Sermons by Ed

Study Notes Ed Underwood Judges: Unbelief and Discipline in the Promised Land “In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.” (Judges 21:25) The book of Judges is a jarring sequel to Joshua. In Joshua an obedient people conquer the land, as they trust God enough to follow Joshua’s leadership. By contrast, in Judges, an untrusting and disobedient people turn to idols. God disciplines them and delivers them again and again. The epitaph on the book of Judges exposes the root of the problem, “Each man did what he considered to be right” (21:25). When Joshua died, God did not appoint a new national leader. Instead, God directed each tribe to conquer its allotted portion of the land. In the same way God had raised up Moses and Joshua, and as He would later raise up David (1 Samuel 16:13), God also raised up judges. The judges were different than today’s concept of judges. The Hebrew word “Judges” (Shophetim) means “bringer of justice.” The office of judge wasn’t new to Israel. Moses had ordered the people to appoint judges of every tribe during the years of wandering in Moab (Deuteronomy 19:17). In seven distinct cycles of sin-discipline-repentance-deliverance, Judges demonstrates how Israel so quickly declined as it refused to learn to trust God. The judges were more local than national and their stories cover a period of about 350 years. From time to time God would appoint a judge to rescue His hurting people from corruption from within or oppression from without. The book was probably written by Samuel, a critical link between the period of the judges and the kings, after the ark was removed from Shiloh (18:31; 20:27; cf. 1 Samuel 4:3-11). The theme of Judges is God’s faithfulness to His disobedient people demands discipline. In His patient love, God forgave His people every single time they repented. Israel repeatedly acted in foolishness, ingratitude, stubbornness, and rebellion. But God never stopped loving them and leading them. The lesson for God’s people of every generation is clear: God never stops loving His people, but count on it—sin always leads to suffering, and repentance always leads to deliverance. Judges is the most negative book of the Old Testament. The reason is clear: This is the generation that blew it. It records the failure of the nation in the land due to lack of faith and obedience. Judges: Stop thinking for yourself and start hearing God’s truth! Joshua Judges Freedom Progress Conquest through obedient faith “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods” (24:16). Israel served God (24:31). Israel knew the person of God and the power of God (24:16-18, 31). Objective morality Sin judged Faith and obedience Bondage Decline Defeat through disobedient unbelief “So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs” (3:7). Israel served self (21:25). Israel knew neither the person of God nor the power of God (2:10). Subjective morality Sin tolerated Lack of both I. DETERIORATION: Following Joshua’s death, the nation quickly turns from their pattern of faith and obedience. Compromise leads to conflict and chaos (1:-3:4). A. PROBLEM: INCOMPLETE CONQUEST: All the tribes fail to drive out their enemies leaving the polluting influence of idolatry in the land (1). B. PATTERN: CYCLES OF SIN: A microcosm of the rest of the book, chapter two details the cycle of sin-discipline-repentance-deliverance is established (2:1-3:4). II. DELIVERANCE: The seven cycles of discipline tell the sad story of the judges. The judges are military and civil leaders during this period of loose confederacy. Thirteen are mentioned in this book and four more occur in 1 Samuel (Eli, Samuel, Joel, and Abijah). Cycle Oppressor Years Oppressed Deliverer Years of Peace 1 (3:7-11) 2 (3:12-30) Parenthesis (3:31) 3 (4:1-5:31) 4 (6:1-8:32) 5 (8:33-10:5) 6 (10:6-12:15) 7 (13:1-16:31 Mesopotamians Moabites Philistines Canaanites Midianites Abimelech Ammonites Philistines 8 18 -- 20 7 3 18 40 Othniel 40 Ehud 80 Shagmar -- Deborah/Barak 40 Gideon 40 Tola/Jair 45 6,7,10,8 Samson 20 fully displayed. The progression of sin is inevitable Jepthah/Ibzan/Elon Abdon III.DEPRAVITY: The degradation of God’s people is as they ignore their God and live for themselves (17-21). SIN OF IDOLATRY: Religious apostasy (leaving the truth) precedes all other problems for God’s people (17-18). SIN OF IMMORALITY: Personal and tribal decadence rules the land (19). SIN OF CIVIL WAR: A total breakdown of order results and chaos reigns in the Promised Land (20-21). IV. DON’T DISREGARD GOD’S MESSAGES! Whether it’s the Word of God in the Bible or it’s the message of God coming through a loving redeemed community, resisting God’s truth always leads to self-directed blindness and disaster. Cycling Through Judges! The pattern of sin-servitude-supplication-salvation (deliverance)-silence is repeated seven times in Judges. When we are caught in a sin pattern we may feel like our life is going in circles. Where do you see this pattern operating in your life? What do you think God wants you to do to get out of the spin-cycle of sin? Trusting Community! Many Christians understand the protective comfort of the community of faith, the local church. But often we miss the protective love of the community of faith, the local church, the truth the Holy Spirit is speaking to us from loving shepherds and friends. Has someone in your community of faith told you something you don’t’ want to hear? What do you risk by insisting upon doing what “you consider right”?

Study Notes Ed Underwood “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). The church today needs a clearer view of the big picture of the Bible—a broader understanding of how the Bible is put together and how the events, people, and places connect. This is what Bible students call a synthetic study of the Scriptures. We’re dedicating two years to a synthetic study of the Word of God—all 66 Books. As we work our way through the Word of God a few patterns will surface and we’ll discern the repetition of certain themes. One of these is the significance of memorials in the life of God’s people. The Hebrew term azakarah is a sacrificial term describing the act “which brings the offerer into remembrance before God, or which brings God into honorable remembrance with the offerer.” The verbal form, zakhar, means “to penetrate or pierce.” The thrust of the word is to impress on the memory of the one offering the memorial some act of God having to do with His faithfulness. (ZPEB, s.v. “memorial”, IV, p. 179) Memorials aid our memory by preserving what we cherish most. Most families have pictures and keepsakes that remind them of wonderful memories with loved ones they do not want to forget. Cities, states and nations erect memorials to great leaders, the dead in combat, and historical battles or events. Our trek through the Pentateuch and the Conquest period of Israel’s history reveals God’s desire that His people remember His faithfulness in this way. He instructs the leaders to schedule events and feasts or to construct memorials to commemorate His great acts of mercy and deliverance on behalf of Israel: God gives His people a memorial to proclaim His faithfulness to the next generation and the world. Old Testament Remembrances: God told His people to proclaim His faithfulness in ways that would give them an opportunity to teach about Him. The Passover: The Passover is a spring festival associated with the historical event of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 12:1-28, see especially vv 24-27). Twelve Stones: God instructed Joshua to set up 12 stones from the Jordan on the western border in Gilgal so that they would not forget His miraculous faithfulness to His promises (Joshua 4, see especially vv 6-7, 19-24). Hymnology and Liturgy: Many of the inspired songs of Israel’s worship recounted these great events. Psalm 81 is one of many examples. If your children or someone you were discipling asked, “What do you mean by this service?” could you answer? Christian Education is a combined responsibility—both the church and the home need to be involved. Every Christian needs a firm understanding of the foundational truth of our faith—Christ died for our sins. Everyone on earth needs to hear about the Lord’s death—the Lord’s Table proclaims His death.   Don’t forget to remember remembrance! III.To Help You Proclaim His Death: Here are the basic facts of our New Testament Remembrance. At His last Passover feast on earth the Lord asked His followers to remember His work on the Cross at His table to be sure we wouldn’t forget His work on our behalf. The Lord’s Table is a rite (celebration, ceremony, observance) of remembrance of our Lord (1 Corinthians 11:26). It is a memorial of His work on the Cross, remembered through elements which represent His body and blood (Mark 14:22-24). The fact that the elements are separated commemorates His death, a death that was violent and accompanied by bloodshed (Hebrews 9:22). The fact that it is generally observed on Sundays, the day Christ arose, reminds us of His bodily resurrection. The fact that it is only “till He comes” reminds us to look forward to His coming again for His church (Mark 14:25). IV.CHURCH LEADERS, PARENTS AND DISCIPLEMAKERS: DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER REMEMBRANCE! A. In corporate worship—not as an add-on but central to worship events. B. In family worship—when the Spirit moves you to teach and worship at home. C. In small groups or with friends—to mark significant events memorably.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Ruth Faithfulness in an Unfaithful World “Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God.” (Ruth 1:16) Ruth is a vignette of love, devotion and redemption set in the historical context of the darkest period in Israel’s history, the days of the judges. Part of the second major unit within the seventeen Historical Books, the Conquest or Pre-Kingdom Period, it’s a heartwarming story of compassion, devotion, and faithfulness. Ruth is a Moabite widow who leaves her homeland to live with and care for her widowed Jewish mother- in-law, Naomi, in Bethlehem. Ruth not only embraces Naomi’s people but her God. The contrast to Judges underscores the remarkable faithfulness of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth is a woman who lives above the norm of her day. A virtuous woman (3:11), Ruth shows loyal-love to both her mother-in- law Naomi and her near-kinsman Boaz. In a time when all of Israel is forsaking God for idols, Ruth forsakes her idols for the true God: Faithful, righteous, moral, pure Following and worshiping the true God Compassion, devotion, loyalty—blessing Love in Marriage Peace, Provision, Kindness, Justice, Obedient faith leads to blessing Spiritual light. Unfaithful, immoral, impure Idolatry—following and worshiping false gods Debasement, disloyalty, self-centered—discipline Lust in Life War, Famine Cruelty, Injustice Disobedience leads to sorrow Spiritual darkness Ruth is one of the most important “bridge” books in the Old Testament. Chronologically—Ruth advances the genealogy of King David. Historically—Ruth links ruined Israel (Judges) with restored Israel (Samuel). Doctrinally—Ruth illustrates redemption. Morally—Ruth demonstrates purity is possible even in a polluted moral environment. The theme of Ruth is God’s care for those who trust in Him. The story illustrates the truth of Hebrews 11:6: Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him: Ruth is the most surprising book in the Old Testament. God honors a Moabitess’s faith by guiding her to the field of Boaz (a near kinsman or guardian) where she gathers grain and eventually finds her loving husband. The book closes with a brief genealogy in which Boaz’s name is prominent as the great- grandfather of King David, through whom would come the Christ! I. FAITH, COMPASSION, AND LOVE DEMONSTRATED: The story begins with a famine in Israel, a sign of disobedience and apostasy (Deuteronomy 28-30). An Israelite family headed by Elimelech flees from Bethlehem to Moab to find relief. In Moab the family faces tragedy and death as Ruth believes in their God (1-2). A. RUTH’S RELOCATION: Ruth decides to cling to Naomi and her God as she follows her mother- in-law home to care for her (1). What’s in a name? The characters’ names foreshadow the action of the book of Ruth: Naomi—pleasant one; Elimelech—my God is king; Mahlon—sick; Chilion—pining; Orpah—stubbornness; Mara— bitterness; Ruth—friendship; Boaz—in him is strength. Ruth: Never underestimate what God can do with one faithful life!   B. RUTH’S MEETS HER COMPASSIONATE REDEEMER: God’s provident care brings Ruth to the field of Boaz to perform the humiliating and dangerous task of gleaning. Boaz, Naomi’s kinsman (guardian), begins to love, protect, and provide for Ruth (2). II. FAITH AND COMPASSION REWARDED: God rewards Ruth’s faith and devotion. Boaz redeems her and becomes her husband. Their son, Obed, is the grandfather of King David (3-4). Messiah: A Type Of Christ—Boaz. The concept of the Kinsman-Redeemer or goel (3:9, close relative, guardian) is an important picture of the work of Christ on the Cross. The goel must (1) be related by blood to those he redeems (Deuteronomy 25:5, 7-10; John 1:14; Romans 1:3; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 2:14- 15): (2) be able to pay the price of redemption (2:1; 1 Peter 1:18-19); (3) be willing to redeem (3:11; Matthew 20:28; John 10:15, 18; Hebrews 10:7); and (4) be free himself (only Christ was free from the curse of sin). The word goel, used thirteen times in this short books presents a clear portrayal of the mediating work of Christ. RUTH’S RENDEZVOUS: Ruth risks offering herself to Boaz by “uncovering his legs” (v 4, probably a symbolic marriage proposal). Boaz takes no further steps toward marriage because he is older than Ruth (probably more than 20 years) and he is not the nearest kinsman (3). RUTH’S REDEMPTION: In spite of these obstacles, God rewards Ruth’s devotion by giving her a husband, a son, and a place in the line of the coming Messiah. In 22 verses Ruth moves from widowhood and poverty to marriage and wealth. What a picture of redemption! (4) III. God is looking for those who have the faith He can use in this world! The poor, the needy, and the alien have an ally in God! Both Ruth and Boaz “stumbled” into God’s blessing by caring for the poor and needy—Ruth for Naomi and Boaz for Ruth. “The theological message of the Book of Ruth may be summarized as follows: God cares for needy people like Naomi and Ruth; he is their ally in this chaotic world. He richly rewards people like Ruth and Boaz who demonstrate sacrificial love and in so doing become his instruments in helping the needy. God’s rewards for those who sacrificially love others sometimes exceed their wildest imagination and transcend their lifetime.” (The NET Bible note on Ruth 4:22) How does your attitude toward the poor, the needy, and the alien compare to the attitudes of Ruth and Boaz? What is one specific way you can join God in His love and care for the needy, the poor, the alien, and the down and out? May we suggest getting involved with the care ministries of Church of the Open Door? http://www.churchoftheopendoor .com/ministries/serving-our-communities/index.html God is always doing something through His remnant! Twenty-three of the 89 verses of Ruth mention God. Even during the most painful and chaotic circumstances of life God is working behind the scenes to accomplish His will. And He’s working through those who have faith rather than those who have a religious pedigree. One godly man or woman can redeem an entire family! Regardless of your home of origin, your faithless spouse, or your chaotic circumstances at work, God will use your faithfulness to change your world! What is He asking you to trust Him for right now? Risk obedience even when you can’t connect the dots between your faithfulness and the difference it will make in this world.

Study Notes Ed Underwood David Anderson United Kingdom Period 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles “Now our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name! But who am I and who are my people, that we should deserve to be in a position to contribute so much? ” (King David of Israel, 1 Chronicles 29:13-14) The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). Except for the Book of Job, which occurs during the time of Genesis, the Books of Poetry—Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon were written during the United Kingdom era. The writings of David, Solomon, and a few others during this time reflect what was going on in the heart of the people. One of the primary lessons of this era is the impact of the heart of the king on the nation. When the king’s heart was dependent on God and not on his own strengths, the nation prospered. When the king’s heart was far from God, the people followed his lead and the nation suffered: No Heart Saul (1051-1011) “Man after man’s heart” Whole Half Heart David (1011-971) “Man after God’s own heart” Heart Solomon (971-931) “Man after God’s heart then man’s (wives’) heart” God’s strength is cut off by Saul’s self-confidence. God’s strength is made perfect in David’s weakness. God’s strength is forgotten by Solomon’s compromise and abundance. Almost all that happens during these 170 years occurs in the land of Israel. I. The History of the Kings of the United Kingdom: Israel was a loosely connected affiliation of tribes with little unity and even less loyalty when 1 Samuel opens. The judges had led her for 350 years, and many of them were weak, ungodly, and ineffective. Surrounded by enemies, Israel had no influence in her world and struggled militarily, culturally, and economically. By the end of Solomon’s reign, 170 years later, Israel was at the apex of her influence as a united people. But Solomon’s failure to follow the Mosaic Covenant faithfully and devote his heart wholly to God, hinted at a coming civil war that ruled out the possibility of sustaining the Golden Age of Israel. A. Israel Crowns King Saul (1 Samuel): God uses the prophet Samuel to transition Israel from the Judges to the Kings. The nation cries for a king, and God instructs Samuel to anoint Saul. Saul begins his administration well, but due to his refusal to trust God, his personal life and his nation falls apart. Young David becomes God’s king-elect, but the jealous and insane tyrant Saul, pursues David with murderous rage. Finally, in a dramatic conclusion to his life, Saul dies. 1. ThedeclineoftheJudgesandtransitionofleadershiptoSamuel(1-7). 2. ThetransitiontotheKingsbeginningwithSaul,andthenDavid(8-31). B. Israel Led by Her Greatest King (2 Samuel): David’s reign follows Saul’s demise. David reigns seven years over Judah and another thirty-three years over the twelve reunited tribes. God blesses David mightily as he follows the Lord with all his heart. But then his life and kingdom are diminished by his sins of adultery and murder. 1. DavidtriumphsandhiskingdomprospersashefollowsGodwithallhisheart(1-10). 2. Davidsinsterriblybycommittingadulteryandtryingtocoveritupbycommittingmurder(11). 3. GodjudgesDavidandbothisfamilyandhiskingdomarediminishedbyhissin(12-24) C. Solomon Rules During the Golden Age of Israel (1 Kings 1-11): The wisest man in history brings the kingdom to its zenith. Israel experiences its political, social, and economic high point. However, Solomon foolishly indulges in multiple marriages with foreign women. Idol worship pollutes the palace and the kingdom. After Solomon’s death the kingdom is divided when the northern ten tribes rebel and set up their own king. 1. Solomonbecomeskingandinitiallyruleswisely(1-2). 2. Solomon’sinfluencerisesintheworld(3-8). 3. Solomon’skingdomdeclinesashemarriesforeignwomenwhoworshipfalsegods(9-11). D. God’s Editorial on David’s Reign (1 Chronicles): From God’s perspective the most significant person during the United Kingdom Period was David, the one He made a covenant with. Messiah would be a descendant of David. Therefore, 1 Chronicles traces the royal line of David and then reports the spiritual significance of his life and his reign. David was, in spite of his failures and shortcomings, the man after God’s own heart. David’s genealogy (1-9). David’s reign (10-29). Reference Saul I Samuel 13:13-14; 15:22-29 David 2 Samuel 11 Solomon I Kings 11:3 Sin Disobedience Saul did not want to wait for Samuel and thus he offered the sacrifice without him. He also refused to completely destroy the Amalekites. Adultery, Murder Not only did he commit adultery with Bathsheba but David killed her husband Uriah. He also involved many others in his sin and the cover up of the sins. Idolatrous compromise Solomon forsook his royal responsibilities as guardian of the faith and embraced the idolatrous religions of his wives. Results I Sam. 15:26b, “and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” Saul’s sin disqualified him from kingship and marked the beginning of the end for Saul. David suffered significant decline and his sins devastated his family (2 Sam. 12-24). Bathsheba’s son dies (12), Amnon rapes Tamar (13), Absalom kills Amnon (13), Absalom rebels against David (15-18), Adonijah seizes the kingship from Solomon (I Kings 1) and, David loses his spiritual authority, isn’t allowed to build the temple. Solomon’s sin reinitiated cultic idolatry in Israel. His violation of Deut. 17 (gold, silver, and horses) also brought heavy taxation upon Israel that eventually divided the kingdom into two separate kingdoms. Disastrous divine judgment inaugurated the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and successor. II. The Kings of the United Kingdom Period are a study in contrast. In so many ways, Saul, David, & Solomon’s success can be seen in their willingness to be “weak” and “dependent” on God’s gracious strengths. A. B. First, a warning about strengths. In our flesh, we cannot manage our strengths. Left to our devices, our so- called strengths are often disastrous and counterproductive to the mission of Christ. Paul says, they are not only a problem but a hindrance, a liability. They often keep us from the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord (Phi 3:8). Yet don’t disregard your strengths because Christ has made you a new creation and those strengths don’t need to be a liability anymore. The caution is to exercise those strengths in submission to the Lordship of Christ with great humility and in community. Second, it is important that we know that God typically manifests and magnifies Himself through weaknesses. 1 Corinthians 12 declares, His strength is made perfect in weakness! Our weakness is made full by His strength. In that, God shows Himself most powerful in weakness. Christ’s glory is the most spectacular against the backdrop of all of our short-comings, failures, and brokenness. His strength is sufficient and complete.

