Apicontent

A. Summary and Overview.

1. The book of Ezekiel was written by the prophet and priest Ezekiel (Vs. 1:3) between 592 and 565 BC. He was a contemporary of Daniel and Jeremiah and was among the first wave of exiles taken to Babylon when Jerusalem was first conquered in 597 BC. The city was spared, but Ezekiel and other captives, including Daniel, King Jeconiah and other citizens of nobility, were taken to Babylon. The book of Ezekiel is one of the major prophetic books of the Bible, along with Isaiah, Daniel and Jeremiah. Jeremiah wrote from Jerusalem while Ezekiel wrote from Babylon.
2. Ezekiel was 25 when he was first was taken to Babylon. At age 30, he is by the Chebar canal in Babylon when the first vision of the Lord comes to him (Vs. 1:4). The book can be divided into three major sections: 1) Prophecies against Judah and Jerusalem, chapters 1-24; 2) Prophecies against the foreign nations, chapters 25-32 and 3) Prophecies of hope and salvation, chapters 33-48.
3. As the book is lengthy, key verses and summaries will be used to present its content.

B. Chapter 1 recounts Ezekiel’s call as a prophet. He is sitting by the Chebar canal when God appears in His glory. The vision is of four living creatures having the likeness of men but with faces of not only humans, but of creatures including a cherubim, lion, ox and eagle. They had wings which touched each other but also covered their bodies. Beside the creatures were wheels which without turning allowed the creatures to move in any direction. Above the creatures was an expanse like crystal, and above the expanse was a throne like sapphire, and on the throne was a likeness of a human with fire and brightness all around. Ezekiel falls on his face and hears the voice of one speaking.

C. Chapter 2 tells that the voice says to him: “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day” (Vs. 2:3). A hand reaches out and gives him a scroll upon which was written words of lamentation, mourning and woe (Vs. 2:.10b).

D. Chapter 3 describes how God instructs him to eat the scroll. The glory of the Lord then carries him away to the exiles along the canal.

E. Chapter 4 records some unusual acts the Lord required of Ezekiel. He first builds a model of the city of Jerusalem and then is to instructed to lie on his led side 390 days for the punishment of Israel, and then 40 days on his right side for Judah. Each day representing a year for a total of 430 days which some scholars believe is a reminder of the 430-year sojourn in Egypt. During this time, he is bound and must cook a mixture of grains and lentils over a fire made from cow dung. The amount of water is also prescribed. All of this is to represent the restrictions of food and water and manner of cooking during the siege of Jerusalem.

F. Chapter 5 describes how the Lord required Ezekiel to cut his hair and divide it into three parts to represent the judgement that will be passed upon Jerusalem. It also recounts the Lord’s vexation against Jerusalem for her sin and idolatry.

G. Chapters 6 through 9 continue the description of the outpouring of God’s wrath. In chapter 8, he is given a vision of the abominations of idolatry in the temple by men and women worshiping false idols. Chapter 9 describes a vision where the idolaters are killed.

H. Chapter 10 returns to the vision first given to Ezekiel of the glory of the Lord. He sees in this vision the glory leaving the temple in Jerusalem.

I. Chapter 11 contains a promise of eventual restoration of Israel: “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God” (Vs. 11:16-20).

J. Chapter 12 relates how Ezekiel is instructed to dig through a wall and carry luggage out at night. This represents how Zedekiah, king of Jerusalem, will attempt to escape the Chaldeans. It also predicts his capture and his being taken to Babylon, but “he will not see it and die there”. When captured, Zedekiah’s eyes were put out and he indeed died in Babylon but did not see it (Vs 12:13).

K. Chapters 13 and 14 are a condemnation by the Lord against false prophets and idolatrous elders.

L. Chapters 15 and 16 compare Jerusalem to a useless vine and a faithless bride.

M. Chapter 17 is a parable of two eagles and two trees. One depicts Zedekiah who trusted in Egypt but was destroyed. The other depicts the future Messiah who will bear fruit to the Lord.

N. Chapter 18 is a discussion by the Lord of His justice in judging sin: “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live (Vs. 18:3-32).”

O. Chapter 19 is a lamentation against the princes of Israel.

P. Chapter 20 recounts Israel’s continuing rebellion but gives a promise of future restoration: “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out” (Vs. 20:33-34).

Q. Chapter 21 continues God’s outpouring of future wrath against Jerusalem as a sword, but also against the Ammonites.

R. Chapter 22 continues the Lord’s recounting of Israel’s sins.

S. Chapter 23 is an allegory of two sisters: “As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem” (Vs. 32:4b). They are compared to lewd prostitutes, and prophecy of their destruction is given.

T. Chapter 24 relates how the siege of Jerusalem began. The Lord tells Ezekiel that his wife will die, but that he is not to mourn. He is given instructions how to dress and what to do so that those Jews in Babylon will do likewise when Jerusalem falls. He is told that a fugitive will come and relate Jerusalem’s fall.

U. Chapter 25 contains prophecies against Ammon, Moab, Seir, Edom and Philistia.

V. Chapter 26 contains a detailed prophecy against Tyre: “I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the LORD; I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD” (VS. 26:14). Bible critics point out that today, Lebanon has been rebuilding the city and it now has a population of 135,000 calling this a false prophecy. However, it is useful to review its history. Tyre has two parts, a mainland and a small island separated from the mainland by a strait of about 540 yards. King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the mainland city in 585 to 573 BC but, was unable to destroy the island. It was not until Alexander the Great that the island was taken. He took rubble from the destruction of the mainland and built a causeway to the island destroying the city and killing 8,000 men. The city was never rebuilt to its full glory that it had at the time of this prophecy as a commercial empire, world trader and colonizer. It became a bare rock for the spreading of nets. Even today, the town is but a shadow of its former glory.

W. Chapter 27 is a lament against Tyre and describes its former glory.

X. Chapter 28 begins with a lament over the king of Tyre, but changes into a prophecy of the judgement of Satan: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you” (Vs. 28:12b-15).

Y. Chapters 29 through 32 describe prophecies against Egypt. Jerusalem had appealed to Egypt for aid during the siege by Babylon. Pharaoh Hophra brought an army to Jerusalem in the spring of 588 which caused the Babylonians to temporarily lid the siege as noted in Jeremiah chapter 37. These prophecies predict the conquest of Egypt by the Babylonians. Bible critics attempt to discredit the Bible by pointing out that there is little evidence that this conquest by Babylon against Egypt ever occurred. As discussed in the summary of Jeremiah, a clay tablet in the British Museum records: “In the 37th year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the country of Babylon, he went to Mizrahim (Egypt) to wage war. Amasis, king of Egypt, collected [his army], and marched and spread abroad.” History records that afterward, Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylon and built it up with canals, aqueducts, temples and reservoirs. Jeremiah says: “I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, declares the LORD” (VS. JER. 46:26). Egypt did retain her freedom “afterward” for about 60 years after Nebuchadnezzar’s campaign against it, until they were defeated by Cambyses II, king of Persia in 525 BC. This means that we do have evidence of fulfilment of this prophecy.

Z. Chapter 33 records how Ezekiel is appointed by the Lord as the watchman for Israel. A fugitive comes from Jerusalem reporting its destruction by Babylon.

AA. Chapter 34 metaphorically presents Israel as the Lord’s sheep. He rages against the evil shepherds, or Israel’s leaders, who were supposed to care for the sheep. The Lord says: “I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken” (Vs.34: 22-24).

BB. Chapter 35 describes judgement against Mount Seir. This is a mountainous region originally given to Esau running along the eastern side of the Valley of Arabah from the dead Sea south to the Gulf of Aqaba. Today, it is located within the country of Jordan. Ezekiel repeats the word of the Lord to them: “Because you said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will take possession of them’—although the LORD was there—therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will deal with you according to the anger and envy that you showed because of your hatred against them. And I will make myself known among them, when I judge you. And you shall know that I am the LORD” (VS. 35:10-12).

CC. Chapter 36 confirms God’s promise to bring back the scattered Jews to the land: “I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Vs. 36:24-28).

DD. Chapter 37 is the valley of dry bones prophecy: “Therefore prophesy, and say to them, thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD’” (Vs. 37:12-14).

EE. Chapters 38 and 39 tell of a war instigated by someone or some nation called Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal (Vs. 38:2) and other nations including Persia, Cush, Put and Gomer. Much has been written about this war and there is much speculation as to when it occurs and who makes up the invading army. One viewpoint is that it is before the Great Tribulation, or even rapture of the church, as the weapons of the invading army are burned for seven years and burial of remains occurs for seven months (Vs. 39:9-10;12-16). Another viewpoint is that it begins during the first half of the tribulation as the invading army attacks when Israel is at peace (Vs. 38:8-11) which would be present during the Antichrist’s treaty with Israel. Gog will not win this war, but will be defeated by God Himself through a great earthquake (Vs. 38:19) and hail, fire and brimstone (Vs. 38:22). The result is that God will then be known: “Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore. And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD” (vs. 39:28-29).

FF. Chapters 40 through 48 detail an enormous temple including its dimensions and land assigned to the tribes, priests and the prince that will rule. It also presents various sacrifices and feasts that will be implemented. There are two schools of thought regarding the interpretation of what this means. One is that there will be a literal temple with literal feasts and sacrifices. Since Christ died on the Cross for all eternity, these must be used as a memorial to His accomplished work. The other viewpoint is that all of this is metaphorical. What argues against this viewpoint is the very detailed dimensions that are sufficient to construct such a temple. The consensus is that this will be during the Millennium period of 1,000 years after Christ returns.

GG. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. The description of the vision in chapter 1 has been used to attempt to say that Ezekiel saw an Unidentified Flying Object. From the detailed description of it, how would you argue against such a viewpoint?
2. The details of what happened to King Zedekiah, in that he would go to Babylon yet not see it (his eyes were put out) show the accuracy of Ezekiel’s prophecies. Does this provide assurance that his other major prophecies will take place in the future?
3. How could you interpret the promise that God will put into his people: “a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Vs. 11:16-20; 34:26-28). Does that New Covenant fulfill this promise? In what way?

A. Summary and Overview.

1. The book of Daniel was written by the prophet Daniel sometime between 540 to 530 BC. That Daniel was a prophet, and the author of the book, is validated by Daniel 7:1b and 12:4, and by Jesus in Matthew 24:15. It is one of the major prophetic books along with Isaiah and Jeremiah. The prophecies within the book are so precise and detailed that Bible critics claim that it was written much later in the second century BC, as it details kingdoms and events that would occur after Daniel’s death. This would not make Daniel a prophet and nullifies its existence as the inspired Word of God. But the previously mentioned reference by Jesus regarding the fact that Daniel was a prophet, puts to rest this criticism: “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)”.
2. The book is written in two languages. Chapter 1 to 2:3 is written in Hebrew. the language of the Jews. Chapters 2:4 through 7 are written in Aramaic, the language of various empires of the time. Chapters 8 through 12 go back to Hebrew. One reason for this may be that the chapters in Hebrew focus on the Jews, while those in Aramaic focus on the kingdoms of the Gentiles. Chapter 4 was written by King Nebuchadnezzar “to all peoples, nations and languages” (Vs. 4:1), recounting his pride, his fall and his eventual acknowledgement and praise of God.
3. The book traces the life of Daniel from his exile in Babylon, as one of the first group of captives taken by King Nebuchadnezzar after the first conquest of Jerusalem in 605 BC, to when he was an old man at the time when King Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC. What can make the book of Daniel difficult to understand is that the chapters are not arranged in chronological order. Here is the order in which they are chronologically:

1. Chapters 1-4: Early captivity and interpretation of dreams and visions
2. Chapter 7: Vision of the four beasts
3. Chapter 8: Vision of the ram and he-goat
4. Chapter 5: Belshazzar’s feast-Babylon’s fall
5. Chapter 9: 70-weeks prophecy
6. Chapter 6: Daniel in the lion’s den
7. Chapters 10-12: Daniel’s last vision

4. An understanding of the prophecies in Daniel is key to understanding Biblical prophecy including the Book of Revelation. It includes the 70-weeks prophecy that pinpoints the appearance of the Messiah and the coming of the Antichrist. Key verses and chapter summaries will be presented.

