LifeChange (Paperback)
Published by NavPress Publishing Group, Colorado Springs, 2014
- Softcover
- New
Seller: Grand Eagle Retail, Bensenville, IL, U.S.A.Grand Eagle Retail
AbeBooks seller since October 12, 2005
Condition: New
£ 12.08
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Paperback. Wake Up Your FaithTurn around. Wake up. Look alive. Be alert. Pay attention. Don't forget. The messages of the prophets are like spiritual caffeine--a shock to the system. Through the prophets, God called his people out of their routine neglect to go forward in active faith. Like a bucket of ice water or the trill of a trumpet, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi startle our hazy thoughts to hope and rekindle our ashen hearts with zeal. If you find your spiritual muscles wan and your spiritual eyes drowsy, these clarion prophets may have just the word to enliven your spirit.LifeChangeLifeChange Bible studies will help you grow in Christlikeness through a life-changing encounter with God's Word. Filled with a wealth of ideas for going deeper so you can return to this study again and again.FeaturesCover the books of Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi in 12 lessonsEquip yourself to lead a Bible studyImagine the Bible's historical worldStudy word origins and definitionsExplore thoughtful questions on key themesGo deeper with optional projectsAdd your notes with extra space and wide marginsFind the flexibility to fit the time you have Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…
Seller Inventory # 9781612915500
- Title
- LifeChange (Paperback)
- Author
- The Navigators
- Publisher
- NavPress Publishing Group, Colorado Springs
- Publication year
- 2014
- Condition
- new
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10
- 1612915507
- ISBN 13
- 9781612915500
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Minor Prophets 2: Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggal, Zechariah & Malachi
By The NavigatorsNavPress
All rights reserved.
Contents
How to Use This Guide, 5,
Introduction — The Minor Prophets: Major Messages from Across the Centuries, 11,
One — God's Judgment Against Nineveh (Nahum 1–3), 13,
Two — Asking God Why (Habakkuk 1–2), 25,
Three — Prayer of Faith (Habakkuk 3), 37,
Four — Day of Judgment (Zephaniah 1–2), 47,
Five — Day of Hope (Zephaniah 3), 59,
Six — The Lord's House and the People's Hope (Haggai 1–2), 69,
Seven — Visions in the Night (Zechariah 1–4), 85,
Eight — More Visions and Encouragement (Zechariah 5–8), 97,
Nine — The Coming Messiah and His Rejection (Zechariah 9–11), 109,
Ten — The Coming Messiah and His Acceptance (Zechariah 12–14), 119,
Eleven — Reprimands from God's Heart (Malachi 1–2), 129,
Twelve — The Coming of the Lord (Malachi 3–4), 141,
Study Aids, 151,
CHAPTER 1
Lesson OneNAHUM 1–3
God's Judgment Against Nineveh
"While most Old Testament prophetic books predict God's judgment against Israel and Judah, the prophecy in Nahum is directed against Nineveh, capital city and representative of the nation of Assyria. Because Assyria was a wicked nation, noted especially for its cruelty in warfare, the prophet makes no apology for predicting its destruction. He throws himself into his denunciation of Nineveh with enthusiasm and a taunting tone.... What Nahum utters against Nineveh is God's message to all evil nations."
"Nahum means 'comfort' or 'consolation' (of God). This is very thought-provoking since Nahum's entire message concerns the destruction of Nineveh....
"Nahum prophesied ... around 620 B.C., about the time of Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and the early part of Jeremiah's ministry....
"Nahum's book ... provided answers to the questions of God's people: 'Has God forsaken us? Why are the Assyrians prospering? Are God's promises empty?' Nahum affirms that God may be 'slow to anger,' but He 'will not at all acquit the wicked' (1:3). Moreover, God is indeed 'a stronghold in the day of trouble' (1:7). This is also a vital message for today — in the press of circumstances and misfortune, God's people are prone to forget that God is in control."
"As a true prophet of Yahweh, Nahum was profoundly aware that the Lord, the incomparable and all-powerful God, held universal dominion over the kingdoms of this world. Like his predecessor Isaiah, Nahum was also a gifted poet. Using a wealth of imagery and pictorial language, the prophet portrays the total destruction of Nineveh by an anonymous enemy, and so voices the universal relief and joy of all who suffered under the oppressive regime of a merciless tyrant."