The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. . These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). By the end of the chaotic period of the judges, God’s people are crying for a king. Samuel, the last judge and first great prophet in Israel, anoints the people’s choice for their first king—Saul. Though Saul’s political credentials are impressive, his indifferent heart attitude toward God causes him to lose his kingdom to the young king-elect—David. But David, whose heart is dedicated to God, must wait for his kingdom. Saul rebels against God’s will, becoming insanely jealous of the young king to be. David flees for his life and learns many lessons of faith. Finally, Saul and his sons meet death on Mount Gilboa, setting the stage for 2 Samuel and the prosperity of Israel under righteous King David. The books of Samuel provide an account of Israel from the end of the 12 to the beginning of the 10 centuries before Christ. Picking up the story of Israel from Judges 16:31, they give a prophetically oriented history of Israel’s early monarchy. First Samuel traces the transition of leadership from judges to kings, from a theocracy to a monarchy. Samuel was the kingmaker who anointed the first two rulers. Saul quickly disobeyed God and became a tyrant. David became the first real theocratic king—he allowed God to rule through him. God had intended to give Israel a king (see Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 17:14-20), but the people demanded the king of their choice instead of waiting for God’s king. True to their actions during the period of the judges when they rejected God as their King, they now demand an earthly king like the pagan nations they admired. Still, God used even their rebellious spirit to accomplish His purposes. Only God sovereignly establishes and removes kings. The Lord brought Saul down and established the Davidic dynasty because of David’s obedience, wisdom, and dependence on God. 1 Samuel demonstrates God’s sovereign control of history. National and individual strength do not rest with human leaders but with the wise and sovereign God of Israel. This book contrasts the consequences of the characters’ response to God’s grace. When individuals, families, or nations respond to God’s grace with trusting obedience, God blesses: First Samuel records the crucial transition from the theocracy under judges to the monarchy under the kings. The book is built around three key men: Samuel (1-7), Saul (8-31), and David (16-31). I. SAMUEL AND SAUL—FROM JUDGES TO KINGS: Samuel’s story begins late in the turbulent times of the judges when Eli is the judge priest of Israel. The nation’s sin had caused the theocracy to sputter and falter. Only through the mercy of God had the nation survived the period of the judges. Any honest reader would be wondering how God could possibly continue working with a people who reject Him. (1-15) A. SAMUEL’S BIRTH AND CALL: Just when it seemed that the nation would cave in on its own sin, God responds to godly Hannah’s prayers giving Samuel to her and the nation. (1-3) Messiah: The word occurs the first time in 1 Samuel 2:10. It means anointed. B. SAMUEL REBUILDS THE NATION: Samuel’s strong leadership as judge, prophet, and priest navigates Israel out of the darkness toward the light. Samuel trusts and obeys, and under Yahweh’s direction and power he delivers the nation. (4-8) 1 Samuel: Trust God in spite of the circumstances of life! Messiah: A Type of Christ—Samuel. Samuel is a prophet, priest and judge. The people loved him and followed him as he delivered them from their darkness and ushered in a new age. C. SAUL—THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE: From a human perspective Saul would make the perfect king. In their impatient demand for a king, Israel chooses less than God’s best. (9-12) Messiah: A Type Of Christ—David. David is one of the primary pictures of Christ in the Old Testament. He was born in Bethlehem, works as a shepherd, and rules as king of Israel. He becomes the forerunner of the Messianic King and even writes songs from the coming King’s perspective (Psalm 22). The New Testament presents Christ as the “seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3) and “the Root an Offspring of David” (Revelation 22:16). D. THE REIGN OF KING SAUL: Saul begins well, but his lack of character and his inability to trust God soon unravels his desperate efforts to rule well. Sinful sacrifices, sinful selfishness, and sinful disobedience leave the nation without direction and without hope. (13-15) II. SAUL AND DAVID—FROM SHEPHERD TO SOVEREIGN: When God rejects Saul, He commissions Samuel to anoint David as Israel’s next king. God’s king-elect serves at court as a musician, slays Goliath, befriends the king’s son, Jonathan, and flees from Saul’s wrath. God in His grace separates one whose heart is drawn to Him, and in the process develops faith and patience in His king. (16-31) DAVID—GOD’S CHOICE: Contrasted to Saul, David is a very unlikely option. But hidden from human view is a courageous heart full of faith. Saul’s fearful heart lacks faith, and his kingdom deteriorates. David’s brilliant career begins as the anointed king of Israel, but Saul refuses to step down. (16-19) DAVID’S LIFE THREATENED: Saul’s open rebellion against God manifests in his attempt to murder God’s anointed. Jonathan’s friendship protects David as the future king flees from Saul’s insane pursuit. (20-23) DAVID’S FAITH GROWS: David trusts and obeys God, sparing Saul’s life on two occasions when he had the opportunity to take it. Saul foolishly consults a demonic medium at Endor to hear the deceased Samuel’s advice. The Lord used the circumstance to rebuke Saul and pronounce his doom. Saul and his sons are killed by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. (24-31) III. It’s not about what you feel God has given you in life; it’s about what you do with what God’s given you in life. Samuel was the answer to a barren woman’s prayer for a baby during the darkest days in Israel! Samuel was a contemporary of Samson. God uses his strong leadership as a judge, prophet, and priest to rescue Israel from the darkness of the period of the judges. “Just when it seemed that the nation would cave in on its own rottenness, God intervened and in response to godly Hannah’s prayers gave young Samuel to her and the nation.” (Merrill, Bible Knowledge Commentary, p 431) Saul was the people’s choice for king due to his charm and good looks, but his refusal to trust in God drove him to insanity. David was God’s choice for king due to his deep trust in God, but even the prophet Samuel was surprised at God’s preference for this young shepherd.

Study Notes bible.cod Ed Underwood King David: Flawed, but loyal to God! “Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent” (God to David, 2 Samuel 7:16). The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. . These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). By the end of the chaotic period of the judges, God’s people are crying for a king. Samuel, the last judge and first great prophet in Israel, anoints the people’s choice for their first king—Saul. Though Saul’s political credentials are impressive, his indifferent heart attitude toward God causes him to lose his kingdom to the young king-elect—David. But David, whose heart is dedicated to God, must wait for his kingdom. Saul rebels against God’s will, becoming insanely jealous of the young king to be. David flees for his life and learns many lessons of faith. Finally, Saul and his sons meet death on Mount Gilboa, setting the stage for 2 Samuel and the prosperity of Israel under righteous King David. The books of Samuel provide an account of Israel from the end of the 12 to the beginning of the 10 centuries before Christ. Picking up the story of Israel from Judges 16:31, they give a prophetically oriented history of Israel’s early monarchy. First Samuel traces the transition of leadership from judges to kings, from a theocracy to a monarchy. Samuel was the kingmaker who anointed the first two rulers. Saul quickly disobeyed God and became a tyrant. David became the first real theocratic king—he allowed God to rule through him. Soon after the death of Saul, God’s choice David becomes king, first over Judah (where he reigns from Hebron for seven and one-half years) and finally over all Israel (where he makes Jerusalem his capital and reigns for thirty-three years. The first half of David’s reign is marked by success and victory. But following his sin with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, David’s life and his kingdom suffer due to the consequences of his sin. Still, David remains “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22) because of his repentant attitude and wholehearted devotion to God: Second Samuel traces the ascension of David to the throne, his climactic sins of adultery and murder, and the shattering consequences of those sins upon his family and the nation. The book follows the three phases of David’s life: his triumphs (1-10), his transgressions (11), and his troubles (12-24). The lesson for God’s people is at once encouraging and sobering: God is not hindered by our weaknesses, but He never ignores our sin. He will use us, but sin mars potential. I. DAVID’S TRIUMPH’S: After mourning the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, David assumes the throne as king over Judah and then all of Israel. His successes bring the nation to the very zenith of its power. (1-10) A. DAVID, KING OF JUDAH: David takes the throne of Judah, but Saul’s dynasty does not go down without a fight. Saul’s son claims the throne and civil war erupts. David wins. (1-4) Messiah: David is one of the most important types of Christ in the Old Testament. A just, wise, courageous, and compassionate monarch, he reigns from Jerusalem and sits upon the throne of Melchizedek, the “righteous king.” He becomes the standard by which all subsequent kings will be measured. B. DAVID, KING OF ISRAEL: David’s victory unites the nation under his righteous rule. He immediately relocates the capital of the nation from Hebron to Jerusalem. His lifelong dream to build a house for God will be left to his son, Solomon. But God will build a house for David: a throne, a family, and a kingdom that will stand forever. (5-7) 2 Samuel: God will use you in spite of your failures— if your heart is wholly devoted to Him. Messiah: The Davidic Covenant. David foreshadows the coming Messianic King in this significant covenant from God (7:4-17). God promises King David an eternal kingdom, a throne, and an everlasting seed. These same three promises are given to Christ (Luke 1:32-33). C. DAVID’S GROWING KINGDOM: David’s devotion to God leads to great national blessing. “The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned. David reigned over all Israel; he guaranteed justice for all his people” (8:14-15). (8-10) II. DAVID’S TRANSGRESSION: David’s crimes of adultery and murder mark the pivotal point of the book. His sin changes everything. Victories and successes are replaced by personal, family, and national turmoil. (11) III. DAVID’S TROUBLES: The disobedience of the king produces chastisement and confusion at every level. David’s glory and fame fade, never to be the same again. (12-24) DAVID’S DOWNFALL: Though David’s sin is great, his response to the uncovering of that sin is exemplary: “I have sinned against the Lord” (12:13). But his repentance cannot erase the consequences of his terrible sin. His own son Absalom rebels against the king. Though David wins the battle, he loses his son, leaving him a broken man. (12-18) DAVID’S RETURN TO THE THRONE: Civil war and anguish persist. But David again defeats his enemies and consolidates his power. The closing chapters are a commentary on King David’s life. (19-24) IV. 2 Samuel is one of the most practical books in Scripture. From this text we receive some of our most important insights into the spiritual life and how God uses frail humans to accomplish His purposes. It is also a fascinating study on leadership. A. Failure does not mean it’s over—get on with your life! WeallfailGod.It’snotaquestionofwhenwefailHimbuthowweovercomefailure.David,the man after God’s own heart is our example. Three steps for failing saints: a. Listen to God’s rebuke through community (12:1-14). b.Confess(disclose)yoursintoGodandothers(12:13;Psalm51;1John1:9). c. Repent, turn to God in abandoned trust (12:14-25). B.Sin has consequences. It usually diminishes our borders and hurts those we love! 1. Though we all sin, we should never take sin lightly (Romans6:14). 2.But no sin is beyond God’s grace. Meditate on Jesus’ parable of the prodigal in Luke 15:11-32.

Study Notes Ed Underwood 1 Kings 1-11 King Solomon: Wise, but Foolish! “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant” (God to Solomon, 1 Kings 11:11). The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). By the end of the chaotic period of the judges, God’s people are crying for a king. Samuel, the last judge and first great prophet in Israel, anoints the people’s choice for their first king—Saul. Though Saul’s political credentials are impressive, his indifferent heart attitude toward God causes him to lose his kingdom to the young king-elect—David. But David, whose heart is dedicated to God, must wait for his kingdom. Saul rebels against God’s will, becoming insanely jealous of the young king to be. David flees for his life and learns many lessons of faith. Finally, Saul and his sons meet death on Mount Gilboa, setting the stage for 2 Samuel and the prosperity of Israel under righteous King David. The books of Kings cover the 431 years of Israel’s history from Solomon’s coronation (973 B.C.) to Jehoiachin’s release from Babylonian exile (561 B.C.). The focus is on the 387 years from Solomon’s coronation to the destruction of the temple in 586 B.C. It begins with the Temple being built and ends with the Temple burnt. I believe it was written primarily by the prophet Jeremiah and finished by Ezra or Ezekiel with some final editing by unknown editors. It was written to the remaining kingdom of Judah before and after its Babylonian exile. It is at once an explanation for the Babylonian captivity and a warning to learn the lessons of history. “1, 2 Kings present Israel’s history as a series of events that describe how and why the nation fell from the heights of national prosperity to the depths of conquest and exile. More specifically, [these books] explain how and why Israel lost the land it fought so hard to win in Joshua and worked so hard to organize in Judges, and 1, 2 Samuel.” (Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, pp 15, 28) The first half of 1 Kings reports the life of Solomon, the last king of the United Kingdom era. Solomon reigned 40 years during the Golden Era of Israel’s history. During his monarchy Israel rose to the peak of her wealth and influence in the world. His greatest accomplishment was building the Temple in Jerusalem, and his wisdom and wealth brought him worldwide fame. But his heart for God waned when he disobeyed God’s warning and married pagan wives. God’s wisdom proved greater than Solomon’s. God knew these pagan wives would turn his heart toward their idols. Sure enough, the king’s divided heart left behind a divided kingdom: The books of Kings reports the 411-year monarchy from Solomon to the Babylonian captivity through the theme that failure to honor God’s revealed will always leads to personal and national chaos. The United Kingdom of Israel flourished under Solomon’s wise leadership. But it ended in a mess because Solomon refused to faithfully honor the Mosaic (conditional) Covenant. “Solomon stamped the inner image of his spiritual life upon the outward history of Israel; his divided heart left a kingdom divided in many ways.” (Bruce Waltke) I. THE CONTEXT OF 1 AND 2 KINGS: The critical turning point in the Kings is 1 Kings 12 when the united kingdom became the divided kingdom. The narrative transitions from the story of one king, one nation, one capital, and one religion to two kings, two nations, two capitals, and two religions. A. DATES TO REMEMBER: The history of the kings revolves around these key dates: 1. 973B.C.Solomon’s coronation ascoregent with David 1 Kings 1-11 (Solomon): A divided heart for God brings chaos to your world! 2. 931B.C.The kingdom divides between Israel (NorthernKingdom)and Judah (SouthernKingdom) 722B.C.Assyrian captivity of Israel 586B.C.Babylonian captivity of Judah, destruction of the temple in Jerusalem B. THE POINT: The narrative of the Kings is that Israel divided into two kingdoms and each went into exile. The story is told from the perspective that Israel went into exile because of its unfaithfulness to the Mosaic Covenant. I. UNITED KINGDOM: Solomon’s reign is marked by God’s blessing limited only by a divided heart. (1-11) A. SOLOMON’S COMMISSION: A THRONE FROM GOD Solomon’s transition to power culminates in a sincere prayer for wisdom which God is more than willing to grant. (1-4) Messiah: Solomon typifies Christ in many ways. His renowned wisdom points ahead to “Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Solomon’s fame, glory, wealth, and honor foreshadow Christ in His kingdom. His rulership brings knowledge, peace, and worship the world will never see again...until the One who is “greater than Solomon” arrived on the scene of history—the Son of Man (Matthew 12:42). SOLOMON’S CONSTRUCTION: A TEMPLE FOR GOD David’s dream to build a house for God comes true for his son, Solomon. In his address to the people at the dedication of the Temple, Solomon offers a majestic prayer to God with the oft-repeated refrain, ‘Then hear thou from heaven...and forgive.” (5-8) SOLOMON’S COMPROMISE: TURNING FROM GOD Solomon’s spreading fame and wealth begin to fill his heart with pride. His wholehearted devotion to God is replaced by a growing love for foreign wives (he eventually had over one thousand). He ends his life worshiping idols and judged by God—his kingdom will be taken from his son and given to another. The epitaph on Solomon’s life might read, “The wise king who acted foolishly.” (8-11) 4. You and 1 Kings 1-11: Solomon began as a leader who pointed his people toward God. From his heart for God he built the Temple, led the people in worship, and wrote most of the Proverbs and the Song of Solomon. But then his heart was pulled to other preoccupations (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6), pagan women, and other gods. He ended his life declaring that all was emptiness. Read and meditate on Colossians 3:1-4 and 1 John 2:15-16. Then, answer these questions honestly before your God and a few trusted friends: What preoccupies your heart right now? Your love relationship with Jesus Christ? Or your money, your leisure, your hobby, your health, your workouts, your sports team, or your career? Where are you most vulnerable to allowing your heart to be divided? If Satan wanted to turn your heart from Christ (and he does!), what would he use to preoccupy you to the point of distraction from what really matters most in life? Never forget this: The best decision you can make in life for those you love and lead is to walk with Christ as you relate to Him deeply!

