Nahum 2:13

January 27, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“Behold, I am against you, declares the Lord of hosts, and I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard” (Nahum 2:13).

I neglected to mention yesterday that this book is about Nineveh, the Assyrian city that Jonah was told to evangelize. On that occasion, which was 100-125 years before Nahum’s story, we see God’s offer of salvation to those who repent.

In Nahum, again, 100-125 years later, we see God’s response to a false or lack of repentance. In our verse, notice the Lord says, “I am against you!” No one wants to be in that spot, regardless of how much they may want to ignore God. After describing a variety of negative outcomes, he says, “the voice of your messengers shall no longer be heard.”

Reading this reminded me of an archaeology article I read over the weekend, which described the destruction of Nineveh both in its ancient fall to Babylon and when ISIS destroyed much of the Assyrian artifacts that remained into the 20th century.

The point that stands out to me today is that God graciously offers salvation to those who repent, and He stands on business with those who don’t repent.

Father, thank you for offering this sinner the chance to repent. Please help me to have a consistently repentant heart. Amen.

Filed Under: archaeology, Assyria, Babylon, devotional thoughts, Nahum, Old Testament, Sovereignty

Nahum 1:7

January 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him” (Nahum 1:7).

I need this reminder today. I am thankful for a God who can be approached and trusted, a God who loves and cares for his people.

Father, as the storm rages, I come to you for shelter. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Nahum, Old Testament

Micah 7:18-19

January 25, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19).

What a wonderful way to close out a book that focuses on those who have gone far from God. Here, Micah reminds Judah of the restoration that God offers. God will cast our sins into the depths of the sea.

Below are verses that duplicate this same idea.

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (‭‭Psalm‬ ‭103‬:‭11‬-‭12‬).

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭25‬).

“And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬:‭34‬).

“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬).

Let’s celebrate the goodness of our God.

There is none like you, Lord. Thank you for hiding away my sin to be remembered no more. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, forgiveness, Micah, Old Testament

Micah 6:3-5

January 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember what Balak, king of Moab, devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord” (Micah 6:3-5).

We see here a pattern of the Lord reminding His people of His actions on their behalf. The list provided in these verses is only a sampling of God’s great acts on behalf of Israel. 

I wonder how my heart and mind might be influenced by reminding myself of God’s great kindnesses to me. I could include: 1) my non-Christian family didn’t try to stand in the way of my coming to faith. 2) A classmate shared Christ with me. 3) I was given a good Bible education in college and seminary. 4) God gave me a godly wife. I could go on for a long time listing God’s kindness. 

Thank you, Father, for being so generous to me. Please help me remember these things better. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, encouragement, Micah, Old Testament

Micah 5:2

January 23, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2).

That’s the best news in the book! From Bethlehem near Jerusalem, and from the tribe of Judah, will come a ruler in Israel! He shall come forth from eternity, from the ancient days. 

This description should draw our attention to Daniel’s use of similar language. Particularly, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬)

The Ancient of Days is a reference to God (Father). So, God sent one – like a son of man – who had been given an eternal kingdom. 

Combining Micah and Daniel, we should be on the lookout for this special one to come forth at Bethlehem near Jerusalem. Since we didn’t see that occur in the OT, we should look in the NT to see if it happened there. 

John 1:1 might be helpful because John mentions one who was in the beginning. His name is Jesus. But while John connects Jesus to eternity, John doesn’t tell us where this eternal one – Jesus – came into flesh. We need to keep looking. 

Luke 1:31-33 is helpful as it records the angel Gabriel’s words to a virgin named Mary. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭31‬-‭33‬).

Note what Gabriel says about this child: 

1) He will be called the Son of the Most High, which is a reference to Daniel’s Ancient of Days (also mentioned in Micah). 

2) He will receive the throne of David. This reflects the eternal kingdom language of Daniel. However, was David’s throne eternal? According to 2 Samuel 7:16, yes! “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭16‬)

All of that is great, but Micah says this special one will come forth from Bethlehem! If we keep reading Luke, we find the Bethlehem we are looking for.

“This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth” (Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬-‭6‬).

Wow! Micah 5:2 connects directly to Luke 2, but gets there by way of 2 Samuel 7 and Daniel 7.

Father, please help my heart to hunger for your word. Help me to mine for the treasure that lies within. Amen. 

Filed Under: 2 Samuel, Christmas, Daniel, devotional thoughts, Gospels, Life of Christ, Micah, Nativity, New Testament, Old Testament
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