JAN/FEB2014 BIBLE LOCATOR OLD TESTAMENT GENESIS EXODUS LEVITICUS NUMBERS DEUTERONOMY JOSHUA JUDGES RUTH 1 SAMUEL 2 SAMUEL 1 KINGS 2 KINGS 1 CHRONICLES
2 CHRONICLES EZRA NEHEMIAH ESTHER JOB PSALMS PROVERBS ECCLESIASTES SONG OF SONGS ISAIAH JEREMIAH LAMENTATIONS EZEKIEL
DANIEL HOSEA JOEL AMOS OBADIAH JONAH MICAH NAHUM HABAKKUK ZEPHANIAH HAGGAI ZECHARIAH MALACHI
NEW TESTAMENT MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN ACTS ROMANS 1 CORINTHIANS 2 CORINTHIANS GALATIANS
EPHESIANS PHILIPPIANS COLOSSIANS 1 THESSALONIANS 2 THESSALONIANS 1 TIMOTHY 2 TIMOTHY TITUS PHILEMON
HEBREWS JAMES 1 PETER 2 PETER 1 JOHN 2 JOHN 3 JOHN JUDE REVELATION
OTHER CWR DAILY BIBLE-READING NOTES: FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
FOR ADULTS
Pens for 3- to 6-year-olds Every Day with Jesus Topz for 7- to 11-year-olds Inspiring Women Every Day Mettle for 14- to 18-year-olds Life Every Day (Jeff Lucas) Cover to Cover Every Day
YP’s is published by CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP, UK © CWR, 2013. All rights reserved. All Bible references taken from the NIV Bible © 1979, 1984 Biblica. This issue would never have happened if it wasn’t for … Text: Paul Thompson @ Digital Dimensions • Senior Editor: Lynette Brooks • Concept development, editing, design and production by CWR • First Church in Europe illlustrations: Mike Henson @ CWR • Printed in England by Linney Print The text in YP’s is republished every four years, working to a rolling four-year programme for 11- to 15-year-olds.
www.ypsonline.org.uk
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l a i r o t i ed NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK YP’S AND NEW FACES! Welcome to 2014 YP’s-ers. We’re so glad you’ve decided to keep on digging deeper into God’s Word, and really hope you’ll enjoy a great year ahead with the YP’s team. We’re joined this year by the amazing Ali Campbell who, whilst he’s not busy being Adviser for work with children and young people for the Chichester Diocese, will be contributing to all the brilliant YP’s notes and also to Insite. Let’s hear it for the brilliant Ali C! Our in-house team is as creative, noisy and talented as ever – with Si, Mike, Ben, Katie and Lynette loving every minute of making sure your notes are the best they can be. And the year gets off to a flying start with the YP’s rough guide to some more of those Minor Prophets we introduced you to last year; following hot on their heels we meet the first church in Europe and catch up with the Philippians as they break new ground; and we close with some wise Women of the Word – women whose lives were totally changed when they encountered Jesus. Hoping and praying these notes won’t just sit by your bed unopened – but that they will help you through every day of this coming year, helping you understand who you are and where you fit in God’s big plan – and letting you know that without a doubt, He loves you! THE YP’S TEAM
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YP’S ROUGH GUIDE TO THE MINOR PROPHETS TEAM
[MINOR]
PROPHE MINOR PROPHETS TAKE IT TO THE STREETS!
BACK IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR, YP’s INTRODUCED YOU TO A BAND OF FOUR MINOR PROPHETS – LESSER-KNOWN BIBLE CHARACTERS WHO MADE A BIG NOISE FOR GOD. THIS TIME, WE FOLLOW SIX MORE OF THESE PROPHETS – ANOTHER TEAM WHO KEPT OUT OF THE HEADLINES BUT KEPT GOD IN THEM.
