The Amazing Bible. Book Club

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is One Book

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this lesson we look at Genesis 1-3 with the creation of the world, the start of humanity, and the fall of humanity. Then briefly went through the Bible and acknowledged that even though God gave the law and the prophets, the problem has been we all have a sin nature, which was why we needed a Savior, the Lord Jesus. Jesus was the Son of God, the Son of Man, and the Son of David, and even in John (20:28) He is declared God, so only He could pay the price for our sins by dying on the cross for us. The New Testament books tell us to love God and love others like the Old Testament books do. The New Testament tells us we are to obey God and keep His commandments, like the Old Testament does, but the difference is that believers in Christ, now have the Holy Spirit within us. Believers in Jesus are forgiven of their sin, and Jesus has taken care of the sin problem, so now we can obey the Lord. The prophetic book of the New Testament, Revelation, shows us a picture of when the Bride of Christ is complete, and we are all fully made perfect. The old things have passed away, and God has made everything new. There is no more death, mourning, crying, pain, curse, or shame. As the writer of Hebrews put it in 11:39-40, "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with US would they be made perfect!" All because of Jesus!

The 21 Mega Voices in Revelation

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The 21 Mega Voices in Revelation are found in 1:10, 5:2, 5:12, 6:10, 7:2, 7:10, 8:13, 10:3, 11:12, 12:10, 14:2, 14:7, 14:9, 14:15, 14:18, 16:1, 16:17, 18:2, 19:1, 19:17, and 21:3. Almost all are voices from heaven, starting with Jesus, to angels, to souls. Some are commands like, "Write on a scroll," and "Come up here!" Some are questions like, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" Some are declarations like, "It is done!" and then "It has fallen, has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen!" some are words of praise, "Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God..." The last loud voice came from the throne and said, "Look! God's dwelling is with men, and He will lie with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away!" That message is worth a mega voice!

Revelation 12 - The Woman, The Son, and the Dragon

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

There are many things we may not fully understand about this passage, but there are some things that we can understand: 1) There is a war between good and evil. 2) The birth of her Son changed everything. 3) The serpent, AKA Satan and the devil, is not strong enough and loses. 4) The woman is protected by God in a place prepared by Him. 5) Satan is a deceiver, slanderer, liar, and accuser, the opposite of truth. 6) Satan's time is short, and he knows it. 7) There is persecution for the saints, and it may even lead to martyrdom. 8) Christ conquered Satan, and we can too if we confess our salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. 9) There is help for the saints when needed. 10) Those who are the offspring of God have two characteristics: they keep the Lord's commands, not because we HAVE to, but because we WANT to, and the Holy Spirit is within us to enable us to do it. The second is we have a testimony about Jesus, and what He has done in our lives. May we be encouraged that we too can overcome the evil one, and let us be challenged to be faithful until Christ comes again in all His glory, and then that serpent is crushed once for all.

Revelation of Jesus Christ

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this book, Jesus Christ is revealed - the Revelation of Jesus Christ - no longer as a Babe in the manger, no longer as the Savior on the Cross, but as the triumphant King. 1:5-6 say, "and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen." The reason Jesus came was because He loved us, and to set us free from our sins. He then loved us enough to take us out of our sin in order to make us a part of His kingdom, so that we can serve His Father and God, who becomes our Father and God. In the first five chapters of Revelation we see Jesus glorified, as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. There was only One person who was worthy to take the scroll, and that was Jesus, which was why chapter five ends with praise by the singing of a new song which says "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom of priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." We can be triumphant, because Jesus was triumphant. We, like the four living creatures and elders, should fall down and worship, for He alone is worthy.

1, 2, 3, John – Truth and Love

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these three small letters from the apostle John, seven chapters in total, John used the word "love" thirty-nine times and "loved" four. He used the word "True" six times, and "truth," twenty times. For John, the truth is grounded on and in Jesus Christ and that He did come in the flesh, and he made it a point to share that believers should test the spirits of those who come proclaiming "the truth." Those whose teachings do not match up with Jesus' we are not to support, but those who follow the teachings of Christ and help others to know this truth, believers are to encourage and support. We also see a connection with truth and love. John says in verse one that he loves him "in love and truth." With the chosen lady in 2 John, he says, "whom I love in truth," and his blessing says, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love." The truth is that God lavished His love on us through His Son Jesus, so that we can become a part of God's family (1 John 3:1). Then John continued by saying, "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us" (1 John 4:12). There are many more verses on love, but the last one picked is 1 John 4:19, "We love because He first loved us."

John 18-19 – Jesus Before Pilate

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Two words that were very important to the apostle John when writing this gospel were truth and true. He used true 20 times when Matthew, Mark and Luke only used it one time, and John used truth 27 times when Matthew and Luke only used it three and Luke five. The word truth comes to a climax when Pilate asks in 18:38, "What is truth?" The Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate because they wanted Him to be crucified, because in Deut. 21:22-23 it says that anyone hung on a tree is cursed. Plus they had tried to stone Jesus two other times in John 8:59 and John 10:31-38 to no avail. When Jesus was before Pilate He admitted that He was a king from a kingdom of another place. Then in verse 37b Jesus admitted, "In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." The truth is that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; therefore, we need a Savior and King, which is Christ the Lord. He was born so we could become a part of the kingdom of God who loves us and sent His Son to die on the cross for us. The question is, "Is Jesus your king?"

John 13 – Jesus Washed the Disciples Feet

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Jesus showed the disciples the "full extent of His love," by taking the form of a servant and washing their feet, then He told them, if you serve one another like I have shown you, you will be blessed. At first Peter refused, "No, you shall never wash my feet," but Jesus made it clear "Unless I wash you, you have no part of me." As usual for Peter then he said Jesus could then wash his feet, hands and head, but Jesus said that was not necessary, just the feet were dirty if one had bathed. Yet not everyone there was clean, for Judas Iscariot had planned on betraying Jesus. The amazing thing is that even though Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, He willingly washed his feet too. Who does that? Only Jesus!

John 4 – Jesus Speaks with the Woman at the Well

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This passage in chapter 4 starts with the statement, "Now He (Jesus) had to go through Samaria!" He could have gone a different way, but God the Father had a meeting planned with a woman at Jacob's well. Now only was she a woman, but she was a Samaritan woman. Not only was she a Samaritan woman, but she was a social outcast even among her own people. When she came to the well, Jesus did not ignore her. He did not look down on her. He did not preach to her, instead He asked her for a drink of water. Jesus then turned the conversation from physical water to spiritual water which springs up to eternal life. She asked Jesus about where to worship, and He answered "How" to worship, and that is in Spirit and in truth. After she encountered Jesus, she ran into her town of Sychar, leaving her water jug behind, and told the town, "Come see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" They came, and Jesus stayed for two more days, and at the end they said, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." Jesus was not just the Savior of the Jews, but the Savior of the world, if we confess our sin and accept Jesus as our Savior.

John - The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

John the apostle was a fisherman before he followed Jesus as his disciple. The gospel of John, his three letters, and the only prophecy book of the NT, Revelation, were the last books of the Bible written. John's gospel does not start with the birth of Jesus on this earth, but it starts explaining that Jesus was before the creation, and that Jesus was the Creator. John only told of seven miracles or "signs," because they pointed to Christ. He also wrote the "I AM" sayings of Jesus which showed that Jesus was not just the Son of God, but God Himself in the flesh. When Jesus called John, he and his brother, immediately left their father's business and followed Jesus. John was one of the three inner circle of Jesus, with Peter and James, and Paul called John, Peter and James as pillars of the church. Plus, at Jesus' death, it was John who was given the responsibility of taking care of Mary, Jesus' mother. John chose to describe himself, "the disciple whom Jesus loved."

A Christmas Lesson Found in Hebrews

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The writer of Hebrews explained that Jesus was better than the prophets, better than the angels, better than Moses, better than Joshua, and better than Aaron the high priest. The new covenant in Jesus is better than the old covenant, and better than the tabernacle. It confirms our salvation in Christ, and in Christ we are being made holy. The writer of Hebrews also explains why Christ came. He explained why God the Father sent the Son, the firstborn son, and that was so there could be more sons and daughters in the family of God. Jesus was both fully God and fully human, so that in his birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, He "became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him (4:9). 10:14, "Because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." So then, those people of the OT who lived by faith, and those in the NT and beyond who live by faith, will be a part of the family of God, and only together will we all be made perfect. That is why the writer of Hebrews encouraged those who profess to be Christians, to fix their eyes on Jesus, to not grow weary, and to not lose heart, because Jesus sat down with God the Father, and He will come again to make His family, and His eternal kingdom complete!

2 Timothy - Chapter 4

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Paul knows he is close to death, but he also knows that he will soon be in God's heavenly kingdom. He is also fully aware that God will judge the living and the dead, and he was ready. He charged Timothy to fulfill the duties of his ministry, as Paul had done. Paul was not afraid to meet His Maker, and believed he would receive "the crown of righteousness," when he died, and that victor's crown was waiting for all who love and long for the Lord's appearing. Paul then gave closing words about various people, some directions for Timothy as he heads to see Paul, and then ended, "The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you."

2 Timothy - Chapter 3

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Paul reminds Timothy there will be terrible times in the last days where people will not love God, but love the ways of the world. There will be people who take advantage of "weak-willed women," who are always learning, but never able to acknowledge the truth. Paul asked Timothy to remember Paul's ways of obedience and persecution, and he even said in verse 12, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." Yet, as Christians, we have the holy Scriptures which make us wise for our salvation if we come to them in faith in Christ Jesus, because Jesus Christ did fulfill the Scriptures. The chapter then ends with verses 16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man (and woman) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy - Chapter 2

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Paul encouraged Timothy to stay faithful, and to train other qualified men to be leaders within the church. Even though Paul was "chained like a criminal, God's word was not chained." Which is so evident, since we are still reading God's word through Paul's letter even today. Then verse 15 says, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." As Christians we are to "flee evil desires, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace." We are to watch our words and not be involved in quarrels, but be gentle toward others in hopes they may come to see and know Christ. The hope is that we become the Lord's instruments that are holy and useful to our Master, prepared to do good works.

2 Timothy - Chapter 1

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Now Paul is back in prison, and this time it is not under house arrest, but in the Roman dungeon around AD 68. The time is close for his death, and the Apostle Paul, the one called out by the ascended Jesus Christ, is asking Timothy to come one last time before Paul's death. He encouraged him to "Fan into flame the gift of God which was in him." He reminded him that the Holy Spirit was with him, and God's spirit is not timid, but powerful, full of love, and empowers us for self-discipline. He also encouraged Timothy to not be ashamed of the gospel, but to be like Paul who was not ashamed, "because I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day." Paul's faith, hope and love was founded on a Person, not a religion, and that person was Jesus Christ. He also reminded Timothy that the Spirit of God was with him to help him fulfill that for which he was created, and that he needed to guard what he has been given, with the Holy Spirit's help. During this arrest most people left Paul, but there was one faithful Christian who ministered to him, Onesiphorus.

The Reading of Jude

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Jude is believed to be the 1/2 brother of Jesus and brother of James. His name can also be Judas, and they are mentioned in Mt. 13:55 and Mark 6:3 as Jesus' brothers. He seemed to write this letter to Jewish Christians because he used many OT references and used books that are not found in the Bible such as "Enoch," and "The Assumption of Moses." It is believed to have been written between AD 64-68. Some of the key themes are beware of false teachers who can be detected by their actions, stand firm in the doctrines of faith, persevere in the faith, be merciful to others as God has been merciful to us, God is able to judge the wicked, and save the righteous. The letter ends with a wonderful Doxology about how God is able and worthy of praise.

2 Peter

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The apostle Peter wrote this second letter to Christians, both Jews and Gentiles who were scattered throughout Asia Minor, while Peter was in Rome. It was written close to the time of his death. Historically, Peter died a martyr in Rome around AD 67-68, and traditionally it is said he chose to be crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy to die in the same way as his Lord Jesus. In this letter he encouraged his readers to know and be faithful to God and His message, to beware of false teachers, and to be ready for Christ's return.

1 Peter

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Peter wrote this letter to believers in Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, and encouraged them to grow in their faith. He reminded them they were saved, they are being saved (sanctification), and they will be fully saved when Christ comes again. He called them to holiness, and to stay faithful in the midst of persecution and suffering for Christ. As Christians, we have a living hope inside us and our foundation is in the Living Stone, the foundation that believers are being built upon, Jesus. Our faith works its way out in our lives as we submit to authorities and as our families reflect the goodness of God. He encouraged believers to live for God even as we suffer for being a Christian. He ended his letter with a note to church elders with a reminder that they too will answer to the Chief Shepherd of the whole flock, Jesus. Then Peter gave some closing words to the church in 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." Peter then ends with a blessing of peace to all those who are in Christ Jesus.

Titus - Chapter 3

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Paul reminds believers in Jesus how we are to act in the world, and we are to submit ourselves to authorities, even non-Christian ones, and "to be ready to do whatever is good." We are not to slander anyone, but we are to peaceable, considerate, "and to show true humility toward all men." Then he reminded them that there was a day when they were not saved. We are all in that boat, but when we experience the kindness of God, and taste His grace and love, and we confess our sin and accept the price Jesus paid on the cross for our sins, then the Holy Spirit indwells us, and we become a part of the family of God. When we have tasted the grace of God, we can then pass that grace onto others, especially by doing good. Believers are to beware and even rebuke those people who try to stir up arguments and quarrels, instead, "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, i order that they may provide for daily necessitates and not live unproductive lives" (vs. 14). Paul ended his letter to Titus with a blessing of God's grace.

Titus - Chapter 2

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter one of Titus, Paul focused on godly leadership who stood on sound doctrine, and now in chapter two, Paul reminded Titus that the church members also should stand on sound doctrine as well. He covered the older men, the older women who should train the younger women, and then Titus would train the younger men, and all of these groups should live godly lives and submit to the Lord, so the world would see what God looks like. Paul then addressed the submission of Christian slaves, and how they should work hard and be trustworthy to their masters, so the Christian life would be attractive to them. One thing that is clear in this chapter is that the Christian life should look different than a non-Christian life. The last few verses tell us that this transformation happens because of God's grace which brought salvation to us. This grace helps us, "to say 'No,' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." While God does this work in our lives, we are waiting for Jesus Christ, our God and Savior, to come in all His glory, to bring us to Himself. Paul reminded Titus of his God given authority, and encouraged him to fulfill his ministry to the churches on the Island of Crete.

Titus - Chapter 1

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The apostle Paul is writing a letter to his partner and co-worker in the ministry of the Gospel, Titus, who was a Greek Christian. At the time of this letter, Paul was in the area of Greece, after his two year imprisonment in Rome, and Titus is on the Island of Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea south of Greece. Paul left Titus there (1:5) so he could get the church in order and to appoint Elders/Bishops/Overseers in the church. One of the issues in the churches at Crete, were Jewish men were coming and telling believers they still needed to be circumcised, but Paul stressed that Timothy needed to encourage and teach sound doctrine, so they could be sound in their faith, which would produce godly actions which would bring glory to God, instead of their actions denying God which is what was happening (v. 16).

1 Timothy - Chapter 6

Fri, 29 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

As the apostle Paul ends his letter to the young pastor, Timothy, Paul encouraged Timothy to remind Christian slaves/employees that they are to work to the best of their abilities for their masters, so the name of God and of the Christian teachings are not maligned. He warned Timothy to beware of the love of money. 6:6, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." As Christians, our hope and security is not found in wealth or money, but in Jesus Christ. Paul charged Timothy to flee evil and pursue "godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." He is to fight, take hold, and keep the command until Christ Jesus comes again in all his glory. God the Father has a specific time in mind. Timothy was to command the rich to be generous with the gifts God gave them so they will not be led astray from wealth's deception, and take a hold of Jesus the one that is true life. Paul continued Timothy to stay faithful, and not turn down the way of the false teachers with their so-called "knowledge." Paul blessed Timothy with God's grace.

1 Timothy - Chapter 5

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

In this chapter the apostle Paul is advising young Timothy about issues within the church, one of which was dealing with who are legitimate widows for the church to take care of, and issues dealing with the leadership of the church. If a widow has a family member still living, it is the responsibility for Christians to take care of their families, and not to have that as the church's responsibility. 5:8, "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." As for the elders, the church was responsible to make sure their pastor was taken care of, since he works for them. Paul also placed guidelines incase the elders were being accused of sin. Paul encouraged Timothy to not show favoritism, and to not be quick about electing elders, but make sure they are godly men. He also told Timothy in verse 23, "Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses." I just wonder if those elders were giving Timothy ulcers!

1 Timothy - Chapter 4

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The apostle Paul instructs Timothy to understand that people will fall away from the church and follow leaders who are "hypocritical liars," who try and control them about marriage and eating restrictions, but Paul reminded Timothy that everything God created is good, and all foods are allowed if received with thanksgiving. Paul encouraged Timothy to continue to train to be godly. It takes effort, and our belief system effects every aspect of our lives. "Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." Our hope is found in the living God and Jesus who is our Savior, so Paul told Timothy to not neglect his gift and calling, for it benefits not just himself, but those his life touches.

1 Timothy – Chapter 3

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this chapter, Paul taught Timothy how to qualify men to be Overseers/Elders to the church. He is to be a godly man of respect who manages his own home well, because if he can not do that, he would not be able to manage God's family well. S. M. Baugh explained this position "as a guardian' of the welfare of the Christian churches under his care." The next section deals with deacons, and depending upon your interpretation, deaconesses. They are also to be people of respect, temperate and trustworthy. Paul wrote this so, "you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth" (vs. 15). Paul ended with a Greek Christian Hymn which shows "the mystery of godliness" which shows the incarnation of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the ascension of Christ, the preaching of Christ to the nations, people's response to Christ, and then Christ's final victory.

1 Timothy – Chapter 2

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In Paul's letter to Timothy, he stressed the importance of prayer, especially for those in authority, "so that, we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." This is a passage that as Peter said in 2 Peter 3:16, "HIs letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." What is clear is that women (and men) can pray and learn in the worship service, and we are not to dress in a showy manner, instead we are to be clothed in godliness and good works. We also know through all of Paul's other writings that women (and men) are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, and it is because of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection that He paid the ransom for our sins. Jesus was our mediator for both men and women. We also know that Adam was not deceived, which means he knew what he was doing when he ate of the fruit of the tree, which is why Paul said in Romans 5:12, "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all me, because all sinned," and thankfully it is through Eve's "Seed," her offspring, that Jesus was born through the virgin birth of Mary who brought salvation, and those who truly believe continue to grow in faith, love, holiness, with a sound mind.

1 Timothy – Chapter 1

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Traditionally, it is believed Paul the Apostle wrote this letter to Timothy after he was released from house arrest in Rome around AD 63. Paul was in Macedonia, and he wrote to encourage Timothy to stay in Ephesus so he could stand up against false teachings. Verse 5 says, "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." These false teachers were trying to teach the law, but they did not know it, and Paul explained that the law is good if it is used properly, but the main reason for the law is to reveal our sinfulness. Then Paul gave thanks that the Lord was merciful to him because he used to be a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent man, but God's grace was poured out on him, and he is no longer that way. Then Paul said that if God's mercy can be poured out like that on my life who was the "worst of sinners," then God's grace and mercy can be pour out on anyone's life. This chapter ends with Paul encouraging Timothy, his son in the faith, to be faithful and fight the good fight, "holding on to faith and a good conscience." The unfaithful men, Hymenaeus and Alexander have shipwrecked lives as long as they are not walking in the truth.

Acts – Chapters 13-28 – Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This section of Acts is about Paul's missionary journeys into Gentile lands. The church in Antioch, Syria, sent Paul and Barnabas off to share the good news of Jesus Christ. They sailed to the island of Cyprus, and once they covered the area, they sailed to the western part of what is now modern-day Turkey. They then backtracked so they could place leadership in each of the churches they started. They headed back to their home church and shared the amazing things which the Lord had done. Then in chapter 15 was the "Council of Jerusalem," where the church in Jerusalem concluded that a Gentile does not need to become a Jew in order to be saved. Then Paul went on his second trip, and this time with Silas. Barnabas took John Mark to the island of Cyprus again, and Paul and Silas traveled around the Mediterranean Sea into Turkey. Paul had hope to go east and cover more of Turkey, but he saw a vision of a man calling him to Macedonia, so they headed west around the Aegean Sea into modern-day Greece. At the end of this trip, Paul stopped off at "the church" in Jerusalem, and then went back to Antioch. Paul's went back to the churches that he started on his third trip, and this time he collected an offering from the Gentile churches to take the the church at Jerusalem. Everywhere Paul went, they would start sharing the good news of Jesus to the Jews. Some accepted Jesus as the Messiah, and others did not. When some Jews heard Paul was taking the message to the Gentiles, they persecuted him. After bringing the offering to the church in Jerusalem, some Jews there caused an uproar against Paul, and he was arrested. Since there was a threat on his life, the Roman leadership took him to Caesarea for two years. He gave his testimony before Governor Felix, Governor Festus, and King Agrippa, but because he appealed to Caesar (25:11), he was not released, but sent to Rome. The book of Acts ends with Paul in house arrest at Rome, still willing to share boldly about Jesus Christ to all who would listen. He stayed there for two years.

Acts - Chapters 1-12 - The Name of Jesus

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Acts is a continuation of the Life of Jesus, but not in bodily form, but in the form of His Spirit working through believers in Christ. The Key verse for the book is Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." These chapters show how the church first grew in Jerusalem starting when the gift from God, the Holy Spirit into believers at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles to do miracles, which brought fame, and then persecution from the Jewish religious leaders. Peter and John were brought before some of the leaders, and Peter declared the crippled beggar was healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. They were released, but warned to no longer speak in this name. That did not stop them though. The church continued to grow, and seven "deacons" were selected to help serve the people, so the apostles could focus on prayer and the word. One of those men, Stephen, became the first Christian martyr in Jerusalem. 8:1 tells us, "And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day, a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." Philip was one who went to Samaria and shared the gospel, and the Lord also took him to speak to an Ethiopian eunuch who believed, was baptized, and went home with the gospel. In chapter 9, Saul, who persecuted the church, had an encounter with the ascended Lord Jesus, and after Ananias went to him because of the Lord, Paul believed, was healed and baptized, and began to proclaim the name of Jesus. God also moved through Peter to bring the good news of Jesus to the Gentile centurion, Cornelius and his home. They believed, and the Holy Spirit came upon them, like Pentecost. Peter realized, "It is true that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right" (10:34-35). Peter explained it to the church at Jerusalem. The church in Antioch grew, and it was there believers were first called Christians (11:26). In chapter 12, John's brother, James was killed by King Herod, who then arrested Peter, but the Lord rescued him, and the word of God continued to increase and spread (12:24).

The Gospel of Luke’s View on Women

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Luke starts off telling the story of Elizabeth's barrenness and how God did a miracle in their lives, after all these years, they will have a son, John the Baptizer. Then we read about Mary's encounter with an angel of the Lord, and that she too will bear a child, who will be the Son of God. Mary quickly went to Elizabeth, her relative's house, and seeing the miracle in Elizabeth's life helped to encourage Mary in her faith. Some stories that are unique to Luke was "the woman who lived a sinful lifestyle," but because of her faith and anointing Jesus out of love, her sin was forgiven (7:37-50). Luke also shared about the time that Jesus and his disciples came to Martha's house (10:41), and Jesus told her to leave Mary alone, and reminded Martha about her worry about many things. Only in Luke do we read about the parable of the woman who had 10 coins, but lost one. Only in Luke do we have Jesus telling the mourning women, "Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves." In Luke the women watched Jesus' death from afar. They followed Joseph of Arimathea when he took Jesus' body and buried it, and they watched where He was laid. It was the woman who prepared spices for burial, and it was the women who went early Sunday morning to anoint Him, but He was not there. It was the women who first announced that Jesus was alive, and that was largely do to their obedience and love for the Lord. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it," both women and men alike.

Luke – Prayer and the Holy Spirit

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Luke wrote this gospel for the "most excellent Theophilus," so he could know for certain what he had been taught was true. Luke started with the birth of John the Baptist and then the birth of Jesus, and he made it clear it was an act of God through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was present with Jesus during His baptism and his temptation, and He came through "in the power of the Holy Spirit," (4:14). During Jesus' ministry, prayer was essential, and often Jesus went off to pray (5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 9:28). He taught His disciples to pray and not give up (18:1-14). In 19:46, He called "My house shall be a house of prayer." Jesus prayed for Simon Peter (22:31). He prayed "more earnestly" when on the Mount of Olives, and he told his disciples twice to "Pray that you will not fall into temptation," (22:40 & 46). Dr. Alan B. Stringfellow pointed out that in Luke's telling of Jesus on the cross, His first and last words were prayers, and then Jesus' last recorded words to his disciples said (24:49), "I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." What did the Father promise to send? Who did the Father promise to send after Jesus left them? The Holy Spirit.

Philippians - Chapter 4

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this last chapter of Philippians, he encouraged the church to stand firm in the Lord, to reconcile disagreements, and to "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" The reason we can rejoice always is because the Lord is near, and we can pray and bring to him any requests and concerns. We also are to be thankful, because we can trust the Lord to know what He is doing, even if we do not understand. When we do that, He provides a peace that transcends all understanding. We are to transform our thoughts to good things: truth, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy things. Paul encouraged the church to follow his example and teachings. He was thankful for their gift to him, and then he spoke of his contentment that comes in Christ. 4:13, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength", and then he told the church, "And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." He ended his letter with "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit! Amen!"

Philippians - Chapter 3

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this chapter, Paul warns the church at Philippi, to beware of those people with the false doctrine that circumcision of the flesh makes one right with God. The way one gets right with God is through faith in what Jesus did when He died on the cross for our sins. God then circumcises our hearts (Deut. 30:6). Paul said if those men boast about their qualifications, Paul's list of qualifications are more, but then he says in verses 7-8a, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things." Paul's goal was to know Christ, both the power of the resurrection as well as the fellowship that comes with sharing His sufferings. Paul pressed on toward that goal by forgetting the past, and looking forward. Paul knew that as believers in Christ, our citizenship is in heaven, and some day our lowly bodies will be transformed to glorious bodies. Somehow!

Philippians – Chapter 2

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter one of Philippians, Paul encouraged the church at Philippi, "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (vs. 6). He was in prison at Rome, and he also shared, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (vs. 21). He was ready to die and be with the Lord, but he also knew God was not finished with him yet. He told the church, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (vs. 27a), even in the midst of their suffering.

This leads into chapter two as a reminder of some of the benefits we have in Christ Jesus. Christians are united in Christ, comforted by His love, joined in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we do not fear God's wrath, but we experience His tenderness, compassion, and love, and because of that Paul encouraged the church to be united in Christ in joy, love, and purpose. He reminded them of the humility of Christ Jesus who was willing to leave His glory, come to earth as human, and then to die, and not just a natural death, but by hanging on the cross, a tree, to take the curse and wrath that was intended for us, so that we could then become a part of the family of God. If Jesus was willing to humble Himself, so should we. Since Jesus willingly obeyed the Father, the Father raised Him up above everything and everyone, and "at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (vss. 10-11). As believers, we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling as God works in us. Then as a community of believers who work together, we will shine like stars in our dark world. Chapter two ended with plans of sending Timothy to them when he found out the outcome of his imprisonment. Now Paul is sending Epaphroditus back to them to encourage them with this letter and thank them for their support of Paul.

Philippians - Chapter 1

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Dr. Alan B. Stringfellow said in his book, "A 52-Lesson Introduction to the 66 Books of the Bible," that chapter one of Philippians can be described as "Christ - The Purpose of Life." Point one he took from verse 8, "The Christian should have the feelings of Christ." Point two came from verses 12-18, "We should have the same interests as Christ." The third point, "The very Spirit of Jesus Christ is ours," came from verse 19. Verse 20 holds Stringfellow's fourth point, "Our one supreme concern should be Christ because He is our life," and point 5, "Christ is, and should be, our longing desire (vss. 21 & 23). He looks at verse 27 for the 6th point, "Our conduct should be controlled by Christ," and then point seven, "We may suffer for Christ - the badge of a Christian" from verse 29. One of the key verses of Philippians is found in 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain!"

Philippians – Greeting, Thanksgiving, and Prayer (1:1-11)

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The Apostle Paul is in chains in Rome when he wrote this letter to the church at Philippi. He was with Timothy, who may have scribed the letter. We also see that the church now has overseers, or bishops, and deacons as leadership. Paul blessed them with "Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Then verses 3-8 are the thanksgiving section. Paul did not need to defend his apostleship, because they are his friends, and partners in the gospel. He thinks of them fondly, and he used the word of joy or joyful 16 times in this letter. Acts 16:11-15 tells the story of how this church started with Paul, Silas, and Timothy with Lydia and her household as the first converts. This may have been the first church started on European soil. Paul told them he was confident, "That He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Even at our death, that work continues until Christ comes again. Then verses 9-11 are Paul's prayer for the church, which is a great section of Scripture to memorize. He prays their love will grow in knowledge and depth of insight, so they can grow in discernment knowing what is best, that they may be filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes only through Jesus Christ because He paid the price for our sins when He died on the cross, and because of Christ, we may be pure and blameless before God, to His glory and praise.

Philemon - A Story of Reconciliation in Christ

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This is a personal letter from Paul the Apostle to Philemon, which came with the sending back of Onesimus, who once was Philemon's slave, but who ran away. He met Paul in Rome, and through his teaching became a Christian. Both Onesimus and Paul knew that in order to honor the Lord, Onesimus needed to go back and make things right with his previous master, who also was a believer in Christ. Paul wrote this letter to remind Philemon of the debt of faith he owed to Paul, and to also say that if necessary, Paul would pay the debt that Onesimus owed Philemon. As believers in Christ, we first have become reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus Christ when He died on the cross for our sins. Then many times the Lord calls us to reconcile, especially with other believers, and one way to do that is to remember our own sinfulness and how much we have been forgiven so we can forgive others. Lastly, sometimes the Lord calls us to be a mediator like Paul in reconciliation of two other believers, who will live in truth about their circumstances, and acknowledge to forgive and move forward in peace. May we hear from the Lord and be obedient in our calling of reconciliation until Christ comes again to take His church home.

Colossians - Chapter 4

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Paul closes his letter with encouragement for the believers to keep on praying, and be devoted, watchful, and thankful in it. He also asked for prayer, not to be released from prison, but to proclaim the mystery of Christ, which as he said in 1:27, "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory!" Paul reminded them to be wise with their words and actions to non-Christians, and that it should be full of grace. Then Paul spoke of various people and their greetings to the church,, as well as addressed some people in Colossae. One of which was Archippus, and Paul told him, "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." This letter was to be read to nearby churches, and their letters should be read at Colossae. Paul signed his letter, and then ended it as he began (Vaugh), "Grace be with you!"

Colossians – Chapter 3

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Chapters 1-2 cover doctrine, who Christ is, and who we are because of who Christ is and what He did when He died on the cross for our sin, and now that He is alive, when we die to self by confessing our sin, and asking Him to forgive us, believers in Jesus are dead to sin and now alive with Christ in God. Since this transformation has happened, Christians are to do two things. The first is we take off all the stuff that belongs to our earthly nature like sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. The second is we are to put on things like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness with love being the virtue that ties it all together. Verse 17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Then Paul speaks about how various relationship are to work in Christ. Wives are to submit to their husbands, which is a placing oneself under the authority of another so it is arranged in an orderly fashion. Husbands are to love their wives and not be harsh with them. Children are to obey both their parents. Fathers are not to exasperate their children so they will not be bitter. Slaves are to obey their masters, and Masters are to be fair and right to their slaves, because we all have a Master in heaven, our Lord Jesus, to whom we all will give an account.

Colossians - Chapter 2

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The end of chapter 1 of Colossians, Paul shared about his calling from the Lord, which was to share the mystery of the gospel, "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (vs. 27). Paul's purpose of proclaiming, admonishing, and teaching was "so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ" (vs. 28). Added to that, Paul hoped to encourage their hearts, and unite their love, so they could fully understand this mystery, "namely Christ" (2:2). Paul encouraged them to grow in their faith, and to not be "disqualified,' by false teachers. The key to not being deceived by them was to focus and know and understand Christ.

Colossians - Chapter 1

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Paul sent this letter to the church in Colosse, with the letter to the church of Ephesus, and to the letter for Philemon, who attended the church at Colosse. Paul sent these letters with Tychicus and Onesimus because Paul was in chains for the gospel in Rome. Paul started his letter, letting them know that Timothy was with him. He then shared they gave thanks for them because they heard about their faith which they learned from Epaphras who told them about their love in the Spirit. Many believe Epaphras started the church in Colosse, and that Paul had never been there. After his thanksgiving, Paul went into his prayer for them, that their knowledge of God's will for their lives will grow through all spiritual wisdom. He encouraged them to live a life worthy of the Lord Jesus, and that they may please the Lord as they grow in their faith. It is through Christ that believers in Him have strength, endurance, patience, thanksgiving, redemption, and forgiveness of sins. Then verses 15-20 give what may have been an ancient church hymn about the "supremacy and sole sufficiency of Jesus Christ." Paul then reminded them of how they used to be, alienated and enemies of God, BUT NOW...reconciled due to Christ's death, and holy, without blemish and free from accusation - all because of Jesus. Paul ended this with verse 23 as a reminder that we need to continue in our faith. We are to stand firm in the hope of the gospel, of which Paul is a servant.

Ephesians – Chapter 6

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this last chapter of Ephesians, Paul addressed how various relationships reflect Christ in believers lives. The end of chapter 5, Paul said to be filled with the Spirit by giving thanks, encouraging the body of Christ, and submitting to one another in Christ. The first relationship addressed was marriage with a husband and wife, and now Paul addressed children with parents and slaves and masters. The way of the Spirit is not one where all people are respected and all people are accountable to God, who is no respecter of persons. In other words, God does not have favorites. Paul then ends with the armor of God. Throughout chapters 4-5, as believers we are to walk, but here we are not to stand. The armor includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, our feet covered with the gospel of peace, the shieled of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, and then we are to pray, pray, pray, in all occasions, with all kinds of prayers, and all kinds of requests, and especially for all the saints. Paul asked for prayer because he was "an ambassador in chains." He had a few closing words, and then gave a blessing of peace, grace, and love.

Ephesians – Chapter 5

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This section starts with Paul reminding us we are dearly loved children, which then should encourage us to imitate our Father and live a life of love. God the Son, Jesus Christ, also loved us so much that He was willing to give Himself up by dying on the cross for us as a sacrifice and offering unto God. That love compels us to move out of darkness into the light of the Lord. Christians are to "live as children of light" (vs. 8). Since we live in days that are evil, believers need to watch how they live, and be thankful. Music is a big part of our worship to God as well as our way of encouraging each other to walk in faith. We are to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." This leads to the example of marriage which reflects to the world what our relationship with Christ looks like. He is the head, we are the body. The husband is the head in the marriage, and the wife is to place herself under the authority of her husband. He is to love her. She is to respect him. Paul quoted Genesis 2:24, which Jesus quoted in Matthew 19:4-5, "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two will become one flesh." This is the mystery which Paul spoke of earlier in this letter. The husband and wife become one, like Christ and His church become one. This is the mystery of how old humanity, with faith in Jesus Christ and who He is, and what He did on the cross, has now made a new humanity that is now one with Christ. As Paul said in verse 32, "This is a profound mystery!"

Ephesians - Chapter 4

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this chapter, Paul the apostle reminded the Gentile believers in Jesus that they make up the one body of Christ, with the Jewish believers, and since we are one body, we ought to work on keeping the unity through the Spirit of God. Yet God did not make each of us the same, we are different with different gifts given to us by Christ, and so in our unity, we also display our diversity. It is similar to a musical piece in harmony. The notes are different, and sometimes even the rhythms are different, but they go well together to make one beautiful song. We need each other with our different gifts. Then verses 17-32, Paul stressed that our actions should reflect who we are in Christ. Not only does he tell us what not to do like lie and steal, but he also tells us what we should do like be kind, compassionate and forgiving, "just as in Christ, God forgave you!"

Ephesians 3:14-21 - Paul's Prayer

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Since believers in Christ are the church, the family of God, the body of Christ, one in Christ, therefore, Paul prays for them. He prays they will understand they are a part of the whole family of God. We are not alone. He prays they may be strengthened through the Spirit of God, and through Christ which are both in the hearts of believers. He prays their knowledge of God's love will be rooted and grounded in them, and with that comes power from God with all of the saints. He prays for the width, length, height and depth of God's love, this love that is beyond our knowledge. This love that fills us with the fullness of God. He ended his prayer with a doxology, a praise to God who is able. HE IS ABLE! He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine. Do we ask or image? The work that He displays in our individual lives and the life or our church, brings glory to God, forever and ever! Amen!

Ephesians 3:1-15 - The Mystery Revealed

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The mystery God revealed, especially to Paul the apostle, was that Gentiles did not have to become Jews in order to become Christian, and that all believers in Jesus, both Jew and Gentile make up the body of Christ, and are a part of the family of God. It is this truth that placed Paul as a prisoner of the Romans, but Paul understood that really he was a prisoner of the Lord. Paul also stated that as believers in Christ, we also have access to God the Father, and it is all because of what Christ did when He died on the cross, and who we are IN Christ. As believers in Christ, we are God's people, His church, and as such we display to the world and to the heavens the manifold, multi-colored, multi-faceted, and richly diversified, wisdom of God. We show God's glory.

Ephesians 2:11-22 - A New Humanity in Christ

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Ephesians, Paul calls the Gentile believers to remember their past that they were separated from Christ, and excluded from citizenship in Israel, and foreigners to the promises of God, without hope, and without God. BUT NOW IN CHRIST JESUS, things are different. Now they are brought near. Now they have peace, now God has made "one new man," or "one new humanity" out of the two groups. Now it is just people who have faith in Jesus Christ, people who now have the Spirit of God indwelling in them. That new humanity has access to God and are included into the family of God. Then Paul used the illustration of a building where the foundation is the apostles of the NT and the prophets of the OT, and Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, the one that holds it all together. As believers IN Christ, that new humanity, is "being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit!"

Ephesians 2:1-10 – The Transformation

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Ephesians, Paul compares their old way of life to their new life in Christ. The old walk of life was dead in sin, disobedience, full of gratifying ones cravings, and it was the ways of the world, with the destination being God's wrath. Yet God loved us, and because He was rich in mercy, those who believe in Jesus Christ, who are found in Him, are made alive, are raised up and are seated with God in the heavenly realms IN CHRIST. Thankfully God in His grace, offered the gift of salvation IN CHRIST, and once it is accepted, we then walk the path which the Lord has set before us, and we do the good works He gave us to do.

Ephesians 1:15-23 – The Thanksgiving and Prayer

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Paul gives thanks for the saints of Christ because of their faith in the Lord and their love for each other. Than Paul prays a prayer that they may grow in the Spirit with wisdom, revelation and enlightenment, so they can know the hope of their calling in Christ. He also shared that the same power of God which raised Jesus from the dead, is also the same power that is in believers in Christ. Lastly he shared that since Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly realms, He is now over all other rule, authority, power and dominion. God placed everything under Christ's feet, which made Him head over everything, for the church. For believers. Then Paul explained that as believers, as the church, we are Christ's body, "the fullness of Him."

Ephesians 1:3-14 – The Blessing

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Usually the apostle Paul would give a thanksgiving after the opening of his letters, but this time, he explained a blessing. God is blessed and so are those who believe in Jesus Christ. All of these verses make up only one sentence, and Abraham Kuruvilla said it is "the longest sentence in the NT, composed of 202 words." Verses 3-6 focus on God the Father who blessed us, chose us, and predestined us, all in love. All of this is possible because of Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. He became our atoning sacrifice. Then we find a phrase Paul uses a lot in this letter, believers in Jesus, are "IN Him." It is in Him, in Jesus (verse 7-10) that we are redeemed, forgiven, and enlightened with the mystery of God. All of this is God's lavished work for His good pleasure. Then in verses 11-14, we find the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who is our seal and our deposit guaranteeing the work God has done in our lives, and He will be with us until "the redemption of those who are God's possessions is complete." To the glory of God!

Ephesians – 1:1-2 – The Introduction

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Paul finished his third missionary journey and brought an offering to the church in Jerusalem and while there he was arrested. He ended up appealing to Caesar, which brought him to Rome where he wrote this letter while in house arrest, which is why it is called a prison epistle. Paul starts his letter declaring his apostleship of Christ Jesus, and that it was God's will that he was an apostle. Some of the oldest manuscripts do not have the words, "In Ephesus," which may mean it was a circular letter to go to other churches as well. The word saint is used for all Christians, and it means those who have been called and set apart for the Lord's service. As for Paul's greeting, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ," in Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla's commentary, he suggests the grace and peace comes from the priestly blessing Aaron was to give to the Israelites in Numbers 6:24-26. Grace also must come first, before we can ever experience God's peace. The Lord of the Israelites, is the Lord Jesus Christ

The Epilogue of Matthew – Chapters 26-28

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters we get to the climax of the story of Jesus, but in chapter 26 the conflict and rising action are still going on. The religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus which was conflict from others, and then after Jesus was anointed with very expensive perfume, Judas went to the religious leaders to see how much they would give him for giving Jesus to them. This is conflict from within the group. Jesus knew who would betray Him, yet He was still willing to give thanks to God as he broke the bread at the supper and said, "Take and eat, this is my body." Jesus and His disciples went to Gethsemane, and Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will." Now there is internal conflict, but there was no other way. Jesus obeyed the Father. Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Jesus was arrested and found "worthy of death." They gave Him to Pilate the governor who gave Him to be crucified. While Jesus was on the cross, He cried out with a loud voice and gave up His Spirit. "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." That is the climax. Jesus took our wrath of God upon Himself which gave us access to God through Jesus Christ. Joseph of Arimathea asked for His body, wrapped His body, and placed it in his new grave. The religious leaders sealed it and guarded it, but that could not stop God's plan. The day after the Passover, the women came to the tomb, but Jesus was not there. Instead there was an angel who told them to tell the disciples and to meet Him in Galilee. The women, "hurried away from the tomb, afraid and filled with joy!" The disciples met Jesus in Galilee. Some believed and others did not. Jesus gave them the "Great Commission." Go. Make disciples. Baptize. Teach. All of this can be done because Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, and because He is with us always, even to the very end of the age.

"Book Five" of Matthew - Chapters 19-25

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

B. W. Bacon entitles this narrative the "Conflict and Consummation," this discourse as "Revelation of the End," and the ending formula is found in 26:1, "When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He said to His disciples." Jesus has told His disciples twice that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and on the third day be raised to life. They did not understand, but they have called Jesus the Son of the Living God (14:33 & 16:16). In these chapters we see the conflict arose between Jesus and the religious leaders, and that is mainly due to the fact that the people were praising Him, as if He were the Messiah, the Son of David.

Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as "upside down." It was a place for people like the little children, but not for the hypocritical religious leaders, or for the rich. "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first" (19:30 & 20:16). Jesus entered the city on "Palm Sunday," and the crowd praised Him. Jesus cleansed the temple of the money changers, and even rebuked the religious leaders for their hypocrisy. The Pharisees and Sadducees tried to stump Jesus, but every attempt failed. Jesus however stumped them with a question about Psalm 110:1, "If David calls him, 'Lord,', how can he be his son?" After that they never asked Jesus another question.

At the end of this section, Jesus answered the disciples' question about when these things would happen, what will be the sign of His coming, and about the end of the age. The key is to keep watch, be ready, and don't fear you will miss Him, because He will come for you, and everyone will know. As believers we are to work faithfully with the "talents," He's giving us until He comes again in all His glory, with His angels.

“Book Four” of Matthew – Chapters 13-18

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This section of Matthew, Jesus points out what life in the kingdom of heaven looks like, and it is very different than the world. We find that the King of the kingdom is compassionate. The king provides our needs, and the people of the kingdom are satisfied. The people of the kingdom are people of true faith of the heart, not of works created by men. We find that life in the new community is one of humility and perseverance. As people of the kingdom, we are to be on guard against the ways of the religious leaders and the ways of this world. Then we find that the way of the kingdom in 16:24, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." People in the kingdom also understand the enormous debt we have been forgiven by Jesus taking up His cross to pay our sin debt, so we also should forgive and be merciful to those around us, so they can see what the ways of the kingdom of God looks like.

“Book Three” of Matthew – Chapters 11-13 - The Kingdom

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This section begins with John the Baptist asking Jesus if He is the One that was to come. If Jesus was the Son of David, the King, then why was He not taking the reigns? Then this section explains that the kingdom of God is different than an earthly kingdom. Jesus was ushering in a new era, and John the Baptist was the last great prophet, like Elijah, who prepared people's hearts for Jesus. In the kingdom of God, the children's eyes are opened, but not the "wise and learned" (11:25-26). There is only one way into God's kingdom, and that is through Jesus Christ (11:27-30). The kingdom of Heaven is always a place to do good (12:12). We also need the Holy Spirit to indwell our lives for that is the only way to be a part of the kingdom of God (12:28). Members of the kingdom of God obey the Father (12:50). In chapter 13 Jesus told parables about the kingdom of heaven. Good seeds and weeds grow together until the end of the age. Like a mustard seed, the Kingdom of God starts off extremely small, but grows big. The kingdom of God is like yeast in flour, it is active, and finally like the hidden treasure and the great pearl, the kingdom of God is worth letting go of everything else, so it can be attained.

"Book Two" of Matthew - Chapters 8-10

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0500

In these chapters we see that Jesus had authority over sickness, demons, and even creation as the disciples asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him" (8:27)! In this section, we see that everyone who came to Jesus was changed either one way or the other. We learn there is a cost of discipleship, and that we are to give up all we have, all that we are, and that He must be supreme in our lives, even over our families. After showing the disciples His authority, He then shared some with the disciples as He sent them out into the harvest field. Jesus shared that not everyone will receive them, and it may even be family members who betray them, but "those who stand firm to the end will be saved" (10:22). Yet we also see that for those who are faithful to the Lord Jesus, there is a reward that is better than the suffering here on this earth, and even better, there is a place at His banquet table, where we are loved and accepted.

“Book One” in Matthew – Chapters 3-7

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

B. W. Bacon divides up Matthew into five books, with a prologue with chapters 1-2, and an epilogue with chapters 26-28. Book one covers chapters 3-7, and each of the books ends with a phrase like 7:28a, "When Jesus had finished saying these things..." and these are found in 7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1 and 26:1. Each book has a narration, and in these chapters it covers John the Baptist and how he baptized Jesus, the temptation of Jesus, the calling of the first disciples, and the beginning of Jesus' public ministry of healing and teaching. Chapters 5-7 cover one of Jesus' teaching moments often called the "Sermon on the Mount." Jesus said in 5:17, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets: I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them." Dr. Martin said, "The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed." Jesus' words were unlike any other teacher, and throughout this section Jesus would say, "You have heard it said, but I say..." Jesus is the authority! This discourse ends with two roads, the narrow or the wide. Those who follow the narrow road, know the Lord Jesus, and those who choose the wide road, the way of the world, Jesus will say, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers" (7:23). The last illustration is the wise builder who built his house on a rock, and the foolish builder who built his house on sand. The one who chooses Jesus as their foundation to life, will stand even through the rains and winds. 7:28-29 tell us, "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as One who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law!" His words bring life!

The Christmas Story found in Matthew

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapters 1-2 of Matthew tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. It begins with the genealogy of Jesus, and Matthew points out that Jesus fulfilled Scripture by being the promises descendant of King David who will reign with an eternal kingdom, and that Jesus was also the son of Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel who will fulfill the promise of an everlasting covenant. Also in the lineage, Matthew mentions five women, some of Jewish descent, and some not, but all women of faith. He also pointed out David's sin of adultery and murder by saying, "David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife." When it came to Mary, the mother of Jesus, he did point out the virgin birth, and stressed that it was by the Holy Spirit that He was conceived. Frank Stagg said in his commentary, "Mary of herself could not produce a son, but God could give her one. This is the gospel: man cannot produce salvation, but God can accomplish it." Matthew showed that Jesus' birth fulfilled Old Testament Scriptures like Isaiah 7:14, "They will call Him Immanuel - which means 'God with us!'"
In chapter two we read about the Magi from the East who have come to worship the King of the Jews. Again we see that Jewish men like Joseph were faithful and immediately obeyed the Lord, and we also see Gentile believers who also were faithful to worship the eternal King. The earthly king Herod, was not pleased, and ended up killing all the boys two and under in the area, to try and remove the threat of his kingdom. The magi were warned and they went home a different way, and Joseph was warned, and he obeyed and went to Egypt. All of this centered around the Child who came to save His people from their sins. Jesus, the son of God, and the son of Mary.

Romans – Chapters 15:14-16

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As Paul wrapped up his letter to the church in Rome, he encouraged them by affirming they were full of goodness, knowledge, and competence. He shared he was hoping to come soon, after his visit to Jerusalem. The Gentile Christian churches had gathered an offering for the Jewish Christian church in Jerusalem, and Paul, and other people, were taking the gift to them. He shared that his goal was to take the gospel to places where they had never heard, so his next missionary endeavor was to go to Spain, and he planned to stop by to be refreshed by them, and that maybe they would help him in spreading the gospel of Jesus to the "ends of the earth." Paul also coveted their prayers for his trip to Jerusalem. Internally, Paul was struggling that he would be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, and that the gift would be received well to the Jewish church in Jerusalem. Then Paul gave a lists of names he wanted to greet in Rome. In this list we clearly see that Paul was not a lone ranger, but he had a team of believers, plus he was a part of the family of God. We also see that Paul was not a woman hater, but he understood the importance of women in the ministry of the Lord. He ended with a doxology of praise to God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, that the "mystery" from the Old Testament was revealed which was that God's plan of salvation was for all nations, and that people from all nations may believe and obey the only wise God who deserves glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen!

Romans - Chapters 14-15:13

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

One of the main points in this passage is that as Christians we are not to judge other believers if they hold different views on "disputable matters." Some disputable matters that Paul addressed was eating meat sacrificed to idols and observing special religious days. He reminded us that every one will answer to God for their actions, and it is not our place to judge them. 14:4, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own Master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." Another point is that each person must be fully convinced in his own mind about their convictions on such matters. Verse 16, "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil." We are not to be controlled by other's views or convictions, but we must stand on our own convictions, but on the other hand, if our convictions cause our brother or sister to sin, then we should give up our freedom. Verse 19, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." We are to live unto the Lord in faith, not in condemnation. Jesus, our greatest example, did not live His life to please Himself, but he obeyed the Father, and was willing to suffer and die for us, so that we could live. Paul ended this section with a blessing in verse 13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans - Chapter 13

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapters 1-8 of Romans, Paul explained the Gospel. In chapters 9-11, Paul shared his concern for his fellow Jews, that they would accept Jesus as their Messiah and declare Him Lord. He also explained that because of their unbelief, the Lord "grafted in" the wild olive branch" of the Gentiles to become a part of the family of God, but when the "fullness of the Gentiles" are over, the Jews will come to faith so that "ALL" Israel will be saved. Then starting in chapter 12, Paul explained that our faith produces actions that are different than the world. In chapter 13 Paul described worldly actions as darkness, but when we are clothed in Christ, we are in the light. The areas of actions that Paul addressed in this chapter is submission to authorities, especially with paying taxes, revenue, plus respect and honor. We are not to owe anyone anything except to love them. Verse 10, "Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." Paul ends with the reminder that the day of the Lord is coming, and is closer now, that is why we are to "Put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." The word armor reminds us that we are in a battle against good and evil, and as chapter 12 ended with verse 21, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans - Chapter 12

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapter 12 starts, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." Paul has laid out God's mercy: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus Christ paid the debt for our sin when he died on the cross for us. We need to confess and believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Once we do that, we now have freedom in Christ. We are now a part of the family of God, and we have hope that our salvation will be complete. In view of all that...our response is to offer our lives to God. How do we do that? We use the gifts He has given us. We are to be humble, loving, and honor others. We are to serve the Lord in zeal, joy and hope. We are to be patient, giving and prayerful. We are to bless our enemies, rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We do not take vengeance, but leave it in the hands of God. We are to overcome evil with good. How can we do that? When we transform our minds and seek God's word, His will, and His perfect ways.

Romans 9-11 – The Grafted Tree

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We see Paul's heart in these three chapters of Romans, and his heart is with his people, the Jews. If he could give up his own salvation so that the Jews would come to faith, he would. Paul used a lot of Old Testament Scripture passages in these chapters to show how God chose the Jews, and how He picked Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 9:16, "It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." The sovereignty of God is discussed. Please notice that verses 22 & 23 start, "What if," not that "God does." The Lord allowed a hardening of the Jews, so that God would open the way for the Gentiles to enter the family of God. The Jews had not attained this gift of salvation because "they pursued it not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the 'stumbling stone'" (9:32). That stumbling stone was Jesus. Some key verses are 10:9-10, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Paul continued by asking, "How can people believe if they have not heard?" Then he declared that the Jews had heard, but because of their hard heart they did not believe. His final explanation was an olive tree with branches that have broken off and died. They represent the Jews, but God then graphed in the Gentile believers, the wild olive shoot." This benefitted both the tree and the wild olive shoot together they make up "All Israel." This section ends with a bursting forth of praise from Paul, about how God is so beyond us, and everything we have and are come from Him, and belongs to Him, including all glory and praise, forever. Amen!

Romans 8:18-38

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Paul shared in the first part of chapter 8, that believers in Jesus Christ have the Spirit of God within them, and His Spirit testifies to our spirit that, "we are children of God." This makes us "co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory" (8:16-17). Now in this section Paul says that the sufferings here on earth do not compare to the glory that awaits us. All creation groans and waits for the day of redemption and glorification. We have hope for that day, but while we wait patiently, we have the Spirit who helps us in our weakness. The Spirit intercedes for us with groans without words. The Spirit searches our hearts and He also knows the mind of God, which makes Him the perfect intercessor. Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." The rest of the chapter explains that for those who know God, love God, and are called by God, we are known, predestined to become like Jesus, called, justified, and glorified. God is for us, and nothing can separate us from His love. Not only does the Spirit intercede for us, but Jesus who sits at the right hand of God the Father, also intercedes for us (vs. 34). We are also more than conquerors because "NOTHING can separated us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!"

