Preface to “Johan & Nahum”

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/22/2025 8:52 AM

My Worship Time                                                                 Focus:  Preface to “Johan & Nahum”

 

            In Today’s Spiritual Diary I am going to quote the preface to a book that John MacArthur authored in his Old Testament Commentary.  Jonah & Nahum is the title of this Old Testament series.

“Psalm 1:1-3”

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But His delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and in His Law he meditates day and night.  And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.”

“Jeremiah 15:16”

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your words became for me joy and gladness in my heart, for I have been called by your name, O Yahweh God of Hosts.”

            “Both preaching through every verse in the New Testament and writing the MacArthur New Testament Commentary series over the past half-century have been an incomparable gift of divine grace that has allowed me to live in the blessedness of Psalm 1:1-3 and the joy of Jeremiah 15:16.  I have now been blessed with the opportunity to continue the commentary series into the Old Testament.

            “In studying Scripture, my desire has always been to behold and to proclaim the beauty of our Lord to His people (Neh. 8:8; Ps. 27:4).  Understanding that the knowledge of God affects the life of the believer, I pray that the exaltation of God in these commentaries will transform lives.  The Apostle Paul wrote: ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been throughly equipped for every good work’ (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  This is the purpose of these commentaries:  to explain the Word of God so that the people of God would continue to grow in their knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

            “In producing the MacArthur Old Testament Commentary series, I have been delighted to partner with Abner Chou, Iosif Zhakevich, and Nathan Busentiz to examine the biblical text word by word.  Faithful to the approach of expository preaching, the commentary is based on thorough exegesis of the text in theology of Scripture with accuracy, precision, and clarity.  While each section is arranged to aid the preacher, the commentary is also intended to be read and applied by every believer for personal edification, blessing, and joy.”

            With all of this said in this quotation from MacArthur’s new series on the Old Testament I am happy to be able to study the first Old Testament book in this commentary, which is Jonah.  Lord willing we will begin to look at Jonah in tomorrow’s SD.

8/22/2025 9:12 AM