HOW IT ALL FITS TOGETHER. ELISHA ELIJAH
AMOS JONAH
HOSEA
NORTHERN KINGDOM – ISRAEL
722BC ASSYRIAN CRISIS
SOUTHERN KINGDOM – JUDAH 930BC DAVID
SOLOMON
JOEL
MICAH
ISAIAH
NAHUM
HABAKKUK
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OBADIAH
SPEED TACKLE POWER
T SH O O L SKIL S PA S
SP E ED TACK POWELE R
SPEET D SH TAOO CILKLLE PSK OWSS ER PA
HETS 1
MICAH
Habakkuk
EZEKIEL
HABAKKUK – He warned the people of Judah of the
SPEED TACKLE POWER
SHOOT SKILL PASS
HAGGAI
MICAH – He had to tell the people in Samaria that their city
was going to be destroyed – ‘No way!’ the people of Jerusalem cried, until God said the same would happen to them. 2
SP E E SHOTOT AC K D L POLL SKI W E PASS ER
IAH ZECHAR
OT SH O IL L SK SS PA
impending destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians – just what they wanted to hear! 3
EZEKIEL – One of the first people taken captive by the
Babylonians. Ezekiel was the Jews’ Agony Uncle, explaining why God was allowing them to suffer.
4
5
HAGGAI – After the Exile, the remnant were returning to Jerusalem. However Haggai had to remind them of their priorities. ZECHARIAH – He took over where Haggai left off. He gave the people a fresh vision of the future.
6
SHOOT SKILL PASS
MALACHI
MALACHI – The Temple had been rebuilt and the people had slipped back into the habit of giving God second best. God deserves the best.
E
X
I
L
586BC BABYLONIAN CRISIS HABAKKUK
SP E TACED POWKLE ER
OBADIAH
JEREMIAH
E 520BC
EZEKIEL
HAGGAI
ZECHARIAH
MALACHI
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WED 01 JAN MICAH 1:1–12
‘Look! The LORD is coming from his dwelling-place; he comes down and treads the high places of the earth.’ MICAH 1:3
[MICAH] MICAH WAS A COUNTRY PREACHER BOY IN THE DAYS OF ISAIAH AND HOSEA. WHILE ISAIAH GAVE HIS SERMONS IN JERUSALEM, MICAH TOOK GOD’S WORDS TO THE COUNTRY FOLK OF JUDAH. IT WAS HOE-DOWN, SHOWDOWN TIME!
the town of trouble, was about to become rubble. SP E ED TACKLE POWER
MICAH
SH O OT SKILL PA SS
PLAYER STATS
It’s better to be humble before God than be humbled by God
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hen the nation of Israel had split into two, Jerusalem became the capital of Judah in the south and Samaria was made the capital of the ten tribes in the north. Things went badly wrong in Samaria when Ahab built a temple to Baal, slaughtering the prophets of God and letting occult priests take control. It became a centre for devil worship denounced by the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea, as well as Micah. Samaria, the town of trouble, was about to become rubble. God had had enough of its wilful wickedness. The shock horror story for the people of Judah was that God rated Jerusalem as being equally bad.
Jews in the south had swapped God for idols they worshipped on the hill tops. Their leaders were corrupt. Jerusalem would get what Samaria had coming to it – unless they returned to God.
How do you respond to a dusting down? It’s better to be humble before God than be humbled by God.
God help me to be humble and turn to you – not away from you – when I am getting things wrong.
Micah was still around when the Assyrians reduced Samaria to dust, taking away 27,270 survivors as slaves. It was a stern warning to the south to get right with God. Micah had some clever plays on place names. In verse 10 he tells the country folk of Beth Ophrah, known as the house of dust – to roll in the dust. Covering yourself in ashes was the traditional way to show you were humbled and sorry.
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1
THURS 02 JAN
Jerusalem, like Samaria, went down the table and became a heap of rubble
MICAH 3:8–12
‘But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might ...’ MICAH 3:8
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AFTER SAMARIA FELL, JERUSALEM MET THE SAME FATE. MICAH WASN’T AROUND THEN, BUT HE KNEW HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN.
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od told Micah how the future top guys in Jerusalem would react to news of God’s judgment. They would simply laugh it off. ‘It’ll never happen,’ would be their attitude. What a sad scene lay ahead. Corrupt officials accepting bribes, sleezy priests making money, false prophets moonlighting as fortune-tellers. Did it happen like that? Jeremiah was alive when Jerusalem fell. His warnings were ridiculed and rejected. False prophets spun the lie that everything was OK. The attitude at the top was just as God said it would be – proud, arrogant and selfish. God means what He says. Jerusalem, like Samaria, went down the table and became a heap of rubble. How the mighty fall! Micah had a different attitude. He wasn’t out to profit from being a prophet. The Holy Spirit, not greed, filled his life. And that gave him the power to live for God rather than go with the flow. It’s hard to do things God’s way when others have no time for God. That’s why we need to ask for God’s power to work inside – then work out.