1. For getting the most from the books of the Minor Prophets, one of the best guidelines is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, words which Paul wrote with the Old Testament first in view. He said that all Scripture is of great benefit to (a) teach us, (b) rebuke us, (c) correct us, and (d) train us in righteousness. Paul added that these Scriptures completely equip the person of God "for every good work." As you think seriously about those guidelines, in which of these areas do you especially want to experience the usefulness of the books of Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi? Express your desire in a written prayer to God.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Think also about these words of Paul to Timothy: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). As you study God's Word of Truth in these final six books of the Old Testament, the Lord calls you to be a "worker." It takes work — concentration and perseverance — to fully appropriate God's blessings for us in this book. Express here your commitment before God to work diligently in this study of the last six books in the Minor Prophets.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. Glance ahead through the pages of Nahum and briefly scan all three chapters. What are your overall impressions of the book, including its structure and its themes?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Now turn your focus to the first chapter of Nahum. What are the great truths about God that are evident in these passages?
Nahum 1:2-5
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Nahum 1:6-9
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Optional Application: After His resurrection, when Jesus was explaining Old Testament passages to His disciples, we read that He "opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45). Ask God to do that kind of work in your mind as you study the book of Nahum, so you're released and free to learn everything here He wants you to learn — and so you can become as bold and worshipful and faithful as those early disciples of Jesus. Express this desire to Him in prayer.
For Thought and Discussion: How familiar is the book of Nahum to you? What have been your previous impressions of this book?
Prophecy (1:1). Or "burden" (NKJV). See also Isaiah 13:1; 17:1; Habakkuk 1:1; Zechariah 9:1; 12:1; Malachi 1:1. "The Hebrew for this word is related to a Hebrew verb meaning 'to lift up, carry' and is possibly to be understood as either lifting up one's voice or carrying a burden. Such an 'oracle' often contains a message of doom."
Jealous (1:2). "The emphasis is on God's desire for righteousness."
Bashan ... Carmel ... Lebanon (1:4). "These three places were noted for their fertility, vineyards, and trees."
The Lord is good (1:7). "Even in the manifestation of His wrath God proves His goodness. ... The goodness of the Lord is seen in the fact that He is a refuge in distress."
5. What do we learn about the Lord's enemies in 1:8-11?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Optional Application: The prophet's words of praise for God in Nahum 1:7 occur in a message of great judgment against an ungodly power. What personal encouragement do the words of praise in Nahum 1:7 bring to you, especially in light of the evil in today's world?
Overwhelming flood (1:8). "Symbolic of an invading army (see Isaiah 8:7-8)."
6. What significance do you see in the Lord's promise to His people in 1:12-13?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
7. What is the emphasis in the message to Nineveh (or, in particular, Assyria's ruler) in 1:14?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
You (1:14). The NIV here adds "Nineveh" in brackets. The pronoun here "is masculine singular in Hebrew. Nahum suddenly switches to directly addressing the Assyrian king(s): the Assyrian monarchy would come to a decisive end."
8. What is the emphasis in the message to the Lord's people in 1:15?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
9. What does the first chapter of Nahum reveal most about God's heart and character?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
In the second chapter of Nahum, "the focus falls on Nineveh. Nahum's prediction reads like an eyewitness account of the city being attacked, overrun by the enemy, and plundered."
10. In the battle description that unfolds in Nahum's second chapter, what images impress you most, and what do they bring to mind for you?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
11. What reason for the Lord's judgment against Nineveh is given in 2:2, and what significance do you see in this?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Red ... scarlet (2:3). "These terms emphasize the awe-inspiring appearance of the approaching army, whether the color refers to their actual robes or to the blood stains on them."
12. How is the battle's onslaught portrayed in 2:3-5?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
13. How are Nineveh's failing defenses portrayed in 2:6-10?
In the second chapter of Nahum, "the focus falls on Nineveh. Nahum's prediction reads like an eyewitness account of the city being attacked, overrun by the enemy, and plundered."
River gates (2:6). "Nineveh was located on the bank of the Tigris River, and a smaller river flowed through the city. Conflicting ancient accounts ascribe the fall of Nineveh to flooding when the enemy redirected the dams and sluices of the water system."
14. In 2:11-12, what is the effect of the lion imagery and what it says about Nineveh?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Lion and lioness (2:11). "The Assyrian kings exhibited ferocity in their attacking and 'devouring' other lands, and called themselves lions."
