The Bible in a Monthಮಾದರಿ

Day 22: When Faith is the Only Thing You’ve Got Left

Reading: Habakkuk 1–3 + Zephaniah 1–3 + Haggai 1–2 + Zechariah 1–14 + Malachi 1–4

We’re now in the final stretch of the Old Testament, and it closes, not with fireworks, but with faith in the dark. These last five prophets are speaking to discouraged people, trying to rebuild life after exile. The temple is halfway done. The people are halfway motivated. And hope? It’s hanging by a thread.

Habakkuk: When You Don’t Like God’s Plan

Habakkuk doesn’t preach, he wrestles. He asks God:

“Why do You tolerate injustice? Why aren’t You doing something?”

God answers: “Oh, I’m doing something, you just won’t like it.”

He’s raising up Babylon to judge Judah. That makes zero sense to Habakkuk. So he argues again.

But by chapter 3, something shifts. Habakkuk says,

“Even if the fig tree doesn’t bud… yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”

That’s next-level trust, not in the plan, but in the Person of God.

Zephaniah: When God Clears the Stage

Zephaniah opens like thunder, judgment on the nations, and even Judah. But his goal isn’t destruction, it’s purification. God is cleaning house, getting rid of every idol, every counterfeit hope.

But then comes the whisper:

“The Lord your God is with you… He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Even in judgment, God is still singing over His people.

Haggai: When You’ve Delayed the Work

Haggai is talking to people who started rebuilding the temple, and then got distracted by their own houses, jobs, and comfort. Sound familiar?

God says, “You’re planting, but not harvesting. Working, but never satisfied.” Why? Because they’ve misplaced their priorities. Haggai’s message is simple:

“Be strong… and get back to work. I am with you.”

Obedience isn’t just about action, it’s about remembering God is still invested in your calling.

Zechariah: When You Need Fresh Vision

This is prophecy-meets-dream-sequence. Zechariah sees flying scrolls, lampstands, a woman in a basket, visions packed with meaning. And over and over, God is saying, “I’m not done with you.”

We meet Joshua the high priest, filthy from sin, and God cleans him and crowns him. We see Zerubbabel, the governor overwhelmed by the task ahead, and God says:

“Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit.”

And then, messianic vision. A coming King riding on a donkey. A pierced Savior who will cleanse people from sin. Zechariah is the most quoted prophet in the Passion Week of Jesus. Why? Because even in a crumbled city, God was setting up a Savior.

Malachi: When You’ve Grown Cold

Last book. Final prophet. God’s people have grown cynical. Their worship is half-hearted. Their giving is begrudging. Their words are bitter.

And yet, God still speaks.

“I, the Lord, do not change… Return to Me, and I will return to you.”

He promises a forerunner, Elijah, who will come and prepare the way for the Lord. (Spoiler: that’s John the Baptist.) Then… silence. Four hundred years of it. No prophets. No new Scripture.

But heaven isn’t inactive. It’s pregnant with a promise.

What does all this tell us about the story of God?

That He can handle your doubts. He calls you to more when you’re tempted to settle. He sings over you when you’ve lost your song. And even when you’re cold, distracted, or distant, He’s still drawing near.

Takeaway: Sometimes the greatest act of faith is to keep showing up when you don’t feel it. The prophets remind us: God is still writing the story, even in the silence. So keep building. Keep believing. Because the next time He speaks… a baby will cry in Bethlehem.