Study Notes Ed Underwood God’s Special People; God’s Special King! “O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all.” (King David before the assembly, 1 Chronicles 29:11) The third major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the United Kingdom Period. These four books—1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, and 1 Chronicles—record the United Kingdom under three rulers, Saul, David, and Solomon. The events reported during this era cover a period of 170 years, from the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) to the death of Solomon (1 Kings 11:43). By the end of the chaotic period of the judges, God’s people are crying for a king. Samuel, the last judge and first great prophet in Israel, anoints the people’s choice for their first king—Saul. Though Saul’s political credentials are impressive, his indifferent heart attitude toward God causes him to lose his kingdom to the young king-elect—David. But David, whose heart is dedicated to God, must wait for his kingdom. Saul rebels against God’s will, becoming insanely jealous of the young king to be. David flees for his life and learns many lessons of faith. Finally, Saul and his sons meet death on Mount Gilboa, setting the stage for 2 Samuel and the prosperity of Israel under righteous King David. The first half of 1 Kings (1-11) reports the life of Solomon, the last king of the United Kingdom era. Solomon reigned 40 years during the Golden Era of Israel’s history. During his monarchy Israel rose to the peak of her wealth and influence in the world. His greatest accomplishment was building the Temple in Jerusalem, and his wisdom and wealth brought him worldwide fame. But his heart for God waned when he disobeyed God’s warning and married pagan wives. God’s wisdom proved greater than Solomon’s. God knew these pagan wives would turn his heart toward their idols. Sure enough, the king’s divided heart left behind a divided kingdom 1 Chronicles provides the divine commentary on the United Kingdom era. Written to the remnant returning to the Promise Land from Babylonia under Ezra and Nehemiah before 500 B.C., the Chronicler (Ezra, Nehemiah or a contemporary) focuses on God’s faithfulness to His promises to Israel in electing and preserving His people (Judah) and His king (David). This selective and theological history is designed “to rally the returned remnant to hopeful temple worship...by demonstrating their link with the enduring Davidic promise.” (Jeffrey Townsend, “The Purpose of 1 and 2 Chronicles,” Bibliotheca Sacra 145:575 (July-September 1987): 99-126. 1 and 2 Chronicles cover a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. 1 Chronicles gives a priestly perspective on the genealogy and reign of David. The emphasis on the Temple exhorts them to reestablish worship as guided by the Mosaic Law. And the record of King David’s prosperity and righteousness remind them of their special status as God’s chosen people through whom He would establish His kingdom forever. I. ISRAEL’S HISTORICAL LINEAGE: These nine chapters are the most comprehensive genealogical tables in the Bible. They are highly selective. The family tree of Judah and Benjamin dominate because the Chronicles are not concerned with the northern kingdom but with the southern kingdom and the Davidic dynasty. (1-9) Messiah: The tribe of Judah is placed first in the national genealogy because the monarchy, temple, and Messiah (Genesis 49:10) will come from this tribe. Since Chronicles are the last books of the Hebrew Bible, the genealogies in chapters 1-9 are a preamble to the genealogy of Christ in the first book of the New Testament, Matthew. 1 Chronicles: The best way to celebrate the past is by trusting God for the future! II. REIGN OF DAVID: Compared with Second Samuel, David’s life is seen in an entirely different light. There are both omissions and additions. (10-29) A. Don’t live in the past but do learn from the past. B. Don’t judge significance by human standards but by the promises of God. C. Remember what God remembers about your sin and failures! (2 Samuel-Psalm 51-1 Chronicles) D. Get on with your life by trusting God for what He’s asking you to do right now! “Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.” –CS Lewis DAVID BECOMES KING: Chronicles completely omits David’s struggles with Saul. In fact Saul is only given one chapter. The emphasis is on David as God’s sovereign choice as king. (10-12) DAVID BRINGS THE ARK TO JERUSALEM: David’s deep spiritual commitment, courage and integrity stand out. His concern for the things of the Lord and heart for God are evident as the ark returns to its people. (13-17) DAVID’S VICTORIES: The kingdom is strengthened and expanded during his reign. His sin with Bathsheba—the event that hurt the rest of his life—is omitted. His passion for the temple shines. (18-27) DAVID’S LAST DAYS: David is not allowed to build the temple, but he designs the plans, gathers the materials, prepares the site, and recruits the workers. The book closes with his beautiful public prayer of praise and the accession of Solomon. (27-29) Chronicles and You: 1 Chronicles is a fascinating study of God’s perspective on history. The returning remnant bemoaned the meager dimensions of the Temple God was asking them to build in comparison to the grand Temple Solomon built (Ezra 3:11-13). I believe 1 Chronicles was God’s response to their fears, doubts, and regrets.

Study Notes bible.cod Ed Underwood 1 Kings 12-2 Kings The Divided Kingdom Era The Lord announced, “I will also spurn Judah, just as I spurned Israel. I will reject this city that I chose—both Jerusalem and the temple, about which I said, ‘I will live there’” (2 Kings 23:27). The fourth major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the Divided Kingdom Period. The Books of Kings record the reigns of kings of Israel and Judah following David. The United Kingdom of Israel reached the zenith of its power and influence early in Solomon’s 40-year reign (1 Kings 1-11). It began to decline because of Solomon’s divided heart for God. The books of Kings cover the 431 years of Israel’s history from Solomon’s coronation (973 B.C.) to Jehoiachin’s release from Babylonian exile (561 B.C.). The focus is on the 387 years from Solomon’s coronation to the destruction of the temple in 586 B.C. It begins with the Temple being built and ends with the Temple burnt. I believe it was written primarily by the prophet Jeremiah and finished by Ezra or Ezekiel with some final editing by unknown editors. It was written to the remaining kingdom of Judah before and after its Babylonian exile. It is at once an explanation for the Babylonian captivity and a warning to learn the lessons of history. “...1, 2 Kings present Israel’s history as a series of events that describe how and why the nation fell from the heights of national prosperity to the depths of conquest and exile. More specifically, [these books] explain how and why Israel lost the land it fought so hard to win in Joshua and worked so hard to organize in Judges, and 1, 2 Samuel.” (Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, pp 15, 28) The nation divides in 1 Kings 12 when the ten northern tribes set up their own king, their own capital, and their own place of worship. The narrative becomes the story of two nations failing to heed the warnings of the Law and the prophets. Choosing idolatry rather than Temple worship and immorality rather than justice and morality, Israel and Judah decline and eventually dissolve. Israel is captured and dispersed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Just over 150 years later in 586 B.C. Judah is led off to Exile in Babylonia. God has been patient with His people, pleading with them through the prophets. Both kingdoms’ failure to fulfill their covenantal responsibilities resulted in God’s loving but severe discipline: The story of the Divided Kingdom era is that Israel went into exile, but the plot is Israel went into exile because of its unfaithfulness to God. (Paul House, 1, 2 Kings, pp. 61-62) During the period of the Divided Kingdom each king is evaluated by his faithfulness to the covenant rather than by the grandeur of his reign. I. THE CONTEXT OF 1 AND 2 KINGS: The critical turning point in the Kings is 1 Kings 12 when Israel divided into two kingdoms. The narrative transitions from the story of one king, one nation, one capital, and one religion to two kings, two nations, two capitals, and two religions. A. DATES TO REMEMBER: The history of the kings revolves around these key dates: 973B.C.Solomon’scoronationasco-regentwithDavid 931 B.C. The kingdom divides between Israel (Northern Kingdom) and Judah (Southern Kingdom) 722B.C.AssyriancaptivityofIsrael 586B.C.BabyloniancaptivityofJudah,destructionofthetempleinJerusalem 1 Kings 12-2 Kings (Divided Kingdom): God loves His people too much to let them get by with their sin! 90 YEARS OF TURMOIL: Solomon’s divided heart is reflected in the division in the nation and the attitude of successive kings. The voices of the prophets, used by God to judge sin, reach their climax in Elijah. (1 Kings 12-22) 1. DIVISIONOFTHEKINGDOM:Rehoboam,Solomon’sfoolishson,rejectstheadviceofwise counselors and taxes the people heavily. Rebellion and civil war divides the country. Jeraboam from the tribe of Ephraim establishes a rebel nation from the ten northern tribes. He sets up a new system of worship, which sets the apostate pattern for the wicked rule, which will characterize the northern kings. (12-16) 2. AHABBATTLESELIJAH:Astheprophetsbegintospeak,ElijahconfrontswickedAhabwith God’s judgment of drought. Then, in a climactic demonstration of YHWH’s power, the prophets of Baal lose their lives enraging the wicked Queen Jezebel. (17-19) 3. AHAB BATTLES SYRIA: The closing chapters of 1 Kings focuses attention upon the reign of wicked Ahab, king of Israel. Though God is patient (1 Peter 3:9, 15) giving Ahab victory over Syria, Ahab spurns God’s love and disobeys. He dies rebelling against the God who loved him (20-22). 131 YEARS OF DECLINE BEFORE ISRAEL IS DISPERSED BY ASSYRIA: Israel rejects the ministry and messages of Elisha. (1-8) God preserves Joash of the line of David who restores the temple and serves God. Despite God’s blessing in the northern kingdom under the reign of Jeraboam II, the unbroken line of wicked kings and idolatrous people leads to Israel’s over throw by Assyria. (2 Kings 1-17) 155 YEARS OF DECLINE BEFORE JUDAH IS DEPORTED TO BABYLONIA: Whereas the northern kingdom had 19 unrighteous kings who gained power by murdering their predecessor, Judah had only one dynasty and 8 of its 20 kings were righteous. Despite the efforts of righteous kings such as Hezekiah and Josiah, the last four kings of Judah invite judgment by their unfaithfulness to the covenant and wickedness. Discipline comes in three deportations to Babylonia. The last deportation, lamented by the prophet Jeremiah (Lamentations), occurs in 586 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the Temple. Still, due to God’s faithfulness to His unconditional covenants, the book ends in hope with God preserving a remnant for Himself. (2 Kings 18-25) II. The Divided Kingdom and You: God’s message to His people during the period of the Exile in Babylonia and afterward encourages them to place their trust and hope in Him regardless of the circumstances of life. God’s sovereign and loving control of worldwide events during the divided kingdom era teach us to see His hand in these specific aspects of life as we follow Jesus Christ His Son: We see God’s hand in our history. He moved world powers to achieve His purposes in the lives of His people—Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia. (Romans 8:28) We see God’s hand in our discipline. He loved His people too much to allow them to continue in the sin of idolatry. The Babylonian Captivity slapped the idolatry out of Israel. (Hebrews 12:1-13) We see God’s powerful and personal care for those who were living for Him in a decadent culture— Elijah, Elisha, Hezekiah, Joash. (Hebrews 6:9-12)

Study Notes Ed Underwood Worship: The Exclusive Responsibility of God’s People!   “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). The fourth major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the Divided Kingdom Period. The Books of Kings record the reigns of kings of Israel and Judah following David. The United Kingdom of Israel reached the zenith of its power and influence early in Solomon’s 40-year reign (1 Kings 1-11). It began to decline because of Solomon’s divided heart for God. The books of Kings cover the 431 years of Israel’s history from Solomon’s coronation (973 B.C.) to Jehoiachin’s release from Babylonian exile (561 B.C.). The focus is on the 387 years from Solomon’s coronation to the destruction of the temple in 586 B.C. It begins with the Temple being built and ends with the Temple burnt. I believe it was written primarily by the prophet Jeremiah and finished by Ezra or Ezekiel with some final editing by unknown editors. It was written to the remaining kingdom of Judah before and after its Babylonian exile. It is at once an explanation for the Babylonian captivity and a warning to learn the lessons of history. “...1, 2 Kings present Israel’s history as a series of events that describe how and why the nation fell from the heights of national prosperity to the depths of conquest and exile. More specifically, [these books] explain how and why Israel lost the land it fought so hard to win in Joshua and worked so hard to organize in Judges, and 1, 2 Samuel.” (Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, pp 15, 28) 2 Chronicles provides the divine commentary on the Divided Kingdom era. Written to the remnant returning to the Promise Land from Babylonia under Ezra and Nehemiah before 500 B.C., the Chronicler (Ezra, Nehemiah or a contemporary) focuses on God’s faithfulness to His promises to Israel in electing and preserving His people (Judah) and His kingly line (David’s descendants). This selective and theological history is designed “to rally the returned remnant to hopeful temple worship...by demonstrating their link with the enduring Davidic promise.” (Jeffrey Townsend, “The Purpose of 1 and 2 Chronicles,” Bibliotheca Sacra 145:575 (July-September 1987): 99-126. Though the Second Temple would never measure up to Solomon’s, they were still God’s people. The Davidic line, Temple worship, and the priesthood were still theirs. The Chronicler reminds the returning remnant of their place in God’s plan to redeem Creation and begins to thrust their thoughts toward a coming King: 1 and 2 Chronicles cover a broader period of history than any other Old Testament book. 2 Chronicles gives a priestly perspective on the history of God’s people from Solomon’s reign through Cyrus’s edict to rebuild the Temple more than 400 years later. The emphasis on the Temple exhorts them to reestablish worship as guided by the Mosaic Law. I. SOLOMON’S GLORY: Israel’s golden age of peace, prosperity and Temple worship. David’s dream to build a majestic Temple for Israel’s worship becomes Solomon’s reality. However, in the midst of rejoicing there is a stern warning—this type of worship flows from hearts loyal to God. If the nation fails to remain true to God, He will uproot them from their homeland and destroy this magnificent place of worship. Six of these first nine chapters center on the construction and dedication of the Temple. (1-9) Messiah: The Temple was designed to point God’s people to Christ, but most missed the point! Jesus tried to tell them that He was greater than the Temple (Matthew 12:6). He claimed to be the One who replaces the Temple. The glory of God that used to reside in the Temple now resides in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son (John 1:14). 2 Chronicles: Worship is a lifestyle, not an event!   II. JUDAH’S DECLINE: Israel’s glory declines as true worship of her God declines. Solomon’s death quickly divides the nation and both kingdoms eventually choose to worship other gods. Sinful lifestyles in the palaces and neighborhoods of Israel and Judah cause the nation to forsake pure Temple worship. A few of Judah’s kings bring revival, but it never lasts more than one generation. (10-36) 30% DEDICATION TO TWELVE EVIL KINGS: Chronicles virtually ignores the northern twelve tribes and barely mentions the evil kings of Judah. The emphasis is on Judah as God’s sovereign choice to glorify Him through Temple worship. This never happens in the northern kingdom and ceases during the reign of the idolatrous kings of the south. 70% DEDICATED TO EIGHT RIGHTEOUS KINGS: The Chronicler offers a detailed account of the deep spiritual commitment, courage and integrity of the rulers who walked in the ways of David. Five of these kings—Jehosaphat, Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah bring revival and restore Temple worship. THE HOPE OF WORSHIP: 2 Chronicles concludes with hope. The Persian King Cyrus decrees that the Jerusalem Temple will be rebuilt. III. 2 Chronicles and You: 2 Chronicles is a fascinating study of God’s perspective on history. The events of the Divided Kingdom era seem secondary to God’s primary concern—authentic worship of Him in this world. In the key New Testament passage on worship Paul teaches us that true worshipers of Christ give their lives to God in response to His mercies (Romans 12:1-2). PauldevoteselevenchapterstocarefullydetailinghowtherighteousnessofGodisdemonstrated in His mercies to believers. Worshipers should never be ashamed of the delivering power of the Gospel that reveals the righteousness of God in everyone who believes (1:16-17). The Gospel delivers believers from the penalty of sin. Justification by faith—every believer is declared righteous the moment they believe (Chapters 1-4). The Gospel delivers believers from the power of sin. Sanctified by faith—every believer who relies on God’s Spirit will live righteously (Chapters 5-8). The Gospel’s promises are the promises of a covenant-keeping God (God’s faithfulness to Israel, Chapters 9-11). Paul devotes four chapters to carefully detailing how believers should respond to His mercies. Worshipers should give their lives to God as a sacrifice of worship (12:1-2). In a decisive act of the will we present our lives to God to transform to do His will (12:1-2). This decision counts the cost of living selflessly in the church and the world (12:3-21). God is looking for authentic worshipers who gather together in authentic worshiping communities to glorify Him in this fallen world. An authentic worshiper is a Christian who has given his or her life to God in response to the mercies of God. Worship is a lifestyle, not an event! An authentic worshiping community that “has good worship” according to God’s definition is a gathering of believers who are serving Christ together in response to His mercies. The event of good worship is the expression of the collective worshipful lifestyles of the community. "It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men." C.S. Lewis

Ed Underwood Study Notes   Return from Exile: Zerubbabel and Ezra “I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you” (Jeremiah 29:14). The fifth major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the Post Exilic Period. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther record Israel’s “second exodus,” this one from exile in Babylonia. This mini-exodus that only involved a returning remnant came in three waves. Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple in the first wave of 50,000. After God foiled a Satanic plot to exterminate God’s people in Persia, godly Esther reigns as Queen of Persia. Eighty-one years after Zerubbabel’s return, Ezra brings 5,000 Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild their godly culture. Finally, Nehemiah leads the third and last return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. This was the time when the prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi spoke. The chronology of Ezra’s time is important: 538-515 BC 483-473 BC 457 BC 444-425 BC Zerubbabel Ezra 1-6 First Return Rebuild the Temple Esther Book of Esther No Journeys Home Life In Persia Ezra Ezra 7-10 Second Return Rebuild the People Nehemiah Book of Nehemiah Third Return Rebuild the Walls The book of Ezra covers the 92 years of history from the decree of Cyrus allowing the Jews to return (538 B.C.) to Nehemiah’s first trip back to Jerusalem (446 B.C.). Most of the events took place from 538- 515 B.C.--Zerubbabel’s return (chapters 1-6), and in 458 B.C.—Ezra’s return (chapters 7-10). The events of the Book of Esther occurred between chapters 6 and 7. I believe Ezra wrote the book soon after Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem (446 B.C.). “The message is addressed to the postexilic community of Jews who wonder if there is any hope of political and religious restoration. Its central thrust is that there is indeed hope but that hope must be incarnated in rebuilding the rebuilding of the Temple, the cultus [worshiping community], and the priesthood.” (Eugene H. Merrill, “A Theology of Ezra-Nehemiah and Esther, in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 190) Ezra wrote the book to show how God fulfills His promise to return His people to the their land. He sovereignly protected His people by a powerful empire while they were in captivity. They even prospered in their exile! Then, right on prophetic schedule (Jeremiah 29:10-14) God raised up pagan kings who were sympathetic to their cause and encouraged them to rebuild their homeland. Ezra traces the dramatic re- establishment of the worship of YHWH separate from all foreign influence: Although Israel had failed as God’s people and seemed hopelessly exiled, God had not forgotten His covenants with Abraham and David. His mighty and merciful hand worked through the Gentiles to restore a true form of worship and true worshippers separated to Himself in the land of promise. It would be to the descendants, these restored and purified worshipers that Messiah would come to be worshipped in Spirit and truth. The lesson for God’s people is clear: God is always working to move His agenda forward. The darkest days cannot extinguish the light of God’s truth and grace. I. RESTORING WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLE: God stirs the heart of a Persian king (Cyrus) to release the Jews and charge them to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem—an event prophesied 200 years before (Isaiah 44:28). With Zerubbabel as their leader only 49,897 of the two to three million Jews respond to the call. (1-6) The “lost tribes” are not entirely lost. Those who returned were primarily from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi; but it is evident that representatives from the other ten tribes eventually returned as well. Ezra: When life overwhelms you, turn to God’s Word. Study it; do it; teach it! COMMISSION OF THE TEMPLE BUILDERS: God’s people return to their shattered homeland, rebuild the altar and reinstate the sacrifices as they prepare to reconstruct the temple. The foundation is laid, causing joy and optimism among the workers, but bringing tears of sadness to those who recalled the incomparable splendor of the former temple. (1-3). COMPLETION OF THE TEMPLE: Pagan peoples who hate the Jews try to stop the project in two ways. First, they make deceitful offers to help. When Zerubbabel fails to compromise they openly attack God’s people and bring false accusations to the authorities. For fifteen years the discouraged and disobedient Jews neglect their commission to rebuild the temple. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah call the people to repentance and God responds by overthrowing the existing Persian regime. The new king (Darius) overrules the opposition to the temple project by the wicked Persian governor of Palestine, Tattenai. Finally, 23 years after the arrival of the first pilgrims, the temple is completed. (4-6) Messiah: Though the temple is restored, God’s glory does not return. The glory, which departed during the Babylonian defeat (Ezekiel 8-11), does not enter the new temple at this time. After 400 years of silence God’s next prophet, John the Baptist would point to the Lamb of God and all would behold His glory—the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). BACK IN PERSIA: A 58-year gap between the accounts of the first two returns is well documented by the Book of Esther. The Jews in Persia had other things on their mind—survival against an evil Satanic plot to destroy their race! AND AROUND THE WORLD: Having failed in his diabolical plan to thwart God’s plan of redemption, Satan moved swiftly to raise up counterfeit systems of righteousness worldwide. As God prepared His people for their Messiah in Israel during the time of the Book of Ezra (538-444 BC), Satan raised up Gautama Buddha in India (560-480 BC), Confucius in China (551-479 BC), and Socrates in Greece (470- 399 BC). II. RESTORING PURITY: Eighty-one years later God stirs the heart of another Persian king (Artaxerxes 1) to give Ezra the priest authority to bring people and contributions for the temple in Jerusalem. 1,753 leaders experience God’s protection and provision during the 900-mile journey to their homeland. (7-10) COMMISSION OF THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS: After praying and fasting, Ezra and his caravan begin the four-month journey. Their enthusiasm for their mission grows as they see God’s powerful hand on their life. (7-8) COMPLETION OF SPIRITUAL REFORM: When Ezra discovers that the people and the priests have intermarried with foreign women, he calls for repentance and offers a great intercessory prayer on their behalf. Their confession and response to the Word of God brings about a great revival and changes lives. (9-10) III. EZRA AND YOU: God’s people should never doubt His ability to accomplish His will. The Jews were far from home and the Promised Land filled with pagan peoples. But God was working behind the scenes. He worked through pagan, godless rulers and passionate, God-fearing leaders to re- establish worship separate from all foreign influence. His people would never again follow false gods! God can and will do seemingly impossible things to remain faithful to His promises to His people. (Tom Constable) God is always working, but usually in surprising and jarring ways. When the days seem dark and without hope, do what Ezra did: Study God’s Word; do what God’s Word says to do, and teach God’s word to others (Ezra 7:10).