God, help me to do things Your way. Let Your power work inside me. Amen. 5
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FRI 03 JAN
1
MICAH 5:1–5
[MICAH]
‘He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD ... ’ MICAH 5:4
God keeps His word in every detail
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AMIDST ALL THE GLOOM AND DOOM MICAH HAS SOME GREAT NEWS. GOD PROMISES TO SEND A SAVIOUR TO EARTH AND MICAH KNOWS WHERE HE’S GOING TO BE BORN.
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hen the Wise Men came to Jerusalem 700 years later, searching for the newborn king, they didn’t find him at the palace. It wasn’t until the teachers of the law unscrolled what Micah had written that the Wise Men were directed 9km south. God’s special star guided them into Bethlehem and located the place where Jesus could be found. God had selected Bethlehem, the place where King David was born, to be the birthplace of Jesus. And Micah had the thrill of letting the country folk of Judah,
including those in Bethlehem, know that God’s Saviour would appear there one day. Micah learnt that the Saviour would be far greater than King David. He spread the farmyard gossip that the Saviour was eternal – without beginning and end (v2) – God in human form. When Jesus arrived, God chose to let country folk, the local shepherds, be first to hear the news. Angels confirmed the location – the town of David – Bethlehem. God keeps His word in every detail.
Micah lets us know what it’ll be like when Jesus reigns on earth. He’ll rule as a powerful majestic shepherd. His sheep will be safe and secure (vv4–5). Remember that the Lord is your Shepherd. There’s no need to be afraid. He’ll look after you. You can trust Him.
As your prayer today why not read through Psalm 23, all about the Lord being our Shepherd.
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SAT 04 JAN
2
HABAKKUK 1:1–11
‘How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?’ HABAKKUK 1:2
SP E ED TACKLE POWER
Habakkuk
SH O OT SKILL PA SS
PLAYER STATS
BY NOW THE NORTHERN TRIBES WERE LOSING AND WERE SLAVES IN ASSYRIA, BUT THE EMERGING HEAVIES WERE THE BABYLONIANS. THE JEWS IN THE SOUTH HAD IGNORED THE WARNINGS OF JOEL, HOSEA, NAHUM AND MICAH. JEREMIAH WAS NOW ON THE SCENE TELLING THEM THAT JERUSALEM WOULD BE FLATTENED UNLESS THEY TURNED BACK TO GOD. ANOTHER PROPHET, A SINGER IN THE TEMPLE, EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS AND GOD’S THOUGHTS IN SONG. PLEASE WELCOME HABAKKUK.
[HABAKKUK]
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HABAKKUK HAD SOME ER P PLEXING QUESTIONS:
WHY DOESN’T GOD SEEM TO ANSWER MY PRAYERS? WHY DOES HE ALLOW WARS? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH SUFFERING? WHY DO THE BAD GUYS GET AWAY WITH IT?
HOW DO YOU TACKLE DIFFICULT ISSUES LIKE THESE?
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abakkuk did the right thing by taking his questions to God. Rather than moan, ‘It’s unfair’, or get a bunch of wise guys to come up with reasons, he went to the top for answers. He got an answer he didn’t expect. It might have appeared that God couldn’t care less – the truth was that God couldn’t care more. In reality God had already taken action to put a stop to the troubles. He’d sent prophets to uncover the sleaze and urge
people to live by His laws, but they’d refused to listen. Now it was time for drastic action – and Habakkuk would be around to see it. God was going to severely discipline His disobedient children. They were going to be given a right old pecking by the ‘vultures’ of Babylon who were already hovering. Then they were going to be grounded in Babylon for 70 years, giving them time to see the error of their ways before coming downstairs to say sorry.
