Israel abandons God and becomes completely corrupt in the land. What happens when Israel forgets their God? The book of Judges shows Israel’s tragic downward spiral. It’s a sobering examination of the human condition that highlights the need for a deliverer. Descent into Madness After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel begin a …
Monthly Archives: May 2020
38611 Overview: 1 Samuel
God raises up two kings, one proud and the other humble. The book of 1 Samuel is an exciting book split into two parts due to its large size. The first part is a contrasting character study of Saul and David, showing the importance of humility in God’s people. The Rise and Fall of Saul …
38612 Overview: 2 Samuel
David’s reign is marked by incredible success, terrible failure, and God’s promise. The book of 2 Samuel continues to show us the virtue of humility, the destructiveness of pride, and the faithfulness of God’s promise. We see David succeed and fail, and we see God’s promise for a future king at the beginning and end …
38613 Overview: 1-2 Kings
David’s son Solomon leads Israel to greatness, only to fail and lead Israel to a civil war and ultimately towards destruction and exile. After centuries of sojourning, struggles, and conquest, God’s promise to Abraham appears to finally be tangible – David and Solomon unite the Israelites into a single kingdom with descendants as “numerous as …
38614 Overview: Isaiah 1-39
Isaiah announces that God’s judgment will purify Israel and prepare his people to the coming messianic king and new Jerusalem. Like Elijah, Jeremiah, and the other Prophets, Isaiah was called by God to deliver His messages to Israel for its welfare in the Book of Isaiah. But along with warnings against Israel’s sin and rebellious …
38615 Overview: Isaiah 40-66
Isaiah offers hope This hope would be embodied through God’s Servant known as “Immanuel,” who will one day establish a new Israel and God’s Kingdom on the earth. Remarkably, Jesus does precisely that in His lifetime, fulfilling over 300 prophecies in Scripture that include intricate details of His death and resurrection foretold in Isaiah chapters …
38616 Overview: Jeremiah
Jeremiah announces that God will judge Israel’s sins with an exile to Babylon. And then, he lives through the horror of his predictions. The Book of Jeremiah holds a graphic but important picture showing us how disobedience leads to destruction. Jerusalem will fall The people of Israel repeatedly refused to listen to the Lord’s instructions …
38617 Overview: Ezekiel 1-33
Among the exiles in Babylon, Ezekiel shows that Israel deserved this judgment, and also that God’s justice creates hope for the future. The Book of Ezekiel can seem vague and confusing for some readers, but with careful observation, it contains key details God wants us to know about. Many of the divine visions that Ezekiel …
38618 Overview: Ezekiel 34-48
God exiles himself with Israel Through Ezekiel, we learn that spiritual things are just as important as the physical, and even more important regarding the physical’s temporary circumstances. We also get a glimpse of God’s glory manifested with His presence when riding a heavenly chariot. God’s presence being revealed to Ezekiel in Babylon also demonstrates …
38619 Overview: Hosea
Hosea accuses Israel of breaking their covenant with God, and warns them of the tragic consequences to follow. The Northern Kingdom of Israel enjoyed moderate success from conquering neighboring kingdoms, but they were spiritually bankrupt on the inside. In the Book of Hosea, God sends Hosea to Israel during King Jeroboam II’s reign to admonish …