1. Micah 7:5. How far should we take Micah’s word here? Sounds pretty tough.

Micah, prophet of the Lord, has not misled us so far. He’s a friend, too, right? And he’d be the first to tell you, don’t trust even me! Trust only the Word of God that I speak. Yes, Micah, we get it. Friends fail us. Spouses leave us. Children hate us sometimes. Parents even turn us away. Ultimately our trust is only in our God. Good word.

NAHUM

1. Nahum. Any clues as to the timing of this one?

Some have seen 2:4 as a comment on modern transportation. “The day of His preparation” is mentioned there. But do we really know how long that period of time is? I see no clear clue as to when Assyria will be judged and how permanent that judgment will be. There are clues in other prophecies that Assyria will not only be an end-time player, but that it will eventually be on God’s team.

HABAKKUK

1. Habakkuk 2:14. Any clues in this book as to the Millennial reign?

Only one that I see. “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

Some have seen in this the dispersal of the Bible to so many nations. Some see in it a huge revival at the end of history, right before Jesus comes. Those are hard precepts to prove. The Word is truly out there, but it doesn’t seem to match up with the splendor of this prophecy. I believe that only in the Millennial reign can this come to pass.

2. Habakkuk 3:1. What is “Shigionoth”?

Probably a musical instrument, like those referred to in the titles of many of the Psalms. Habakkuk is a most unusual prophet, if prophets can be said to be “usual” at all. He seems to be part philosopher, part spokesman, part poet, part musician. But definitely God’s man for that hour. His prophecy does not speak to as many specific judgments to a specific nation. His is a general word of caution and warning, that probably deserves more of our attention than it is given.

ZEPHANIAH

1. Zephaniah 1:3, 14. What conclusions must we draw in the light of expressions like “the face of the earth” and “the day of the Lord”?

Of course the temptation is to move into end time gear right away. Yet there is still a chance in the early going here that the prophet is talking about the immediate future.

2. Zephaniah 3. List other clues that suggest that Zephaniah is definitely speaking Millennium now.

• v. 8. God will gather nations.
• v.8. All the earth will be devoured by the fire of His zeal.
• v.9. All people will call on the name of Jehovah.
• v.10. Nations will bring in offerings to Jerusalem.
• v.13. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong.
• v.13. No one will make them tremble.
• v.15. The King of Israel, the Lord, will be in their midst.
• v.20. Israel will be world-renowned and praised.

HAGGAI

1. Haggai. What do the prophets Haggai and Zechariah have in common that no other of the prophets share?

They both prophesied during and after the return of the Jews to their homeland. All the other prophets were talking of Judah’s downfall. These two were a part of the re-building project, though they still had to do with Jewish disobedience.

2. Haggai 2:6-9. Of which Temple is Haggai speaking here, the second one, perhaps as it was finally refurbished and upgraded by Herod? Or, the coming Ezekiel/Millennial Temple?

A bit perplexing, this prophecy. First, God says He will be shaking the earth once more. And in a little while. Once we discover when the last shaking was, and the second shaking is scheduled, we can understand the Temple talk.

Thank God that often the Bible itself interprets the Bible. Turn to Hebrews 12:26 and you will see this very verse quoted and explained. The temporarily unknown writer of Hebrews says that the Lord’s Presence at Sinai literally shook the earth! Read it yourself. Exodus 19:18. “… the whole mountain quaked greatly.”

Imagine it. God appears on the scene and things start shaking! That was time number one. Haggai says it will happen once more! And Hebrews agrees. And the writer goes on to paint a picture of a time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken and then that which cannot be shaken will replace it. All the reader has to do is carefully peruse the book of Revelation, describing the assault on nature and all of mankind, and the coming again of Jesus to set up His Kingdom, and Haggai suddenly makes sense!

But you say, what about the “little while” part? It’s been a long time since Haggai wrote that. True. It was several hundred years before the shaking began with the first coming of Jesus. He shook Judaism and religion and pre-conceived human ideas to their core. Now it’s been 2,000 years more. The full shaking has not happened yet.

For this we must turn to Peter, where he reminds us that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years. In God’s sight, it has been a little while. The only reason it is long in our sight is the mercy of God, calling that last sinner to Himself. He has not changed. He loves the people He saw from the foundation of the world. And in a little while He’ll save them, and wrap this thing up.

But we were talking about Temples. Now we must say that, whatever the “former temple” is that Haggai mentions, the “latter” one, most glorious of all, will be the one in the Millennium time.

3. Haggai 2:23. Zerubbabel? Who is he, and what does it mean that he will be made a “signet” ring?

Zerubbabel led the first wave of captives back to Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon. He was appointed the governor of Judah even while in captivity. A true prince of the people, and favored with love from God Himself. His name, significantly, means “out of” or “flowing from” Babylon. The exile is over! They were all “Zerub-babel”!

A signet is a ring with a seal on it, usually of great and costly beauty. It is a precious ornament and suggests great honor. That the Lord Himself would wear this ring tells us that He will protect, delight in, and prosper this Zerubbabel.

Many cannot deal with this great honor going to a man, and believe that Zerubbabel is really Christ here. Possible. But my thinking is that, in the light of the fact that this Temple of Zerubbabel is only a model of the great Millennial temple, Zerubbabel himself is also not fully the man he will be at that time.