Helps for the Children Habakkuk’s Trust In God Hab. 1:1, 12, 13; 2:18-20; 3:17-19 Memory Verse: “ The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab. 2:20). Habakkuk was another of the minor prophets whom God sent to be His mes senger to the Israelites before the Lord Jesus Christ came to be their promised Messiah. Habakkuk compares the idols with the true and living God. He tells the Israelites that idols are merely wood or stone covered with gold or silver. They have no life, nor is there any merit in trusting in them. The Lord God is a living, loving God who alone is worthy to be worshiped. Our God is from everlasting to everlasting. Habakkuk wondered why God some times permits wrongdoers to be stronger than the good. Even though he could not understand this, Habakkuk was con vinced that no matter what God per mitted to happen, He was to be com pletely trusted by those who love Him. Those who know God and seek to walk in His way will rejoice regardless of what sorrow or disappointment or loss comes into their lives. With Habakkuk they will joyfully say, “ I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord is my strength.” Perhaps you have always thought that the only idols that exist today are in A frica or India and are worshiped by “ the heathen.” Idols do not have to be gold or silver images. Many people today have idols in their hearts which they are putting in place of the Lord God. Love of wealth, position, friends, popularity, self, etc., are just as much idols as are the images which those in other lands worship. Anything that comes before God in one’s heart and love is an idol. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and to remove any idols that He may find there.
people that were in sore need of repent ance. His ministry was accomplished in Judah in the early days of the prophet Jeremiah and o f Josiah, the good king and reformer. Those were days o f bless ing and revival for a faithful remnant, but the majority of the people were liv ing in the careless state described in this book. Zephaniah’s message is one of warning to those who persist in their sin and of comfort to those who have a heart for God, and want to do His will.
The Need for Repentance Described 1:12-18 The prophet shows that the day is coming when all sin shall be brought to light and judgment shall fall. The pri mary reference in this- passage is to the approaching Babylonian invasion under Nebuchadnezzar, but most pro phetic scholars think that there is also a shadowing forth of the great judg- ment in the day prior to the Mess’ ah’s
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f c f e f w * WESTMONT Since 1940 Westmont College has been dedicated to the task of pro viding Christian youth with a full four-year liberal arts education and a Christ-centered campus experi ence. Two hundred and seventeen graduates and two hundred and fifty present students sincerely thank God for the Christian com ponent which Westmont has added to their college lives. Westmont’s academic credits full by the University of California.
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In this first decade Westmont, under God, has been able to complete accom plishments for which other institutions have labored fifty years or more. The future promises even greater things, for no college faces a greater opportunity than does Westmont. We invite you to work with us in fulfilling that oppor tunity. Remember, whenyou think college , think Westmont.
June 11, 1950 THE NEED FOR REPENTANCE Zeph. 1:12-18; 3: 16-20 Pointers on the Lesson
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Repentance is a doctrine that oft- times is very much misunderstood. Some think o f it simply as sorrow for sin. This is included in repentance, but it is more than this. Some think it is convic tion of sin. This, too, is included in re pentance, but there is more to it than this. Some confuse it with what is called “ doing penance.” But this does not ex press the true nature of repentance. Repentance, as taught in the Scriptures, means a definite change of mind about sin and God and salvation. It is a “ right about-face.” It is a change in man’s attitude that leads him, not only to be sorry for his sin, but to forsake it, turn to God, and walk in His way. The prophet Zephaniah wrote to a M A Y , 1 7 5 0
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