B. Chapter 1.

1. Daniel, whose Hebrew name means “God is my judge” and his three friends, of whom we are most familiar by their Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, are taken as captives to Babylon. They were of royal blood of the House of David and were placed under the oversight of the chief of the eunuchs. Scripture is silent as to whether Daniel was a eunuch himself. He never married, and there is not the slightest indication of sexual sin as was the case with King David. This is a possibility, but regardless, Daniel’s faithfulness to God throughout the book is a testimony to his righteous living.
2. They are given their first test by refusing to eat of the foods of the Babylonians and persuading the steward placed over them by the chief of the eunuchs, to eat only vegetables instead of wine and other food items of the king. The four are given training for three years in the Babylonian culture, wisdom and literature. At the end of their training, they are brought before the king and found in every matter of wisdom and understanding, to be “ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom” (Vs. 1:20b). “Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Vs. 1:17b).

C. Chapter 2.

1. In the second year of his reign, King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that troubles him. He calls for his magicians, enchanters and sorcerers and tells them to interpret it. They cannot, as he wisely does not tell them what the dream is. This angers the king and he commands that all be killed including Daniel and his three friends. Daniel requests from the king that he be given more time. This is granted and he asks his three friends to seek God’s mercy to give Daniel the interpretation. It is revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and he asks to see the king and gives him the dream and its interpretation.
2. Daniel gives all glory to God for revealing the dream and its interpretation: “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days” (Vs, 2:27).
3. Daniel relates to the king what he saw in his vision: “This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Vs. 2:31-35).
4. Daniel then goes on to give the interpretation. He relates to the king that the head of gold is Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom. The other metals represent kingdoms that will follow but are inferior to his. We know from history that the silver chest and arms represent the Medes and Persian empire, the bronze middle and the thighs represents the Greek empire and the two legs of iron the Roman. The feet and toes represent the kingdom in the last days-a mixture of strength and weakness. The stone that crushes the image represents Christ who will come and set up his kingdom that will never cease.
5. The king then greatly honors Daniel and appoints him ruler over the province of Babylon and over the wise men of Babylon. Daniel persuades the king to appoint his three friends over the affairs of Babylon.

D. Chapter 3.

1. Nebuchadnezzar makes a giant image of gold pertaining to the vision he saw in his dream. This image is all of gold, perhaps to represent his kingdom that he believes will never end. He requires that “when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image” (Vs. 3:5a). Failing to do so will result in being thrown into a fiery furnace.
2. Certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego of not obeying the king’s command. Nebuchadnezzar has them brought before him and tells them that when they hear the sound, they are to fall down and worship the image. If they do so, they will live, but if not, they will be cast into the fiery furnace. The three respond, “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Vs. 3:17-18).
3. The king is furious and has the furnace heated to seven times what it normally is. The three are bound and some of the mighty men of the king’s army carry them up to the furnace. The mighty men are killed due to the heat, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fall bound into the furnace.
4. “Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ He answered and said, ‘But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods’” (Vs. 3:24-25). Nebuchadnezzar calls out to the three and when they come out, they are unharmed. Their hair was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed and no smell of fire was upon them. Nebuchadnezzar gives God the glory and promotes them in Babylon. The question arises as to where was Daniel during this time? The consensus by most Bible scholars is that he was away on the king’s business. If he was present, he certainly would not have bowed to the image.

E. Chapter 4.

1. Nebuchadnezzar begins this chapter with praise to God. He sends a message to: “all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation” (Vs.4:1-3).
2. He has a second dream of a tree that grew large, and birds found shelter in it, and the tree produces fruit, that was food for all. But then a “watcher from heaven” came down and ordered that the tree be cut down and the beasts and birds scattered. The watcher then declares: “But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Vs. 4:15-18).
3. Nebuchadnezzar asks Daniel for the interpretation. Daniel is dismayed, and tells the king that it should be for his enemies, but unfortunately, it is meant for the king. The king is the magnificent tree, but that it will be brought low. The king will become like an animal eating grass and being wet with the dew for seven years until he realizes that God rules, and that He gives the kingdom to who he chooses. He then tells the king: O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity” (Vs. 4:27).
4. But Nebuchadnezzar did not listen. One year later he is walking on the roof of his royal palace and boasts: “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (vs. 4:30). While he was still speaking, a voice from heaven came to him: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws” (Vs. 4:31-33).
5. At the end of the appointed days, he lifts his eyes to heaven and his reason returned to him. The chapter, and further mention of the king concludes with Nebuchadnezzar acknowledging God: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Vs. 4:37).

F. Chapter 5.

1. As mentioned in the overview, this chapter takes place in the future after the events of chapter 8. Nebuchadnezzar has died and his son, Belshazzar now rules over Babylon. Daniel is now an old man and in retirement. Outside the walls, the army of the Medes and the Persians is about to enter the city by stealth. King Cyrus of the Medes has diverted the river Euphrates which provides water to the city and the entrances to the city are protected by iron gates. Cyrus’s army marches unopposed under the gates and through the open and unguarded bronze gates to the city. This is detailed in Isaiah chapter 45.
2. The chapter opens with: “King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone” (Vs.5:1-4).
3. Immediately, the fingers of a hand appeared and wrote on the wall. The king’s countenance became fearful and his knees knocked together. They could not read what was written. They call the wise men but they are unable to read it. The Queen mother relates to Belshazzar that his father had Daniel as a wise consultant and that he could read the writing. Daniel is called for. He first gives the king a rebuke for knowing how his father was humbled by God but instead, lifted himself up: “And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored” (Vs. 5:22-23).
4. Daniel then gives the interpretation: “And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians” (Vs. 5:25-28).
5. The chapter concludes with Belshazzar being killed and Darius the Mede receiving the kingdom at about 62 years of age (Vs. 5:30-31).

G. Chapter 6.

1. This is the famous account of Daniel in the lion’s den. Babylon has fallen and Daniel has been assigned as one of three overseers of 120 Satraps who administer the affairs of Darius’s kingdom. Daniel distinguishes himself because “an excellent spirit was in him” (Vs. 6:3b). Other officials become jealous of his success and seek to find fault with him, but they are unable. They determine that the only way is to find something in relation to the Law of Moses, which Daniel follows.
2. They devise a plot where they persuade the king to issue a decree that anyone who petitions any god or man except the king himself will be thrown into the lion’s den. The king in his pride issues the command. This does not impact Daniel, and he goes to his house, opens the windows which were towards Jerusalem, and prays three times a day. Daniel’s enemies came and found him doing so. They report this to the king who is greatly distressed. Daniel’s enemies remind him that this is a law “of the Medes and the Persians” which cannot be revokes. The king labors until evening trying to find a way to deliver Daniel, but he is unable.
3. The king has Daniel placed into the den of lions and tells him: “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” (Vs. 6:16b). The king then returns to his palace and spends the night fasting. In the morning, he discovers that Daniel has survived as an angel came and sealed the lion’s mouths. The king is elated, but has the enemies of Daniel, their wives and children thrown into the den. The lions overpower them and crush their bones. “Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: ‘Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions” (Vs. 6:25-27).
4. The chapter closes with the statement that “Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Vs. 6:28).

H. Chapter 7.

1. Chapter 7 is set before the fall of Babylon, as described in chapter 5, “in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar king of Babylon” (Vs. 7:1a). The vision he sees corresponds to the vision that King Nebuchadnezzar saw of the image made of metal. Daniel is asleep on his bed, and he receives a vision of four beasts which come out of a turbulent great sea. The first beast is a lion with wings of an eagle, whose wings are plucked off. It is made to stand upon two feet and the heart of a man is given to it. The second was like a bear that raised up on one side with three ribs in its mouth. It was told to arise and devour much flesh. The third beast is like a leopard with four winds on its back.
2. Daniel then sees another beast: “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things” (Vs. 7:7-8).
3. Daniel then sees a vision of the ancient of days: “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened” (Vs.7:9-10). The fourth beast is destroyed, and its body given over to fire.
4. Daniel then sees in his vision one like the son of man: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Vs. 7:13-14). This refers to Christ and his eventual establishment of His kingdom on earth. Jesus referenced this passage when the High Priest asked him “are you the Christ, the son of the blessed?” Jesus affirmed that He is. This caused the High Priest and the Sanhedrin to convict Him of blasphemy (Mark 14:61-64).
5. In his dream, Daniel approaches one who was standing there and asks him the interpretation. He tells him: “These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever” (Vs. 7:17-18). In his day, Daniel would not have known what all of these four beasts represent. We know looking back in history that the first beast represents Babylon. The lion was the symbol of Babylon and was depicted in Babylon such as the Ishtar Gate. That its wings were plucked off and it was stood up as a man and a heart given to it, represents the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar, as told in chapter four. The second beast represents the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. The Medes were a lesser kingdom which is why it is depicted as being on one side. The three ribs represent the three kingdoms that it initially conquered: Lydian, Babylon and Egypt. That it is told to arise and devour much flesh refers to the conquests that the Persian empire eventually achieved. The leopard with four wings represents the Greek empire under Alexander the Great. When he died, his empire was divided among four of his generals represented by the four wings.
6. Daniel inquires of the person in his dream the meaning of the fourth beast. He responds: “The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings. And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time. But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (Vs. 7:23-27).
7. We know from the book of Revelation that this fourth beast represents the Antichrist, who will rule for 3-1/2 years (a time, and times and half a time). But he will be destroyed at the return of Christ. Chapter seven concludes with Daniel being troubled by what he has seen, but he keeps the matter to himself (Vs. 7:28). Daniel will have another vision two years later about the two kingdoms of Persia and Greece and the antichrist in the next chapter.

