Faith in Hopeless Situations

I. The Comfort of Faith - Nahum 1--3
A. Revealed in Nahum's name - Nah. 1:1 ("full of exceeding comfort")
B. Revealed in God's character
1. His attributes - Nah. 1:2-3a, 7
2. His ways - Nah. 1:3b
3. His power - Nah. 1:4-5
4. His wrath in dealing with His enemies - Nah. 1:6, 8
5. His protection - Nah. 1:7
C. Revealed in the message of good news - Nah. 1:15
1. Judging the wicked - Nah. 1:8-14
2. Bringing in peace for God's people - Nah. 1:15
D. Revealed in who God is "for" and "against"
1. God is for His chastised ones - Nah. 2:2
2. God is against Nineveh, the instrument of chastisement - Nah. 2:1, 3-13
a) The warning of imminent judgment for Nineveh - Nah. 2:1
b) The details of Nineveh's judgment - Nah. 2:3-13
c) The moral corruption of Nineveh - Nah. 3:1-7
d) The humiliation of Nineveh - Nah. 3:8-11
e) The weakening and scattering of Nineveh - Nah. 3:12-19
II. The Embrace of Faith - Habakkuk 1--3
A. The nature of faith
1. Revealed in Habakkuk's name - Hab. 1:1 ("strong embrace," cf. S.S. 2:6; 8:3)
B. The perplexity of faith
1. Contradictions in answer to prayer - Hab. 1:2-4
2. God's reasons for the contradictions - Hab. 1:5-11 (cf. Acts 13:41)
C. The perfecting of faith
1. Recognizing God's discipline - Hab. 1:12 (cf. Heb. 12:1ff)
D. The pleadings of faith
1. Based on God's holy character - Hab. 1:13a
2. Based on God's fairness - Hab. 1:13b
3. Based on God's pity - Hab. 1:14-17
E. The attitude of faith
1. Watch and pray - Hab. 2:1
2. Run with patience - Hab. 2:2-3 (cf. Heb. 10:35-39; 12:1)
3. Resignation - Hab. 2:20
F. The vision of faith
1. The plain Word of God - Hab. 2:2, 4
2. The appointed end time - Hab. 2:3
3. The kingdom - Hab. 2:14
G. The purpose of living by faith
1. To gain the soul - Hab. 2:4 (cf. Heb. 10:39)
2. The details and destiny of a proud soul - Hab. 2:4a, 5-13, 15-19
H. The prayer and song of faith
1. Based upon His work - Hab. 3:1-2a
2. Based upon His mercy - Hab. 3:2b
3. Based upon His move in the wilderness - Hab. 3:3-5
4. Based upon His everlasting ways - Hab. 3:6
5. Based upon rehearsing His acts with His people - Hab. 3:7-15
I. The response of faith
1. Rest despite trouble - Hab. 3:16
2. Rejoicing despite outward evidence - Hab. 3:17-18
J. The results of faith
1. Living in God Himself - Hab. 3:19a
2. Living in resurrection - Hab. 3:19b
3. Living with melody in our hearts - Hab. 3:1, 19c