Romans – Chapter 8:1-17

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapter 8 begins, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Chapter 8 is a transition that focuses on the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, who enters our lives. This fulfills Old Testament prophets like Jeremiah 31:33-34 and Ezekiel 36:24-27, where God says He will put a new spirit in our lives which will change a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. In the whole chapter, the word Spirit is used 22 times, and only two times previously in 1:4 and then 5:5. F.F. Bruce said, "...this is the first place in the Epistle where the Spirit of God enters the argument." The argument is that we are saved by faith and not by works, and not by the law. Since in Adam's sin, all humanity has sinned, even though the law is good, we could never measure up to it, that was why God sent Jesus to be our sacrifice. As Christians we have an obligation to live according to the Spirit, because we have become children of God, which makes us "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory." Jesus had an intimate relationship with His heavenly Father, and He called Him, "Abba, Father" (Mark 14:36). Paul also used the phrase one other time in his letter to the churches in Galatia 4:6. We too can become intimate with the Father, since Jesus paid the price for our sins with his sacrifice of dying on the cross for our sins. Today is the day to make sure we are right with God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Remember, in Jesus Christ, there is no condemnation here.

Romans – Chapters 6-7

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these two chapters, Paul explained that a Christian is one who died to sin, was buried into Christ Jesus, and was raised in Christ with a new life. That is what baptism by emersion shows the world. Since Jesus is alive, so too are we. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (6:23). Paul gave an example in chapter 7 of a married couple which is also a legal contract. If one has an affair, that person breaks the law, the contract, but if one dies, the one who is still alive is free from the contract. A Christian who died to sin, is free from that contract, and we are now married to Christ. Paul then switched examples and said that people are either a slave to sin or to God, and even when we do become Christians, we are in a struggle with our sinful nature. This is a process of purification, which is called sanctification, and I believe the process is not complete until we either meet Jesus in the air, or our bodies die and we meet Jesus in heaven. Paul struggled with this sinful nature which lived in him and he asked, "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" It is only through Jesus.

Romans - Chapter 5

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This chapter begins with Paul sharing the benefits to people who have faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. We are justified, "just as if I have never sinned." We have peace with God. We have access to God by faith. We have grace which enables us to stand, and we can rejoice because we have hope for the glory of God, and we can rejoice in our sufferings because they make us more like Christ. Paul then shared that it was because of God's love for us, even though we were sinners, God showed us how much He loves us by having Jesus die for us. One other benefit in being a Christian, we do not have to fear the wrath of God, because we are justified by the blood of Christ. The second half of the chapter compared the first man, Adam, from whom sin and death came, to Jesus who through his death and resurrection brought forgiveness and everlasting life. Adam disobeyed the command of God, Jesus obeyed all the commands of God. Paul then mentioned that the law came after Adam, which showed men their sin, 5:20b, "but where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans – Chapter 4

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 4 of Romans, Paul who had already said that the Law and the Prophets, and the Holy Scriptures showed us the gospel, and in this chapter he shows it through the life of Abraham. He also quotes King David with Psalm 32:1-2. Paul explained that when "Abraham believed, and it was credited to him as righteousness," it was before Abraham was circumcised, which means that at the time Abraham was uncircumcised when he received the promise that he would be a father to many nations. Paul's point was that both Jews and Gentiles, circumcised and uncircumcised can have Abraham as their father, one must have faith like Abraham in order to be his child. God then promised to Abraham who was "as good as dead" at 100 years old, that nations would also come from Sarah whose womb was dried up at 90 years old. Verse 18 says, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.'" Since his faith rested in the grace of God, that promise was not just for Abraham, but for all who believe in God who raise Jesus from the dead. "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." We can be made right with God.

Romans 2:17-3:31

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

So far in the book of Romans, Paul explained the sinfulness of the Gentiles, and then he spoke to the Jews and reminded them that they were sinners too. God is not a respecter of persons. 2:28-29, Paul said to be a true Jew, it has nothing to do with outward things like circumcision of the flesh, but a circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of God. Chapter three starts with a question, "What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew?" He said there were many, and the first one is "They were entrusted with the very words of God," but that does not mean they are any better. Those words do not save them, but those words do show them we are all sinners. The only way we can be right before God, is through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus death on the cross was the atoning sacrifice, through which we are redeemed, if we believe. It is a gift free to us, but it cost Jesus dearly. This section ends with the question, "Where, then is boasting?" It is gone, only Jesus gets the glory. The last question is, "Is the law nullified because of grace?" Paul says, "Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law..."

Romans 1:8-2:16

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Paul's letter to the church at Rome, he give thanks that their faithfulness is known throughout the world. He expressed his desire to come and visit, and then he shared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written, 'The righteous will live by faith' (Hab. 2:4b). (Romans 1:16-17)." This is the central passage of the letter of Romans. Paul then spoke of the wrath of God which will come upon those who suppress the truth, and do not glorify or give thanks to God. God then gives them over in their sinful desires (vs. 24), shameful lusts (vs. 26), and then to a depraved mind (vs. 28). This is a downward cycle combining humanities choices and will, with God's sovereignty. Then Paul focused on the sin of the religious who pass judgment on the "Gentiles," and yet do the same sins. Paul says God will give to each person what he has done (2:6), and that God does not show favoritism (2:11). Paul then explained the Jews were under the law, and the Gentiles were apart from the law, but what really mattered was those who will be declared righteous are those who obey the law, Jew or Gentile, because God will put His law into their minds and hearts, and they will want to obey the law of God.

Romans - 1:1-7 - The Salutation

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Paul wrote this letter to the church at Rome, to let them know of his plans for coming to visit them on his way to Spain (15:23-29). We also learn in that passage that Paul had received the offering from both Macedonia and Achaia and he was heading to Jerusalem to deliver the gift, which would end his third missionary journey. This letter does not deal with issues found in the church, but instead it gives a solid foundation on the gospel of God, which is found in the Old Testament Scriptures. They reveal that Jesus was the Son of David and the Son of God. Since Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and rose again in power, "Through Him and for His name's sake," Paul was called as an apostle to the Gentiles, so we all may live in obedience through faith (vs. 5-6). Through our faith we belong to Jesus Christ. Paul reminds the believers in Rome that they are loved and called to be saints, meaning we are called to holiness, and that comes only through the grace of God, and then we can experience the peace of God, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians - Chapters 8-13 – Their Offering and Paul’s Boasting

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Chapters 8-9 Paul deals with the offering which the Corinthian church had started (1 Corinthians 16:1-4), and now he plans on coming to receive it and their delegates would take it to Jerusalem. Paul reminds the people they are not to give due to guilt or pressure, but however they felt the Lord leading them, plus he added, "for God loves a cheerful giver" (vs. 7). He also reminded them in 8:9, "For you know the grace our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty mighty become rich." In other words he reminded them of the offering of Jesus, which when we ponder that, we desire to give back to the Lord. Chapters 10-12, Paul defends his calling, and unlike others who boast about their successful ministries, Paul boasts about his sufferings and weakness because that shows the strength of Jesus Christ (12:9-10). In the last chapter, Paul warns the church to "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" Paul was coming to them on his third visit, and he would deal with issues if necessary, but his hope was he would not need to "tear them down," but he wanted to "build them up" (13:10). Paul's final greeting included the three parts of the Trinity, "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

2 Corinthians - Chapters 1-7 - The God of Comfort

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Apostle Paul had had a painful visit with the church at Corinth, plus then he sent a sorrowful letter to them, and he was anxious to hear from Titus who took the letter, how the Church at Corinth was doing. Once Titus came, and Paul heard that the church had repented and how they cared about Paul, his heart was encouraged. This is why the beginning of the letter stressed that God is the source of all comfort, and the reason for our sufferings is so we can bring comfort to others. He received news that one of the church members had repented from his sin, and so Paul sent word to forgive and bring comfort and love to him. Then Paul compared the way of the law with the way of the Spirit. The law came with glory, but the Spirit comes with "ever-increasing glory!" Paul shared our bodies are our home here, but someday we will live in our heavenly home. "We live by faith, not by sight" (5:7). Since we have the Spirit within us, and with the view of our heavenly home, they fear the Lord because we all will give an account of our lives to God. This fear compels them to encourage people to "Be reconciled to God" (5:20b). Since the Spirit has nothing in common with the flesh, so a believer has nothing in common with an unbeliever, therefore, they should not marry. Instead (7:1) believers should purify themselves from things that contaminate, and seek holiness. This section ended with Paul rejoicing over the church and their concern for him. This made Paul's joy increase, "greater than ever" (7:7).

1 Corinthians - Chapters 15-16 - The Climax

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The climax of this letter, and the climax of the Christian faith, is that Jesus Christ died for our sins. He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (vs. 3-8). Plus, at the time of Paul's letter, some of the eyewitnesses of Jesus' resurrection were still alive. Some people said there was no resurrection, and Paul said in verse 19, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men," and in verse 32b, "If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." The church had accepted this truth of the gospel when Paul was there, and he encouraged them to stay in the faith. Paul continued to explain the order of the resurrection was Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Jesus, and then the end will come when Jesus conquers death, the last great enemy, and He hands the kingdom to God the Father. Paul takes a few moments to explain how our bodies, which the Lord made, will be changed: the perishable will be imperishable, and the mortal will become immortal - Thanks be to God! Paul said in verse 58, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." Chapter 16 deals with "housekeeping" issues: collecting an offering, Paul's agenda, their care for Timothy when he comes, and the possible visit of Apollos. The church where Paul is, sends greeting, as do Aquila and Pricilla. Paul ends with the grace of the Lord Jesus and his love to all who are in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1-14 - The Church That Was A Mess

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Apostle Paul received news from members from Chloe's household of issues that were happening at the church in Corinth. The church had also sent him a letter with questions, so Paul wrote this letter to address these issues. The church was divided over who was their leader, Paul, Apollos, Peter/Cephas, and some boasted that they follow Christ. One of the church members was having sex with his stepmother. The believers were filing law suits among one another. When they partook of the Lord's Supper, the rich would eat and get drunk while the poor in the church were hungry. Some members knew they were free in Christ to eat anything, even food that may have been sacrificed to idols, yet that was causing others to sin. Their worship services were also in disarray largely due to speaking in tongues, so Paul set up guidelines on orderly worship. He also spoke of the various gifts of the spirit, but the most excellent way is love. Paul talked of his apostleship, but also reminded his reader that all believers in Jesus are servants of the Lord. There is no room for pride in a believer's life because it was God who provided everything, not our own doings, therefore, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!"

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Apostle Paul started the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey. We know from 1 Corinthians 5:9 that Paul wrote another letter to the church which we have no record of. In 1 Cor. 16:8 & 19, we learn that Paul is in Ephesus when he wrote this letter, so it is believed he was on his third missionary journey at Ephesus around AD 53, 54, or 55. In verses 1-9 we have Paul's greeting and thanks to the church. In these 9 verses he mentions God five times, and a form of Jesus Christ ten times, so he's making a point that God is the center for everything we have and are. Paul also reminded the church of God that met at Corinth that they are not the only believers in Jesus, but there are people "everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - their Lord and ours." The terminology for that is the "Universal Church." Paul reminds the church that they are sanctified or set apart, and they are called to be holy. He also reminded them that the day of the Lord Jesus was going to be revealed, and it is God who has called, equipped them with all they need, and it is God who will keep them strong to the end until that day they stand blameless before the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father has called believers into fellowship with Jesus Christ, so we are never alone, and God the Father is faithful. He will do this!

Women in the Gospel of Mark

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Gospel of Mark is the only gospel who called Jesus, the Son of Mary (6:3), plus mark included sisters in his "family of God" in 3:21. Mark compares the poor widow who gave only two small copper coins, yet gave all she had, to the rich who gave out of their wealth (12:41-44). In 14:8-9, the woman who anointed Jesus for burial was criticized by the disciples, but Jesus praised her and said, "Wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her." When the male disciples all fled when Jesus was crucified, the women were watching from a distance (15:40-41), and a few watched where he was buried (15:47). Then in chapter 16 it was the women who went to the tomb, and if Mark ends with 16:8, where the oldest manuscripts stop, it ends with a cliff hanger, "They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." Thankfully we know from the other gospels that the women did go and tell the men, and at first they did not believe. The main focus on today's lesson was the Syrophoenician woman, whose daughter had an evil spirit. She humbled herself before Jesus and bowed before Him. She asked for healing of her daughter, and when Jesus gave her a test, but saying, "First let the children eat all they want,' for he told her, 'For it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.'" She did not rebuke Jesus, like Peter had done, she did not turn away sad or angry, like the rich young ruler, she said, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" (Dr. Abraham's translation.) Kuruvilla said "Outside of Scripture citations and Jesus' words, this is the only time a human addresses Jesus as 'Lord' in the entire Gospel of Mark" (p. 151). Jesus told her she was healed, and to go on home, and she went and found it as Jesus had said. Jesus said it, and she believed it. Dr. Kuruvilla called her, "a model disciple" (p. 152). Mark understood and showed us that it was not because of gender, or financial status, or ethnicity, but faith in Jesus, that makes one a part of His family, the Family of God.

A "Sandwich" Found in the Gospel of Mark 6:7-32

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Mark begins this section with Jesus sending out His disciples two by two. He gave them authority over evil spirits. They preached repentance, and healed many. Before we hear about their report on their mission, we have the story, or the meat of the "sandwich" which told the story of John the Baptist being beheaded. Once that story is finished, Mark finished up the story of the twelve apostles, also known as "sent out ones," and their report to Jesus of all they did and taught. Since there were so many people around, Jesus said, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." I want to share a thank you to Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla and his commentary on Mark which showed me the "sandwiches" in Mark. His insight into the story of John the Baptist's death, foreshadowed Jesus' death, and it gives a picture of what the disciples will have to face as they follow Jesus. The story ends though not at death, but being in the presence of Jesus in a quiet place with rest.

The Gospel of Mark and "The Way"

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Mark starts with quotes from the OT (Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3), about the messenger who prepares "the Way" for the Lord, and he points out throughout the book, that there are people who go their way, but He invites people to follow His way. The problem is His way leads through suffering, but after that comes glory. Some people like Blind Bartimaeus, who once sat on the side of the roadWAY, after Jesus called him to Himself, followed Jesus ON the Way. 10:32 says, "And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve and began to tell them what things were going to happen unto Him." All that Jesus said would happen, came true. He was killed on a Roman cross and buried. The women came to the tomb to anoint His body, but instead they found an angel who told them that Jesus had gone before them to Galilee, the place it all started for them, and they will see Him there. Jesus has gone before them, but Mark leaves us with a cliff hanger. Will the disciples go and follow Jesus on His Way? Will We?

The Gospel of Mark on Discipleship

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Mark starts, not with the genealogy of Jesus like Matthew did, and he did not start with the birth of Jesus, like Luke did, but instead he started with a disciple of the Lord, John the Baptist, a faithful servant who in chapter one was arrested, and in chapter 6 was put to death. Jesus then called his 12 disciples, and many are said they "immediately," left it all and followed Jesus. Mark does not paint these men as perfect. On the contrary he paints them as men with little faith that had a hard time understanding the ways and words of the Lord Jesus. Yet we get a glimmer of hope of how they went out and shared the gospel, and could even heal people and rebuke demons. Sometimes they obeyed, but as Jesus' death and resurrection approached, Jesus said that true discipleship involves, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it" (8:34-35). The disciples did not understand God's ways, and they kept asking "Whose the greatest?" or "Who will sit at the right and left of Jesus in His glory?" Jesus showed them examples of a poor widow who gave everything, and a woman who poured her most precious possession of sweet perfume on Jesus' head to prepare Him for burial. The plus is, Jesus never gave up on them, and as Joanna Dewey wrote in her book, "Women in the Gospel of Mark," "The very fact that Mark's story is being told suggests that Mark views failure as part of continuing discipleship."

Who is Jesus in the Gospel of Mark?

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this lesson, we look at the various roles of Jesus found in the gospel of Mark. The book begins and Mark calls Jesus the Son of God, and the book ends with the Centurion who saw how Jesus died, and he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God." In the middle God the Father says, "You are my Son, whom I love" both at Jesus' baptism and on the Mt. of Transfiguration, and when the demons encountered Jesus, "They fell down before Him and cried out, 'You are the Son of God' (3:11-12 & 5:7). When Jesus was on trial, the high priest asked Jesus, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus said, "I am!" Seven times Jesus is declared the Son of God in Mark, but the title that rings out the most is "Jesus the Son of Man," and this was the phrase that Jesus used about Himself, and it was used fourteen times in Mark. Blind Bartimaeus called Jesus the "Son of David" twice in 10:47-48, and Jesus used the phrase when speaking to the religious leaders as to why they say that Christ is the "Son of David, since David, "Speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared, 'The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.' David himself calls Him, 'Lord.' How then can He be his Son?" Lastly, the phrase that is only used in Mark is "The Son of Mary," which is found in 6:3. It reads, "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren't His sisters here with us? And they took offense at Him." Mark also does not say the son of the carpenter, but he actually calls Jesus the carpenter. Leaving out Joseph, Jesus' step-dad, it reaffirms to his readers that Jesus was the Son of God, not born of a man, but born of a woman, which made him also the Son of God, and he was a descendant of David, which made him the Son of David, the One from whom will come the eternal kingdom. Jesus was all of these, which as Mark said in the beginning of the book, "The beginning of the gospel - or the good news - about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." It is through Him that we can become a part of the family of God too!

Galatians - Chapters 5-6

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these last two chapters of Galatians, Paul shared that since we are saved by faith in Jesus alone, and that is what justifies us before God, not our works, we are to live in freedom, not be in bondage again to the sinful nature. Circumcision, or other works of the law, do not make us right before God. Verse 6b, "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Believers in Christ are not to indulge in the sinful nature, but instead are to serve others in love. Living in Christ means to live in His Spirit, and the fruit of that Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." We are to live and walk in the step with the Spirit. Believers are to watch over one another, and do good to all people, "especially those who belong to the family of believers." He ends reminding them that people of faith in Jesus, no matter their backgrounds, are a part of the family of God, "The Israel of God" (6:16).

Galatians - Chapter 4

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The apostle Paul starts off chapter 4 with an example of a child who is an heir, but unable to receive any money until he becomes the age which the father sets. A guardian or trustee watches over the child until that time comes. Then Paul says in verse 4, "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons." Now that Jesus came, there is no need for the trustee/guardian/law. As believers in Jesus Christ, we become a part of the family of God with full rights, and not only are we His child, we are also an heir. Paul then asked the church in Galatia who had added works to their faith, "Do you wish to be enslaved all over again" (vs. 9)? Paul feared he wasted his efforts. He reminded them of their first joyous encounter with Paul, and he wished he could be there now instead of writing this harsh letter to them. The chapter ends with an allegory about Hagar and Sarah, whose story is found in Genesis 12 with the first call of Abram, Genesis 15 with the second call of Abram, Genesis 16 when Sarai gives Abram her servant, Hagar who has a son, Genesis 18 with the promise that Sarai will have a child even in her old age, "For nothing is too hard for the Lord (vs. 14), and the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21, who was born, "at the very time God had promised him" (vs. 2). Hagar is like the covenant of the law and the earthly city of Jerusalem, and Sarai like the covenant of the promise and the heavenly Jerusalem. Non-believers in Jesus, and those who trust the laws and rules for salvation, are born of the slave woman, and those who believe in Jesus and live by faith are born of the free woman, the woman of promise, and are a part of the heavenly Jerusalem as children of the King and heirs to the promise!

Galatians - Chapter 3

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 3, Paul draws from the Old Testament to show that faith came first through Abraham before the law came with Moses, which shows that faith supersedes the law. Paul then says that all who have faith are blessed like Abraham. He also explained the problem with the law was that it cannot produce righteousness, because all humanity has sinned, and we cannot fulfill ALL of the law. Verse 13 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" Jesus took our curse when He died on the cross, so that we can be blessed like Abraham. The question then was asked, "So what is the purpose of the law?" Verse 19 says it was added because of our transgressions, and verse 24 says it leads us to Christ. Verse 21 Paul tells us that the law cannot impart life, and I pointed out that in John 11:25-26, Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life!" This chapter ends by saying that all who have faith in Christ, no matter who they are, or where they come from, belong to Christ, from Abraham's seed, and heirs of the promise of God. This also alludes to the truth, that all who do not have faith in Jesus Christ, no matter who they are or where they came from, are not the children of God. Faith is the key!

Galatians - Chapter 2

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapter two of Galatians continues Paul's story of his calling and ministry, and now it is fourteen years later, and Paul, Barnabas, and Titus, spoke to the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. The topic was do Gentiles need to become Jews in order to become Christian? No, they do not, because we are saved by faith not by the law. Paul and Barnabas were given the right hand of fellowship and reminded to remember the poor, which was already a priority to them. The second half of the chapter covers a visit from Peter to Antioch, which had become the Gentile Christian church's headquarters. When Peter was there by himself, he fellowshipped with the Gentile believers, but once some Jews from Jerusalem came, he withdrew from the Gentiles. This even led Barnabas to do the same. Paul rebuked Peter in front of everyone, because his hypocrisy was in front of everyone. He reminded them that they too were sinners, and it is impossible to be justified by observing the law, and we need faith in Jesus and to live by grace. Then Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing" (vs. 20-21).

Galatians - Chapter 1

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We learn in the first chapter of Galatians, that Paul the apostle was not called by humans, but by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They only deserve the glory. We also find that Paul is not happy with the churches in the region of Galatia, because someone has come and distorted the gospel, the good news of Jesus, (and we learn later it was by adding circumcision to their faith), and Paul says that people who led them astray should be eternally condemned! It seems they spread lies about Paul because he defended his calling, and defended his travels, and said in verse 20, "I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie." He shared that he once advanced in Judaism, and succeeded those his own age, even to the point of persecuting the church and even trying to destroy it, and then verse 15-16a, "But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him among the Gentiles..." This chapter ends that those who heard, "'The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.' And they praised God because of me!"

2 Thessalonians - Chapters 2-3

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0500

We find in these chapters the reason for Paul's second letter to the church at Thessalonica, and that was they received word that the Lord Jesus had come back and they missed it. Paul encouraged them to remember what he had told them while there, plus to trust the letters that he sent. He explained the things that must take place before Christ comes again, and then he encouraged the church to stay faithful and stand firm in their faith. He then addressed some concerns with some of the church who were idle. They had stopped working and were dependent on other people to take care of them, and Paul said that should not be, and he even gave an example of how Paul and his associates worked when they were there among them. He told the church they were not to be busybodies, but work hard and do what was right. We also find the first description of church discipline with the hopes or reconciliation. Paul's ending to his letter says (3:16), "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all." The last verse says, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all." We see the desire of the apostle Paul for ALL believers to live in Christ's peace.

2 Thessalonians - Chapter 1

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This is Paul's second letter to the church at Thessalonica, which was probably a few months after his first letter. Paul started the church there, but then he had to leave due to persecution, so his first letter was sent with Timothy to make sure that the church was still growing. In this second letter, Paul is thankful that they are still growing in love for each other and their faithfulness to the Lord even in the midst of persecutions and trials. He reminds them that their suffering is making them "worthy of the kingdom of God." He also tells them that someday, God who is just, will deal with the persecutors, and "for those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord, it will be a day of wrath and fire." Then Paul tells the church that since they believe in the Lord Jesus, they will be glorified and marvel at what Christ has done. Chapter one ends, "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Thessalonians - Chapters 4-5

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

With these last two chapters of Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica, he gave instructions on how to live in Christ. Believers are to live in such a way as to please God (4:1) and to love others (4:10), and both of these we are to do "more and more!" Paul also addressed sexual immorality, loving believers, living in such a way as to not be a busy body but that we would draw respect from outsiders, and to not be dependent upon anyone else. Other things in chapter five that Paul said believers should do are, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil" (5:16-22). What once was in the OT a call to holiness for the Jews, now applies to all believers in Jesus. 5:24, "The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it!" One of the main points of the letter addressed concerns about the Lord's coming again, and what about the saints who have died already? He comforted the people and said, "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."

1 Thessalonians - Chapters 1-3

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Paul wrote this letter on his second missionary journey. He had to leave Thessalonica because Jews had caused a riot, so Paul and Silas left at night and left to Berea, but the Jews in Thessalonica followed them there, so Paul sailed on to Athens and then Corinth, and Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea (Acts 17:14). Paul kept hoping to go back to the new church there, but "Satan stopped us" (2:18). They sent Timothy there to check up on them and to see if their faith was still strong, and when Timothy arrived back, he gave great news that the church was faithful. Paul was encouraged that the church in Thessalonica thought fondly of them, and they continued to live in the example of Paul and his friends and the Lord Jesus. Paul professed that their time and ministry there was not a failure, and he challenged them, "to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory" (2:11-12). He ended this section with a prayer to the people, that the Lord would allow them to come and visit. Then he said, "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you."

James

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The letter of James is an exhortation to encourage his readers to stay faithful, and this type of writing is called a Paraenesis. They have 5 characteristics,
1) commands or imperatives, 2) the use of moral examples, 3) a close relationship between the author and recipients, 4) the use of traditional materials, and 5) that it can be applied to everyday life. James has all five in his letter. The main points of James were to define true religion, true faith, and show how faith works. He pointed out the dangers of the tongue, what is true wisdom, a need to submit to God and resist the devil. We also are to beware of riches, be faithful through sufferings, and pray. Lastly, we are to wait patiently for the Lord Jesus Christ's coming which is near.

2 Chronicles - Chapters 10-36

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0500

These chapters cover the kings of Judah during the divided kingdom. After Solomon died, his son Rehoboam told his people he would be harder on them than Solomon so the people rebelled, and the ten northern tribes broke away from the southern two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Rehoboam tried to get them back by force, but the Lord told him to not fight against his brothers, because the Lord said it was His doings. Some of the kings did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and others did not. One of the main issues was their unfaithfulness to the Lord with regards to bringing idols into the land. Some even desecrated the temple of the Lord. Some kings, like Asa, Joash, and Hezekiah brought revival to the land, restored the temple, the festivals, the reading of the Word, and humbled themselves before the Lord, but even those kings were not perfect. The last few kings did evil in the Lord's eyes, and 36:15-16 say, "The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God's messengers, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy." Nebuchadnezzar came and tool exiles, tore down the walls and burned the temple. The reign of Babylon was 70 years, and then 2 Chronicles ends with Cyrus king of Persia who announced, "The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build a temple for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of His people among you - may the Lord His God be with him, and let him go up." In 1 Chronicles 3:17 we learn that Zerubbabel, the grandson of King Jehoiachin, was one to come back, and the Lord was still faithful to His covenant with king David and to His people.

2 Chronicles - Chapters 1-9 with Psalm 127

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These chapters cover the reign of king Solomon, the son of David. The Chronicler wrote to encourage his readers that God was in the midst of their history, and therefore would be in their future as well. Solomon's kingdom was the greatest in Jewish history, yet king David was the greatest king in their Jewish history because of his faithfulness to the Lord. The writer reminds his readers of the Lord's covenant with his people, and that through the line of king David, there would come an everlasting kingdom. Solomon asked Hiram king of Tyre for cedar logs for the building, and even Hiram praised the God of Israel. Solomon then completed and furnished the temple, and the priests carried in the ark, as the Lord commanded, with the musicians accompanying the process. Solomon blessed the people and then prayed a prayer of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord. In his prayer he also mentioned the blessings that come with obeying the Lord, and the curses that come with disobedience. The Lord's glory then filled the temple, and all the people praised the Lord, "His love endures forever!" Once Solomon's kingdom was at its height, the Queen of Sheba came, and she also praised his God. This section ends with the death of king Solomon and his son, Rehoboam succeeded him. Psalm 127 was also read because this is a Psalm of Ascent that Solomon wrote, which was a song the Jews sang as they walked their journey up to Jerusalem to meet the Lord during festival times.

1 Chronicles - Chapters 17-29

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Now that king David is established in Judah and Jerusalem, he has a desire to build the Lord a house, but the Lord tells him he cannot because David shed blood in battle, but his son Solomon will build it, and his kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom. David was amazed at the Lord's words to him. Chapters 18-20 tell of David's victories in taking land and fighting the enemies, but then in chapter 21, David falls into sin by demanding a census of the people. His commander Joab warned him, but David would not listen. This brought about God's punishment, and David could choose between: three years of famine, three months of their enemies overtaking David, or three days of the sword of the Lord when He would bring a plague upon the land. David chose the latter because he trusted in God's mercy. He did not want his fate to be placed in the hands of man. The plague ended on the threshing floor of Araunah, and David was to make an altar and sacrifice to the Lord. Even though Araunah was willing to give king David the land, David said, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing." David made the sacrifice and fire came on it from heaven, and the death angel left. David then declared that this would be the place that the new temple would stand. Before David died, he made extensive plans on how to build the temple. He made plans for the service of the Levites, Priests, Singers, Gatekeepers, Treasurers, Officials, Army divisions, Officers of the tribes, and the King's Overseers. David had even accumulated much for the building of the temple. He placed Solomon as king, and he was anointed, as well as Zadok as priest. David lived a long life, and the book of First Chronicles ends with his death, and the hope that his son, Solomon will reign during a time of peace, and of the temple of the Lord.

1 Chronicles - Chapters 10-16 with Psalm 84

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

After the genealogies in chapters 1-9, the Chronicler starts with the death of King Saul, and in verse 13 he explains it was because of Saul's unfaithfulness to the Lord. In chapter 11, David becomes king of all Israel, as the Lord had promised through Solomon (11:3). David conquers Jerusalem, the city of David, and many mighty men join David. Chapter 12:22 says, "Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God." David then tries to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem, but he did not follow the directions of God on how to do it, so they put it on a cart, and Uzzah put out his hand to keep it from falling over, and the Lord struck him down because he touched the ark of God (13:10). This made David angry and fearful, so he kept the ark with Obed-Edom. David's family and kingdom grew and he was "highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel (14:2). He conquered the Philistines and other nations feared him. David did his homework and learned how to Lord said to carry the ark, and he appointed the Levites to carry the ark, to purify themselves, and to include music before the Lord. Chapter 16 is even a song which David wrote and gave to Asaph and his associates. The ark was brought into the tent David made for it in Jerusalem. The people celebrated, and 16:43 reads, "Then all the people left, each for his own home, and David returned home to bless his family."

1 Chronicles - Chapters 1-9 with Psalm 42

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The book of First Chronicles was written to encourage the Israelites to have hope, even though life is not the same back from exile, their God is still faithful to His covenant. The covenant with Abraham said his descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky, and so reading these first nine chapters with the majority of them being his descendants helps the reader to have hope that God will keep His word. This list of names focus on David because God's promise is also through him, and how his kingdom will be forever, and Matthew chapter one shows us that is possible with Jesus the son of David, Son of God. Another focus in these chapters is the Levites who lead in the worship of the Lord. This list ends with the Genealogy of Saul who was the first king of Israel, and this leads into the next section of the book, the United Kingdom. Psalm 42 was written for the director of music, A maskil of the Sons of Korah, a family in the line of the Levites, and it was written for the same reason of First Chronicles, to encourage the Jews to place their hope in God!

Malachi the Messenger

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The name Malachi means messenger, and he shared about the messenger we know as John the Baptist, and of the One who will come who has nothing false found on His lips, Jesus. This small book deals with six issues between the Lord and His people. Since they were not a free nation and under Persian rule, and with conflict with neighbors, as well as other difficult times, they did not believe that God loved them, but He reaffirmed He did because He had chosen them to be in covenant with Him. The second issue was they, and especially the priests, had brought offerings to the Lord, that they would never dream of giving to their governor. They did not bring their best to the Lord, but their worst. With number three, the people had broken their marriage covenants by divorce, or by marrying people from other faiths, and the Lord said that he was a witness to what they have done. Then the people were called out on their complaining against the Lord. They said He was not just, and He blessed everyone else, but not them. To this the Lord reminded them there was a day coming when His justice will be present, and "who can stand?" The Lord was calling His people back to the Lord in the fifth issue, and the way to do that would be to bring their tithes and offerings to the Lord instead of robbing Him of what belonged to Him. This may be the only time in Scripture where the Lord says, "Test me on this, and just see how much I will bless you." The last issue again had to do with the Israelites' mouths. They said it was a waste of time to follow the Lord and His ways. They did not gain anything by being faithful unto the Lord, and to this the Lord tells them of a scroll of remembrance, and He knows who are faithful and who are not, and those who are faithful to Him will be spared. It will be clear who are the righteous and the wicked, those who served the Lord and those who did not. Malachi ends with a call to remember Moses, the Law, and to watch out for the prophet Elijah who will come before that great and dreadful day of the Lord. Since we have the NT, Jesus said that John the Baptist was that Elijah who paved the way for Him to come (Matt. 11:14).

Nehemiah - Chapters 9-13

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Israelites assemble again, and this time they repent of their sin, and the Levites remind them of their history with the Lord God of Creation, who called Abraham, led them to and from Egypt, gave them the Law of God through Moses, but then the focus shifted to the sinfulness of their ancestors, yet the Lord was faithful. They then acknowledge their disobedience which led them to a binding agreement that they will walk with the Lord. Parts of that agreement was they would not intermarry with people of other faiths, they would keep the Sabbath, and they would not neglect the house of their God. Now that the walls of Jerusalem were complete, the city was rather empty, so 1/10th of the people came to live in the city. There was a dedication of the wall of Jerusalem that was filled with music. There were two choirs led by Jezrahiah, and there was so much rejoicing that it could be heard far away. The last chapter of Nehemiah explained of a time he had gone back to King Artaxerxes, and while away from Jerusalem, issues arose. People had stopped bringing in their tithes and offerings, so the musicians and Levites left the temple and had to go home to their land in order to live. Nehemiah brought them back, and the people brought their gifts to the temple, and there were trusted men put in place to ensure that would not happen again. The priest Eliashib allowed a non-Jew, Tobiah, to take one of the store rooms in the temple. Nehemiah kicked him out. Also other Jews had intermarried with non-Jewish people, and their children did not even know the language of Judah, plus another priest, had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, another of Israel's enemies, and he was removed from the priesthood. The people were not resting on the Sabbath, plus merchants would come from other areas to do business on the Sabbath, so Nehemiah had the gates closed on the Sabbath, and the Levites were told to purify themselves and keep the Sabbath. Throughout this section Nehemiah would send up short prayers asking the Lord to remember him for his faithful service unto the Lord.

Nehemiah - Chapters 3-8

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Now that Nehemiah is in Jerusalem, he has organized the people to build the walls. One thing he did was place people in the section of the wall which was located by their homes, which gave them personal investment in building it. The Jewish enemies still tried to stop them from building, but Nehemiah continued in prayer and in leading the people, and they built the wall up to half its height! More people joined the opposition, but Nehemiah found out about it, and half the people built, and the other half were ready to fight. Even when they were building, they kept weapons on them so they were ready to fight if necessary. Chapter 5 covers conflict within the walls, because the rich Jews had taken advantage of the Jews in poor circumstances instead of helping them. Nehemiah addressed this issue as well, and ordered the rich give back all the fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and they were no longer to charge interest to their fellow Jews. They agreed. We also learned that Nehemiah shared his wages as the governor with his fellow Jews. There was more opposition from outside of the city, but Nehemiah did not waver. They even paid off some Jewish prophets to try and intimidate Nehemiah, but that did not work either. One thing we see in this passage, is that Nehemiah prayed to his God over every situation. The wall was completed, after just 52 days, and 6:16 says, "When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." Nehemiah positioned people in positions of gatekeeper, Levites and singers, and guards for the city. A registration of the families took place, and then an assembly. Ezra the priest read from the Law and the Levites explained it to the people. It became a day of celebration. The next day they read about the Feast of Booths, the celebration of the Lord's deliverance of the Jews from Egypt and through the wanderings in the wilderness, so they celebrated that for a whole week.

Nehemiah - Chapters 1-2

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Nehemiah, who was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia, received word that the exiles in Jerusalem and Judah were "in great trouble and disgrace," which caused Nehemiah to mourn, fast, and pray. The majority of chapter 1 is Nehemiah's prayer on the day that he was going to address the king with his request. His prayer was full of Scripture especially from the book of Deuteronomy, and he asked the Lord to remember His people and His steadfast covenantal love. Nehemiah repented of his sin, his father's sin, and the sins of his people. He also praised the Lord, God of heaven for his greatness and acts of strength and might. In chapter 2 verse 1 we find that Nehemiah prayed for around 4 months before he addressed the king, and the king could see that he was troubled, and he asked Nehemiah what was wrong, and then what was his request. Since the Persians held high esteem for their ancestors, Nehemiah address the king, not by saying Jerusalem, but by saying it was the city where his fathers were buried, and he asked to rebuild it. He then asked for papers to show he was sent by the king, and papers to receive wood from the keeper of the king's forest. The king granted his request, and off he went. When he arrived in Jerusalem, he waited for three days, then scoped out the wall situation at night before talking with the people. He then told them why he came, and how the Lord had provided, and the people immediately said, "Let's rebuild!" They started the work, and the opposition from outside of Jerusalem tried to stop them, but Nehemiah held his ground and said, "The God of heaven will give us success!"

Nehemiah - Introduction

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In the Hebrew Bible, Ezra and Nehemiah are included as one book which are included in the section called writings. Ezra focused on the returned exiles rebuilding and finishing the temple, and now Nehemiah focuses on the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Throughout the time of the exile's return, they suffered persecution from those living in the surrounding areas. Ezra's group of exiles was the second group to return around 457 BC during the reign of Artaxerxes I, King of Persia. Nehemiah's brother and friends came from Jerusalem to visit Nehemiah who was in the citadel of Susa, and gave him the report that the exiled Jews were not doing well. They were in "great trouble and disgrace," because the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates were burned with fire. Some commentators think this is in reference to the persecution that was addressed in Ezra chapter 4:7-23. The "men of Trans-Euphrates," had sent a letter to King Artaxerxes telling them this group of rebellious people were building the wall and once it is done, they will rebel against the king and stop paying the money that is due him. They asked him to look at their history, and when the king checked them out, he did find a long history of rebellion against the kings, so he ordered these men to stop the work, "until I so order." These men were also issued to not neglect this matter, so they, "compelled them by force to stop" (Ezra 4:23b). When Nehemiah received this news, he sat down, wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, for days. What did he do next?

Ezra - Chapters 7-10

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Artaxerxes is now king of Persia, and he allowed Ezra and a second group of exiles to go home to Jerusalem. The king even provided financially for them to go. Ezra was a descendant of Aaron, the first high priest, and 7:10 says, "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." The trip took about four months, and the Lord protected them from harm all the way. Once they got settled, the issue arose that the Jews had intermarried with neighboring nations and religions, and this brought great concern because that was one of the reasons that the Jew's hearts had turned from the Lord in the first place which caused the exile. They prayed about it, sought the Lord, and then each family met with the elders and judges to decide what to do. Their goal was to be pleasing and holy unto the Lord.

Esther - Chapters 3-10

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Esther has been queen to King Xerxes of Persia for about five years (2:16 & 3:7). The man Haman has been elevated above all the other nobles by king Xerxes, and people were to bow down to him at the king's request, but Mordecai would not do so, which infuriated Haman. He decided that he did not just want to get Mordecai, but all of Mordecai's people, so he and his men threw lots, which was called Pur, and it was decided the day they would annihilate the Jews would be on the 12th month, Adar. Haman addressed the king and told him there was a certain people group who did not obey the king's laws, and he asked for permission to wipe them out. The king agreed. When Mordecai heard, he mourned, wept and fasted. Once word got to Esther, Mordecai asked her to go to the king and request him to spare her life and the lives of her people. She was fearful, because he had not asked for her in a while, and if someone appears before the king without being asked, she could be killed. Mordecai said, "For if you remain silent at the time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another pl ace, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" The Jews fasted for three days, and then the queen approached the king with favor! She requested the king and Haman come to a banquet for them. When Haman left the king and queen's presence, he was thrilled, but when he saw Mordecai, he became furious. Chapter 6:1 is the transitional verse which says the king could not sleep and the annals were read to him. He remembered that Mordecai had saved his life, but was never thanked. Meanwhile Haman built gallows for Mordecai, and was going to ask the king if he could kill Mordecai in the morning. Before Haman could ask about killing Mordecai, the king asked how should he honor someone. Haman shared his thoughts, and then found out that he had to carry them out for Mordecai instead of himself. He realized the tables were beginning to turn on him, and even his family and friends told him so. He was escorted to the banquet, and it was revealed that it was Haman who was trying to wipe out the Jews. The king killed Haman, elevated Mordecai, and wrote a new edict so the Jews could fight against the enemy that would attack them. The Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates this victory of the Jews.

Esther - Chapters 1-2

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The story of Esther is during the time that the exiles were allowed to go home to Judah, but not all went. Those who went back, finally finished the temple, under the edict and financial support of Darius I, king of Persia. Darius, who brought the Persian empire to it's peak, has now died, and his son Xerxes, also known as Ahasuerus, is in his third year, and he is celebrating. When he was, "in high spirits from wine," he sent his eunuchs to get Queen Vashti, who was giving a banquet for the women of the court, to come wearing her royal crown in order to display her beauty to everyone. The Bible does not say why she declined, but this angered the king, and when he sought council, all the men said he needed to declare that Vashti will never see the king's face again, she is removed as queen, and he will find a new queen. That was what the king did. Chapter 2 starts, "Later when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her." His personal assistants encouraged him to find a new queen, and a decree went forth to all the beautiful virgins of the land. A Hebrew girl, Hadassah, whose other name was Esther went to the citadel with the other women. Mordecai, her cousin, who raised her because her parents had both died, told her to not reveal that she was a Jew, and he checked in on her every day. Esther followed the wisdom of Mordecai, and after the year of beautification, she listened to Hegai, who was in charge of the Harem, and took in only the things he suggested. The king was so pleased with Esther that he made her queen in place of Vashti. Chapter two ends with Mordecai sharing news to queen Esther about a plot to assassinate the king, who then shared the news with the king, and then once it was found out to be true, those men were killed. This was recorded in the king's annals in the presence of the king.

Ezra - Chapters 5-6

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapter 4 of Ezra ends with the work on the house of God came to a standstill due to persecution and harassment from neighbors. Chapter 5 begins telling us that through the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, they spurred the leadership, Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest, and the people to start rebuilding the temple, and the prophets helped them. The foundations were built during the reign of Cyrus king of Persia, but now it was Darius who was king of Persia, so the new leadership under Darius asked the Jews who gave them authority to build, and who was doing the building? The Jews shared it was an edict from King Cyrus, so the Persian leadership sent notice to Darius to see if there was record of that decree, and to see what king Darius wanted to do. They found the decree in the citadel of Ecbatana, and Darius told them that not only can they rebuild, but the funds can come out of the royal treasury. Darius also provided "whatever they needed," like animals, wheat, salt, wine and oil for sacrifice. The Jews were then to pray for the wellness of the king and his sons (6:10). The Jews kept working hard, and in the sixth year of King Darius the temple was completed! The Jews rejoiced and celebrated by sacrificing offerings unto the Lord. They made sure they gave an offering for each of the 12 tribes of Israel. They made sure the Levites and priests were installed correctly in their jobs, and then they celebrated the Passover and then for seven days they celebrated the feast of Unleavened Bread, and they were thankful unto the Lord for the change of attitude toward the Jews by the leadership.

Zechariah - Chapters 12-14

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These chapters cover Zechariah's second oracle, a word or "burden" from the Lord. It mentions about 17 times the phrase, "On that day," which shows us that much of what this oracle is about is futuristic. Much of it is in reference to the time of Jesus. 12:10 speaks of the "One they have pierced", and we know that Jesus was pierced when he hung on the cross in John 19:33-34 & 37. That same verse mentioned mourning for an only child, and then grieves for a firstborn son. John 3:16 tells us that Jesus was God's only begotten son, and Colossians 1:15 states that Jesus is "the firstborn of all creation," because Jesus died and arose from the dead, those who believe can then become children of God. Zechariah 13:7-9 the Lord God Almighty speaks of striking HIS Shepherd, and then the sheep will be scattered. Jesus said in Matthew 26:31 that all his disciples would scatter when He was arrested in fulfillment to Scripture. Chapter 14:4a says, "On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives," and in Luke 22:39 and John 18:1-2 we know that Jesus's feet were standing on the Mount of Olives. Zechariah 14:9 says, "The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and His name the only name." Paul the Apostle wrote in Philippians 2:9-11, that it is at the name of Jesus that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! The last two verses of Zechariah, 14:20-21, starts, "On that day 'Holy to the Lord,' will be inscribed on the bells of horses, and all the land will be holy, and the last verse says there will be no more traders. These verses have not been completely fulfilled, but one day it will be!

Zechariah - Chapters 9-11

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapters 9-11 of Zechariah is an oracle from the Lord through Zechariah, and He calls judgment upon cities and areas around Judah and Israel. The Lord is now defending His house and His people. There is also a prediction of a new King coming, and He will come, not like anyone expected. He will come riding on a donkey, a coal, the foal of a donkey. This is a prophecy of Palm Sunday in Matthew 21:1-11 and John 12:12-15. We find this King is righteous. He brings salvation, and when He comes there will be rejoicing and shouting. At least for a time. This oracle explained that there will be shepherds who lead the sheep to their own harm, so the Lord will come, get rid of those shepherds, and He will lead them, but the sheep detested the Shepherd (11:8a). This shows how the people rejected Jesus their Messiah. There are other passages in this section that are referenced in the NT, and one of the most popular is found in chapter 11 verse 12, when the people paid the Shepherd, but they only paid him 30 pieces of silver. In the NT, Judas was given 30 pieces of silver in order to betray Jesus. Then when Judas realized he had shed innocent blood, he went to the temple and threw it in the temple, and the religious leaders chose to use it to buy the "potter's" field, since it was "blood money." In Zech. 11:13 it says, "Throw it to the potter - the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter." This oracle ended with a woe to the worthless shepherd who caused harm to the flock. He will also be judged by the Lord.

Zechariah - Chapters 7-8

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 7-8 of Zechariah, since the Jews are now home from exile, they asked the question do we need to continue fasting on months that reminded us of the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem? The 10th months was when Babylon laid siege on Jerusalem. On the 4th month Babylon breached Jerusalem's wall. It was on the 5th month that Jerusalem and the temple were burnt down, and it was the 7th month when Gedaliah the governor of Judah were killed by the Jews. The Lord first asked about why they fasted? He reminded them the reason for the exile was the sinfulness of their fathers who were hard headed and would not listen to the prophets the Lord sent them. He reminded His people what He expected: administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another, do not oppress the widow, fatherless, the alien, or the poor, do not think evil of each other, speak truth to each other, render true and sound judgments in court, do not plot evil against your neighbor, do not love to swear falsely. The Lord told them that Jerusalem will again be booming from the elderly to the children,, and their days of fasting will be days of joy, gladness, and happy festivals. People from other nations will hear that God is in this place, and they will want to come and see, so they are to not be afraid, and they are to be strong, and keep on working.

Zechariah - Chapters 1-6

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Zechariah 1:7-6:15 cover the eight "night visions," and they get that name because 1:8 reads, "During the night I had a vision..." The 1st vision was of a man on a red horse among the myrtle trees and behind him were red, brown, and white horses. They were scouts throughout the land, and their report was the earth was at rest, and then the horsemen asked when will the Lord vindicate Jerusalem? The Lord responded He would return to Jerusalem and His house will be rebuilt. Vision two was of four horns who were the ones who scattered Jerusalem, Judah, and Israel, and the craftsman will throw down those horns. The 3rd vision was a man with a measuring line to measure how long and wide is Jerusalem, but then another messenger came and said it is no use to measure it because there will be so many people from many nations who will be joined with the Lord, and the place will be packed. Plus the Lord will be the firewall around and the Lord will be the glory within it. The 4th vision was about Joshua the High Priest who was in filthy clothes, but he took them off, and his sin was forgiven, and he received clean clothes. Zechariah cried out he needed a turban as well. Vision five was a word of encouragement to the governor, Zerubbabel, and it was "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord Almighty" (4:6). They will finish the building of the temple. The 6th vision was a flying scroll which was a curse over the whole land to anyone who steals or lies. The 7th vision was a woman named "Wickedness," and she was in a basket, and the Lord put the lid on it. Two other women who had "wind in their wings" lifted the basket "between heaven and earth (5:9), and took it to Babylonia until the right time. The last vision was again chariots which were the four spirits of heaven going throughout the whole world, and then Zechariah was to take gold and silver from some men who arrived from Babylon and make a crown and place it, not on the governor Zerubbabel, a descendant of king David, but on the High Priest, Joshua. There was a combining of the kingly and the priestly office. C. Hassell Bullock pointed out this combined, "in the Messianic person called the Branch."

Zechariah - Introduction

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In Ezra 5:1, we learn that Haggai and Zechariah were both prophets at the same time to the exiles who returned to Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild the temple. They had started the task with building the altar and the temple's foundation, but due to persecution, they had stopped building. It was through Haggai and Zechariah that they encouraged the leadership and the people to start building again because the Lord was with them. The prophets even helped with the building project. In Zechariah 1:1-6, Zechariah reminded the people that the Lord Almighty was angry with their fathers because of their disobedience and refusal to turn back to the Lord, and the Lord's word came true with Assyria, Babylon, and now with the Persians and the Medes. The Lord's words overtook their forefathers, but for those who obeyed and surrendered like king Jehoiachin obeyed the prophecy of Jeremiah, he lived, and now his grandson has come back to Jerusalem and Judah. The Lord keeps his word. This generation repented at Zechariah's words, and they acknowledge the justice of the Lord Almighty.

Haggai - Rebuild the Temple

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Haggai was a prophet during the time the exiles who were taken to Babylon, can now come home under the leadership of Cyrus king of Persia. Cyrus was even willing to support financially the rebuilding of the Temple of the Lord. They came home to Jerusalem, and built the altar and then the foundation of the temple, but due to the people who were living in the land, they discouraged the Jews so much that the building ceased. The Lord raised up Haggai to now speak to the people after 15 years of taking care of their own homes and neglecting the Lord's. This was during the second year of Darius king of Persia. This book of two chapters has four messages. The first found in chapter one was they were to continue to build the temple. The Lord says, "Give careful thoughts to your ways," in 1:5, 1:7, 2:15, and twice in 2:18. The second message is found in 2:1-9, and it is a word of encouragement to "be strong and work!" They could do that in the midst of opposition because the Lord was with them. The Lord also declared that this new "house," will have greater glory than the first. (That is because this is the temple that Jesus will enter.) The third message was toward the priests and it reminded them of clean and unclean. As Dr. Betts said in class, "Three months of right behavior does not rub off fifteen years of sin. There are consequences of their sin, and it will take time to be eliminated." Yet the Lord said to once again, "Give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid. Give careful thought," and that was partly because the Lord would bless them from this point forward. The fourth and final message is found in 2:20-23, and it was a word to Zerubbabel the governor, who was a descendant of king David. The Lord called him "His servant," and He said, "I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the Lord Almighty." Zerubbabel's name is listed in both genealogies of Jesus, Matthew 1:12-13 and Luke 3:27.

Daniel - Chapters 10-12

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Daniel received his last known vision during the third year of the reign of Cyrus King of Persia. He mourned for three weeks and fasted from mean and wine during that time. Daniel was by the Tigris River when he had his encounter, and the heavenly beings came to him because Daniel had set his mind to gain understanding, he had humbled himself before the Lord, and because he was highly esteemed. The vision had to do with what will happened to his people in the future. Many believe the vision had to do with Greece and Alexander the Great, then the Syrian rulers to the north of Judah and the Egyptian rulers to their south. Then the timeline moved to the era of Antiochus Epiphanes who desecrated the temple of the Lord which brought about the revolt of the Jewish Maccabees. There is talk of everlasting life and everlasting contempt, which means the prophecy goes into our future as well. Daniel did not understand it all, but the Lord revealed what he needed to know. The last verse of the book says, "Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand." A few truths that we can see in this prophecy is the Lord knows what is going on, and there are spiritual forces going on in the midst of the earthly events. Difficult times happen even to the faithful, but there is a purpose for the pain, and the Lord will be with us. There is a specified time for these events. If we don't understand it is okay to ask the Lord for understanding, and the people of faith, who believe in the God of Daniel, one day will arise and receive their allotted inheritance.

Ezra - Chapters 1-4a

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The book of Ezra begins in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia who made an edict that the Jews could go back to Jerusalem and rebuild it and the temple. This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah (and Isaiah) that the exile would come to an end in seventy years. Jews came from all over the land, plus, Cyrus requested that they be given gold, silver, goods, livestock, and freewill offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem. The first order of business was to build the altar, and then they gave sacrifices, even though the foundations of the temple had not yet been laid. The people who had lived in the land, offered to help build it, but Zerubbabel, a descendant of king David, said "No, only the Israelites should build it, just as King Cyrus declared." The people of the land were enemies of the Jews, and they tried to discourage with fear tactics as well as hire people to work against the Jews. The young Israelites rejoiced at being home and building the temple, but the older people who had seen the glory of Solomon's temple, who remembered how it used to be, cried.

Daniel - Chapter 6

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Daniel chapter 6 is the story of Daniel in the lions' den. Darius is king in Babylon, and Daniel was such an efficient and honorable man, that the king was thinking of having Daniel be in charge over the whole kingdom. Well, the other administrators did not like that idea, so they looked for ways to discredit him. They found no corruption, nor negligence, nor falsehood in Daniel, so they realized the only way to attack him was with regards to his faith. They approached the king, and asked for an edict that anyone who prayed to any god or man except for the king would be thrown into the lions' den. That sounded good to the king, and so he signed it. The men then went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. When the king realized it, he grieved and tried to rescue him, but his word was his bond. They took Daniel and placed him in the lions' den, and the king said, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" The stone covered the den, and the king sealed it with his ring. That night the king did not sleep, and as soon as daylight came, up he went to the den. He cried out, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions?" YES!!! King Darius got Daniel out, and put the men and their families who planned this in, and they didn't make it to the floor of the den until the lions got them. The king rejoiced and wrote a decree that all people in the land must fear and reverence the God of Daniel, because He was able to deliver him from the lions. Daniel's life and faith showed the king and the people of the land, the power of God in his life, and the Lord blessed Daniel, and he prospered in Babylon.