15. What is the emphasis in the Lord's message of judgment in 2:13, and how does it serve as a focal point for chapter 2?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
In the final chapter of Nahum, "the various parts all contribute to its literary unity, and together they emphasize the irreversible doom of Nineveh. The prophet ... places the fate of Nineveh in a universal perspective."
16. As the battle descriptions continue in Nahum 3:1-3, what images impress you most, and what do they bring to mind for you?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
17. What is the essence of the charge against Nineveh in 3:4?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
18. What is the emphasis in the Lord's message to Nineveh in 3:5-7, and how does it serve as a focal point for chapter 3?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
19. For comparison with Nineveh, what is the main truth about Thebes given in 3:8-10?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
For Thought and Discussion: What does the book of Nahum reveal about God's general attitude toward nations that are ruthlessly aggressive? And how might this message apply to some of the world's nations today?
For Further Study: Nineveh is on center stage in two short books of the Bible — Jonah and Nahum. What contrasts do you see in the perspectives that these two books give us concerning Nineveh?
Put and Libya (3:9). Put is "a neighbor of Egypt, but its location is uncertain."
20. As the battle descriptions continue in 3:11-15, what images impress you most, and what do they bring to mind for you?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
21. What are the main points being made in the imagery of the locusts and grasshoppers in 3:15-17?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
22. What is the final emphasis of the book in 3:18-19?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Who has not felt your endless cruelty? (3:19). Nahum and Jonah are the only books in the Bible that end with a question. Both books focus on the powerful Assyrian city of Nineveh.
"Although most Old Testament books end with a vision of blessing, the book of Nahum omits that conventional ending."
Optional Application: In what ways do you recognize that the prophecies in the book of Nahum will reach their complete fulfillment only at the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? And what relevance does this fact have for your own life in this world?
23. In your study of the book of Nahum, what have you learned most and appreciated most?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
24. What would you select as the key verse or passage in Nahum — one that best captures or reflects the dynamics of what this book is all about?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
25. What does the book of Nahum communicate most to you about the heart and character of God?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
26. List any lingering questions you have about the book of Nahum.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
27. Because all of Scripture testifies ultimately of Christ, where does Jesus come most in focus for you in this book?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
For Thought and Discussion: Here in Nahum, what do you think accounts for the intensity of the Lord's language against Nineveh?
For Further Study: Scan the messages of judgment against ungodly nations that we find in such passages as Isaiah 13–23, Jeremiah 46–51, Amos 1–2, and Obadiah. What similarities to Nahum do you find in those passages?
28. In Romans 15:4, Paul reminds us that the Old Testament Scriptures can give us endurance and perseverance on one hand, as well as comfort and encouragement on the other. In your own life, how do you see the book of Nahum living up to Paul's description? In what ways do the Scriptures help to meet your personal needs for both perseverance and encouragement?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
For the group
(In your first meeting, it may be helpful to turn to the front of this book and review together the section titled "How to Use This Guide" on pages 5–9.)
You may want to focus your discussion for lesson 1 especially on the following issues, themes, and concepts, which are recognized as major overall themes in Nahum. How do you see these being dealt with in this book?
• God's justice
• God's anger against evil
• The moral responsibility of nations
• God's omnipotence
The following numbered questions in lesson 1 may stimulate your best and most helpful discussion: 3, 9, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28.
Look also at the questions in the margins under the heading "For Thought and Discussion."
Optional Application: Which verse or verses in the book of Nahum would be most helpful for you to memorize so you have them always available in your mind and heart for the Holy Spirit to use?
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Minor Prophets 2: Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggal, Zechariah & Malachi by The Navigators. Copyright © 2014 The Navigators. Excerpted by permission of NavPress.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Grand Eagle Retail
Bensenville, IL, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since October 12, 2005
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 6 to 14 business days | 6 to 16 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 0.00 | £ 0.00 |
Payment methods
Seller's business information
APOLLO ONLINE CORP.
605 Geddes Street
Wilmington, DE U.S.A. 19805
Terms of sale
We guarantee the condition of every book as it¿s described on the Abebooks web sites. If you¿ve changed
your mind about a book that you¿ve ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to contact us
and we¿ll respond within 2 business days.
Books ship from California and Michigan.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Grand Eagle Retail, Bensenville, Illinois, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
Orders usually ship within 2 business days. All books within the US ship free of charge. Delivery is 4-14 business days anywhere in the United States.
Books ship from California and Michigan.
If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.