The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 23: Micah / Nahum / Habakkuk / Zephaniah / Haggai / Zechariah / Malachi

Top Highlights

“So central to the whole of Jewish thought was Habakkuk 2:4b that the Talmud records this famous remark made by Rabbi Simlai: ‘Moses gave Israel 613 commandments. David reduced them to eleven [Psalm 15], Micah to 3 [Micah 6:8], Isaiah to 2 [Isaiah 56:1], but Habakkuk to 1—‘the righteous shall live by his faith [Hab. 2:4].’ ’⁹ Jewish scholars felt that these words—only three words in the Hebrew text—fairly summarized the message of the whole Bible.” (Page 163)

“His complaints against the nation of Judah did not focus on the usual flagrant sins of idolatry, unrighteousness, and injustice; instead, his concerns were over his people’s apathy in their worship and service of God. He called his people to reexamine their priorities. His message concerned the interior of the person and the heart of the matters raised; external issues were merely symptoms of the deeper problem that must be addressed if any change was to come in those external issues.” (Page 246)

“They would learn firsthand that God was indeed just and that His justice would be observed in His preparation of the path by a forerunner (3:1a), His coming (3:1b–2), His refining work (3:3–4), His judgment (3:5), and His long-suffering (3:6).” (Page 495)

“Haggai addressed the people’s unwarranted contentment in his first message and their unwarranted discontent in his second message. In this third message he rebukes the people’s misplaced values.” (Page 276)

“But how is it that a prophet whose ministry lasted for a mere five months in the year 520 b.c. should have so lasting an impact on so many?” (Page 246)