We live in a troubled world where people have opted for selfishness, not God. We can’t blame our holy God for the knock-on effects of man’s disobedience – suffering, hurt, injustice and pain. The great news is that God has taken action – He’s sent Jesus to save us from the ultimate downside of sin – separation from God. And what’s He doing now? Preparing a place for us where there is no sin or suffering. 7
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SUN 05 JAN HABAKKUK 1:12–2:5
‘… but the righteous will live by his faith ...’ HABAKKUK 2:4
K U K K [H A B A
GOD’S ANSWER HORRIFIED HABAKKUK. HE COULDN’T UNDERSTAND HOW GOD COULD ALLOW A BUNCH OF EVIL THUGS LIKE THE BABYLONIANS TO DISH OUT THE PUNISHMENT ON JUDAH.
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e may be bad but we’re not as bad as the Babylonians, so why should they win? The singing prophet was on the city ramparts watching out for the enemy. And he still wanted answers from God.
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
The words of God that Habakkuk recorded – ‘the righteous will live by ... faith’ – were a great influence on Martin Luther. He revolutionised Europe by simply telling people to turn to Jesus for forgiveness. You can’t impress God by what you do but you can please Him by trusting Him. Are you struggling to work out what God is doing in your life? Trust Him.
God’s reply was simple – trust Me! We only see things as they affect us now, but God is working long term to wipe out the sad consequences of selfishness. God explained to Habakkuk that He has appointed times to move in and act. There was a date set in His diary for the destruction of Jerusalem. A date for Jesus to come to earth. And there is an appointed time when Jesus will judge the world. There will be no cover-up – no whitewash in heaven. Justice will be done. The Babylonian bully boys would get their comeuppance too – God had a date to deal with them.
THE SINGING PROPHET
2
God, thank You that I can relax and trust You. I know You’ve got my future worked out. Amen.
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MON 06 JAN HABAKKUK 2:6–20
‘For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.’ HABAKKUK 2:14
GOD GOT HABAKKUK TO WRITE HIS REPLY ON TABLETS. THAT’S BECAUSE HE WANTED US TO SWALLOW WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.
01 02 03 04 05
WOE TO THOSE WHO NICK STUFF OR CHEAT TO MAKE MONEY. ON JUDGMENT DAY YOUR MONEY WON’T SAVE YOU. WOE TO THOSE WHO GET RICH QUICK BY BEING DISHONEST. YOUR FLASHY GEAR WON’T RESCUE YOU. WOE TO THOSE WHO ROB AND HURT TO GET WHAT THEY WANT. YOUR POWER WILL COME TO AN END BUT THE GLORY OF GOD WILL LAST FOREVER. WOE TO THOSE WHO GET DRUNK AND MISUSE SEX. WITHOUT GOD’S GRACE YOU’LL FACE DISGRACE. WOE TO THOSE WHO DABBLE WITH THE OCCULT OR THINK THEY KNOW BETTER THAN GOD. ONLY GOD CAN SHOW YOU WHAT’S RIGHT.
If Habakkuk thought God was letting wrongdoers get off lightly, these five woes put the record straight. These woes are a warning for us too! A woe is not a wow! When faced with a woe ask for help to say no! 9
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TUES 07 JAN HABAKKUK 3:16–19
‘... yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.’ HABAKKUK 3:18
HABAKKUK BEGAN WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS AND ENDS WITH A PSALM OF PRAISE. THIS CONCLUDING PRAYER WAS SET TO MUSIC.
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inger Habakkuk had started so low. Now he goes solo. His question and answer session has made the difference. He’s learnt to stop fretting about the future and trust God.
The strumming prophet has a new outlook on life. He’s going to face up to the tough times ahead with new hope. Instead of demanding immediate answers he’s patiently going to let God work things out. Even if he starves when the city is under siege he’s still going to praise God. Why is he so positive? He’s learnt that God is his Saviour (v18). His future is safe in the hands of God! He knows that God is Sovereign (v19). He’s going to be OK because God is in control. No figs, no grapes, no olives, no beef, no mutton, no food – no matter how scary the future, Habakkuk knows the Lord is his strength. God will supply his needs.
God doesn’t promise to unravel all our problems but He assures us we can trust Him. Like Habakkuk in Jerusalem under siege, sometimes we can feel surrounded by problems – everywhere we turn there are difficulties. Without God it would be easy to let down our defences. But when we have a God to save us – a God who’s in control – we can rejoice. Take your questions to Him and let Him rearrange any low notes into a song of praise. 10
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