Study Notes Ed Underwood Nehemia: Return from Exile: Rebuild the Walls “Our enemies...knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” (Nehemiah 6:15-16) The fifth major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the Post Exilic Period. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther record Israel’s “second exodus,” this one from exile in Babylonia. This mini-exodus that only involved a returning remnant came in three waves. Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple in the first wave of 50,000. After God foiled a Satanic plot to exterminate God’s people in Persia, godly Esther reigns as Queen of Persia. Eighty-one years after Zerubbabel’s return, Ezra brings 5,000 Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild their godly culture. Finally, Nehemiah leads the third and last return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. This was the time when the prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi spoke. The chronology of Nehemiah’s time is important: Ezra 1-6 Restoration under Zerubbabel 538-515 First Return (50,000) Rebuild the Temple Haggai-Zechariah Esther 58-year gap No Journeys Home Life in Persia Reformation under Ezra 457 Second Return (2,000) Rebuild the People Reconstruction under Nehemiah 444-425 Third Return Rebuild the Walls Malachi Esther Ezra 7-10 Nehemiah The book of Nehemiah covers the 20-plus years of history from the year Nehemiah first heard the news of conditions in Jerusalem (445 B.C.) to the early years of Darius’ reign in Persia (423 B.C.). Most of the events took place in 444 B.C.—when he arrived in Jerusalem and rebuilt the walls within 52 days (chapters 1-7), and in 432-432 B.C.—when he returned to institute spiritual reforms in partnership with Ezra (chapters 8-13). I believe Nehemiah wrote the book while in his 60s, soon after Darius replaced Artaxerxes (4423 B.C.). “The books of Ezra and Nehemiah reflect some of the bleakest and most difficult days in Israel’s long Old Testament history. Though the Exile was over and a remnant people was in process of rebuilding the superstructures of national life, the prospects for success paled in comparison of the halcyon days of the past when the Davidic kingdom dominated the entire eastern Mediterranean world. What was needed was a word of encouragement, a message of hope in the God who had once blessed His people above all nations of the earth and who had promised to do so again.” (Eugene H. Merrill, “A Theology of Ezra-Nehemiah and Esther, in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 200-201) The Book of Nehemiah demonstrates how God uses His people in fulfilling His promises. Ezra the priest and Nehemiah the cupbearer were God’s choice to guide Israel to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. Nehemiah was one of the greatest leaders of Israel: Although Israel had failed as God’s people and seemed hopelessly exiled, God had not forgotten His covenants with Abraham and David. His mighty and merciful hand worked through the Gentiles to restore a true form of worship and true worshippers separated to Himself in the land of promise. It would be to the descendants; these restored and purified worshipers that Messiah would come to be worshipped in Spirit and truth. The lesson for God’s people is clear: God is always working to move His agenda forward. The darkest days cannot extinguish the light of God’s truth and grace. I. REBUILDING THE WALLS: God stirs the heart of a privileged Jew (Nehemiah) to take bold action for his people and the welfare of Jerusalem. 40 year-old Nehemiah relies on God and leads with courage to build the walls in record time in spite of intense external and internal opposition. Jerusalem now exists in its historical location pursuing its historical religion—Judaism. (1-7) God uses leaders who work hard, pray even harder, and refuse to quit! Thirteen Year Gap The cupbearer of a Persian king was the ultimate insider. Nehemiah had the king’s complete trust and confidence. Esther is Artaxerxes’ stepmother. She must have been influential in Nehemiah’s appointment to such a high office. PREPARING TO BUILD: The project to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem fails and they are torn down again. Nehemiah cannot tolerate the news from his homeland and takes courageous action. Thirteen years after Ezra and ninety-four years after Zerubbabel, Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem to inspect the walls and plan their restoration. (1-2) BUILDING: Opposition quickly arises, but Nehemiah presses on in bold faith and effective leadership. The project is completed in an incredible fifty-two days, and even the enemies recognize that it can only have been accomplished with the help of God. (3-7) II. RESTORING THE PEOPLE: The construction of the walls is followed by the consecration and consolidation of the people. Ezra and Nehemiah lead the people in repentance for the sins of the Jews and resolve to remain pure from foreign influence. (8-13) RENEWING THE COVENANT: Ezra again leads the people toward revival by reading and teaching the Word of God. This revival takes the same course of the reforms Ezra led thirteen years before. (8-10) OBEYING THE COVENANT: Unfortunately, Ezra’s revival is short-lived; and Nehemiah, who returned to Persia in 432 BC, makes a second trip to Jerusalem about 425 BC to reform the people. He cleanses the temple, enforces the Sabbath, and requires the people to put away their foreign wives (11-13). Messiah: In the book of Nehemiah the Old Testament historical books end leaving everything restored except the king. The temple is rebuilt, Jerusalem is reconstructed and secure, the covenant is renewed, and the people are reformed. The messianic line is intact, but the King is yet to come. The decree of Artaxerxes in his twentieth year (2:1) marks the beginning point of Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (Daniel 9:25-27). The Messiah will come at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, and this is exactly when Jesus Christ showed up—AD 33! The decree took place on March 4, 444 BC. 69 weeks x 7 years = 483 years or 173,880 days (using the 360-day prophetic year). This leads to March 29, AD33—the exact day of the Triumphal Entry! (Luke 19:28-40) III. NEHEMIAH AND YOU: Nehemiah worked hard, prayed harder, and refused to quit! “Nehemiah’s singleness of purpose, attention to detail, willingness to delegate authority, dedication to service, and dependence on God were combined in a man who can simply be labeled as a servant of God.” (Merven Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, p. 59) Would the people you lead in your life, your work, and your home describe you in this way? How do you feel you can become a more “Nehemiah-like” leader? Nehemiah worked hard! Do you? The best way to find out if you’re the type of person who works hard is to ask someone who loves you enough to tell you the truth. Nehemiah prayed even harder! Do you? What would your Heavenly Father say about your prayer life? Are you one of His children He hears from a lot when you’re going through tough times? Or do you sulk because you “don’t think prayer works”? Nehemiah refused to quit! Do you? Is your history in meeting challenges the history of a persevering leader or a quitter?

Study Notes Ed Underwood Esther God’s Unfailing Protective Love The chronology of Esther’s time is important: “It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this.” (Mordecai to Queen Esther, Esther 4:14) The fifth major unit within the seventeen Historical Books is referred to as the Post Exilic Period. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther record Israel’s “second exodus,” this one from exile in Babylonia. This mini-exodus that only involved a returning remnant came in three waves. Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple in the first wave of 50,000. After God foiled a Satanic plot to exterminate God’s people in Persia, godly Esther reigns as Queen of Persia. Eighty-one years after Zerubbabel’s return, Ezra brings 5,000 Jews to Jerusalem to rebuild their godly culture. Finally, Nehemiah leads the third and last return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. This was the time when the prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi spoke. Ezra 1-6 Restoration under Zerubbabel 538-515 First Return (50,000) Rebuild the Temple Haggai-Zechariah Esther 58-year gap No Journeys Home Life in Persia Reformation under Ezra 457 Second Return (2,000) Rebuild the People Reconstruction under Nehemiah 444-425 Third Return Rebuild the Walls Malachi Esther Ezra 7-10 Nehemiah The events of book of Esther occurred during the reign of the Persian King Ahasuerus (Greek name, Xerxes) from the planning session for his ill-fated war against Greece (1:3-21, 483 B.C.) to the institution of the Feast of Purim (9:24-28, 473 B.C.). It covers a span of 10 years. I believe the author wrote the book soon after the year the Jews defended themselves and instituted the Feast of Purim (473 B.C). “The lovely story of Esther provides the great theological truth that the purposes of God cannot be stymied because He is forever loyal to His covenant with His eternally elected nation.” (Eugene H. Merrill, “A Theology of Ezra-Nehemiah and Esther, in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 205) The Book of Esther demonstrates how God has remained faithful to His promises in the face of worldwide conspiracies against the Jews and the unfaithfulness of His people. God’s name does not occur in the book, though His sovereign hand is obvious in the narrative. A plot to exterminate God’s people is thwarted by the brilliance of Mordecai and the momentary courage of Queen Esther: Although Israel had failed as God’s people and seemed hopelessly exiled, God had not forgotten His covenants with Abraham and David. His mighty and merciful hand worked through the Gentiles to restore a true form of worship and true worshippers separated to Himself in the land of promise. It would be to the descendants; these restored and purified worshipers that Messiah would come to be worshipped in Spirit and truth. The lesson for God’s people is clear: God is always working to move His agenda forward. The darkest days cannot extinguish the light of God’s truth and grace. I. CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE JEWS: God’s hand of providence and protection is evident as He works behind the scenes to put Esther into power and Mordecai into the King’s favor even before the evil Haman determines to exterminate Mordecai along with the Jews. (1-4) A. ESTHER’S CORONATION: The Persian king Ahasuerus hosts a great banquet celebrating his dominion over 127 nations. But Queen V ashti undermines ever ything with her insolent disobedience. The volatile Ahasuerus deposes his queen and the beautiful Jewess Esther becomes queen of Persia just in time to save her king from an assassin, thanks to her uncle, Mordecai. (1-2) Esther: God’s promises are more powerful than the schemes of His enemies and the failures of His people! Thirteen Year Gap B. HAMAN’S PLOT: Haman becomes captain of the princes (Prime Minister) and demands the worship of the people. Mordecai refuses to bow down. With murderous rage, Haman plots for a year to eliminate all Jews. He casts lots (purim) daily to determine the best day to launch his holocaust. His decree moves Mordecai to challenge Esther to risk her life for the sake of her people. He convinces her that she has been called to her high office for this exalted purpose. (3-4) Attention to detail! Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites. Had Joshua and the tribes of Israel (Exodus 17:14, Deuteronomy 25:17-19) or Saul (1 Samuel 15:1-35) been obedient to God’s command and destroyed all of the Amalekites there would have been no Haman. II. DELIVERANCE OF THE JEWS: After fasting, Esther appears before the king. The king hasn’t called for her in more than 30 days. If she enters his chambers without being beckoned, she risks death, unless the king raises his golden scepter. Esther speaks up and her people are saved. (5-10) A. HAMAN’S RUIN: Fortified with faith, Esther courageously enters the king’s court inviting the king and Haman to a banquet. She uses this banquet as an opportunity to invite them to a second banquet. Before the second banquet takes place however, three events happen in rapid sequence. Haman builds an enormous gallows on which to hang Mordecai. Ahasuerus discovers Mordecai’s previously overlooked act of bravery. And Haman is forced to endure the humiliation of bestowing on Mordecai the honor which he himself so greedily craved. At the second banquet, Esther uncovers the plot against her people, and Haman is hanged on his own gallows. (5-7) B. ISRAEL’S VICTORIES: Haman is dead, but his murderous decree against the Jews lives on. A subsequent decree giving the Jews permission to fight back leads to mighty victories for God’s people. The Feast of Purim is inaugurated to henceforth commemorate this historic deliverance of the Jewish people. (8-10) Messiah: This book reveals another satanic threat to destroy the Jewish people and thus, the messianic line. God continues to preserve His people in spite of opposition and danger, and nothing can prevent the coming of Messiah. III. ESTHER AND YOU: Neither Mordecai nor Esther could be classified as godly Jews. They chose the pleasures of Persia over the hardships of their homeland (Ezra 1-6). They were eager to save their nation and their people, but they did not seem to have a warm and growing relationship with God. No one forced Esther into Ahaseurus’s harem where she ate unclean food (2:9) and did not disclose that she was a Jewess for five years (2:16). This masquerade that both she and Mordecai pulled off had to involve pagan worship. Mordecai was a brilliant politician and a nationalist for his people the Jews. But if he were that dedicated to God he would have followed Zerubbabel to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Nevertheless, God used their momentary courage and faith in the covenant to do a mighty work to protect His people and remain faithful to His covenant. Beware of anti-Semitism! Esther exposes the Satanic roots of anti-Semitism. It teaches us that in spite of worldwide conspiracies against the Jews they are God’s covenant people and He defends them for the sake of His covenant. Mordecai and Esther were no Ezra or Nehemiah! God is more powerful than the failures and weaknesses of His people. In spite of the trajectory of their lives as unfaithful Jews, God decided to use them to move His plan forward. It’s never too late to exercise courageous faith in the God who saved you from your sin. “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, since he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). Mordecai and Esther lived in a time when the enemies of God threatened their lives! God is more powerful than the schemes of His enemies. In spite of their hopeless situation, God was working behind the scenes to move protect His people. “You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Study Notes Ed Underwood Job: Worship in the Face of Suffering “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job to God, Job 42:2) The five Books of Poetry bridge the past of the seventeen Books of History with the future of the seventeen Books of Prophecy. One-third of the Hebrew Bible was written in poetry. The five Poetical Books deal with the present experience of the authors in ways that speak to the experiential present of believers of all time. Though they come from an ancient culture they are timeless in their application. They do not advance the timeline of the nation Israel. The poetry erupts from the hearts of God’s people going through some of the eras and experiences documented in the Books of History. Job lived during the patriarchal era of Abraham (Ezekiel 14:14; James 5:11). I believe Moses wrote the book based upon the oral tradition of the story he learned while living in Midian, adjacent to Uz (1:1). Adept at writing poetry (Psalm 90), Moses recast the story in Hebrew poetry under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It’s a beautiful piece dealing with the deepest crisis of faith for those who trust in the God of the Bible: Why do the righteous suffer if God is loving and all-powerful? The central issue for the sufferer is, “How can I go on believing in God when life is so hard?” “To sufferers in all ages the book of Job declares that less important than fathoming the intellectual problem of the mystery of suffering is the appropriation of its spiritual enrichment through the fellowship of God.” (Henry McKeating, The Central Issue of the Book of Job,” Expository Times 82:8 (May 1971):246) The Book of Job moves the reader from the problem of suffering to the relationship of the sufferer with their God. Job learns to trust in the goodness and power of his God when life isn’t good. Keep in mind that Job’s experience is limited to chapters 3-37. Only the reader has the divine perspective of chapters 1-2 and is able to “read ahead” to chapters 38-42. This is the way it is for sufferers. Suffering is real time with no tangible evidence that God is good and cares. Those sufferers who trust in the goodness of their God and worship Him as their caring Redeemer will know the real-time of intimacy with Him during the long days of suffering: The story of Job reports the transforming crisis in the life of a follower of God who lived four thousand years ago. Job’s trust in God (chapters 1-2) changes to complaining and growing self-defense on the basis of his performance (3-31). Finally, God speaks and Job learns his place in the relationship. God is the Sovereign; Job is the worshiper (38-42). I. JOB’S UNDESERVED SUFFERING: Satan challenges God’s rule with the charge that no one loves God from pure motives, but only for material blessings. God refutes Satan’s lie by allowing him to strike Job with two series of tragedies. In his sorrow Job laments the day he was born but does not deny God (1-2). II. JOB’S “COMFORTERS”: Job’s friends come to “comfort” him. After a week of silence, a three round debate follows. His friends say Job must be suffering because of his sin. But Job insists that they are wrong and finally cries out to the Lord as his only judge and refuge (3-37). A. JOB’S FRIENDS: Simplistic assumptions hurt Job deeply as he shifts his confidence from human resources to his Redeemer (3-32). Messiah: Job acknowledges a Redeemer (19:25-27) and longs for a Mediator (9:33; 25:4; 33:23). Ultimately Christ is the answer to Job’s question. He identifies with our sufferings (Hebrews 4:15) and is our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). Job: Trust God enough to worship Him during times of suffering! B. JOB’S COMPLAINT CHALLENGED: Elihu rightly exposes Job’s real problem: His preoccupation with self-justification instead of glorifying God. (32-37). III. GOD’S ANSWER: The LORD forces Job to look to the faithfulness of God, His Redeemer, who brings good for his own even out of evil and according to His purposes. This time Job acknowledges his error with a worshiping heart (38-42). The following charts from Dr. Tom Constable help us sort through the answers to the question, “Why do the godly suffer?” PERSON(S) Job’s Wife Job’s Three Friends Job Elihu God PERSON(S) Job’s Wife Job’s Three Friends Job Elihu God ANSWER God is unfair God is disciplining (punishing) them because of their sin God wants to destroy them because of sin God wants to direct (educate) them because of ignorance God wants to develop them to demonstrate His glory EPISTEMOLOGICAL BASE Empiricism Rationalism Rationalism Human inspiration Revelation EV ALUA TION Never Sometimes Sometimes Sometimes Always IV. JOB AND YOU: “The book of Job makes an outstanding contribution to the theology of God and man. God is seen as sovereign, omniscient, omnipotent, and caring. By contrast, man is seen as finite, ignorant, and sinful. And yet, even in the face of suffering, man can worship God, confident that His ways are perfect and that pride has no place before Him.” (Roy Zuck, A Theology of the Old Testament, p. 232) A. Trying to comfort the suffering? Job’s three friends started well by simply showing up and being with him for a week. Then they started trying to explain the why’s of suffering. This almost never helps. The sufferer needs your presence and love more than your words and your theology. Suffering? Don’t waste it by trying to figure out your God. Let Him redeem it by growing deeper in your relationship with Him as you trust Him and worship Him in spite of the pain. Perspective! Don’t ever think that what you see on earth is all that’s going on in the universe. There is personal evil and wickedness in this world that is always challenging the goodness of our God. When we worship Him in spite of the pain we prove them wrong.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Psalms Worship Manual For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations. (Psalm 100:5) The five Books of Poetry bridge the past of the seventeen Books of History with the future of the seventeen Books of Prophecy. One-third of the Hebrew Bible was written in poetry. The five Poetical Books deal with the present experience of the authors in ways that speak to the experiential present of believers of all time. Though they come from an ancient culture they are timeless in their application. They do not advance the timeline of the nation Israel. The poetry erupts from the hearts of God’s people going through some of the eras and experiences documented in the Books of History. At least seven authors contributed to the book of Psalms. These rich writings were compiled over a period of 1,000 years of Israel’s history—from the time of Moses (Psalm 90) to the return from Exile in Babylonia (Psalm 126). The term “Psalm” comes from a Greek word meaning “a song sung to the accompaniment of a plucked instrument.” Used as the temple hymnbook of the Kingdom Period, the Psalms express the spectrum of human emotion—praise to God in good times, fear of enemies in bad times, and an overriding confidence in the character of God. Written to different audiences under many circumstances the psalms cover a vast historic and topical range. This makes them relevant to every reader of every generation. The five books were written over several centuries. As individual psalms were written, some were used in Israel’s worship. Over the years various leaders including David (1 Chronicles 15:16), Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:30) and Ezra (Nehemiah 8) collected groups of Psalms into small anthologies. Finally these collections were united and edited into the five books themselves. The psalms were used in the two temples and some were part of the liturgical service. They also served as an individual and communal devotional guide. The Book of Psalms is quoted more times in the New Testament than any other book. The Lord referred to the Psalms often during His earthly ministry. And the singing of psalms was a regular part of worship in the early church (Ephesians 5:19): More than any other book in the Bible, Psalms reveals what a heartfelt, soul-starved, single-minded relationship with God looks like. The psalmists present Yahweh as king of the universe who is establishing His just rule on earth in and through His people, Israel. They pray for the realization of His rule over all Creation and encourage praise and trust in Him. They are journals of people who believe in a loving, gracious, faithful God in a world that keeps falling apart. Some of these people are: DAVID: 73 psalms cite David as author. The New Testament adds Psalms 2 and 95 to the list. David’s wide experience as the warrior-shepherd-king and his deep love of God combine to produce some of the deepest thoughts in Scripture. ASAPH: Israel’s worship leader under David and Solomon wrote 12 psalms (50, 73-83). His style is distinctive, forceful, and spiritual. He is called a prophet and poet (2 Chronicles 29:20; Nehemiah 12:46) SONS OF KORAH: This guild of singers and composers wrote 10 psalms. SOLOMON: Israel’s most powerful king and the wisest man of history wrote 2 psalms (72, 127). MOSES: Psalm 90, the oldest psalm was written by Israel’s great deliverer. DAVID’S MUSICIANS: Two of King David’s favorite musicians penned two psalms (Heman, 88; Ethan, 89). ORPHAN PSALMS: The 39 remaining psalms are anonymous, though some of these are traditionally attributed to Ezra. Messiah: Several psalms anticipated the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus, the One who came centuries later as Israel’s promised Messiah (anointed one). Every specific messianic prophecy in the Book of Psalms was fulfilled in Christ. Psalms: Honestly turning to God with our messy lives! Four rules of interpretation should guide modern readers of these rich treasures of wisdom: 1)  When the superscription gives the historical event, the psalm should be interpreted from that historical perspective. But when it is not given, never speculate trying to reconstruct the historical occasion of the psalm. 2)  Some of the psalms are associated with definite aspects of Israel’s worship (5:7; 66:13). This can help greatly in understanding those psalms. 3)  Many of the psalms use definite structure and motifs. Three types of psalms follow definite patterns of construction. a)  Praise Psalms such as 150 revolve around the word “praise” or the joyous “hallelujah.” Psalm 117 follows this pattern of an introductory call to worship, the reason for praise, then the recapitulation or a renewed summons to praise God. b)  Thanksgiving Psalms such as 48 are a public acknowledgment of God’s activity on behalf of the nation Israel or the psalmist. Psalm 138 follows this pattern of an introduction where the worshiper announces his intention to give thanks, a main section recounting the worshiper’s experience, and then a conclusion which again testifies to God’s gracious act. c)  Lament Psalms such as 22 begin with a direct cry to God. They are really expressions of praise— praise offered to God in the time of His absence. Psalm 22 follows this form very closely: Address to God, Complaint, Confession of Trust, Petition, Words of Assurance, Vow of Praise. PSALMS AND YOU: “Of all the books in the Old Testament the Book of Psalms most vividly represents the faith of individuals in the Lord. The Psalms are the inspired responses of human hearts to God’s revelation of Himself in law, history, and prophecy. Saints of all ages have appropriated this collection of prayers and praises in their public worship and private mediations.” (Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, p. 779) When we walk with God through life, the Psalms will become our hymnbook, our prayer book, our refuge in times of deepest anguish. Why? Because the inspired words of the original poets express every redeemed heart’s feelings toward God—our praises, doubts, anger, anguish, trust, rest, and joy. A. Read the Psalms for spiritual benefit. 1. They are your guide to worship. 2. They help you relate honestly to God. 3. They must be read devotionally. B. Read the Psalms unafraid of your emotions. The poetry is messy and disordered, just like life. The poetry is spiritual therapy. The poetry gives us a category of lament to express our disappointment in God. The poetry gives us a category of cursing to express our emotions to God—but always as prayers! May your reading of these songs of trust bless your heart as you relate to the God whose love is always loyal and whose glory is always to be revealed...to those who trust!