I. Chapter 8.

1. Daniel was in the ancient city of Shushan, or Susa, now the modern Iranian city Shush, in the province of Elam when he receives another vision. He is beside the river Ulai, which is believed to now be called the river Karkheh. At one time, it was divided into two branches about 20 miles northwest of the city. There was a canal close by the city which may explain why some translations say “by the Ulai canal”. Under the Persians, Shushan became a summer dwelling place for royalty and is the location where the book of Esther takes place. Excavations have revealed the various palace details mentioned in that book.
2. In his vision, Daniel sees a ram with two horns, one being higher than the other. This represents the kingdom of Medo-Persian empire which succeeded the Babylonian empire. The Persian empire became the dominate one which explains why one horn is higher than the other. The ram magnifies himself by pushing westward, northward and southward. But then, another beast, a goat with a “notable horn, comes from the west without touching the ground. It tramples the ram breaking its horns. The goat represents the kingdom of Greece under Alexander the Great, whose conquest were very fast represented by the goat not touching the ground. The goat’s horn is broken at the height of its power, representing Alexander’s death at 33 at the height of his power. The goat’s horn is replaced by four horns towards the “four winds of heaven”. The four horns represent the four generals of Alexander to whom his kingdom was divided.
3. Out of one of the four horns, another horn came up and “waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them. Yea, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host; and it took away from him the continual burnt-offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered” (Vs. 8:9b-12).
4. Daniel then hears: “a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spoke, ‘How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?’ ‘And he said unto me, two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed’” Vs. 8:13-14).
5. Daniel is troubled and asks the meaning of the vision. One with the appearance of a man stood before him and a voice tells the angel Gabriel to explain the vision. Gabriel tells him that the vision is of “the appointed time of the end. The ram represents the Medo-Persian empire and the goat Greece. He further tells him that a: “king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people. And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand” (Vs. 8:23b-25).
6. This vision is what is called a two-fold fulfillment. One of Alexander’s four generals, Seleucus I Nicator, founded the Seleucid empire in 312 BC after Alexander’s death. In 215 BC, the Seleucid empire was ruled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes who persecuted the Jews killing over 40 thousand of them, setng up an idol of Zeus and profaned the temple by slaughtering a pig on the alter. These actions initiated a Jewish revolt called the Maccabean Revolt, which put down the Seleucid kingdom. The temple was cleansed and it is still remembered each year as Hanukkah.
7. The vision also relates to the coming antichrist. Antiochus Epiphanes was evil, but to assign to him “to cast to the ground some of the stars and host of heaven” or to “stand up against the prince of princes” is far beyond what he did. The book of Revelation reveals that this vision also refers to the antichrist. The interpretation of the 2300 evenings and mornings is that it is about 6-1/3 years and pertains to the period that the temple was desecrated in about September 170 BC to about December 164 BC when it was cleansed. The antichrist will also desecrate the temple, and he is the one who will do the extraordinary things mentioned here, including standing up to the prince of princes, who is Jesus.
8. Daniel faints and is sick for many days before getting up to do the king’s business.

J. Chapter 9.

1. Chapter 9 takes place chronologically after chapter 5 speaks of the fall of Babylon. It is the first year of the reign of Darius, of the Medio-Persian empire. It contains what many believe is the most spectacular and profound prophecy in Scripture. Daniel reads Jeremiah’s prophecy that the Jews would spend 70 years in captivity. It is nearing the time that this period would be fulfilled. He prays in sackcloth and ashes confessing his sin and the sins of his people. As he is praying, Gabriel comes and touches him and says that he will give him wisdom and understanding.
2. Gabriel’s message is this: “Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and [to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the anointed one, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: it shall be built again, with street and moat, even in troublous times. And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined. And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate” (Vs. 9:24-27).
3. This prophecy remained a mystery until the early 1800s when Sir Robert Anderson, who was head of Scotland Yard in London, England was able to decode the message with the help of the Royal Observatory. He was an avid Bible student and he discerned that the seventy weeks were seventy weeks of years, 70 times 7 or 490 years. The prophecy is further broken down into 7 weeks or 49 years, then 62 weeks or 434 years and then one more week, or 7 years. The 70 weeks of years begins with the decree by King Artaxerxes of the Persian empire, to rebuild Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 2:1-8). We know from history that this was 444BC.
4. The first 7 weeks of years, or 49 years, is the time it took to rebuild Jerusalem “in troubled times”, as noted in Nehemiah. The next period of 62 weeks of years, or 434 years the time “after which the anointed one will be cut off”. The total of 49 years plus 434 years is 483 years. Using a 360-day year, which was in use in ancient times based upon the cycle of the moon, 483 weeks of years is 476 years in our modern solar calendar, based upon the sun. Adding 476 to 444 BC and adjusting for the change from BC to AD, this works out to 33 AD, to the very day when Jesus was presented to Israel as their Messiah at his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus laments over the city: “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes’” (John 19:41-42).
5. Shortly “after the three score and two weeks”, Jesus, the anointed one, was “cut off”, meaning crucified. This halted the prophetic clock. In 70 AD, the people of the “Prince that will come” destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. The prophecy then jumps to the time of the antichrist for the final 70th week or the 7 years of the tribulation. The antichrist will make a treaty “with many” which starts the prophetic clock once more. In the middle of the week, or 3-1/2 years, he stops the sacrifices in the temple and sets up “the wing of abominations”, or an idol. Christ returns at the end of the last week, or 7 years, and puts the antichrist into the Lake of Fire.
6. As a side note, since the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem, this indicates a possible reconfiguration of the Roman empire. But who actually comprised the ranks of that army? Due to the vast expanse of the Roman empire, it was common to have auxiliary troops from the various providences. The Jewish historian, Josephus reports that the army that conquered Jerusalem, were auxiliary troops comprised from cohorts from within the province of Syria (Zeichmann: Military Forces in Judaea 6-130 CE). The prophet Isaiah makes mention of “the Assyrian” in Isaiah 14:25: “I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.” Ancient Assyria was comprised of the modern countries of northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran and northeastern Syria. Due to this, some scholars speculate that the antichrist may be “the Assyrian”.

K. Chapter 10.

1. This chapter is an introduction to the final two chapters of the book of Daniel. He has been mourning for three weeks. He sees a vision of a magnificent being. He tells Daniel that since he started mourning and humbling himself before God, that he was opposed by the Prince of Persia. It was not until the angel Michael came and assisted him that he was able to come. This brief narrative gives us a window into the spiritual warfare that takes place between God’s angels and Satan’s entities. Apparently, Satan has assigned “princes” over various regions on earth who administer his evil schemes and frustrate God’s purposes.
2. Daniel is told that what he is about to hear pertains to the future of his people and end times. The being tells Daniel that he is greatly beloved, and that he will tell him what is inscribed in the book of truth (Vs. 10:19; 21a).

L. Chapter 11.

1. Chapter 11 is an extremely detailed and complicated portion of Scripture and contains some of the most precise prophecies in the Bible. They are so precise that Bible critics can’t accept their validity and claim that they were written after the fact in the second century BC. But these prophecies were given by God himself: “I am God, and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done” (Vs. Isaiah 46:9b-10a). Chapter 11 contains 45 verses. The first 35 contain prophecies that are past and have been fulfilled. The last ten pertain to future events. All the prophecies given to Daniel were future focused. But to us, the first 35 verses, containing 135 prophecies, have been fulfilled.
2. Verses one through four of chapter 11 describe the kingdom of Persia and its overthrow by Alexander the Great. After his death, his kingdom was divided by four of his generals. Macedonia-Greece was ruled by Antipater and his son, Greece and Asia Minor by Lysimachus, the rest of Asia except lower Syria and Palestine by Seleucus Nicator, and Egypt and Palestine by Ptolemy. The last two generals set up their kingdoms which warred against each other with various political intrigues and are referred to as “the King of the North” and the “King of the South”.
3. The first 35 verses culminate with a description of Antiochus IV Epiphanes who profaned the temple as described in chapter 8 above. The last 10 verses leap forward to end times, the tribulation, and the antichrist. This is the final week of the 70-week prophecy of chapter 9.

M. Chapter 12.

1. Verse one tells of the time of the end when: “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time”. This is the Great Tribulation, as described in the book of Revelation. This will be a time of trouble greater than we have seen in the world wars, the Holocaust, famines, pandemics. It will literally be hell on earth. Verse 2 is the first mention in Scripture of everlasting life: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”. Apparently, the Sadducees in Jesus’s time were not familiar with this passage as they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.
2. Verse 3 speaks of those being wise shining as the firmament. Proverbs 11:30 tells us: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that is wise wins souls”. If we want wisdom, we need to be a soul winner.
3. Daniel is told to seal up the book to the time of the end when many shall run to and fro, and knowledge will be increased. We are living in a time of world-wide travel and knowledge is increasing exponentially. This is another confirmation we are living in the end times.
4. The book concludes with numbering of days that is not fully understood at this time. There is first a mention of time, times and a half (Vs. 7) which is the 1260 days of one-half of the tribulation. But in verses 11 and 12 is this: “And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waits, and comes to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days”. This is an additional 30 days, and then a further 45 days beyond that. The meaning of this may not be discernable to us today, but may be a promise to those who are alive on the earth at that time as an encouragement that deliverance is at hand.
5. The book concludes as Daniel is told: “But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and shalt stand in thy lot, at the end of the days” (Vs. 12:13).

N. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Daniel is an incredible man. He is declared to be “greatly beloved” (Vs. 10:19) by the heavenly messenger. As you look back over what has been learned in the book of Daniel, what attributes does he have that you can set as goals to emulate?
2. Make it a goal to understand and be able to explain the major prophecies of the book of Daniel. They testify of God, who is outside the limitations of time and space and who declares: “I am God, and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done” (Vs. Isaiah 46:9b-10a). This can be a powerful tool in winning souls. Don’t you desire to be wise? (Proverbs 11:30).

A. Summary and Overview.

1. Jonah is mentioned as a prophet in 2nd Kings 14:25 during the reign of Jeroboam II, who reigned from 786 to 746 BC. This would place this book and its narrative sometime during this timeframe. The book is written in the third person, but the consensus is that Jonah is the author of the book. It is comprised of four chapters, and recounts how Jonah is told by the Lord to go to the city of Nineveh and preach against it as “their evil has come up before me” (Vs. 1:2b).
2. Nineveh is described in verse 1:2 as a “great city”, and archeological excavations have confirmed that it was indeed large. At one time, it was considered to be the largest city in the world. In 4:11, God describes it as having 120,000 people who are not yet old enough to know their right hand from their left. In other words, they were infants meaning that the adult population was much bigger. In Vs. 3:3 it is described as “three days journey in breadth.” Its ruins are located on the eastern bank of the Tigris, in the modern-day city of Mosul in northern Iraq. It would later become the capital of Assyria under Sennacherib, who built his palace there. It was destroyed in 612 by the forces of the Medio-Persian empire.

B. Chapter 1.

1. Jonah is directed to go to Nineveh and preach against the city. He rebels, and in chapter four he gives us a reason: “That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (Vs. 4:2b). The Assyrians began their invasion of Israel under King Pul (1 Chronicles 5:26) in 740 BC and took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half tribes of Manasseh into captivity. These tribes were located east of the Jordon River. Jonah may have been aware of their impending invasion, including into Israel proper, which happened in 722 BC. The Assyrians were a fearful and brutal people and Jonah may have desired their destruction. Nineveh is located about 500 miles from Jonah’s home in Gath-hepher (2nd Kings 14:25) which was near Nazareth in Galilee. We do not know where the fish vomited out Jonah, but it certainly was a long distance for Jonah to travel to Nineveh.
2. Jonah flees from the Lord’s command and pays for passage on a ship from Joppa, which is now encompassed by the modern city of Tel Aviv. The ship was headed to Tarshish, which is mentioned 25 times in the Old Testament. However, its exact location is not known, but most likely somewhere on the shores of the Mediterranean. God causes a storm to come up and the sailors are afraid. They cast lots as to who is at fault, and Jonah is selected. He persuades them to cast him overboard, to which they reluctantly agree.
3. God causes a great fish to swallow Jonah and he spends three days and three nights in its belly. Much speculation has been made over what kind of fish this was, and how Jonah could have survived for so long in its belly. For this reason, Bible critics believe the story is a myth. However, Jesus uses Jonah as an illustration of His being in the grave for the same period: “Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of a big fish. The Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the grave also. The men of the city of Nineveh will stand up with the people of this day on the day men stand before God. Those men will say these people are guilty because the men of Nineveh were sorry for their sins and turned from them when Jonah preached. And see, someone greater than Jonah is here!” (Vs. Matthew 12:40-41). Jesus believed in the story, which validates it as being true.