Daniel - Chapter 9

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this chapter Daniel reads from Scripture, Jeremiah, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years. If we interpret the first year of Darius as the first year of Cyrus, when the Persian's and Medes conquered Babylon, this places the time around 536-537 BC. That means that Daniel had been in Babylon around 67 years, which means their release would be soon. When Daniel understood that, he "turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting and in sackcloth and ashes" (verse 3). His prayer started with praise of who God was, and then he confessed his sin and the sin of his people. It went back and forth between praise and confession. Daniel used the words "we," "our," or "us," around 33 times, and then his prayer ended with a requestion, "O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and Your people bear Your name" (vs. 19). While he was still speaking, he received an answer from Gabriel, which came with a vision. There is much discussion and many views of what and how this vision is fulfilled, but wherever there are words like "everlasting," it seems clear that this is talking about Jesus and His kingdom, because only His kingdom is everlasting. One thing about reading passages like this, we must not ignore the parts of the chapter that we do understand, and that is we are to humble ourselves before the Lord in prayer. We are to praise Him for His goodness, and confess our sins, and the sins of our people, and trust His word that we find in Scripture.

Daniel - Chapter 5

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Daniel chapter 5 covers the story that King Belshazzar was king of Babylon, and he was having a party even though the Persians & Medes were coming his way. He celebrated by taking the golden goblets that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, and not only were they drinking from them, but they all praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand wrote on the wall. It was even by the lampstand so the king could see. (There is no mention of a writing tool.) The king called his wise men, but they did not understand the writing on the wall. The queen, which was probably the queen mother, since the kings wives were drinking with him, came to him, and told about how Daniel had helped Nebuchadnezzar with riddles, dreams, and visions, so king Belshazzar called in Daniel, "one of the exiles my father the king brough from Judah." Before Daniel explained the writing, he told a story of king Nebuchadnezzar, and how it was the Most High God that raised up Nebuchadnezzar, but once he became arrogant and he thought it was all about him, the Lord humbled him, and drove him from his kingdom. He became subhuman and was like a wild animal grazing on the land. Only when he looked up to heaven and acknowledge the Most High God, did he regain his sanity and his kingdom. Then Daniel reminded Belshazzar that he knew all that, but he set himself against the Lord of heaven. Then he explained the writing on the wall. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Peres. Number, Number, Weighed, Divided. God had numbered the kings days, and they were coming to an end. He was weighed and found wanting, and his kingdom would be divided and given to the Medes and Persians. That very night, Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians was killed, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.

Daniel - Chapters 7-8

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Daniel received two visions from the Lord during the reign of Belshazzar king of Babylon. Daniel had been in Babylon for about 50 years, and in the beginning, he had interpreted king Nebuchadnezzar's dream about the fall of Babylon and then the rise and fall of other kingdoms. These two dreams were similar in concept. The one in chapter 7 had four beasts which represented four kingdoms. The first beast was LIKE a lion with wings of an eagle, the second was LIKE a bear, the third was Like a leopard, and the fourth beast was unlike the others, and this beast was terrifying, frightening and very powerful and from it came a "Little Horn." The little horn however was no match for the "Ancient of Days!" The little horn kept trying to fight the saints of the Most High, but because the one LIKE a son of man approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence, He was given all authority, in the end, the little horn could not prevail over Him or the saints. In chapter eight, the vision was about a two-horned ram which represented the Medes and the Persians, and then a shaggy goat which represented Greece who would conquer the Medes and Persians. Both of these visions troubled Daniel because they were beyond his understanding. He was not to share them yet, so after Daniel got his strength back from such an event, he "got up and went about the king's business."

Daniel - Chapter 4

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Even though this chapter does not give a date, since verse 4 says, "I Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous, it is believed it is a few years before the end of his reign (562 BC), after his conquests had come to an end. He had a terrifying dream which his wise men could not explain, but "Finally, Daniel came into my presence, and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god; and the spirit of the holy gods is in him." The dream terrified Daniel as well, but the king told him to tell the truth. Nebuchadnezzar will live like a wild animal, and graze in the field like cattle, and feel the morning dew. This will last for seven times, which probably means seven years, "until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone He wishes (vs. 25b). Once the king acknowledges that "Heaven Rules," then he will be restored. Daniel then pleaded with the king to repent, for perhaps the Lord would be gracious. One year later, the king looked at his kingdom, and praised himself for his magnificent kingdom which he created, and then a voice from heaven came, and the prediction came true. This is called, "Lycanthropy." When the king raised his eyes toward heaven, his sanity was restored. This chapter starts and ends with praise of this mighty act of the King of heaven who is just and right. He alone is able to humble the prideful.

Ezekiel - Chapters 40-48 - The New Temple

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This vision from the Lord came to Ezekiel in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city of Jerusalem which would be around 572 BC. He had already seen a vision of the glory of the Lord leaving the temple, because of the sin of the Israelites who desecrated the temple with idols, and now he receives a vision that the glory of the Lord is coming back to the new temple. Ezekiel "took a tour" of the place, and then he witnessed the glory of the Lord in chapter 43. He then sees the altar, and then there is a reference to a "prince" who come and 46:17 says, "It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths - at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel." That is what Jesus, the son of God, the prince, did when He died on the cross for us. He provided the offering in our place. In chapter 47 there is a River from the temple that no one could cross, which ties in with Genesis two where there was a river flowing from Eden to water the garden, and in Revelation 22 where a river of life flows and waters the trees. The book ends with the boundaries and the divisions of the land, and it ends, "And the name of the city from that time on will be: 'The Lord is There!'"

Jeremiah - Chapter 52

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This last chapter of Jeremiah, reminds the readers that Jeremiah's prophecies about Judah and Jerusalem came true. Babylon did come and destroy Judah and Jerusalem. They exiled everyone except the poorest of the poor. King Zedekiah witnessed his sons and officers killed, and then his eyes were plucked out. He was placed in chains and taken to Babylon where he was placed in prison until the day of his death. The temple, palace, and houses of Jerusalem were stripped of all their goods and burned. The wall of Jerusalem was torn down. Verse 27b says, "So Judah went into captivity, away from her land." The story ends on a positive note, the former king Jehoiachin which was taken in exile by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, was released from prison when Nebuchadnezzar died and his son, Evil- Merodach became king of Babylon. Verses 33-34 tell us, "So Jehoiachin pet aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table. Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death." The Jews still had a descendant of David in a place of honor, even if it was in a foreign land.

Jeremiah - Chapters 46-51

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This section of Scripture covers the judgments upon the nations surrounding Israel and Judah. The first to be addressed was Egypt, and the judgment was that Babylon was coming to Egypt to bring disaster, but there was a glimmer of hope in verse 26b, "'Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past,' declared the Lord.'" With the Philistines there was not a glimmer of hope. Moab was next, and she too will be destroyed, but verse 48:47 says, "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come,' declares the Lord. Here ends the judgment on Moab." In chapter 49, Ammon will be attacked, and verse six says, "'Yet, afterward, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites,' declares the Lord." With Edom, descendants of Esau, the Lord says their orphans and widows the Lord would watch over. There is no glimmer of hope with the city of Damascus or with the Nomadic tribes of Kedar and Hazar. The last city mentioned in this chapter was Elam which was by the Persian Gulf, and verse 39 is the glimmer of hope, "'Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come,' declares the Lord." The last two chapters, 50-51, discuss the destruction of Babylon which also means the release of the Jews to go home. There is a sliver of hope in verse 8 with a "perhaps she can be healed." In the end of this section, Jeremiah wrote these prophesies about Babylon, and Seraiah took it to Babylon, read it to the people, tied up the scroll with a stone and threw it into the Euphrates River, and said that like this scroll it will rise no more because of the disaster that the Lord will bring upon them.

Jeremiah - Chapters 40-45

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters we see what happened after the fall of Jerusalem. The commander of the army of Babylon found Jeremiah and freed him. He chose to go back to Judah, even though the commander offered to take him to Babylon and take care of him. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, placed Gedaliah as governor of Judah. The poor were left there to tend the land and the crops, and we learned in 40:12 that they "harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit." The army of Judah that escaped, and various Jews who had escaped to other countries, also came home. A descendant to the throne of Judah, Ishmael, worked with the Ammonites, and they killed Gedaliah. They killed many others in the land, and then tried to exile them to Ammon. When Johanan and the Judean army learned about it, they pursued, got the people back, but Ishmael escaped. When the people came back to Judah, because Gedaliah was killed, they thought it best to escape to Egypt, but on the way they stopped and asked Jeremiah to pray for them to see what the Lord "your" God says. They even vowed to be obedient to whatever the Lord said. It took ten days to receive an answer from the Lord, and it was they were not to go to Egypt, but stay in Judah and submit to Babylon, and then things would go well with them. Johanan and the other "arrogant men," called Jeremiah a liar. They went to Egypt, and even took Jeremiah and Baruch with them. While there the Lord's word of judgment was upon them, because they had sinned with idolatrous worship of the Egyptian gods. Babylon was coming to Egypt as well, and the remnant of Judah would die there, except for a smaller remnant which will get to go home to Judah. This section ended with what some call, "The confession of Baruch." He complained a bit, and desired great things for himself, and the Lord said, "Seek them not!" His life was tough, and he lived in the difficult time of the destruction of Jerusalem. He would never climb the ladder of success in the Jewish world, but he would escape with his life. Plus, he was Jeremiah's friend!

Lamentations

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This book of poetic songs of lament were written because of the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon on 586 BC. It is traditionally thought to be written by Jeremiah, and most of these 5 chapters were written as an acrostic, meaning each verse starts with the letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The main points found in the songs are 1) This devastation came because of the sin of the people in Judah, including the religious leaders' sin. 2) This devastation was the work of the Lord. 3) The people knew who to cry out to, and that was the Lord. 4) The Lord loves His children, and He is good and faithful. 5) Since the Lord is good and faithful, and because they brought this punishment upon themselves because of their sin, they should confess and turn to the Lord. 6) The Lord will take care of Judah's enemies, and they too will be held accountable for their actions. Then the 7th point comes in the form of a question, "Have You utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure?" In other words, is this the end? Is God through with them? If Jeremiah did write these songs, then he knows that the nations will serve Babylon seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11), yet because of his grief, he struggled. The Lord God was not done with them, and He is not done with us either. Great is His faithfulness!

Jeremiah - Chapters 34-39

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters we see how Jeremiah was persecuted for his preaching that Babylon was coming, and if they surrender their lives would be spared, but if they do not, it will not end well. In chapter 34, the last king of Judah was warned, but he and his people would not listen. Chapter 35 gives an object lesson on how the Recabites, kept their vow to the Lord and did not drink the wine set before them by Jeremiah, and the Lord blessed them for their faithfulness by saying they would always have a descendant serve the Lord. Time jumps back to the reign of king Jehoiakim in chapter 36. Jeremiah dictated to Baruch, who wrote on a scroll, and then went to the temple and read it because Jeremiah was banned from there. He read it to all the people at the temple that day, then some leaders brought Jeremiah to a group of leaders who asked him to read it to them. The words of judgment brought them fear, and they knew they had to read it to the king. When they brought it to him, after 3-4 columns were read, the king cut them and placed them in the fire until it was all burned up. He then tried to find Jeremiah and Baruch, but the Lord hid them, and Jeremiah dictated again to Baruch who rewrote it with similar words added to it (36:32). In chapter 37 Jeremiah was thrown in prison for his unpopular words, but after time the king allowed him to be placed in the courtyard of the guard. Jeremiah was thrown into a muddy cistern in chapter 38 because of his message, but a Cushite man, Ebed-Melech requested the king to let him release him before he died. The king gave him 30 men to help. He was rescued and remained in the courtyard of the guard. Then Zedekiah asked Jeremiah for the truth, and his story was the same, Babylon is coming, and if he surrenders his life will be spared, but if not he will die.
In chapter 39, Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem and after two years the wall was broken. The king tried to escape, but he was captured, taken to Nebuchadnezzar, saw his sons executed, had his eyes plucked out, and was taken to Babylon to die. The wall of Jerusalem was torn down, the city was burned, and the people taken to Babylon, except for the poor who took care of the vineyards and land. Jeremiah was spared and allowed to do what he wanted to do, and he chose to stay in Jerusalem with his people. The Lord then sent him to Ebed-Melech, and because of his faith in the Lord and his kindness to Jeremiah, the Lord would save him.

Daniel - Chapter 3

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Some years have passed between chapter two and three of Daniel. In the Septuagint, LXX, there is a note that chapter 3 happened in the eighteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar's reign, which would have made it 586 BC, the year that Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. That helps understand why, the king believes he and his god is supreme over the God of the Jews. Nebuchadnezzar build a golden idol, nine feet wide and ninety feet high, and he commanded all people from every nation who heard the music, were to bow down and worship the idol. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could not do that because of their faith in their God of Heaven. When some Chaldeans saw that, they reported it to the king, whose anger burned. He sent for the men, and they said they could not bow down, and they knew the God they serve, COULD save them, but what they did not know is if He WOULD save them, but either way, they would serve the Lord. The king's anger grew hotter, so he set the furnace hotter. The men were bound in their robes and thrown into the fire, but when Nebuchadnezzar looked in he saw four men, and the One looked like the son of the gods. The King called them out, and the three men came out unbound and unharmed. They were not hurt, nothing was burned, and they did not even smell like a fire. King Nebuchadnezzar praised their God "for no other god can save this way." The men were promoted, plus no one could speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

2 Kings - Chapter 25

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Zedekiah was king of Judah, and chapter 24 ended, "Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon." Oh no! Of course this brought King Nebuchadnezzar down to Judah with his WHOLE army, and they laid siege to Jerusalem. It took two years until the wall was broken through. The king and the soldiers fled. King Zedekiah was caught, but some of the soldiers escaped. Zedekiah was taken to King Nebuchadnezzar in Riblah, and he witness the death of his sons, and then his own eyes were plucked out, he was shackled, and then taken to Babylon to be executed. Nebuchadnezzar's commander of the imperial guard came to Jerusalem and tore down its walls. He ransacked the temple and royal palace and then set them on fire, as well as the other important buildings and all the houses. He exiled the people who remained in the city, except for the poorest people so they could take care of the vineyards and fields. Nebuchadnezzar placed Gedaliah as governor of the land, but he was not of royal descent, so when some of the fighting men who had escaped came back to Jerusalem, Gedaliah was assassinated, which brought fear to the people so they escaped to Egypt. Chapter 25 ends with hope because King Jehoiachin, a descendant of David, who had surrendered to Babylon, was released from his prison, and the new king, Evil-Merodach, who was King Nebuchadnezzar's son, gave him a throne with high honor, and he had a daily allowance as long as he lived.

Ezekiel - Chapters 24-39

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapter 24 begins with a word from the Lord that the king of Babylon has laid siege on Jerusalem. Ezekiel also received word that his wife would die, but he was not to show any sign of mourning because he was an object lesson to his fellow exiles in Babylon, to remind them that this destruction of the city and the temple was all because of their sinfulness, and this is their judgement, but there is also a word of hope that the Lord would bring His people back to their land. Then Ezekiel announced judgment on all the surrounding nations around Jerusalem, and they too will be judged because of their sinfulness against Judah and Israel. In chapter 34, we learn that the Lord has had enough of the "shepherds" who were supposed to take care of the Lord's flock, but instead they only care for themselves. The Lord will now be their shepherd, and He will bring forth One Shepherd, from the line of David, who will be a prince among them. We learn in John 10:11 & 14 that Jesus is the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, and we know that Jesus was from the line of David, and He was the son of God, a prince of THE King! Throughout this passage, it is clear that everything that happens is so that Israel, and all the nations will know that God is the Lord. Chapter 37 is the Valley of Dry Bones, and through the prophesy of the Lord, those bones took on flesh and received the breath of God. The Lord said that He would pour out His Spirit on the House of Israel, and He would take their heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh, and they would live.

Jeremiah - Chapters 32-33

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these two chapters, Jeremiah is is confined in the courtyard of the guard, because he keeps declaring the word of the Lord that Babylon will destroy Jerusalem and Judah, and if the king surrenders he will live, but if he fights against King Nebuchadnezzar, he will die. That was NOT a popular message! During this time, the Lord tells Jeremiah to buy the property of his uncle when he comes to sell it to him. He bought the field in Anathoth, his hometown. He signed for the deed and had it witnessed. He made a copy, and then the Lord told Jeremiah to have Baruch take it and place it in a clay jar so it would last a long time. This was the Lord's object lesson, that there would be a day, after the siege, that the Lord will bring His people back to the land, and they will one day buy property again. Jeremiah prayed to the Sovereign Lord, because nothing is too hard for Him. The message is still the same, this destruction is coming to them because of their sin, but one day the Lord will bring health, healing, joy, gladness, and thanksgiving back to this land, and ultimately He will fulfill the promise He made to Abraham and Jacob, that their descendants will outnumber the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, and that will be through the descendant of David, and the writer of the first NT book, the Gospel of Matthew, makes it a point that Jesus is a descendant of both David and Abraham, and it is through Jesus, that the eternal covenant will be fulfilled.

Jeremiah - Chapters 30-31

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Before these two chapters, there are two groups of Jews who have been exiled to Babylon. In chapter 29, Jeremiah wrote a letter to the exiles letting them know the number of years they will be in exile is 70, and during those years they were to "grow where they have been planted!" They also were to pray for their place of exile, because if it prospers, so will they. Now these two chapters are a picture of hope for when they come back with song and joy. Even Jeremiah who is sometimes called the "weeping prophet," awoke from his pleasant sleep. The Lord reminds His people that yes, He has pulled them up and uprooted them with disaster, and it was because of their sinfulness, but the Lord will rebuild and replant them back in Jerusalem and Judah. The Lord affirms His love to them, and then the best news is that the Lord declared in 31:31-34 that He plans to make a new covenant with His people, and His covenant will now be written on the hearts and in the minds of His children. His Spirit will be IN them, and their wickedness and their sins will be forgiven and remembered no more! Hallelujah! That is what Jesus did when He died on the cross for our sins, and when we confess our sin and place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, and our sins are remembered no more. Plus, we will know the Lord, and He will know us and teach us all truth. We are loved with an everlasting love, and there is nothing we can do to change that. The question is, "How are we loving the Lord back?"

Ezekiel - Chapters 1-23

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Ezekiel, the priest, was taken into exile when king Jehoiachin was also taken to Babylon in 597 BC. Ezekiel received his first vision during his fifth year while in exile, which would place it at 592 BC. Zedekiah is now king of Judah, and the prophet Jeremiah is there declaring that Babylon was coming, which was the Lord's plan, and they would destroy both Jerusalem and the temple, but the king does not listen. Ezekiel is in Babylon, and the Lord has the same message for him, but to the Jewish people who were already in exile in Babylon. Since Ezekiel was a priest and a prophet, he fully understood the purpose of the temple, and how the people had desecrated it with idolatry, and why in his visions, he saw the Lord's Spirit and glory leave the temple and head east. Ezekiel is called a watchman, because he was to warn the people of the disaster that was heading their way, but would they listen? One thing this book makes clear is that judgment is coming to Judah because of their sin, which was worse than the surrounding nations and Israel, but the Lord was also calling them to repent and come back to Him. All of this was so that the people, both Jews and nations, "would know that the Lord is God." The Lord holds each person accountable for his actions, and He does not delight in the death of anyone (18:32), so He calls them to "repent and live."

Jeremiah - Chapters 20-29

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Jeremiah, it does not go in chronological order, but it gives flashbacks of events that happened earlier in Jeremiah's ministry. We also see that Jeremiah's prophesy that Babylon was coming and the people of Judah and Jerusalem should surrender to them and to the Lord, was not received well. In chapter 20, Jeremiah was beaten and placed in stocks. He cried out to the Lord saying it was unfair, yet he also said that the compulsion within him was so great, that he could not stop even if he was persecuted. He then praised the Lord because only the Lord can save and rescue them. Over and over again we see that the kings and the religious leaders reject the message of the Lord through Jeremiah. We even learned that Jeremiah sent message to the kings of other nations to let them know that Babylon was coming and if they would surrender to them they would be saved, but if they do not, they will be destroyed. Jeremiah also declared to the people, and he sent a letter to the exiles that they will be in exile for 70 years, and they are to live there and pray for their area, and then a time will come that they will come home. Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

2 Kings - Chapter 24b - The Reigns of Jehoiachin and Zedekiah

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Babylon is now the major world power. They invaded Judah once already and took money and some exiles such as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Jehoiakim died after eleven years of reign, and his son Jehoiachin reigned in his place. He was only eighteen years old, and he reigned only three months, until King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to the city. Jehoiachin surrendered, and he was taken into exile along with his family, his officers, his attendants, his fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans. Verse 14 tells us he took 10,000 people and left only the poorest of the land. In this group of exiles was the prophet and priests, Ezekiel. Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiachin's uncle as king. His name was Mattaniah, but it was changed to Zedekiah. This was the last king of Judah, and his kingdom was extremely weak, plus the prophet Jeremiah was still around declaring that the worst is yet to come. Verse 20 says, "It was because of the Lord's anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end He thrust them from his presence." Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon - which sets up the scene for the worst - the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord.

Daniel - Chapter 2

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In Daniel chapter 2, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had dreams that troubled him. He asked his wise men to not only interpret the dreams, but to tell him what he dreamed. His men responded, "What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men" (vs. 11). This anger the king, and he commanded that all the wise men should be killed. Thankfully, they found Daniel and his friends first, and he asked what was going on, and then he asked to speak to the king. He asked for time, and the king allowed it. Daniel went to his friends of faith, and asked them to pray with him. The Lord revealed the dream and the interpretation, and Daniel cried out in praise and thanksgiving. He went and told the king his dream. A great statue with a head of pure gold, then the chest and arms were of silver. It's belly and thighs bronze, and its legs were iron with it's feet and toes a mixture of iron and clay. Then a rock, not made by human hands, stuck the feet, and the the statue fell down into pieces. This rock then became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth. The interpretation was that Babylon was the head of solid gold, and then there would be three more kingdoms. We now know they represent the Medes and the Persians, the Greeks, and then the fourth was the Roman Empire. It was the Roman Empire that would become divided and mixed, and it is during that time that the Rock would come and strike. Verse 44 says, "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever." Since we have the New Testament, we know that this Rock, this Messiah, was Jesus, and His kingdom will have no end. The king blessed Daniel, and at his request, he also blessed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Daniel's prayer partners!

Daniel - Chapter 1

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In the first chapter of Daniel we meet, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These four young men were from the royal family and nobility of Judah, and they were exiled by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Since these young men were handsome and bright, they were chosen to be trained for three years to learn the literature and language of the Babylonians, so they could serve the king. In their training, they were given choice foods and wine from the king, but Daniel resolved not to defile himself with that food, so he asked if they could eat vegetables and water. At first the guard was afraid to do that, because if the king found out and they were weaker, the king might "have his head!" Daniel asked for 10 days to test them, so the guard agreed, and after ten days they were healthier than the other men. After the allotted time, the men were brought before the king, and Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and in every matter the king asked them, they were ten times better than the other men. The last verse, 21, tells us that Daniel remained in the kingdom until the first year of King Cyrus, who was king of Persia.

2 Kings - Chapter 23b-24a - The Reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

King Josiah, the last "good" king of Judah died because he fought Pharaoh Neco of Egypt. His son, Jehoahaz became king for three months, but then Pharaoh Neco came and took him to Egypt where he died, and Neco placed Eliakim king in Judah. He changed his name to Jehoiakim. Judah was now a vassal nation to Egypt, and they had to pay tribute money to them. During this time, Assyria was demolished by Babylon, and so the troops of Babylon headed south toward Judah and Egypt. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Judah, and Jehoiakim paid tribute to Babylon instead of to Egypt now. It was during this invasion that Nebuchadnezzar took the first set of exiles to Babylon. This passage ends with a note that Neco the king of Egypt did not leave his own country, because Babylon had invaded his territory, which now extends from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River.

Jeremiah - Chapters 2-19

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters of Jeremiah the Lord is declaring judgment on Judah for their sin against the Lord. There are comparisons with the Lord who provides living water, and the idols which are like broken cisterns that can't hold water. There is also a declaration that a nation from the north is coming, a people whose language the people of Judah do not know, and they will come and destroy Jerusalem and the temple. The Lord kept calling His people to follow Him, but they would not listen. Their sin had become so great that even if Moses and Samuel - two great mediators - were there, the Lord would not change His mind. The Lord also declared that even though the Jews bodies were circumcised, their hearts were not. The religious leaders of the day, those that proclaimed, "Peace, Peace," did not like Jeremiah who declared "Destruction." They tried to kill him, but the Lord fought for Jeremiah and took care of him. In the midst of the declaration of judgment, there were glimmers of hope such as 17:7-8, "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that send out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah - Chapter 1 - A Neo-Babylonian Prophet

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapter one of Jeremiah tells us that he is from a Levitical family of priests, who served in the city of Anathoth, in the territory of Benjamin, a part of Judah. His calling began during the reign of Josiah, the last "good" king of Judah, who reigned around 641-609 BC. It was during his reign that the capital of Assyria fell to the Babylonians with the help of the Scythians and Medes in 612 BC. Assyria was crumbling and Babylon was growing. Jeremiah's prophetic ministry began during Josiah's reign, but he prophesied and saw the destruction of Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple by the Babylonians. He saw the fall of Judah.
With his calling, the Lord told Jeremiah that he was created and set apart for the Lord. He was appointed as a prophet, not just to Judah, but to the nations. He was fearful because he was young, but the Lord said to fear not, for He was with him, and He would rescue him. The Lord then gave Jeremiah two visions, the first was of the branch of an almond tree, saying when it buds then the prophecy will be fulfilled. The second was of a boiling pot from the north, and that represented Babylon coming, and the Lord will pour out disaster on Judah. He explains in verse 16 that the Lord has allowed this judgment because the people had forsaken the Lord and worshipped idols. The calling ends with a call to "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you" (vs. 17). Then the Lord reminded him to not be terrified by them, and He said a second time, for the Lord will fight for him and will rescue him.

Obadiah - A Prophesy Against Edom

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We do not know when Obadiah was written, but we do know that judgment came upon Edom because they attacked their brother, Jacob, when they were down. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, and the Israelites were descendants of Jacob. Jacob and Esau were twin of Isaac and Rebekah, and even when they were in the womb there was conflict between them (Gen. 25). The conflict between Judah and Edom was on and off, but once Judah had a king, and the desire was to expand their territories, there was major conflict between them. We know in 2 Chronicles 28:16-27 that when the northern 10 tribes of Israel, attacked Judah from the north, that Edom attacked Judah from the south. This book may have been written then, but historically, yet not biblically, it says that when Babylon attacked Judah from the north, that Edom attacked Jerusalem from the south, so it could have been written then. Edom's judgment was because they attacked Judah, their brother, especially when they were hurting. It was also because of their pride saying, "Who can bring me down?" The Lord can. Verse 15 of Obadiah says, "The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head." They are getting what they have dished out. In Obadiah, there is not call to repentance, but there is a message of hope that the Lord remembers His children and His covenant, and there will be deliverance in Mt. Zion. There is a promise that Jacob and Joseph will burn like a house of flames, but Esau will be stubble with no survivors and other people will live in their land. The last line says, "And the kingdom will be the Lords!"

Zephaniah - A Neo-Babylonian Prophet

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah King of Judah, which was around 641-609 BC. Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and began restoring the temple of the Lord. During that project, the Law of the Lord was found. When it was read to the king, he humbled himself before the Lord and received a word from the Lord through the prophetess, Huldah. The Lord told him that destruction was coming, but because of the humility of King Josiah, it would not happened during his reign. Since he was a great king, he made sure that his people would also hear the word of the Lord. He called them to pledge themselves to the covenant of the Lord. He eradicated any false god in his land, and all the people who supported the false gods, and when that was all done, he reinstated the Passover. We do not know if Zephaniah prophesied before, during or after the reformation of Jerusalem and Judah, but we do know that the reformation did not stop the judgment that was coming. The book does not declare that it is Babylon that is coming, but it does make it clear that it is the Lord that is bringing it. Judgment is not just for Judah, but for the surrounding nations that would not honor the Lord nor the Lord's people. This book starts with the judgment of Judah, but then it also mentions Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria. In the midst of this book of "The Day of the Lord," there is also hope that the Lord will bring back a remnant, and the Lord will bring His people home. As believers in the Lord, we are called to be silent before the Lord (1:7), gather together (2:1), seek the Lord, seek righteousness, and seek humility (2:3), wait for the Lord (3:8), call on the name of the Lord and serve Him shoulder to shoulder (3:9), trust the Lord (3:12), and sing and shout, be glad and rejoice (3:14) because the Lord is coming, and lastly, we do not need to fear (3:16). 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing!"

2 Kings - Chapters 22-23a

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these two chapters we are looking at the reign of Josiah, the king of Judah. His father and grandfather both did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but Josiah was different. In his eighteenth year, he had his men to repair the temple. When they did that the high priest found a copy of the Book of the Law in the temple, and he told Shaphan the secretary who read it. He reported to the king about the updates of the temple restoration, and then he told the king about the book, and read it to him. When King Josiah heard the word, he tore his robes and had his men seek a word from the Lord, so they went to a prophetess, Huldah, who said that Jerusalem and Judah would be destroyed because of their idolatry and unfaithfulness to the Lord, but since the king responded in humility and tears, it would not happen in his lifetime. Even though the king's life was spared, that was not enough for King Josiah. He took down all the idols throughout the land, and he even went into the land of Israel and the old capital of Samaria and removed the idolatrous places and people from the land. After that he announced to the people, the words of the Book of the Covenant, and they renewed their covenant with the Lord. They then celebrated the Passover. Chapter 23:22 says, "Not since the days of the judges who let Israel, nor throughout the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah, had any such Passover been observed." Verse 25 of chapter 23 reads, "Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did - with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses" (Deut. 6:4-5).

Review of Israel's History up to 2 Kings 22

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This review began with the calling of Abram and his covenant with the Lord in Genesis 12. Abraham and Sarah had Isaac, Isaac and Rebekah had Jacob and Esau. From Esau came the nation of Edom. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel. The Lord sent Jacob's family to Egypt because of a severe famine, but the Lord had also sent Joseph ahead to prepare the way for them. (This was when his eleven brothers sold him into slavery!) The Israelites blossomed in Egypt, until a Pharoah arose that did not "remember" Joseph, so they became enslaved there. They cried out to the Lord, and He raised up Moses to deliver them. After the Exodus, the Lord gave Moses the law and they made the tabernacle. They went to the promised land, but because of their unfaithfulness, they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until that generation died off. Even Moses was not allowed to enter. It was then that Joshua led them into the promised land, and they took the land and divided it up to the 12 tribes. Just a side note, Levi did not receive land because the Lord and the tabernacle was their inheritance, and instead of Joseph receiving one spot, his two sons that he had in Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim received land. After Joshua died, the Lord raised up Judges to help lead the people, but there was a downward cycle of sin, which caused the people to cry out for a king to lead them. Samuel, a prophet/priest of the Lord anointed Saul the first king, then the most righteous king, King David as the second king of Israel. Solomon, David's son, built the temple and brought Israel to it's height, but it was at the cost of high taxes and extreme labor. When his son, Rehoboam, began to lead, the people revolted, and the nation of Israel divided with the northern 10 tribes as Israel, and the two northern tribes of Judah. The northern 10 tribes began and ended in idolatry, and in 722 Assyria conquered Samaria and Israel fell. This was during the time of the prophets of Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. It was during Isaiah's ministry, that Assyria tried to take Judah and Jerusalem, but because they blasphemed the name of the Lord, and because King Hezekiah humbled himself and sought the Lord through Isaiah's guidance, the Lord spared Judah. However, Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, did extreme evil in the eyes of the Lord, which brought the Lord's anger, and the Lord sent prophets proclaiming that Babylon was coming. These prophets were Joel, Nahum, and Habakkuk. Even though judgment is coming, there is also hope that the Lord's people will come back, and there is a promise of One who will come with an everlasting kingdom.

Habakkuk - A Neo-Babylonian Prophet

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Minor Prophet of Habakkuk is unlike the other prophets, where he hears a word from the Lord and proclaims it to the people, but instead it is a theodicy - a defense of God. Habakkuk questions the Lord and asks, "How long must I call for help in this place of no justice?" The Lord tells him He is doing something, "I am raising up the Babylonians." Habakkuk did not like that answer because why would a pure God use them for this issue? The Lord's answer was He had a plan and a time, and Habakkuk was to wait for it, because the Lord's plan will come to pass. One of the key verses is 2:4, "See, he is puffed up, his desires are not upright - but the righteous will live by faith." Then there are woes toward the unrighteous and verse 20 is a transition verse, "But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him." In the silence before the Lord, Habakkuk learned to trust the Lord. Chapter 3 is a song he wrote, and in it, he saw the wonders that the Lord had done, and he saw what the Lord was going to do, and it scared him. Verse 19, "I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us. The Lord will punish Judah for their sin, and He will punish Babylon for their sin, but those with faith, the Lord will strengthen. "He will make my feet like the feet of a deer. He will enable me to go on the heights."

Nahum - A Neo-Babylonian Prophet

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The oracle of Nahum begins with a description of God. He is jealous, avenging, and wrathful - against His enemies, and yet He is good, He cares, and He is slow to anger towards those who trust in Him. The rest of chapter one lets Nineveh know that His wrath is coming, and to Judah that He will fight for them. The Lord tells Nineveh that He is against them (2:13 & 3:5), and that an attacker is coming. We know that attacker will be Babylon. The book ends with news to the king of Assyria, "Nothing can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?" The fall of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, fell in 612 BC.

Joel - A Prophet of the Lord

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The prophecy of Joel describes the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. It begins with a description of three swarms of locust, the second swarm is great, and the third swarm are young, but afterwards there is nothing left. This is also a call for the priests and the elders to mourn, and to call for a holy fast and a sacred assembly to call the people back to the Lord. Even though judgment is coming, the Lord also promised in 2:25, "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten - the great locust and the young locust, the other locust and the locust swam - My great army that I sent among you." The purpose for the pain is told us in verse 27, "Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God." The most familiar verses of Joel are found in 2:28-32, because the Apostle Peter quoted these verses in Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of the Lord came down upon all people. The Apostle Paul also quoted verse 32 in Romans 10:13, saying that people from every nation who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Destruction is coming, but the Lord has a plan through it all. His hope is that people will repent and turn to Him before it is too late.

2 Kings - Chapter 21

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The greatest king of Judah since King David has died, King Hezekiah, and his son, Manasseh reigned. He did more evil than the pagan nations that the Lord cleared out of the way before Israel took the land. He did more evil than the kings of Israel, who were wiped out because of their sin. He rebuilt the high places, brought back polytheism with Baal and Asherah poles. He worshipped the starry hosts. He placed pagan altars into the temple of the Lord. He sacrificed his own son to the gods, practiced sorcery, divination, and even consulted mediums and spiritists. All these actions brought forth the Lord's anger. The king's sin brought the nation of Judah to also do evil in the eyes of the Lord, even worse than the pagan nations. The Lord brought forth His prophets to proclaim to the king and to the people that judgment was coming, and Jerusalem will be wiped out. Verse 16 says that "Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end." The commentators think it was the blood of the prophets, and it could have been anyone who stood in his way. Tradition, not Scripture, says that Manasseh sawed Isaiah in two. After he died, his son Amon became king of Judah, and he too did evil in the eyes of the Lord like his father. His reign only lasted two years, and he was assassinated. The people made Josiah, his son, king in his place.

Isaiah - Chapters 38-66

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapters 38-39 end section one of Isaiah, and it sets the stage for the second half, chapters 40-66. The Lord defended Judah from the attack by Assyria because they defamed the name of the Lord, and King Hezekiah humbled himself and prayed unto the Lord. Following that, he became ill, but again because of his prayers, the Lord healed him, and allowed him to live fifteen more years. A group from Babylon came and heard about his sickness and healing, and the Hezekiah was so pleased, that he showed them all the treasuries and everything in his kingdom. Isaiah proclaimed the word of the Lord, that because the king did that, Babylon would come and take it all away, as well as exile, even the king's descendants. With this looming over their head, the message of Isaiah makes it clear that the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, is the only true God, and He has all of this planned. We also find out that Babylon is coming, but there will be a day when Babylon is also defeated by Cyrus, the Lord's anointed. Cyrus will be the king of Persia, and in 538 BC, he will declare a proclamation that the Jews can come back to Jerusalem and rebuilt their temple. Another theme throughout this section of Scripture, is that the Lord will inflict the Jews for a short time, but He still loves them, and the purpose is to bring His people back to Himself, purified from the fire, and more like the Lord. We also learn from the Suffering Servant Songs, that the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, did not spare the Lord Jesus Christ from suffering also. He was pure, but His suffering on the cross took our sin and placed it upon Him (53:6). Lastly, we learned that it was not just the Jews who could partake of this salvation, but believers from every nation. One of the reasons for the exile was while the Jews were in the distant lands, they would declare the Lord's glory among the nations (66:19), and when they come back, they would not come back alone, but brothers from all the nations would come to the Lord's holy mountain in Jerusalem.

2 Kings - Chapter 20

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this chapter, King Hezekiah became ill. Isaiah the prophet came and told him that he will die and he needs to put his affairs in order. Hezekiah did what he was great at, he immediately cried out to the Lord. He pleaded his case of obedience and faithfulness to the Lord, and he wept bitterly. Before Isaiah left the middle court, the word of the Lord came again to Isaiah, who went back and told him that the Lord would heal him, and that he was given 15 more years. The servants made a paste of figs, which Isaiah told them to do, and three days later he was healed. Hezekiah asked for a sign, and the Lord made the shadow go back ten steps on the stairway of Ahaz.
The last story had to do with and envoy from the king of Babylon came to check on King Hezekiah, and he was so enthralled with them that he showed them all his wealth and grandeur. When they left, Isaiah came and told them that since he showed them everything, there will be a day that Babylon comes and takes everything he showed them, plus they would take his descendants and they would become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Unlike Hezekiah, he did not pray, he did not plead for the Lord, instead he said, "Good." He thought, "At least it won't be in my lifetime." The writer reminded us that one of the great achievements of Hezekiah is that he made a tunnel through a mountain in order to bring water to Jerusalem. Hezekiah died, and his son Manasseh succeeded him as king.

Proverbs 25-29 - Copied by King Hezekiah's Men

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Proverbs 25-29 start by saying, "These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah." He reigned around 716-687 BC. He was a godly king who sought the Lord and brought a revival to the land. He would reach out to Isaiah especially during difficult times, as he sought the Lord. One of those times was when Assyria came to attack Jerusalem. One of the men that Hezekiah sent out was Shebna, the scribe, and it could be that he was one of those men who copied the proverbs of Solomon. Various topics that are covered in these proverbs are about kings and leadership, and how one should conduct himself before the king. There are a lot on the repercussions of our words. There are two categories in the proverbs, those of the foolish and the wise, and how their behaviors are very different. There are also proverbs on the sluggard, the busybody, and the malicious person. There are some about keeping our affairs in order, the importance of justice, law and wise leadership. As C. Hassell Bullock said, "At the very heart of wisdom literature is the motive to hold up before youth these two models for life and to show how the advantages of the righteous life FAR outweigh those of the wicked." Proverbs are not "Thus says the Lord," but they are words from people to people. They are not necessarily promises from God, but time tested truths which when we ponder, and allow the Lord to apply them to our lives will make us wise and righteous.

2 Kings - Chapters 18-19

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

King Hezekiah did right in the eyes of the Lord, just as King David had done. He tore down the high places, the sacred stones and Asherah poles which were for other gods, he followed the word of the Lord, and he stopped his allegiance to Assyria. Assyria had demolished the ten northern tribes of Israel and exported all the Jews to other lands and brought people from other nations to inhabit Samaria and Israel. Sennacherib is now king of Assyria, and he attacked all of Judah's fortified cities, and now Jerusalem is next. King Hezekiah sent word that he had done wrong, and asked to be left alone for a price, which was 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold. Hezekiah took all that was from the temple and the palace, he even stripped the gold from the temple doors and posts in an attempt to appease, but it was not enough. Assyria came. Round one he sent three messengers and an army, who told them to surrender because even their king and their god could not defend them, but the Lord fought for them. Hezekiah went before the Lord and inquired of Isaiah the prophet, who told them not to be afraid. That group of Assyrians left, and then a second group came. This time, the king of Assyria sent a letter, and King Hezekiah laid it down before the Lord in the temple. The word of the Lord came to the king through Isaiah, and said to not be afraid. Since they had defied the name of the Lord Almighty, 19:34 says, "I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant." That night an angel of the Lord came and killed 185,000 men from the Assyrian camp, and the next morning they broke camp and headed home to Nineveh. One day, while the king was worshipping his god in his temple, two of his sons came and killed him, and his other son succeeded him as king.

Isaiah - Chapters 13-37

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 13-23, there are prophecies against the nations which include: Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Syria and Israel, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Egypt, Babylon, Edom, Arabia, Jerusalem, Shebna, and Tyre. Here we see that the Lord had His hand over all the nations, and yes, these nations are used to bring judgment on Israel and Judah because of their sin, but these nations will also bring judgment upon themselves. Judgment comes upon Judah and Israel because they placed their hope in these other nations instead of on God, the Holy One of Israel. There will be devastation upon the earth (chapter 24), yet in that there is hope that the remnant will once again come to Mount Zion, and they will rejoice. That leads to chapters 25 & 26 which are songs of praise, and then chapter 27 tells us that Israel will be delivered. Chapters 28-31, there are "woes" declared on those who do not seek the Lord. Chapter 32 gives us a picture of what the kingdom of the Lord will look like, and it is characterized by justice, righteousness, and peace. Chapter 33 talks of "Woe to you, O destroyer," and it is probably referencing Assyria, who will be destroyed, and we know that will be by Babylon. Chapter 34 are more judgments against nations, but for the redeemed, those who seek the Lord, there is joy. Chapters 36-37 tell the story of Assyria approaching Judah. They declare that even the God of Judah can not save them from Assyria. King Hezekiah prays before the Lord, and sends word to Isaiah, but the Lord sends word that they will not attack. The commander got word of an attack, so they left Judah and went elsewhere. Then the king of Assyria, Sennacherib, approached Judah, sent a note that their God could not save them, and the Lord sent word that again, Assyria will not attack. The angel of the Lord came in the night and killed 185,000 soldiers. That next morning, they retreated and went home to Nineveh, and chapter 37 ended with Sennacherib was killed while worshiping his god, and his son succeeded him as king.

2 Kings - Chapter 17

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 17 of 2 Kings, we have the destruction of the 10 northern tribes of Israel in 722 BC. Israel's king was Hoshea, and he decided to stop sending his yearly tribute money to the new king of Assyria, Shalmaneser, and instead decided to join forces with Egypt. To this act, Shalmaneser came and took Hoshea and placed him in prison, and then laid siege to Samaria, the capital. It took about three years, but Assyria captured it, and exiled the Israelites to various places in Assyria, then the king brought people into Assyria from other countries and religions to inhabit their land. Verses 7-23, the writer makes it clear that Israel was in this mess because they disobeyed the Lord and served other gods, like their very first king, Jeroboam. The new people in the land were attacked by lions which the Lord brought upon them, and they cried out to Shalmaneser, for wisdom as to how to worship the God of this land, so he sent some priests who were in exile, and they came and lived in Bethel, nevertheless, the people worshiped the Lord AND their gods. Plus they called anyone they wanted to be priests instead of following the ways of the Lord. The last verse says, "Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did."

2 Kings - Chapter 16

Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 16 of 2 Kings, Pekah is the king of Israel, and Rezin in the king of Aram, also known as Syria, and they come to attack Jerusalem and King Ahaz. This scares him, and he sends messengers, as well as the treasuries from the temple and the palace, to have the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, to help him. He does, and he attacks Aram from the north. He captures Damascus, the capital, and deported it's inhabitants, and put king Rezin to death. King Ahaz was so thrilled, that he went up to Damascus, to meet Tiglath-Pileser, and while there, he saw an altar, so he drew a sketch and sent it down to Uriah the priest, and asked him to make it for him. By the time he arrived home, Uriah had completed the task, and King Ahaz switched it with the bronze altar which was before the Lord, and they used the pagan altar for the sacrifices of the people. Then the king used the bronze altar for himself, for divination, not for seeking the Lord's will. He stripped more of the temple of the Lord because of the king of Assyria. Chapter 16 ends with this wicked king's death, and his son, Hezekiah, succeeded him as king.

Isaiah - Chapters 1-12

Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of King Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah kings of Judah. He was probably the longest serving prophet of Scripture. This is during the king that Assyria was becoming a world power, and the northern tribes of Israel and Judah were on the decline because of their sinfulness of not honoring the Lord and not treating people well. The Lord kept calling them back to Himself, but they would not, so judgment was coming from Assyria. Yet it would not be Assyria that destroys Jerusalem and Judah, but later on it will come from Babylon. In the midst of the judgment there is also hope in a remnant that will turn to the Lord. In chapter 6, Isaiah has his experience with the Lord sitting on his throne, and his focus changed. He saw the Lord in His glory, and realized his own sinfulness, but the Lord made a way of holiness through a burning coal, which also represented the burning destruction that would also come upon the nation. After chapter 6, the focus shifts more to Emmanuel, God with Us, who will come and bring salvation. That Emmanuel will come from the Branch of Jesse (King David's dad), and since we have the NT, we know that was fulfilled in Jesus. Another thing these chapters make clear is that not just the Jews, but people from every nation will come to Him. Chapter 12 is a song of Praise, that even though the Lord was angry for a moment, and brought judgment, He also brings comfort and salvation.

2 Kings - Chapter 15

Wed, 29 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 15 of 2 Kings we see the downward spiral of the northern ten tribes of Israel. Zechariah, the fourth generation from Jehu, which the Lord had promised would happen, was king, but only for six months. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Shallum assassinated him and became king for one month. It was so short that the writer of 2 Kings did not even say he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Menahem assassinated him, and he reigned for 10 years. He also did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and during his reign, Assyria approached. Menahem paid tribute money so the king of Assyria would leave him alone, but that was not the end of Assyria. Menahem's son, Pekahiah, became king, and he also did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He only reigned for two years until Pekah, the king's chief officer, assassinated him. During Pekah's reign, the king of Assyria came back, and this time took some of the land of Israel, and deported some of the Israelites to Assyria. After that, Hoshea assassinated him, and he became king.
Chapter 15 began and ended with a focus on Judah. It started with Azariah, also known as Uzziah became king of Judah, and he reigned for 52 years. He was basically a good king that followed the Lord until he became too prideful due to his success, and the Lord struck him with leprosy. He was separated, and his son, Jotham began to reign. He basically was a good king, and he even rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord. We get a notice of what is coming in verse 37, "In those days the Lord began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah." This sets the stage for the message of Isaiah!

Micah - A Neo-Assyrian Prophet

Tue, 28 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Micah is a prophet from Judah, who prophesied about the destruction that would come to Samaria and the northern ten tribes of Israel at the hand of Assyria, and they would be sent into exile (1:16). This happened in 722 BC. He also declared that even though Assyria would come against Jerusalem, the Lord would protect them at this time (5:6), but there would be a day when Babylon would come and demolish Jerusalem and tear down the temple (4:10). That happened in 586 BC. They too would be exiled. Throughout the three oracles of judgment, there were also three oracles of deliverance, which ultimately came through One who was born in Bethlehem (5:2). We know He was Jesus, and through His reign there would be security and peace. The Lord also promised a remnant would also come back to Israel some day (2:12). The key verse of the book is 6:8, "He has showed you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you. To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." The Lord always cares about how we treat others and how we treat Him. The book ends with a reminder of God's faithfulness to Abraham and Jacob, and because of His faithful love to them, He still has faithful love to us, so we can have hope in the future as well.

Hosea - A Neo-Assyrian Prophet

Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The prophet Hosea's life was an object lesson to the nation of Israel. He was called to take a wife who was unfaithful, and after he married her and had children with her, she remained unfaithful. The Lord commanded him to go and buy her back unto himself, and that is what the Lord did for us in the NT when Jesus died on the cross. He rose again on the third day, and as Hosea 6:2 says, "After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will restore us, that we may live in His presence." Another verse of Hosea that referenced Jesus is 11:1, "When Israel was a child, I loved Him, and out of Egypt I called my son." The apostle of Jesus, Matthew shared this verse in 2:15, declaring this referenced when the Lord called Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to come back from Egypt to the Promised Land. This book stresses that the key to obedience to the Lord is to know Him and to acknowledge Him in our lives. We hear the agony of the Lord when He cries out, "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over Israel? (11:8a), yet we also see that judgement is coming because of their unfaithfulness to the Lord, and there is a hint that it comes through the nation of Assyria (14:3). The last verse of the book gives us hope that even though the nation of the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel were not faithful to the Lord, there was a remnant who was, "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." This last verse also asks us which group are we in?

Amos - A Neo-Assyrian Prophet

Fri, 24 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Amos was a shepherd from Judah, whom God sent to Israel, to declare the day of the Lord. The king of Israel was Jeroboam II and the king of Judah was Uzziah, and Amos saw what was going to happen to Israel because of their sin of social injustice and idolatry. It starts off with judgment to the nations around Israel, then 2:4 it says, "This is what the Lord says, 'For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath because...' of idolatry. It was king Solomon that began idolatry in Judah, and they too will reap what they have sown. The rest of the book focused on the sin of Israel, and the Lord told them, "Prepare to meet your God" (4:12). As is the case with the Lord, the purpose of this declaration was also a hope that they would repent and turn back to the Lord. Instead of false worship, he desired justice and righteousness from the people. Amos saw a vision of swarming locust, and Amos pleaded with the Lord, and the Lord relented. Then the next vision was by fire, and again Amos pleaded for mercy, and the Lord relented. Then there was a plumbline, and the Lord said, Israel had crossed it. At the end of chapter 7 there is a little story of the priest at Bethel, Amaziah, but we don't know what kind of a priest. He told Amos to quit speaking and go home, and Amos said he and his family will suffer, and Israel will go into exile. The last vision was a basket of ripe fruit, and "The time is ripe for My people Israel. I will spare them no longer." YET, verse 8, "Yet, I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob, declares the Lord." The Lord will replant Israel in their own land.

Jonah - A Neo-Assyrian Prophet

Thu, 23 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Jonah was a prophet of Israel who declared the word of the Lord during the time of Jeroboam II, who reigned around 793-753 BC. Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25, and Jesus mentioned him in Matthew 12:38-41 and Luke 11:29-32, saying that the men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment against the people of Israel in Jesus' time, because this non-Jewish city repented and turned to God with just the 1/2 hearted preaching of Jonah, who didn't even want them to repent, and the Jews in Jesus' day heard the word of the Lord from the Mouth of the Lord, JESUS, and they didn't repent. This solidifies that the canonical prophet book of Jonah is a real historic narrative. What we do not know is if Jonah wrote it or if someone else did. If it was Jonah, then he did get right with God, if he did not, then it is a warning of how we ought not to be.

Jonah was called by God to go to Nineveh, but instead, Jonah went the opposite direction. He got on a boat heading to Tarshish, but the Lord brought a big wind. The ship was about to break apart, when the sailors found out that the storm was Jonah's fault. Jonah said if they would throw him overboard the storm would stop. My OT professor, Dr. Betts said, Jonah had another option than being thrown over, he could have repented then and there, but no, he would rather die than repent. They threw him over, but he did not die, a big fish swallowed him. It took him three days and nights in the belly of the fish before he was willing to 1/2 heartedly repent. The fish threw him up on dry land, and he went to Nineveh. Instead of preaching repentance, he said, "Yet 40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown." Jonah was so man when the Assyrians repented and God showed mercy and spared the city. He watched until the deadline to see if the Lord would be merciful, and while waiting, the Lord brought Jonah a plant to shade him from this son. This made Jonah happy. The Lord then also appointed a worm to come and eat the plant, causing it to die. This made Jonah mad again. Numerous times the Lord asked Jonah, "Do you have reason to be angry? Jonah never gave a good reason. The story has an open ending. The Lord asked, "Should I not be concerned about this great city?" The Lord was also concerned about Jonah's hard heart.

2 Kings - Chapter 14

Wed, 22 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this chapter Amaziah was king of Judah, and once he was fully established, he executed the men who killed his father, King Joash. He defeated the Edomites and expanded the southern border of Judah. After that victory, he was prideful, and asked for a face off with Jehoash, king of Israel. Jehoash called the king of Judah a thistle in comparison to Jehoash as a cedar in Lebanon. Amaziah did not head the warning, and the Jehoash of Israel, overcame Judah and they fled. He broke down a part of the wall of Jerusalem, and took the gold, silver, and articles that were in both the temple and the royal palace. He even took hostages and returned to Israel. Amaziah was killed, and his son Uzziah, also known as Azariah became king. During his reign, the border of Judah extended all the way south to the port of Elath which was a waterway connecting to the Red Sea. Jeroboam II became the next king in Israel, and with his leadership, he expanded the southern border into Aram/Syria's boundary to the Dead Sea and up north almost as far as King Solomon did, retaking the city of Damascus and Hamath. It was also during Jeroboam II that the Lord used the prophet Jonah to speak to the king (14:25). The Lord saw the Israelite's suffering, and he raised up Jeroboam II to help them. The chapter ends with Jeroboam's son, Zechariah, succeeding him as king.