Study Notes Ed UnderwoodProverbs: Skillful LivingFearing the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). The five Books of Poetry bridge the past of the seventeen Books of History with the future of the seventeen Books of Prophecy. One-third of the Hebrew Bible was written in poetry. The five Poetical Books deal with the present experience of the authors in ways that speak to the experiential present of believers of all time. Though they come from an ancient culture they are timeless in their application. They do not advance the timeline of the nation Israel. The poetry erupts from the hearts of God’s people going through some of the eras and experiences documented in the Books of History. Have you ever learned a lesson the hard way? For many of life’s lessons the hard way is the only way, but a lot of the wrecks we encounter through the years could be avoided with a little wisdom. What if I told you that I knew of a book that held treasures of wisdom designed by God to teach you to live skillfully? What if I went on to explain that this isn’t a large book, that you could read it in one sitting, and that it contained over 900 inspired precepts—timeless teaching for everyday living? Would you hurry to your bookstore or navigate to amazon.com and purchase this amazing book that has the potential to teach you how to live so that you don’t have to learn all your lessons the hard way? This book exists, but you don’t need to spend any money to buy it...if you already own a Bible! One of the most practical books in the Old Testament is Proverbs—a collection of short, pithy statements of inspired truth and wisdom. Proverbs deals with wisdom and stupidity, justice and revenge, diligence and laziness, poverty and wealth, bosses and employees, life and death. These maxims give us God’s principles for godly living. It takes only a few seconds to read one of God’s proverbs, but the dedicated Christian will spend a lifetime living out the implications of that truth. Not surprisingly, skillful living begins with your attitude toward God: To fear God is to relate your entire world to Him as you stand in awe of Him, and determine to trust Him by humbly depending on Him as you do what He says. I. Proverbs is one of only a few books of your Bible that spells out its purpose. Title: Proverbs is a collection of five separate books of proverbs. Verse 1 introduces the entire book and chapters 1-9 in particular. A proverb is a “truth tested by time” (von Rad, Wisdom in Israel, p. 74). But the Hebrew book of Proverbs contains the truths tested by time in Israel’s experience with the Living God. (1:1) Purpose: Proverbs teaches the foundational skill of life—how to live before God and others in practical righteousness. The two purposes of the book move the reader toward this life... 1. By providing moral judgment and sensitivity (1:2a,3-4). 2. By providing mental clarity and insight (1:2b,5-6) Proverbs: The key to skillful living is fear of the Lord! C. Theme: The key statement for Proverbs is the key statement for all the wisdom literature and for skillful living. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of moral knowledge. (1:7) “Fear of the Lord” is “not only a correct way of thinking about God but a correct relationship with Yahweh. It is an affectionate reverence that results in humbly bowing to the Father’s will. It is a desire not to sin against Him because His wrath is so awful and His love is so awesome.” (Dr. Tom Constable, Proverbs, p 8). “Beginning” views fear of the Lord not only as the starting point but the controlling principle of knowledge. “What the alphabet is to reading, notes to reading music, and numerals to mathematics, the fear of the Lord is to attaining the revealed knowledge of this book.” (Waltke,Proverbs, p. 181) “Knowledge” is not just a collection of facts in the brain. This knowledge is the knowledge of truth from the objective perspective of God as He has revealed it in His revelation. II. The Proverbs will teach you how to live skillfully, how to avoid learning some lessons the hard way if... A. If the controlling principle of your life is your fear of the Lord—your correct thinking about Him and your correct relationship with Him. 1. Is He the One you stand in awe of everyday? 2. Is He the One you bow to in obedience every day? 3. Is He the One you know personally because you have believed in His Son, Jesus Christ? 4. Is He the One you know better every day as you walk with His Son, Jesus Christ? B. If you connect wisdom and instruction in your everyday life. The releasing principle of your life is connecting wisdom and instruction. (1:2) Wisdom means “skill” and instruction means “discipline”. Skill in life grows as our knowledge of God and His Word comes under the control of His Spirit to unleash His creative purposes for our lives. C. If you read it! Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? T. S. Eliot

Study Notes Ed Underwood Ecclesiastes Life Is Empty without God Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13) The five Books of Poetry bridge the past of the seventeen Books of History with the future of the seventeen Books of Prophecy. One-third of the Hebrew Bible was written in poetry. The five Poetical Books deal with the present experience of the authors in ways that speak to the experiential present of believers of all time. Though they come from an ancient culture they are timeless in their application. They do not advance the timeline of the nation Israel. The poetry erupts from the hearts of God’s people going through some of the eras and experiences documented in the Books of History. Ecclesiastes records an intense quest for meaning, purpose and satisfaction in life. I believe Solomon wrote the book during the latter years of his reign (971-931 B.C.), after he turned back to God following years of inattention and even rebellion. The lessons of the futility of seeking happiness from the experiences of “life under the sun” or “life on earth” (2:24, 8:17) were fresh in the experience of the repentant King of Israel. Solomon’s “intent in his writing is to pass judgment on man’s misguided endeavors at mastering life by pointing out its limits and mysteries. He would prefer that man replace such false and illusory hopes with a confidence based on the joy of creation as God’s gift.” (Ernest W. Hengtenberg, A Commentary on Ecclesiastes, p. 15) The Book of Ecclesiastes exposes the emptiness of seeking meaning in life on earth apart from God. The key word is vanity, also translated emptiness or futile, occurs thirty-seven times. Life under the sun, also translated life on earth, occurs twenty-nine times. Due to the injustices, inconsistencies, and seeming irrationality of life, earthly pursuits inevitably end in dissatisfaction and frustration. The only way to make sense of this world is to view life from God’s perspective. Solomon refers to God as Elohim (Powerful Creator) forty-one times in the book rather than Yahweh (Covenant-Keeping Redeemer). This emphasizes the universality of the truths for all people, not just followers of the God of the Bible. God will ultimately judge all people. Therefore we should “Fear God and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of man” (12:13-14): Solomon lays out his argument clearly. True satisfaction in life can only be found by looking beyond this world. If life on this earth is all there is, then all is futile (2:24). But for those who fear God and keep His commandments (12:13-14) life is full of meaning and purpose. I. THE TEACHER’S MAIN IDEA: Following a one-verse introduction Solomon states his theme: Everything is absolutely futile. (1:1-11) II. THE TEACHER’S PROOF: Solomon proves that he knows what he’s talking about from personal experience. He catalogues his amazing pursuits and his lifelong quest for meaning. He’s tried it all— wisdom, works, women, and wealth. Unsatisfied and empty, he concludes that all life on earth has to offer is disappointment and confusion. (1:12-6:12) Messiah: A Type of Christ in Ecclesiastes. This book about the emptiness of life on earth constantly refers to the God of Creation (Elohim). Solomon admits that God is the unmoved mover of history, but that men and women remain ignorant of His power (3:11). He concludes that only the “one shepherd” (12:11) can provide real satisfaction, joy, and wisdom. Jesus calls Himself the “Good Shepherd” who offers His life freely to all who believe (John 10:7-10). Ecclesiastes: Life is meaningless apart from reverence for God! III. THE TEACHER’S RECOMMENDATION OF A BETTER OPTION: The best this life has to offer is a self-disciplined life that will bring only temporary blessing or prosperity. The “good life” is only attained by turning to God and trusting Him enough to do what He says. (7-12) A. THE FUTILITY OF SELF-INDULGED PLEASURES AND ACHIEVEMENTS: Living for sensual pleasure is the worst option. Living to achieve is a somewhat better option. Nevertheless the only way to enjoy the fruit of self-effort is to remember that it’s fleeting. (7:1-9:12) B. EVEN THE WISEST MUST GET OLD AND DIE: Unlike fools who engage in meaningless talk and pursuits, wise people live the best life on earth. But even the wisest become feeble and wonder what it is all about. (9:13-12:7) C. ONLY REVERENCE FOR GOD TRULY SATISFIES: Real living begins and ends with relationship with God. Don’t look “under the sun” for meaning in life but beyond the sun to the “one Shepherd.” (12:8-14) IV. ECCLESIASTES AND YOU: The futility of human pleasure, effort, and achievement directs men and women, boys and girls to the only sane path of life: abandoned trust in and obedience to the God of the Bible! Do you know the “one Shepherd,” the “Good Shepherd” who wants to give you a life that is full of meaning and purpose—His life, eternal life? (John 10:7-10; 6:47) What preoccupies your life right now? Life’s pleasures? Life’s achievements? The Wisdom of Life? Or your relationship with God? Before you answer that, consider these clear indicators of the truth concerning you: Where are you investing your time? What do your schedule priorities reveal? Where are you investing your money? What do your budget priorities reveal? What do your dreams about the future reveal? What do your conversations with others about the church and God’s people reveal? What do you feel God wants you to do about your answer to the last question? If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world. C.S. Lewis

Study Notes Ed Underwood Song of Solomon: Intimacy in Marriage Eat, friends, and drink! Drink freely, O lovers! (God to husband and wife, Song of Songs 5:1) The five Books of Poetry bridge the past of the seventeen Books of History with the future of the seventeen Books of Prophecy. One-third of the Hebrew Bible was written in poetry. The five Poetical Books deal with the present experience of the authors in ways that speak to the experiential present of believers of all time. Though they come from an ancient culture they are timeless in their application. They do not advance the timeline of the nation Israel. The poetry erupts from the hearts of God’s people going through some of the eras and experiences documented in the Books of History. Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs is a love song written by Solomon. It is a celebration of marital love in Hebrew poetry full of metaphors and imagery depicting the love between husband and wife. Though some feel uncomfortable with a literal interpretation of this highly erotic poem, God created man and woman and personally established and endorsed marriage (Genesis 2:20-24). It shouldn’t surprise us that God included a manual to guide marriage partners in love and lovemaking in His Word. Admittedly, Solomon seems an unlikely author of a poem on the joy of pure and wholesome love. I believe Solomon wrote this about the only true and pure romance he ever experienced. Song of Songs is a beautiful affirmation of sex in marriage. “The song fills a necessary vacuum in the Scriptures because it endorses sex and celebrates it beyond all expectation. Although abuse is possible and to be avoided, sex is not inherently evil, nor is it limited to a procreative function. Instead, sex enables an experience of love whose intensity has no parallel in this cosmos and serves as a signpost to point to the greater love that lies beyond it. (Richard S. Hess, Song of Songs, p. 35). The Song of Songs illustrates the God’s love for Israel and Christ’s love for the church. Still, “God’s primary purpose in inspiring this book was to give us revelation concerning the way love between a man and a woman should look.” (Constable, p 5): The Song of Solomon dispels the erroneous contention that sexuality is sinful while simultaneously reminding us that illicit sex debases one of God’s most precious gifts to humanity. I. LOVE GROWS: The story begins and unfolds. The reader witnesses the age-old theme of man and woman falling in love through the interplay of cameos by the main characters. (1:1-3:5) II. LOVE CELEBRATED: God’s manual on sex includes a most glorious wedding celebration and a most pointed message—sex is limited to the institution of marriage. (3:6-11) Messiah: A Type of Christ. In the Old Testament, Israel is regarded as the bride of Yahweh (Isaiah 54:5-6, Jeremiah 2:2, Hosea 2:16-20). The New Testament views the church as the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:23-25; Revelation 19:7-9, 21:9). The Song of Songs illustrates both. III. LOVE CONSUMMATED: The lovers come together in a beautifully written dialogue picturing their joy in each other in vivid detail. God speaks a blessing over them as they enjoy His gift of sexuality and intimacy in marriage. Eat, friends, and drink! Drink freely, O lovers! (4:1-5:1) Song of Solomon: Sex is a gift from God with a purpose— to enhance intimacy between husband and wife! IV. LOVE STRUGGLES: Always practical, the Bible also depicts the tensions and troubles of this “marriage made in heaven.” Misunderstandings following the honeymoon strain the relationship. The sorrow of the lovers and the meddling of friends is an all too familiar pattern for the realities of marital love. (5:2-6:13) V. LOVE RECONCILED: Realistic but uncompromising, the divine record of love reveals what God expects from troubled marital lovers—the hard and messy work of reconciliation. (7:1-8:4) VI. LOVE MATURES: The final picture is hopeful and encouraging. A love that overcomes tough times is stronger and able to experience the full blessings of intimacy before God. (8:5-14) SONG OF SONGS AND YOU: The practical wisdom of Solomon’s Song is vital in a world gone crazy with illicit sex and a church sometimes embarrassed by the subject of sex. The Bible unashamedly endorses sexual intimacy between husband and wife. There at least six reasons for sex between husband and life: Procreation—to create life (Genesis 1:28) Intimacy—sex increases the emotional and spiritual intimacy between husband and wife (Genesis 2:24) Knowledge—communication between husband and wife concerning sex can increase understanding and appreciation of one another’s needs and desires in other areas of life. (Genesis 4:1) The Hebrew word for “sexual intercourse” is the word “to know.” Through God’s gracious gift of sexual intimacy, a wife and a husband gain intimate and exclusive knowledge of one another they have with no one else. NOTE: THE ENTIRE POEM IS DIALOGUE!!!!! Pleasure—sexual intimacy brings mutual pleasure to husband and wife. (Proverbs 5:15, 18- 19; Song of Solomon) Defense against temptation—sexual availability and attentiveness protect both spouses from temptations to adultery. (1 Corinthians 7:2, 5) Comfort—sexual intimacy comforts during difficult times. (2 Samuel 12:24) The Bible unashamedly forbids sex between anyone other than your legal, heterosexual spouse. Here are the reasons for sex between any other two people on earth or in history: NONE! RUN, STUPID! (1 Corinthians 6:18) There is no more lovely, friendly, charming relationship, communion or company than agood marriage. ~Martin Luther

