Day 113: January 23, 2026 – Nahum 1-3 and Habakkuk 1-3

These prophets have two very different messages to two very different people. Nahum is actually speaking out against the enemies of Israel letting them know that their days are numbered. Normally we see the prophets speaking to the people of God, but here they are speaking to the enemies of the people of God. They do not have good things and there are promises of restoration after the exile and the downfall of those nations that took advantage of Israel’s status as an exiled nation.

Habakkuk, on the other hand, is the prophet who is basically complaining to God about how God does not seem to respond to the people of God in their time of highest need. He complains and then in chapter 2 he says he is just going to wait until God responds to him. Well, God does respond and like in so many other places, Job, Jonah, Isaiah, God asks Habakkuk who exactly he is to challenge or question God’s ways? That elicits both a recognition of God’s Providence by the prophet, but also a request, that God’s vengeance would happen during his lifetime. That is a bit of a strange request, but also one with which we can identify. Don’t we also want our prayers to be answered in our lifetime?