The Message of Joel, Micah and Habakkuk: Listening to the Voice of God

The Bible Speaks Today: Old Testament

by David Prior

Joel, Micah and Habakkuk - these ancient prophets have urgent relevance for a church and world at the beginning of a new millennium. They emphasise the life-or-death importance of listening to what God has to say, in times of disaster, disobedience and destruction.


- Joel, facing the bleakness of national disaster, anticipates a future outpouring of God's Spirit.


- Micah declares that God's punishment for wickedness is certain and just, but that he will preserve a faithful remnant.


- Finally, facing imminent destruction of the city, the land and the people, Habakkuk remains sure that God's hidden purposes are being worked out.


These prophets stood in their marketplace, powerfully applying their messages from God. David Prior shows that, like them, the church needs to be willing to share God's word in today's marketplace. Only this stand will bring hope, rather than despair, to a society under God's judgment.


The Bible Speaks Today series covers every book of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture. These revised editions are redesigned inside and out and have been sensitively updated with contemporary language and Bible translations to help you follow, study and teach the Bible in today's world.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Christian, Reference, Theology

392 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read Habbakuk 2024; read Joel 2025.

Unsatisfying: thematic in places (rather than verse-by-verse), didn't address key issues, didn't approach the text in a Christ-centred manner, cultural/societal applications are dated.

[Emily Gifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books were filled with lessons on hardship and suffering that were so timely, not for me in this season but to share with those around me. My favorite of the three I think was Micah. As someone who studies human right protection, I love to read passages that reveal God’s righteousness and justice. God does not want to see his people suffer from evil and will punish evildoers according to His perfect timing!

[curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A creditable, workmanlike exposition of the texts in question. Prior is fairly astute as an observer of the text, but his greatest strength lies in his gift for illustration. Of the three commentaries contained in this volume, Joel is perhaps the best, then Micah, then Habakkuk. I prefer more textual information than Prior feels necessary, but for readers simply seeking a guide through territory with which Christians unfortunately seem to have little familiarity, one could certainly do worse.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read quite a few commentaries when preparing my sermon series on Micah. Of the three main ones I used, this one is likely the most helpful. Very thorough without being overly technical.

[Other commentaries I used: Dempster, Waltke.]

[Russell Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid commentary! Joel was weak; Micah and Habakkuk were excellent. Recommended.

[Francisco Núñez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Más que hermoso mensaje de bendición el de Miqueas breve pero contundente.