The Books of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (New International Commentary on the Old Testament | NICOT)

"The design of the New International Commentary on the Old Testament challenges the commentator to combine the carefulness of an exegete with the concern of a pastor. This design intends to provide a resource for pastors and teachers of the Word in a useful and practical form.The first beneficiary of such a procedure naturally will be the author himself. What a privilege it has been to wrestle with the writings of these seventh-century B.C. prophets in terms of their significance for today.The close-knit bond between prophecy and history becomes particularly apparent through the study of these three books. Their brevity demands a context. As the place in history of these messages is explored, it becomes more and more apparent that biblical history itself embodies prophecy. Not only does biblical prophecy arise out of the concrete circumstances of history; biblical history itself functions as prophecy. The events that occurred to Judah and its neighbors spoke in anticipation of worldshaking circumstances that were yet to come.This perspective on the events of Judah's history provides the needed link for seeing the current implications of the message of these ancient seers. For if successive divine judgments on ungodly nations have a prophetic dimension, then people and nations of today must take heed (Nah. 1:2). If God has promised that his own people "shall live" despite the crumbling of mighty nations all about them, then those who keep trusting in the Lord may continue in hope despite all calamities (Hab. 2:4). If God has promised that he would manifest himself in the form of the "victorious hero" who saves because of his determined love, then every successive generation must center its hope on the coming of the Lord in his great Day (Zeph. 3:17).May the Lord of the Scriptures now be pleased to bless these comments on a relatively neglected portion of his Word with a fresh outpouring of his Spirit. May all preachers and teachers committed to the Christ of Scripture find renewed reason for making their contributions toward the fulfillment of the prophecy that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14).0. Palmer RobertsonWashington, D.C.May 1, 1986" The close-knit bond between prophecy and history, according to O. Palmer Robertson, becomes particularly clear through the study of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. As the historical context of their messages is explored, it becomes ever more apparent that biblical history -- in addition to providing the context for prophecy -- actually embodies and functions as prophecy. The events that occurred to Judah and its neighbors spoke in anticipation of world-shaking circumstances that were yet to come.

In this commentary Robertson combines the insights of biblical theology with a keen awareness of the age in which we live. After first dealing with the relevant background issues of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah -- redemptive-historical setting, theological perspective, date and authorship, and so on -- Robertson applies the care and precision of an exegete and the concern of a pastor to his verse-by-verse exposition of each book. The result is a relevant confrontation with the ancient call to repentance and faith -- a confrontation greatly needed in today's world.

The close-knit bond between prophecy and history, according to O. Palmer Robertson, becomes particularly clear through the study of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. As the historical context of their messages is explored, it becomes ever more apparent that biblical history -- in addition to providing the context for prophecy -- actually embodies and functions as prophecy. The events that occurred to Judah and its neighbors spoke in anticipation of world-shaking circumstances that were yet to come. In this commentary Robertson combines the insights of biblical theology with a keen awareness of the age in which we live. After first dealing with the relevant background issues of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah -- redemptive-historical setting, theological perspective, date and authorship, and so on -- Robertson applies the care and precision of an exegete and the concern of a pastor to his verse-by-verse exposition of each book. The result is a relevant confrontation with the ancient call to repentance and faith -- a confrontation greatly needed in today's world. Of the fifteen canonical prophetic books, eleven begin with an explicit indicator that their message is "the word of the Lord."