By Mike Riley
From time to time a short refresher course is needed to refresh our memory (2 Peter 1:12) regarding key words, key verses, key phrases and key messages contained within the books of the Old Testament. With this in mind, the following are “keynotes” of the books of the Old Testament:
Book – Jonah
Key Words – “Repentance” (Jonah 3:1-10).
Key Verses – Jonah 2:7; Jonah 2:8-9; Jonah 4:2
Key Phrase – “Let them turn everyone from his evil way” (Jonah 3:8).
Messages – (1) God’s universal, forgiving love for all men; (2) God’s concern for the salvation of all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles. God wants all men to repent and be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4).
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Book – Micah
Key Words – “Hear”, “judgment”, and “restoration”
Key Verses – Micah 6:8; Micah 7:18
Key Phrase – (1) “This time is evil”; (2) “when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me” (Micah 2:3; Micah 7:8).
Messages – (1) The need for humility and repentance; (2) the wages of sin is death; (3) assurance of the ultimate triumph of truth and right; (4) God’s pleading, punishing, and pardoning love for His people.
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Book – Nahum
Key Words – “Divine judgment” and “vengeance”
Key Verses – Nahum 1:7-8
Key Phrase – “An utter end” (Nahum 1:8; Nahum 1:9).
Messages – (1) To comfort Judah and pronounce Nineveh’s doom; (2) God’s avenging love for His people. God’s love for mankind demands that He punish sin and save the righteous (Romans 6:23).
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Book – Habakkuk
Key Words – “Justice” and “salvation”
Key Verses – Habakkuk 2:4
Key Phrase – “O Lord, how long shall I cry…Why?” (Habakkuk 1:2-3).
Messages – (1) The just shall live and the unjust shall die; (2) God reigns over all the nations and He will be glorified in all the earth; (3) God’s providential, delivering love for His people.
Book – Zephaniah
Key Words – “Divine jealousy” and “wrath”
Key Verses – Zephaniah 1:14-16; Zephaniah 2:3; Zephaniah 3:9
Key Phrase – “The day of the Lord” (Zephaniah 1:7; Zephaniah 1:14; Zephaniah 2:2-3; Zephaniah 14:1).
Messages – The certainty of God’s wrath and love.
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Book – Haggai
Key Words – “Build”, “consider”, and “hope”
Key Verses – Haggai 1:7-8; Haggai 2:7-9
Key Phrase – (1) “Saith the Lord” (Haggai 1:5; Haggai 1:7-9); (2) “saith the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 1:5; Haggai 1:7; Haggai 1:9); (3) “the word of the Lord” (Haggai 1:1; Haggai 1:3; Haggai 2:1; Haggai 2:10; Haggai 2:20).
Messages – (1) God’s encouraging love for His people; (2) serve the Lord with unwavering faith and steady perseverance, in spite of opposition (Haggai 2:4).
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Book – Zechariah
Key Words – “Remember” and “obey”
Key Verses – Zechariah 1:3; Zechariah 3:2; Zechariah 4:6; Zechariah 8:2-3; Zechariah 9:9; Zechariah 14:8-9
Key Phrase – “The Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 1:3-6; Zechariah 1:12; Zechariah 1:14).
Messages – (1) The Lord rules in the kingdoms of men; (2) Only a remnant will remain faithful to God; (3) Men reap what they sow; (4) For the righteous, sorrow and calamity can become a blessing; (5) God’s word will stand forever; (6) If we become worldly, we will be destroyed with the world; (7) A spirit of rebellion precludes a life blessed by God.
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Book – Malachi
Key Words – “Love” (Malachi 1:2) and “rebuke” (Malachi 3:11).
Key Verses – Malachi 1:2; Malachi 2:17; Malachi 3:1; Malachi 3:7-8; Malachi 4:5-6
Key Phrase – “Ye say” (Malachi 1:2; Malachi 1:6-7; Malachi 1:12-13; Malachi 2:14-17; Malachi 3:7-8; Malachi 3:13-14).
Messages – (1) God’s rebuke of His people for their spiritual indifference and moral laxity; (2) The assurance of God’s constant and continuing love; (3) The certainty of the fulfillment of God’s promises concerning the coming of the Messiah; (4) God must have the undivided devotion of His people; (5) Return to God so that God will return to you.