C. Chapter 2. Jonah repents and cries out to the Lord. The big fish vomited him out on dry land.

D. Chapter 3.

1. The Lord tells him once more to go to Nineveh. Jonah obeys and delivers a message that Nineveh will be destroyed in 40 days. The people of Nineveh believe his simple message, put on sackcloth and fast. The king also hears of the pronouncement. He removes his robe, covers himself in sackcloth and sits in ashes. He issues a proclamation: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish” (Vs. 3:7b-9).
2. When God sees that they have turned from their evil way, he relents and does not destroy the city (Vs. 3:10).

E. Chapter 4.

1. Jonah becomes very angry when he sees that the Lord does not destroy Nineveh. He tells the Lord that it is better for him to die than to live. He goes outside the city and builds a small shelter to see what will become of the city. The Lord provides a plant to shelter Jonah from the sun. Jonah is pleased, but then the Lord sends a worm that destroys the plant. Jonah again says that it would be better if would die than to live.
2. The book concludes with: “And the LORD said, ‘You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”’ The Lord mentions the 120,000, which are to be understood as infants in that they are not old enough to tell their right from their left hand. It shows His mercy and compassion for children as well as for animals.

F. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Jonah disobeyed the Lord in that he knew the Lord is compassionate, and perhaps he thought that the Lord might spare the city. Nineveh became the capital city of a nation that would later destroy Israel and take the population into captivity. This made Nineveh an enemy of Israel and Jonah may have wished them dead. Have you ever felt angry enough towards someone that you wished them to be dead? Jesus tells us that makes us subject to judgement, the same as murdering someone. This is an issue of the heart. Humbling ourselves, as the population of Nineveh did, is the first step towards reconciliation with that person. Is there someone you need to be reconciled to?
2. Jonah preached a simple message; it is only five words in the Hebrew language. The gospel is a simple message. Are you able and are you willing, to preach a simple message to your unsaved family members, neighbors, friends and co-workers?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. The book of Hosea was written by the prophet Hosea, as recorded in verse 1:1. This book begins a series of what are called the 12 minor prophets in the Old Testament. The term “minor” refers to their length, not that they are insignificant. Hosea prophesied for about 60 years; it is believed that the book Hosea was written between 755 and 725 BC. Hosea means “salvation”, “He saves”, or “He helps”. Although not specifically identified as such, due to the detail and familiarity of the Northern Kingdom, it is believed that he was physically located in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. His message is mostly given to the Northern Kingdom of Israel although it also addresses Judah, the Southern Kingdom. Israel is frequently called Ephraim in this book, after the largest tribe in the Northern Kingdom.
2. A prophet is one who conveys a message of God to people. In one sense, they are the bridge between heaven and earth. Many times, prophets proclaim what God has spoken to them and relate it to the people. They are proclaiming what God has spoken about various issues of the day to correct or adjust behavior. Other times, prophets are foretelling future events, either in close proximity to the time of the prophet, or looking far ahead into the future. Still other times, what prophets do is demonstration, or acting out a role which God has assigned in order to gain attention of the people to convey His message. We see all three methods at play in this book.
3. Hosea is given a very difficult assignment by God. He is told to: “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom; for the land commits great whoredom, departing from Jehovah” (Vs. 1:2b). Hosea is to demonstrate the analogy of Israel being like an adulterous wife by committing idolatry and forsaking her marriage relationship to God. But the analogy also includes Hosea redeeming his adulterous wife as God will also redeem adulterous Israel at the end of days. This demonstrates His faithful commitment to His covenants, and His steadfast love, typified by Hosea’s long suffering as a husband of an unfaithful wife.
4. Hosea can be divided into two parts. The first part, chapter 1 verse one through chapter 3 verse 5, symbolizes Israel, the unfaithful wife to God through idolatry. The second part, chapter 4 verse 1 through chapter 14 verse 9, contains the condemnation of Israel and her eventual restoration. Key chapters and verses will be summarized.

B. Chapter 1.

1. Hosea takes Gomer as his wife and she conceives and bears him a son that God tells him to name “Jezreel”. Jezreel is the name of a valley in Israel which means “God scatters”. This is likened to sowing seed by scattering them. In the Hebrew, Jezreel and Israel are almost identical in spelling and in pronunciation. This is a play on words that we don’t get in translations. God is pronouncing a judgement on Israel, that He will scatter the ten northern tribes to the nations. This occurred in 722 BC by means of the Assyrian conquest, due to Israel’s unfaithfulness to Him. The Assyrian strategy was to take people of countries they conquered and scatter them into other countries that they had conquered, and bring those people back into the one they just conquered. This resulted in a mingling of the people, a breaking down of ethnic strongholds and a weakening of nationalistic ties. This happened to Israel, and that is how the Samaritans came about. This is why the Jews of the Southern Kingdom would later have such a dislike of the Samaritans.
2. Gomer conceives again and brings forth a daughter. God tells Hosea to name her Loruhamah which means “no mercy”. God further tells Hosea: “for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen” (Vs. 1:6b-7). God was telling Hosea that Israel could no longer expect mercy from Him but, Judah would continue, and He would rescue them from the Assyrians, but not due to their own military strength. This prophecy was fulfilled when the Assyrian army under king Sennacherib surrounded Jerusalem as described in Isaiah chapter 37. Judah’s king Hezekiah prayed and an angel from God destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. Sennacherib returns to his capital where he is assassinated by his sons. Archeological excavations of cities in the areas conquered by the Assyrians all have what is called the Assyrian destruction layer, except for Jerusalem. Jerusalem was spared for another 136 years but was conquered by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The Jews were exiled for 70 years in Babylon until a remnant would return, as detailed in Ezra and Nehimiah.
3. Gomer conceives again and the son is named “Lo-ammi” which means “not my people”: “for you are not my people, and I am not your God (Vs. 1:9b).” But then God gives a prophecy of future restoration: “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, ‘“You are not my people, ”’it shall be said to them, ‘“Children of the living God.”’ And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel” (Vs.1:10-11).

C. Chapter 2. The chapter continues to describe Gomer’s unfaithfulness as an analogy of Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord. But the chapter ends with a promise of restoration: “And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God (Vs.2:23b).’”

D. Chapter 3. The Lord tells Hosea to “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods” (Vs.3:1). Hosea buys her for 15 shekels of silver and a measure of barley.

E. Chapter 4. This is the beginning of the second part of Hosea. The chapter opens with: “Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” (Vs. 4:1-2). Knowledge of the Lord and his Word is crucial to avoiding sin.

F. Chapter 5 is a continuation of condemnation of both Israel and Judah.

G. Chapter 6. The first two verses of this chapter are seen by some to be a prophecy of the Lord’s return: “Come, let us return to the LORD; for He has torn us, that He may heal us; He has struck us down, and He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him” (Vs. 6:1-2). Coupled with Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8, that indicate that 1,000 years is like a day unto the Lord, the interpretation is that it has been almost 2,000 years, or two days, since the Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah, in about 33 AD. They have been “bound up”, but “after two days” would mean that it is close to the time when He would “raise them up” for the third day of the 1,000-year Millennium Kingdom. Israel will be “raised up” and accept Christ as Messiah when He returns. Only time will tell if this is truly an end times prophecy.

H. Chapters 7 through 14. These chapters are a continuation of lamentation over Israel’s unfaithfulness as well as some over Judah. The book closes with a plea to return to the Lord and a word about wisdom: “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them” (Vs. 14:9).

I. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Hosea is a picture of a loving God who agonizes over his unfaithful wife, Israel. Yet, He promises to restore her. We are currently in the time of the Gentiles, or the church age. Israel, and later Judah experienced God’s wrath, due to their idolatry, when first the Assyrians and then the Babylonians conquered Israel and then Judah. After the Babylonian captivity, Israel never again has a history of idolatry. Have you ever experienced the Lord’s restoration after a time of not walking with Him? What does Hosea tell you about the unfailing love of God for His people?
2. We cannot know the day or the hour of the Lord’s return, but we are to be watchful and stay “awake” (Mark 13:32-37). How might Hosea 6:1-2 be something that would encourage us to do so?

A. Summary and Overview.

1. The book of Joel was written by the prophet Joel whose name means “Yawheh is God”, as identified in verse 1:1. Joel is one of the minor prophets, not because of insignificance, but due to length. It has only three chapters. It is believed by some, including Jewish tradition, that the prophet wrote this book sometime in the 835 to 800 BC timeframe to the Northern Kingdom, Israel. But there is disagreement, as some scholars believe it was written to the Southern Kingdom Judah, due to references to Judah and Jerusalem in chapter 3. Joel does not give us specifics which could make a better determination. Regardless, Joel’s message of a coming “day of the Lord” (1:15) is prophetic, and applies in the near-term future of Israel and Judah as well as end times events. Joel uses the term “the day of the Lord” for a total of five times throughout the book. The day of the Lord represents a day of judgement, when God’s wrath is poured out on the unrepentant nation due to its sin, idolatry and departure from Him. It is an example of near-far fulfillment of prophecy, as it relates to the near prophetic application to Israel and Judah, as well as to the nations at the end times.

B. Chapter 1. The setting depicts a vast plague of locusts, which destroys everything, stripping fields of grain, gardens and even the bark off of trees. The locusts are likened metaphorically to a vast army that will eventually destroy the land. This occurred during the Assyrian conquest of Israel, which began about 740 BC and culminated in the fall of Israel’s capital, Samaria, in 722 BC. Joel calls the elders to a fast: “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD” (VS. 1:14).

C. Chapter 2.

1. The chapter continues the analogy of the locusts as a vast conquering army which could be the Assyrians, as previously mentioned, or the Babylonians who conquered Jerusalem in 586 BC. There is a plea to return to the Lord: “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?’” (Vs. 2:12-14). What Joel is saying is that true repentance of the heart could very well turn away the wrath of God and “the day of the Lord”.
2. There is the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions” (Vs.2:28). The Apostle Peter references this passage in Acts 2:17) on the day of Pentecost.

D. Chapter 3.

1. The chapter opens with a direct reference to end times: “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land” (Vs.3:1-2). It also references the winepress of God’s wrath (3:13) and supernatural events such as the darkening of sun and moon and stars (Vs. 3:14b-15).
2. The book concludes with a vision of the future restoration of Israel and Judah: “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it. ‘And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD and water the Valley of Shittim”’ (Vs, 3:17-18).

E. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. It was customary in biblical times for those suffering great anguish to rend, or tear, their garments as a sign of their distress. Joel writes in 2:13 to “rend your hearts and not your garments”. What do you think the Holy Spirit is telling us through the prophet Joel?
2. How could you use the term “the day of the Lord” in your personal evangelism?
3. How does the book of Joel give us hope for the future?

A. Summary and Overview.

1. Amos is the writer of the book as identified in verse 1:1. He was a shepherd and a farmer from the village of Tekoa, which was about 12 miles south of Jerusalem. He wrote about 760 BC during the time of King Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam, king of Israel. Verse 1 also says that this was about 2 years before “the earthquake”. The reigns of Uzziah and Jeroboam overlapped for about 14 years which narrows the time period. The Jewish historian Josephus writes that the earthquake occurred at the time that Uzziah became a leper towards the end of his reign. Uzziah had gone into the temple and was burning incense, a practice reserved only for priests. Leprosy was his punishment from God. Zechariah 14:5b also mentions an earthquake: “And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah”. Furthermore, archeological excavations in that region show a destruction layer from that time period from an earthquake that scientists estimate at 8.2. This explains why it was a memorable event. All of this comes together to prove the validity of Scripture.
2. Amos is another of the minor prophets due to the length of the book, which is nine chapters. His ministry was to the Northern Kingdom of Israel to bring God’s chastisement of their sin, corruption, and idolatry. He also chastises the surrounding nations including Judah.

B. Chapters 1 and 2. Amos pronounces judgement on Israel’s neighbors: Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab and Judah before addressing Israel. All these countries form a circle around Israel, which highlights that Amos’s message is predominately for Israel.

C. Chapter 3. Amos declares his role as a prophet of God: “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy?” (Vs.3:7-8).

D. Chapters 4 through 9. Amos continues his pronouncement of judgement by God upon Israel due to their injustice, oppression of the poor, corruption, and idolatry. But the book closes with a promise of future restoration under the Messiah: “I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,’ says the LORD your God” (Vs. 9:14-15).

E. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Amos was a shepherd and fruit farmer without formal education or training. But God used him. You also may not have a college degree or much training in theology. Do you believe that God can also use you? How can you become more useful to God?
2. God has gathered the Jews back into Israel beginning with its re-establishment as a country in 1948. No other people have such a continuous preservation of their identity after destruction of their homeland, which occurred by the Romans in 70 AD. They are back in the land, they have rebuilt their cities, planted vineyards, but they as a people do not acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. This will happen when Christ returns. For centuries, Bible teachers believed that the nation would be re-established, yet there was no fulfillment of that prophecy until 1948. How does that give you hope for the fulfillment of the rest of God’s prophecies related to end times?

A. Overview and Summary. Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, consisting of 21 verses. We know nothing of Obadiah, the prophet. He wrote shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. It is a condemnation of Edom, located in present day Jordan. The Edomites are descendants of Esau while Israelites are descendants of Jacob. Jacob and Esau struggled in the womb and the two nations have been struggling ever since. King Herod, in the New Testament, was an Edomite who attempted to kill the baby Jesus.

B. Obadiah makes note of Edom dwelling in clefts of the rocks: “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’” (Vs. 3). This could be a reference to the city of Petra, a sandstone location is southern Jordan. It is reached only by a ¾-mile narrow gorge, which made it easily defendable. The Edomites inhabited Petra during the iron age after the death of King Solomon.

C. Obadiah writes to condemn the Edomites who rejoiced when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem: “On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them” (Vs. 11). They looted Jerusalem and God pronounced His judgement upon them: “Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever” (Vs. 10).

D. Obadiah pronounces judgement upon the nations on the day of the Lord: “For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been” (Vs.15).

E. The book closes with a prophecy of the restoration of Israel under the Messiah: “The exiles of this host of the people of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the Negeb. Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s” (Vs. 20-21).

F. Discussion, Application and Passing it on.

1. Edom’s sin was pride and an unwillingness to assist Israel. Pride is often the cause of sin. Are you prideful? What does the Scripture tell you to do?
2. The word “saviors” in verse 21 is a reference to apostles who preach the gospel in these last days. An apostle is simply a “sent one”. Are you equipped to “be sent” to share the gospel with your unsaved family, friends, neighbors and co-workers? If not, how can you be equipped to be ready to do so?

Overview and Summary. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell of the return of some of the exiled Jews to Jerusalem. But most remained in what had become the kingdom of Persia after the fall of Babylon. The story of Esther takes place during what is believed to be the reign of King Ahasuerus, or Xerxes I, in about 480 BC. The author is not known, but some believe that it could have been written by Mordecai, one of the principal characters in the narrative. The book of Esther, as well as Song of Songs, is unique in that the name of God is not mentioned. But the book shows how God works through events and individuals to accomplish His purposes. It is an amazing story which has been made into several movies. In short, it is a dramatic narrative of God’s deliverance of his people through an orphaned Jewish girl who becomes Queen of Persia.

A. Chapter One.

1. We are introduced to King Ahasuerus who is giving a great feast lasting 180 days for his officials. Wine was lavished without restriction. After 180 days, the King gives a feast for seven days for all the people in Susa, the capital of Persia. As a side note, Ahasuerus is believed to be Xerxes I whose army was opposed by the Greeks at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. King Leonidas of Sparta, with 300 of his personal bodyguards and other Greek forces, held the narrow pass of Thermopylae against a massive Persian army for three days, ultimately dying to the last man. The invasion was ultimately stopped the next year, ending the second of two invasion attempts by the Persians. The first was by Xerxes’s father Darius I, who was defeated by the Greek state of Athens at the battle of Marathon in 490 BC. That battle has given its title to the Marathon race of 26 miles, honoring the Greek soldier who ran to Athens and reported victory, dying in the process. It could be that the feasts given by Ahasuerus were a means for him to compensate for these losses.
2. Queen Vashti also gives a feast for the women in the palace. At the end of the seven days, Ahasuerus, who is “merry with wine”, calls for Queen Vashti to appear wearing her crown to “show the people and princes her beauty for she was lovely to look at” (Vs. 1:11). Vashti refuses which enraged Ahasuerus. Scripture is silent as to the reason why Vashti refused. Rabbinical tradition is that it was expected that she would appear wearing nothing but her crown which would explain her refusal. But this is just speculation. The King asks his advisors what should be done to Queen Vashti. They tell him that not only did Queen Vashti do wrong to the King but that all women will now “look at their husbands with contempt” (Vs. 1:17). They tell him that Vashti must never appear before the King again and her place given to another.

B. Chapter Two.

1. The young men who advised the King, tell him “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the King” (Vs. 2:2). This pleases the King, and officers in the various provinces were instructed to seek out beautiful maidens and have them be sent to Susa. Here we are introduced to Esther, called Hadassah, and her older first cousin Mordecai, who adopted Esther after her parents died. She and other young women were placed under the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the King’s harem. She and seven other maidens were advanced to the best place in the harem. Mordecai had instructed her not to make known that she was Jewish. He walked every day in front of the court of the harem to learn how she was.
2. The maidens were prepared for a year with various spices and ointments. Then they would each go in to the King in the evening and then to another harem in the morning. They would not go into the King again unless called for. When Esther went into the King, she won his favor, and he made her Queen and set the crown upon her head.
3. Two of the King’s eunuchs who guarded the gate became angry at the King and plotted to kill him. Mordecai heard of the plot and told Esther who in turn told the King. The two were hanged and a record was made.

C. Chapter Three.

1. We are introduced to another major character in this story of Esther. Haman, who we are told is an Agagite, is promoted by the King over all of the officials. Haman was most likely a descendent of Agag, King of the Amalekites, who we remember from 1 Samuel 15:3. The Amalekites were long time enemies of the Jewish people, and King Saul was instructed to destroy them. Due to his disobedience, he lost his kingship and now, centuries later, Haman will initiate a plot to annihilate the Jews.
2. Haman was a close confidant of the King who instructed the officials that they were to bow down to him in homage. Mordecai did not and his Jewish heritage was made known. When Haman learns of Mordecai’s refusal, he plots to not only destroy Mordecai, but all Jews within Persia. Haman deceived the King by telling him that the Jews have their own laws and do not keep those of the King. The King is persuaded to issue an edict to kill all the Jews in Persia. A day is selected by casting lots, called a “pur” in Persian.

D. Chapter Four.

1. Esther finds out about the edict from Mordecai. She tells him via a eunuch that was assigned to her that anyone who approaches the king without permission could be put to death unless he extends a golden scepter to that person. When Mordecai learns what Esther has said, he instructs the messenger to tell her: “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Vs. 4:13-14).
2. Esther agrees and instructs him to gather all the Jews in Susa to fast for three days, and that she and her maiden will do the same. She then says: “Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish” (Vs. 4:16b).

E. Chapter Five.

1. After three days, Esther puts on her royal robes and goes to the King’s court. The King extends his scepter and Esther touches the tip of it. The King asks what is her request, and that he would grant it up to half of his kingdom. She asks that he and Haman come to a feast that she has prepared. They come, and again the king asks what is her request. She again asks both of them to come to another feast the next day at which she will reveal her request. Scripture is silent as to why Esther delayed her request until a second feast was held. Bible commentators give various speculative reasons, but as we see the story unfold, we see God’s sovereign timing and the complete humiliation of the prideful Haman.
2. At the second feast invitation, Haman is elated. As he goes out, he is angered to see that Mordecai does not tremble or bow down to him. He goes home and relates all that has transpired. His wife tells him to build a gallows 50 cubits high, and tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. This pleases Haman and he has it built.

F. Chapter Six.

1. That same night, the King cannot sleep, and he calls for the official records to be brought to him. He hears of Mordecai’s preventing the two eunuchs from harming him. He asks what honor had been bestowed upon Mordecai. When he learns that nothing had been done, he asks who is in the court at that moment. Haman had just entered to request that Mordecai be hanged. The King asks him what should be done to someone who the King wishes to honor. Haman, thinking that it is him, tells him that he should be dressed in the King’s robes, placed upon the King’s horse, and paraded through the square by an official while crying out that this is the way the King delights to honor.
2. The King tells him to quickly carry out this task to Mordecai. Afterwards, Mordecai returns to the gate but Haman hurries to his house mourning. Haman’s wife and friends tell him “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him” (Vs. 6:13b). While they are talking, eunuchs arrive to take Haman to the second feast that Esther has arranged.

G. Chapter Seven.

1. On the second day, the King asks Esther what is her request. She asks for her life and that of her people and exposes Haman’s evil plot. The king arises from the wine drinking in a rage and goes into the garden. Haman falls upon the couch where Esther is and begs her for mercy.
2. The King comes in at that moment and cries out “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” (Vs. 7:8b). As these words come out of the mouth of the King, they cover Haman’s face signifying his death. One of the eunuchs who was serving the king, tells him of the gallows at Haman’s house that Haman had prepared to hang Mordecai. The King tells them to take Haman there and hang him upon it. They do so, and the King’s wrath is abated.

H. Chapter Eight. As the previous edict of the King could not be revoked, Ahasuerus has Mordecai issue a new edict sent by couriers to all 127 provinces which would allow the Jews to defend themselves against any that would seek to harm them. “And in every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them” (Vs. 8:17).

I. Chapter Nine. The Jews kill their enemies for two days but do not take plunder. The ten sons of Haman are hanged on gallows. The celebration of Purim is initiated, which is named after the casting of lots for the day that was originally intended to kill all the Jews.

