The message of Habakkuk
Introduction 205
12. Dialogue with God (1:1-17) 209
13. A double vision (2:1-20) 231
14. Habakkuk’s prayer (3:1-19) 270
Sobre el autor
David Prior has pastored churches in Surrey, Cape Town, Oxford and London. He is the author of a number of books, including The Message of Joel, Micah and Habakkuk in The Bible Speaks Today series. He was formerly Director of the Centre for Marketplace Theology, based in the City of London.