Study Notes Ed Underwood The Prophets of Israel: Mediators of God’s Enforcement of the Covenant “For the Lord your God is a merciful God, he will not let you down or destroy you, for he cannot forget his covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them.” (Deuteronomy 4:31) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) Studying the Prophets of Israel presents unique interpretative challenges. We must keep in mind the number one principle of interpretation—the Bible can never mean what it never meant. When we place the prophets in their proper literary and historical context a pattern emerges. We begin to see the prophets as Covenant Enforcer Mediators. (Fee and Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, p. 167) “The prophets spoke for God to His people. They functioned to call Israel back to God, which meant a call back to faithfulness to their Covenant relationship with God; i.e., back to the Law of Moses. There was a covenant relationship between God and His people. This covenant contained not only the rules which they are to keep, but it also describes the sorts of punishments that God will necessarily apply to His people if they do not keep the Law, as well as the benefits He will impart to them if they are faithful. What is important is that God does not merely give His Law, but He enforces it. Positive reinforcement is blessing; negative reinforcement is curse. This is where the prophets come in. God announced the enforcement of the Law (both positive and negative) through the prophets.” (Bob Deffinbaugh, Understanding the Writing Prophets, bible.org, p. 4) I would sum up the message of the prophets in one extended sentence: Before we begin our journey through the Prophets of Israel, here are some foundational truths concerning their grammatical and historical context: I. What do we mean by the word “prophecy”? Most people think of a prophecy as a prediction of a future event, a foretelling. Though this is an aspect of the term, it’s inadequate. The Bible doesn’t limit the meaning of prophecy to foretelling the future. The word prophet also means someone who tells forth or proclaims. The prophets did tell the future (foretell), but that was not their primary function. Less than 2% of the Old Testament prophecy is messianic, and less than 5% of the writings of the Prophets of Israel relates to the New Covenant age of the church. Remarkably, less than 1% of all the Old Testament prophecy actually concerns events still future to us as Church Age believers. The bulk of the foretold prophecies of the Prophets of Israel have been fulfilled. From the prophet’s perspective, his primary function was to speak for God to his contemporaries. This is why we need to first establish the primary message to the prophet’s audience and his predictions concerning the near future before we begin trying to ascertain what the prophet was saying about the “way off” future. II. What was the purpose of the Prophets of Israel? The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their Covenant relationship with God. You are mine! Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline. (God’s message to His people through the Prophets of Israel) PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com God had made four Unconditional Covenants with His people, Israel: Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12-15): A literal, eternal, and unconditional “deal” that God would give them a land, a seed, and a blessing. Palestinian Covenant (Deuteronomy 30:1-8): Unconditional and permanent ownership of the Promise Land. However, current possession of the land was conditioned upon obedience to the Mosaic Law. (see below) Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:14-16): The Seed of David would rule on the throne of the eternal Kingdom. New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34): The Blessing of forgiveness of sins, the indwelling Spirit, and a new nature would be realized through the Seed of David, Messiah. God and Israel had made one Conditional Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant. God not only gave the people His Law, but He also told them He would enforce it through blessings and cursings. GodwouldencouragefaithfulnesstotheLawbyblessing(Leviticus26:1-13;Deuteronomy28:1- 14). These blessings included life, health, prosperity, agricultural abundance, respect and safety in the world. God would discourage unfaithfulness to the Law by cursing, or loving discipline (Leviticus 26:14-39; Deuteronomy 28:15-32, 42). These blessings included death, disease, drought, danger, destruction, defeat, deportation, destitution, and disgrace. Deuteronomy4:25-31sumsupthisdynamicoftheconditionalcovenant: After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him, Iinvokeheavenandearthaswitnessesagainstyoutodaythatyouwillsurelyandswiftlyberemoved from the very land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not last long there because you will surely be annihilated. Then the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and there will be very few of you among the nations where the Lord will drive you. There you will worship gods made by human hands – wood and stone that can neither see, hear, eat, nor smell. But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul. In your distress when all these things happen to you in the latter days, if you return to the Lord your God and obey him (for he is a merciful God), he will not let you down or destroy you, for he cannot forget the covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them. III. Who were the prophets speaking to? The chronology of the Prophets of Israel is critical. They were speaking to specific generations of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant in the context of the unconditional covenants. The prophets to Israel: Jonah, Amos, and Hosea. The prophets to Judah: Obadiah, Joel, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah (Lamentations). The prophets to the exiles: Ezekiel, Daniel. The prophets to the returning remnant: Zechariah, Haggai, Malachi IV. What was their message as mediators to enforce the covenants? You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline. (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11) V. What can we learn from the overarching message of the prophets? When people are in covenant relationship with God He will never revoke His promises. But He loves them too much to ignore them if they stray from faithfulness to Him.

Study Notes Ed Underwood The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:8-12) “Indeed a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promised Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) Studying the Prophets of Israel presents unique interpretative challenges. We must keep in mind the number one principle of interpretation—the Bible can never mean what it never meant. When we place the prophets in their proper literary and historical context a pattern emerges. We begin to see the prophets as Covenant Enforcer Mediators. (Fee and Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All It’ s Worth, p. 167) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline. (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11) An exciting aspect of God’s covenant relationship and promises to Israel for New Testament believers is our relationship to the New Covenant God made with Israel. During the days of Jeremiah, when it was obvious that Israel would never keep the Old Covenant, God promised to make a new covenant with Israel and Judah. This New Covenant had to do with the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant: Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the Lord. “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people. “People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34) This was the passage to move Origen to name the last twenty-seven books of the Bible the New Testament. It’s also the largest piece of text quoted literally in the New Testament in Hebrews 8:8-12. It’s a key passage in helping us understand how we, as New Testament believers, fit into God’s great plan. God made the covenant with Israel and its ultimate fulfillment will involve the physical descendants of Abraham, the Jews. Yet the New Testament writers make it clear that church-age believers have mysteriously and wonderfully entered into the blessings of the New Covenant: Before we begin our journey through the Prophets of Israel, it’s important to understand the implications of this critical text for us today. I. What is the New Covenant? It is a series of promises that God made to Israel and Judah during the darkest days in Old T estament history. These promises are unconditional, unchangeable, and irreversible since they are sealed by God’s oath. The New Covenant replaces the Old Covenant of the Mosaic Law because that covenant had been broken. It is vastly superior to the Old and makes it obsolete. It defines the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant in glorious and unexpected ways. Christian, enthusiastically embrace and live out your New Covenant blessings! The term “New Covenant” occurs only here in the Old Testament, though there are numerous references in Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea. The New Covenant was future to Jeremiah’s writing. The Lord would make this New Covenant with all the Israelites—those who had inhabited the Northern and the Southern Kingdom: The blessings of the New Covenant are: An inner inclination to obey God, an internalization of His Law. “ I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds.” God’s New Covenant will give Israel the inner capacity to obey His righteous commands and enjoy deep intimacy with Him. Ezekiel (36:24-32) and Joel (2:28-32) clarify that this inner power will be the indwelling Holy Spirit. A firm relationship with God that is secure and eternal. The knowledge of God: Intimacy never achieved under the Old Covenant. The forgiveness of sin: Israel’s sins would not only be forgiven, but forgotten. Isaiah clarified this by saying that God’s Substitute would make payment for sin (53:4-6). Jesus announced that His substitutionary death on the Cross would ratify the New Covenant (Matthew 26:27-28; Luke 22:20). II. What do the New Testament authors say about the New Covenant? God ratified the New Covenant with Israel when Jesus Christ died on the Cross, and the church now operates under this covenant. Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant when He died on the Cross as a substitute for sin (Luke 22:20, Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; 1 Corinthians 11:25). New Testament Christians are ministers/servants of a new covenant based upon the Spirit that gives life and therefore our stories of relationship with God are about what the Spirit is doing in our heart (on the inside, 2 Corinthians 3:1-6). New Testament Christians are recipients of the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant through the promise of the New Covenant. Because of Israel’s unbelief and unfaithfulness to the Old Covenant, the church has been grafted into all the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant (Galatians 3:14; Romans 9:8, 11:17). The four benefits of the New Covenant—inner inclination to obey God, firm relationship, knowledge of God, and forgiveness of sins—belong to all the regenerate of every age since the substitionary death of the Son of God on the Cross. (Hebrews 8:8-12) Since the New Covenant offers final forgiveness based solely upon the death of Christ, there is no further need of a sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 10:15-18) III. Does this mean that God is through with Israel? No! The promise was specifically made to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The full spiritual, physical, and national portions of the New Covenant do not belong to the church. Those will be fulfilled in the future. We believe that this will occur during the Millennium, the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth following His Second Coming. IV. What does this mean to me? God made the New Covenant with Israel at the Cross. But grace upon grace! Though the church does not replace Israel, mysteriously and gloriously we enter into her New Covenant blessings! We have the Holy Spirit who inclines us to obey God (Romans 8:9; Philippians 2:13). We have a firm relationship with God through Christ which is secure and eternal (1 John 5:11- 13). We have intimacy with God that no one under the Old Covenant could experience (Romans 8:16- 17; 1 John 1:3). And we have forgiveness of sins through the death of Christ (Ephesians 1:7).

Settings:The people of God lived in a time of unprecedented political, economic, and spiritual upheavals. The children of Israel had gotten sucked into all kinds of sick Ca- naanite idolatry and immorality (chs. 41, 44, 46, & 57; The Canaanite pantheon of gods involved sacred prostitution that would stimulate Baal and Ashtoreth to fertilize the land). There was also great temptation for idolatry because of political sway and power. As a result there was a constant shift in population and national boundaries. Isaiah’s call begins with the death of King Uzziah (possibly his cousin) who had been struck by God with leprosy because of his irreverence and “cut off from the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 26:21). In this context, God calls Isaiah to warn His people during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah” (1:1). At the onset of Isaiah’s ministry, Amos and Hosea were preaching similar messages to the people of the northern kingdom and Jeremiah would take up Isaiah’s mantle 50 years after Isaiah’s death (during that time Daniel and Ezekiel will ministers to the Jewish exiles in Babylon). Many believe that Isaiah was born around the 760’s and Jewish tradition held that he suffered martyrdom (Heb. 11:37?) under Manasseh (697-642). Isaiah prophesized for roughly 60 years and was married to a prophetess (8:3) and had two children. God revealed more to Isaiah about the Messiah, than any other Old Testament person. God calls Isaiah to be one of His “covenant enforcement mediators.” In chapter 6, God instructs Isaiah to call out Judah, but also tells him that Israel won’t listen. Isaiah preached to three historical periods with such accuracy that many erroneously assume that much of Isaiah was written later as history and not prophecy (i.e. Isa. 45 prophesys about Cyrus who did not appear until 536; “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come” 46:10) or at least multiple authors. Yet, Jesus quotes both the early and latter portions of Isaiah and attributes it to Isaiah in John 12:38 & 40. Also the Isaiah Dead Sea Scroll can be dated from the 2nd century BC and does not separate or have any distinctions (ch. 40 begins in the same column as ch. 39). Here is a typical way Isaiah is divided: 1-39 describes judgment on 8th century Israelites—both Israel and Judah will be taken captive. 40-55 comforts discouraged exiles—Israel’s God is disciplining them but the Jews will return. 56-66 encourages Jews who just returned to the land—the Messiah and complete restoration of Israel is yet to come! Remember the Prophets must be understood through the lens of the conditional Mosaic covenant. It basically states that if Israel obeys they will be blessed and if they disobey they will be disciplined. Unfortunately, God’s people rejected Him and “exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Rom 1:25). 2 Kings 17:13 states, “The LORD solemnly warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and all the seers, ‘Turn back from your evil ways; obey my commandments and rules that are recorded in the law. I ordered your ancestors to keep this law and sent my servants the prophets to remind you of its demands.’” Even before the conquest, the Lord predicts Israel’s apostasy and the foreign powers that the He will utilize to discipline and fulfill His side of the Mosaic covenant, “The LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of wood and stone. Among those nations you will have no rest nor will there be a place of peaceful rest for the soles of your feet, for there the LORD will give you an anxious heart, failing eyesight, and a spirit of despair.” (Deuteronomy 28:64-65, see also vs. 49, 52). The Old Testament reveals that God used 3 main foreign powers to discipline His people: 1) Assyria (northern tribes—Israel), 2) Babylon (southern tribes—Judah) and 3) Persia (return to the land). Throughout Isaiah there are messages to multiple audiences: 1) to the “nations,” 2) unfaithful Jews, and 3) the faithful remnant. There is a constant theme of judgment of the wicked, and salvation and grace to the remnant. Isaiah cries out against the pride of his people: “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many...Now the Egyptians are men, and not God...Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.” (31:1,3, 48:10-11 ). God delights in strengthening the humble: “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘be strong, do not fear!’....He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might He increases strength...Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.... (35:3-4, 39:28-31, 41:10,13, etc.) God’s rejecting the prideful and strengthening the humble leads to Isaiah’s consistent emphasis on desperation (reliance) and deliverance that all people of God go through. Isaiah tells the people of God to “wait” (16 times) and “wait” during some of the darkest times in history, “We wait for light, but see only darkness; we wait for a bright light, but live in deep darkness....we wait for deliverance, but there is none, for salvation, but it is far from us.” (Isa 59:9, 11) We wait because we worship a God of grace and mercy and He loves to deliver, “Yes, as your judgments unfold, O LORD, we wait for you. We desire your fame and reputation to grow...For this reason the LORD is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. Indeed, the LORD is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed...LORD, be merciful to us! We wait for you. Give us strength each morning! Deliver us when distress comes...But those who wait for the LORD's help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles' wings, they run with- out growing weary, they walk without getting tired...Then you will recognize that I am the LORD; those who wait patiently for me are not put to shame....Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who intervenes for those who wait for him.” (Isa 26:8, 30:18, 33:2, 40:31, 49:23, 64:4) The message of Isaiah is a message of jealousy for the One, True God. Isaiah is preoccupied with the wonder and grandeur of Yahweh despite the chaos of his day and the days to come. Chapters 41, 44, 46 and 57 describe the absolute foolishness of idolatry—”Indeed they are all worthless; their works are nothing; their molded images are wind and confusion” (41:29). Over and over, God says, “There is none like me!” (43:12, 44:6,8, 45:5,6, 14, 21). “I am the LORD! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols...For my sake alone I will act, for how can I allow my name to be defiled? I will not share my glory with anyone else!” (Isa 42:8, 48:11). There is only the One, True God that we must hallow:”The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread. But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear the God of Israel.” (Isa 8:13, 29:23) Isaiah means (Yahweh saves) and this promise is certainly affirmed throughout the Book. Isaiah reveals God’s plan for Israel and all of humanity—the Messiah is coming and He will be a suffering servant and He will have a universal reign. For the Jews of Isaiah, it didn’t always appear that God was faithful but He was and is. The prophesied Mes- siah will come and faithfully fulfill the covenant. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). The Messiah embodied all of the Father’s hope for faithful Israel—the righteous and suffering servant. Four “suffering servant” songs occur in chapter 42, 49, 50 and everything culmi- nates in chapter 53, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgres- sions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:4-5). The Jewish righteous remnant could not atone for the sins of the world, only a truly righteous suffering servant could take this on. As we long for the glory of God, we are powerful witnesses of the One, True God. One of Isaiah’s message is to reemphasize the original purpose of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3), for Israel to be God’s special possession (Exodus 19:5-6) to bless all the nations (Gen. 12:3). Not only will God restore Israel, but He will send the Messiah who will be a “covenant mediator for people, and a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons” (Isa 42:6-7). God will make Him “a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth." (Isa 49:6). God’s plan from the beginning was for His people to tes- tify of His glory, to be His witnesses: “It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory...And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles...Therefore You are My witnesses...How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (66:18b,19b, 43:12, 44:8, 52:7)