J. Chapter Ten. Mordecai advances to the rank of second in command of Persia after King Ahasuerus. “He was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people” (Vs. 10:3b).

K. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. As was mentioned in the opening summary to this book, the name of God is not mentioned even once. Nor is there mention that when the Jews fasted that they also prayed. But, where do you see God’s sovereign hand at work in events and individuals in this narrative?
2. Haman was an Agagite, most probably the descendant of King Agag of the Amalekites, long-time enemies of the Jews. If King Saul had followed God’s instructions to kill all of the Amalekites, Haman and his evil plot would never have happened. Bible critics have termed God’s instruction a genocide and used it, and other passages where God instructs the Jews to kill the Canaanites and other tribes, such as in Deuteronomy 20:16-17, to attack the concept of a loving God. Many believers have fallen away from the faith due to such criticism. From what you have learned from reading previous summaries of Bible books, what was the purpose of God in doing this? Are you now equipped to give an explanation to someone who may be doubting the Bible and God’s divine attributes?
3. Esther was sovereignly placed as Queen of Persia “for such a time as this”. Do you believe that you also have been placed where you are to accomplish God’s purpose at such a time as this?

A. Theme and Background.

1. As was mentioned in the background for first Samuel, both first and second Samuel are one book in the Jewish Bible. They were first separated by the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint about 250 BC.
2. Second Samuel continues the narrative of David after the death of King Saul. He is anointed King of Judah at Hebron, where he ruled for seven years and six months and then at Jerusalem, where he reigned over all of Judah and Israel for thirty-three years (vs. 5:5).
3. David is representative, although imperfect, of what theocratic rule will be under Christ upon His return. David kept the Lord’s commands all his life except in the case of Uriah the Hittite (1 Kings 15:5) which is recorded in chapter eleven.

B. Chapters one through four.

1. Chapter One. David learns of Saul’s death by means of a young man, an Amalekite, who claimed he ended Saul’s life as a mercy killing at Saul’s request. He brought his crown and armlet. David is anguished and has him killed, as he had claimed to kill God’s anointed. The rest of the chapter is David’s lamentation over Saul and Jonathan.
2. Chapter Two records that David is anointed King over Judah and Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth is made King of Israel by Abner, commander of Saul’s army. Abner’s men and Joab’s men battle each other.
3. Chapter Three. There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. David’s house grew stronger while Saul’s house grew weaker (vs. 3:1). Ish-Bosheth angers Abner over the accusation that Abner slept with one of Saul’s concubines. Abner sends messengers to David seeking consolidation of the kingdom. David agrees on condition that his wife, Saul’s daughter Michal, who was given to another man be returned to him. Joab murders Abner and David morns his death.
4. Chapter Four. Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in both feet as a result of falling when his nurse fled in haste at the news of Saul’s and Jonathan’s death (vs. 4:4). Ish-Botheth is murdered while he was taking a noon day rest by two men who were captains of his raiding parties (vs. 4:5-6). They took Ish-Botheth’s head to David seeking reward for killing him. David has them killed for murdering a righteous man on his bed (vs. 4:12).

C. Chapter Five. David is anointed King over Israel thereby consolidating the united kingdom. David seizes Jerusalem and becomes greater and greater because the Lord was with him (vs. 5:10). Hiram, King of Tyre, sends building material and craftsmen who build David a house. After inquiring of the Lord, David defeats an army of the Philistines (vs. 5:19). An intriguing but small note is made in verse 5:21, where it says that David’s men carried off the idols of the Philistines who left them after the battle. This again shows how Israel still clung to idols.

D. Chapter Six.

1. David brings the Ark on a new cart from where it had been at Baale-judah. The Oxen stumble and Uzzah reaches out with his hand to steady it. “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God” (vs. 6:7).
2. David then fears the Lord, and the Ark is placed in the home of Obed-edom for three months. When David learns that the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his household, he brings it up to the tent prepared for it.
3. As he brings it into the city of David, he leaps and dances with joy and inadvertently exposes himself. Michal sees him and rebukes him. The chapter concludes that she had no child un8l her death.

E. Chapter Seven. The prophet Nathan affirms the covenant with David that his house and his throne will be established forever (vs. 7:16-17). The chapter closes with David’s prayer of gratitude.

F. Chapter Eight records David’s victories and his officials.

G. Chapter Nine. David shows great kindness to Mephibosheth, the sole surviving son of Jonathan. He decrees that Mephibosheth will eat at his table.

H. Chapter Ten records David’s victories over the Ammonites and the Syrians.

I. Chapter Eleven is the sordid story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the arrangement for the death of her husband.

1. The Bible records that it was Spring when kings go out to battle, but David remained in Jerusalem (vs. 11:1). That was David’s first mistake. Secondly, he looked upon Bathsheba while she was bathing from his rooftop advantage. He should have looked away immediately but, he lusted for her. Thirdly, he sent for her and laid with her and she became pregnant. He attempts to cover up his sin by sending for Uriah, her husband, in hopes he will have sex with his wife, and the implication would be that he is the father. But Uriah did not, as his fellow soldiers were camping in a field. Uriah was one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:41), or those who were especially valiant and trustworthy, which makes David’s sin even more heinous.
2. David sends him back with instructions to Joab to put him in the forefront of the fighting and then withdraw so that he would be killed. David then takes Bathsheba as his wife and a child is born.

J. Chapter Twelve.

1. Nathan’s rebukes of David for his sin by using a parable of a rich man who takes a little lamb of a poor man. David’s anger is kindled against the fictitious rich man and says that he deserves to die (vs. 12:5). Nathan proclaims words that pierce to the heart of David: “You are that man!” (vs. 12:7).
2. The Lord then tells David through Nathan “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife” (vs. 12:10).
3. David repents and Nathan tells him that he will not die, but because he has utterly scorned the Lord, the child born to him will die (vs. 12:14).
4. David prays and fasts in hope that the Lord will be gracious and allow the child live. But the child dies on the seventh day. David gives us a glimpse of eternity when he proclaims: “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (vs. 12:23b). The chapter concludes with the birth of Solomon to David and Bathsheba and the taking of the city Rabbah of the Ammonites.

K. Chapter 13 marks the beginning of God’s judgement upon David for his sin. One of his sons Amnon, rapes his half-sister Tamar, a sister of another son Absalom. After two years, Absalom murders Amnon and flees to Geshur for three years. But the spirit of David longed to go out to Absalom (vs. 13:39).

L. Chapter 14 records how Joab interceded for Absalom by means of a woman who pretended to have two sons, one of which killed the other setting up a situation similar to David. Absalom returns to Jerusalem but, he does not go into the presence of David for two years. Absalom begins to gain the approval of the people. He is described as handsome in appearance. He cuts his hair only once a year, which will be his eventual downfall. Joab again intercedes for Absalom and he is reconciled to David.

M. Chapter 15 describes Absalom’s conspiracy to seize the throne. David flees Jerusalem.

N. Chapter 16 relates how Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth met David with provisions. He tells David of Mephibosheth’s belief that since David has fled, that Israel will give Mephibosheth the kingdom of his father Saul. Due to Mephibosheth’s unfaithfulness for all David has done for him, David gives Ziba all that belonged to Mephibosheth. A man of Saul’s house named Shimi curses David from afar. Absalom pitches a tent on the roof of the palace and goes into David’s concubines that he had left to care for the palace. This was to make known to the people that he has made himself a stench to David and the hands of those aligned with him would be strengthened (vs. 15:21-22).

O. Chapter 17 describes how Absalom’s counselor Ahithophel gave advice for Absalom to pursue David while he was weary from his flight (vs.17:1-4). Initially, the advice seems good to Absalom and the elders of Israel. Absalom calls in a second opinion from Hushai, who disagrees with Ahithophel’s advice. He cautions him that David is a man of war and tells him to wait un8l all Israel is gathered to him. Absalom accepts Hushai’s advice “For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom” (vs. 17:14b). Ahithophel sees that his advice is rejected. He goes back to his home, places his affairs in order and hangs himself (vs. 17:23).

P. Chapter 18 tells of a great battle between Absalom’s men of Israel and David’s men of Judah. Absalom is riding on a mule and his hair gets entangled in the branches of a tree. Joab and his armor-bears kill him (vs. 18:14-15). David learns and weeps for his son Absalom.

Q. Chapter 19. David returns to Jerusalem and is met by Shimei, who had cursed him. He pleads with David to forgive him of that incident, and David pardons him. Mephibosheth also comes; he has not taken care of his feet or hair since David departed. He tells David that his servant Ziba deceived him by telling him that he was saddling a donkey so that he could go with David. David decides to divide the property of Mephibosheth between Ziba and Mephibosheth, but Mephibosheth says that Ziba can take it all, as he is glad that David has come home safely. The narrative continues with how Barzilai, an aged man, had provided provisions earlier to David. David invites him to come with him to Jerusalem, but Barzilai declines, as he is old and desires to die and be buried with his parents.

R. Chapter 20 records the rebellion of a man named Sheba, who led the men of Israel away from David. Joab and the army pursue him to a city named Abel. They threw up a siege ramp and were in the process of battering down the wall when a wise woman called out to Joab that they would give up Sheba, so that the city would not be destroyed. Joab agrees, and they throw out the head of Sheba and the city is spared.

S. Chapter 21. There was famine in Israel for three years. David inquires of the Lord and is told that there is bloodguilt on Saul’s house. This was because he put the Gibeonites to death who had been promised protection by Joshua. David asks them what should be done. They ask for seven sons of Saul and they are put to death. It should be noted that David did not inquire of the Lord what to do, but took the advice of the Gibeonites. The rest of the chapter records a war with the Philistines where David is victorious over them, including killing more of the descendants of the giants.

T. Chapters 22 and 23 are David’s song of deliverance and his last words. Chapter 23 also is a record of David’s mighty men.

U. Chapter 24 is the conclusion of 2 Samuel, and describes how the Lord was angry against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel and Judah (vs. 24:1). Compare this account with the parallel one in 1 Chronicles 21:1 where it says that “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.” The Lord gives David three choices of judgement through the prophet Gad. David chooses three days of Pestilence: “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man” (vs. 24:14). Seventy thousand men die but Jerusalem is spared. The chapter closes with the account of David purchasing from Araunah his threshing floor to erect an altar to the Lord. Araunah offers to give David the property, but David says: “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing” (vs. 24:24). This threshing floor became the site on which the temple was later built.

V. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. Uzzah was killed by God “for his error” in steadying the cart with the ark on it. The ark was to be moved by means of rods through the rings on the corners of the ark on the shoulders of the priests (Exodus 25:14). David and Uzzah were apparently unaware of this requirement. The ark was holy and was to be treated with the utmost respect as it represented God Himself. Although both David and Uzzah had good intentions regarding the ark, God sent a powerful message in this incident as He is to be treated with awe and respect. Under the new covenant of the blood of Christ, we have the boldness to approach His throne (Hebrews 4:16). Yet, we must not allow this boldness to reduce our awe of a holy God. Have you treated the holiness of God with a lack of respect in the past? Do you see this tendency present in worship music or other aspects of a church service?
2. The story of David and Bathsheba has important lessons for men especially. Some have attempted to place an accusation of entrapment against Bathsheba. But careful reading of the text reveals that David rose from his bed to walk on the roof of the king’s house. Bathsheba could not have known the 8ming of this; she was bathing on the rooftop where relief was commonly found from the heat of the day. All blame must be placed upon David as a powerful individual who exercised his lustful will upon the wife of one of his faithful mighty men. What lessons can we learn from David’s sin? Have you fallen into sin in the past by being somewhere where you shouldn’t? Have you attempted to hide your sin by covering it up? David experienced God’s justice and discipline from this incident. Have you had the experience of receiving God’s justice and discipline over your sin?
3. David accepts the request of the Gibeonites regarding how to end the famine (chapter 21). He did not consult the Lord. Have you ever taken the advice of others in a matter instead of consulting the Lord?
4. David refused the offer of a gift of the threshing floor of Araunah as “I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing”. How do you think your offerings to the Lord are viewed by Him? Do your offerings cost you nothing?

A. Theme and Background.

1. Like First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings are one book in the Jewish Scriptures. They too were first divided by the Septuagint about 250 BC. Although the writer is unknown, it is Traditionally assigned to Jeremiah.
2. First and Second Kings continue the narrative begun in First and Second Samuel. Together, these four historical books record the rise of the Kingdom of Israel from its beginnings under the scattered rule of Judges to a unified kingdom under King Saul and then on to its greatest glory, extent and prosperity under King David and King Solomon. It ends with a divided kingdom and apostacy of the northern tribes.
3. Together, these books show the inability of man to rule himself and the result of worship of false gods.

B. Chapters One and Two record the death of King David and the coronation of King Solomon.

1. Chapter One.

1. The chapter opens with the aged David being unable to keep warm. The kingdom is searched and a beautiful young woman named Abishag was found to minister to him but, he did not have sexual relations with her. Adonijah, a half-brother of Solomon, sets himself up as king and gathers Joab, the commander of the army and Abiathar, the priest who helped him.
2. Bathsheba comes to the king while Abishag is ministering to David and informs him that Adonijah has seized the kingdom in violation of David’s promise to her to make Solomon king after him. Nathan the prophet, and Zadok the priest are instructed to have Solomon ride on David’s mule and anoint him king, causing the city to be in an uproar (vs, 1:44-45).
3. Adonijah hears the uproar and is informed that Solomon has been anointed king. He flees in terror to the altar and lays hold of the horns, signifying a plea that he would not be put to death. Solomon hears of this and says: “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die” (vs. 1:52). He then tells Adonijah to go to his own house.

2. Chapter Two.

1. David calls Solomon to him, as he knows he is about to die and instructs him saying: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel’” (vs. 2:2-4).
2. He then tells Solomon to deal with Joab, the commander of the army who killed two commanders of Israel, avenging in a time of peace for blood that had been shed in a time of war (vs. 2:5). He also tells him to act according to his wisdom but, to not let Joab’s grey hair go down to Sheol in peace. David also remembers with kindness Barzillai, who brought provisions to David when he was fleeing Absalom. He then addresses Shimei who cursed David when he was fleeing, but came and met David at the Jordan upon David’s return. David promised not to kill him and David acknowledges Solomon’s wisdom in dealing with him.
3. David dies and is buried in the city of David and Solomon’s reign as king is fully established (vs. 2:10-11).
4. The balance of the chapter deals with how justice was dealt to those who rebelled against David.

1. Adonijah goes to Bathsheba and asks her to request of David that Abishag, the woman who kept David warm, be given to him as a wife. This seems a harmless request but when Solomon hears of it, he has Adonijah put to death (vs, 2:25). The reason lies with the custom of conquering kings to take a defeated king’s concubines as his own, thereby cementing the victory. We see this happening when Absolom seized the throne in Second Samuel 16:22. Adonijah’s request shows that he still desired the kingship.
2. Solomon removes Abiathar the priest because he supported Adonijah. He did not kill him because he carried the ark and shared in David’s affliction (vs. 2:26). His removal from the priesthood fulfilled the word of the Lord concerning the house of Eli (vs. 2: 27).
3. When Joab hears of Adonijah’s death, he flees and lays hands on the horns of the altar as he had supported Adonijah in his rebellion. Solomon hears of it and has him put to death (vs. 2:34).
4. Shimei is told to build a house in Jerusalem, but if he leaves Jerusalem he will die (vs. 2:37). Shimei obeys this command at first, but after three years, he leaves Jerusalem to chase down two of his servants. Solomon hears of it and when Shimei returns, has him put to death (vs. 2:46).
5. The chapter closes with the words: “So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon”.

C. Chapter Three.

1. Solomon makes an alliance with the Pharaoh of Egypt by marrying his daughter. Intermarrying with other people than the people of Israel was prohibited by the Lord in Deuteronomy 7:3-4 “for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.” This would be a pattern that Solomon would have throughout his kingship, as he eventually accumulated 700 wives and 300 concubines (vs. 1Kings 11:3). Indeed, “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God” (vs. 1 Kings 11:4).
2. “Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places” (vs. 3:3). The passage goes on to say that “the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar” (vs. 3:4). The high places were commonly used by the pagan people of that area for worship of their false gods. Solomon apparently appropriated the high places for worship of the true God. Gibeon was where the tent and tabernacle were located (2 Chronicles 1:2-6) so this was appropriate. However, later in his life, his many wives and concubines persuaded him to use the high places for worship of their false gods.
3. In a dream, the Lord asks him what He should give him. Solomon asks for wisdom to govern the people, which pleases God in that he did not ask for selfish things. There is a curious verse in this passage where Solomon says: “I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in” (vs. 3:7b). It shows Solomon’s humility, but scholars have compared the chronology of David and Solomon and determined that he was probably in his early 20s.
4. The chapter concludes with a famous narrative showing Solomon’s wisdom. Two prostitutes come to him with the story of how one of them laid on her baby and smothered it and then exchanges the dead baby with the live one while the mother of the live baby slept. Both claimed the live baby as theirs. Solomon asks for a sword so that he supposedly would divide the baby in half and give each mother equal parts. The false mother agrees and the genuine mother, desiring that the baby live, tells him to give it to the false mother. Solomon gives the baby to the genuine mother which when “all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice” (vs. 3:28).

D. Chapter Four lists Solomon’s officers and gives details of his wealth and the extent of his kingdom. “Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life” (vs 4:20-21). The chapter closes with an affirmation of Solomon’s wisdom: “And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom (vs. 4:34).

E. Chapter Five narrates the preparations for building the temple. Solomon contacts Hiram, King of Tyre, as he was a close friend of David’s and had built a house for him in Jerusalem. They reach an agreement where both Hiram and Solomon would partner on the construction project. Details of the arrangement are given.

F. Chapter Six gives details of the construction of the temple. It took seven years to complete (vs. 6:38b).

G. Chapter Seven details the construction of Solomon’s house. He brings Hiram, a skilled craftsman in bronze for the casting of various furnishings of the temple. The chapter closes with mention of the gold vessels that were made for the temple.

H. Chapter Eight. The Ark is brought into the newly constructed temple along with the other holy things from the tent. The glory of the Lord fills the house of the Lord. Solomon prays a lengthy prayer of blessing and dedication. In his prayer, he acknowledges that the temple cannot contain God: “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! (vs. 8:27). The chapter closes with Solomon’s sacrifices to the Lord and a great feast for the people.

I. Chapter Nine.

1. The Lord again appears to Solomon and reaffirms His promise to David that “you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel” (vs. 9:5b). But then He warns Solomon that if the people go and serve other gods that He will cut off Israel from the land and the temple will become a heap of ruins (vs. 9:6-9).
2. The chapter goes on to tell of Solomon’s other acts. There is one interesting narrative about Solomon giving King Hiram, who was instrumental in providing the materials and skilled labor to build both Solomon’s house and the temple. Solomon gives Hiram twenty cities in Galilee (vs. 9:11). When Hiram goes to see the cities, Solomon had given him, he is displeased and says “What kind of cities are these that you have given me, my brother?”. The narrative goes on to say that they are called “Cabul”, meaning “worthless” to this day (vs. 9:13). Some Bible commentators have noted that since these cities were land locked, they were of little value to Hiram’s sea faring people, the Phoenicians. It may also be the case that they were still inhabited by the pagan Canaanite people. Galilee, of course, is where Jesus grew up and we are reminded that even in His day, the area was despised “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). In the 1860s, Mark Twain toured the Holy Land and, as part of his journey, went through Galilee. He describes some of the villages he went through, which could have been the same ones given to Hiram. He wrote of Magdala: “not a beautiful place… thoroughly ugly, and cramped, squalid, uncomfortable, and filthy, just the style of cities that have adorned the country since Adam’s time”. And of Tiberias: “Its people are best examined at a distance. They are particularly uncomely … squalor and poverty are the pride of Tiberias.” Hiram apparently gave the gifts back to Solomon since, as we read in 2 Chronicles 8:2, that Solomon rebuilt the cities and settled the people of Israel in them.

J. Chapter Ten.

1. The Queen of Sheba “heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions” (vs. 10:1). There has been much speculation regarding this story of the unnamed Queen and where exactly Sheba is located. Many scholars locate it in the south Arabian kingdom of Saba, presently modern-day Yemen and Ethiopia.
2. Solomon answers all her questions and “there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her” (vs. 10:3). She was so awe struck at all of Solomon’s wisdom and riches that “there was no more breath in her” (vs. 10:5b). They exchange many riches as gifts and she departs to her own country with her servants (vs. 10:13).
3. There is an extra-biblical tradition that Solomon and the Queen had sexual relations resulting in the birth of Menelik I from which Ethiopian Jews trace their ancestry. One of the legends of the Ark of the Covenant, is that a copy was made at the direction of the Queen through Solomon and that either it or the original was carried back to Sheba. Ethiopian Christians believe that the genuine Ark is in a chapel in the small town of Aksum and has been guarded for 3,000 years by a succession of virgin monks who are forbidden to set foot outside the chapel until they die. This is only one of several legends regarding the Ark which disappeared prior to the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC. The last documented mention of the location of the Ark in the Bible is in 2 Chronicles 35:3 where King Josiah, who reigned from 640 to 609 BC, instructs the Levites to put the Ark in the temple. No explanation is given as to why it was originally moved from the temple.

K. Chapter Eleven.

1. Solomon married many foreign wives in violation of God’s commandment: “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods” (vs. 11:2b). He did evil in the sight of the Lord by going after the false gods and making high places of worship for them.
2. The Lord was angry with Solomon and told him that he would tear the kingdom away from him and give it to another. But he would not do it for the sake of David but would tear it from Solomon’s son. However, he would leave one tribe (Judah) for the sake of David and Jerusalem (vs. 11:11-13).
3. The balance of the chapter relates how advisories were raised up against Solomon due to his failure to follow the Lord. One of these was a man named Jeroboam who the prophet Ahijah prophesied that he would rule over ten tribes torn from Solomon’s kingdom. Solomon desired to kill Jeroboam but he flees to Egypt and is given refuge by the Pharoh. The chapter concludes with Solomon’s death and his son Rehoboam ruling in his place.