2 Kings - Chapter 13

Tue, 21 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This chapter focused on the kingdom of Israel. Jehu was the king that took down Ahab's family, Jezebel, plus the prophets and temple of Baal. Since the king of Israel was also related to Ahab, he also died. Since Jehu brought down the house of Ahab, the Lord promised he would have four generations of descendants sit on the throne of Israel. His first son to become king was Jehoahaz, who reigned around 814-798 BC. Verse 3 tell us the Lord's anger burned against him because of his sin of idolatry, and He allowed the power of Hazael king of Aram and his son to triumph over Israel. It was through an unnamed deliverer they were delivered from Aram. There are two main thoughts, it could have been Assyria, the upcoming world power that attacked Aram from the north, or it could have been Elisha. The second generation of Jehu to sit on the throne was Jehoash, who reigned around 798-782 BC. and he reigned at Elisha's death. Before he died, he told king Jehoash to shoot an arrow through the east window, which faced the nation of Aram. Then he was to hit his arrows on the ground. Jehoash did it three times, which upset Elisha, because that meant the king would only triumph over Aram three times. Elisha said if he would have done it five or six times, he would have overtaken Aram. Elisha died and was buried, and yet the Lord did one more miracle through him. Some Israelites were burying someone, when they spotted Moabite raiders, so they threw him in the grave of Elisha, and the man came to life and stood up on his feet. The chapter ends with Jehoash (descendant #2), defeated Aram three times and recovered the Israelite towns.

2 Kings - Chapters 11-12

Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These chapters focus of the southern tribes of Judah. After Jehu killed Ahaziah, king of Judah, his mother Athaliah, killed off everyone from the family, and she became king for six years. Thankfully she did not kill off everyone, for Ahaziah's sister, hid her baby brother, Joash, also known as Jehoash. She took him and his nurse to the temple of the Lord to hide until it was time. When he became seven years old, the priest, Jehoiada, first revealed him to the commanders, then during the changing of the guard, when the one group was to leave, they stayed as well and all the soldiers stood around the king and protected him. They were to kill anyone who approached the king. Jehoiada the priest, put the crown on his head, gave him a copy of the covenant, and proclaimed him king. The people rejoiced greatly. When Queen Athaliah heard the noise, she ran to the temple, and saw the king, plus the people's response, and she cried out, "Treason! Treason!" The soldiers removed her from the temple complex and then killed her, and anyone following her. The young king was then taken to the palace and placed on his throne. One of the great things that king Joash did was repair the temple. When it was in the hands of the priests to do it, it didn't get done, so after twenty-three years, when he was 30, he put the royal secretary and the high priest in charge of the money raised, and it went directly to the workers of the temple.

We also learned that since Hazael had taken over the eastern land of Israel, he now planned to take Jerusalem, but King Joash, gave him the silver and gold from the temple treasury and from the palace. Joash reigned for 40 years, and was killed by his officials, and was buried in the City of David with his fathers. His son, Amaziah succeeded him.

2 Kings - Chapters 8-10

Fri, 17 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These three chapters begin with a story of the Shunamite woman, whose son was brought back to life through Elisha. The Lord brought a famine to the land, and Elisha told to woman to leave for seven years until the famine was over. When she came back, it seems that her elderly husband had died, and so she went to the king to ask for her home and her land back. When she entered into the king's presence, it just so happened that Elisha's servant, Gehazi, was talking with the king about the great things Elisha had done, including bringing this boy back to life. The king graciously gave her not only her home and land, but also all the income from her land since the day she left the country.

The rest of these chapters cover the political scene of Israel, Judah, and Aram which is also called Syria. Elisha went to Damascus, and announced that Hazael would be the next king of Aram. The Scriptures tell us that "the man of God began to weep," and when Hazael asked why, he announced it was because Elisha saw the harm that he will bring to the Israelites. That next morning Hazael killed Ben-Hadad and became king.

Due to intermarriage between Israel and Judah, they fought battles together, and they were beginning to lose on all sides. Edom from the south rebelled. Libnah from the west rebelled, and then Aram from the north attacked. The heat of the battle was at Ramoth Gilead, and the king of Israel was wounded and ran back to Jezreel in Israel. The king of Judah went to Jezreel to check on him. Queen Jezebel also still lived there. Elisha then sent a prophet to Jehu, one of the commanders, who was stationed at Ramoth Gilead, and there the prophet anointed Jehu as king of Israel, and then ran away. When he told his men what happened, they respected him as king, and announced it with trumpets. Jehu then went to Jezreel and killed the king of Israel. The king of Judah was killed at Megiddo, since he also followed in the idolatrous footsteps of Ahab. Jehu then went to Jezebel, and her servants pushed her out the window, and she died. He then killed all descendants of Ahab, and all the prophets of Baal, plus tore down their temple and their sacred stone. The Lord told him for all the great things he did, he would have a descendant on the throne for four generations. Jehu's reign was for twenty-eight years, and Jehoahaz his son became king. Verse 32 says, "In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory.

2 Kings - Chapters 6-7

Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These two chapters begin with a miracle of the Lord that was done through Elisha. A company of prophets had grown so large, that they needed to build a bigger place to meet with Elisha, so they asked him to come with them to the Jordan River so they could cut a pole and build a bigger place to live. While doing so, one of the men who had borrowed an iron ax, was chopping, and the ax head fell into the water. He cried out to Elisha to help, and he asked where it went into the water. Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water, and the ax head floated to the top, and the man grabbed it.

The story then switched to a plot of the king of Aram to attack Israel, but the Lord thwarted his plans by revealing to Elisha where he was going to attack. It happened so many times that the king thought he had a mole in his midst, but the men found out that it was because of Elisha of Israel. They found out Elisha was in Dothan, so they surrounded the city one night, and the next morning, Elisha's servant was fearful due to the mighty army. Elisha responded, "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (vs. 16). Elisha prayed his servant's eyes would open, and he then saw the horses and chariots of fire which surrounded Elisha. He then prayed that the Aramean's eyes would be blinded, and he led them to the king of Israel. The king did not know what to do, so Elisha told him not to kill them but feed them and send them on their way back to their master. There was peace for a while, but then Ben-Hadad brought his entire army and laid siege to Israel's capital, Samaria. It lasted so long that the people were starving to death. There was even a case of cannibalism brought to his attention. At this, the king tore his robes, and went after Elisha, who knew he was coming. He said, that by this time tomorrow, there would be plenty of food, and the king's officer said, "Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" Well the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of many chariots and horses, and they thought reinforcements were coming with the Hittites and Egyptians, so they ran in fear for their lives and left all they had in their camps. Four lepers who were at the city gate, decided that it would be better to get out of the city and go to the Arameans, because maybe if they surrender, their lives would be spared. When they got into the camp, they saw it was empty of people, but full of goods, so they raided the place, until they felt guilty and decided to tell the king. The king sent out men to check it out, and they found it as the men said. Once the people found out they were free and all that food was outside, they rushed out of the city gate and trampled the man who doubted Elisha. He saw it, but he never tasted it.

2 Kings - Chapter 5

Wed, 15 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Today's lesson covers the story of Naaman the Aramean, who had leprosy. During one of the raids Aram conducted in Israel, they had taken a young girl, who became Naaman's wife's servant. She told her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy!" Naaman got permission to go to Samaria to the king of Israel, and his master sent a letter, "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy!" The king of Israel did not respond well, and when Elisha heard, he told the king to send Naaman to him, so that he would know there was a prophet in Israel. Naaman came in all his grandeur, and Elisha sent a messenger out to tell him to go to the Jordan and dip seven times, and then he would be cleansed. This made Naaman so mad, because Elisha did not come out himself, plus there was no grand presentation, plus, the Jordan was disgusting, there were better rivers in Damascus. Thankfully, his servants calmed him down and said, "If he would have asked you to do something grand, you would have done it, how much more when all he said was wash and be cleansed." Naaman went to the Jordan and dipped seven times, and he was healed, "like that of a young boy!"
He went back to Elisha to say thanks and he declared "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant" (vs. 15). Elisha would not accept the gift. Naaman then asked to take some of Israel's land, so he could make an altar to Israel's God on Israel's land, then he asked for forgiveness, for in his job, he had to help his master worship at the temple of Rimmon. Elisha said, "Go in peace!" On his way home, Elisha's servant, Gehazi, caught up with Naaman, and lied and said Elisha needed some money and two sets of clothes, because some young men had come to him. Naaman gave even more than requested. Gehazi hid it from Elisha, but he knew, and in return, Gehazi and his descendants would have the leprosy which once plagued Naaman.

2 Kings - Chapter 4

Tue, 14 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Today's lesson covers five miracles from the Lord through Elisha. The first is with a widow whose husband was a prophet. Now that her husband died, a creditor was going to take her two sons to pay their debt. She cried out to Elisha, and he asked, "What do you have in your house?" She only had a little oil, so they were to ask their neighbors for as many jars as possible. They did, and they were able to fill the jars with oil, and when the jugs ran out, so did the oil stop flowing. They were able to pay their debt and live on the rest. The second story, which technically covers two miracles, was about a well-to-do woman, who noticed Elisha would travel by their home often, and she asked her husband if they could feed him. Then she asked if they could set up a room for him to stay when he traveled by. They made a room for him with a bed, table, chair, and lamp. Elisha was so thankful that she asked if he could do anything for her, but she said, she did not need anything. He kept wanting to do something for her, so he asked his servant, Gehazi, and he said, "Well, she has no son, and her husband is old" (vs. 14b). Elisha told her this time next year she would have a child. Instead of being overjoyed, she said, "No, my lord, don't mislead your servant, O man of God!" He did not mislead her and she had a son. The child grew, and then had an incident with his head. He died in his mother's arms. The Shunammite woman put her son on Elisha's bed, and immediately went directly to him. Elisha came to the boy, and prayed and laid on him. He began to get warm. He walked around again, and then laid on top of him again, and he sneezed 7 times and opened his eyes. He gave her back her son. The 4th miracle, Elisha put flour in a pot of deadly stew, and it became edible, and the 5th miracle, had to do with feeding a group of 100 men with just 20 loves of barley bread. A man of Israel, wanted to offer a first fruits offering to the Lord, but since Israel did not have access to the temple in Judah, he offered it to Elisha, a man of God. Elisha told him that the Lord said to feed the people, and they will eat and have leftovers. He did, they did, and there were leftovers!

2 Kings - Chapter 3

Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this chapter, Elisha is revealed to the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom, that he is a prophet of the Lord. Joram is now king of Israel, and his brother before him, Ahaziah died after only two years after he found out that the king of Moab was going to stop paying the 100,000 lambs and wool of 100,000 rams (vs. 4). Now that Joram is king, he seeks the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat's assistant in attacking Moab. They take the southern route, and since Edom is a vassal nation of Judah, their king also assists them. They ended up going in a circular fashion, and they ran out of water. It was not until then that King Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of God in the area. An unnamed soldier of Israel knew that Elisha, son of Shephat was there, and that he used to attend to Elijah (vs. 11). They approach Elisha, and he was not to thrilled to see Joram the son of Israel, because he still worshiped idols in his land, but because he respected King Jehoshaphat of Judah, he requested a harpist to come. Once he played, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha, and he told them to dig ditches because the Lord would provide water even though it would not rain there. The next morning, during the time of morning sacrifice, water came from Edom and took care of their need. The Moabites thought it was blood. Roy L. Honeycutt, Jr. commented that, "the water which came down from the red sandstone hills of Edom shone in the morning sun like blood." At this, the Moabites thought the kings had attacked each other, so they went down to gather the spoils, and they were surprised to see all three armies ready to go. Israel attacked and killed many Moabites. Just as Elisha said, they overthrew every major city they encountered, cut down many trees, stopped up their springs, and ruined every good field with stones." The last verse says that when the king of Moab saw he was losing, he sacrificed his son on a wall, which brought a fury against Israel, and they withdrew and returned to their own land.

2 Kings - Chapter 2

Fri, 10 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As Roy L. Honeycutt said in his commentary of this chapter, "Elisha is Confirmed as Successor to Elijah, and the Confirmation of Elijah's translation." Elijah and Elisha start off at Gilgal, then go to Bethel, and then to Jericho. Each of these places have a company of prophets living there. Each time Elijah tells Elisha to stay there with the prophets, but each time Elisha says, "As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you!" Also at each city, the prophets told Elisha, "The Lord is going to take your master from you today," and each time Elisha said, "Yes, I know, but don't speak of it!" Then the Lord directed Elijah to go across the Jordan River, so he took his cloak, rolled it up, struck the water with it, the water divided, and they walked over on dry ground. Once across, Elijah asked what he could do for Elisha, and he asked for a double portion of his spirit. Elijah said that was difficult, but if Elisha saw Elijah taken up to heaven, then it would be so. The chariot of fire with horses of fire separated Elisha and Elijah, the the whirlwind took Elijah to heaven. Elisha ripped his clothes in lament, and then picked up Elijah's cloak which had fallen. He took the cloak, struck the river Jordan as Elijah had done and cried out, "Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" The waters divided and he walked back on dry ground. The 50 prophets of Jericho who had watched the whole thing said, "The Spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha!" They then asked him to heal their water, so Elisha asked them to bring a new bowl and place salt in it. They did, and he threw the salt into the spring, and then said, "This is what the Lord says, 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive." Elijah left Jericho and was heading to Bethel, when a large group of at least 42 young males jeered him and kept saying, "Go on up, you baldhead!" Finally, Elisha turned and looked at these youth that did not fear the Lord, and spoke a curse on them. Two bears came out of the woods and mauled them. The chapter ends with Elisha going to Mount Carmel, and then he returned to Samaria, the capital of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

2 Kings - Chapter 1

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This is Elijah's last recorded confrontation with a king of Israel, Ahaziah. As Paul R. House said in his commentary, "Elijah delivers his life's message one last time." King Ahaziah was hurt by falling through the lattice of his upper room, and instead of seeking wisdom from the Lord, he sent his messengers to the god of Ekron, a Philistine city. This brought the Lord to send His messenger, an angel, to Elijah, to become his messenger, to go and speak to Ahaziah's messengers on their way to Ekron. Once the kings messengers received the word of the Lord through the Lord's messengers, they went back to the king and told him that because he chose to go to the god of Ekron, instead to the God of Israel, he would die. Well, King Ahaziah knew instantly who sent the word, but he asked, "What kind of man spoke to you?" The messengers answered that he wore a garment of hair with a leather belt around his waist. The king sent a commander with a troop of 50 men to go and get Elijah. They commanded him to go, but he said, "If I am a man of god, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men." The fire came and they were consumed (vs. 9-10). A second group was sent by the king, and they said, "Come down. NOW!" Elijah said the same thing, and fire consumed them too (vs. 11-12). The king sent a third group, with the same message, but thankfully this third commander was wise. He bowed before Elijah, humbled himself, and asked Elijah to respect his life and his men's life. To this the Lord's messenger/angel, told Elijah to go and to not be afraid. He went with the men, and told king Ahaziah that he would die, and verse 17 says, "So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken." Since Ahaziah did not have any sons, his brother, Joram, succeeded him as king, and he became king in the 2nd year of the reign of king Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

1 Kings - Chapter 22

Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This last chapter of 1 Kings ends with the death of king Ahab of Israel. His death was predicted at the end of chapter 21 because in their last battle with Ben-Hadad of Aram, he made a pact with the king instead of killing him, Ben-Hadad promised to give all the cities that used to belong to Israel back, plus Ahab had access to sell trade in Damascus. Since Ahab spared his life, a prophet told Ahab it would be his life for Ben-Hadad's life. In chapter 22 we learned that Ahab and all his sons would be put to death because of what he and Jezebel did in having Naboth killed and taking his vineyard, so Ahab knows it is coming. King Ahab and King of Judah, Jehoshaphat, worked together to take Ramoth Gilead, a border city of Israel and Aram, which obviously Ben-Hadad never gave back to Israel. Israel's prophets told the kings they would succeed, but Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of the Lord that they could ask. He could tell a difference. King Ahab called for Micaiah, which he hated, because this prophet always spoke negatively to Ahab, but they called him anyway. When he came before the kings, he eventually told them the truth, Ahab would die in battle, and the people would scatter to their own homes. Then he added a vision of the Lord sitting on his throne before his hosts, and He asked, "Who will entice Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead so he will die?" One of them responded, "I'll have his prophets lie to him!" At this, one of Ahab's prophets struck Micaiah who was then taken to prison until the king returned from battle. He cried out as he was taken, "If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me. Mark my words, all you people!" They went to battle, but Ahab dressed in a disguise, and had Jehoshaphat dressed in his kingly robes. Ben-hadad's men chased Jehoshaphat, but when they realized he was not the King of Israel, they turned the other way. An unnamed bowman, randomly drew his bow, and the arrow struck king Ahab between his armor. He died, and his blood flowed out onto the floor of his chariot, the one he had made a pact with Ben-hadad. Then they cleaned the chariot, so the blood flowed and the dogs licked it up, just like they did for the vineyard owner, Naboth. The Lord kept his word. 1 Kings ends with the new kings of the divided kingdom, Jehoshaphat's son, Jehoram, became king of Judah, and Ahab and Jezebel's son, Ahaziah, became king of Israel, but only for two years because, "He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, because he walked in the ways of his father and mother..."

1 Kings - Chapter 21

Tue, 07 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This chapter focused on king Ahab in the Northern Tribe of Israel. He wanted a beautiful vineyard that was close to his palace, but it belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Ahab offered to buy it, or replace it with another vineyard, but Naboth refused because it was his inheritance from his father. Ahab sulked, laid in his bed, and refused to eat. His wife, Jezebel, came home and asked what was the matter? When she found out she said, "Is this how you act as King of Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite." She wrote letters in the name of the king. Had them sealed with the King's and sent them to the leaders in Naboth's village. They made a mock trial and stoned Naboth to death. Queen Jezebel told the king that Naboth was dead, so he could go and take the vineyard. King Ahab went to the vineyard, but the Lord sent Elijah the prophet there too. The Lord told him that Ahab and his family would die, and that Jezebel would be eaten by dogs by the wall of Jezreel. At this news, Ahab humbled himself before the Lord and tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. When the Lord saw this, he told Ahab that since Ahab humbled himself, the Lord would not allow this to happen until the days of his son.

1 Kings - Chapter 20

Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this chapter, king Ben-Hadad of Aram, the country north and east of Israel, planned on attacking Samaria, the capital of Israel. He first sent word that if King Ahab would give him their silver and gold and the best of their wives and children, then they would not attack. At first the king of Israel agreed, but then Ben-Hadad added wanted his men to search the palace and the official's houses for anything of value. Ahab met with his officials, and they said, "No! We will fight!" With that word, Ben-Hadad got his men ready for battle. An unnamed prophet of the Lord told Ahab, king of Israel, that He would give that vast army into the king's hand, so that he will KNOW that the Lord is God. The Israelites won, and Ben-Hadad escaped but they suffered heavy losses. His men told them the reason they lost was because the Israel's god was a god of the hills, so next time we fight we need to do it in the valley. When Spring came, they did, but the Lord again fought for Israel, and they won. Ben-Hadad again retreated. His men thought that maybe Ahab would make a pact with them, so they did. Ben-Hadad promised to give back all the cities that first belonged to Israel, and allowed Ahab to set up areas of commerce in Damascus. The end of the chapter, one of the Lord's prophets told Ahab that because he did not kill Ben-Hadad, it would be Ahab's life and Ahab's people who would die. The king of Israel went to his palace, "sullen and angry!"

1 Kings - Chapter 19

Fri, 03 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Queen Jezebel has threatened to kill Elijah so he ran. He left Israel and ran down to Beersheba where the Lord had spoken to Jacob, also known as Israel (Genesis 46:1-4). Elijah left his servant there and then went into the dessert, he cried out to the Lord, "I have had enough, Lord. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors!" Yet the Lord did not yell at him or even rebuke him, instead an angel of the Lord allowed him to sleep, then he fed him hot bread and water, and then he slept again and ate again. Then Elijah went 40 days and 40 nights to the Mountain of God, where Moses had been (Ex. 3:1-4). Once he arrived he went into a cave and spent the night, and the Lord came to Elijah, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah gave the Lord his spiel, but again the Lord did not rebuke him for his lack of faith, instead He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." This also reminds us of Moses on the Mt. of God when he asked to see the Lord's glory (Ex. 33:19-23). A powerful wind came, then an earthquake, then a fire, but the Lord was not in any of these powerful expressions, instead came a still small voice. God was in the whisper, and Elijah covered his face. The Lord asked again, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Again the Lord did not rebuke him for his lack of faith, instead he told him to go back, reminded him that the Lord is in control of the affairs of the day, told him he's not alone in his faith, and gave Elijah his successor, Elisha. Elijah means, "The Lord, He is God!" and Elisha means, "God saves!!!"

1 Kings - Chapter 18

Thu, 02 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

After three and a half years, the Lord told Elijah to go tell Ahab that He would send rain to the land, so he went and found Obadiah, Ahab's overseer of the palace. We learn that Obadiah fears the Lord and has protected 100 prophets of the Lord from Jezebel who was killing the Lord's prophets. Obadiah was fearful to tell Ahab, thinking that Elijah would hide again, but Elijah gave his word that he would present himself before Ahab this very day. When they met, king Ahab called Elijah, "O troubler of Israel," and Elijah said, "I'm not the troubler, but you are because you have followed the Baals instead of the Lord." Elijah called a meeting with the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah on Mt. Carmel. The test was each would build an altar and sacrifice, and the god who sets it on fire is God. The people agreed, and the prophets of Baal went first. They got it ready and cried out, but no on answered. They cried louder. They cried all morning, but no response. By noon, Elijah began to taunt them, "Cry louder, maybe he's sleeping!" They did and even slashed themselves until their blood flowed, but no answer. At the time of evening sacrifice, Elijah set up the altar of the Lord with 12 stones representing the 12 sons of Judah, also named Israel. He got it all ready, and then he dug a trench around it and pour 12 large jugs of water over the alter and sacrifice. He prayed one simple prayer, "so that these people will know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You are turning their hearts back again." Fire came down from heaven, and the people cried, "The Lord - He is God! The Lord - He is God!" Elijah and the people seized the prophets of Baal and killed them in the Kishon Valley. Elijah told king Ahab to go and eat for the rain is coming. The king left, and Elijah went back to the top of the mountain. He bent down on the ground and put his face between his knees and waited. He kept having his servant look out over the sea to see anything, and on the 7th time, the servant saw a cloud the size of a man's fist coming out of the sea. Elijah sent his servant to tell Ahab to head to Jezreel before the rain stopped him. He did, Ahab did, and Elijah, in the power of the Lord, tucked his cloak in his belt, and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

1 Kings - Chapter 17

Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Elijah came to king Ahab, the most wicked king of the northern tribes of Israel, and said, "As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except by my word!" This began the showdown between the God of Israel, and Baal and Asherah, the gods of the Phoenicians. Baal was supposed to be the god of storms and rain, but this drought showed that it is the God of Israel that is Lord over the rain. After the announcement, the Lord sent Elijah to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan River, and there the Lord gave him water from the brook, and the Lord sent Ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat to eat both night and day. Once the brook dried up, the Lord sent Elijah to Zarephath of Sidon, and the Lord had commanded a Phoenician woman to provide for Elijah. When he arrived, he asked for water, and she went to fetch some, even though they were in a drought, but then Elijah asked for a small loaf of bread, and she informed him she had none, and was preparing a fire to make her last little bit of bread so she and her son could have their last meal and die. Elijah said if she made the first loaf for him, the Lord would not allow the flour or the oil to run out until it began to rain. She made it, gave the first to Elijah, and the Lord kept His word. While there, her son became sick and died. She asked, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?" Elijah did not know what the Lord was doing, but he took the boy's body upstairs and cried out to the Lord 3 times, "O Lord my God, let this boy's life return to him!" He did. Elijah presented her son to the widow and said, "LOOK! your son is alive!" She responded, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth!"

1 Kings - Chapters 15-16 with Psalm 14 and 53

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The kingdom of Israel is divided with 10 tribes in the north called Israel, and 2 tribes in the south, Judah and Benjamin. Solomon's son, Rehoboam, reigned for 17 years in Jerusalem, and when he died, his son, Abijah became king. Jeroboam was still the king of Israel. Abijah was committed sins like his father, and his reign was only for three years, and his son Asa became king of Judah. Jeroboam was still king of Israel. Asa did right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father king David had done. His heart was fully committed to the Lord, even though he did not remove the high places. He reigned for 41 years. During his second year, Jeroboam died and Nadab became king of Israel. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and caused Israel to sin. He reigned 2 years. Baasha plotted against him, and killed him and became king. His first act was to kill everyone from Jeroboam's family. All during this time, there was war between the northern and southern tribe. One of those times, Baasha was fortifying the city of Ramah, to keep people from entering or leaving the land of Judah, so Asa the king of Judah, made a pact with Ben-Hadad, king of Aram (the northern side of Israel), that Asa would give Ben-Hadad the treasury in the temple if they would attack Baasha from the north. They did, which made Baasha leave his work of fortification to defend his land from Aram. King Asa of Judah took the materials Baasha left, and fortified two of his own cities, Geba in Benjamin and Mizpah. Baasha was king of Israel for 24 years, and then his son, Elah became king for two years. Zimri, one of Israel's officers killed him and became king, which lasted a full 7 days. When the Israelites learned what had happened, they made Omri, who was the commander of the army, king. They surrounded Zimri in the capital city of Tirzah, and when he realized he had no chance to escape, he set the city on fire and died. Not everyone like Omri as king, some wanted Tibni, but Omri was stronger and Tibni was killed. Omri reigned for 12 years. He bought and made Samaria the capital of Israel, and when he died, his son Ahab became king. All of these kings in Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but it said of Ahab, "(He) did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him."

1 Kings - Chapters 12-14

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

King Solomon is now dead, and his son Rehoboam was about to become king of all Israel, but the people cried out, "Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you." Rehoboam asked for three days to consider, and first he went to Solomon's advisors, and they said, "If you serve them, they will serve you," and then he asked his young advisors, and they said, "If you thought my dad was bad, you haven't seen anything yet." Rehoboam followed his friend's advice and answered harshly to the people, and they rebelled and made Jeroboam their king. Rehoboam tried to gain control, but failed. He was going to wage war, but the Lord, through Shemaiah the prophet told him, "No!"
In the Northern tribes, Jeroboam knew he did not want his people going to Jerusalem to worship three times a year because he feared they would leave him, so he made two golden calves and placed one in the north in Dan, and the other in Bethel, the "House of God." He made up his own festivals for his people to follow. He elected non-Levites to be priests and even allowed anyone who wanted to be priest. He also set up other high places. He was rebuked by an unnamed prophet of the Lord, but Jeroboam did not listen. Due to his sin, his son would die, and the kingdom will be taken from him.
As for Rehoboam, he died, and his son Abijah became the next king. The writer included twice that Rehoboam's mother was Naamah, an Ammonite. He also led the people into deeper idolatry and 14:24 says, "There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land, the people engaged in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites." Due to his sin, Shishak of Egypt invaded Jerusalem, and he allowed it to stand in exchange for the treasury found in the temple.

Proverbs

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

With Hebrew poetry and wisdom literature, there is an understanding that God is sovereign over all things, and these poetic books acknowledge Him and cry out to Him. With Proverbs, this is not, "Thus says the Lord," instead it is people speaking to humanity about humanity. These are not necessarily promises from God, but general truths about life. There are proverbs about almost every aspect about life, and there are two main groups of people the wise and the foolish. The third group is called the simple, and they are so naive that they have become either wise or foolish yet. The ESV study Bible said in its introduction, "the greatest sin in Proverbs is the hardness in unteachability." The majority of Proverbs are little quotes about life, that are easy to say, but sometimes it takes time to ponder their truths. Sometimes they seem to contradict themselves like Prov. 26:4-5, "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him ourself." "Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes." One of the keys of wisdom is knowing what to do and when to do it, and sometimes that changes due to circumstances. The majority of Proverbs are written by Solomon, but then some are, "the sayings of the wise," (22:17). Also in 25:1 says, "These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah." Chapter 30 are "the sayings of Agur son of Jakeh - an oracle," and chapter 31, also known as the Proverbs 31 woman, were "the saying of King Lemuel - an oracle his mother taught him." These last two men are not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. This lesson ends with a look at Proverbs chapter 8, and how Wisdom speaks, and how the NT writers looked at this chapter and saw Jesus, the personification of wisdom, who was from the beginning, who was with the Father as they created the world, and when we find Him, we find life and light.

Ecclesiastes

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In the twelve chapters of Ecclesiastes, the "Teacher," who has tried everything under the sun finds everything, "Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!" Toiling away at a hard job is just chasing after wind. Seeking wisdom just brings much sorrow. Laughter - foolishness. Projects - foolishness. Great wealth - foolishness. Both the wise and the fool end up in the same place. 3:11 says, "He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what god ha done from beginning to end." There are warnings on how to approach God in awe and with little words, "Do not let your mouth lead to sin" (4:6a)! Those that love money never have enough, and this too is meaningless. Chapters 7, 10, 11, and 12 are various proverbs about life like "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." 12:8 again says, "'Meaningless! Meaningless!' says the Teacher, 'Everything is meaningless.'" Then verse 13-14 draws the conclusion, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

The Song of Songs

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, could be a collection of various songs, or it could mean that it is the best of the songs, like "King of kings, Lord of lords, Song of Songs." In Hebrew it could mean it is either "by," "for," or "about" Solomon, and there are few divisions, so it makes it hard to understand who is speaking. Most interpreters believe there are at least three characters, the bride-to-be, her maidens known as the "daughters of Jerusalem," and the groom-to-be. Some think 8:8-9 are a group of male friends who may be his groomsmen. There is debate on if the man is Solomon or a shepherd. I hold to the groom-to-be as a shepherd because of the references of Solomon in this song, they seem impersonal, they stress he is the king, and yet it seems the bride-to-be does know about how Solomon does things. We know from the text that the bride was a shepherdess and vine grower, and she is referenced as a Shulammite, but that is unclear if she is from Shunem from the tribe of Issachar in Northern Israel, or if it just means "Peaceable one," which is the feminine form of Solomon. Could it be that the bride was the kings daughter?
This love song starts with a yearning for each other, then starting in 3:1 it seems to cover the dreams of the shepherdess. It moves into more yearnings, and then they consummate their marriage and live happily ever after. There are two phrases that are repeated through this song, "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field; 'Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires," and then "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine,"

1 Kings - Chapter 11

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

It is interesting that the write of Solomon's life uses nine and a half chapters to mainly tell the great things about Solomon and his reign with just a few glimpses of what is coming, and then bang, he uses the last chapter, chapter 11 to tell all the bad stuff.
Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines, and he loved foreign women, all the ones the Lord said to not intermarry with. They drew his heart away from the Lord, and he served their foreign gods. This brought the Lord's anger, and he told Solomon that he would rip the kingdom out of his son's hand, but because of David's faithfulness, he would not tear all the kingdom, and Judah would keep Jerusalem. Then the Lord raised up three adversaries against Solomon. Hadad the Edomite from the southern part of Israel, Rezon son of Eliada, who led a band of rebels that took Damascus from Solomon in the north, and the third came from within Israel, Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam was from the tribe of Ephraim. He was a great worker for king Solomon, and after he was promoted, the prophet of Shiloh, Ahijah, met him, took off his new cloak and ripped it into 12 pieces, and told Jeroboam to take 10 of the pieces. He learned he would be king of 10 tribes of Israel, but not all because of the Lord's faithfulness to David and his faithfulness. The Lord also told Jeroboam that if he was faithful, the Lord would bless him. Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam after that, and so he escaped to Egypt, to king Shishak. Solomon died and was buried in the city of David, his father. He reigned for forty years, and then his son, Rehoboam succeeded him as king.

1 Kings - Chapters 9-10

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

After Solomon had achieved all he had desired to do, the Lord appeared to him a second time. The first time was in 3:4-15 when Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom, and here the Lord has heard Solomon's prayers, and He reminded Solomon if he and his sons would be faithful to the Lord then he would be blessed, but if their hearts turn from the Lord, "then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name." The rest of the chapter explain the glory of Solomon's reign, and verse 9:25 tells us Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord three times a year to fulfill the temple obligations. In chapter 10 we have the story of the Queen of Sheba and her willingness to travel a long distance to come and see this man and his wisdom. She was in awe that Solomon could answer all her questions, plus all of his riches and honor. 10:9 the Queen said, "Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel, because of the Lord's eternal love for Israel, He has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness. Chapter ten ends again describing Solomon in all his glory. He had many chariots and horses from Egypt. He acquired large amounts of gold, to where his huge throne was covered in it, and even his household utensils were made of them, but silver was considered of little value. This section ends telling us that Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all other kings of the earth, and that people from all over came to hear from him and brought him gifts.

1 Kings - Chapters 5-8

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

King Solomon makes a treaty with Hiram king of Tyre, who supplied David with materials to build his palace, not Solomon will be getting supplies from him to build the temple as well as his new palace, a new palace for his first wife, the daughter of the Pharoah king of Egypt, as well as a colonnade, a throne hall and hall of justice. It took Solomon seven years to build the temple and 14 years to build everything else. He hired Huram, a skilled craftsman in bronze to come from Tyre and help build the temple. Once it was completed, Solomon called all the leaders throughout Israel, and the priests carried the ark to it's new home in the temple. The other Levites and priests brought all the other items from the tabernacle which was in Zion, the City of David, into the Temple in Jerusalem. When the ark was in it's place in the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim, the cloud filled the temple, and the priests could not perform their duties because the glory of the Lord filled that place. Solomon blessed the people, and then he turned before the altar of the Lord and prayed, and finally he turned and blessed the people again. The main point of these blessings and prayers was praise to the Lord for fulfilling His promise to David, and then a request that the Lord would continue keeping his word that one from David's line would continually be on the throne. Solomon then acknowledge that the Lord's blessing was dependent upon the obedience of the people. He also stated that he knew that all people sin against the Lord, but if they turn back to Him, wherever they are, or whatever they have done, that the Lord would hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land. The people celebrated for 14 days, and then Solomon sent them home. They blessed king Solomon and then went home "joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and His people Israel."

1 Kings - Chapter 4 with Psalm 104 and Proverbs 15:16,17,22

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Today's lesson covers who king Solomon's officials and governors were. We see that some of David's official's sons are now serving Solomon. He also redistricted his land, probably due to the increase of the borders of Israel. Two of his governors were his son-in-laws, so this is later in Solomon's reign. Verse 20 says, "The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy. With so many people, Solomon's daily provisions were substantial, but the people did not seem to mind because verse 25 says, "During Solomon's lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree." This chapter ends describing Solomon's wisdom which was greater than any man in the East or in Egypt. People came from all over to seek his wisdom. Verse 32 says, "He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five." He was amazed with God's created universe.

1 Kings - Chapter 3 with Psalm 145 and Proverbs 1

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Now that the kingdom is firmly established in Solomon's hands, we learn that he made an alliance with Pharaoh, king of Egypt and married his daughter who came and lived in Jerusalem with him. Solomon loved the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David, except he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. While he was at Gibeon, after his sacrifices, God spoke to him in a dream and said, "Ask for whatever you want Me to give you." Solomon asked for wisdom to know how to lead his people, and the Lord was so pleased that he promised to give him riches and honor too. There will be no king of Israel like Solomon. When he awoke, he realized the Lord had spoken to him, so he went to Jerusalem, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and then he gave a feast for all his court. Solomon's first recorded act of wisdom and justice is a familiar story of two women who each had a baby. They lived in the same house and slept with their child. One woman woke up and realized her baby was dead, but in the morning light, she realized it was not her baby, but the other woman's. When they were before king Solomon, he asked for a sword to be brought and commanded the baby be cut in two. One woman said great, and the other woman cried out to stop. She would rather have her child live with the other woman, than dead. Solomon then gave the child to the woman who spared the child's life. The last verse of chapter 3 says, "When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice."

1 Kings - Chapter 2 with Psalm 72 and 19

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Before king David dies, he charged his son, Solomon, the next king to walk in the ways of the Lord. He also wanted Solomon to deal with a few men from David's kingship. The first on the list was Joab, who had killed men that David did not want killed such as Abner, Israel's commander of the Army, Amasa, Absalom's commander of the army, plus David's own son, Absalom. The second man mentioned was Barzillai who supplied for David while he was on the run from Absalom. Then the last man was Shimei who cursed David when he fled Jerusalem, and then pleaded for mercy when David was king again. After David died, Solomon's oldest brother who tried to take the kingdom, asked Bathsheba to ask Solomon for Abishag the Shunammite, who was the beautiful young woman that had been with king David while he was dying. When she asked the king for Adonijah, he became furious because he was trying to still take the kingdom, so Solomon had him killed, and this started his cleaning the house. He had Joab killed. He also addressed the priest who helped Adonijah to try and become king, Abiathar, but he was allowed to live since he was a priest and served the Ark of God, but he was removed from service as priest. Shimei was allowed to live as long as he stayed in Jerusalem, but if he left, he would be killed. He left and he died. Chapter two ends, "The kingdom was now firmly established in Solomon's hands."

1 Kings - Chapter 1 with Psalm 24 and 37

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

King David is now old, around 70, and he could not get warm, even with blankets, so his servants found a beautiful young woman who would help take care of him, and keep him warm, but they did not have sex. Since David was weak and old, his 4th born son, which is now the oldest living son, Adonijah, decided it was time to make himself king. He gathered all his brothers, except Solomon, and Joab, David's commander of the army, and the priest Abiathar. When David's men heard about it, Nathan went to Bathsheba with a plan. She was to go and share with him about Abiathar, then Nathan would come in and confirm her story. They did, and king David sword that he would take care of it today, and make Solomon, Bathsheba's son, the next king over Israel and Judah. David's men took him, anointed him, and brought him up to David's throne to sit upon it. The people rejoiced loudly, shouted, "Long live King Solomon," and the horn blew in declaration, that the earth shook too. This made Adonijah and everyone with him extremely nervous. Everyone fled, and Adonijah ran to the altar to ask for mercy. Solomon's men told the King, and Solomon said, "If he shows himself to be a worthy man, not a hair on his head will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, he will die." He was removed from the altar, went before the king, who told him, "Go home." Time will tell if Adonijah is found worthy.

2 Samuel - Chapters 23-24 with Psalm 32 and 110

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The last two chapters of 2 Samuel end the epilogue in the last 4 chapters of the book. It is written in a artistic style called a chiasm. Chapter 23 starts with section "C" which are "David's last words," then it ends with section "B" about king David's mighty men. Chapter 24 covers section "A" which is about how David stopped a divinely sent plague, which technically started because of David's sin regarding a census of the fighting men. David's last words focused on godly leadership who rule in righteousness and the fear of God. Even though this book does not explain who the next king will be, the question is raised if they will lead this way. David's mighty men are also called, "The thirty," but he also had three special mighty men, plus others, so as the last line of chapter 23 says, "There were thirty-seven in all." It is interesting that Joab is not mentioned in this list, but Bathsheba's father, and her husband, Uriah were both listed. With the last chapter, it is unclear as to why taking this census was a sin for David. It could be an act of pride, or an act of comparison between Judah and Israel which would cause more division. It may be that they did not follow the guidelines that are found in Exodus 30:11-16, about taking up an offering for the Lord to help take care of the tabernacle, from each of the men counted. What we do know, was that once David received the news, his heart was convicted. When the prophet Gad came, David quickly repented, but he had to bear the consequences which affected the nation. He chose 3 days of plague, since the Lord is merciful. David pleaded with the Lord to spare the people since it was his sin, and they were just sheep, so the Lord commanded David through the prophet to buy the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and make an altar and place a sacrifice unto the Lord. Araunah was willing to give it to David, but he said, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." Once the offering was given, the plague on Israel stopped. This ends 2 Samuel.

2 Samuel - Chapters 21-22 with Psalm 15 and 18

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The ending of 2 Samuel seems to be some added events throughout David's reign as king of Israel. Some call the last four chapters (21-24) as an appendix or an epilogue. Robert D. Bergen in his commentary pointed out that it is written in an artistic style called a chiasm. Chapters 21-22 cover the ABC, and then chapters 23-24 cover CBA. The "A" section is 21:1-14, "David Ends a Divinely Sent Famine." The Lord revealed that the famine was brought on because of Saul's sin against the Gibeonites. Joshua had made a treaty to spare the Gibeonite's lives in exchange for their service. Saul tried to wipe them out during his reign. They asked for seven descendants of Saul to kill and expose them for their sin. David did not chose Mephibosheth because of his covenant with Jonathan his father, but he found seven other men. The Gibeonites killed them and hung their bodies up. One of Saul's concubines stayed with the bodies to keep the birds and wild animals from feasting on them. When David heard he got Saul and Jonathan's bones, plus the bones of these seven men and buried them in Benjamin in Saul's father's grave. Section "B," 21:15-22, was the "Loyal and Heroic Soldiers of David." These were 4 men who fought the Philistine giants and won. Then chapter 22 is almost identical to Psalm 18, which is his longest recorded work. Bergen called it, "David Utters a Hymn of Praise to the Lord," section "C." In this chapter we see that David Praises the Lord, he declares it was the Lord that delivered him, he explained the reason was because David walked according to the ways of the Lord, when then goes back to declaring that the Lord delivered David, then to praise, and the last verse, 51, declares the king, the Lord's anointed is David and his descendants forever!

2 Samuel - Chapters 18-20 with Psalm 20 and 64

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

King David's son, Absalom, pursued David to kill him and take the throne. 18:8 reads, "The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword." Absalom's head got caught in an oak tree, and his mule kept going on. He hung in midair. David's men were afraid to strike him since David had asked them to be gentle with him for David's sake, so they told Joab, who pierced his heart with three javelins. His armorbearers surrounded him, struck him, and killed him. Joab sounded the trumpet, and the war was over. Absalom's men ran home in fear, and David's men came to David, but found him weeping for Absalom his son. Joab confronted David and said, you better go out and address your men, or they will not follow you any more, and it will be the worst mess you have found yourself in. David did. The men of Judah were willing to have David come back as king, so they went back, but there was still conflict between the Northern Tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Judah. Sheba from the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's tribe, declared, "We have no share in David, no part in Jesse's son! Every man to his tent, O Israel" (20:1)! David made Absalom's commander of the Army, Amasa, his commander of the army, in an attempt to bring the sides together, but it also was a way of demoting Joab for killing his son and confronting the king. On the way to get Sheba, Joab met Amasa and killed him. Once they found Sheba, the city he was hiding in, cut of his head and threw it to Joab. By the time the men returned to Jerusalem, Joab was the commander of the army in the sight of the men, and David reinstated him.

2 Samuel - Chapters 15-17 with Psalm 3 and 63

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters, David is king, and Absalom, the next in line to the throne, is now back in Jerusalem after killing his older half-brother, Amnon, because he had raped his sister. Absalom works on his plan for four years, making friends with people of the land and casting doubt on David's ability. Now the time has come, and he asked David to allow him to go to Hebron, his birthplace, and the place where David was first king, so he could fulfil a vow he had made. The king allowed it, and Absalom invited two hundred men from Jerusalem to come as guests, and they were unaware of his plans. He also sent men in every tribe of Israel so when they heard the trumpet, they were all to cry, "Absalom is king in Hebron!" When David heard he and his household ran for their lives. He crossed the Kidron Valley and enter the Mount of Olives. Jesus, the Son of David, did that as well in John 18:1. Both of these men walked this road with a heavy heart, and both of these men were betrayed by someone close to them. David met some people who wanted to help him, and others who cursed him. He met some that he sent back to Jerusalem to be his spies. Word came to him that he needed to cross the Jordan River as soon as possible, so they did, and there were allies waiting for him there with provisions for them.

2 Samuel - Chapters 13-14 with Psalm 36

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These chapters cover the story of David's oldest son, Amnon, raping his half-sister, Tamar, and then he discarded her as trash. Her full blooded brother, Absalom, David's third born son, took care of Tamar, but said nothing to his 1/2 brother. When King David heard, he was angry, but he did nothing. Two years of planning and plotting went by, and then Absalom was ready to act. He planned a part with all of his brothers, and when Amnon was full of wine, he called his servants to kill him. The other brothers fled home, and Absalom ran to his mom's dad in Geshur. He was there for three years, and David's heart yearned for him. Joab, the king's commander of the army, knew his king's heart, so he hired an actress to come and plead for her own "son's" life. The king pardoned her son, and then she asked if she could speak to the king, and he said yes. She then asked why he did not pardon his own son? The king asked her whose plan was this, Joab's? Yes, so the king had Joab go and fetch Absalom and bring him home, but he was not allowed to see the king's face. He lived that way for two years until he had enough. He sent for Joab, but he was ignored. Absalom decided to get his attention by setting his crop on fire. Joab came to Absalom, and then went to the king on behalf of Absalom. The king sent for his son, and when he arrived, he bowed before his father. The king kissed Absalom. Since the second son, Kileab, also named Daniel in 1 Chronicles 8:1-9, is not mentioned here, it is believed that he died at a young age. This sets up Absalom as the next king of Israel.

2 Samuel - Chapters 11-12 with Psalm 51

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters David remained in Jerusalem while his men were off to war. In verses 2-4a we see that David got up, David walked around, David saw a woman, David sent someone to inquire about her, David sent messengers to get her. Who is the initiator in all of this? David! Even after David found out that Bathsheba's father and husband were a part of David's mighty men, and that her grandfather was a godly man, he still proceeded with his desires. After their encounter, "the woman," sent word, "I am pregnant." Then what did David do? David sent word, David asked, David said, David said again, "At David's invitation," David wrote, David sent it with Uriah, David wrote. Again, who is the initiator? David. The Lord told Nathan the prophet to go speak to David. Nathan told a story of a rich man who took a poor man's one and only ewe lamb. (This story also shows that it was the rich man who was at fault.) David said this rich man deserves to die, and Nathan said, "You are the man!" David admitted he had sinned against the Lord, and Nathan told him, "The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die." Yet the child conceived in sin did die. David wrote Psalm 51 after Nathan came to him, after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. This Psalm cries out for mercy and forgiveness. He asked for a clean heart and a steadfast spirit. It also asked the Lord for continued blessings upon Israel.

2 Samuel - Chapters 8-10 with Psalm 60 and 108

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These chapters tell us that king David expanded the land of Israel on all directions. It is also clear that the reason this was so was because the Lord gave him victory wherever he went. We also learned that once David was established, he asked if there were any descendants of Jonathan and king Saul, that he could show kindness to? Jonathan had a son, Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet. Chapter 4:4 tells us that he was 5 years old when his dad and grandpa had died in battle, and because the Philistines were invading the land, his nurse picked him up, but because they were in such a hurry to leave, he fell and became crippled. At first Mephibosheth was scared to meet the king, but then king David was kind to him. David gave him all the land that Saul had owned. He also gave Mephibosheth's servant and his family the responsibility of tending to that land, because Mephibosheth would stay in the palace and eat with the king each evening as if he were his own son. These chapters end with the battle against the Ammonites, and David and his men won. David reigned by doing what was just and right for his people, and his kindness toward Mephibosheth, was due to his love for Jonathan, and he had given his word he would watch over his family.

2 Samuel - Chapters 5-7 with Psalm 16

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters David now becomes king over all Israel at the age of 30. He reigned for 40 years, seven years in Hebron, and 33 over all Israel. His first act was to conquer the Jebusite city of Jerusalem to be the new capital. Hiram king of Tyre sent David cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons to help build him a palace. After that, David felt established as king. He took more wives and concubines, and they bore him even more sons. The Philistines attacked, but the Lord guided David, and the Israelites won. David then wanted to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. The first attempt was not brought as the Lord directed, and when the cart stumbled and the ark rocked, Uzzah touched the ark and died instantly for his irreverent act, for no one was to touch the ark because it was holy for the Lord's presence dwelt there. David was angry and then fearful, so the Ark stayed at Obed-Edom's place. Yet the Lord blessed Obed-Edom so much, that David went after it again, but this time men carried it on poles the way the Lord directed it. There was great rejoicing when they entered Jerusalem. Everyone seemed jubilant except for Saul's daughter, Michal. She once loved David her first husband, but now she despised him. She ended up being childless until the day of her death. David had wanted to build a temple for the Lord, but the Lord said no. He promised David that his offspring would be blessed with an eternal kingdom, and David went before the Lord and praised and thanked the Lord for His kindness to David, his family, and the nation of Israel. The Lord's eternal kingdom is established through Jesus Christ, the son of David, and the Son of God, and it is for all who believe in Him.

2 Samuel - Chapters 2-4

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

After king Saul and Jonathan had died, David asked the Lord if it was time to leave the Philistine city of Ziklag and go to his tribe of Judah? The Lord said yes, and that he should go to Hebron. David obeyed the Lord, and he and his two wives and his men and their families moved to Hebron, and there the tribe of Judah made David king. The problem was the rest of Israel, through the leadership of Abner, Saul's commander of the army, had made Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth, king of Israel. There were various battles, one of which Abner killed Asahel because he refused to give up pursuing Abner. Asahel was Joab, David's commander of the army's brother. Through the war, David grew stronger and the house of Saul became weaker. Abner became offended by Ish-Bosheth, so he made peace with David to make him king over all Israel, if they would bring David his first wife, Michal to him. They did. Joab was furious, called Abner back without David knowing, and killed him to avenge his brother's death. David and the people mourned Abner. David cursed Joab and his family, and he fasted until evening. David's actions proved to the people that he had nothing to do with Abner's death. The people still wanted David to be their king, and two of Ish-Bosheth's men, who were raiders, came to him while he was in bed, killed him, cut off his head, and brought it to David. They thought this would please him, but it brought their deaths. We are also told in 4:4, that Jonathan had a son. At the time of Jonathan and Saul's death, he was 5 years old, and when they ran to escape the Philistine invasion, the boy fell and was crippled in both his legs. This plays a part in the future chapters of 2 Samuel.

2 Samuel - Chapter 1

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Second Samuel begins with David finding out that king Saul and Jonathan both died in battle against the Philistines. The news was brought by an unnamed Amalekite who escaped from the Israelite camp. Now he said, he found Saul on his sword, but he was not dead yet, so he killed the Lord's anointed, and brought David Saul's crown and armband. Once David and the men heard the news, they mourned, wept, and fasted until evening. David then asked the man why he was not afraid to kill the Lord's anointed, and we do not know his response. It seems that this man thought he would be rewarded for bringing David the king's crown, but instead it brought his death. Then chapter one gives us the lament, or funeral song of sorrow, that David wrote. It was recorded in the Book of Jashar, which is also mentioned in Joshua 10:13, which we do not have a copy of, but it could be a record of stories or songs about the various wars of Israel. The phrase, "How the mighty have fallen," is located in the beginning, middle, and end of the song. It mentions the Philistines and how they would rejoice to know that Saul is dead. It mentioned Mt. Gilboa, the place where Saul and Jonathan died. It mentioned the blessings of Israel with Saul and Jonathan as their leaders, and then David weeps about the death of his best friend, Jonathan. The song ends, "How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished." Saul and Jonathan have perished.

1 Samuel - Chapter 31 with Psalm 91

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this last chapter of 1 Samuel, the Philistines are at war with the Israelites. Three of king Saul's sons die, Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. Saul was fatally wounded by an arrow. Saul asked his armor-bearer to kill him so the Philistines would not torture him, but he would not kill the Lord's anointed, so Saul fell on his own sword. Verse six says, "So Saul and his three sons an his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day. The Philistines found Saul and his sons dead, so they stripped them, cut off their heads, and hung their bodies on a wall at Beth Shan. The valiant men of Jabesh Gilead heard of it, and that night they snuck into the town and took the men's bodies off the wall, brought them to Jabesh, burned them and buried the bones under the tamarisk tree. The reign of the first king of Israel has ended.

Psalm 91 does not have a title to it, so we do not know who wrote it. It is a wisdom Psalm with a theme of refuge is found in the Lord. Verses 11-12 of this Psalm were used by Satan in Matthew 4:6 & Luke 4:11 when Jesus was tempted. Satan put Jesus to the test, but Jesus won! David and Jesus, both found their refuge in the Lord Almighty, the God Most High. They placed their trust in the Lord, and so can we, because He is trustworthy, and He loves us!

1 Samuel - Chapters 27-30

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

After seeing Saul for the last time, David decided the safest place for him to be was in Philistine territory, so he and his men went to Gath, and this time they were welcome. Achish, son of Maoch king of Gath, welcomed this mighty warrior, and made him his right-hand man. David asked if it would be possible to live in a different city, since they were not worthy of living in such a royal city with the king, so Achish gave David Ziklag. David would attack the enemies of Israel, and bring the spoils to Achish and say it was from attacking Judah. We learn that the Philistines had plans of attacking Saul. Now what will David do? The story then flips and we read about Saul, and how he had become so afraid, and since he had hardened his heart and disobeyed the Lord so much plus with Samuel dead, who was he to turn to? He turned to a medium, which Saul had abandoned, and requested to speak to Samuel. She did, and Samuel said to Saul what he had told him in life, "Saul would die in battle, and tomorrow both he and his sons would join Samuel in death." Saul collapsed. Once he ate, he went home that night. The story then pops back to David and the Philistines who are about to attack Israel. Thankfully, the other commanders of the army did not want David to fight with them for fear that he would turn on them, which something similar happened in 14:20-21. David was sent home to Ziklag. Once they arrived, they found that the city had been burned, and the women, children, and goods were taken by the Amalekites. David and his men went searching, found an Egyptian slave who was abandoned due to sickness. He led them to the Amalekites and with a surprise attack, David and his men brought back everything that was theirs, as well as goods from other towns of Judah and cities of the Philistines. David shared the wealth with 200 of his men that were to exhausted to fight, but had protected their stuff, plus David shared with the leaders of various elders of Judah and those who had allowed David and his men to roam on their land. He was making allegiance when it was time for David to be king.