Sermons By Ed Ep. 31: Jeremiah Ed Underwood   The Book of Jeremiah (Yahweh establishes)—Weeping prophet to a wayward people Jeremiah’s message to Judah— Forsake idolatry and self-rule and return to covenant with your faithful God . If you don’t, God will not stop the im- pending judgment (loss of land, rule, & captivity). Yet in the end, there is hope—God will establish a new glorious covenant where He will remake and reestablish the people of God forever! Setting: Jeremiah is inserted in the turbulent years surrounding the decline of Assyria and the rise of the Babylonian Empire (627-582 [Jeremiah 1:2-3]).The backdrop is the rule of Josiah’s three sons and grandson (Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin & Zedekiah), the last four rulers of Judah. The nation’s independ- ence was ending and Jeremiah would witness the destruction of the city and the Temple. Jeremiah suffered for the message God gave him: whipped and put in stocks (20:2), accused of treason and desertion (26, 37:11-16), plotted against (12:6, 18:18), imprisoned in a cistern (38: 1-13), held under arrest (38:14-28). Jeremiah is very honest about the turmoil in his heart (4:19, 8:18-22, 9:1ff, 15:10-21 & 20:7-18) and longs for Yahweh to restore Judah. Once it became clear that Judah would not repent, Jeremiah advocates submission to Babylon and directs his sermons to the future returning remnant. The book can be divided into two main sections and 19 messages from the heart of God through His servant Jeremiah: Chapters 1-45—10 messages to Judah’s Kings, the False prophets, and Judah to repent Chapters 46-52—9 messages of judgment against the nations Jeremiah 31:31-34 describes a new covenant that has been implemented through Christ in the church and will be fulfilled with the house of Israel & Judah. Themes & Message of Jeremiah “Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.” (1:9-10). Jeremiah’s message is two-fold: 1) to destroy and 2) to rebuild. He was sent to Judah to rebuke them for their sinful ways and to announce that Yahweh has rejected them for a period of time, and has transferred the land (as predicted in Lev. 26 & Deut 28) into the hands of the Gentiles (Babylon). In chapter 18, God uses the illustration of the potter and the clay. As the potter shaped his pot according to a specific design, the clay proved to be unpliable, so the potter reshaped it into a different design. Judah, by continual refusal of God, kept getting harder and harder in heart, till eventually God could not mold the clay. If Judah responded to their rebuke, the Lord would relent the impending judgment. History proved that Judah did not respond, but God remained faithful—Jeremiah prophesied the preservation of a righteous remnant that will return (23:3, 29:10-14, 32:37-41, 36:11), the initiating of a shocking new covenant (31:31-34), and the coming of the Messiah and Kingdom (3:17-18, 23:3, 5-6, 33:15-17). Judah, played “the harlot” and was sucked into all kinds of sick Canaanite idolatry and immorality for political and “survival” reasons. Idolatry is described and condemned in Jeremiah—more than any other Book in the Bible (1:16, 2:5, 11, 28, 3:9, 5:19, 7:6-8, 18, 9:14, 10:1-16, 11:10, 17, 12:16, 13:10, 14:22, 18:15, 19:5, 13, 22:9, 23:13, 25:6, 32:34- 35, 50:2, 38, 51:17, & 47, etc.). Jeremiah calls Judah’s wicked acts as: harlotry (2:20, 3:1, 6, & 8), forsaking God (14 times), dealing treacherously with God (3:20, 5:11, 12:1, 6) and rejecting the covenant they established with Yahweh out of Egypt (Egypt is mentioned 60 times). Yet God’s covenantal mercy, grace and cry for the return of His people are seen throughout Jeremiah—“But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me....Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: `Return, backsliding Israel,' says the LORD; `I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,' says the LORD;`I will not remain angry forever...O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved....Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you." (3:1, 12, 4:14, 31:3). God’s heart is for Judah to be His people and for Him to be their God (Jeremiah uses the phrase “My people” 46 times). That they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear (13:11). The steps of turning away from Yahweh, forsaking the covenant, and sinning against their Maker is described by Jeremiah as futile (10:3, 15, 51:18) and worthless (10:8, 14:14, 18:15, 23:16). Jeremiah describes this exchange of the living God for profitless and worthless idolatry as shockingly stupid and self-destructive. In Jeremiah 2:13, God points out the two evils that Judah has committed: “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns— broken cisterns that can hold no water.” The worthless idols of Canaan cannot and will not accomplish what only God can do. “Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit...Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.” (2:11, 11:12) The universal problem of the people of God has always been the seduction of self-sufficiency and independence from our All-powerful Provider. Judah was no different, “Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD” (17:5). Human wisdom, might and riches are as bro- ken as blasphemous idolatry, “Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD” (9:23-24). The future hope for Judah and all of us self-sufficient, idolatrous, covenant breakers is the hope of the New Covenant (Jer. 31)—"But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land," says the LORD. "I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people. People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me," says the LORD. "For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done." (Jer 31:33-34). The Mosaic Law declares men guilty and imprisons humanity under sin in order to bring us to resolution that we need intervention—Christ (Rom. 7 & Gal. 3). What the people of God needed wasn’t more Law or clarification of God’s expectations, but the supernatural capacity to live in covenant relationship with Yahweh. To a generation of idolaters and covenant breakers, Jeremiah shares the great- est news any Israelite could ever hear—God will remake you with a new heart, directing you with His indwelling presence, you will experience intimacy and forgiveness like never before, that will result in trusting obedience and not failure and shame. 5 parts of the New Covenant: New heart New Spirit New experience and knowledge of God “God’s dream will become a Reality—I will be their God, they shall be my people!” (Jer 31:33, Ezek. 37:27) New level of forgiveness “forgiven, forgotten, & final” (Jer. 31:34, Heb. 10:4, 18) New results “new nature” (Jer 31:33, Ezek. 36:26, 2 Cor. 3:3) “New experience of God’s indwelling presence and guidance.” (Ezek 36:26-27, Isaiah 59:21, 2 Cor. 3:3, 6) “It will set people free!” (Jer. 32:40, 31:32, 34, Ezek 36:27, Rom. 7:14-18, 24, 2 Cor. 3:6, 9-11, Heb. 8:6)

All the Bible, Every Book Study Notes Ed Underwood The Book of Lamentation Despite the national suffering, destruction, and deportation of Judah, Yahweh’s faithfulness is great and hope is not lost. Jeremiah 31:31-34 describes a new covenant that has been implemented through Christ in the church and will be fulfilled with the house of Israel & Judah. Setting: The Book of Lamentations was probably written in Egypt (where Jeremiah was kidnapped just prior to or after the deportation) shortly after the Fall of Jerusalem. You can almost picture Jeremiah as he is being taken down to Egypt, looking back and watching the smoke and desolation of his beloved land and his heart breaking in his chest. The English title for this book that comes from the Talmud is “Lamentations” but the Hebrew Bible’s title is simply “Ahhhh How!?” How did this happen? What a great title for a Book. Lamentations aggressively deals with the issue of personal and national suffering. Jeremiah is a righteous and faithful prophet, yet His laments are national, community laments. God is disciplining Judah and they deserve it—they have forsaken God, the fountain of living waters, and have chosen broken cisterns that hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13). Despite the brokenness and anguish of Jeremiah, he teaches us how to relate to God in pain, disappointment, and crises. Jeremiah’s 5 laments are full of very unique prayers and interactions with God. His 3rd lament, found in Lamentations 3, may be one of the greatest laments in all of Scripture. Chapter 3 is the heart of Lamentations. Defeat and Desolation of Jerusalem (586 BC) Jeremiah (warning) Looking forward Lamentations (mourning) Looking back 5 Corporate Laments Ch. 1 (overview) Josiah begins his reforms The dark days of the people of Jerusalem. Sorrow over Jerusalem’s condition. Jeremiah begins his ministry (Jeremiah 1) Ch. 2 (internal view) —Josiah killed in battle by Egyptians at Megiddo. —Jehoahaz reigns over Judah 3 months, —Johoiakim made king of Judah by Pharaoh Necho God’s punishment of Israel’s unfaithfulness. God’s anger and Jeremiah’s plea. Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt at Carchemish; first deportation of Jews to Babylon (Daniel taken) Ch. 3 (God-centered view) The compassion and faith- fulness of God. Jeremiah’s hope and prayer. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “There fore I hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait qui- etly for the salvation of the Lord.” (3:22-26) Jehoiakim is deposed and dies and Jehioachin regns over Judah for 3 months Ch. 4 (overview) Cyrus of Persia issues his decree allowing Jews to return to Palestine. First return with Zerubbabel (70 years from first exile and they begin to rebuild temple Jer. 29:10 & 2 Chron.36:21). The sin of all the people and God’s severity towards Jerusalem. Temple completed (70 years after destruct.) Ch. 5 (future view) 2nd return under Ezra (Revival of the People) The response of the right- eous remnant—plea for restoration. 3rd return under Nehemiah (The Wall) Josiah (8 years) begins his reign. Fall of Nineveh (Assyria) Second deportation of Jews to Babylon (Ezekiel & Jehioachin taken). Zede- kiah made king of Judah. Jerusalem falls to Nebu- chadnezzar 3rd deportation. Judean refugees flee to Egypt,, take Jeremiah. Themes & Message of Lamentations Lamentations is written by a broken and discouraged Jeremiah, “See, O Lord, that I am in distress; my soul is troubled; my heart is overturned within me... They have heard that I sigh, but no one comforts me...My eyes fail with tears, my heart is troubled; my bile is poured on the ground because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because the children and the infants faint in the streets of the city...He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry and shout, he shuts out my prayer. He has blocked my way with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked.” (1:20-21, 2:11, 3:7- 9). Jeremiah says that God has done the opposite of Proverbs 3:5-6 (“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Ac- knowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.” ) and has made his paths crooked (3:9) and has taken the promises of Psalm 139:2 & 5, (“You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off...You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me”) and applied them to his enemies, “He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out...Look at their sitting down and their rising up; I am their taunting song” (3:7, 63). Lamentations aggressively deals with the issue of personal and national suffering. Jeremiah is convinced of the guilt of his people and their transgression of the Mosaic covenant (1:5, 18, 2:17, 4:6, 11, 22, 5:7, 16). Yet he is perplexed by the Abrahamic Covenant with its unconditional promises to Israel of Land, Seed, and Blessing (Gen 12 & 15). How can God fulfill His promises to Abraham when Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed and all of her inhabitants are march- ing towards captivity in Babylon? “Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens, and our houses to foreigners...You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. Why do You forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time?” (5:2, 19-20). Despite the brokenness and anguish of Jeremiah, he teaches us how to relate to God in pain, disappointment, and crises. His laments are full of very unique prayers and interactions with Yahweh: Davidic like cries for justice: “They have heard that I sigh, But no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; They are glad that You have done it. Bring on the day You have announced, That they may become like me. Let all their wickedness come before You, And do to them as You have done to me For all my transgressions; For my sighs are many, And my heart is faint....O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. O LORD, You have seen how I am wronged; Judge my case. You have seen all their vengeance, All their schemes against me." (1:21-22, 3:58-60) Expressing the terror and pain of the moment: “You have invited as to a feast day The terrors that surround me. In the day of the LORD's anger There was no refugee or survivor. Those whom I have borne and brought up My enemies have destroyed." (2:22) Jeremiah longs for rescue:“My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption, Till the LORD from heaven Looks down and sees. My eyes bring suffering to my soul Because of all the daughters of my city...I called on Your name, O LORD, From the lowest pit. You have heard my voice: "Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help. You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, "Do not fear!" (3:49-51, 55-57) Plea to remember and restore: “Remember, O LORD, what has come upon us; Look, and behold our reproach!... You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. Why do You forget us forever, And forsake us for so long a time? Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old” (5:1, 19-21). Yahweh fulfills every covenant and promise that He establishes: For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable [Rom 11:29]). In this is the prophetic fulfillment of Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28 and the blessings and cursings of the Mosaic covenant with Israel, “The LORD has done what He purposed; He has fulfilled His word which He commanded in days of old. He has thrown down and has not pitied, And He has caused an enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted the horn of your adversaries.” (2:17). This is true of the Abrahamic Covenant as well. The climax of Jeremiah’s lament is 3:21-32: “ 21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 "The LORD is my por- tion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. 27 It is good for a man to bear The yoke in his youth. 28 Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him; 29 Let him put his mouth in the dust—There may yet be hope. 30 Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him, And be full of reproach. 31 For the Lord will not cast off forever. 32 Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.” Despite the absolute chaos of the destruction of Jerusalem and deportation of the Jews, God will remain faithful to His promises. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord! “You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation” (5:19).