L. Chapter Twelve.

1. All of Israel, including Jeroboam, came to Shechem to make Solomon’s son Rehoboam king. Rehoboam is told that his father made his yoke heavy upon them but that would serve him if he would lighten the load (vs. 12:4). Rehoboam asks for three days to consider during which he consults with the older men who had advised Solomon as well as the younger men he grew up with. He rejects the advice of the older men who advised him to be a servant to the people and speak good words to them, but takes the advice of his contemporaries who advise him to increase the load and to discipline them with scorpions (vs. 12:14). This was a turn of affairs brought on by the Lord to fulfill the prophecy given to Jeroboam by the prophet Ahijah (vs. 12:15).
2. Israel rebels at these harsh words, and all but the tribe of Judah divide themselves from Rehoboam’s kingdom. They make Jeroboam king.
3. Jeroboam fears that the people will turn back to the House of David when they go up for the annual sacrifices to the Lord. So, he sins by making two calves of gold and places them in Dan and Bethel telling the people that these are the gods that brought them out of Egypt. He also makes temples on the high places and appoints priests who are not Levites (vs. 12:25-30).

M. Chapter thirteen.

1. Jeroboam is standing by one of the altars at Bethel to make sacrifices when a man of God from Judah confronts him. He prophecies in regards to the altar, that a man born to the House of David named Josiah, will “sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.” He gives a sign that the altar will be torn down and the ashes of the sacrifices poured out (vs. 13:2-3).
2. Jeroboam orders him seized, but the hand that he reaches out towards the man of God dries up. Jeroboam begs the man of God to restore his hand. The altar is torn down, and the ashes poured out confirming the word of the Lord to Jeroboam. Jeroboam begs the man to have the Lord restore his hand, which he does. Jeroboam asks the man of God to come back with him to his house for a reward, but the man refuses saying that the Lord commanded him not to eat or drink but return by the way he came (vs. 13:4-10).
3. An old prophet hears of the events and goes after the man of God. He lies to the man and tells him that he is a prophet also and that the Lord told him that an angel told him that the man of God should back with him to his house to eat bread and drink water. The man of God, thinking that this is a new revelation, does so (vs, 13:11-19).
4. While eating and drinking at the old prophet’s table, a word from the Lord came to the old prophet that due to the man of God’s disobedience, his body would not come to the tomb of his fathers. The man of God starts back to Judah and a lion kills him. When the old prophet hears of this, he retrieves the body and buries it in his own tomb (vs. 13:26-31).
5. The chapter concludes with Jeroboam continuing to sin by making priests from all the people for the high places. “And this thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth” (vs. 13:33-34).

N. Chapter Fourteen.

1. Jeroboam’s son becomes sick and he asks his wife to disguise herself and go to the prophet Ahijah at Shiloh and inquire of him regarding the child. The prophet was old and his eyes were dim. The Lord tells him that the child will die as soon as she enters her city. He further tells her that because of Jeroboam’s sin of following other gods, the Lord will bring harm upon his house and will give Israel up because of his sin. Jeroboam reigns a total of twenty-two years and he dies leaving his son, Nadab as king.
2. The balance of the chapter is a narrative of Rehoboam, son of Solomon, who reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem. But Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord by building high places and doing all of the abominations of the people that Israel drove out of the Good Land including having male cult prostitutes. In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak, king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and takes away the temple treasures, including the gold shields Solomon had made. Rehoboam replaces them with bronze shields (vs. 25-27). There is continual war between Jeroboam and Rehoboam. The chapter concludes with Jeroboam’s death.

M. Chapter Fifteen. The narrative describes who were the kings of Judah and Israel immediately after the deaths of Jeroboam and Rehoboam.

1. In Judah: Adijam reigns for three years but he does evil. “Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son (Asa) after him, and establishing Jerusalem, because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (vs. 15:4-5). Asa does good, removing the idols and cult prostitutes and removes the queen mother because she made an abominable image of Asherah, although the high places were not taken away (vs. 15:13-14). His heart was true to the Lord all his days (vs. 15:14). Judah and Israel were constantly at war.
2. In Israel: Nadab, son of Jeroboam reigned for two years doing evil in the sight of the Lord and was assassinated by Baasha of the house of Issachar, who killed all of Jeroboam’s house according to the prophecy of Ahijah. This was for the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin which angered the Lord (vs. 15:27-30). Baasha reigns for twenty-four years doing evil in the sight of the Lord.

O. Chapter Sixteen details what happened to four kings of Israel who came after Baasha.

1. Baasha’s son Elah reigns for two years doing evil. When he was drinking himself drunk, he is assassinated by Zimri, the commander of his chariots (vs. 16:9-10). Zimri kills all of the house of Baasha for the evil he did against the Lord.
2. Zimri reigns for only seven days and dies when he burns the kings house over him (vs. 16:18).
3. He is replaced by Omri after a struggle with Tibni over the kingship. Omri does more evil than all who went before him. He dies and is replaced by Ahab, his son (vs. 25-28).
4. Ahab reigns for twenty-two years in Samaria doing evil more than all the kings of Israel before him, provoking the anger of the Lord. He erects an idol Baal and worships him and takes for his wife the infamous Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Sidonians (vs. 16:29-33). The chapter closes with “Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun” (vs. 16:34).

P. Chapter Seventeen begins the narrative of the interaction between Elijah and Ahab. Elijah predicts a drought and then hides by the brook Cherith east of the Jordon. He drinks water from the brook and ravens bring him bread and meat. When the brook dries up, the Lord directs him to go to Zarephath where a widow housed him, and where her jar of flour and jug of oil did not empty until the day that the Lord sent rain upon the earth. The widow’s son dies but Elijah prays to the Lord and the son is raised. The chapter closes with “And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth” (vs. 17:24).

Q. Chapter Eighteen.

1. Elijah is told by the Lord to show himself to Ahab and He will bring rain upon the earth. When they meet, Elijah tells Ahab to gather Israel and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 450 prophets Asherah who eat at Jezabel’s table to him at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (vs. 18:21).
2. Elijah presents a challenge to the false prophets of preparing two bulls and seeing who will call down fire upon the bulls to determine who is the true God. The false prophets call upon Baal and cut themselves but nothing happens. Elijah mocks them: “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened” (vs. 18:27).
3. Elijah builds an altar to the Lord of twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. He places wood and the bull upon the altar. He made a trench around the altar and pours four jars of water three times on the bull, the wood thereby filling the trench. He calls upon God: “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back” (vs. 18:36-37).
4. Then fire from the Lord came down and consumed the bull, the wood and licked up all the water in the trench. When the people saw this, they fell on their faces and said “The Lord He is God” (vs. 18:39). Elijah tells them to seize the prophets of Baal and they are taken down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered.
5. Elijah tells Ahab to eat and drink for he hears the sound of rushing rain. He tells his servant to look towards the sea, but there was nothing. He does this seven times and a small cloud appears and there was a great rain (vs. 18:41-44). The hand of the Lord was upon Elijah, and he runs ahead of Ahad’s chariot to the entrance of Jezreel (vs. 18:46).

R. Chapter Nineteen.

1. When Jezebel hears what Elijah has done to the prophets of Baal, she vows to kill him. Elijah flees to the wilderness one day’s journey and lies down asking the Lord to take his life “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (vs. 19:4b). He lies down and sleeps. An angel awakens him and gives him a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. The angel tells him to eat and drink and in the strength of that food, he goes forty days and nights to a cave at the mount of God, Horeb (vs. 19:6-8).
2. The Lord comes to him at the cave and says: What are you doing here, Elijah?” (vs. 19:9b). Elijah complains that he is the only one left and that they seek to take his life. The Lord has him stand upon the mount. He comes to him three times. First as a strong wind that broke rocks in pieces. Secondly as an earthquake, thirdly as a fire, but the Lord was not in any of these. Lastly, He comes as a low whisper, and Elijah recognizes that this is the Lord. The Lord instructs him to return to Damascus and anoint Hazael king of Syria, Jehu, son of Nimshi, king over Israel and Elisha as the prophet who will replace Elijah. He further tells Elijah that He has seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed to Baal (vs. 19:11-18).
3. The chapter concludes with the call of Elisha as his assistant.

S. Chapter Twenty details Ahab’s successful battles with Ben-hadad.

T. Chapter Twenty-one recounts the story of Naboth who had a vineyard near Ahab’s palace.

1. Ahab desires it but Naboth refuses to sell it to him it as it was the inheritance of his fathers. Jezebel finds two worthless fellows who bring charges that Naboth cursed God and the king. The leaders of the city take him outside the city and stone him to death.
2. God instructs Elijah to confront Ahab in the vineyard where he has gone to take possession of it. He tells Ahab that his house will become desolate due to his doing evil in the sight of the Lord. He also proclaims that the dogs will eat Jezebel within the walls of the city (vs. 20:22-24).
3. At these words, Ahab repents and the Lord tells Elijah: “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house” (vs. 21:29).

U. Chapter Twenty-Two details the cooperation between King Jehoshaphat of Judah and Ahab to battle Syria.

1. Jehoshaphat wants to inquire of a prophet as to the success of the war. False prophets predict a glorious victory, but Jehoshaphat is not convinced. Micaiah, who never prophesizes anything good about Ahab is summoned who recounts that “the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you” (vs, 22:23).
2. They decide to go to battle and Ahab is killed by an archer who shoots at random. Ahab dies, his blood in the floor of the chariot is washed by a pool where the dogs lick up the blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it according to the word of the Lord (vs. 22:38).
3. The balance of the chapter lists Jehoshaphat reigning in Judah for 25 years making peace with the king of Israel. He walked in the way of Asa, his father doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord but the high places were not taken away and the people still made sacrifices on the high places (vs. 22:41-44). Ahaziah reigned after Ahab’s death over Israel for two years doing evil in the sight of the Lord, serving Baal and worshiping him provoking the Lord’s anger (vs. 22:51-53).

V. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Solomon begins his reign wisely and follows the Lord. However, marries the daughter of Pharaoh violating the law of Moses of not marrying foreign women. He marries 700 wives and has concubines of people of foreign nations which turn his heart away from the Lord. Have you started wisely in following the Lord? What might be something that could turn your heart away from Him?
2. In spite of Solomon’s sin, the Lord honors His promise to David of always having a member of the House of David on the throne of Israel. Even during the Babylonian captivity, archeological findings have uncovered clay records that show the king of Judah, Jeconiah, was provided rations. The genealogy of Matthew chapter one lists Jeconiah and Zerubbabel who returned to Judah when the captives were released. The genealogy continues unbroken down to Jesus who will sit on the throne of David at His second coming (Vs. Luke 1:32-33). What does God’s promise to David cause you to think about the promises given to you and the people of God? Find someone to share this with.
3. The account of Solomon giving the king of Tyre worthless cities brings up the question of what are you giving to the Lord. Are you giving Him second best? Not only what is left over from your checking account but also of your time and energy?
4. The incident of the old prophet and the man of God in chapter thirteen is worth looking at for application. The old prophet presents himself as a prophet of God and contradicts what the man of God was told which was to return without eating or drinking anything. What would you do if someone came to you with “a word from the Lord” and it violated something in Scripture or that you knew to be true?
5. Elijah is given three events: a strong wind, an earthquake and fire. But the Lord comes to him as a low whisper. Do you expect the Lord to come to you in some sort of powerful means? Or are you listening to his “low whisper”?