1 Samuel - Chapter 26 with Psalm 70

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this story, King Saul goes after David again, and the Ziphites go and tell Saul where he is again. They also told him in chapter 23, and we covered Psalm 54 with that lesson. This time David found them first. David sent scouts to find out where Saul was, and he was in the center of the camp with his 6,000 men around him. That night, David and Abishai snuck into the camp to Saul. Abishai wanted to kill Saul, but David would not let him hurt the Lord's anointed. They did take his spear and water bottle which were located by Saul's head. Verse 12 tells us that the camp was sleeping so soundly because "the Lord had put them into a deep sleep." Once they were a great distance away, David called out to Abner, Saul's commander, and asked him why he did such a horrible job at protecting the king? Abner asked who is this, but Saul knew. Saul said, "Is that your voice, David, my son?" Now everyone there knew David was not Saul's son, nor was he Saul's son-in-law any more, he was Saul's enemy, but not because of David, but due to Saul's jealousy. David asked what he had done to deserve this? Saul admitted he had sinned, and then the NIV version reads, Saul said, "Because you considered my life precious today, I will not TRY to harm you again." David was wise enough not to go back to Saul, but David told them to send a young man to come and fetch Saul's spear. Once he got it they parted ways never to meet again.

Psalm 70 is an imprecatory Psalm, crying out to the Lord to fight his enemies. David asked the Lord to save him and help him. Then he prayed that the Lord would send shame, confusion and disgrace to those who were after him. Then David gave a bit of praise, because those who seek the Lord can rejoice, be glad, and they can always say, "Let God be exalted!" David ends with a call to the Lord to come quickly and not delay.

1 Samuel - Chapter 25 with Psalm 39

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This story starts with Samuel's death, which ends an era of Judges leadership, and now it clarifies the role of King. David then went to southern Israel in the area of Carmel, where King Saul had placed a monument in his own honor in 1 Samuel 15:12. There was a descendant of Caleb, named Nabal who lived there, but unlike Caleb, Nabal, which means fool, was also cruel and evil in his dealings. He had wealth and goats and sheep. David and his men had protected his flocks, and Nabal's servants knew that, but Nabal did not ask for the help, and he did not respect David. When it was sheep sheering time, David sent ten young men to go and ask for food, but Nabal not only said no, but he degraded both David and his family's name. At this David's anger burned, and he planned on killing Nabal and all the men of the estate. Thankfully, one of their servants went and told Abigail who quickly took action. She sent food to David on ahead of her, and then she got ready and approached David. When she saw him, she quickly got off her donkey, knelt before them, and at David's feet. She then spoke and called David, her Lord, and spoke of herself as his maidservant. She asked for forgiveness, and took responsibility. She acknowledged that THE Lord was with David and that his battles were not for evil but for the Lord. She also told him she knew that Saul was the one trying to kill David, and that one day he would be king, and when he was, she asked him to remember her. This soothed David's anger, and he sent her home in peace. That night Nabal was partying and drunk, so Abigail waited until the next morning and told him how she had spared his life. His heart failed him, and 10 days later, the Lord took his life. David then sent word to ask Abigail to be his 3rd wife. His second wife was Ahinoam of Jezreel, which probably happened during his running from Saul. His first wife was Saul's daughter, Michal, but the last verse tells us that Saul had given her to another man.

1 Samuel - Chapter 24 with Psalm 7 and 57

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chapter 24 of 1 Samuel is the story when King Saul and his 3,000 men were chasing David and his 600 men. They were at En Gedi, and Saul goes into a cave to relieve himself. It just so happened to be the same cave where David and his men were hiding. David snuck up to him and cut off a corner of his robe. As soon as he did, he was conscience-stricken, and he realized it was not his place to harm the Lord's anointed, so he would not allow his men to hurt Saul. David was not going to take the kingdom, he would wait until the Lord gave him the kingdom. Once Saul left the cave, David called out to him, bowed down to him, and defended his case. He then showed Saul the piece of the robe that he cut off, and Saul realized David had been merciful to him. Saul also acknowledged that he had treated David badly and that the kingdom would be David's some day. He had David swear that he would not harm his family or wipe out his name, and David agreed. Saul went back home, and David stayed in the stronghold. They still parted ways.

Both Psalm 7 and 57 cry out to the Lord for help. In both, David cries out his innocence, and the guilt of his enemies. Both cry to the Lord for justice, and both acknowledge that the Lord is God Most High. That means that God is over all things and all people, and that He can do something about David's problems. Both end with praise and thanksgiving for the goodness of the Lord.

1 Samuel - Chapter 23 with Psalm 54

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

David is still on the run from king Saul. They were hiding in the forest of Hereth which is in Judah, and the Philistines were attacking the city of Keilah. David asked the Lord if they were to go there and help, and the answer was "Yes!" This scared his men since they were in Judah and could be easily captured, so David asked again, and the answer was yes. They went and defeated the Philistines, but Saul heard about it and came after them. David asked if Saul was coming and the answer was yes. David asked if the people of the town would turn them over to Saul, and the answer was yes, so David and his men left. They went to Horesh, and Jonathan, Saul's son, came and encouraged David that he would be king someday and that Jonathan would be his right hand man. They made a covenant and Jonathan left. The Ziphites had spied David living among them, so they informed king Saul. He came after David, and almost got them, but then word came that the Philistines were raiding the land, so Saul went home to fight the Philistines, and David and his men went to En Gedi.

Psalm 54 is a song that was written about this experience. It is an imprecatory Psalm, which means it is a song that cries out for justice against the enemy. It begins with a cry for help, and then it says, "Surely, god is my help!" The song ends with David praising the Lord who will help him triumph over his foes.

1 Samuel - Chapter 22 with Psalm 142 and 52

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 22 of 1 Samuel, David is on the run from king Saul who is trying to kill him. After leaving the city of Gath, a Philistine city, he escaped to the cave of Adullam. We then took a look at Psalm 142 which is labeled, "A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer." This Psalm is a cry unto the Lord. He thinks no one cares, and his spirit is faint because of his enemies. It ends with, "Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me." Then in verses 1b-2 we find that David's family and 400 men came to David. These were people the outcasts of the kingdom of Saul. David is no longer alone. Verses 3-4 tell us that David took care of his parents and placed them in the care of Moab, the birthplace of his great-grandma, Ruth (Ruth 4:17 & 21-22). Then in verse 5, a prophet told David to go to the land of Judah and hide there. The story then switches to king Saul. Doeg the Edomite told Saul that he saw the priest, Ahimelech help David with bread and Goliath's sword, so Saul called Ahimelech and all the priests to come to him. Ahimelech said he had helped David many times, and that he knew nothing about David trying to take over the kingdom, but Saul didn't care about the truth, he said the priests must die. Saul's officers would not kill the men of God, so Saul asked Deog to do it, and he killed 85 priests, and then went to their town of Nob and killed all the men and women, children and infants, as well as the cattle, donkeys and sheep. One priest escaped, the son of Ahimelech, and he ran to David who vowed to take care of him. We then took a look at Psalm 52 which is a Psalm about when Doeg informed king Saul. This wisdom Psalm compares the wicked schemes of Saul, but the song does not include his name, and the blessed way of David, who flourishes, trusts in God's unfailing love, praises the Lord and all He's done, hopes in the good name of the Lord, and praises Him in the presence of the saints.

1 Samuel - Chapters 20-21 with Psalm 34 and 56

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this passage David goes to Jonathan and asks why is Saul trying to kill him? Jonathan does not believe it, so they plan a test. On the feast of the New Moon, David will not come, and Jonathan will see how king Saul reacts. The first night, Saul said nothing, but on the second night when David did not show, he asked Jonathan where David was. He responded that David asked to be released because he needed to be with his family. King Saul spewed his anger, and then tried to kill his own son because Jonathan sided with David. The next morning, Jonathan met David and told him it was not safe and he needed to run. David went to the tabernacle, and asked for bread, and then found out that the sword of Goliath was there too, so David took that as well. David tried to go to the Philistine city of Gad, thinking that Saul would not go there, but they recognized him. He then acted insane, and they released him, and David escaped. Psalm 34 & 56 both deal with this time in David's life, and in them we find that the Lord is David's refuge. He laments, he cries for justice, he praises and gives thanks for the faithfulness of the Lord, and then he wants to teach others of the way of blessings that come when we follow the ways of the Lord. In Him is our refuge with no condemnation.

1 Samuel - Chapters 17-19 with Psalm 59

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

So far in the book of 1 Samuel, the people asked for a king, so the Lord had Samuel anoint Saul as the first king of Israel, but due to various sin in his life, the Lord was going to remove the kingdom from Saul and give it to someone better than him, someone who had a heart like God's. In chapter 16 Samuel anoints David to be the next king of Israel, and the end of that chapter we find that David is chosen to be the musician for king Saul when the evil spirit from the Lord came upon him. David also became one of Saul's armor bearers. Chapter 17 is the story of David and Goliath. Even though Goliath was big and had mighty weapons, David said, "I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled" (vs. 45). Verse 50 says, "So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him." David succeeded in everything he did, and when the women sang, "Saul has slain his thousands; and David his tens of thousands," Saul's jealousy got the better of him. He tried many times to kill David himself, but David escaped. He then purposefully gave him difficult battles thinking David would die at war, but he kept winning and his fame grew. He even married Saul's youngest daughter, Michal, with the price of 1,000 Philistine foreskins. (David brought 2,000 instead!) Saul had his men watch David's home one night with the plans to kill him the next morning, but Michal heard about it and let him out through a window. Saul found out David had run to Samuel, but the Lord delivered him again from Saul. This night, when the men watched David's house, was the event that David wrote Psalm 59. David cries out for deliverance and protection. He tells the Lord he did nothing wrong, and it is not fair. He asks the Lord to punish his enemies, and he praises the Lord for protecting him in the morning. The Lord is David's strength, fortress, refuge, and his loving God!

1 Samuel - Chapter 16 with Psalm 23 and 100

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 16 of 1 Samuel, the Lord tells Samuel to stop mourning over Saul and to get up and move forward to anoint the next man, the Lord has for the king. Samuel obeys and goes to Bethlehem to give a sacrifice. He told the town he was there in peace, and he asked the elders and Jesse's family to come join him. Samuel thought the next king would be Eliab, but the Lord said, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (16:7b). David, the youngest was out tending the sheep. Once he came, the Lord told Samuel this is the guy! Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Lord's Spirit came upon him in power (vs. 13). We then learned in verse 14 that the Spirit of the Lord has departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. His servants suggested getting a musician to come and comfort him. Yes, it was David that was chosen to come and play for the king, and he also became the king's armor bearer. Whenever the evil spirit came, David would play his harp and the spirit would leave.

We also looked at Psalm 23 & 100. Both of these reflect that the Lord is the Shepherd and we are the sheep. Since the Lord is the Shepherd, He takes care of us if we are His sheep. Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow Me." Both Psalms acknowledge that the Lord is good and his lovingkindness endures forever. Psalm 100 reminds us that we are to give thanks and praise the Lord for His goodness to us.

1 Samuel - Chapters 13-15

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 21:00:00 -0500

In these three chapters we learn that king Saul reign lasted around 40 years, and during this time, he had expanded the land of Israel on every side (14:47). In chapter 13 it was against the Philistines. They were advanced in weaponry, but the only two men on Israel's side who had spears were King Saul and his son, Jonathan (13:22). It was through the leadership of Jonathan, that the Lord blessed the Israelites, and it caused a panic to the Philistines. King Saul had made a vow, that if any man ate before they won, they would be cursed. Jonathan did not know since he was out fighting, so he ate some honey. The men fought and won, but they were so famished that they ate meat from the plunder with the blood still in it, which was a no-no for the Israelites. To appease the Lord, Saul made an altar, his first. He asked the Lord if they should continue to fight, but the Lord was silent. He assumed it was due to sin in the land, and found out that Jonathan had eaten honey, so he was going to kill his son, but the people stepped in and said, "NO! It was because of Jonathan that we won the battle." The people spared his life. In chapter 15, the fight was against the Amalekites. It was to be a total ban, but Saul kept the best of the plunder. When Samuel approached, he reproached him for his disobedience. Saul gave his excuses, but Samuel said, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (15:22b). Samuel turned to go, and Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it ripped. Samuel said, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors - to one better than you" (15:28). Samuel mourned. The Lord grieved He had made Saul king over Israel.

Psalm 1 & 2 - Blessed Are All Who Take Refuge in Him

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Psalm 1 & 2 are sort of an introduction to the Psalms. Psalm one begins with blessed, and Psalm 2 ends with blessed. David M. Howard Jr. explained that the themes found in these two Psalms are scattered throughout the Psalms, and some of the themes he listed are 1) The Way of the Righteous vs. the Way of the Wicked. 2) The Importance of God's Word. 3) God as the Sovereign King over All the Nations and 40 David as God's Anointed King, His Vice-Regent. Psalm 1 begins, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law, he meditates day and night." It compares a person that is blessed to the wicked. There are only two groups. The Lord has His eye on the righteous, but the wicked will be blown away. Psalm 2 is a corporate Psalm about the wicked nations, and how the Lord just laughs at their plans. This Psalm is quoted by Peter in Acts 4:23-31 about Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and the Jews who conspired to kill Jesus. This Psalm is also quoted by Paul in Acts 13:33 to declare that this Psalm is talking about Jesus who was the Son of God, the Lord's anointed. This Psalm ends with a warning for the kings of Israel to be wise and serve the Lord with fear. It ends with, "Blessed are all who take refuge in Him."

1 Samuel - Chapters 8-12

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

These chapters begin with Samuel being old, and his two sons, Joel and Abijah were dishonest and they perverted justice, and the people wanted to have a king to lead them instead of Samuel's wicked sons. At first this upset Samuel, but the Lord said to listen to the people, for they were not rejecting Samuel, but God as their king. We learn about how Samuel and Saul met the first time, and how he was anointed by Samuel as the Lord's anointed to lead His inheritance (10:1). Samuel sent Saul home, but he told him of three things that would happen on his way to prove the Lord's calling on him. Then Samuel called all of Israel to Mizpah, and picked a king for them. He started with the tribes, then the clans, and then picked Saul, who was hiding. Samuel said, "Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people!" Then the people declared, "Long live the king!" The first battle Saul won was against the Ammonites who besieged the city of Jabesh Gildead. After that Samuel reaffirmed the kingship of Saul. He reminded the people of the responsibilities of having a king, and then he reminded the people and their king that they were to put away false gods and idols, and they were to fear the Lord and serve Him only. They were also to consider the great things the Lord has done for them. Then this section ends with a warning that if they persist in doing evil, "Both you and your kings will be swept away."

1 Samuel - Chapters 2b-7

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this passage we see a comparison between Eli the Priest's sons who were wicked and treated the Lord's sacrifices with contempt verses Samuel who grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men (2:26). Eli was told by a man of God as well as through Samuel that Eli's sons would die, and the priesthood would be taken from them. We find in chapter 3 the calling of Samuel, and the first time the Lord had revealed Himself to him. Three times the Lord called Samuel by name, and he thought it was Eli, but finally Eli realized it was the Lord, and he told Samuel to say, "Speak, for your servant is listening." All Israel began to realize that Samuel was a prophet of the Lord. The Israelites went to attack the Philistines and they lost, so they decided to take "the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim, but they quickly learned that the Ark was not a good luck charm. They lost, and the Philistines captured the Ark. When Eli heard that both of his sons were dead, but especially that the Ark had been captured, he fell backward, broke his neck, and died. The Lord brought plagues of boils upon the Philistines, plus their statue of Dagon fell twice and broke before the Ark of God, so they sent it to different Philistine cities, but the plague followed the ark, so they decided to send it back to the Israelites. When it reached the land of Joshua, the harvesters used the wood for an altar and they sacrificed the cows as an offering to the Lord. Some of the Jews opened the Ark and disrespected it, and they died. This brought the fear of the Lord upon the people. Samuel told them to get rid of the pagan idols, and turn and serve the Lord. This section ends with Samuel judging over Israel all the days of his life.

1 Samuel - Chapters 1-2a

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In the history of the Jews, 1 Samuel is a transition book from the leadership of the Judges to the people asking for a king. Like in Ruth where we found some people who were faithful to the Lord, 1 Samuel begins with a family that faithfully went to Shiloh to worship the Lord yearly. Elkanah had two wives, Hannah, whom he loved but was barren, and his second wife, Peninnah who had children. Peninnah would provoke and irritate Hannah, until her soul was grieved. One year, they went to the tabernacle in Shiloh and Hannah bowed before the Lord with a vow that if the Lord would remember her by giving her a son, she would give him back to the Lord for his service. Eli the priest thought she was drunk, but when he found out that she was not, he blessed her and said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked." Hannah believed, and she was no longer downcast. They worshipped the Lord and went home, and Elkanah and Hannah had a son, and she named him Samuel which means, "Heard of God." She kept her vow, and after he was weened, she took him to Shiloh to serve the Lord under Eli the priest. Chapter 2 is her prayer/praise/song unto the Lord. She praised Him for delivering her from her enemies. She acknowledged that the Lord is holy. He knows. He judges. He raises up the lowly and brings down the prideful. He is the giver of life and death, and those who seek the Lord find strength. Her praise ends by mentioning that the Lord gives strength to His king, the Lord's anointed. We caught a glimpse in Ruth that this anointed King of the Lord is David.

Ruth - Chapters 1-4

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The story of Ruth takes place during the time of the Judges. A Jewish family from Bethlehem moved to Moab due to a famine in the land. During their time there Elimelech died which left his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. The sons took wives from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. They were in the land 10 years and then Mahlon and Kilion died. The women packed up, and when they reached the road that led back to Judah, Naomi sent off her daughter-in-laws and allowed them to go back to their home and hopefully find a family. Orpah left, but Ruth clung to her and refused because Naomi's God has now become Ruth's God. They moved back, and the Lord blessed them because of their kinsman-redeemer, Boaz. After about a year of Ruth working in his fields, Naomi wanted to make sure Ruth had a family, so she explained how the kinsman-redeemer could marry Ruth, so at Naomi's direction, Ruth went to the threshing floor, uncovered Boaz' feet and laid there until he awoke. He was thrilled to be her kinsman-redeemer, but there was a relative that was closer, but he refused. So Boaz and Ruth married and had a son, Obed, who fathered, Jesse, who fathered David, who would someday become king of Israel.

Judges 13-21

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapter cover the miraculous birth and life of Samson, the Nazarite, a person committed to the Lord. His love for Philistine women became his fall. We also find that the people did not have a king, and they did what was right in their own eyes. Micah made his son a priest, then hired a priest to be with him at his home of idolatry. The tribe of Dan relocated to the north of Israel, and they took the priest with them. The last story is the darkest, and one of the cities of Israel had become like Sodom and Gomorrah, which brought the death of a Levite's concubine. This Levite cut up her body and sent a piece to each of the 12 tribes, in order to show the group how bad things had become. The tribe of Benjamin was almost wiped out, except for 600 men, and Israel got 600 women from Jabesh Gilead who did not fight, and then stole women from a festival so that the tribe of Benjamin would not be completely destroyed.

Judges - Chapters 6-12

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600

With these chapters in Judges we see the downward cycle of sin with the people of Israel. The cycle of Judges starts with the Jews worshipping other gods, then they are oppressed by an enemy, they finally cry out to God to save them, so the Lord raised up a Judge who overcame the enemy, and then there was peace in the land until the Judge died, and the cycle started all over again. Gideon started off fearful, then he became confident, but ultimately prideful as he made an ephod which only the High Priest was to wear. The next main character was Abimelech which was Gideon's illegitimate son. After Gideon had died, Abimelech killed 69 of his brothers so he could become king. One brother escaped, and he shouted a curse on Abimelech and all who helped him kill his brothers, then he ran for his life! After Abimelech, two minor judges are mentioned, Tola and Jair, then the story of Jephthah. The cycle had started again, and they people were crying out to the Lord, but this time God told them to cry out to the idols they worshipped, "so I will no longer save you." This time we do not see the Lord raise up a judge, instead the people raised one up, Jephthah. Ultimately the Lord did have His Spirit come upon him as he won against the Ammonites. Jephthah foolishly made a vow to the Lord for success, and he willingly said he'd give the first thing that came out of his house when he returned home, and sadly it was his only daughter. Jephthah's story ends with a civil fight against the tribe of Ephraim. Jephthah's side killed 42,000 Ephraimites, and their land. Now Israel is fighting Israel. The last three minor judges covered in this section are: Ibzan of Bethlehem who led for 7 years and intermarried his children, Elon the Zebulunite who led for 10 years, and Abdon of Ephraim who led for 8 years and then died.

Judges - Chapters 4-5

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This is the story of Deborah, the prophetess and Judge of Israel. She was married (4:4) and had children (5:7). The Lord told her about how the Lord called Barak to go and fight against Sisera, the commander of Jabin the Canaanite. Barak said he would only go if Deborah went with him, so she agreed, but she told him that a woman would get the glory because he did not obey the Lord immediately. The enemy had 900 iron chariots, and the Jews had zero. 10,000 men joined Barak in battle, and the Lord brought the earth to shake, and rain from heaven which made the iron chariots get stuck. Sisera ran for his life to a friends house. Thinking he was safe there, he slept, and the wife of Heber the Kenite, Jael, killed him with a peg through his temple while he slept. Chapter 5 is Deborah and Barak's song of praise to the Lord for how He fought for them, but also blessings to those who fought with the Lord, and curses for those who refused to come and fight in the battle. The song ends with a blessing for Jael, and with Sisera's mother, waiting for her son to return from battle, and she hopes his delay is because he is counting the plunder, but she does not know yet, that her son is dead. After the battle, there was 40 years of peace in the land.

Review from Genesis to Judges Chapters 1-3

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Genesis - the beginning of humanity, the first sin, the first promise of the Messiah, the line to Abram the first patriarch of Israel, all three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and wives had issued of barrenness, yet the Lord answered their prayers with His covenant of descendants and land. Genesis ends with Jacob's family, 70 including Joseph in Egypt. Exodus - the Israelites start enslaved in Egypt, they exit due to the miracle of Passover, the last of the 10 plagues, they end up at Mount Sinai with the building of the Tabernacle, the place where the Lord dwells among them. Leviticus starts and ends at Sinai - God is holy and people are not, so the Lord made a way of atonement so they could approach Him which is through the tabernacle and the sacrifices which the Levites were mediators for the people. Numbers - the first generation of Israelites to leave Egypt are at Mt. Sinai. where they take a census. They spy out the promised land, but due to disbelief, they were not allowed to enter, instead they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until that generation died out. Then the second generation is now on the east side of the Jordan River, about to cross it to go into the promised land. They take a census of this new generation. Deuteronomy - Moses' last words to this second generation of Israelites. He gives then the law, and challenges them to stay faithful. Moses died, and Joshua now takes the leadership. Joshua - the people cross the Jordan River and take the promised land, and then it was allotted to the remaining 9 1/2 tribes. (2 1/2 tribes took land on the east side of the river. Yet they did not remove all the people and their gods from the land. Joshua called the people to obey the Lord, and the people said they would. Judges - Joshua is dead, Aaron's son, Eleazar the High Priest died, and the question arose, "Who will now lead us?" The cycle of Judges was explained. The Israelites were oppressed by the people of the land and their gods, so they cried out. The Lord raised up a Judge to fight for them, and then there was peace in the land while the Judge was alive. When the judge died, the Israelites fell back into sin with the gods of the land and intermarried with the people, and oppression came again. Chapter 3 covered three judges, Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar.

Joshua - Chapters 23-24

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these last two chapters of Joshua, he is about to die, and he summons all Israel to come to Shechem. He encouraged the people to be strong and careful to obey the Book of the Law of Moses. They were not to associate with the other nations, or worship or serve their gods. He challenged them to love the Lord their God. He also warned them that if they turned from the Lord, then the Lord would no longer fight for them. He predicted their destruction and removal of the good land the Lord had given them. Joshua reminded them of their story, and how God was faithful to them, and he encouraged them to be faithful to Him. Joshua said in 24:15b, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." The people promised 3 times to serve the Lord, 24:18, 21, 24. Joshua made a covenant, and wrote on a standing stone as a witness to the people that they said they would be faithful. Joshua died at age 110. He was buried in his "inheritance" at Timnath Serah. We also see that Joseph's bones were finally buried in his father's plot in Shechem, and Eleazar the High Priest also died and was buried at Gibeah. The leadership of the second generation of Israelites have now all died.

Joshua - Chapters 13-22

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

We have learned that through Joshua's leadership, the Israelites were able to take 31 kings on the west side of the Jordan, and even though there was still more land to take, it was now time to divide the land to the various 9 1/2 tribes on the west side of the Jordan River. We learn in 14:1 that it was Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted the land to the tribes. We learn in 18:8-9 that Joshua instructed men to go, survey, describe, and map out the land in seven parts. Many times in this section, it explained that the Levites do not inherit land because the Lord is their inheritance, but they were given 48 cities with surrounding pasturelands throughout Israel in every tribe. Since the tribe of Levi did not inherit land, Joseph's two sons while in Egypt were each given land which made it 12 tribes. The two original spies with Moses, Caleb and Joshua, who were faithful to the Lord and believed they could take the land, also faithfully walked with the Jews through the wilderness for 40 years, and now 45 years later, they were able to reap their reward Caleb received Hebron (14:6-15), and Joshua received Timnath Serah. There were also 6 cities of refuge, three on each side of the Jordan, and they were designated for people who accidentally killed someone could seek refuge there from the avenger of blood. This section ends with the eastern Tribes fulfilled their duty, and Joshua sent them home reminding them to be faithful to the Lord, and then he blessed them. As they headed home, they built a big altar, which the western tribes perceived as idolatry since they were only to worship at the tabernacle in Shiloh. Thankfully they talked it through first before going to war, and they realized that it was made not to worship there, but to remember, like standing stones, so they could tell the next generation what God has done. It was named, "A Witness Between Us that the Lord is God!"

Joshua - Chapters 6-12

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this passage, Joshua leads the people to take the land on the west side of the Jordan River, which the Lord had promised to Abraham in Genesis 15. The first city to conquer was Jericho, and because Rahab the Prostitute had faith in the God of the Israelites, she and all in her household were saved, and she lived among the Israelites. We see in the New Testament Gospel, Matthew 1:5, that Salmon was the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab!" She became the great, great, great, grandmother of King David, and ultimately a relative of Jesus Christ. The next city they took was Ai, but their first attempt did not succeed because one of the Israelites chose to keep some items that belonged to the Lord. After he and his family were put to death, then they reattacked Ai and won. The Gibeonites made a treaty of peace with Israel, and they chose to be their servants, which angered some other kings from Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. They went to war with the Gibeon, who asked the Jews to help, so Joshua and his army came and attacked these 5 kings and won. After that, Joshua defeated the southern cities and then the northern cities were conquered. Moses defeated two on the east side of the river where Reuben, Gad, and 1/2 of Manasseh settled. The other 9 1/2 tribes settled in the land on the west side.

Joshua - Chapters 2-5

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this section of Scripture, Joshua send out two spies who are unnamed to us, but the Lord knows their names, and they were to especially check out the walled city of Jericho. They went to the prostitute's house of Rahab. There she hid them and made a covenant with them that since she spared their lives, that they would spare her life, as well as her family. The spies agreed that if she does not tell anyone, and if she hangs this scarlet cord out her window, and if they stayed in her house, then the agreement would stand, but if not, they would be released from the oath. They were let down by the scarlet cord, and hid for three days as Rahab suggested, and when they got back to Joshua, they told him that the Lord had given them the land because the people feared them. Joshua commanded the people to consecrate themselves and follow the Ark of Covenant at a distance. The priests carried the Ark to the river which was at flood stage, and when their feet touched the water, it stopped running and the land dried up. The priests went to the center of the riverbed while all the nation crossed over on dry ground. Once they crossed, Joshua sent 12 men, one from each tribe, to go to the center of the bed and carry a large rock to bring back to where they stayed, and they set them up as a sign to tell their children of the amazing thing that the Lord did for them. Once that was done, the priests finished crossing, and as their feet touched the dry ground, the water came flooding back. The Lord then called for all the men to be circumcised, because no one who was born during their wandering in the wilderness had been. The Lord told Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you" (5:9). Joshua met the commander of the army of the Lord, and he bowed down and asked what did the Lord require of him, and he said, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy" (5:15). Joshua obeyed.

Joshua - Chapter 1

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The book of Joshua starts the section of the Old Testament as the Books of History. Moses has died, and now Joshua has been given the task from God to bring the 2nd generation of Israelites into the Promised Land, which God gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and then through Moses and now to Joshua and the people. The Lord promised to be with Joshua like He was with Moses, if he obeyed the law and the ways of the Lord, if he meditated on the Book of the Law, and if he was strong and courageous. Joshua told the people to get ready because they were crossing the Jordan in three days, and then he reminded the 2 1/2 tribes, Reuben, Gad and 1/2 of Manasseh, who had taken possession of the land on the east of the river which Moses had let them take, that they committed to going and help the rest of the tribes fight for the land. They told Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go...Only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses... only be strong and courageous!" My OT professor, Dr. Betts said, "God is not going to tell people something that's not going to be needed. There will be many times Joshua needs to be strong and courageous!"

Deuteronomy - Chapters 31-34

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these chapters we see the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. Both Moses and the Lord tell Joshua to be strong and courageous. Moses told the people that every seven years, the year of canceling debts, they were to read the law during the feast of tabernacles. Moses predicted that Israel would not be faithful to the Lord, and then the Lord gave Moses a song to teach the people. It began calling the heavens and earth to testify, and then came praise unto the Lord. It quickly turned to the unfaithfulness of Israel. Chapter 32 verse 21 says that because of their unfaithfulness, the Lord will make them envious with people that are not a people, and a nation that has no understanding. (The Apostle Paul explained in Romans 10:19, that the Gentiles would be allowed to taste salvation. The song ends saying that the Lord will make atonement for His land and His people. (That comes through the Lord Jesus Christ.) Moses then blessed the tribes of Israel, and then he went up Mt. Nebo, to the top of Pisgah where the Lord showed him all of the Promised Land, and then he died, and the Lord buried him somewhere that no one knows. Moses was 120 years old at his death, and there was no one like him.

Deuteronomy - Chapters 27-30

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters cover in detail what is called the Retribution Principle. This means if you obey God He will bless you, if you do not, He will curse you. Once the children of Israel enter the promised land, they were to set up large stones and write the laws on them, then they were to build an altar and offer sacrifices and eat and rejoice before the Lord their God. Then they were to have a ceremony to represent the blessing and cursing. 1/2 of each tribe would stand on two nearby mountains. The Levites would cry out "Cursed is the man who...", and then all the people would cry out "Amen!" That means, "So Be It!" Then Moses shared the blessings of obedience looked like and then what the curses looked like. He told them that because of their disobedience, they would one day be exiled to a land they did not know, but even there, IF they cried out and turned back to the Lord, He would bring them back someday. (The Lord kept His word. Assyria took the Northern Tribes of Israel. Babylon took the Southern Tribes of Israel, and then Cyrus King of Persia allowed the Jews to come back.) Moses said the choice was before them. Life or Death. Blessings or Curses! He pleaded for them to choose life which meant they would "Love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him."

Deuteronomy - Chapters 12-26

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters reviews various laws that this 2nd generation of Jews are to follow as they enter into the Promised Land. It starts with worship of the One true God, and this worship affected everything in their lives. While they were wandering in the wilderness, the tabernacle was in the center of the camp, but once they move and spread out, the Lord will designate a place for the tabernacle to be placed. There were laws on how to bring offerings unto the Lord, and no one was to come empty handed. The Israelites were to be a holy people, and they were to obey the Lord's commands, laws, decrees, and ways. These laws also looked out for the alien (or the non-Jews living with them), the fatherless and the widows. One law was every seven years, the Jews were to free debts either financial or service. The other laws addressed the judicial system. They were to set up judges and officials, and then if needed they were to go to the Priests for discernment. The Lord would also raise up Prophets. A true prophet of God's words would always come true. They were to set up Cities of Refuge to protect people who accidently killed someone. As long as they stayed in that city, they were safe from the "Avenger of Blood." This section ends with a covenant: God commanded His ways on "this day," the people declared, "this day," to obey, and the Lord then declared, "this day," that they were His people, His treasured possession.

Deuteronomy - Chapters 5-11

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this section, Moses is retelling the commands and the story of the Lord and His covenant with the people. He restates the 10 commandments, and explained how he received them, broke them, and then re-received them again from the Lord. This section is full of pleas from Moses for the people to hear, obey, observe, be careful, walk in the ways of the Lord, keep this covenant of love, remember, observe, fear, and love the Lord you God. He encouraged them to take the land, but once they get there, do not get prideful, but remember everything they have is from God. They are also not to think they are righteous, because they are actually stiff-necked, but they are to be humble before the Lord. Moses told them in 11:26-27, "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known." Today is the day to decide.

Deuteronomy - Chapters 1-4

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

After a review of the first four books of the Pentateuch, we look at chapters 1-4 of Deuteronomy. The name means "second law," and the first generation received the law from Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai, but that generation has died off, and Moses is giving it again to this new generation before they enter the promised land. He prepares the people to receive the law with commands like: don't add to them, don't take away from them, keep it, and observe them. He encouraged the people: "Don't be afraid of them the Lord our God Himself will fight for you" (3:22). "The Lord has blessed you in all the work of your hands" (2:7). He warned them. "Only be careful and watch yourselves closely" (4:9). "Do not become corrupt and make idols" (4:15b-16a). "Don't forget" (4:23-24). He told them when they disobey and the Lord scatters them, he gave them hope and said, "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (4:29). One other thing Moses is that Moses blamed the people instead of himself for not being allowed to enter the promised land, 1:37, 3:21-29, and 4:21-22a. The story of Moses (and Aaron's) sin that kept them from entering the promised land is found in Numbers 20:1-13. Their sister, Miriam had just died. The people complained because they did not have water. The Lord said speak to the rock, and instead, Moses spoke to the people and said, "Listen, you rebels, must WE bring you water out of this rock?" Then instead of speaking to the rock, they disobeyed, and Moses hit the rock. The Lord said in Numbers 20:12, "But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.'" It seemed that Moses allowed his anger to get out of control, and it seems to still be lingering. Chapter 4 ends with an introduction to the Law of God, as they are all on the east side of the Jordan River across from Jericho.

Numbers - Chapters 21-36

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Miriam and Aaron and both dead. Eleazar, Aaron's son became the next High Priest. The people are heading toward the promised land. The Canaanites heard they were coming, so they attacked first. The people cried out to Moses, who cried out to the Lord, and they went to war and the Israelites won. They kept traveling and again grumbled. This time the Lord brought poisonous snakes, but the Lord commanded Moses to make a snake and place it on a pole and lift it up, and any who saw it would be given life. The Israelites also defeated Sihon and Og, and they settled there. Chapters 22-24 tell of Balak, king of Moab, hired a prophet, Balaam, to curse the Israelites, the problem was God had blessed the Israelites, and He would not allow Balaam to curse them. Balaam went to meek King Balak, but on the way the donkey saw the angel of the Lord. Three times the donkey saved Balaam from death, and three times he was beaten by Balaam. The Lord caused the donkey to speak, and Balaam's eyes were opened, and he realized his life was spared. Since Balaam could not curse the Israelites, he taught the king that a way of bringing them down was from within, so Moab seduced Israel with their women and idols, and it worked. Chapter 26 has the second census which did not include anyone in the first census (vs. 63-65), except for the two who believed they could take the promised land, Caleb and Joshua. Joshua would become Moses' successor. There was a review of various offerings and special holidays and feasts. The Reubenites, Gadites, and 1/2 tribe of Manassah settled in the east side of the Jordan, but they were commanded to still fight with the rest of Israel to take the promised land on the west side of the Jordan River. Boundaries were discussed once they took the land, and it was decided that if a man did not have sons, then the daughters could inherit, but the last chapter asked the question of what happens to the land once the daughters become married. It was decided that the land would stay with the tribe, and if the daughters wanted to keep the land they would need to marry within their clan. The book ends, "These are the commands and regulations the Lord gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho."

Numbers - Chapter 20

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Numbers chapter 20 begins with the death of Miriam in Kadesh in the first month. We have to go to Numbers chapter 33 verse 38-39 to find that Aaron died in the 40th year, and then just before Aaron's death, the people were in Kadesh, so it seems safe to say that their deaths were pretty close together. All it says about her death is she was buried. As the Israelites traveled, they again complained because of their food and lack of water. The Lord commanded Moses and Aaron to take the staff, call the people to assemble, and speak to the rock and it will provide water. They got the staff, then they called the people "rebels." Moses said, "Must WE bring water out of the rock?" Their punishment was they would not be allowed to enter into the promised land because "they did not honor the Lord as holy." Chapter 20 ends with the death of Aaron. Moses, Aaron, and Aaron's son, Eleazar, went up Mount Hor, which is where Moses took off Aaron's priestly clothes, and placed them upon Eleazar. Aaron died on the mount, "And he was gathered to his people!"

Numbers - Chapters 10-19

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these chapters, Moses made two trumpets for the Priests to blow to call the nation to assembly. The cloud of the Lord lifted from the tabernacle, and the people began their journey toward the Promised Land. This section is full of opposition to both Moses and Aaron and their leadership which was given by God. Some people complained about their hardships. Some complained about the food. Miriam and Aaron complained about Moses' wife, as well as declared that God had called them too. After 12 men scoped out the land, 10 believed they could not do it, two believed they could. The people complained because God had brought them here. Some Levites and Reubenites rose up against Moses and Aaron, people complained again, and with every one of these instances, the Lord brought punishment especially on the instigators, Moses and Aaron interceded, and the Lord showed mercy. The Lord affirmed His calling on both men, and even had Aaron's staff bud, blossom, and produce almonds in one night. Interspersed through these chapters are duties of the Levites and Priests, various offerings, and the water for cleansing items and people so they could be ceremonially clean.

Numbers - Chapters 1-9

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these chapters of Numbers, the Israelites are still in the wilderness of Sinai. The tabernacle is finished, and it is placed in the center of the camp surrounded by the Levites who were to take care of the tabernacle, and around the Levites were three of the 12 tribes of Israel on each side. This book is called Numbers because the book starts with a census, and then after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, they take another census before they enter the Promised Land. This section also covers the duties of the Levites, the Passover, and that the Israelites would move or stay depending upon the cloud which was over the tabernacle. In these chapters the people obeyed the Lord's commands.

Psalm 90 - A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this Psalm of Moses, he acknowledges that God was before all of creation and He is eternal. He also acknowledges that humanity is not. Moses shares that life is full of toil and trouble in our 70-80 year average life span. Moses prays unto the Lord, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Moses cries out for the Lord to relent and have compassion because of His unfailing love. The Psalm ends with a request that the Lord would have favor on them and "establish the work of their hands."

Leviticus - Chapters 21-27

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Chapters 21 & 22 cover regulations for Aaron, the High Priest, and his sons, the priests, on how to live a holy life unto the Lord, and how not to profane His name. Chapter 23 covers the Jewish Feasts: The Sabbath which was a day of rest each week; The Passover which celebrated how the angel of death passed over the Jewish houses that had the blood of the Lamb on the doorpost; The Feast of Unleavened Bread which was the week following Passover because it celebrated their freedom from Egypt and how they left so quickly they could not let their bread rise; The Feast of First Fruits which celebrated the grain harvest; Fifty days later was the Feast of Weeks (Also known as the Pentecost) which celebrated the end of the harvest; The Feast of Trumpets, which after the Jewish Exile, is now called Rosh Hashanah or New Years Day; and the Feast of Tabernacles which celebrated the Lord's provision while they wandered in the wilderness. Chapter 24 commanded the people to bring clear oil for the lamp in the Holy Place, and then each week 12 new loaves of unleavened bread was to be brought before the Lord, and the priests could eat the bread weekly. There also was a story of a young man whose mother was Jewish and Father Egyptian, and he blasphemed "The Name" with a curse. Since he did not honor the Lord, he was put to death. The last three chapters, 25-27 cover instructions when the people take the promised land. Every seven years they are to let the land rest, and after seven years of seven (49), on the 50th year they were to celebrate the Year of Jubilee, where debts and land and people could be set free. Chapter 26 is called the Retribution Principle which means if the people would obey the Lord, He will bless them, if not, then He will curse them. Chapter 27 covered the people's dedication of people and things as a vow to the Lord. Dr. Betts, Prof. of OT at SBTS said, "Leviticus ends with a promise of recovery and hope, and a reminder that the Lord God will not reject them or forget His covenant that He has made with them."

Leviticus - Chapters 17-20

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters of Leviticus cover various laws, and throughout these chapters are two phrases, "I am the Lord your God," and "Be ye holy, for I am holy." These laws reflect who God is, and when we align ourselves up to His laws and His ways, we become like Him. In chapter 20:8, the Lord declares, "I am the Lord who makes you holy." The Lord said a couple of times in these chapters that the Lord's people were not to be like the Egyptians where they left, or the Canaanites, where they are going, they are not to be like the world, but they are to be like God. These chapters cover most of the 10 Commandments, and then there were other laws to follow. They were to worship the Lord at the Tabernacle, and not build their own place. They were not to eat blood, or sacrifice their children to Molech, a god of the Ammonites. Many of the laws covered sexual sins, and then sins against a neighbor. We also find that the Lord cares for the lowly. Jesus said in the NT (Matthew 22:39-40), that the second greatest commandment is found in 19:18, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord." There were other laws about cutting hair, planting crops, eating meat, and cutting or marking bodies. They were to respect elders and the stranger among them. They were to deal honestly with all people. Jesus said that all the laws hang on two things, 1) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, & mind, and 2) love your neighbor as yourself.

Leviticus - Chapters 11-16

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters cover various laws. They begin with food laws of what the people should and should not eat. One of the purposes of these laws were to consecrate themselves in order to be holy, like God is holy (11:43-45). Then there were purification laws after having children, and people who had infectious skin diseases. Key words throughout this section is "clean and unclean." There was even a law that told the Israelites that once they were in the Promised Land, and they had built homes, if there was mildew in the home, they had guidelines on how to make it clean. There were other laws about human discharges, and how they were to become clean. The last chapter gave instructions to Aaron, that he was only to enter the Holy of Holies, one time a year, on the Day of Atonement. Here Aaron would offer a sin offering first for himself and his family, and then one for the people of Israel. There also was a "scape goat," and on his head was laid the sins of the people of Israel. He took their sins away until next year. This lesson also explained that in the NT, the writer explained that Jesus brought a new covenant when He bore the sins of many, and people who believe in Jesus, are atoned for and forgiven of their sin.

Leviticus - Chapters 8-10

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these three chapters, we see how Aaron was ordained as the High Priest and how his sons were ordained to be priests of the Lord. We see that the Lord has specific details about the process. They had to present a sin offering, burnt offering, an ordination offering which was when Moses put some blood on the priests right ear lobe, right thumb, and the big toe of their right foot. From their head to their toes, they were dedicated to the Lord. They also gave a fellowship offering and a meal offering. For seven days the Lord commanded they stay at the entrance to the tabernacle, and on that 8th day they had to present more sacrifices because the Lord was going to present Himself to them, and they would see His glory. Fire came from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering. The people rejoiced. Then we learn that two of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu did their own thing in presenting fire before the Lord. They did not follow the Lord's directions, and fire once again came from the presence of the Lord and this time the fire consumed the two priests. It served as a reminder that those who serve the Lord are to remember that God is holy, and we are to obey His direction. There are more details in last year's lesson which is called, "The Ordination of Aaron and Sons, and a Call to Holiness and Obedience," which was presented Jan. 31, 2023.

Leviticus - Chapters 1-7

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This section of Leviticus cover the various sacrifices the Israelites were to bring to the Lord. With all their offerings they were to bring their best. Everyone was to bring an offering, but depending upon their financial status they were allowed to bring different things. The first sacrifice mentioned was the Burnt Offering which was an offering of dedication and surrender to the Lord. Chapter two covered the Grain Offering which was also called the First Fruits, and this was an offering of Thanksgiving due to the wheat harvest. Chapter 3 covered the Fellowship Offering, and this was shared with the priests and people shared a meal before the Lord. It was clear that the people were never to eat any fat or drink the blood because these belonged to the Lord. The fourth sacrifice was called the Sin Offering. This was a young bull without defect, but most of this bull was then taken out of the camp and burned among the ashes. The NT writer of Hebrews 11:11-12 said this represented Jesus, who died outside the city of Jerusalem and He became our sin offering, "to make the people holy through His own blood." Following the Sin Offering was the Guilt Offering, and this had to do with sins against people. There was to be restitution of 20% for anything damaged or stolen. With the Sin and Guilt Offerings, the word atonement and forgiveness is used six times. From 6:8 through chapter 7, instructions were given to Aaron and his sons on how to perform these offerings. In this section, the Lord points out what is holy and most holy, which is a key word for Leviticus. Throughout this whole section we have the phrase, "An aroma pleasing to the Lord." God made a way for His people to approach Him, and He made a way for His people to get right with Him, even in the OT!

Exodus - Chapters 35-40

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters begin with a reminder that God's people are to work for six day, because this is what the Lord commanded, and then the seventh day is a day of rest. Then the people begin to work. They willfully bring offerings to the Lord in order to build the tabernacle. People with skills, both men and women, used their abilities to make the items needed for the tabernacle. Bezalel and Oholiab taught others to use their creative abilities. The people made everything for the tabernacle, the Ark, the Table of Show Bread, the Lampstand, the Altar of Incense, the Altar of Burnt Offerings, the Basin for Washing, and the courtyard and entrance curtain. The priestly garments were also made, such as the Ephod, the Breast Piece, the Robe, the tunics, and the High Priest's turban, also known as "the sacred diadem" (vs. 30). "The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses" (vs. 32b). Verse 42-43, "The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses looked at the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them." The people presented the items to Moses, and then at the Lord's command, Moses set it up, and he did everything just as the Lord had commanded him. Verse 33b, "And so Moses finished the work." Then the glory of the Lord entered the tabernacle. The Lord stayed with His people during all their travels.

Exodus - Chapters 32-34

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Since Moses was up on the mountain with God for 40 days and 40 nights, the people grew restless, and demanded Aaron to make them gods, so he asked for their gold earrings, and he made them a golden calf. He made an altar and placed it in front of the calf, and they worshipped and partied. On the mountain, the Lord told Moses what the people were doing, and he wanted to kill the people for their sin, but Moses interceded.
When Moses arrived at the bottom and saw the calf, he was so angry that he threw the two stone tablets, and they broke at the base of the mountain. The Levites brought judgment on those who sinned. The Lord also brought punishment due to their sin by brining a plague. Moses set up a Tent of Meeting outside the camp, and here Moses would speak with God. Moses prayed to know the Lord, and to see His glory, so the Lord placed him in the cleft of the rock, covered him with His hand, and allowed Him to see His back. The Lord called Moses to carve out two more stone tablets, like the first, and to bring them up the mountain. He did, and Moses was there for 40 days and 40 nights. When he came down with the new stone tablets, his face glowed because he had been in the presence of God. This scared the people, so he veiled his face, but in the presence of God, he would remove it.

Exodus - Chapters 28-31

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters in Exodus begin with describing the priestly garments. Moses' brother Aaron would be the High Priest, and his four sons would become priests. The priests wore special linen undergarments from their waist to their thigh, plus tunics, sashes, and headbands. The High Priest would wear over his tunic a pull over robe with a woven edge around the collar, and at the bottom of this robe were decorative pomegranates and bells. Over that was an ephod, like an apron, and on the shoulders of the ephod were two stones with 6 of the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on each. Then on the front was attached a breastplate which had 12 individual stones with the names of the tribes on the stones. The High Priest also wore a turban which had a gold plate engraved, "Holy to the Lord." Chapter 29 covered the process of consecrating the priests, with a sin offering, a burnt offering, a wave offering, and a fellowship offering. They were anointed, consecrated, and ordained. Chapter 30 explained the altar of incense which was before the curtain to enter the Most Holy Place. We learned about the "Atonement Money," which was like a tax, but it was called a "ransom," which was the same for all people over twenty years old, 1/2 shekel. This was taken every time a census was taken. After that came instructions for the bronze basin for washing which was located after the altar and the entrance to the tabernacle. The Lord also had instructions on how to make special anointing oil and holy incense. The Last chapter 31 we learn of Bezalel and Oholiab which the Lord called to use their gifts to make these beautiful items for the tabernacle. This section ends with Moses receiving the tablets of stone which were inscribed by the finger of God.

Exodus - Chapters 25-27

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In chapters 25-27, we have directions on how to build the tabernacle, the courtyard. It described how to divide up the Holy of Holies, from the Holy Place. Directions were also given on how to build the Ark of the Covenant, and the cover with the Cherubim, which is placed in the Most Holy Place. Then in this section two of the three items found in the Holy place are described, the Table of Show Bread, and the Menorah. Outside the Tabernacle in the Courtyard, the most important item was described which was the Altar of Burnt Offerings. All of these items were to have rings built on them so poles could be placed in them, and when it was time to travel to the next spot, the Priests could tear down and carry the Tabernacle with the poles. Many times in this section the Lord tells Moses to make things, "exactly like the pattern I will show you."

Exodus - Chapters 21-24

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters look at various laws God gave to the Hebrews. We see a few things about God in these chapters. He cares about women and children, the poor, and immigrants. He reminds the Hebrews that they were immigrants in Egypt. These laws call for justice, "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise (21:22-23). These laws also take in consideration if the action is premeditated or just in the moment. The Lord tells us that He is compassionate, and He hears the cries of the oppressed. These laws reflect who God is, and as such, when we obey them, we are holy as He is holy. Also included in the laws are three festivals the Jews are to observe, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of the Harvest, and the Feast of the Ingathering. The Lord also reminded His people that the journey would be long, but He has a plan, and He will go before them, and He is with them. The people commit again to the Lord and they said, "Everything the Lord has said we will do. We will obey." Moses wrote down all the Lord had commanded. The next morning he made an altar, they offered sacrifices unto the Lord. Moses sprinkled blood on the altar and on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words (24:8). At the command of the Lord, Moses, Aaron and two of his sons, with 70 elders were allowed to go up the mountain and see, eat and drink with the Lord. They were closer than the people at the foot of the mountain, but they were still at a distance. From there Moses and his aid, Joshua, went up to the top of the mountain, and he was there for 40 days and 40 nights. The people below saw the glory of the Lord in what looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.

Exodus - Chapters 19-20

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 19, the Israelites reach the Mountain of God. Moses was the mediator between God and the people. The Lord offered His covenant that if they would fully obey Him, then they would be His treasured possession. The Israelites would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 19:8a, "The people all responded together, 'We will do everything the Lord has said.'" Before the Lord laid out the 10 Commandments, He said, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." Then: 1) You shall have no other gods before Me; 2) You shall not make for yourself an idol; 3) You shall not misuse the name of the Lord; 4) Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy; 5) Honor your father and mother; 6) You shall not murder; 7) You shall not commit adultery; 8) You shall not steal; 9) You shall not give false testimony (lie); and 10) You shall not covet. Chapter 20 ends with an explanation on how to set up an altar for their sacrifices to the Lord. They were to use uncut stones and not place it on steps, and then the Lord said, "Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you."

Exodus - Chapters 14-18

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these chapters of Exodus, we have the parting of the Red Sea, and how the breath of God or the Wind of God parted the waters. Once the Israelites made it to dry ground, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the waters came back together. All the Egyptians died. Then Moses and the people sang a song of victory. It praised the Lord for what He had done, for who He is, and because of what He had done, they believe He will be able to protect them from other adversaries, and ultimately take them to the promised land. Then Miriam and the woman also sang a song of praise. It did not take long for the people to complain. They complained because they had no water. They complained because they had no food, and their last complaint was again because they had no water. Each time they complained to Moses, Moses cried out to God, and the Lord provided. Chapter 17 ended with the Amalekites attacked the Israelites. Joshua was the lead warrior, and when Moses had his hands raised, the Israelites won, but when his arms were tired and down, they lost. Aaron and Hur got a rock for Moses to sit upon, and then they each took one of Moses' arms and they held them up to victory. This section ends with Moses' father-in-law came to Moses because he had heard the great things that God had done for them. Moses' wife and two sons came with him. They had a nice visit, but the next day, Jethro, saw that Moses was busy all day tending to people's needs, so he suggested that Moses raise up judges to help lighten the load. They could divide the people into groups, take care of the easier issues, and then any difficult ones they could bring to Moses. Moses agreed, and shortly afterwards, Jethro went home. It seems Moses' wife and sons stayed with Moses.

Exodus - Chapters 11-13

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these chapters the 10th and final plague came upon the Egyptians, the plague on the firstborn of both men and animals. It reached Pharaoh in his palace to the depths of the dungeon. "There was not a house without someone dead" (12:30b). The Israelites were spared because they sacrificed a lamb without spot or blemish and sacrificed him and put his blood on the door post. Then at midnight when the destroyer saw the blood, he passed over the house. This is called the Passover. It was then that Pharoah cried out, "Go, worship the Lord as you have requested, and also bless me" (12:32). The Lord led them out of Egypt, and they celebrated the feast of unleavened bread, since they left so quickly they did not have time for their bread to rise. At the end of the seven days of only eating unleavened bread, they then were instructed to consecrate their firstborn animal and dedicate their firstborn son to God, since they were spared in Egypt. This served as a reminder to their children of the great things that the Lord did for them while they were in Egypt. On their journey, the Lord led them, not the easy way or the short way, but His way, and He led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and "it never left its place in front of the people" (13:22).

Exodus - Chapters 5-10

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters cover the first nine of ten plagues that the Lord brought upon Egypt and Pharaoh. Moses and Aaron spoke to the Israelites, and they believed that God sent them to rescue them, and now the next step was to approach Pharaoh. They told him that the God of Israel said, "Let my people go!" We see that God is claiming the Israelites as His own people, and He is their God. We also see the God of the Hebrews is different than the God of the Egyptians. Aaron's staff ate the Egyptian magician's staffs. The magicians could duplicate only two of the plagues, but when the 3rd plague of gnats came, they cried out, "This is the finger of God." Third, we recognized that God had a purpose for his plan, and that was so that the people would know that the God of the Israelites was the Lord. He wanted the Israelites as well as the Egyptians to know the truth. Fourth, we see people's response to the Lord. Some believed as the plagues came, and some did not. This passage says sometimes that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, and at other times that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. We see both God's sovereignty, meaning He is in charge, and people's response and choice at play. This passage leads to the question, "Will we listen and obey the Lord like Moses and Aaron, or will we harden our heart like Pharaoh?"

