Issues In Perspective

Introduction to Prophecy, part 6: Jesus' Olivet Discourse closes with the exhortation to be ready and be faithful, while Paul encourages the Thessalonians with the teaching on the Rapture and his warning about the signs of the Day of the Lord.

Introduction to Prophecy, part 5: The Olivet Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24): Jesus answers His disciples' questions about the sign of His coming and the end of the age.

Jeremiah promises of the "branch of David" (23) and the New Covenant (31) are complemented by the prophecies of Ezekiel 36 and 37 on the New and Davidic Covenants.

Daniel's concern about how God's covenant people fit into the framework laid out in chapters 2, 7 and 8 is answered by the angel Gabriel and the details of the 70th week.

Daniel presents a four-kingdom sequence for world history with history ending with the establishment of God's kingdom on earth.

Introduction to Prophetic Scripture: 27% of the Bible is Prophecy and God establishes five benefits associated with studying prophecy.

God completes His interrogation of Job, with Job responding in humility, confession and repentance, after which God restored Job's health, wealth and position.

Elihu chides Job for his pride and his failure to grasp God's transcendence.

Elihu counsels Job to allow God to teach him through his suffering and understand His justice and sovereignty.

In contrast to Job's three friends, Elihu chastises them and Job as he answers Job's questions.

Job presents his final appeal and rests his case with his three friends and with God.

Job's questions remain unanswered but he revels in the majesty, power and wisdom of God.

Job's three friends contend that they have God all figured out and can therefore judge Job, which he emphatically rejects.

Job goes from the downward spiral of despair to the heights of an affirmation of the resurrection.

Bildad's accusations are followed by Job's seeking to present his case directly to God.

Zophar focuses on God's omniscience to accuse Job, who responds with a perspective on God that rejects the singular focus of his friends.

Bildad evaluates Job's condition through God's justice, Zophar through God's omniscience but Job sarcastically rebukes their incomplete view of God.

Job responds to Eliphaz and Bildad as they champion their retribution theology.

Eliphaz proposes the theology of retribution and Job responds.

Satan challenges God about his championing Job as a worthy worshipper and Job laments his suffering condition.

The nature of Satan and his rebellion are detailed, plus his challenge to God about Job.

Job is one of the wisdom books of the Bible, completing Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Job is introduced as a man who walked with God, upright and devoted to Him.

In this chapter, Peter details the message of hope centered on Jesus keeping His promises to return for us.

Peter levels four major charges against the “heretics” threatening the church.

Peter assures his readers that God will deal with the false teachers in judgment and rescue those who belong to Him from His wrath.

Peter constructs the foundation for spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.

Peter closes his letter with an exhortation to elders, the importance of character and an emphasis on God's grace.

Peter offers several important truths about how believers should approach suffering in this broken world.

In light of Christ's suffering, we are to die to the old life and live a transformed life in "these last days.”

Jesus provides the pattern of suffering for the sake of righteousness.

Peter issues a call to righteous living in the midst of acute suffering and persecution.

Peter explains the virtue of submission in the wife-husband role responsibilities.

The virtue of submission is applied to the primary economic institution of the ancient world and to the family.

Peter challenges us to see ourselves as sojourners and exiles conducting ourselves honorably, highlighting the virtue of submission to the authorities in our lives.

To receive Christ makes us "living stones," part of the new building God is constructing with Jesus as our cornerstone and peak-stone serving as priests offering daily sacrifices to our God.

Peter summarizes the position of believers and their relationship with the heavenly Father, one characterized by reverence, faith, hope and love.

Peter emphasizes the life of faith in a Savior prophesied in the Spirit-inspired Old Testament, which results in a life of hope and holiness.

Peter reviews the incredible blessings of salvation in Jesus Christ and the "living hope" to which the Father is calling us.

An introduction on the character of Peter, his impulsive nature and how God transformed him, followed by Peter's greeting to the persecuted churches of the Roman provinces of Asia, Pontus and others.

These two short epistles of John focus on truth, hospitality and faithfulness as a leader.

John summarizes the testimonies to Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God; and then how our faith in Him affects our praying and our walk with God.

John reviews the content of the Christian faith and the testimonies to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah.

"God is love"--the implications and obligations that go with that proposition are John's emphasis.

Discerning truth from error begins with how one views Jesus and the command to love one another is rooted in God's very being, for God is love.

John contrasts Cain and Jesus on the matter of love and offers three major tests of assurance for the believer.

John calls his readers to a life of purity and anchors the call in the promise of Jesus to return, when we shall be "like Him" and "see Him as He is”

John warns his people about false teachers among them and exhorts them to know sound doctrine, continue walking with the Spirit and walking in righteousness.

Walking in the "light" with Jesus is a walk of loving obedience, assurance and not "loving the world" or its desires and its pride.

John sets up the first test of assurance that we are walking with Jesus--obedience.

Our fellowship with God is affected by our sin and John gives three truths about how we deal with sin in our lives to facilitate that fellowship.

Introducing the letter with an overview, and then examining how John presents Jesus as the incarnate God in the first four verses.