Exodus - Chapters 1-4

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Exodus begins with naming the sons of Jacob, and it tells us that 70 Israelites came to Egypt, which included Joseph who was already there. Then that generation died, and a new king of Egypt, one who did not know Joseph, began to reign. He was intimidated by the number of Israelites in Egypt, so he began to oppress them. The Jews still thrived. The oppression increased. The king commanded the Hebrew mid-wives to kill the baby boys and let the girls live, but the mid-wives feared God, and allowed the boys to live. The Lord blessed them with families of their own. Then the king commanded all his people to kill the Hebrew boys. There was a Levite husband and wife that had a son, and when they could hide him no longer, she built a small ark and placed the boy in the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter found him and called him Moses. When Moses became a young man, he came to the rescue of a Hebrew man who was being beaten by an Egyptian. Moses killed the Egyptian. The next day, two Hebrews were fighting, and he tried to come to the rescue again, but then the Hebrew asked if he was going to kill him like he did the Egyptian. Moses knew word was out, and he fled to Midian. While at a well, he rescued some women and watered their flocks. It ended up he married one of them. After a while, Moses saw a bush burning and yet not not consumed, and he encountered God. God called him to go to Egypt and free His people. He said He'd be with him and give Him the words to say. He told Moses to tell the people that "I AM" has sent you, but Moses still asked the Lord to ask someone else. Even though this angered the Lord, He showed mercy and allowed Aaron, Moses' brother, to be the mouthpiece, but Moses was the miracle worker. They went to Egypt, spoke to the elders of the Israelites, and they believed, and when they heard that God was concerned for them, they bowed down and worshiped.

Genesis - Chapters 46-50

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

We end Genesis with chapters 46-50. Before Jacob heads to Egypt, he stops at Beersheba where Abraham and Isaac had settled, and from where Jacob left his home to go find a wife. The Lord spoke to him there and reminded him that He would go with him and bless him there, and that he would come back. The Lord also told him that Joseph would close his eyes. Including the two sons of Joseph, there were 70 members of Jacob's family that went to Egypt. They were allowed by Pharaoh to live in Goshen. Jacob blessed Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as if they were his own, and then he blessed all his sons. He gave instructions that they were to take his body back to the burial plot that Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Leah were located, and then he died. The family took his body to be buried in Canaan, and then they came back to Egypt. Joseph had forgiven his brothers because God had meant it for good in order to save lives. Joseph promised to provide for his brothers and their families. Joseph died at 110 years old, and he also had his brothers to pledge that one day they would take his bones from Egypt and bring them to the promised land

Genesis - Chapters 37-45

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters focus on the life of Joseph, and how God used his life to bring salvation to many people. Joseph was the son of the beloved wife of Jacob, Rachel, who died at childbirth from her second son, Jonathan. Joseph was dearly loved by Jacob, and he was given beautiful coat of many colors. This made his brothers even more jealous. When they saw him in the field, the decided to kill him, but since Reuben and Judah encouraged them not to, they sold him to people who were traveling to Egypt. Once there, he became enslaved to Potiphar. Since he worked hard, and was honest, he because head of his household. Potiphar's wife found Joseph attractive, and she tried to seduce him, but instead, Joseph ran out of the house and left his cloak in her hands. She cried out, and Joseph ended up in jail. While there, Joseph was able to explain the dreams of the cupbearer and baker of the king. It was not until Pharoah had dreams that the cupbearer remembered Joseph. The dreams meant there would be seven years of plenty, but then seven years of severe famine. Joseph was placed in charge of all Egypt, except for Pharoah himself. Ten of Jacob's sons went to Egypt to get grain. Benjamin stayed with his dad so he would not get hurt. Through a series of events, they came back to Egypt with their youngest brother, and finally Joseph revealed to his brothers who he was. He told them to not fear because God had placed him in Egypt before them to spare their lives, and the lives of others. They went back home, told Jacob who finally believed and came to Egypt to see his beloved son before he died.

Genesis - Chapters 27-36

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this section of Genesis, Jacob steals his brother's blessing, by deceiving his blind father, Isaac. This angered Esau, and he vowed to kill his brother once his dad died. Their mom, Rebekah, learned about it, and she sent off Jacob to her brother's house to find a wife. On his way there, God appeared to him at Bethel, and He promised Jacob to bless him like his Grandfather and Father, with descendants and land. He promised to be with him and to bring him back home. Jacob made it to Laban's house, and he worked for seven years so that he could marry his youngest daughter, Rachel. Laban deceived him, and traded Leah the older daughter with weak eyes, in the place of the beautiful Rachel. It ended up that Jacob worked 7 more years for the both of them. Through them and their two maidservants, Jacob had 12 sons and one daughter. Through various difficulties, they left and headed back to Jacob's home. On their way, Jacob sent messengers to Esau, and he learned Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. This frightened Jacob who prayed and wrestled with God. The Lord blessed him, and named him Israel. When Jacob and Esau met, it was a blessing. On arriving home, his mom's nurse, Deborah, died, Jacob's wife, Rachel died in childbirth but their son, Benjamin lived, and Isaac also died and was buried. This section ends with the lineage of Esau, whose children became chiefs and kings, and Esau was the father of the Edomites.

Genesis - Chapters 24-26

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this section of Genesis, we focus on the life of Abraham's son, Isaac. Abraham sent his most trusted servant to go back to Abraham's family to find Isaac a son. He went, and when he arrived at the neighboring well, his 10 camels rested, and the servant prayed to the Lord of his master, Abraham, and asked God to send the one who should marry Isaac. While he was praying, Rebekah came, and she gave water to both the servant and the camels. The servant praised the Lord. Rebekah's family agreed she could go, but they wanted her to wait at least 10 days, but the servant said now we need to go to his master. They let Rebekah decide, and she said she would go. The next morning, they left, met Isaac, and they married. Isaac loved Rebekah and was comforted from his mother's death. We also found out that Isaac was 40 when he married Rebekah, but she was barren, but finally after 20 years, Rebekah gave birth to twins whom they named Esau and Jacob. They found a place to settle down, and the Lord provided a new well with water. The Lord's covenant that He made with Abraham, He also made with Isaac.

Genesis - Chapters 12-23

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

These chapters cover the story of Abraham, a descendant from Adam and Eve through their third son Seth, then through Noah, and from Shem, which is where we get the word Semitic. The Lord spoke to Abram, and told him to leave his country, his people, and his father's household and go to where He would lead him. He and his wife, Sarai, and Lot his nephew left to go to Canaan. The Lord made a covenant with Abram that He would bless him with descendants and land. The problem was that Sarai was barren, so she decided to give her husband her handmade to try and have children with, and Hagar became pregnant, and jealousy arose. Hagar was mistreated and ran away, the angel of the Lord spoke to her and told her she would be blessed with many descendants, and she was to go back to Sarai. She did, and Ishmael was born when Abram was 86 years old. Thirteen years later, the Lord continued the covenant with Abram with circumcision, which was a sign of the covenant. The Lord then told Abram that he would have a son with his wife Sarai, and she is now to be called Sarah, and Abram would now be called Abraham. both of them laughed, but the Lord kept his word. Sarah had a child at the age of 90, and they named him Isaac. Also in this section we read about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham's test of sacrificing his son, and of Sarah's death. The Lord is known throughout this passage as the God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, Abram's shield and a very great reward, the God who sees me, God Almighty, the Eternal God, and the Lord will provide. We can have confidence in the future because of who God is, and what He has done.

Genesis - Chapters 5-11

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Chapter 5 begins with the generations of Adam, and it reminds the reader that as humans we are created in the image of God, both male and female, but then there is a reminder that Seth, and all humans, are also made in the image of Adam, and in his own likeness as well. In other words as in Adam we all have sinned. In Seth's lineage, there was a man named Enoch who walked with God, and then he was not because God took him (5:24), but everyone else in that line died. Also from Seth's line came Noah who also was described as one who walked with God (6:9). Noah built the ark and obeyed as God commanded, and he and his family and animals both male and female, were saved from the flood. God made a covenant with Noah that He would never flood the earth again, and He would place the rainbow in the cloud as a reminder of that covenant. Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. It is here that we see nations forming. Through the line of Japheth came the Gentile nations such as the Medes and Greeks. From Ham came the Ninevites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgasites, Canaanites, and cities such as Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah. From Shem's line came Abram, who would become Abraham, the Patriarch of the Jewish nation.

Genesis - Chapter 4

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In Genesis chapter 4 we have the story of Cain's murder of his brother Abel because he was jealous that God accepted Abel's offering of the first of the flocks, when Cain just gave some fruit to God. The Lord asked Cain why he was angry? The Lord reminded Cain that if he would choose to obey, he would be accepted, but Cain did not listen. The Lord heard Abel's blood crying from the ground, and he asked Cain where was his brother. To this Cain lied and then talked back to the Lord and said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain was the first human to be cursed in Scripture, and Cain cried out to God that his punishment was too severe, so God even then gave out more mercy, and placed a mark of some sort on Cain, so that no one would kill him. We also see that the 4th generation of Cain, Lamech, had two wives and 4 children. This is the first marriage of polygamy. Here Lamech bragged to his wives about killing two men, and he told them to listen and heed what he said. In other words, he was threatening them that he was a murderer, and to remember that. The story of Cain's descendant shows us how humanity is getting continually worse. Cain's sin and response was worse than his parents, and Lamech's sin and response is worst than both. Thankfully, the story does not end there. Adam and Eve had a third son, Seth. Eve said, "For God has appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew." After the promise of the one who was to come from God, having children became a big deal for women in Scripture. After Seth was born, then people began to call upon the name of the Lord. We have hope!

Genesis - Chapter 3

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Genesis chapter three is often entitled, "The Fall." The serpent approached the wife of Adam and asked, "Has God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" She said, "We can eat from all the trees except for the one in the middle of the garden, neither shall we touch it, lest we die." The serpent responded that they won't die, but instead their eyes will be opened and they will be as gods, and they will know the difference between good and evil. She ate, and gave some to her husband who was with her, and when he ate, their eyes were opened, but they found they were not like gods, they were naked and ashamed so they covered themselves with leaves. They hid from the Lord God when they heard His voice. He asked for them, and found out what happened. That once beautiful union has now been severed, both with humanity and God, and with each other. God placed their judgments upon them, and in verse 15, God promised the serpent that one from the seed of Eve will come and bruise his head. This is the first gospel proclamation, that God will send One from the seed of Mary, whom the serpent will bruise when Jesus dies on the cross, but ultimately Jesus will defeat the serpent when He overcomes death and ascends at the right hand of God. After the fall, Eve receives her name, and the Lord God covers them with skins from what is believed to be the first sacrifice given to cover man's sin. Adam and Eve are kicked out of the garden in Eden, and cherubim keep the way of the tree of life.

Genesis - Chapter 2

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 2 of Genesis, we get a closer look at how God created humanity. First we see a name change, now instead of the generic name of God, we have the Lord God, who is the subject of this chapter. He formed man out of the dust of the ground and breathed life into him, and he became a living soul. The Lord God placed the man into the garden which was eastward in Eden. Then the Lord God gave the man a job. He was to dress and keep the garden, in other words he was to work it, serve it, protect and preserve it. He was also commanded to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or he will die. Even though everything in this place was good, there was something not good, "It is not good that the man should be alone," so the Lord God made a help mate for Adam. He created her from the rib of man, and when the Lord God presented her to the man, he broke out in poetry, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man." Then Moses interjects a statement, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh." In the New Testament, the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5, quotes this verse and says, "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Since Adam and Eve were one, like no other couple ever have been, chapter two ends, "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."

Genesis 1-2a

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

A large part of this lesson comes from Dr. Westerholm's class, "The Worshipping Church." We look at the first six days of creation, and see that God formed it, divided it, named it, and filled it. We see God as the initiator of all creation, and that there are a few hints of the Trinity in this passage. We also discover that everything God made was good, and when humanity comes on the scene, every thing God made is VERY GOOD! Dr. Abraham Kuruvilla said in his commentary on Genesis that to be made in the image of God means that we are "Representatives of God to every other part of creation" (p.37). What is clear in Scripture is that humanity is different than any other created being because we are made in God's image, both male and female, and we are called to have dominion or subdue creation. Dr. Westerholm defined it as, "Working to bring order to chaos for the purpose of flourishing, and the responsibility of subduing is to creation, to others, and to glorify God." God blessed three things in this passage, in verses 22 & 28 it went with "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." The last time is in chapter 2, on day 7, God blessed the day of rest. When we rest, it rejuvenates us gives us life to keep going. The Lord also sanctified that day, which means He set it apart and made it holy. As God's representative, we are called to go and bring order to chaos in our sphere of influence, as we rest in Him, obey Him, worship Him, and love Him.

Job - Chapter 42

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

After Job encounter the Almighty God, he responded, "My ears have heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Even though Job was "blameless and upright, and feared God, and shunned evil," when he encountered the sovereign, Creator, Almighty God, Job recognized his sinfulness, and he repented. After the Lord spoke to Job, He then spoke to Eliphaz, and told them, "You have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant, Job has." They brought a burnt offering to Job and the Lord, and Job prayed for his friends. Job was not blessed by God until after he prayed for his friends. After Job prayed, the Lord blessed him with twice as much as he had before. "He died old and full of years."

Job - Chapters 38-41

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this section of Job, the Lord speaks to Job out of the storm. He never answers Job's question of why. Instead, the Lord asks Job lots of questions. The Lord told Job, "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me." God asks Job about the creation of the world, and if Job knew how it worked. In verse 21 the Lord has a bit of sarcasm in His voice with, "Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!" Then the Lord asks about the storehouses of snow and hail, of lightning and wind, rain, thunderstorms, ice and frost. Does Job have a clue? What about the constellations of the stars, the clouds, and the lightning bolts. Does Job control them? What about wild animals, do they do Job's bidding? How about flying birds? In chapter 40, the Lord asks for a reply, and Job said, "I am unworthy - how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer - twice, but I will say no more." Yet the Lord was not done with Job. The Lord asked questions like, "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?" Ouch! Then more questions came. Does Job have an arm like God's? Can he glorify himself with splendor, honor, and majesty? Can he bring a proud man low? Can he crush the wicked? Can Job control the mighty land creature, the behemoth, or the amazing sea creature, the Leviathan? We know the answer to all of these questions is NO. We will find out tomorrow how Job answered the Lord this time.

Job - Chapters 32-37

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In these chapters of Job, Elihu, the young man, has reached his limit, and he gave his council to Job and to the three friends. We learn that Elihu is speaking in anger. He is mad at Job for justifying himself instead of God. He's mad at the three friends because they found no way to refute Job, and yet they condemned him, and lastly he was mad when the three men had nothing else to say, which left the conversation at a standstill. Even though young people were disregarded usually, which is why he had not spoken yet, his frustration bubbled up inside him, and he had to speak. Elihu shared the misconception with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, that Job experienced these struggles because of sin in his life, but we know that the Lord regarded Job as, blameless and upright, a man who feared God and shunned evil. He did not seem to realize that sometimes bad things happen to good people. One thing that is extremely clear is that Elihu loved the Lord, and saw Him always as good and always just. He knew that God was great and beyond our understanding. This paved the way for Job to hear from God which starts in chapter 38 of Job!

Job - Chapters 3-31

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

After the loss of all ten of Job's children and after the destruction of all his wealth, and after he has been inflicted with sores from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, chapter 3 begins, "After this, Job opened his mouth and curse the day of his birth." After Job cried out to God, his three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, had three rounds of discussions with Job. They believe in the "Retribution Principle," which means when we obey God, He blesses us, and when we disobey God, He curses God. They believed that since such devastation had happened to Job, it was because he had sinned, but Job demands his innocence. In these chapters we get their human view point which has some truth mixed with some misunderstanding. His "friends," continue to tell him to repent and get right with God. As the reader, we know that these tests are not due to Job's sinfulness, but on the contrary, it is because of his righteousness. Job pleads with God to give him a hearing as to why this is happening. At one time, Job pleaded for God to take his life, but even in the midst of his pain, he declared that he still hopes in God (13:15). Chapter 28 is a hymn of wisdom which ends with "The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding." Chapter 31 ends, "The words of Job are ended."

Job - Chapters 1-2

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Many people consider Job to be the oldest book of the OT, possibly around the time of Abraham around 2000-1800 BC. The author is unnamed. Job is from the land of Uz, and he was considered the greatest man among all the people of the East. This first Book of Poetry, is a combination of various literary styles, such as the beginning and ending are narrative, then we have dialogue, soliloquy, discourse, and even a hymn in chapter 28. The purpose of this book is it deals with the issue of why good people suffer, why bad things happen to good people, and is God just? In "A Survey of the OT," by Hill and Walton, they say, "God's policies are placed on trial here, not Job" (p. 408). Job is described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. Satan enters the picture before God, and God asked him to consider Job. Test one, God allowed Satan to take all he had, but he could not touch Job, himself. Job still worshipped and praise God by saying, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." Satan approached God a second time, and with test two, Satan was allowed to inflict Job's body, but not take his life. Job had sores from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, and still Job said, "Should we accept good from God, and not trouble?" The narrator said, "In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." Job's three friends came to comfort Job in his distress, and they sat in silence for seven days. If the story ended there, Job's friends would have been amazing. Job is mentioned in Ezekiel chapter 14 as a righteous man, and in the New Testament, James in 5:11 praises the endurance of Job, and because we know his story, we also see that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. He is an example to us today.

Revelation - Chapter 22

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Chapter 22 begins with the river of life flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, and then starting with verse 6 we have the epilogue. Three times in this chapter Jesus declares, "I am coming quickly." This is verses 7, 12, & 20. Three times in verse 17, people cry out, "Come!" Also in this section we have the 6th and 7th blessing. Verse 7, "And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book," and the 7th is in verse 14, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city." There is also a warning in verses 18 & 19, for those who add to or take away from these prophecies. Verse 6 reminds us that these words are faithful and true. We are commanded to fear God, and to heed the words found in this book. If we are to heed these words, then the book of Revelation is not just a futuristic book, but it is a book for believers to stay faithful until Christ comes again. As John said in verse 20, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!"

Revelation - Chapters 20-21

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

According to Peter J. Gentry, this section covers "Seven Visions of the End of the Age and the New Creation." We have the dragon subdued for 1,000 years in verse 2:1-6. In Verse 7-10 we have the Dragon released and fights, but he is thrown into the lake of fire. In 20:11-15, we have the great white throne, and the dead are judged. Chapter 21 verse one is the new heaven and new earth. In 21:2-8 a bride is adorned for her husband, and God declares, "Behold, I am making all things new!" Verses 9-27 of chapter 21 the beauty of the city, the wife of the Lamb, is described. We then go into chapter 22:1-5 and we discover the River of Life. There are many views on how to interpret this passage, but there are a few things that are clear: Satan is defeated. Those who do not believe in Jesus experience the 2nd death. Those who are faithful are with the Lord. It is interesting to note that Genesis chapters 1 & 2 speak of the creation of the heaven and the earth, and the last two chapters of Revelation speak of the creation of the New Heaven and the New earth. We learn of the Serpent in chapter 3 of Genesis, and in the third from the last book of the Bible we see the end of the Serpent. From Genesis to Revelation, we have one book, which tells one amazing story of God and His people.

Revelation - Chapters 17-19

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 17 we see a great harlot named, "Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth." Verse 14 may be the key verse for the book of Revelation, "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." In chapter 18 we see that this Babylon has fallen. Those who used her gave three "woes" at her destruction, but there is one group that rejoiced and that is found in verse 20, "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because god has pronounced judgment for you against her." Chapter 19 begins with the four-fold Hallelujah, and then the marriage of the Lamb is declared, and a mighty warrior named Faithful and True rode in on a white horse, and He destroyed the enemy. He is also called King of kings and Lord of lords. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive in the lake of fire, and those who fought against the King of kings were killed by the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.

Revelation - Chapters 15-16

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In these two chapters, 15 & 16 of Revelation, we find the seven angels with the seven last plagues full of God's wrath. Before the 7 golden bowls of wrath are poured out, the ones who had been victorious over the beast, his image, and the number of his name (the unholy trinity), worshiped the Lord by singing, "The song of God's servant Moses, and the song of the Lamb." God's glory filled the temple, and then came God's undiluted wrath on those who worshipped the beast. Many of these plagues mimic the plagues God brought upon the Egyptians with Moses. God's wrath is not due to vengeance, but for justice, because they had shed the blood of the saints and the prophets. Chapter 16 verse 15 gives the third beatitude found in Revelation, "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame." The people still do not repent, and it all builds up for war against God. Verse 16 described the place where they gathered as "Har-Magedon." Needless to say, God won and "Babylon" fell because God remembered.

Revelation - Chapters 12-14

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In these three chapters we see a great conflict between a red dragon and a woman who gave birth to a male Child, who is a Shepherd and Ruler. The dragon did not destroy Him because He was caught up to God and to His throne. Then there was a war in heaven with Michael and his angels and the great dragon and his angels. "The great dragon is the ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world" (12:9). He is the accuser of the brethren. Since the great dragon was banished to earth, he went after the woman, but the earth protected her, so he went after the descendants of the woman, those who keep God's commandments and have the testimony of Jesus." (This goes back to Genesis 3:15.) Chapter 13 we learn of the Beast of the Sea, and the Beast of the Earth. These two with the Red Dragon are an unholy trinity. They are imitators of the true trinity because they have the number of man, 666. They are full of lies and deception, but the 144,000 that are with the Lamb are different. They sing a new song of the redeemed, that only they can sing. These chapters end with a calling for believers to endure, keep the commandments of God and faith in Jesus. Believers in Christ have rest. Believers in the Dragon and the Beasts, will not have rest, but they will experience the wrath of God.

Revelation - Chapters 8-11

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

This section of Revelation covers the seven trumpets. In the prologue, 8:2-6, we have the prayers of the saints are mixed with the incense that comes before the Lord, and then the angel takes fire from the altar and throws it to earth. The first trumpet brings hail and fire mixed with blood which came to earth and caused 1/3 of the trees and green grass to burn up. The second trumpet damaged the sea and 1/3 of the sea creatures and ships. The third trumpet was a great star fell from heaven and 1/3 or the rivers and springs of water became bitter so many people died. The fourth trumpet the sun was struck and 1/3 of the moon and stars were darkened, and 1/3 of the day and night were without light. Many of these trumpets are similar to the plagues of Egypt. There was a break between the 4th and 5th trumpet when an eagle declared "Woe, woe, woe, to those who dwell on the earth.." The first four trumpets brought damage to the earth, but now with these last three they are directed at people. The 5th trumpet opened the bottomless pit, and the smoke from it was like a furnace. From the smoke came swarms of locust, another plague on Egypt, as well as a prophecy from Joel. Peter Gentry in his book, "How to Read and Understand the Biblical Prophets," summarized the 6th trumpet, which is also the 2nd "Woe," as "Demonic army from Euphrates, 7 thunders, 2 scrolls, the two witnesses, and a great battle." With the 7th scroll, came flashes of lightning, and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake and a great hail storm. It is here that the time has come for the dead to be judges, and reward to those who are God's servants, prophets, saints, and fearers of God,

Revelation - Chapters 6-7

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

This section of Revelation covers the 7 seals being opened. The first seal brought forth a white horse with a bow, and he was overcoming so he could overcome. The second seal was a Red horse which brought war to the earth. The third seal was a black horse which brought famine and oppression. The 4th seal brought forth a pale horse which was death, and it was followed by Hades. These are many times referred to the four horses of the apocalypse. The 5th seal was the prayers of the martyrs who were under the altar, "How long, Lord, until you avenge our blood." The 6th seal was the day of wrath when the heavens are shaken. The 144,000 believers were sealed until the Father was ready. In chapter 8:1, the 7th seal was broken, and it brought silence in Heaven.

Revelation - Chapters 4-5

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 4, John is told to come up to heaven so the angel can show him what must soon take place. He saw THE throne in all its glory. Around the throne was 24 elders and 4 living creatures. It is clear that they were created beings who praised God day and night. The One that sat on the throne had a scroll in His right hand, but no one was worthy to take the scroll and open it. This brought John to tears, until one of the elders told him to look at the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, because He overcame. John turned, looked, and saw the lamb that was slain. He was worthy to take the scroll, and He too was praised and worshipped.

Revelation - Chapters 2-3

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Chapters 2 & 3 of Revelation include the seven letters to the seven churches which include, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. There are some things we do not fully understand in these letters, but there are some things that are very clear. The Lord knows what is going on in His churches because He is standing in their midst. Each of the letters encourage believers to overcome. The Lord gives time and calls people to Himself, but people choose to go their own way. Believers will suffer, and it may even get harder, but the time of testing is limited. In these letters the Lord is calling His church to repent of their sin and turn to Him. Jesus is standing at the door of the church, and He said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and have a meal with him, and he with Me" (3:20). The question is to all the churches, "Do we have ears to hear what the Spirit says to the churches?"

Revelation - Chapter 1

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

We are beginning this amazing book of Revelation (singular). It reveals, unveils, Jesus in His glory and power. This book calls itself prophecy seven times, 1:3, 11:6, 19:10, 22:7, 10, 18, & 19. It is also apocalyptic literature. The Greek word for "revelation," is the word, apocalupsis, which means unveiled, uncovered, or revealed. Jesus Christ is revealed in all His glory. This book is also a letter, which the Lord commanded John the apostle to write to the 7 churches, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. This book was written to believers in Jesus. Historically, it is believed that John was on the Isle of Patmos because of his faith. The book's layout is there are Seven Sequences of Seven, which Peter Gentry pointed out in his book, "How to Read and Understand the Biblical Prophets." These includes seven letters, seals, trumpets, visions of warfare, final plagues, visions of victory, and then the seven visions of the end of the age and the new creation. Verses 9-20 of chapter 1, John sees a vision of the Son of Man, which represents Jesus Christ, and He is standing in the midst of the churches. John was to write the things which he has seen (past tense), and the things that are (present tense), and the things which will take place after these things (future tense.) One thing that is clear in chapter one is that Jesus is no longer the Baby in the manger, or the suffering servant of Isaiah. When He comes again, it will be with glory and power, for He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the almighty, which means no one or nothing is stronger. Believers in Jesus who hear His words and do them, are blessed, and we do not need to be afraid.

2nd and 3rd John

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

2nd John was written to the elect lady and her children. There are different views as to if this is a specific woman and her children, a specific woman and the church that meets at her house, or that it is a reference to a church at a specific city. John is writing this letter to warn her about showing hospitality to missionaries that are not teaching the truth. It is good to say no sometimes. Then John reminded them to love one another. 3rd John was written to Gaius, and he was encouraged to show hospitality to people who do teach the truth about Jesus, which John had heard that Gaius had done. He was reminded to walk in truth, do not imitate evil, but to imitate good. We learned of a church leader named Diotrephes, who loved being in first place, who badmouthed John, and who did not receive John's letter or his followers, plus he kicked out of church those who did receive John's disciples. Demetrius was also mentioned as a godly man that lived in truth, and who walked the talk. With both of these letters, John hoped to go and meet them face to face, and he blessed them with God's peace.

1 John - Chapters 3-5

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapters 3-5 of 1 John, the apostle John declares, "Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God's children. And we are!" Since we are God's children, the world does not understand us, because His Spirit is within us, and some day when He comes again we will be like Him. As believers we are born of God, and His seed abides in us, which keeps us from sin. John gave the example of Cain and Abel and how Cain murdered his brother because his own deeds were evil, but his brother's deeds were righteous. The world will also treat us in like manner. In chapter 4, believers were warned to test the spirits to make sure they are from God. The spirit of the anti-Christ was already in the world, but those who are children of God do not need to fear because, "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." Believers in Jesus abide in Him, and therefore do not fear because love perfected them. Our love displays what we truly believe, and it is our faith that brings us victory that overcomes the world (Chapter 5). Since Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man, the Messiah, and because He shed His blood for us, we can know that we have eternal life. Those who are children of God are protected from the evil one, because Jesus, the One who is born of God, keeps them. John's last warning is for believers to keep themselves from idols

1 John - Chapter 2

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

The apostle John starts chapter two with, "My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin." Then he continued that when we do sin, Jesus, the righteous One, is our advocate because He paid the price for our sins. John is writing an old commandment, to love one another, but we were unable to do it because of our sinful nature, but because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit within us, this new commandment of love we can do because Jesus abides within us. John warned in verses 9-11 that if anyone, who claims to be a Christian, yet hates his brother, is lying. Darkness has blinded his eyes. He also warns, like Jesus did, that we cannot love both the world and God. In this chapter we have the first known schism, or church split, within the church. John said they do not belong to them. He spoke of their time as being the last hour, and that there were many anti-Christs who deny Jesus as the Christ. He warned believers to not be deceived, but to trust the Holy Spirit within us to teach us the truth. John encouraged the believers to live in righteousness so that we can have confidence instead of shame when Jesus comes again.

1 John - Chapter 1

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

John declared that Jesus was from the beginning (He is God), and yet they have heard, seen, observed, and touched Him with their hands. Jesus in the flesh. He also was human. Jesus is the Word of life. This life was with the Father and revealed in Jesus. This letter was written so the believers could have fellowship with each other in the Father and the Son. Since Jesus is the light, there is absolutely no darkness in Him (verse 5), so when we have fellowship with Jesus we too are in the light. The way that is possible is to confess our sin to God, and He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness (verse 9). That can happen because Jesus shed His blood on the cross, and when we believe, we are forgiven.

1 John - The Five Tests of My Salvation

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

This lesson comes from Dr. Timothy Beougher's lecture from Personal Evangelism Class at SBTS, entitled, "How Can I Know I Am Forgiven By God?" 1 John give us five tests to see if we are saved. Question 1, "Do you enjoy fellowship/worshipping God" (1 John 1:3)? Question 2, "Do you have an awareness of your sin" (1 John 1:8)? Question 3, "Do you seek to be obedient to the Word of God (1 John 2:3-5)? Question 4, "Do you love other Christians and want to be with them" (1 John 3:14)? Question 5, "Do you display the fruit of the Spirit" (1 John 4:13)? Dr. Beougher also mentioned Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Now with these tests, as Dr. Beougher pointed out, "Scripture mandates the presence of these 'tests' not the perfection of these things." The other caution is a reminder that these tests show us the fruit of our faith, but that our faith is rooted in Jesus Christ. Beougher ended his lecture with, "What to do if you are not sure." He called 1 John 1:9, "God's bar of Soap." "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Have you passed the test?

Jude

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

The traditional view of this book is that Jude, the brother of James who was the leader at the church in Jerusalem, and the 1/2 brother of Jesus, wrote this letter to believers. Since he used many Old Testament examples, he was probably writing to Jewish believers, but we do not know where he is located, or exactly where the letter is sent. Verse one defined the believers as called, loved, and kept in Jesus Christ. Jude is similar to 2 Peter chapter 2, and so it is possible that it was written about the same era, which may be mid to late AD. 60's. At first Jude had planned on writing a letter about their salvation, but he has heard about false teachers in their church, and he writes them to stay strong in their faith, beware of false teachers, and since believers have received mercy because Jesus shed His blood on the cross, so we must also be merciful.

2 Peter Chapter 3

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

The last chapter of 2 Peter focuses on the day of the Lord. It is described as the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men (3:7), the day of the Lord (3:10), the coming day of God (3:12), and in the very last verse, 3:18, it is the day of eternity. Peter stressed that even if some people scoff, the Lord is coming again. He judged the world the first time by water, and the next time it will be by fire. Then he said if this is coming, what kind of people aught we to be? The answer is we should live holy and righteous lives, so we are ready when our Lord and Savior returns. Peter also said, "The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (v. 9). This shows us God's heart. He spoke of "our dear brother Paul's letters (v. 15-16), and said that people twist his words like they do Scripture, which shows us that Paul's letters are becoming held up like Scripture. He also said that His letters are hard to understand, which could also mean obscure or ambiguous. Probably one of the issues in Paul's letters, that we know people have twisted to their own desires is they use justification by faith and not by works as a way of living their lives in an ungodly manner. Peter said as Christians we are to live in God's grace and His righteousness, until He comes again.

2 Peter Chapter 2

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 2 of 2 Peter, the Apostle focused on the false teachers that was in their midst. He described them as bringing in destructive heresies and denying the Master. They have unrestrained ways, and the way of truth is maligned. They are greedy. They exploit with deceptive words. They are like irrational animals. They speak blasphemy. They are destructive. They carouse in the daytime. They delight in deceiving others. Their eyes are full of adultery. They are always looking for sin. They seduce people. They promise freedom, yet they are enslaved by corruption. Peter compared them to the angels that sinned, the ancient world, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, to Balaam the son of Beor, springs without water, and mists driven by the wind, and finally to a dog that returns to his vomit and a clean pig that returns to the mud. Peter made it clear that God can rescue believers from people such as this like He did with Noah and his family, as well as Lot. He also made it clear that God's judgement is coming upon the false teachers, and that is certain.

2 Peter Chapter 1

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter one of 2 Peter, he reminds his readers to grow in their Christian characteristics, they are to supplement their faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly love and godly love. If we do that we will be useful in knowing Jesus, and it will keep one from falling. Peter understands his death is quickly approaching, and he wanted to remind his readers of the truth about Jesus. It's not a myth, but the eyewitnesses have seen Christ glorified on the holy mountain, just as the Scriptures have said. The holy Scriptures came about by the Holy Spirit moved in men to write it, and the Holy Spirit is needed to interpret it correctly.

2 Peter - Introduction

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In the introduction, it was discussed why some people do not believe that Peter wrote this letter, but it was accepted into the Canon of Scripture as from Peter, and we are taking the traditional view that Peter wrote this letter to the same group as his first letter (2 Peter 3:1), which we find in 1 Peter 1:1 were believers who had scattered to modern-day Turkey. Peter wrote the letter to encourage believers to stay faithful against false teachers, and the way to do that is through knowledge of Jesus. He also encouraged them to live a godly life while they are wait for Christ's return, no matter how long they must wait. It is believed that Peter is close to death, around AD 66-68, and it is traditionally believed that Peter is in Rome, because in 1 Peter, he said the believers in Babylon greet you (1 Peter 5:13), and it is thought he used that word as code, since the Romans are now doing the persecution. In verses 1-4, Peter tells the second generation of believers that their faith is just like the precious faith of the first generation's whose faith came through the righteousness of "our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Here Peter declared Jesus to be both God and Savior. In his greeting, he stressed that it is through knowledge of God (the Father) and Jesus our Lord, that we get grace and peace. Then in verses 3 & 4, he said that through Jesus' divine power we have everything we need for life and godliness, but it only comes through knowledge of Him, and that comes through knowing God's greatest and precious promises.

1 Peter Chapter 5

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In the last chapter of 1 Peter, chapter 5, he exhorted the elders to shepherd the flock of Christ as an example, not because they have to, or for financial gain, or so they can have power over people. He reminded them that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd over them, and He will give an unfading crown of glory to those who are faithful. He reminded the young men to honor their elders, and then he reminded all believers to clothe ourselves with humility. The picture image is to put on an apron to serve others. Peter quoted from Proverbs 3:34 which said, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." When we humble ourselves to God, we can cast all of our cares upon Him because he cares for us (vs. 6-7). Peter warned us that we have an adversary, the Devil who wants to devour us, so we need to be on our guard, but we are also to remember that we are not alone in our attacks, for believers all over the world also suffer. While we wait for Christ's return, God is with us as He makes us complete. He will guide us, strengthen us, and will keep us steadfast until His return. Silas brought the letter to the churches in modern day Turkey. The phrase, "She who is in Babylon," is traditionally interpreted as the church in Rome, and Mark is thought to be John Mark, the writer of the gospel of Mark. They were to greet one another with a kiss of love, and then Peter ended his letter with a blessing of peace.

1 Peter Chapter 4

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Chapter 4 of 1 Peter encourages believers that since Christ suffered in the flesh, we should also expect it. Our suffering makes us more like Christ. As believers, we are not to live like the world does but in a way that brings glory to God. Since the end of all things is near, we are to have sound judgment and a sober spirit for the purpose of prayer (v. 7). We also are to love one another, for love covers a multitude of sins (v. 8). We are to be hospitable without complaining (v. 9), and then use our gifts of speech or service, which God gave us, to use them to bring Him glory. We also should live our lives here on this earth in such a way that when Jesus comes again we should not be ashamed of how we lived our lives, but we should be rejoicing. As believers in the midst of suffering, we are to entrust our souls to a faithful Creator (v. 19), just like Jesus did when He suffered and died on the cross for us (2:23).

1 Peter Chapter 3

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 3 of 1 Peter, he continues his discussion on what godly living looks like. Wives are to submit to their husbands. Christian wives are to be beautiful from the inside out. Husbands are to be understanding and show their wives honor. All believers in Christ are to live harmoniously, and are to love one another in humility. Christians are called to be a blessing in good and bad times. Our faith in Christ gives us a hope in the midst of difficult times, and when people see our hope and ask about it, we can say it is because of Jesus that we have hope. Chapter 3 ends with a reminder of Noah and the flood, and those who have faith in Jesus, baptism represents what the ark was, a way of salvation through Jesus Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God the Father, and all authorities and powers are subjected to Him.

1 Peter Chapter 2

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Peter explained that as believers in Jesus, we are to not be like the world, but we are to grow in our salvation as we come to Jesus, a living stone, and when we believe in Him, we too become living stones which are being built together with Jesus as the capstone that holds us all together. We are built up so that we can offer spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God because Jesus paid the price for us. Peter explained that Christians are a part of the family of God, no matter what our earthly race is, and those that believe are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the possession of God, God's people, so that "we may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His Marvelous light! Some characteristics Christians should have is to submit to earthly authorities because God placed them there. We are to do good, honor EVERYONE, love believers, and fear God. We are also called to suffer for Christ, because Christ suffered for us. Verse 24, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by His wounding you have been healed."

1 Peter Chapter 1

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In today's lesson, we learned that Peter, one of Jesus' 12 disciples, is now likely in Rome, and that he used the term "Babylon," so as to disguise his true location from the Romans. He is writing to believers, probably both Jews and Gentiles, who live in the area of modern day Turkey. The purpose of this letter is to encourage believers to be faithful in the midst of persecution, because we have a living hope, that will be fulfilled at the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is through God the Father, who sent Jesus the Son to be our sacrifice for our sins, and now with the Holy Spirit, we are born again when we believed, we are in the process of being saved which is also called sanctification, and we will be fully saved at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Since we have this precious gift of faith, we are be obedient and live in such a way that we honor the Lord. We are called to be holy, as God is holy. This gift of salvation endures forever because the enduring word of the Lord continues forever.

James Chapter 5

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In the final chapter of James, He spoke sternly to the rich who live in luxury and self-indulgence instead of using their wealth for the glory of God. He reminds us that God hears the cry of the less fortunate, and we are to remember that God is standing at the door. He hears and knows all things. He reminds his readers to endure suffering and persecution because the Lord is coming again soon. He also spent time on prayer, which is powerful when done in faith. We are to pray in the good times and the bad. When we are sick or weak, we are to pray with others, and even ask the leaders of our church to pray for us. Believers are to be people who keep their word, and do not need to swear in order to be believed. We are also to pray for believers who have turned away from the faith, that they might come back to the Lord, and "cover a multitude of sins!"

James Chapter 4

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In James chapter 4, believers are called adulterers because of their idolatry with the world, and a belief that a person controls their own destiny. James reminds his readers that we are to submit to the Lordship of God, and recognize that He has a plan for our lives. We are to say, "If the Lord will..." verses saying I am going to do this and that because James pointed out our lives are short, and they belong to God. James gives 10 imperatives or commands, submit, resist the devil, draw near to God, cleanse your hands, purify your hearts, be miserable, mourn, & weep because of our sinfulness, humble ourselves before God, and the last, do not criticize one another. James reminds us that we are not the judge of our brothers and sisters, only God is judge, and each person will give an account for their lives. This chapter ends, "So, for the person who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it is sin."

James Chapter 3

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

After James discussed that our faith is tested, and that real faith produces works, not in chapter 3 we find that true faith affects our tongue. We have a warning that teachers receive a stricter judgment from the Lord. James also tells us that our tongue directs our life. He compares it to a bit in a horses' mouth, a rudder on a ship, and a small fire that caused a large fire. He also points out that a Christian's mouth should not produce both blessing and cursing. If we speak with bitterness, envy, selfish ambition, this is earthly, sensual, and demonic. It brings disorder and evil. When we seek wisdom and understanding from above, we produce fruit that is peaceful, loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy, and good fruits. These produce peace.

James chapter 2

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In the second chapter of James, he covers the issue of faith that works, verses faith that is dead. He begins right away telling us that as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, we are not to show partiality among people, especially when we enter a place of worship. He reminds us that as believers we are heirs of the kingdom of heaven, we have a noble name, and we live by the royal law, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Then he said in verses 12-13, "So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." James then explained that true faith works, and he gave two examples of Abraham and Rahab the harlot. Both of them believed God, and then did something. Abraham was the patriarch of the Jewish faith, and one was a Gentile sinful woman, but in faith, they are both on even ground at the cross.

James Chapter 1

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Tradition says that James was Jesus' half-brother, who became the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. He wrote this unique letter to Jewish believers who were dispersed from Jerusalem after persecution. It may have been written around AD 49, before the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), or before his death in AD 62, when he was killed by Pharisees in Jerusalem. This book was the last to be included in the canonization of Scripture because some believed it focused on works and not faith, but he does believe one is saved by faith, but he shows us what true faith looks like. In chapter one, James covers faith in the midst of trials, and faith in the midst of temptation. Then he reminds us that we are to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. He tells us that our words and actions should match, and if they don't, then we don't know who we are. We are not to be deceived, but to live in truth, and true religion keeps check on our tongues, watches out for orphans and widows (those in need), and pursued holiness, not the stains of the world.

Hebrews 12-13

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Since we have such a great group of witnesses listed in chapter 11 of Hebrews, plus there are all the ones that the writer did not have time to mention, we are to get rid of everything that causes us to not run our best. We are to keep our eyes on Jesus who stayed faithful because His eyes were focused on the joy that was coming, and now He is sitting at the right hand of God's throne. We are not to give up when life gets hard, because we also should remember that our Father God disciplines His children in order to make us more like Himself. We are to pursue peace and holiness, and get rid of bitterness. We are to love one an other, show hospitality to strangers, remember the prisoners and the ill-treated. Marriage is to be honored. We are not to be greedy, but generous with God's blessings to us. We are to remember those who taught us and imitate their godly lives. We are also to offer praise to God and to give Him thanks, We learn in this passage that the writer is in Italy, that Timothy has been released, and they hope to visit soon. "Grace be with you all" (13:25)!

Hebrews 10b-11

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In these chapters, the writer encouraged his readers to draw near to God, hold fast the confession of hope, consider how to spur other believers to love and good deeds, to worship and assembling together, and to encourage each other to stay faithful until Christ Jesus comes again. He also gives a strict warning to those who fall away from the Lord. He said, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (10:31). Then the writer lists Old Testament people of faith. Sometimes chapter eleven is called the Hall of Faith. 11:6 reads, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Then this section ends with, "And all these having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect" (11:39-40). In other words, the body of Christ is not complete yet, they need us! We are a part of the story. We are a part of the hall of faith, that is if we believe in Jesus!

Hebrews 8-10a

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In this section, the writer of Hebrews explains the tabernacle, and how the curtains separate the holy place from the Holy of Holies, where God dwelt. It was only the High Priest who was allowed to enter, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement, and he must have blood, because only with blood can sin be forgiven. Jesus shed His own blood, and His sacrifice was done once for all who believe in Him. The writer explained that Jesus' sacrifice, which was better, brought about a more excellent ministry, and a better covenant with better promises. Jesus' sacrifice can give believers a clear conscience. Now that Jesus has died, arose, and ascended, where He sits at the right hand of God the Father, someday He will appear a second time for salvation for those who eagerly await for Him.

Hebrews 7

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 7 of Hebrews, the writer focused on how Melchizedek's priesthood was superior to Aaron's priest hood. In the Old Testament, Melchizedek is mentioned in Genesis 14:13-24 & then in Psalm 110. We learned that Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of the Most High God who met Abram after a victorious battle. He blessed Abram, and Abram gave Melchizedek a tithe, ten percent of all. Salem means peace, so he was the king of righteousness and peace. We do not know his background, but what we do know is that he was made (created) like the Son of God (the Creator), and the Son of God was not made like him. Since Aaron's priesthood was not good enough, because they were weak due to their sinfulness, and because the sacrifices did not forgive humanities sin, we needed a new covenant. That covenant is found in Jesus who became the sacrifice for us. Jesus became the guarantee of a better covenant (v. 22). (The word covenant/testimony is found in Hebrews 17x.) Jesus is the kind of priest needed who is holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He lives to intercede for us.

Hebrews 6

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Hebrews chapter 6, the writer, warns the Jewish Christian readers to not fall away from Christ, but to stay faithful to Him so they can bear fruit. He then encouraged them to cling to the hope that is found in Christ, to remember the promises of God, who cannot lie, and to think about the people of faith that came before them, like Abraham, and how he waited for his promise to be fulfilled. (25 years for Isaac- Genesis 22:16-17, Genesis 17:16, and 60 years for his grandchildren - Genesis 25 :26.) The chapter ends telling the reader that Jesus has entered God's presence, not like Aaron and the High Priest, but like Melchizedek, which leads into chapter 7!

Hebrews 5

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

So far in Hebrews, the writer showed us that Jesus is better than the Old Testament Prophets, the angels, Moses, Joshua, and in this chapter Jesus is better than Aaron, the High Priest. Aaron was of the tribe of Levi, but Jesus was like Melchizedek. The priests offered sacrifices, but Jesus offered Himself. The priests had to offer sacrifices for their own sin, Jesus was sinless. They all died, but Jesus still lives. Jesus was obedient to the Father and learned how to obey, and that is our example. Then the writer of Hebrews warns his readers that they have not matured in their faith. They should be teachers by now, but they are like little babies who only drink milk and not solid foods. We also see in this chapter that after Jesus was made perfect through obedience, "He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation" (Hebrews 5:9). Jim Townsend said, "The author of Hebrews calls Christians those 'who obey Him' - Christ. In fact, to believe and obey are virtually synonymous in Hebrews. Believers are obeyers."

Hebrews 4

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapter 4 of Hebrews, the writer encourages us to stay faithful so that we can enter God's rest. He reminded his readers about Joshua, and how even though they entered the promised land, they did not find the Sabbath rest because of their unfaithfulness, yet there is a promised rest for those who believe in Jesus Christ. He repeated that TODAY - is an appointed day - Today is the day to enter into God's rest. The writer tells us that God's word is living, effective, sharp, and penetrates "to the heart of any matter," (George H. Guthrie). All people are naked and exposed before God, and we all must give an account of our lives. That is why we have a high priest, Jesus, our mediator before God. Since He was fully human, He was tested in every way, yet without sin. He can sympathize with us, and because of that, if we believe in Him, we can "approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time" (4:16)!

Hebrews 3

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapters 1 & 2, the writer of Hebrews told us that Jesus is better than the prophets, and He's better than the angels, and now in chapter 3, Jesus is better than Moses. Moses took care of the house, but Jesus built the house. Moses was a special servant, but Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus is described as an Apostle and High Priest. An apostle is one sent, so Jesus was sent by God the Father. A High Priest went into the holy of holies to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat. In other words, Jesus was the mediator from God to humanity, and from humanity to God. Both Moses and Jesus were faithful, but the people Moses led were not faithful, and therefore could not enter the promised land. They did not enter God's rest. The writer than asks the reader, are we faithful? He then gave a warning that as long as we have today, we need to make sure that there is no form of bitterness or deceitfulness in our heart to make it hard. We are to live in truth, and we are to encourage other believers, daily, to stay faithful.

Hebrews 1-2

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Hebrews chapter 1 & 2 we learn that Jesus is better than the prophets for the prophets were servants, but Christ is the Son. The prophet's message looked to the future to be fulfilled, and Jesus fulfilled it. The prophets were mortal, but Christ is immortal. We also learn that Jesus is better than the angels. Jesus is the Son of God, and the angel worship the Son. The angels belong to God and were created by Him, and Jesus was the agent of creation. The Son is enthroned like god, and the angels minister to Him. Also, the angels do not help with salvation, yet the Son brings salvation. We also find that because Jesus suffered and died for us, He took upon God's wrath that belonged to us. His death also provided salvation for the seed of Abraham, not to the angels. Since we have the gift of salvation, we are to be diligent and not drift away. Believers are not to neglect so great a salvation (2:3). Those who are saved are now a part of the family of God, and Jesus is not ashamed to call us His siblings. 2:18, "For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested."

Hebrews - Introduction

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Hebrews does not tell us the Who, What, When, Where, and Why, it was written, but from the clues we can make an educated guess. Many debate who wrote it, but i lean toward someone other than Paul wrote it. The main reason is that in 2:3, it seems that the writer was not called by Christ Himself, but through an original witness, and we know that Paul was called by Jesus Himself on the road to Damascus. It seems clear that the writers were Jewish Christians, but what is unclear is were they in Jerusalem or somewhere else? I hold to the view of Jerusalem because the book is full of references to the tabernacle and the Jewish practices around the temple. Many believe that it was written before AD 70 when the Temple was destroyed. In 13:22, the writer said, "But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly." He calls it a word of exhortation. We learn from the letter that they have suffered persecution, and historically we know that after Rome was burnt in AD 64, the Romans persecuted Christians. We also know that James, the pastor in Jerusalem and Jesus' half-brother died around AD 62, so this letter/exhortation may have been written to encourage the Jewish Christians to stay faithful during this difficult time. In just the first three verses we find that Jesus inherits all things, created all things, represents God the Father in all ways, and holds all things by the power of His word. He purified sins, and then sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. It is in Jesus that we can place our hope when the world around us is shaking sand.

Titus

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Titus was a Greek Christian who was a disciple of Paul. In Galatians 21-5, we learn that he traveled with Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, and was not compelled to be circumcised. He ministered to the church at Corinth, and during the time of this letter, Paul left him on the Island of Crete, so that he would set the churches in order there and appoint elders in every city (1:5). Titus is not mentioned in the book of Acts. This letter was probably written around AD 61-64 between Paul's two imprisonments in Rome. The main points of this letter was church organization, duties of all people, both old and young. Paul stressed that Christians should be subject to authorities, do good deeds, reject divisive people after they are warned two times, and then he ends with personal concerns and greetings.

2 Timothy

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This was Paul's last known letter written to his "son in the faith," Timothy. It is believed to have been written while Paul was in the Roman dungeon sometime before his execution. In this letter, Paul charged Timothy to godliness, and courage during persecution. He spoke of how people will be during the last days, but Timothy should be different. He was to preach the word and do all his duties as a minster. He also was to guard his mouth, direct gently, and study the Scriptures. Paul declared he has been faithful to the end. The letter wrapped up with concerns and greetings about other people, and then ended with grace.

1 Timothy

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this letter, Paul the apostle wrote to his "son" in the Lord, Timothy, which encouraged him to have sound doctrine, to pray for all people, how to keep order in worship, and what are the qualifications for Overseers, Deacons, and Elders. Paul also encouraged him how to do church discipline, and how to take care of and classify widows. He was to honor his elders, and that slaves and masters were to respect one another. Timothy was encouraged to deal with the issues of false teachers within the church, and then Paul gave a final charge to godliness. A key verse is 4:12, "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."

2 Thessalonians

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this second letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul explained that Christ's second coming had not happened yet, and that two things needed to take place before He would come. The first is there would be an apostasy, a falling away from the faith, and the second was that the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction would be revealed. Interestingly, Jesus used the phrase, son of destruction, in reference to Judas Iscariot in John 17:12. Paul then described this man of lawlessness as someone who disregarded God, and exalted himself as God while sitting in God's sanctuary publicizing it. Augustine said of this passage, "I frankly confess that the meaning of this completely escapes me!" One thing that is clear is that the Lord Jesus Christ will overcome this man of lawlessness. Another thing that is clear, is that when Christ comes again in His glory on that great and terrible day of the Lord, the unbelievers will be separated from God, and the believers will radiated the Lord's glory. In this letter, Paul commended the church of Thessalonica for their faithfulness to the Lord. They also were instructed to work hard, and for those who did not work, should not eat. If there was a wayward brother, they were to disassociate with them in order for them to feel shame and repent, but they were not to treat him as an enemy. The church was encouraged to not grow weary in doing good.

1 Thessalonians

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This is one of Paul's first letters. Paul, Silas, and Timothy visited Thessalonica during their second missionary journey around A.D. 50-51. This is recorded in Acts 17. Paul was there for "three Sabbaths," and some Jews and Gentiles believed. Other Jews became jealous and started a mob. Paul and Silas were sent away at night to Berea. From Berea, Paul went to Athens, and then on to Corinth where he stayed for a year and a half. It was here that Timothy came and sent word about the church at Thessalonica, and this brought about 1 Thessalonians. Paul reminded them of his time with them. He was thankful for the believer's faithfulness, but he encouraged them to walk in a way that is worthy of the Lord. Paul talked of Timothy's faithfulness and ministry to them. The majority of the letter deals with the issue of Christ's second coming, especially referencing what happens to believers that have already died. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, "The Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel's voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words!"

Philemon

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to Philemon, a Christian slave owner probably in Colosse, because Onesimus, his slave, had run away and ended up in Rome. While there, he met Paul and became a Christian. Out of honor for the Lord, he sent Onesimus back to Philemon and asked him to forgive him, and to have mercy on him. Paul told Philemon that he would pay for anything that Onesimus owed him, and then he reminded him that Philemon owed Paul, which probably meant that it was through Paul's leadership that he became a Christian. Onesimus went willingly to make things right with Philemon, and Paul reminded Philemon that now Onesimus is not the same man, but his brother in Christ. Paul asked Philemon to get a guest room ready for him, because he was planning on coming soon to his home. In other words, he wanted to come and see if Philemon did the right thing. According to tradition, Philemon did forgive and set free Onesimus and Onesimus became a Bishop of Berea.

Colossians

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The letter to the church at Colosse was a prison epistle of the apostle Paul. He also wrote Ephesians and Philemon at the same time, and they were sent by Tychicus. (Ephesians 6:21, Colossians 4:7-9, and Philemon 10-12.) The theme of the letter is the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. As is Paul's custom, the first half of his letter (chapters 1 & 2) covers doctrine, and the last half (chapters 3-4) covers how we are to live out the truths of that doctrine. Paul covers the Mystery of the Gospel, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, (1:27). He taught that in Christ are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and as believers in Christ, we are free, full, and alive in Christ. As Christians, we are to set our minds on things above, rid ourselves of sin, clothe ourselves in Christ. Paul gives relationship directions with husband and wives, parents and children, and slaves and masters. This letter has a lot in common with the letter to the Ephesians. The key verse is 2:9-10, "For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority."

Philippians

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The letter to the Philippians by Paul the apostle was written to say thanks for their monetary gift sent to him by Epaphroditus. He had gotten sick and almost died, so Paul is sending him back to the church at Philippi with this letter. The theme of this book is joy which comes from the all-sufficiency of Christ. Some popular sayings of Paul are in this letter such as, "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it" (1:6) "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain" (1:21). "That at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (2:10-11). I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (3:14). "Rejoice in the Lord, always, and again I say, rejoice" (4:4). "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (4:13). "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (4:19). Paul emphasized Christ's humility, believer's need for unity, worthy lifestyle, and contentment that comes in Christ.

Ephesians

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In the apostle Paul's prison Epistle to the Ephesians, he emphasized who believers are "IN CHRIST." We are alive in Him, and one in Him. We are the body of Christ. We are the sanctuary of Christ which the Holy Spirit dwells, and we are the bride of Christ. The church's unity is in Christ, and we are to live as children of the Light. Paul prays that believers are grounded in God's love, and because of that, our actions should be different than they used to be. Believers are not to act like the world, but we are to imitate God. We are called to speak and live the truth, especially with our relationships. As believers we are also given the armor of God that will help us to stand. It is the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation. Our two offensive weapons are the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, and prayer. Paul himself asked for prayer since he is in prison in Rome, and that he would have the courage to speak up about the mystery of the gospel.

Galatians

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Paul's letter to the area of Galatia, modern day Turkey, he warned them about some Jews that came and told them they needed to be circumcised, after becoming a Christian, in order to be righteous. Paul strongly disagreed. Believers in Christ are justified by faith alone. This book is known as the Magna Carta of Christianity because it stands on Jesus only - not Jesus and. We do not add circumcision, or baptism, or speaking in tongues to make sure we are saved, it is not by works, it is by faith. Paul defended his apostleship, and reminded them that he was called and sent by Jesus Christ. He shared that as believers in Christ, we are neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. Believers are free in Christ, yet we are to use that freedom to love and serve others, and we do that by walking and living in the Spirit. The fruit (singular) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When we live like that, there is no need for the law.

2 Corinthians 10-13

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters, Paul is defending his ministry to the church at Corinth. He does so by giving reasons why he did not charge the church for his services, he gave his credentials which was based not on how many churches he started or the miracles done through him, but based on how he has suffered for the Lord, and then he explained about a mystical encounter he had with the Lord in the "3rd heaven" or paradise. When we read this section we recognize that the story of Acts focused on how the gospel spread from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth, and it was not a biography on the life of Paul, because so much of what Paul shared is not mentioned in Acts. Paul prepared the church for his third visit, and he hopes it does not have to be a painful one. He then told them, "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you fail the test" (13:5)? Paul reminded them that they are not alone but there are saints all over that greet them. Paul ended his letter with "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." The Trinity works together in the process of our sanctification.

2 Corinthians 8-9

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section Paul encouraged the church at Corinth to finish taking up the collection they committed to a year ago. Titus and the brethren would be coming to help them complete it before Paul comes and takes it to Jerusalem. Paul reminds them that Jesus who was rich, became poor, so that we who were poor could become rich in Him. Jesus is our example. Then Paul said that believers should decide in their minds how much to give, and they are not to allow others to control how much is given. We are to give out of a glad heart, nor resentful. The Lord cares more about the person's heart than about the money, and yet our giving reflects what we believe about God.

2 Corinthians 4-7

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 4 Paul talks about his ministry that even through difficulties, he does not lose heart. Their ministry is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not on their human abilities. He considered their hardship as the death of Christ so that the life of Christ may be in them. In chapters 5-6, Paul compared the earthly tent, home which is temporal, to our heavenly home which is eternal and in the presence of the Lord, that is why they can have courage. This is also the reason why he lives his life to honor the Lord because all believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for their actions, both good or bad. This spurs them on to share Christ. He is an ambassador for Christ in order to try and reconcile the world with God. Paul then reminded the Corinthians to not be bound to unbelievers because they do not understand the ways of God. In chapter 7 Paul shares his heart and after hearing news from Titus that the church received Paul's instructions well, Paul was encouraged, and fill with joy and confidence about the church in Corinth.

2 Corinthians 1-3

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these three chapters of 2 Corinthians, we learned that Paul visited the church at Corinth a second time which is not recorded in Acts, and that visit was painful. Paul then wrote a painful letter with Titus, and he wanted to hear from Titus how the letter was received before he visited them again. We also find that Paul has a need of defending his apostleship, and he said, "Surely, I don't need a letter of recommendation since I started this church, you are my letter of recommendation." Paul told us that as believers in Jesus we are established, anointed, and sealed with the Holy Spirit as a down payment until the day Jesus comes again. He then compared the old covenant with the new covenant, and said the old covenant with Moses was written on stone, and it brought death because it showed us our sinfulness, but with the new covenant, when we confess our sin and ask the Lord Jesus to enter into our lives, His Spirit enters, and it brings us new life. The Spirit changes our hearts to want to obey the Lord. Both of these covenants brought glory, but the new covenant brings greater glory, and then one day the greatest glory will be when we get to heaven.

2 Corinthians - Introduction

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this lesson starting 2 Corinthians, we have learned that Paul started the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18). He then sent them a letter which they misunderstood (1 Corinthians 5:9-13), and that letter was lost. Paul then sent the letter known as 1 Corinthians. Not recorded in Acts was a second visit to Corinth known in 2 Corinthians as a painful visit (2 Corinthians 2:1). Paul then wrote a sorrowful/severe letter sent by Titus which we do not have a copy of (2 Corinthians 2:3-4, 9, 7:8). Paul met Titus and was encouraged that the church had repented, and now Paul is writing 2 Corinthians to bring comfort to the church before he comes for his third visit before going to Jerusalem with the offering (2 Corinthians 12:14 & 13:1). In the first seven verses of chapter one, Paul used the word comfort 10 times. He reminds us that when we suffer we suffer with Christ. We never suffer alone. Plus, there is a purpose for the pain of suffering, and that is to help others in their suffering, and bring the comfort of Christ to them.

1 Corinthians 15-16

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

After Paul addressed issues that had arisen in the church, and after answering their questions, he gave a lesson on the gospel of Jesus Christ. First, Jesus died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. Jews and Christians are people of the book, the Scriptures. Second, Jesus was buried and raised on the third day, and this fulfilled the Scriptures. The third point was that there are people who have seen the risen Lord. He then addressed the issue of the resurrection, and how if Jesus had not been raised, then we could not be raised, our faith would be worthless, and we would all still be in our sins. But, the resurrection is real, and we have hope. In the first Adam we all have sinned, but in Christ we have new life. Paul continued to say that those who believed and died are the first fruits of salvation, but when Christ comes again, those that are still alive in the flesh will be transformed. The natural body will take on the spiritual body. Then Hosea 13:14 will be fulfilled, "Death is swallowed up in victory!" We are to faithfully serve the Lord until He comes again. In the last chapter, Paul encouraged the church to take up an offering for the church in Jerusalem, greet Timothy and Apollos when they come, and that Paul hoped to be there before winter. He was encouraged by the men from Corinth, Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus. He sent them greetings, and blessed them in the grace and love of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

1 Corinthians 11-14

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 11-14 of 1 Corinthians, Paul addressed the issue of pubic worship. The first issue is how should men and women dress, and should they cover their heads when they pray or prophesy in church. The key is to honor the Lord, and each other. Then issues of the Lord's supper was addressed. The Corinthians were partaking in a manner where the rich ate well, and the poor came hungry. Paul reminded them that when we eat and drink at the Lord's table, they were to remember Him, which is why they should not take of it in an unworthy manner. Before they eat it, they should examine themselves if they are right with God. The issue of speaking in tongues was compared to prophecy, and Paul said without an interpreter, tongues was just to uplift the person, but with an interpreter it could edify the church. He said that prophecy is better, but then he said the best way was the way of love. If we do our gifts without love, then what we have done and who we are are nothing. Paul then did a little overview of how they are conducting their worship, and if tongues don't edify they are to be silent. If a revelation comes, then the prophet was to be silent. If the women are disruptive, they are to be silent. 14:30, "But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner."

1 Corinthians 7-10

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 7-10 of 1 Corinthians, Paul addressed questions that the church had sent to him in a letter. The first had to do with marriage. Is it good to be married? Is it good to stay single? What about if one spouse becomes a Christian and the other does not? Paul said if you can stay single, great, because it is easier, but if God gave you the gift of marriage then great, but it is harder. If the non-Christian wanted to stay married, then if at all possible, stay married, because the family is blessed by the Christian's presence, and perhaps the unbeliever may become a Christian some day. Then he addressed Christian liberty or freedom as to if to eat meat sacrificed to idols. He explained that the idol itself is just an object, but if one's brother felt convicted not to eat, then don't eat it, because we are not to cause our brother to stumble. At the same time, we also do not allow our brothers to control us with their rules and regulations. The key is to do all things to glorify God, and not to hurt our brother or sister in Christ, because when we do, we are hurting Christ, Himself. Paul also gave Old Testament examples, and explained that the Old Testament was given to us to as examples of what to not do as well as what to do, plus it was written to instruct us.

1 Corinthians 5-6

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these two chapters, Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles, address the disorder in the church of God at Corinth. Some of its members are living in sexual immorality, one who is with his father's wife. Paul said this doesn't happen even in the Gentile world. He tells them they need to cease being arrogant, but to become humble before the Lord, and they need to deal with this sinful brother. He then told them we are not to judge non-Christians because that is for God to do, but we are to hold our brother and sisters accountable. Then he mentioned in chapter 6 that Christians are filing law suits against one another in the Greek courts. He reprimands them that there is no one in the church who is worthy to decide such matters. Paul ends this section reminding the church how harmful sexual sins are for the body. Paul said, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything" (6:12). Christians are united with Christ; therefore, we are to glorify God in our bodies.

1 Corinthians 1-4

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This is technically Paul's second letter to the Church of God at Corinth (1 Cor. 5:9). In verse 11 of chapter 1, Chloe's people was concerned about the divisions of the church. We also know from 1 Corinthians 7:1, that the church had sent a letter to Paul with questions about worship and relationships with people, so Paul is sending this letter to address concerns about disunity, and then to answer their questions. Paul kept using the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, or some version of His name, ten times in just the first nine verses, and then throughout reminding the people that it is all about Jesus, Verse 24 is a key verse of the letter, "But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Eternal things can only happen due to the Spirit of God, and true wisdom comes from God alone, not the world. It is Christ crucified, which is the main thing, and Jews see it as a stumbling block, and the Greeks see it as foolishness. Believers are to boast in the Lord. Paul shared they are babies in the faith because there is jealousy and strife among themselves. He warns them to not compare each other, and to not consider some as superior to others because every believer will answer to God for their actions, and their works will be burnt as in fire, and the Lord knows the hidden things of people. Paul reminded them that he was their father, who started the church there, and he encouraged them to be imitators of Paul. He then said, if the Lord wills, he will come and see them in person, and then he will handle these issues, if they don't deal with it. He asked them do you want me to come with a rod or with love and the spirit of gentleness?

Romans 12-16

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Now that Paul covered Christian beliefs, he now addresses how Christians should act. He starts by telling us our bodies are living and holy sacrifice for worship, and we are to live for Him. We are not to be proud, and we are to honor one another. He explained we have different gifts, but the greatest thing is love one another. Verse 18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." We are also to honor the governing authorities because God has placed them there. We also are not to be in debt to anyone except to love one another. We are not to pass judgment on other believers, for God will be their judge, as well as ours, and we are not to cause our fellow believer to sin and stumble in their faith. As Christians we do not live for self or die for self, we live and die for the Lord. We are also to live in our convictions, for "whatever is not from faith is sin." The Old Testament Scriptures were given to us to instruct us, to help us persevere, to be an encouragement to us, and to give us hope. The church should seek unity, and then Paul gives some personal notes of how he hopes to visit them soon. He addressed some believers and then sent greetings from those who were with Paul. Then Paul ends with a blessing that this eternal God, this promise keeping God, this God who has revealed Himself through the Scriptures, this wise God, through Jesus Christ is ABLE to establish us, and to lead us to obedience through faith! To Him be glory forever. Amen!

Romans 9-11

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters Paul addresses the relationship of the Jews with the Lord from the past, present and future. Many times in the Old Testament they rejected the Lord, but there was always a remnant of Jews who believed by faith. He spoke of the sovereignty of God, and how He shows mercy to those whom He shows mercy. Paul then spoke of ALL Israel, which is all people who believe in faith of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles. During Paul's time, the Lord opened the doors to the Gentiles which drew the Jews to jealousy. Then Paul gave the illustration of an olive tree. Some of the branches were torn off (the Jews), and God grafted in other branches (the Gentiles). Paul reminded his readers that it was the Root that supported the branches and not the other way around. He also warned the Gentiles to not get prideful, because if God could remove the original branches, He could do the same with grafted in branches. Then Paul again stated that All Israel (both Jews and Gentiles) will be saved. He then concludes with praise to God which ends, "For from Him and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory, forever and ever. Amen!"

Romans 6-8

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 6-8 of Romans, Paul address the issue that if we are free from the law, can we then live any way we want? Paul answers that question with "May it never be!" We are saved to walk in the newness of life with the Spirit. When we become a Christian, we are dead to sin, and this is displayed with the act of baptism by emersion. Paul used the illustration of marriage, and they are bound by the marriage, the law, until one dies, and then there is freedom to marry someone else. In Christianity, we died to our sinful nature and are married to Christ, to new life. While we are still on this earth we struggle with two conflicting natures in us, the flesh and the spirit, but the Holy Spirit is there to help us and to intercede for us, especially in prayer. Even when we struggle, those who are in Jesus Christ are not condemned, because Jesus took our condemnation, which frees us to live in the Spirit, especially when we set our minds on the things of the Spirit. Believers are in the sanctification process of putting to death the deeds of the flesh. Believers are a part of the family of God, and as such, God is for us, not against us, and because of that we can know that He makes all things work together for our good. He loves us, and nothing can separate us from that love.

Romans 1-5

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Paul writes to the believers in Rome with thanksgiving for their faith, and he lets them know he is praying for them. From there Paul taught that all people have sinned and have fallen short of God's glory, which includes the Jews and the Gentiles. Everyone is found guilty and without excuse because God revealed Himself to all people, but some suppress the truth of God and chose to live a lie. The truth is that God sent His Son, Jesus to shed His blood so that we can be made righteous. Paul recited the OT, the righteous shall live by faith. The question is then asked why the law? Through the law comes the knowledge of sin. Paul then used the example of Abraham and how he was credited righteousness through faith before he was circumcised. Those who have faith, in Jesus Christ, are justified by faith and have peace with God, and we are then to grow and walk in that faith, continuing to trust Him. This section ends with all have sin because the first Adam sinned, but through Jesus, sin no longer reigns, but grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life.

Romans 1:1-7 - The Introduction

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Paul the Apostle had not been to Rome at the time of his letter, but he wanted to introduce himself and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. F. F. Bruce says that Romans, "deserves to be called 'The Gospel According to Paul'" (p. 21 of his commentary on Romans.) The church in Rome may have started at Pentecost because Romans were visiting Jerusalem (Acts 2:10). In his introduction Paul described himself as a bondslave of Christ and as one of His apostles who was called to share the gospel. He then tells us that God's plan was to send His Son, who was a descendant of King David, and who was the Son of God. Since Jesus came and died on the cross and rose again, believers in Jesus are also called to obedience, are saints, and are loved.

Acts 21b-28 - Paul's Arrest and Trip to Rome

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The book of Acts ends with Paul arriving at Jerusalem. The Jews cause an uproar, and Paul gets arrested. He speaks to the crowd, and when he said that the gospel was for the Gentiles, the crowd went crazy again. He was placed in the barracks with the Roman leadership until the Sanhedrin brought an official charge against him. Paul spoke to the the Jewish leaders, but a plot to kill Paul was discovered, so he was sent to Caesarea to go on trial before Felix, and he was held for two years in Caesarea. Festus replaced Felix as governor, and during a trial with the Jews, Paul appealed to Caesar. Before leaving, Paul spoke before King Agrippa and almost persuaded him to become a Christian. Paul was taken by ship to Rome, but the ship wrecked onto the Island of Malta. A viper rapped around Paul's arm, but he shook it off into the fire, and the people thought he was a god. The Lord did many miracles through Paul on that island. They set sail again and made it to Rome, where he was on house arrest with a guard to watch him, yet the gospel remained unhindered.

Acts 18b-21a - Paul's Third Missionary Journey

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Paul's third missionary journey began with him going back to Galatia and Phrygia strengthening the churches he had started. We also meet a godly man, Apollos, whom Priscilla and Aquila meet and teach in Ephesus. After Apollos left Ephesus Paul arrived, and he stayed about 2 years. The Holy Spirit came upon believers who had been baptized in the name of Jesus. God worked through Paul with some extraordinary miracles, and the seven sons of Sceva were attacked by demons. Believers who also did magic were convicted and they burned their sorcery scrolls. There was a riot in Ephesus because Christianity was affecting the idol worship, and Demetrius the Silversmith started it because he business was being affected. Paul went on to Greece, Macedonia, to Troas. The writer, Luke, joined Paul. They headed to Jerusalem, but stopped off at Miletus and met the elders from Ephesus for their final goodbye. They sailed around Cyprus and stopped at Tyre, then Ptolemais, and Caesarea. While there, Agabus the prophet came and used Paul's belt and prophesied that Paul would be bound by the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles. He goes to Jerusalem any way.

Acts 16-18a - Paul's Second Missionary Journey

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Acts 16-18:22, Paul and Silas go through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches, and then they arrive at Derbe and Lystra, and there Paul meets Timothy. He is the first second generation believer mentioned in Acts. His mother and Grandmother were Jewish believers, and his dad was Greek. He joins Paul and Silas in their ministry. They headed through the Region of Phrygia and Galatia. They tried to turn east into Asia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. They went to Troas, and there it seems that Luke, the writer joined them because the pronoun switched from "they" to "we." While there, Paul got a vision of a man in Macedonia calling him to come and help, so they headed there. They ended up in Philippi where a woman named Lydia believed, and her whole house. She was the first woman in Europe to be saved that is found in Acts. The next main city they stopped at was Thessalonica and then Berea where Silas and Timothy stayed. Paul was sent to the coast and went to Athens where two people were saved, and then he went to Corinth and met Aquila and Priscilla. Paul stayed there 1 1/2 years and Silas and Timothy met him. He began his trip home with Priscilla and Aquila, and they stopped at Ephesus where the couple stayed. Paul then sailed to Caesarea and went up to the Jerusalem church and then down to Antioch his home church.

Acts 15 - The Jerusalem Council

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Acts 15, the question arose do Gentiles need to be circumcised in order to be a Christian? The council decided that the OT Scripture says no, but that it is through faith in Jesus. The Gentiles were asked to abstain from things contaminated by idols, from sexual impurity, from eating animals that were strangled with the blood still in them, and from blood. The letter that was sent from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to the believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia said, "If they keep themselves from these things, they will do well. Farewell" (15:29b). The church rejoiced. Time passed and Paul and Barnabas considered going back to the churches from their first trip to see how they were doing. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark but Paul refused. This split up the team and Barnabas and John Mark went to the Island of Cyprus, and Paul took Silas to the mainland of Syria and Cilicia. The plus about this conflict is that it brought about two missionary groups instead of just one. Later on, Paul discovered that John Mark became vital to the ministry of the Lord (2 Timothy 4:11b).

Acts 13-14, Paul and Barnabas First Missionary Journey

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The Holy Spirit spoke to the church in Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Paul for ministry, and they took John Mark with them. They first went to the Island of Cyprus, then took a ship to the area of Turkey. They would especially go to big cities, and they went to Jewish Synagogues first, and when the Jews would not listen, they would turn to the Gentiles. This caused the Gentiles to rejoice and the Jews to jealousy. The Lord empowered them to do signs and wonders like causing blindness, and healing a lame man. Many people both Jews and Gentiles believed. We also see in this section a transition of leadership from Barnabas to Paul, who was the chief speaker. John Mark left the trip once they entered Turkey, but Scriptures do not tell us why. This becomes an issue later on in Acts. Paul was stoned in the city of Derbe, but he did not die, and they went back the way they came to encourage the believers to walk in the faith, and to appoint elders in the churches. They came home to Antioch, and shared the great things that God had done, and spent a long time in their home church with the disciples.

Acts 10 -12 - The Gospel and the Holy Spirit Come to the Gentiles

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Acts we see that God was working in a Gentile's life, Cornelius, and the Lord was working in Peter's life, and the Holy Spirit brought them together so the Gentiles could receive the good news of Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit and baptism (without being circumcised). Peter reports back to Jerusalem. The new church was growing in Antioch, and Barnabas was sent and saw the great things of the Lord. He went and got Saul in Tarsus to come and help disciple the new believers. They stayed there for a whole year, and the believers were first called Christians there. The Spirit revealed to Agabus that a sever famine was coming, and the new church took up a donation for the Jerusalem church, and it was delivered by Barnabas and Saul. The apostle, James was killed by Herod the King. Herod arrested Peter, but an angel of the Lord helped in his escape. The church rejoiced, and Peter left the area. The angel of the Lord struck Herod because he did not give God glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. Barnabas and Saul went back to Antioch, and they brought John Mark with them.

Acts 8-9, The Gospel is Spread to Samaria & the Ethiopian Eunuch & Saul's Conversion

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Acts, due to persecution of the saints, they scatter throughout Judea and Samaria, which helps fulfill Acts 1:8, Jesus' command to take the good news to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the remotest parts of the earth. Philip, one of the 7 "deacons," goes to Samaria, and the gospel is received. Peter and John come and the people receive the Holy Spirit. Philip then is led to an Ethiopian Eunuch who was reading Isaiah. Philip explained to him from Isaiah about Jesus. He believed and was baptized. In chapter 9 we have Saul's encounter with the risen Lord Jesus. He was blinded by the experience, but three days later the Lord brought Ananias to Saul to receive his sight and the Holy Spirit. Saul begins to preach Christ at first it was at Damascus, but a threat was placed on his life, so he escaped in a big basket being let down from a hole in the wall. Then he went to Jerusalem, and thanks to Barnabas, he was accepted. He began to preach there, and a plot was set against him, so the brethren took him to Caesarea and then to Tarsus. This section ends with Peter doing two miracles, he healed a paralyzed man in Lydda, and then raised to life, Tabitha, also known as Dorcas. The gospel kept spreading, and Peter stayed in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

Acts 6-7 - The First Christian Martyr, Stephen

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these two chapters of Acts, the church was growing so much that the 12 Apostles needed help, so they chose 7 men who had a good reputation and full of the Spirit and wisdom to be in charge of taking care of the people in need, especially the feeding of the widows. They were Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch (6:5). Nowadays we would call this the first deacon ordination. Stephen also performed great wonders and signs among the people which cause the Synagogue of the Freedmen to come before the council. They had false charges against him, like Jesus did. The high priest asked, "Are these things so" (7:1)? Then Stephen went into the history of the Jews and how Abraham was not from here. Then Abraham had Isaac, and Isaac had Jacob and Jacob had the 12 patriarchs who were jealous of Joseph. Then from Joseph in Egypt to Moses, and how the Jews always rebelled against Moses. Through Moses came the tabernacle, and with King David wanting to build the Lord a house, his son Solomon did, but God's plan was not to dwell in a building built by hands. Then Stephen said the council was just like the Jews of the OT, they constantly rebel against God and persecuted the prophets that the Lord sent. This angered them so much they stoned him to death, and a young man named Saul watched and was in agreement to the whole thing.

Acts 3-5 - The Beginning of the Church

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of the Acts of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, we find Peter and John heal a lame beggar, who was over 40 years old. Peter said, "Look at Us!" The man looked up expectantly, and Peter said, "Silver and gold we do not have, but what we have we will give to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, walk!" He did and he went jumping and leaping and praising God all the way into the temple with Peter and John. This brought forth Peter's second sermon. Peter and John were arrested and told not to speak in the name of Jesus, but they declared they could not stop. The believers shared their goods, and no one was in need. here we learn of a godly man named Joseph, but the apostles called him, Barnabas which means "Son of Encouragement." Ananias and Sapphira lied before the Lord about their gift, and they both died in their sin. The disciples were arrested again, but an angel of the Lord freed them and commanded them to enter the temple and proclaim "the whole message of this Life" (5:20). This time the disciples said, "We must obey God rather than men." The apostles were flogged, and ordered to not speak in the name of Jesus, and then released. 5:42, "And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

Acts 1-2

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In today's lesson, we see that the book of Acts is a continuation of the gospel of Luke which was the story of Jesus. As one of my pastors said, "It is not the Acts of the Apostles, or of Peter and Paul, it is a continuation of Jesus' ministry, now instead of in the body, in the Spirit." The group of believers, both men and women, started at 120. Peter directed them to select another disciple in place of Judas, and Matthias was chosen. On Pentecost, when there were Jews from every nation under heaven, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and Peter preached from Joel chapter 2, "And it shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth My Spirit on all mankind, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy." People heard the gospel spoken in their own languages. At the end, 3,000 souls repented and were baptized. Verse 42 says, "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer." Chapter 2 ends with "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

John 18-21, Jesus' Arrest, Death, Burial, and Resurrection

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Jesus was betrayed by Judas and was arrested. He went before the Jewish religious leaders and then to Pilate, the Roman governor. The Jews wanted Jesus crucified instead of stoned because they wanted Him to be accursed by God. In the midst of this, Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus was crucified, and while He was on the cross, He made sure that John would take care of His mother, Mary. Jesus died on the cross quickly, so the Roman soldier pierced His side to make sure He was dead. Out spewed water and blood. John witness this. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus buried Jesus. Mary Magdalen saw the angel first and told the disciples who came. John saw and believed. Later, Mary saw Jesus face to face. Jesus came to the disciples, but Thomas was not there. He refused to believe until he could touch the nail scarred hands and the pierced side. Eight days later, Jesus showed up again, and Thomas saw and declared Jesus as his Lord and God. (The first to declare Jesus as God.) John ends with Jesus reinstating Peter into ministry after his denial, and He reminds Peter to not worry about other people and their ministry, but he was to follow Jesus.

John 12-17 - Jesus' Private Ministry

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section, Jesus is with His closest disciples, and He is preparing them for His departure. He tells them His time is coming. Mary anointed Jesus feet for burial. Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt. Many people do not believe in Jesus, but some do, but they are afraid. Jesus washed the disciples' feet, including Judas. Peter is told he will deny Jesus. Jesus commanded them they were to love one another. Jesus told them not to be troubled, but believe in God and in Jesus. He also encouraged them that when He was gone, the Holy Spirit will come. Jesus warned them that the world will hate them and that difficulties will come, but the Holy Spirit will guide them. Jesus is going home and preparing a place for us. Chapter 17 ends this section with Jesus' prayer where He prays for His disciples, and then for those who will believe due to their words. He wants the Father's love that is in Him, to be in us too!

John 1:19-11

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This is Jesus' public ministry. John records 7 miracles which he called "signs" because they direct people to see that Jesus was the Son of God. The first was turning water into wine at a wedding in chapter 2. The second sign is found in chapter 4, healing a nobleman's son. The third, Jesus healed a man at Bethesda. The fourth was feeding the 5,000 and the 5th was walking on the water, both are found in chapter 6. Jesus healed a man born blind in chapter 9, and then the 7th sign, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in chapter 11. This section also has discussions with the religious leaders, and it is full of deep spiritual insights.

John - Jesus as the Tabernacle and "I Am"

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this lesson, we learn from Dr. Alan B. Stringfellow that the gospel of John resembled the items found in the tabernacle. Jesus was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world, the altar. He was living water - the basin. He was the Bread of Life, and the Light of the World, and His prayer was the incense offered up to God. Jesus prayer in chapter 17 brought us into the Holy of Holies through the veil, and then we find that through Jesus' sprinkled blood, our sins are atoned for, and we now have access to God the Father. Jesus also fulfilled the Passover, the Feast of Booths/Tabernacle, Hanukkah, the Festival of First Fruits (1 Cor. 15:20-23), and the Festival of Trumpets, but it was not until Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came in Acts, and then ultimately when Jesus comes again to take the "wheat," believers in Christ, home that Pentecost will be fulfilled. In the "I Am" sayings of Jesus, He expresses that He is everything we need, and He is also God. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Me!"

John 1:1-18 - The Prologue

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

John starts of with simple words but profound meaning. Jesus is the Word. He is with God. He was God. He was creator God. He was life. He was light, yet the world did not comprehend. The Word was with God in the beginning. He came into the world, but they did not know Him, and His own people did not receive Him. Verse 12, "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name." We can not become children of God with our own efforts, but only through God. God became flesh and tabernacled, dwelt, with "us." John and the disciples and those that followed Jesus beheld His glory, as of the only begotten of the Father. They saw His glory, and as we read this book, we too will see His glory.

Luke 19b-24 - Jesus in Jerusalem, His Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This section in Luke begins with Jesus cleansing the temple. He is questioned by the Religious leaders, and Jesus warns the disciples against their prideful ways. Jesus prepared them that they needed to watch and wait for His kingdom to come. We then see Jesus was betrayed by Judas, His arrest, Peter's denial, Jesus trial before the religious leaders, Pilot, and Herod. Jesus was crucified between two criminals and died with a prayer. He was buried and arose. The women were the first to declare His resurrection, and then Jesus appeared to two men on the road to Emmaus, and to Peter. He then appeared to the 11 and the others who were with them. Jesus ascended into heaven as He blessed them to go to all the nations, starting in Jerusalem, and preach repentance of sin.

Luke 9b-19a - Jesus on the Way to Jerusalem

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

As Jesus was going to Jerusalem, Luke stressed that the gospel was for all people. We see that there is great rejoicing when the lost are found. We are taught to show mercy to all people. Luke taught us that Jesus knew women were valuable, and He taught them and made disciples of them. Prayer was also stressed, especially to continue in being persistent with prayer requests before the Lord and to not grow weary at it. We are also warned about the dangers with wealth, one of which is pride. Luke also gave many examples of the hardness of the hearts of the Jews which would bring Jerusalem's destruction. We are also reminded that there is a high cost to being a disciple of Jesus, and we need to count the cost before we commit. We also learned that the Old Testament Scriptures have the gospel woven in them, but due to hard hearts the people could not see it. Finally, Luke showed us that true repentance produced fruit.

Luke 4b-9a - Jesus' Ministry in Galilee

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

With this section, Luke stressed that the gospel was meant for all people, Jews, Gentiles, Poor, and Outcast, and he showed it by quoting Old Testament Scripture. We see the Lord treated women with respect, and some walked with Him and supported His ministry. Jesus was declared the Son of God, by the demons, and by Peter. His miracles also proved that because only God can forgive sins, calm the sea and the waves, and bring people back to life. We also see that Jesus was the Son of Man, and being fully human He was empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit, and He prayed for holy guidance. Those who are His, both hear His words and do His words. They are blessed, and those that do not bear the Lord's "Woe."

The Birth Story of John the Baptist & Jesus, with Childhood, Baptism, & Temptation of Jesus

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 1:5-4:13, Luke shows us Jesus' humanity. First we see the miracle of John the Baptist's birth, and how that encouraged Mary with the Miracle that was in her. Elizabeth blessed Mary, Mary praised the Lord, and Zechariah praised the Lord. The Shepherds saw the angels, and baby Jesus, and they praised the Lord. Baby Jesus was dedicated in the temple, and Simeon and Anna praised the Lord. At the age of 12, Jesus came to the temple with His family and stayed. The teachers were amazed at His knowledge and questions. He went home with His earthly family and grew in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man (2:52). John's ministry began and He baptized Jesus. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, and there He defeated the devil by quoting Deuteronomy. We see that Jesus was still the perfect Son of God and Son of Adam, the Son of Man.

Luke 1a - The Introduction

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this lesson, we find that Luke was a Gentile believer who was a physician and companion of Paul. He actually traveled with Paul all the way to Rome for his imprisonment, and he also wrote the New Testament book of Acts. He wrote both books to Theophilus, who was probably a Roman official, because he is addressed as "Most Excellent." In this 3rd gospel, or good news about Jesus, we find that Luke wrote it so that Theophilus would know the certainty of the things of Jesus, which he had been instructed. As one of my study Bibles said, "Luke's treatises were designed to make him an intelligent believer." The book is also written so that all its readers will become intelligent believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that we can KNOW the certainty of Jesus. Luke wrote from eyewitness accounts, in a historical way, so that we get the full story of Jesus, "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (19:10)

Mark 11-16a - Jerusalem

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these few chapters we see the last week of Jesus. Mark tells of us three times Jesus entered Jerusalem, the first was Palm Sunday. The second, He cleansed, or as my New Testament professor said, He "condemned" the temple. It was this time that Jesus saw the widow put in two mites, or copper coins, in the temple's treasury, and Jesus commented about her faithfulness. In chapter 13, Jesus talked of being faithful to the end of time, and then we see another unnamed woman who was faithful by anointing Jesus with costly perfume in preparation for His burial. Even though the twelve disciples did not understand Jesus was going to die, she did. We then see the trial of Jesus, the denial of Peter, Jesus before Pilate, Jesus' suffering, the release of Barabbas, Jesus' crucifixion and burial. The women go to anoint His body, but the angel said He is not hear, He has gone ahead to Galilee, and tell the disciples and Peter.

Mark 8b-10 - On the Way

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

"Act 2" of Mark covers the way to Jerusalem, which covers the end of chapter 8 through chapter 10. The phrase, "On the Way" is used six times, three of which are connected to the three times that Jesus told His disciples that He was going to Jerusalem to die. This section had bookends of healing stories of blind men. The first one, with Jesus' touch he saw men like trees, but with the second touch he saw clearly. This seems to reflect how the disciples could see Jesus, but they did not see clearly. This section continues with describing the disciples as fearful, faithless, and not understanding. They keep thinking that the kingdom of God is about power, money, and influence, and they didn't understand that Jesus said that to be a part of the kingdom of God, one must deny self, take up his cross, and follow Jesus (8:34). With the healing of Blind Bartimaeus, he knew Jesus was the Son of David, and he cried out for healing. Jesus called him to Himself, and he left his cloak, ran to Jesus, called Him his Master, and asked for healing. Jesus healed him, and seeing Bartimaeus went from being by the wayside, to be on the way and followed Jesus.

Mark - Act 1, Jesus' Ministry in Galilee

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these 8 chapters of Mark, we see that Jesus' ministry in Galilee began after John the Baptist was put in prison. Many times Jesus taught in the synagogues on the Sabbath. Mark wrote to non-Jews, so he was emphasizing that Jesus was the Son of God. One way he showed that was by the many miracles Jesus performed. Mark also focused on words like "authority" and "immediately." One of the key factors in this section was how the disciples of Jesus just did not understand. We see in contrast people that do believe and understand. We also see Jesus entering non-Jewish lands with healing and teaching, and many non-Jews believed, while the Jewish religious leaders did not. We also see that Jesus goes away to pray by Himself, and if He needed to do that, how much more do we? We are left with the question, do we have hard hearts like the Jewish religious leaders, or do we have faith in Jesus?

Mark 1a

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In today's lesson, we cover the introduction of the Gospel of Mark, or the Good News according to Mark. He writes like a reporter and gets to the point quickly. In just the first 20 verses of Mark we cover John the Baptist's ministry of calling people to repentance and baptism. We see that Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptized, but He does not repent of sin, because He is sinless, but He gets baptized which starts His ministry of death and resurrection which first lead Him to the desert to be tempted by the devil. Then Jesus called his first four disciples who immediately left their fishing jobs and followed Jesus who promised to make them fishers of men. We see that John the Baptist suffered, Jesus suffered, will the disciples suffer also?

Matthew 26-28

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these last 3 chapters of Matthew we read of the Passover meal, the betrayal of Judas, the arrest and trial of Jesus, the scattering of the disciples, the denial of Peter, Jesus standing before Pilate, the beating and crucifixion of Jesus, the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea, and the women watching from afar. Yet, we also see the resurrection of Jesus, the appearance of Jesus to the women, and then to the disciples in Galilee, and it ends with "The Great Commission." "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen!" It ends with a command and a promise.

Matthew 19-26a

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Today's lesson covers what B. W. Bacon calls "Book 5," which covers the narrative found in chapters 19-24:3, and the discourse about Jesus' 2nd coming in chapter 24:4-25. Jesus finished these sayings in chapter 26:1. This section covers conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They tried to trip Him up with many temptations and questions, but they never could. He ended up tripping them up with the question, How can the Son of David also be David's Lord," Psalm 110:1? In this section Jesus declares woes unto the religious leaders that are blind guides, He does a few miracles, He cleansed the temple, and He told parables about the Kingdom of Heaven, and what the people of the Kingdom of Heaven act like. Most importantly, He prepared His disciples that His death and resurrection was happening soon.

Matthew 13:53-19:1

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

B. W. Bacon calls this section Book 4 of Matthew. Jesus went to His hometown and was not honored there. John the Baptist is dead. Jesus feeds 5,000 men plus the women and children with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes. He walked on the water and Peter did too for a short time. The disciples called Jesus the Son of God. Jesus healed people in Gennesaret. He called the Pharisees hypocrites because their hearts are far from God even though their words declare Him. A Gentile woman's faith in Jesus brings healing to her daughter. Jesus then fed 4,000 men plus women and children with i7 loaves of bread and a few fishes. Jesus rebukes the religious leaders because they can discern the weather, but they can not see that the kingdom of God has come. Peter declared that Jesus was the Son of the Living God, and then just a little bit later, Peter rebukes Jesus for talking about His death and resurrection. Jesus declares that the cost of discipleship is to deny self, take up your cross, and follow Me. We read about the Mount of Transfiguration when the glorified Jesus talked with Moses (the law) and Elijah (the prophets). Jesus healed a demon possessed boy, and had Peter get their taxes from the mouth of a fish. Chapter 18 is the discourse where Jesus teaches about forgiveness and compassion, which is what the kingdom of heaven is like. This section ends with Jesus heading to Judea beyond the Jordan River.

Matthew 11-13

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

B. W. Bacon calls Matthew chapters 11-13 as "Book 3." In the narrative in chapters 11-12, we see that the kingdom of God is coming. It starts with John the Baptist asking Jesus are You the one, or do we look for another, and then Jesus gives proof of his miracles, and He is saying, "I am the One. There is no need to look for another!" Jesus tells the people that John the Baptist was the Elijah that the Prophet Micah proclaimed would come. We see that Jesus is the One who can bring rest to our souls. We also see that the Jewish leaders saw, but did not believe. The discourse are parables about the kingdom of God. We learn that people of the kingdom grow in their faith and are a blessing to others. We learned that the wicked and the just grow together, but at the end they will be separated one for judgment and the other for the kingdom. We see that citizens of the kingdom know the value is more than anything on this earth. So, the parables ask us, are we members of the kingdom or not?

Matthew 8-11:1

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

According to B. W. Bacon, "Book 2" of Matthew is found in chapters 8 through the first verse of chapter 11. In the narrative portion, chapters 8 & 9, Jesus does 10 miracles: He healed a leper, spoke a word and healed the Roman soldier's servant, healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, calmed the sea and the wind from a storm, made whole two demon possessed men in Gentile country, healed a crippled man of palsy as well as forgave his sin, raised a synagogue's ruler's daughter to life, healed a woman's 12 year bleeding, brought sight to two blind men, and opened the mouth of a mute by casting out the devil in him. Jesus taught in all the cities and villages as well as healed every sickness and disease. He then taught His disciples to do the same. This is the discourse section of book two, chapter 10. The Two key words in this section are worthy and follow. Who is worthy and who will follow?

Matthew 1-7

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In the first Gospel of Matthew, we are shown how Jesus has fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. We see how Jesus is like Moses, and we see that He is from the line of King David and Abraham. We read about the wisemen coming, and then how Joseph hid Jesus in Egypt, again which fulfilled prophecies. We saw His baptism by John the Baptist, His temptation with the devil, and then His calling of Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John to come and follow Him. We then have the discourses of Jesus with the Sermon on the Mount which raises the bar so high, that it can only be done by the Spirit of God with faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Old Testament Review with the Years between the Testaments

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This lesson covers all of the Old Testament Books with a brief overview showing how the Bible books are all connected and how it tells one story. The Old Testament ends with the Persians being the world power, but the Greeks come next with Alexander the Great in 331 BC, and they bring with them the alphabet, the Greek language which is the language of the New Testament. Also 72 men gathered together and translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, and that is called the Septuagint. Next came Antiochus Epiphanes in 175 BC who attacked the Jews, wrecked Jerusalem and desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar. This brought the Maccabean Revolt, led by a Jewish Priest, Judas Maccabeus. During this time came the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. From Judas' family came the Hasmonean line of High Priests that Herod was born. The Roman rule was in 146 BC, and Herod was made governor of Galilee and appointed king of the Jews by Rome in 40 BC. With the Romans we have our calendar system, currency, magnificent towns and wonderful roadways. This sets the stage for the Messiah, Jesus, to be born.

Malachi

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The last book of the Minor Prophets and the Old Testament focus on calling backsliders back to the Lord. The issues address in the book are: the Lord loves His people and will fight for them, the Lord expects to be honored and worshiped with the best of our offerings, the Lord expects His people to treat others respectfully, the Lord tells His people that He is a God of justice, and someday the wicked will reap the Lord's judgment, the Lord calls His people to return to Him and to test Him by giving of a tithe, (10 percent of income), and the Lord reminds His people that it is a blessing to follow Him. The book ends with a challenge to remember the Law of Moses and to keep an eye out for Elijah the Prophet whom the Lord will send. In the New Testament we see that Jesus said in John 5, that Moses wrote about Him, and then in Matthew 17 we learn that the Lord did send Elijah in Jesus' day, and it was John the Baptist. The Old Testament is not complete without the New Testament.

Zechariah 9-14

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This second half of Zechariah has two oracles or burden, each with three chapters. The first begins in chapter 9 with judgment on nations surrounding Israel because of their oppression of the Lord's people. Then it talks of how the Lord will deliver Judah and Ephraim. Chapter 10 says God will bless them, and they will walk in His name, and chapter 11 brings judgment upon the false and worthless shepherds and their flock. The second oracle talks of Jerusalem being attacked again, and we know this happened in AD 70 with the Romans, and there will be great mourning. In chapter 13, the false prophets will be ashamed, but the remnant will go through fire for the purpose of purification. The last chapter says the Lord will fight for Israel, and Lord will be their King, and there will no longer be a curse, but they will dwell securely. They will celebrate the Feast of Booths because the Lord will bring His family together and they will be holy unto the Lord, and they will worship the King, the Lord of hosts! This book is filled with prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus, which shows He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Great Shepherd that laid down His life for His sheep.

Zechariah 1-8

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Zechariah was both a priest and a prophet of the Lord. He was with Haggai as they encouraged the leaders in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the high priest, to finish building the temple around 520 BC. He saw various visions, a man riding on a red horse among the myrtle trees, four horns rising up and four craftsman coming after them, a man with a measuring line, Joshua the high priest with unclean clothes and Satan trying to accuse him but the Lord puts him in clean clothes, the branch that is coming, a crown made for the high priest, and the time of fasting is now turned to a time of rejoicing because the Lord is going to bring life back into Jerusalem.

Haggai

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Haggai is a post-exilic prophet that is proclaiming to the Jews who had started to rebuild the temple and had stopped, that the Lord declared, the reason for their famine, was because they took care of their houses and their lives, while the Lord's house was in ruin. Unlike other prophetic books, the people repented quickly and began to rebuild the temple. This temple was not as big or beautiful as Solomon's temple, and some who remembered became discouraged, but the Lord said to not fear, for He was with them, and that this temple would have even greater glory, and that glory would be that Jesus would enter this temple. Then after only a few months of work, the people expected the famine to end, and the Lord reminded the priests that 3 months of good work could not quickly erase 15 years of disobedience. This reminds us that sin has consequences. The last word of the Lord was directed to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, that he would be a signet ring of David, The Lord chose him, as He did king David, that through his seed, there would be an everlasting kingdom, and we learn in Matthew 1:12-13 & Luke 3:27, that it is Jesus that comes from these men. He is the King of kings, and He is the Lord of Host, and His kingdom has no end.

Zephaniah

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In the 9th Minor Prophet, Zephaniah, we see the strongest declaration of "the Day of the Lord" coming. The Lord says He will search Jerusalem with lamps, looking for the unfaithful. Judgment is coming to those who do not believe, both in Jerusalem and to the nations, but those who have faith in the Lord, both in Jerusalem and in the nations, they will be saved, for He is mighty to save. For the saved, there will be a time of triumph and joy because "the Lord is in your midst." We also learned that it is because of Jesus that our sins can be removed, and we can be a part of the ones who are saved.

Habakkuk

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Habakkuk is a theodicy - a defense of God, or as the dictionary says, "The vindication of divine providence in view of the existence of evil." Habakkuk asks the Lord, "How long, O Lord, will I call for help and You will not hear? The Lord answers I hear, and I am doing something about it. I am bringing the Babylonians. Then Habakkuk asks, "Why do you look with favor on those who deal treacherously? The Lord answers this question with a vision, and said this will happen at an appointed time, and then the Lord said, "Wait for it! It will certainly come. It will not delay." There there is the key verse of Habakkuk, "Behold, as for the proud one, his soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by faith." Then there are 5 "Woes" given for those who are wicked. The last chapter is a song, and Habakkuk's tone has changed. He no longer questions the Lord, instead fears the Lord and praises Him for His faithfulness even in tough times.

Nahum

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Nahum is a prophesy against the city of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. As my Old Testament professor, Dr. Betts, said, "This is the prophesy that Jonah wanted to preach!" The message is Assyria will be destroyed, like they did to the northern tribes of Israel, and everywhere else they went, and Judah will not have to worry about them any more. In this book, we see the Lord's wrath is real, and even though He is patient and longsuffering, there is a day when His patience will end in His time not ours. He does keep His promises, both the ones to bless and the ones to judge.

Micah

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Micah is the 6th book of the Minor Prophets. It provides prophecies about the fall of Samaria by Assyria, the attack on Jerusalem by Assyria, but they will not succeed. Yet, Jerusalem will fall to Babylon and be taken into exile. He prophecies about the return to Jerusalem after the exile, and the prophecy of "the One" being born in Bethlehem, which we know to be Jesus because of Matthew 2:4-5. The key verse is Micah 6:8, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what the Lord requires of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." This verse is sometimes called "the golden rule of the OT." This one book of prophecy covers events over 700 years, and that is one reason why this Bible is amazing!

Jonah

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 03:00:00 -0500

Jonah, the prophet of the Lord is running from the presence of the Lord because he does not want to go to Nineveh in Assyria, and proclaim the word of the Lord. He knows that the Lord is "gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity" (Exodus 34:6). The Lord hurled a great wind, appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, then commanded the fish to vomit Jonah. The Gentile shipmates feared the Lord after their experience with Jonah. Then Jonah preached to the city of Nineveh, and the Gentile Assyrians repented, and that made Jonah angry. Then he sat to watch if the Lord would destroy the city or not. While waiting, the Lord asked, "Do you have a good reason to be angry?" Nor response. Then the Lord appointed a plant to grow, appointed a worm to attack the plant, appointed a scorching wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah. He wanted to die. The Lord then asked, "Do you have a good reason to be angry about the plant?" He said, yes, I have a good reason, but he did not explain the reason. The Lord said, "You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Should I not have compassion on the 120,000 people of Nineveh, and all their animals?

Obadiah

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Obadiah is a national oracle, or prophecy against Edom. Edomites are descendants of Esau. Jacob and Esau had struggles even in the womb of Rebekah. The day of Lord is coming to Edom because of their pride & their violence to their brother, Israel. They gloated on the day of misfortune, they rejoiced on the day of destruction, and they boasted on the day of distress. There is no call for repentance in this prophecy, and partly because the message of hope was for Israel that God sees and knows, and He will fight for His children, in HIS time.

Amos

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Amos, the third Minor Prophet, was a sheepherder and a grower of sycamore figs in Judah, and then the Lord called him to go to the Israel and prophecy their destruction. This era can be found in 2 Kings 14:15-29 & 2 Chronicles 26. The land was prosperous, and the people had become prideful. Their religion had become syncretistic, meaning they mixed their worship of the Lord God, with other gods, and it became all intertwined. The book begins with prophecy toward the surrounding nations as well as for Judah and Israel. The Lord kept trying to get their attention, but they would not return to the Lord. Chapter 5 is a funeral dirge, or a song of lament about the destruction of Israel. The Lord talks of their worship, and he wants nothing to do with it because what he really wants is, "But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Then Amos received visions of the Israel's destruction, in the form of swarming locust and then fire, but Amos cried out for mercy, so the Lord gave it. Then the Lord said, "Behold days are coming when there will be a famine, but not a famine of food, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord." The last vision was the Lord standing by the altar, and judgment is coming and the people cannot escape it, NEVERTHELESS, He will not totally destroy the house of Jacob. There are a few who will remain faithful, and those few are called a remnant. The book ends with the restoration of Israel. He will raise up the fallen booth of David, and they will come back to the land He had promised them way back with Abraham in Genesis 12.

Joel

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The second book of the Minor Prophets is Joel. It begins with a devastating plague of locust on Judah. The prophet, Joel, is calling the priests, elders, and all the people to a solemn assembly to seek the Lord, because the Day of the Lord is coming. If they repent and turn to the Lord, maybe He will relent from sending that day of judgment. The Apostle Peter preached from Joel chapter 2 in his sermon found in Acts chapter two. "It will come about afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and daughters will prophesy...and it shall come to pass that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be delivered." We also see that the nations will be judged for their treatment of Judah, and on that day of the Lord, those who believe in the Lord will be blessed, and those who do not will be judged. We are still in that "valley of decision." Today whom will you choose?

Hosea

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Hosea's life is an object lesson showing the unfaithfulness of the Northern Tribe of Israel. He was to marry a harlot, and they had three children. The first was named Jezreel as a reminder of the sin of Jehu in the town of Jezreel (2 Kings 10:11). The second was a girl, and her name was Lo-ruhamah which meant she did not receive mercy, and then another boy named, Lo-ammi which meant not my people. The Lord's people had sinned to the point that the mercy was done and they would no longer be the people of the Lord. After the children, Gomer left and went back into harlotry, and the Lord commanded Hosea to go again and buy her back as his wife. There are various themes throughout this book: God's people had no knowledge of Him, the religious leaders led the people astray, there was great immorality in the land, the Lord will bring judgment, there is a cry to turn to the Lord, and then there will be a day when the Lord will bless Israel again, and they will once again receive mercy and they will once again be God's people.

Major Prophet Review

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Isaiah - Pre-exilic prophet to the Southern Kingdom, Judah. This book describes the Lord as "The Holy One of Israel." At this time, the Northern Tribe was wiped out by Assyria, but Jerusalem was saved at this time. This book has 4 Suffering Servant Songs which reflect Jesus. We also see that the Lord's house shall be called a "House of Prayer for all nations."
Jeremiah - An exilic prophet. He sees Jerusalem fall. In this book we see the Lord as the potter, and we are the clay. The nations are judged due to their dealings with Judah. The religious leaders of his day cried out, "Peace, Peace," but there was no peace. He prophesied that the exile would last 70 years.
Lamentations - These are 5 songs of lament because Jerusalem is destroyed which shows Judah has no comfort, the day of the Lord's anger, hope due to the Lord's abundant lovingkindness, God's anger has been satisfied, and it ends with Why? and How long?
Ezekiel - Was taken into exile to Babylon during the second deportation. The Lord calls him "the Son of Man." He sees visions of Dry Bones, and that Jerusalem and Israel will be restored. He will make a new covenant, and turn their hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. Ezekiel, the priest, also had visions of the new temple, which made him uniquely qualified for his task. The name of the city will be, "The Lord is there."
Daniel - There are wonderful stories of how the God of Heaven can reveal secrets, visions, and dreams. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were put in a fiery furnace, and Daniel in the Lion's Den because of their faithfulness to the Lord. He also had visions that were not interpreted for him, but it was shown that the God of Heaven raises up and puts down the times and the kings. Daniel stayed faithful even though he could see that the future would be hard.
In all of these Major Prophets, they are referenced in the NT, and it shows that Jesus Christ is the Son of Man that will come in the clouds going to the Ancient of Days, and due to his suffering by death on the cross, when we believe in Him, our hearts are changed from stone to flesh. Those who believe will enter His rest, and rise again at the end of the age.

Daniel 7-12

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The 2nd half of Daniel is full of visions of things that are coming. Many of them are fulfilled by the time we read it today, such as Babylon falls to the Persians and the Medes. They fall to the Greeks. They fall to the Romans, and as we know in the time of the Romans the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ arrives. Daniel's vision goes beyond Jesus' time because Jesus says in Matthew 24:15-16, "Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains." In chapter 9, Daniel has a vision of Jerusalem being restored, until the Messiah the Prince comes. Then it is destroyed again, and we know that Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed again in AD 70. At the end of the book, the angel told Daniel, "But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age." The purpose of the Book of Daniel is to encourage us to be faithful because the God of Heaven is the God of past, present, and future. He is over all kingdoms, and He rewards those who earnestly seek Him, like Daniel did.

Daniel 1-6

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this encouraging book of Daniel, we find Daniel in exile in Babylon, yet the Lord is with him. We read of great stories of faith like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. We see the hand of God writing on a wall. Daniel gets thrown into the lion's den. The Lord reveals visions to Daniel of future events, and the Lord God of Daniel is praised because these men were willing to stand for the Lord even in the midst of difficult circumstances, and the Lord delivered.

Ezekiel 40-48

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Here Ezekiel sees a vision from the Lord about the new temple in Jerusalem. Ezekiel himself said that it was similar to his first vision of the Lord when he was called in chapters 1-3, and when the Spirit of the Lord left the temple in chapter 10 of Ezekiel. One thing that is clear is that the temple was demolished because the people and the temple had ceased to be holy, instead they had become profane & unclean. The Lord is calling both His people, and His priests to be holy as He is holy. The Lord is still calling His people to that (1 Peter chapter 1).

Ezekiel 33-39

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This is a message of hope that the Lord will bring forth His people from all the lands where they were scattered, and He will restore their land to them. He reminds His people that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and He wants them to turn back to the Lord. Judgment again is placed on the "shepherds," because they care more about feeding themselves than they do their flock; therefore, the Lord will shepherd His people and will provide a Shepherd over them, My servant David. We find in the book of John in the New Testament, that Jesus is that good Shepherd. We read about the Valley of Dry Bones, and an object lesson of putting the two sticks together to make one stick which represents the nation of Israel will no longer be divided with the northern and southern tribes, but they will be together again. We are told of other invaders that will be coming from the North, Gog from Magog, which probably points to Rome who will destroy Jerusalem again in 70 AD, and it may also be a prophecy that is not fully fulfilled yet. We are reminded that God is on His throne, both Jews and Gentiles will know that, "I am the Lord," and we are responsible for our choices. There is a promise of an eternal kingdom for those who believe and obey.

Ezekiel 25-32

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This passage describes the judgments upon the nations surrounding Judah, now that Jerusalem has fallen to Babylon. They each have a similar format, most begin with "The word of the Lord came to me saying," which leads into the son of man, Ezekiel, giving the message. Then we see phrases like, "Thus says the Lord." Most of them have the word "because" in them which shows us the reason for the judgments, as well as the word, "Behold" which reminds us to watch what the Lord is doing. Then they end with "and they will know that I am the Lord." This phrase is used throughout Ezekiel, because the Lord's hope is that all people will come to know Him as Lord. In the middle of the judgments there is a word of hope, which is found in verse 25-26 of chapter 28. The Lord promises that someday He will gather His people from among the nations and will give them their land again, and the Lord will be with them, and then "They will know that I am the Lord!" On a side note, I shared about how we can trust the Bible because it was written by around 40 different authors, with a timespan of about 4,000 years, yet it tells one story. That is what makes this book amazing. In the podcast, I accidently said 3,000 years. Sorry.

Ezekiel 20-24

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

These chapters confirm the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah. We see how God was faithful to His people from the Exodus into the promised land. The Lord says He will be King over Israel. Many times it is explained that the reason for the destruction was due to their unfaithfulness to the covenant with the Lord. The last object lesson was Ezekiel's wife died, and he was not allowed to mourn, and this showed the Israelites that they should not mourn when Jerusalem is destroyed and the temple torn down, because they deserve this punishment.

Ezekiel 15-19

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Ezekiel, we are told three allegories of Judah/Israel and her unfaithfulness and the results of her sin, God's judgment. There is an allegory of the vine, the unfaithful wife, and the two eagles. We then learn that each person is responsible for his own sins and not the sins of their father's or their son's. Chapter 18 verse 32 says, "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,' declares the Lord God,' Therefore, repent and live!" We also see that if we do turn to the Lord and repent, we can find forgiveness. This part of Ezekiel ends with a Lament, a song of sorrow, for the kings of Judah/Israel which are no more.

Ezekiel 12-14

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section of Ezekiel, the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem with the last group of exiles to Babylon is shown through object lessons. We also see that the false prophets are described as white walls, and the idolatrous elders also needed to repent and turn back to the Lord. When the last group of exiles reach Babylon, Ezekiel will be encouraged for he will notice their ways and their deed are different, and that the Lord was not in vain in bringing destruction.

Ezekiel 4-11

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters we see the Lord has had enough and the day of the Lord was coming. We see the desecration of the temple which the religious leaders had allowed. Ezekiel was shown the abominations (not admonitions which I accidently said a few times in this lesson), and they kept getting worse, so the Lord called six executioners to come, but before they could enter the city, a man clothed in linen with a writing case on his loins came through the town, and anyone that grieved over the abominations were marked on their forehead, and the executioners could not touch them. This brought Ezekiel to fall on his face and cry out to the Lord, "Will you bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?" The answer is no. The Lord was a sanctuary to those who were scattered into other nations, and they will come back, and the Lord will give them a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone. There is a promise of restoration.

Ezekiel 1-3

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The priest-prophet of Ezekiel, received visions from the Lord while now exiled in Babylon. The Lord revealed a heavenly vision of One that had an appearance as unto a man who was above something like a throne on wheels. This glorious vision brought Ezekiel to his knees, but the Spirit raised him to his feet. Ezekiel is to be a watchman to the house of Israel and tell them what the Lord said. If he does not, their blood will be on him, but if he does, he will be delivered. There was also a time that the Lord closed his mouth from speaking, but when it was opened again, he was to say, "He that hears, let him hear; and he that refuses, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house."

Lamentations 2-5

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 2 of Lamentations we see the theme is the Lord's anger or wrath, and "on that day," has happened. Due to the sin of Jerusalem and Judah "The Lord has become like an enemy" (2:5). The poet describes how bad it was in Jerusalem. Chapter 3 begins with the Lord's anger and he complains about his circumstances, but then he looks up and when He looks at the Lord and His faithfulness, he has hope. Chapter 4 looks again at the sorrow, and chapter 5 ends with the question "Why?" They wonder if the Lord has given up on them, but thankfully we know He has not!

Introduction to Lamentations & Chapter 1

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Lamentations is the 3rd book of the Major Prophets in the Christian Bible. In the Hebrew Bible it is in the Writings section. It is a set of 5 lament poems, 4 of which are acrostics using the Hebrew Alphabet, mourning the loss & destruction of Jerusalem and Judah by Babylon. Traditionally it is thought to have been written by Jeremiah. Chapter one focuses on how alone Jerusalem is, and how she can not be comforted. There is also an acknowledgment that they are in this situation because of their sin and turning from the Lord. The end of the chapter prays that the Lord will deal with Jerusalem's enemies, as the Lord has dealt with Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 46-52

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The end of Jeremiah covers judgment to the nations which is fitting since the Lord called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations. The nations and cities which were included were Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam, and Babylon. The last chapter gives the final details of the fall of Jerusalem, and ends with a new king of Babylon, Evil-merodach who shows kindness to King Jehoiachin of Judah who was placed in exile by King Nebuchadnezzar. This gives hope that the Lord has not forsaken Israel, and that He is keeping His promise to King David.

Jeremiah 34-45

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these 12 chapters we see Jeremiah placed in a cistern of mud to die, others who sought his life, yet God protected him. We also see that Judgment comes upon Judah and Jerusalem, and Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, burns Jerusalem and the temple to the ground. Jeremiah and Baruch stay in Jerusalem, but after Gedaliah, the governor which King Neb. put in place was killed, many Jews run to Egypt for protection, and they take Jeremiah and Baruch with them. We see the Lord pleads with His people to listen to Him and obey, but over and over and over again, they do not. We also see that the Lord blesses those who do obey.

Jeremiah 30-33

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters of Jeremiah we find hope that restoration is coming. We are reminded that Jerusalem and Judah have sinned and they are being disciplined, but it is for a limited time, and even in the midst of it, the Lord loves them with an everlasting love. Jeremiah describes the Lord as creator of the heavens and the earth, all powerful, great, mighty, nothing is too difficult for Him. He's the Lord of Hosts, a great counselor, and ever watching. The Lord encourages us to call out to Him, and He has provided a way for us. No matter what we are going through, the Lord is there for us, so let's obey like Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 25-29

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Jeremiah 25-29, Jeremiah declares the word of the Lord that Babylon with King Nebuchadnezzar are coming, and Judah and surrounding nations have two choices, either surrender and have life, or fight and die. Of course the leadership of Judah did not like that, and they tried to kill Jeremiah, but he was spared. Then a false teacher, Hananiah, confronted Jeremiah and took the yokes that the Lord had told Jeremiah to wear, and he took them off and broke them. The Lord brought judgment upon Hananiah and he died that year. Then Jeremiah is told to write a letter to the ones already in exile and told them that it would last for 70 years, and then the Lord would bring home His people.

Jeremiah 18-24

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0500

In this section of Jeremiah we see two object lessons and one vision from the Lord. The first is the Potter and the Clay, and it shows us that we are in the hands of the Lord. The second is a Broken Jar which can not be repaired, and this is what will happen to Jerusalem and its people. The vision is of two baskets of figs. One is full of very good figs and the other is full of very bad figs, so bad that they can not be eaten. This shows the remnant that will come back will have a heart for the Lord, but the bad figs are the people who never repented and turned to the Lord. We also see some very personal prayers of Jeremiah because he is persecuted for his prophecy of judgment.

Jeremiah 11-17

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these chapters of Jeremiah we continue to see Judah in her sinfulness of forsaking the Lord and following after false gods and refusal to repent. This will lead to destruction coming from the North, and not even Moses or Samuel could intercede for the people. Judgement is coming to the Lord's beloved. Jeremiah is also being persecuted and he prays to the Lord about his enemies, and the Lord says He will take care of it! This section ends with hope that someday, the Lord will bring His people back to the promised land because He is faithful to His covenant, even if the people are not.

Jeremiah 2-10

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This section of Jeremiah shows the sin of Judah and its political and religious leaders who turned away from the Lord and worshipped idols. The Lord comments that Judah did not learn from watching Israel, the northern kingdom who was taken over by Assyria. There are two laments because the Lord's people have rejected Him, and because they have rejected the Lord and gone their own way, a nation from the North is coming and bringing devastation. Yet, the Lord will not completely destroy them. Also, in this section the Lord continues to try and draw His people to Himself, but they would not have it.

Jeremiah 1

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter one of Jeremiah, we learn of Jeremiah's call from the Lord to be a Prophet to the Nations. He is leading during a very difficult time, and Babylon will be coming to destroy Jerusalem. The Lord promises to be with Jeremiah as he faithfully proclaims what God tells him. He tried to use the excuse that he was too young to be the Lord's prophet, but the Lord said stop making excuses! He says that to us as well.

Isaiah 60-66

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these last chapters of Isaiah, we see a picture of the New Jerusalem which has no need for a sun or moon because the Lord is the Light! We see that this Kingdom is for all the faithful, and judgment is coming for those who are not. We learn that Jesus says He fulfills Isaiah chapter 61 because He is the Lord's Anointed. He brought good news to the afflicted. He came to bind up the brokenhearted. He proclaimed liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners. He proclaimed the favorable year of the Lord, and He is coming again as a groom for His bride.

Isaiah 56-59

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

With these chapters we see that the Lord's house is for all people who come to Him, who does what pleases the Lord, who holds fast the Lord's covenant, no matter what nationality or position one holds. The Lord's house is called a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). We also discover that our actions show what we truly believe.

Isaiah 51-55

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We read the 4th Servant Song which has many New Testament passages with reference to Jesus Christ as the Redeemer that the Lord sends. One of the key verses of Isaiah is found in chapter 53 verse 6, "All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." It was this passage that the Ethiopian Eunuch was reading from when Philip the Evangelist shared with him about Jesus (Acts 8:25-40). The promise is the same, if we seek the Lord, call upon Him, and turn to Him forsaking our sinful ways, He will have compassion and will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7).

Isaiah 48-50

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This passage contains two of the Servant Songs of Isaiah, 49:1-9 & 50:4-11. We take a look at various New Testament verses that show us that Jesus is the Suffering Servant, and we ponder what He went through so we too can be faithful in the midst of suffering.

Isaiah 40-47

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This section begins the 2nd half of Isaiah. We see that Israel/Judah, Cyrus King of Persia, and a 3rd person (The Suffering Servant), are all servants of the Lord. The Holy One of Israel is Creator of the Earth with the purpose to fulfill it, and what He has done is not in vain. We also see that there are two choices, either accept Him as God and bow a knee or reject Him as God and be put to shame.

Isaiah 36-39

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This passage covers King Hezekiah's reign which can also be found in 2 Kings chapters 18-20 & 2 Chronicles 29-32. This is when the Lord protects Jerusalem from the King of Assyria because Hezekiah prays, when the Lord heals Hezekiah because he prays, and when the Lord tells Hezekiah that Jerusalem will be take over by the Babylonians because he showed the Babylonian messengers all the treasures of Jerusalem. We also take a look at this first half of Isaiah (39 chapters) as a message of judgement, and the second half (27 chapters) as a message of comfort, which is similar to the Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books).

Isaiah 28-35

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section we see the "Woe Oracles" to all those who are not following the Lord and His ways, and in contrast we see the blessings of those who follow after the Lord. They will walk on the Highway of Holiness prepared for the Redeemed.

Isaiah 13-27

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section we are reading about the oracles against the nations, and then it ends with songs of Praise for the Sovereign Lord who has a wonderful plan that ends with a lavish banquet in a place where there is no longer any death and where the Lord will wipe away the tears from our eyes!

Isaiah 7-12

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this passage, King Ahaz is told not to fear Ephraim or Syria but that the Lord of Host will take care of them. He also is not to fear Assyria, for the Lord God will take care of them too. He is to fear the Lord. Even though destruction is coming, the Lord will save a remnant, and that remnant will sing the Lord's praises for He is their salvation, and He has done excellent things!

Isaiah 1-6

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Today we see that Isaiah's vision regarded Jerusalem and Judah during the time of the divided Kingdom of Israel. God's people have turned away from the Lord, and there is the Spirit of Judgement and the Spirit of Burning that is coming for a day of reckoning. Isaiah sees the Holy One of Israel sitting on His throne, and Isaiah is forever changed. He confesses his sinfulness, and the Seraphim touch his lips with a hot coal, and his iniquity and sin is purged. The Lord then asks, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Isaiah declares, "Here am I; send me."

The Prophets and OT Review

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In today's lesson we learned that Prophets of God hear from the Lord and they are called to relay His message to God's people. Sometimes it was a foretelling - something that will happen in the future, and sometimes it is forthtelling, calling the people to "come forth and repent." Classical Prophets are prophets that have a book of the Bible named after them. This is the time of the divided kingdom of Israel as well as the time of the exile and then post-exilic when under Persian rule the Jews were allowed to come back to Jerusalem. Two of the main issues that the Prophets spoke of either had to do with the people's relationship to God or to people, and this reminds us of the greatest commandment found in Matthew 22:34-40, we are to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbor as ourselves. We then reviewed the OT and a key word or idea for all of the OT books we have covered so far.

Song of Solomon

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 22:00:00 -0500

We discover that there are different ways to interpret the Song of Solomon. With the literal approach we discovered that there were some who think that it is not just a love song with Solomon and the Maiden, but that it may be a love triangle with a male Shepherd. We see some lessons to learn from this love song are that marriage is between a man and a woman, the Bible celebrates marriage, physical love in marriage is good, and there is no mention about having children; so, the female and male are valued for who they are not for what they can bring into the marriage.

Ecclesiastes 9-12

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

As we end the book of Ecclesiastes, Qoheleth, the teacher, reminds us that death comes to all people, so we should enjoy life and the lot given to us, we are to work with all our might, and since we don't know when we will die, we are to live it to the fullest. This section has various proverbs in it which compare wisdom and folly and how our mouth usually shows which category we are in. We are reminded that God's ways are beyond ours, and we are to remember Him while we are young. The teacher then goes into a description of what aging looks like before we all meet death. The ending of Ecclesiastes says the conclusion from this whole book is to "Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person, for God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, both good and bad (12:13-14).

Ecclesiastes 5-8

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Qoheleth, the assembler, the lecturer, the teacher, begins this section with how we are to approach God. We are to (1) guard our steps, (2) draw near to listen, (3) do not be hasty with our words, (4) if you make a vow to the Lord, keep it, and (5) Fear God. We also see folly in riches, in being too religious, and wayward women. He teaches that the "Retribution Principle" does not always happen, and when he sought for wisdom, he could not fully find it. The key is to find contentment in the Lord, not in stuff.

Ecclesiastes 1-4

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. Vanity is the key word for Ecclesiastes. It means "breath of breaths," or "All is utter emptiness" (KJ Study Bible). In this section, Solomon looks at the futility of wisdom, pleasure, possessions, folly, work/labor, oppression, and aloneness. It is all striving after the wind, yet he does acknowledge God in heaven and His plan from the beginning to the end (3:11).

Proverbs 30-31

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The men that are listed in Proverbs 30 and 31 are not listed anywhere else in Scripture, there is great speculation as to who they are, but the truth is we do not know. Proverbs 30 starts with questions with answers, and then with various proverbs. There is a grouping of numerical proverbs where he lists 3 - no 4- items with most of them. Proverbs 31 starts of with the mother of King Lemuel giving him instruction of what a king should and should not do. As a King, he is to not let anything or anyone get in the way of his responsibilities of opening his mouth for those without a voice, and he is to fight for the unfortunate, the afflicted, and the needy. The chapter then goes into a poem about a virtuous wife. The style of this Proverb is an acrostic. Starting with verse 10, each line starts with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order. The key about this Proverbs 31 Woman, is not to compare ourselves with her, but to be encouraged by her for she has opened the door to endless possibilities as we walk in the fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 25-29

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

This section of Proverbs were included with the men of King Hezekiah about 250 years after Solomon. These passages were still included during the time of Jesus, because they are quoted in the New Testament in Romans 12 and in James 4. We also see a form of proverbs called comparative meaning, and the word "like" is used. Sometimes these are two lines, and sometimes it goes beyond two. One thing that is still clear in these proverbs is that the Lord is over all and He is to be feared.

Proverbs 10-24

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

These Proverbs are separated into different sections. Chapters 10-18 are described as Contrast the Upright and the Wicked. Chapters 19-22a are Proverbs on Life and Conduct. Chapters 22b starting with verse 17 through 23 are Sayings of the Wise, and chapter 24 Gives Precepts and Warnings. These Proverbs cover our treatment with various people groups such as the poor, angry people, our enemies, and family members. They also deal with out attitudes about wealth, envy, drinking, eating, adultery, our enemies, telling the truth, keeping our word, selfishness, and about wisdom.

Proverbs 1-9

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these Proverbs, Solomon is speaking to his sons in chapters 1b-7, and then to people in chapters 8-9. Wisdom is personified as a woman, and she gives instruction about our speech, the harlot and infidelity, the sluggard or lazy person, and it's worth is beyond silver, gold, or jewels. We also see that a person that has wisdom has life. We are encouraged to guard our hearts for from it comes the springs of life. There is also a list of seven things which the Lord hates, and there is a clear distinction between what a foolish person does verses a wise person. We also take a look at how Jesus in the New Testament embodies wisdom.

The Purpose of Proverbs

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Proverbs 1:1-7 we see the purpose of King Solomon's Proverbs. They are written so we will know, discern, receive, give, & understand: wisdom, instruction, sayings of understanding, prudence (so we won't be naive,) knowledge, discretion, learning, and wise counsel. Verse 7 sums it up, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." We then are to share what we have learned with others, especially younger people.

Psalm 146-150

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The Book of Psalms ends with 5 grand Psalms of Praise. Each of these Psalms begins and ends with Praise the Lord, or in Hebrew, Hallelujah! In Psalm 146 we trust not in princes or people, but in the Lord. We find in Psalm 147, that "The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His lovingkindness," and not in the strength of horses or in the legs of man. With Psalm 148 we see that both the heavens and the earth and all that is in them are to praise the Lord. We also see that the Lord has lifted up a horn for His people, and we learn that the Horn is Jesus. Found in Psalm 149 we see directions for corporate and private worship and two key things needed is praise in our mouth and the two-edged sword in our hand, the word of God. The last Psalm #150, we find the answer to where, why, how, and who to praise the Lord. Where? In His sanctuary and His mighty expanse. Why? Because of His mighty deeds and His excellent greatness. How? With trumpet, harp, lyre, tambourine and dancing, stringed instrument and pipe, loud cymbals and resounding cymbals. Who? EVERYTHING that has breath praise the Lord.

Psalm 135-145

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these Psalms, we see the last Psalms of David. Many of the songs are praise and celebration of what God has done, and some are laments and imprecatory, asking God to take care of a situation. In the ups and downs of life, the Psalmists always cry out to God. A few times these Psalms point out that God will judge the wicked, but he will save those that love Him.

Psalm 120-134

Wed, 31 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

These Psalms of Ascent were sung as the Israelites traveled up to Jerusalem in order to worship the Lord. They reminded the people of God's past faithfulness and of His future promises.

Psalm 119

Tue, 30 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm as well as the longest chapter in the Bible. It is an acrostic as well as a lament that focuses on the law of the Lord, and in that the Psalmist finds hope and peace.

Psalm 108-118

Mon, 29 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Psalm 108-110 are of King David. David praises the Lord, cries out to the Lord, and sings in triumph because of the Lord. These Psalms are referenced in the New Testament of Jesus. Psalm 111 & 112 are both anonymous and both are acrostics with the Hebrew Alphabet. The first praises the Lord and says that a person who follows the Lord's ways are wise, and then the second describes the wise person who follows the Lord. Psalm 113-118 are Egyptian Hallel, or Hallelujah Psalms, and these are sung during the Passover Celebration as the Lord brought the Jews out of the bondage of Egypt. These were also songs that the Lord Jesus Christ sung.

Psalm 107

Fri, 26 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this Psalm of Thanksgiving, we see four stories of people with four different struggles, "Then they each cry out to the Lord in their troubles (vv. 6a, 13a, 19a, and 28a). The Lord provides their specific needs, and then the stories end with, "Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness and for His wonders to the sons of men (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31). The most used word in this psalm is "Lord" at 12 times, and the second is "Lovingkindness" at 6. Psalm 107 starts ends and with each story in-between, the Lord's lovingkindness is present. The psalm ends with "Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things." What things? At least 4 of the lessons are, a) to be human means to have struggles, b) cry out to the Lord for help, c) through suffering we experience the Lord's lovingkindness, and d) as we see others overcome their struggles we can have hope that we can too.

Psalm 103-106

Thu, 25 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

As we end Book 4 of the Psalms, these are full of praise unto the Lord because of what God has done in the past with His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Psalmist cries out for God to continue his unfailing love to His people of his day, and for the ones yet to be born.

Psalm 101-102

Wed, 24 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Psalm 101 is a Psalm of David. He's going through a tough time, but he chooses to live a life of integrity, and to surround himself and his kingdom with people of integrity. Psalm 102 is a prayer for help. He also is going through a tough time which God has allowed, but in the midst of that the Psalmist looks at God's creation and God's endurance, sameness, and eternalness, and knows that the next generation of His servants will continue and be established.

Psalm 95-100

Tue, 23 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

These Psalms all reference worship in one way or another. As believers, we are to pray, sing, shout, serve, give thanks, worship, bow down, kneel, bless, declare, rejoice, love, remember, tremble, exalt, and obey! Why? Because God is Amazing!

Psalm 90-94

Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

As we start Book 4 of the Psalms, we see a hope that God was faithful in the past, and He is at work in the present, so we can be comforted for the future. Psalm 90 is "A Prayer of Moses, The Man of God," and he focuses on the fact that our human lives are short. In Psalm 91 we see God is our refuge. With Psalm 92, "A Song for the Sabbath Day," we see that in our rest God is at work, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. As we read the Psalm of Praise, #93, we see that God keeps our head above deep waters, and with the Imprecatory Psalm #94, we find that God will fight for us.

Psalm 88-89

Fri, 19 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Book 3 ends with two laments. The first is personal with no hint of hope, and the second is corporate. With Psalm 89 there is hope because of God's steadfast love to Israel, especially with the king, but then the king sins, and God brings judgement. The Psalmist does not see the Lord's steadfast love, and he cries out, "How long?" "Remember" Yet, the Psalmist ends with "Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen & Amen." We have hope in the midst of the crisis.

Psalm 84-87

Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this section the majority of the Psalms are of the Sons of Korah. The story of who Korah is can be found in Numbers chapter 16. The Sons of Korah were Levites who were responsible in part to the music in the tabernacle/temple. We also have the only Psalm of David found in Book 3, Psalm 86. We see the lovingkindness of the Lord, and that His lovingkindness extends to all the nations of the earth.

Psalm 79-83

Wed, 17 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

These are the last of the Psalms of Asaph. Most of these are cries unto God as to how long will He be silent, how long will the wicked prosper, and how long will we suffer? The answer is "Oh, that My people would listen to Me that Israel would walk in My ways," then God would satisfy them as with the richest of foods.

Psalm 77-78

Tue, 16 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these two Psalms of crisis, we see that Jesus fulfills these Psalms by telling parables, and by taking upon Himself the wrath of God, so that we may experience the grace of God. We are also encouraged to tell the next generation of the wonders of God.

Psalm 73-76

Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We are starting Book 3 of the Psalms. These Psalms all have to do with a crisis of faith either personally or corporately, yet God is faithful and gracious. He is also the just judge.

Psalm 70-72

Fri, 12 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Book 2 of the Psalms ends with a praise unto the Lord, as does all the other books. Psalm 70 is a Psalm of David which is almost identical to Psalm 40:13-17. The second Psalm is anonymous, and it is a Psalm of an older person and his walk with the Lord, and Psalm 72 is a kingly Psalm which is celebration of the King of Kings and His eternal kingdom. That King is Jesus. (Matthew chapter 1)

Psalm 65-69

Thu, 11 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

These Psalms all reference worship of the Lord in the temple. Most are celebration or praise Psalms, but the last, Psalm 69 is mainly a lament with some precatory towards David's enemies, but even this one ends with praise at what the Lord will do and who He is. In these Psalms, we see clearly that people from every nation and tribe, every people and tongue are called to praise the Lord, and they will see the great things of what God has done through those who believe that they too will believe. Also in Psalm 69 we look at the times this book is reference in the New Testament, which shows us the importance of this Psalm, and the need for the imprecatory Psalms in scripture.

Psalm 54-64

Wed, 10 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

These Psalms are all Psalms of David, and W. Robert Godfrey, in the book, "Learning to Love the Psalms," describes this section as commitment despite enemies. Many of these Psalms share the reason that David wrote them, and which specific enemies were after him. We learn there are valid reasons for being afraid, and even angry over injustices, but David continually trusted in the Lord.

Psalm 50-53

Tue, 09 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In these Psalms, W. Robert Godfrey describes them as commitment in the face of sin. Psalm 50 is a Psalm of Asaph, a Worship Levite. The last three are Psalms of David. Psalm 51 is after his sin with Bathsheba, #52 after Doeg the Edomite told King Saul where David was, and Psalm 53 starts off "The fool has said in his heart there is no God." Thankfully, we have Someone who has taken care of the sin problem, Jesus. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness."

Psalm 42-49

Mon, 08 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Today we start with Book 2 of the Psalms. According to W. Robert Godfrey in his book, "Learning to Love the Psalms," Book 2 can be described as The King's commitment to God's Kingdom. In this section we get great passages like, "As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs for You," and "Be still and know that I am God."

Psalm 25-41

Fri, 05 May 2023 01:00:00 -0500

King David wrote the majority of these Psalms. There is a bit of Wisdom, Thanksgiving, Lament, Praise, Imprecatory, Confidence (In God not self), Celebration, Repentance, and of Jesus wrapped up in these 17 chapters. Even when David was scared or sorrowful, he knew who to cry out to, The Lord. So can we.

Psalms 22-24

Thu, 04 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Here we see three types of Kings, the suffering King, the trusting king, and the victorious king. In Psalm 22 we see that Jesus quoted from this Psalm while dying on the cross. In Psalm 23 we see that the Lord is our Shepherd, and then Psalm 24 we see the King of Glory entering his city. Through these chapters we find that Jesus is also our Good Shepherd who died for us, our Great Shepherd who guides us, and the Chief Shepherd who reigns over us.

Psalms 11-21

Wed, 03 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

All of these Psalms are written by King David. Many of them are confidence Psalms, where David puts his confidence and trust in the Lord. We also see the difference between the wicked and the righteous. Psalm 16 is referenced by the Apostle Peter in his first sermon in Acts 2:25-35 and by Paul in Acts 13:35, and they say that David's body died and decayed, but the Lord Jesus did not because God raised Him from the dead. It is through Jesus that we have forgiveness of sins. Psalm 20 is a Psalm of the King going to battle, and Psalm 21 is the victory of the King as he comes home. The King has victory because he trusts in the Lord.

Psalms 3-10

Tue, 02 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

These Psalms are located in the first Book of Psalms, "The King's Confidence in God's Care," which W. Robert Godfrey labels in his book, Learning to Love the Psalms. These Psalms are mainly written by King David, and they are Psalms of Praise, Imprecatory, Lament, Confidence, and Celebration. Some are personal songs and others are for the congregation. Over all, it shows that there is coming an eternal kingdom with the eternal King, and that King, the Son of David, and the Son of Man, is Jesus. Psalm 8 especially is mentioned in the New Testament with reference to Jesus, and those passages are Matthew 21:16, Hebrews 2:6-8, and 1 Corinthians 15:27.

Psalms 1-2

Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Psalms 1 and 2, we see both a personal Psalm and a corporate Psalm. In the first Psalm, a Psalm of Wisdom, we see what a righteous man looks like, and then in contrast we see that a wicked man is blown away by the wind. In the second Psalm, a Kingly/Messianic Psalm, we see a picture of Jesus and how His apostles quoted this Psalm to tell us about Jesus. These two Psalms are an introduction to all 150 Psalms, and according to Dr. J. Stephen Yuille, we see four main themes that run throughout the Psalms are God's Way, God's Word, God's Rule, and God's King.

Job Repents and Prays for His Friends, and Job is Blessed by God

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapter 42 of Job, we find that Job has heard from God and repents. He is called by God to pray for his three friends that caused him much heartache. He does, and God blesses him with twice as much as before his captivity/exile/sorrow. Job never got an answer to why the pain, but he did get a closer relationship with God.

God Speaks

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Job 38-41, Job gets what he asked for, a match with God Almighty, but it was not what he expected. God tells him to get his big boy pants on and answer God His questions. God begins with questions about Job's part in the creation of the universe, and moves to how does Job keep the world operating? The Almighty then asks Job how he directs the animal kingdom, and Job responds, "I will put my hand over my mouth!" The Lord was not done with Job. God speaks again out of a whirlwind and demands Job to answer Him. The Lord asks Job why he was willing to condemn God in order to justify himself? The Almighty asks, "Do you have an arm like God? Can your voice thunder like His? Can you dress yourself in majesty, excellency, glory, & beauty?"
Then God asks if Job can deal with fellow human beings like bring low a proud person or put a wicked man in his place. Of course the answer to all of these questions is no. We see that God's ways transcends ours, and most of the time, we don't have a clue. Yet, as C. Hassell Bullock says, "Yet the fact that God was speaking those words to Job involves the existential truth that man is very important to Him."

Elihu Speaks to Job

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 32-37, Elihu speaks to Job. He is angry at Job and at all three of Job's friends, because he thought he would hear wisdom from them, but he was disappointed. Like Job's three friends, Elihu had a "know it all attitude." He spoke out of anger instead of comfort or love, and he thought Job was at fault for his tragedy. Unlike the three other men, he was young, but age is not a factor of wisdom, a relationship with God is. One great thing that Elihu did was he talked about how wonderful God is. This sets the stage for God to talk to Job tomorrow!

Job and His Three Friends

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Job 3-31, Job's three friends think all of these bad things which have happened to Job are because of his sin, and Job says he is innocent. He cries out for someone to defend his cause.

God and Satan Discuss Job, and Job is Tested

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In the first two chapters of Job, we see that Job was an upright man that feared the Lord. What we see, that Job does not see, is that Satan entered the Lord's presence and they discussed Job. Satan said that Job was upright and feared God because God had a hedge around him, but if God took his stuff away, Job would curse God. God allowed it, Satan did it, and Job stayed faithful. Then Satan came again into God's presence and said, "if you let me touch his flesh and bones, he will curse You." God allowed it, and Job stayed faithful. Chapter two ends with three of Jobs friends came to comfort him. They sit in silence for a week. They should have stopped there.

Queen Esther and Mordecai

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In the book of Esther, we see God's providence even though his name is not even mentioned. Mordecai says to Queen Esther, that perhaps she is here for such a time as this. God fights for the Jews, and protects them from the enemy, Haman. Her Persian name, Esther, means star, and God used her to continue fulfilling His promise to Abraham that his seed would outnumber the stars in the heavens. The stars are still multiplying!

Nehemiah Faces Opposition, Both Outside and Inside Jerusalem, and They Build the Wall

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In Nehemiah chapters 2-13, we see that Nehemiah not only helps in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but he also helps rebuild their spiritual lives to walk in obedience to the Lord. The Levites review God's mercy and grace throughout the history of Israel, and how the Jews continued to sin, but God was still faithful. We see a reverence for "The Book", and a renewal of worship unto the Lord. Nehemiah faced many oppositions, both outside the city walls and within the city walls, but he prayed constantly, and the Lord guided him.

Nehemiah is a Man of Prayer and a Man of the Book

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0500

In Nehemiah chapter 1 we see that Nehemiah has a heart for Jerusalem, and he prays unto the Great and Terrible God, who keeps His covenant and shows mercy toward those who observe His commands. He asks the Lord to hear his prayer, he confesses his sin and his father's sin, and then he reminds the Lord (and himself) of God's word and of His promises. In Nehemiah's prayer he quotes from Deuteronomy 20:6, 28:14, Leviticus 26:33, Deuteronomy 9:29, and Exodus 32:11. He also quotes from Deuteronomy 12:5 which is where God says that He will make a place where His name dwells, and then in 2 Kings 21:4 we see that that place is Jerusalem. The Jews are people of the Book, and Nehemiah knows it.

The 2nd Temple is built in Jerusalem and Ezra Comes with the Second Exile Group

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

As we look at the book of Ezra, we find the first two groups of Jews who come back to Jerusalem and Judah after the exile to Babylon. Cyrus, King of Persia, grants permission for them to go back and rebuild the temple. The work gets started, but then pauses for around 15 years, but when Haggai and Zechariah come, they encourage the people to start it again. After it is built, Ezra comes with the second group of exiles back to their homeland, and through his leadership, they set themselves apart from pagan worship in order to follow the Lord God of Israel.

Ezra and the Prophecies from Isaiah and Jeremiah

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In Ezra 1:1-4 we see that Cyrus, King of Persia, makes a decree to send back the Jews to Jerusalem to help them rebuild their temple. We also take a look at the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah that declare this will happen after 70 years of exile in Babylon.

Babylon overthrows Jerusalem and Judah, but Cyrus King of Persia is Coming!

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Chronicles chapters 33-36, we see the final Kings of Judah before the exile, and then how Babylon with King Nebuchadnezzar overthrows Judah, destroys the Temple and burns Jerusalem to the ground. Many people are taken into exile to Babylon, and then it ends with a glimmer of hope when the King of Persia, Cyrus overcomes Babylon.

The Reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Chronicles chapters 25-32 we read about 5 different kings of Judah, all are descendants of King David and Solomon. None were perfect, but Hezekiah did a great job at fixing up the temple, organizing the Priests and Levites, leading in the Passover festival as well as worship, and it was his prayers with that of Isaiah that kept Judah from being taken over by the King of Assyria. There is power when we humbly pray to the God of heaven.

Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Queen Athaliah, and Joash Rulers of Judah

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Chronicles chapters 17-24 we look at the reigns of the Kings of Judah, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Joash, as well as the wicked Queen Athaliah. We see that not one of them where totally good, but when they sought the Lord, God blessed them and their kingdom. This section ends with the King of Judah and its leaders stoning the prophet Zechariah in the Temple courts. Jesus talks of this in Matthew 23:35.

Israel is now a divided Kingdom, and the Chronicler focuses on the Kings of Judah

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Chronicles 10-16, we see the Kingdom of Israel is divided. The Chronicler focuses on the reigns of the Kings of Judah, and in these chapters we read about Rehoboam, Abijah, and Asa. As long as they sought the Lord their God with all their heart and soul, God blessed, but when they forsook the Lord, He forsook them.

The Chronicler Retells the Story of Solomon's Reign as King of Israel

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 1-9 of 2 Chronicles, we see Solomon's wisdom, his expanded kingdom, his fame and wealth, and his building of the temple. We also see the importance of the Levites, Priests, and music with regards to worship, and lastly we see that a true worshipper must humble themselves, pray, seek God's face, and turn from their wicked ways and then God will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.

King David gives Solomon Directions for the Temple as He Now Becomes King of Israel

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

King David is now old, and he announces Solomon as the next King. The Lord had given Solomon directives on how to build the temple, and David hands them down to Solomon since he will be building the temple and not David. King David charges Samuel to serve the Lord faithfully, and then he charges the people to give to the Temple as he has, and they did it with joy. We see the greatness of King David's kingdom, and then he dies, and Solomon becomes the next King of Israel.

King David Desires to Build the Temple

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1 Chronicles chapters 17-22, we see that King David wants to build a house for the Ark of God, yet God says no, but instead He will build a house through David's son, and it will be an everlasting kingdom. We also see some of David's military success and his fighting men. We then also see that David sins when he send Joab to take a census of Israel. God lets David pick his punishment, and he picks a 3 day plague. David confesses his sin, and places a sacrifice and an altar on Ornan the Jebusite's threshing floor. The plague stops, and this will become the place for the Temple when Solomon builds it. Then King David, plans and prepares for the building of the temple, and then he charges his son, Solomon to be faithful to the Lord. David also charges the leaders of Israel to also be faithful and to help Solomon with the task of building the Temple of the Lord.

David the Established King of Israel Brings the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1 Chronicles chapters 13-16, David, the King of all Israel, brings the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, the capital. The first attempt did not go well, but then David sought how to bring it correctly, and the Lord blessed. We also see that David was blessed by being established in his position of King, the Lord blessed King David with sons, and he was blessed with military success. David then sets up the Levites and the Priests to take care of the Ark and he makes sure there are musicians before the Lord. This section ends with a Psalm of David. It is a Psalm of Praise, of Thanksgiving, of Remembrance, of Requests. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, and then we take a quick peek at Romans chapters 9-11, as the Apostle Paul talks about how "All Israel" can be saved.

The Chronicler Tells the Story of When David Became King of All Israel

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1 Chronicles 10-12, we see the transition of King Saul to King David. Saul dies and loses his kingdom because of disobedience, and God gives David the kingdom. Jerusalem becomes the capital. We meet David's mighty men, and get a rosy colored view of David's inauguration. I then take a moment and explain why sometimes the same stories in the Bible, like 1 Chronicles and 2 Samuel, don't match up exactly, and how that builds my faith.

The Genealogy of the Line of King David from Adam and after the Exile

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1 Chronicles 1-9, we see the line of King David from Adam and all the way until after the Exile. We also see the importance of the Levites and Priests, and the importance of worship. The writer gives us a taste of the "Retribution Principle" which means those who are faithful, God blesses, and to those who are unfaithful, He curses. We also see that God is faithful to his covenant, and that covenant extends to us who believe in Jesus Christ.

Jerusalem and Judah are Destroyed and Exiled by Babylon

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In 2 Kings chapters 18-25, we see some godly kings of Judah who follow the Lord with all their heart and soul and might, but we also see some ungodly kings, and eventually Judah is overcome by the King of Babylon, the people are exiled there, and the city of Jerusalem is burnt to the ground. Even though the City of David is destroyed, God is still at work.

The Northern Tribes of Israel are Exiled to Assyria

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 14-17 of 2 Kings, we see the various kings of Israel that did evil in the eyes of the Lord. We also see that Judah is following suit. The writer of 2 Kings explains why Israel, the The Ten Northern Tribes, are taken into captivity, and the main reason is that the Lord God of Israel, the one who brought them out of Egypt, is the only one they were to worship, and they did not do that. The question this lessons asks us is: Do we worship God AND...?

Israel is declining, and Elisha dies.

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In 2 Kings 8b-13, we see that Israel is declining due to the King of Syria. We also see that Judah is becoming corrupt because of intermarriage between the kings of Judah with the daughters of Israel. Elisha the prophet dies, YET, God is faithful to his covenants with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David.

The Miracles of Elisha the Prophet

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Kings chapters 3-8a, we see the miracles of Elisha, and how he indeed received a double portion of Elijah. We also compare how Elisha resembles Jesus in the New Testament.

Elijah's Ministry Comes to an End and He is Taken up to Heaven in a Whirlwind

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Kings chapters 1 & 2, Elijah's ministry comes to a close, and before he is taken up in a whirlwind, Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. After the chariot of fire and the horses of fire separate Elijah and Elisha, the whirlwind takes Elijah up to heaven. Elisha sees it happen, and the Lord fulfills Elisha's request, the Lord moves with Elisha as He did with Elijah.

King Ahab Dies

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1 Kings 20-22, there is war between Syria and Israel. The Southern Tribes of Judah and the Northern Tribes of Israel make peace. King Ahab dies, and his son reigns in his ways, and in the ways of his mother, Jezebel.

Elijah the Prophet of the Lord God

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In 1 Kings 17-19 we meet Elijah, and God brings a drought to the land in order to get the Northern Kingdom of Israel to come back to Him. This takes Elijah to a widow of Zarephath and God provides for them. Then we have the miracle on Mount Carmel where God brings down fire from heaven and shows HE is THE true God. Elijah runs for his life because Queen Jezebel wants to kill him. He runs to the Mount of God where God speaks in His still small voice. We are then introduced to Elisha, Elijah's replacement.

The Kingdom Divided

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 11-17 of 1 Kings we see the Kingdom of Israel is divided with the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel, and the 2 southern Tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The Northern Kingdoms never have a godly king, and the Southern Tribe of Judah always have a king from the line of David, but only one godly one arises, and that is King Asa.

Solomon asks God for Wisdom, and the Temple of the Lord is Built

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1 Kings chapters 3-10 we see Solomon asks God for wisdom, and God blesses him with wisdom and wealth and glory. Solomon is a master builder and he builds the temple as well as many palaces. This section ends with Solomon on top of the world.

King David Dies, and King Solomon is Established as King of Israel and Judah

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 1 Kings chapters 1-2, before King David dies, he makes sure that Solomon is anointed and appointed King of all Israel and Judah, and Solomon becomes the new established king.

David Reviews His Reign

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In 2 Samuel 22-24, David shares a Song of Review of His Kingdom, His mighty men are listed, and then he sins by taking a census. David makes an offering unto the Lord, and God accepts His sacrifice and prayer which ends a plague.

King David's Family Declines, and David flees the Capital

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0500

In chapters 13-21 of 2 Samuel, Ammon, David's son rapes his sister, Absalom kills his brother and tries to take over the kingdom. David and his family and fighting men run from Jerusalem and escape. Joab kills Absalom and King David returns.

David and Bathsheba

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Samuel chapters 11-12, we take a look at David's sin with Bathsheba, his murder of Uriah the Hittite, his coverup, and God's judgement. We also see David's repentance and God's forgiveness.

David becomes King over all Israel

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In 2 Samuel 5-10 we reach King David's height of his kingship. He takes Jerusalem as his capital, and brings the Ark of God into the tent. He has peace in the land, and he keeps his word to Jonathan by blessing his son, Mephibosheth. God makes a covenant with David that his kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom.

David becomes King of Judah

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In chapters 1-4 of 2 Samuel, Saul and Jonathan are dead, and David is made King over Judah. A civil war ensues between the Northern Tribes of Israel, and the Southern Tribe of Judah. Israel is becoming weaker and Judah with King David is becoming stronger.

The End of King Saul's reign in Israel

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapters 21-31 of 1 Samuel, we see how David is protected by God from King Saul, Samuel's death, and how Saul and Jonathan both died by the hands of the Philistines.

The Rise of David and the Decline of King Saul

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapters 16-20 of 1 Samuel, we see the rise of David and the decline of King Saul. We see David as a musician, we see him as a shepherd, we see him has a warrior against Goliath, we see him as a good friend with Jonathan. We also see Saul as he goes into a very dark place.

The Kingdom of Saul is Taken Away because of Sin

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In 1 Samuel chapters 13-15 we see that Saul's kingdom will be ripped from his hands because of sin, and Samuel mourns for him. We also see the Bible verse, "To obey is better than sacrifice!"

The Nation of Israel has Their First King, Saul

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 11:00:00 -0600

In 1 Samuel chapters 8-12, Saul is raised up as the first King of Israel, and Samuel warns them of the downside to having a king, and that they should stay faithful to the Lord with all their hearts.

God answers Hannah's prayer of having a son, and his name is Samuel.

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapters 1-7 of 1 Samuel, God answers Hannah's prayer for a son, Samuel. The Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant, and Eli the Priest and his two sons die. The Children of Israel return to the Lord with Samuel's leadership, which sets the stage for the first King of Israel, Saul.

Ruth the Moabite and Boaz the Kinsman Redeemer

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 11:00:00 -0600

In these four chapters of Ruth we see how God is at work even in the midst of hard times. We see the steadfast love of God, Ruth and Boaz.

Everyone Did What Was Right in Their Own Eyes

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0600

In Judges 17-21 we see some of the darkest moments in Israel's history because the people "did what was right in their own eyes." We also see the phrase, "In those days, there was no king of Israel." We see that religious decline led to moral decline, which led to social decline and political decline. They think that a king will change all that. A king won't, but The King will.

The Story of Samson

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Judges chapters 13-16, we look at the birth, life, and death of Samson as he fought the Philistines.

The Judges of Gideon, Jerubbaal, Abimelech, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, & Abdon

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

In Judges chapters 6-12 we see how even the leadership of Israel is declining in holiness during these "dark ages" of Israel, but God is still faithful.

The Judges of Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, and Deborah with Barak

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:00:00 -0600

In Judges chapters 1-5 we learn of the cycle of the Judges: Sin, Punishment, Repentance, Deliverance, and Rest, and then it starts all over again. This is considered the Dark Ages of Israel.

Joshua's Closing Words

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In chapters 23-24 of Joshua we see his closing words to the Children of Israel. He tells them to remember what God has done for them. He encourages them to be courageous and faithful in following the Lord. He warns them about the consequences of disobedience. Joshua reminds them that God is sovereign and has a plan, and then he challenges them to "choose this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua Distributes the Land to the Tribes of Israel

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Chapters 13-22 of Joshua, the Children of Israel take possession of their God given land, but most did not drive out all the Canaanites.

Joshua and the Israelites take the Promised Land

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Chapters 6-12 of Joshua starts with the city of Jericho, the saving of Rahab and all who were in her house, and then conquering both the Southern and Northern cities in the land on the West side of the Jordan River.

The Spies meet Rahab, and Israel Cross Over the Jordan River at Flood Stage.

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Today's lesson is found in the chapters of Joshua 1b-5. The spies are sent and make a covenant with Rahab the Prostitute, and Israel crosses the Jordan River and place standing stones to remember what Great things God has done.

Introduction to Joshua and His Calling from God.

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:00:00 -0600

In Joshua 1:1-9 we take a look at God's calling on Joshua, and we look at the introduction to Joshua as the first book of the Books of History.

Moses Transfers Leadership to Joshua, Moses' Last Words and His Death.

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

In Deuteronomy 31-34, Moses prepares to die, so he writes down a song for the Children of Israel, he transfers leadership to Joshua, he blesses the people, and then he climbs Mt. Nebo to die.

Moses' Plea that the Children of Israel Choose Life.

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:00:00 -0600

In Deuteronomy chapters 27-30, Moses presents with this second generation of Israelites to choose life and blessing or death and curses. He pleads that they would cleave to the Lord and choose life.

Moses' words for the Children of Israel as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 11:00:00 -0600

In chapters 12-26 of Deuteronomy we look at various laws the children of Israel are to follow which focus on worship, justice, and holiness.

A Review of the 10 Commandments and a Pleading to Choose Blessings

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:00:00 -0600

Here in Deuteronomy chapters 5-11 we see another sermon from Moses to the Children of Israel before they enter into the Promised Land. We see a retelling of the 10 Commandments, we see the most important commandment, the Shema, which is to Love the Lord your God with everything, and we see Moses pleading with Israel to walk in the ways of God, and if they do that, they wee have life, success, and blessings.

A Review of Genesis through Numbers and the Introduction to Deuteronomy.

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:00:00 -0600

We are looking at the first four chapters of Deuteronomy, as Moses begins his passionate farewell address to the Children of Israel, before they enter into the Promised Land.

Preparations for Entering the Promised Land

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0600

We end the book of Numbers with chapters 26-36 which prepares Israel to enter the Promised Land.

The Nation of Israel Begin to Conquer the Land and the Story of Balaam and King Balak.

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0600

In Numbers chapters 21-25 we see the Children of Israel become the Nation of Israel as they begin to conquer the land, and then we see the story of Balaam and the donkey as well as the blessings instead of curses with Balaam and King Balak.

Even the Great Leaders of Moses and Aaron Can Not Enter the Promised Land Due to Sin.

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Numbers 15-20 we find Miriam's death, Moses and Aaron's leadership in question, God's affirmation, and then we see their sin which keeps them from the Promised Land. As Dr. Honeycutt said in his commentary, "Not even Moses was exempt from the erosive effects of rebellion."

The People, Miriam, and Aaron Complain, and the 12 Spies Check Out the Promised Land.

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0600

In Numbers 10b-14, we see the Israelites complaining again, Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses, and the 12 spies are sent to check out the promise land. We also see the results of their actions.

The Israelites Prepare to Enter into the Promised Land

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Today's lesson is from Numbers 1-10:10.

God gives through Moses the Holiness Code

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Today we are reading Leviticus chapters 21-27 which focus on how the Nation of Israel should walk in God's ways.

Be Ye Holy Because I Am Holy

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Leviticus chapters 18-20, we learn that God calls His people to holiness because God is holy.

Clean and Unclean with the Day of Atonement

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Today we are looking at Leviticus chapters 11-17 with what is clean and unclean, and the Day of Atonement.

The Ordination of Aaron and Sons, and a Call to Holiness and Obedience

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:00:00 -0600

Today we are looking at chapters 8-10 of Leviticus with the ordination of the Priesthood and a call to obedience.

Leviticus and what it atonement means

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:00:00 -0600

We are looking at Leviticus chapters 1-7 and looking at the sacrifices and understanding what atonement means.

Moses & the Israelites finish making the Tabernacle

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Chapters 35-40, Moses and the Israelites finish the building of the Tabernacle.

The golden calf that Aaron made.

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Exodus chapters 32-34 we take a look at the broken covenant between God and Israel when they request an idol that Aaron made, and how Moses mediated to save them.

The priestly garments and the people who made them.

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Exodus chapters 28-31, we take a closer look at the garments of Aaron and his sons as they serve as priests. We see a bit of what they are to do, and we meet the skilled men who created the items for the tabernacle as well as the priestly garments.

The Tabernacle

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In Exodus chapters 25-27, God gives Moses directions on how to build the Tabernacle.

God's covenant with the Children of Israel

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 11:00:00 -0600

In Exodus chapters 21-24, we see the covenant of God with the Children of Israel confirmed.

The Ten Commandments

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

We are taking a look at Exodus 19-20 with Moses and the Ten Commandments.

The parting of the Red Sea and the journey to Mt. Sinai

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

In this lesson we look at Exodus chapters 14-18 with the parting of the Red Sea, the Israelites murmurings, Moses praying and singing and their journey to the Mountain of God.

The Passover and the Exodus

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

We are looking at Exodus 11-13 with the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Exodus.

The first nine plagues in Egypt

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0600

We are taking a look at Exodus 5-10 at the first nine plagues in Egypt and why Pharaoh's heart was hardened.

Moses and the Burning Bush

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0600

Here in Exodus chapters 1-4 we look at Moses' birth and calling from God.

Joseph and how Israel entered Egypt

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 21:00:00 -0600

Today's lesson is from Genesis chapters 37-50, and it is about Joseph and how "What men meant for evil, God meant for good in order to save people."

Jacob, his wives, and his twelve sons

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 21:00:00 -0600

Today's lesson is from Genesis 29-36 and it is how Jacob became Israel.

Isaac, Rebekah, and the twins

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 10:00:00 -0600

Abraham & Sarah's blessing from God becomes Isaac and Rebekah's blessing.

Abraham and Sarah

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 15:00:00 -0600

We are looking at Genesis 12-23 about the life of Abraham and Sarah.

Noah and his sons

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

We are looking at Genesis 6-11 with the life of Noah and his sons.

The fall, part two and the promise

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 01:00:00 -0600

This part of the story tells what happened to Adam and Eve and takes us to Noah. It takes us through chapter 5 of Genesis.

The fall, part one

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 21:00:00 -0600

We are looking at Genesis 3:1-13 with the fall of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2, Adam and Eve

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 20:00:00 -0600

We are looking at Genesis chapter two to see the lessons we can learn from the creation of the first man and woman.

Creation Story

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 16:00:00 -0600

We take a look at Genesis chapter 1 & 2:1-3 about what we can learn from the creation story.

Introduction and Genesis 1:1

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0600

This explains the journey of how this podcast got started and a quick Bible lesson on Genesis chapter one verse one.