Study Notes Ed Underwood Ezekiel: Know that I am the LORD! They will know that I am the LORD! (Ezekiel 6:10) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline. (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Ezekiel, a priest and a prophet, prophesied among the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in three stages. First, in 605 BC he overcame Jehoiakim and carried off key hostages including Daniel and his friends. Second, in 597 BC the rebellion of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin brought further punishment, and the Babylonians carried off ten thousand hostages including Jehoiachin and Ezekiel. Third, in 586 BC Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city after a long siege. Ezekiel and Daniel were about the same age and Jeremiah was about twenty years older. This means that Ezekiel was about seventeen when Daniel was deported in 605 BC and Ezekiel was about twenty five when he followed. Ezekiel received his prophetic commission at the age of thirty (1:1). This means his ministry overlapped the end of Jeremiah’s and the beginning of Daniel’s. Daniel was already well known and Ezekiel mentions him three times (14:14, 20; 28:3). These three prophets—Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel covered all areas of life during this painful time in Judah’s history. Jeremiah in Jerusalem and Ezekiel in Babylonia explained the reason for the judgment and encouraged the people with God’s promise of a restored Kingdom under Messiah. Daniel prophesied to the leaders of Babylonia. Ezekiel’s name means “God strengthens” or “strengthened by God.” The Jews were in exile because they had been unfaithful to the Mosaic Covenant. God had warned them that He would cast them from the land. But God had also promised them that they would always be His people and that He would establish them in the land. “The purpose of the Exile was to turn God’s people away from their sins and back to their Sovereign. The discipline they experienced was an evidence of God’s love. When it was over, a glorious future lay in store for them. A righteous ruler would eventually lead them back to a radically renovated land where they would enjoy peace, prosperity, and renewed worship”. (Dr. Tom Constable, Ezekiel) Ezekiel presents God as the God who acts to enforce His will and display His glory. The phrase “so you [they] will know that I am the LORD” occurs 60 times! Israel must admit that their unfaithfulness means that the destruction of Jerusalem is inevitable as they place their hope in their promise-keeping God: Ezekiel emphasizes the transcendence and majesty of the God of Israel as he prophecies her immediate doom and ultimate grandeur. I. JUDAH’S END God gives Ezekiel a most unusual vision of His greatness and glory to encourage him in a most difficult task: explaining to the exiles why Jerusalem will fall, and why the nation will spend the next 70 years in Babylonia (1-24). A. EZEKIEL’S CALL Ezekiel receives enablement, instruction, and responsibility from God. (1-3) Ezekiel: You can’t ignore your God. He will make sure you know that He is the LORD! SINS AND SORROWS, SIGNS AND SERMONS The prophet’s signs and sermons point to the certainty of Judah’s judgment, Judah’s past sins and coming doom are seen in a series of visions of the abominations in the temple, the slaying of the wicked, and the departing glory of God. The princes and priests are condemned as the Glory leaves the temple, moves to the Mount of Olives, and disappears in the east. (4-11) JUDGMENT, SWORDS, AND SIGNPOSTS The cause and extent of Judah’s coming judgment is described through dramatic signs, powerful sermons, and parables. Judah’s prophets are counterfeits and her elders are idolatrous. (12-24) II. JUDAH’S ENEMIES Judah’s gloating neighbors are next in line. They too will suffer the fate of siege and destruction by Babylon. (25-32) JUDGMENT EAST AND WEST Following a clockwise circuit, Ezekiel prophesies doom on all. He spends an inordinate amount of time on the king of Tyre, and many scholars believe he may be referring to Satan, the power behind the nation. (25-28) JUDGMENT ON EGYPT Unlike the nations that were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, Egypt will continue to exist, but as the “lowliest of kingdoms.” Since that time it has never recovered its former glory or influence. (29-32) III. JUDAH’S FUTURE The prophecies in these chapters were given after the overthrow of Jerusalem. Now that the promised judgment has come, Ezekiel’s message no longer focuses on coming judgment but on coming comfort and consolation. (33-48) WATCHMAN ON THE WALL The mouth of Ezekiel, God’s watchman is opened when he is told that Jerusalem has been taken. Judah had false shepherds, but the true Shepherd will lead them in the future. The vision of the valley of dry bones pictures the reanimation of the nation by the Spirit of God. Israel and Judah will be purified and restored. (33-37) GOG AND MAGOG There will be an invasion of the northern armies of Gog, but Israel will be saved because the Lord will destroy the invading forces. (38-39) NEW TEMPLE FOR ISRAEL In 572 BC, fourteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem, Ezekiel returns in a vision to the fallen city and is given detailed specifications of the reconstruction of the Temple. (40-42) NEW WORSHIP FOR ISRAEL Ezekiel views the return of the glory of the Lord to the Temple from the east. Regulations concerning worship in the coming temple are followed by revelations concerning the new land and city. (43-38) EZEKIEL AND YOU: The exile taught Israel that God loved them too much to tolerate their sinful decadence. Christian, never assume that grace means that God is ignoring your sin. Grace means that God disciplines His children (Hebrews 12). Christian, never conclude that discipline means that God is harsh. His reluctance to remove His glory from His people is astonishing (9:3; 10:4, 18-19, 11:22-23). He always disciplines with a broken heart. God’s will for Israel and for you is blessing as He draws you to Himself.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Daniel: The Key That Unlocks God’s Plan for the Ages! The Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes! (Daniel 4:25) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline. (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in three stages. First, in 605 BC he overcame Jehoiakim and carried off key hostages including Daniel and his friends. Second, in 597 BC the rebellion of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin brought further punishment, and the Babylonians carried off ten thousand hostages including Jehoiachin and Ezekiel. Third, in 586 BC Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city after a long siege. Ezekiel and Daniel were about the same age and Jeremiah was about twenty years older. This means that Daniel was just a teenager when he arrived in Babylon. By any worldly measure in Daniel’s time, it seemed the God of Israel was either powerless against her enemies or had abandoned her. The gods of Assyria and Babylon had seemingly triumphed over the God of Israel and Judah, the Temple was razed, and the Jews were living as discontented captives in a land far from home. God calls Daniel, a teenage captive forced into service to the King of Babylon to speak His messages into this dark hour. “The collapse and fall of both Israel and Judah notwithstanding, the book of Daniel makes crystal clear that the Lord God remains absolutely sovereign over human affairs. This is apparent in the present [situation in Babylon], despite political and religious conditions that might suggest otherwise, and in the future [the times of the Gentiles], then there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind.” (Eugene H. Merrill, “A Theology of Ezekiel and Daniel,” in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 388. The powerful miracles on behalf of the civil disobedience of Daniel and his friends (chapters 1-6) demonstrate God’s sovereign care of His people during the worst of times. The prophecies (chapters 7-12) demonstrate God’s sovereign rule over the Gentile nations and Israel. The writings of Daniel provide the key to the interpretation of all biblical prophecy. They also give believers an example of how to live for God in an ungodly culture: Daniel, the “Revelation of the Old Testament,” encourages God’s people to trust in Him during times when they feel powerless. I. THE CHARACTER OF DANIEL, (1): The prophet’s background and preparation open the book. Daniel is deported along with other promising youths and placed in an intensive training program in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Their names and diets are changed so that they will lose their Jewish identification, but Daniel’s resolve to remain faithful to the Lord is rewarded. He and his friends are granted wisdom and knowledge. Daniel: How to live for God in an ungodly culture: Walk faithfully, wait patiently, and watch hopefully! II.THE PROPHETIC PLAN FOR THE GENTILES, (2-7): Only Daniel can interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s disturbing dream of the great statue (2). God illuminates the dream for Daniel. The God of Israel will sovereignly raise and destroy four gentile empires. The Messiah’s Kingdom will end the “Times of the Gentiles.” Because of his position in the dream, Nebuchadnezzar erects a golden image and demands that all bow to it (3). Daniel’s friends are thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down only to give God another chance to demonstrate His sovereignty and power. The vision of the tree (4) warns Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the supremacy of God and he is humbled until he does. The feast of Belshazzar marks the end of the Babylonian kingdom (5) as Belshazzar too is judged for arrogant defiance of God. During the reign of Darius, a plot against Daniel backfires when God delivers him in the den of lions (6). Daniel’s courageous faith is rewarded, and Darius learns a lesson about the might of the God of Israel. The vision of the four beasts ends the section on the “Times of the Gentiles” by supplementing the four-part statue of chapter 2 (7). Four gentile powers—the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans will rule until, once again, “...the saints of the Most High shall receive the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom forever” (7:18). III. THE PROPHETIC PLAN FOR ISRAEL, (8-12): The focus of chapter 8 narrows to a vision of the ram and goat that shows Israel under the Medo-Persian and Grecian empires. Alexander the Great is the big horn (8:21) and Antiochus Epiphanes is the little horn (8:23). Daniel prays for his people and is given the revelation of the Seventy Weeks, including Messiah’s atoning death (9). This gives the chronology of God’s perfect plan for the redemption and deliverance of His people. Next is a great vision that gives amazing details of Israel’s future history (10-11). Chapter 11 chronicles the coming kings of Persia and Greece, the wars between the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria, and the persecution led by Antiochus. God’s people will be saved out of tribulation and resurrected (12). DANIEL AND YOU: Daniel teaches us how to live for our God when the world seems out of His control: Walk faithfully! Daniel simply lived an uncompromising life for God in a totally compromised culture. He was not a political activist, but he was civilly disobedient. The character of this man was formed in his childhood. His parents and his community had prepared his heart for God’s call. Wait patiently! Daniel’s life was a long story in the same direction. He patiently trusted in his God during both good and bad times, knowing that his God was bigger than his circumstances. C. Watch hopefully! Daniel shows the practical importance of prophecy in our everyday lives. Knowing our God is going to win and that He is the God of history encourages our faith. Messiah: Christ is the Great Stone who will crush the kingdoms of this world (2:34-35, 44). The vision of the sixty-nine weeks (9:25-26) pinpoints the coming of Messiah. The decree (9:25) took place on March 4, 444 BC (Nehemiah 2:1-8). The sixty-nine weeks of seven years equals 483 years, or 173,880 days (using the 360-day prophetic year). This leads to March 29, 33AD, the date of the Triumphal Entry.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Hosea: God’s Loyal Love I will heal their waywardness and love them freely (Hosea 14:4). The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Hosea’s prophetic career began near the end of a time of great economic prosperity and military success for both Israel and Judah. His primary ministry was to the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of her greatest king, Jeroboam II. However, Assyrian influence began to strengthen under Tiglath-pileser III, who conquered Israel in 722 B.C. The reigns of Israel’s last five illegitimate kings (usurpers to the throne of the line of Jehu, 2 Kings 10:30; 15:12) were short-lived and confused. Chaos and weakness characterized these last years of the northern kingdom. Still, her people refused to heed Hosea’s warning of imminent judgment. The people were in a spiritual daze, filled with sin and idolatry. Hosea’s ministry to Israel parallels the coming ministry of Jeremiah to the southern kingdom of Judah. Like Jeremiah, Hosea relates God’s deep sorrow over the state of the people and the nation He loves. Israel is God’s silly dove (7:11) refusing to repent (4:1), and it breaks God’s heart to discipline her (chapter 11). The personal tragedy of a marital unfaithfulness becomes a powerful illustration of the greater tragedy of a nation in rebellion against her God. It’s a story of loyal love—between the prophet Hosea and his adulterous wife, Gomer, and between God and His idolatrous people, Israel. Just as Gomer breaks Hosea’s heart by playing the harlot, Israel breaks the heart of her God as she spurns His love. But unconditional love is the theme: Just as Hosea buys his wife out of slavery, God will redeem and restore His people— after a time of purifying punishment. Unconditional love keeps seeking even after it is rejected. Hosea, whose name means salvation, is a prophet from the northern kingdom of Israel, often called Ephraim because that was the dominant tribe in the north as Judah was in the south. He writes with the detail and passion of a native eyewitness to the demise of Israel. “In no prophet is the love of God more clearly demarcated and illustrated than in Hosea” (Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Toward an Old Testament Theology, p. 197). Hosea was written to encourage the adulterous northern kingdom to repent by demonstrating God’s loyal love for His people in Hosea’s marriage and his message. God passionately pursues His unfaithful people. Though His loyal love never ignores unfaithfulness (chapter 3), He never abandons nor stops pursuing the unfaithful (5:14-6:1): “The great illustration of how committed God is to His people is how He instructed Hosea to relate to his unfaithful wife. The Lord will not forsake those with whom He has joined in covenant commitment even if they become unfaithful to Him repeatedly. He will be patient with them and eventually save them (11:1-4; 14)” (Tom Constable, Hosea, p. 4). I. HOSEA’S MARRIAGE—THE GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF LOYAL LOVE: Hosea marries a woman named Gomer whose behavior is a painful, living object lesson to the prophet as God prepares him to speak words of warning and love to the northern kingdom. (1-3) Hosea: The Lord’s loyal love never stops pursuing those who are His! PROPHETIC MARRIAGE: Gomer bears Hosea three children appropriately named by God as signs to Israel. Jezreel, Lo-Ruhamah, and Lo-Ammi mean “God Scatters,” “Not Pitied,” and “Not My People.” Similarly, God will judge and scatter Israel because of her sin. (1:1-2:1) PICTURE OF ISRAEL: Gomer seeks other lovers and deserts Hosea just as Israel has sought idols and deserted God. (2:2-23) C. LOYAL LOVE: Hosea illustrates God’s love for Israel by buying or redeeming her from the slave market and restoring her. (3) II. HOSEA’S MESSAGE—THE GREAT TRUTH OF LOYAL LOVE: Because of his own painful experience, Hosea can feel some of the sorrow of God over the sinfulness of His people. Though Hosea’s love for Gomer pictures God’s love for Israel, Israel has fallen to such a depraved state that judgment is inevitable. (4-14) ISRAEL’S SPIRITUAL ADULTERY: The sins are evident. Having rejected the knowledge of God, they have spiraled into idolatry. Though judgment is imminent, God will restore His adulterous people. (4-6:3) ISRAEL’S REFUSAL TO REPENT: Even now God wants to heal and redeem them (7:1, 13), but in their arrogance and idolatry they rebel. (6:4-8:14) ISRAEL’S JUDGMENT FROM GOD: Israel will suffer dispersion, barrenness and destruction. (9-10) D. ISRAEL’S RESTORATION TO GOD God is holy (4-7) and just (8-10), but He is also loving and gracious (11-14). God must discipline, but because of His endless love, He will ultimately save and restore His wayward people. (11:18; 14:4) HOSEA AND YOU: God’s loyal love is the bedrock of a believer’s assurance that we belong to Him and his/her primary motivator to worship Him. Hosea’slifeandwritingsillustrateandteachGod’sloyalloveforthosewhobelongtoHim.God’sloyal love is the basis of our assurance as Christians. All those rightly related to God through faith in His message concerning salvation are secure in their relationship with Him. He will never revoke His promises (Romans 11:29) to Israel or to the New Testament believer (Ephesians 1:1-14; Titus 3:5). Eternal security rests in the faithfulness of God to His promise. Assurance occurs when the one who belongs to God believes he or she is secure based upon the promises and loyal love of God (1 John 5:11-13). Worship is a response to God’s loyal love from an undeserving heart (Romans 12:1-2). The Bible consistently compares worship of God to marital love, and Hosea teaches us that we’re all unfaithful “Gomers” being loved loyally by our faithful God (Ephesians 2:4-10). Messiah: Matthew 2:15 applies chapter 11, verse 1, to Christ in Egypt. Matthew quotes the second half of this verse to show that the Exodus of Israel from Egypt as a new nation was a prophetic type of Israel’s Messiah who was also called out of Egypt in His childhood. Both Israel and Christ left Palestine to take refuge in Egypt. Christ’s identification with our plight and His loving work of redemption can be seen in Hosea’s redemption of Gomer from the slave market.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Joel The Day of the Lord Yes, the day of the Lord is awesome and very terrifying – who can survive it? (Joel 2:11) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). A natural disaster hit the Southern Kingdom of Judah. A menacing black cloud descended upon the land— the dreaded locusts. The locust plague stripped the land of every green thing in its path. Joel, God’s spokesman during the reign of Joash (835-796), seized the occasion to proclaim God’s message. The locust plague has been a terrible judgment for sin. Yet God’s future judgments during the day of the Lord will make that plague pale in comparison, In that day, God will destroy His enemies, but bring unparalleled blessing to those who faithfully obey Him. The times of Joel threatened God’s plan to rescue creation from the devastation of sin. The tribe of Judah— the coming Messiah’s prophesied line (Genesis 49:10, cf. Luke 3:33)—might not survive. Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel in the Northern Kingdom had married Jehoram, king of Judah. It was a marriage of political convenience with catastrophic consequences (2 Kings 8-11). She was widowed after eight years on the throne when she murderously usurped the Davidic throne, killing every descendant of Jehoram except Joash who was stolen and hidden by Jehoida the priest. She reigned six years in Judah and vigorously promoted the worship of Baal (2 Chronicles 22:11). She was murdered in a revolt led by Jehoida, and Joash was proclaimed king. Jehoida and Joash purged the outward worship of Baal in Judah, but the evil of idolatry was now entrenched in the south. Joel was written as a warning to the people of Judah to humbly turn to the Lord with repentant hearts (2:12- 17). Using the metaphor of a locust invasion, Joel prophesies that there will be a future invasion of the land by many nations in order to charge the people to turn from their sins, which would result in blessings under the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:38-42, 49-57). He develops the theme of the Day of the Lord (1:5; 2:1-2, 11, 31; 3:14, 18) introduced by the earlier prophet Obadiah (Obadiah 15). This theme of the Day of the Lord will become a major teaching in the prophets and in the books of the New Testament. The Day of the Lord is a time of awesome judgment upon people and nations that have rebelled against God. But it is also a time of future blessings upon those who have trusted in Him: Joel stresses the sovereign power of God over nature and nations. He is the God who will have His day; “the day of the Lord” when everything is just the way He intends it to be. I. THE JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL IN THE DAY OF THE LORD Joel begins with an account of a recent locust plague that has devastated the land and makes effective use of this natural catastrophe as an illustration of a far greater judgment to come (1:1-2:11). LITERAL FULFILLMENT The invading locusts bring the economy to a standstill and the people are in a desperate situation. (1:1-20) FUTURE FULFILLMENT A locust-like invasion of a northern army will devastate the land. The near fulfillment was the Babylonian invasion. The still future invasion of Israel will be led by the King of the North during the Tribulation. (2:1-11) Joel: The day of the Lord is coming! II. THE REPENTANCE OF ISRAEL IN THE DAY OF THE LORD: It’s not too late for the people to avert disaster. The prophetic warning is designed to bring them to the point of repentance (2:12-17). This national repentance would happen three times in Israel’s history, one is yet to come: IMMEDIATE FULFILLMENT: Joash revival. NEAR FULFILLMENT: Return under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah. ULTIMATE FULFILLMENT: God’s people turn to Him during the Tribulation. III. THE DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL IN THE DAY OF THE LORD The day of the Lord is a day of deliverance for His obedient people and a day of judgment for His enemies (2:18-3:17). A. THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL God promises that judgment will be followed by great blessing in a material and a spiritual way (2:18-32). PhysicalRestorationThesepromiseswereliterallyfulfilledinthetimeofJoashandinthereturning remnant. But their full-orbed and majestic realization will be at the end of the Tribulation (2:18-27). Spiritual Restoration Chapter three in the Hebrew Bible, these promises are still future (2:28-32). The time of spiritual restoration is after the repentance and restoration of Israel (2:12-27). Verse 28 very precisely says, “afterward.” The extent of spiritual restoration is expressed in absolute terms in 2:28b-29. The Holy Spirit will be poured out on all of the believing remnant of Israel. The signs of spiritual restoration in 30-31 are still future. These events never happened—not in Joash’s revival, or in the return from exile, or in Acts 2. The result of spiritual restoration is an extremely Jewish promise (2:32). B. CONDEMNATION OF THE NATIONS: These rich promises are followed by a solemn description of the judgment of all nations in the valley of decision in the end times. The nations will give an account of themselves to the God of Israel who will judge those who have rebelled against Him. God alone controls the course of history. “So that you know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion My holy mountain (3:17; 3:1-17). The statement of condemnation: The time is at the Second Coming when all Jews are gathered back to Jerusalem (3:1). The place is the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which means, YHWH judges! This is probably the Valley of Kidron east of Jerusalem (3:2a). The nations will be judged according to their treatment of Israel during the Tribulation (3:2b-8). The sequence of the condemnation: The gathering of the armies (3:9-17). The judgment of the armies described is the earliest description of the campaign of Armageddon, the valley of decision, meaning God’s decision to condemn (3:14). The coming of the Lord (3:15-17). C. THE BLESSING OF ISRAEL IN THE DAY OF THE LORD: Joel ends with the Kingdom blessings upon the remnant of the faithful Judah (3:18-31). JOEL AND YOU: Joel stresses the sovereign power of God over nature and nations. He is the God who will have His day; “the day of the Lord” when everything is just the way He intends it to be. Joel connected God’s control over history and nature to His love for His people. (See 1 Thessalonians 5: 2; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 2 Peter 3:10-12) Do you live with the expectation and confidence that God is the Lord of your circumstances? Joel comforted God’s people with prophecies of the day of the Lord. Do you know prophecy well enough to be comforted by it or do you know just enough to be scared? Messiah: Joel portrays Christ as the One who will judge the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (“God Judges,” 32, 12; Matthew 25:31-46).

Amos: Burden Bearer Amos’s message to Israel: Repent of your idolatry, self-sufficiency, and exploitation of the poor and seek the Lord God of Hosts and live! 782BC 767 753 722-721 612 606 597 586 536 516 457 445BC Amos 9:11-15 describes the restoration of Israel and the royal house of David. They will be planted again in the land. Setting: The Book of Amos was written by a rancher/farmer and by his own confession— “was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet” (7:14). Sent from Judah (Tekoa, 1:1), Amos was called by God to confront Israel during one of its most prosperous and self- sufficient times. Uzziah and Jeroboam had formed an alliance and ruled an areas as large as the empires of David and Solomon. The Jehu dynast was one of the longest dynasties of the North and Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon were relatively weak at this time. Amos probably prophesied from 767-753 BC (40 years prior to the exile of Israel [the northern kingdom] by the Assyrians). Structure of the Book of Amos Chapters 1-2 Judgment oracles.... Chapters 3-6 God’s rebuke of Israel.... Chapters 7-9 5 Visions... Oracles against Israel’s enemies: Damascus Gaza Tyre Edom Ammon Moab Destruction of Israel (3) Israel’s sin (4) God’s solution: “Seek Me and Live” and “Hate evil, love good!” (5) Visions of the Locusts, Fire, Plumb Line + Amos’s encounter with Amaziah (7) Vision of the basket of fruit (8) Oracles against: Judah Israel God’s condemnation of self-sufficiency and injustice (6) Vision of Destruction and God’s Restoration (9). Restitution of the Davidic monarchy and covenant prosperity. Jeroboam II began his reign in Israel (north) Uzziah begin his reign in Judah (south). Amos ministry begins Amos ministry ends Samaria falls; Shal- maneser of Assyria dies and Sargon II reigns. Israel exiled by Assyria. Fall of Nineveh (Assyria) Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt at Carchemish; First deportation of Jews to Babylon (Daniel taken) Second deportation of the Jews to Babylon (Ezekiel taken) Jerusalem falls to Nebu- chadnezzar; 3rd deporta- tion. Judean refugees flee to Egypt—take Jeremiah Cyrus of Persia issues His decree allowing Jews to return to Palestine. First return with Zerubba- bel (70 years from first exile Jer.29:10; 2 Chro.36:21). Temple completed 70 years after destruc- tion Jer. 29:10). 2nd return under Ezra (Revival of the People) 3rd return under Nehemiah (The Wall) Themes & Message of Amos Remember, after Solomon, the kingdom was divided in 930BC into Israel (northern 10 tribes) and Judah (southern 2 tribes [Judah and Benjamin] + the Levites). There were some good kings in Judah, but all the kings of the north were wicked and it was a period of idolatry and defiance. During Amos’s ministry, in 767BC (roughly 40 years before Israel’s deportation), it was no different. Israel was strong militarily and economically, but was bankrupt spiritually. God says that He is “weighed down by” (2:13) by their iniquity, perversity, and idolatry. God describes Israel as His chosen people, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth” (3:2) but clearly defines her sin, “for they do not know to do right” (3:10) and “the Lord God has sworn by His holiness” (4:2). Deuteronomy 12 explicitly states that God would choose one place to dwell (Deut. 12:5), and all of Israel was to bring her sacrifice and offerings to this one place (Deut. 12:5-7), and all other shrines, sanctuaries, and high places were to be destroyed (Deut. 12:1-4). Jeroboam (150 years prior to Amos) erected altars in Bethel, Gilgal and Dan that became sanctuaries of idolatry and false worship (3:14, 4:4, 5:5, 6:1, 7:9-13). Also in Amos’ day, the Israelites would wor- ship the stars, in particular a star-god identified with Saturn called Chiun (5:26) and put their hope in Pleiades and Orion (5:8). Their sins were rooted in their self-sufficiency, “strength,” and pride (3:11, 6:8,13, 8:7) and God is absolutely brilliant to rebuke them with Amos who is not a sophisticated man, but a commoner who had no training as a prophet (1:1, 7:14). God abhors their pride and self-sufficiency—”The Lord is His name. He rains ruin upon the strong” (5:8-9), “He shall sap your strength from you” (3:11), and “the Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: ‘Surely I will never forget any of their works’” (8:7). Two calamities are stopped by Amos through intercessory prayer and his appeal to God is that Jacob (Israel) in fact is “not strong” (as they think they are) but “very small” (7:2, 5) and in need of rescue. More than any of the other prophets, the setting of Amos mirrors the current cul- ture of the U.S. He was writing to a prideful, “secure,” “self-sufficient” and economically prosperous people. The people were exploiting the poor (2:6-7, 4:1, 5:11-12, 8:4-6) in order to build elaborate homes (3:10-11,15, 5:11, 6:4, 8). They sold “the poor for a pair of sandals” (2:6), “oppress the poor and crush the needy” (4:1), and “tread down the poor” (5:11). God is furious with the treatment of the poor, the judicial corruption and the legal system. The decadent lifestyle (6:1-6) and fractured relationship with Yahweh caused a breakdown in their treatment of the poor. James points out that the natural working of our relationship with Christ will be an impartial treatment of the poor (James 2:1-13) and Paul adds, Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains. (1Tim. 6:9-10). In chapter 4, God says five times, “Yet you have not returned to Me!” and everything culminates with the phrase, “prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (4:12). Amos is very passionate as he describes the Lord God of hosts (9 times God is described this way). The Lord God of hosts is the One Who: Amos declares, “Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth; yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob” says the Lord (9:8). Amos’s final vision involves the destruction of Israel (realized in 722 by Assyria), but also the resti- tution of the Davidic monarchy and covenant prosperity. God says “Seek Me and live” (5:4, 6, 14), “Hate evil, love good” (5:15) and “the Lord God of hosts will be with you” (5:14). God’s heart for His people to seek Him is similar to what is described in Psalm78:34-35, When he struck them down, they sought his favor; they turned back and longed for God. They remembered that God was their protector, and that the sovereign God was their de- liverer. The “live” in “seek Me and live” is the restoration of blessings that Yahweh longs for His people (3:2, Deut. 30:6). Jesus says, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly (John 10:10). Our Lord has come to give us life but abundant life—Life that is full, that is real and can only be experienced in union with Christ and His dreams for us. God sees the injustices, the sin, and violations among the people and His desire is to “let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (5:24). Forms mountains and creates wind (4:13) Who declares to man what his thought is, and makes the morning darkness (4:13) Who treads the high places of the earth (4:13) He turns the shadow of death into morn- ing and makes the day dark as night (5:8) He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth (5:8, 9:6) He who touches the earth and it melts. (9:5) He who builds His layers in the sky, and has founded His strata in the earth (9:6)

The Book of Obadiah—Servant of the Lord Obadiah’s message to Israel/Edom: To our enemies, God says—Vengeance is mine says the Lord, as you have done, it shall be done to you! To His people, God says—Entrust yourself to the Perfect Judge —The Kingdom will be the Lords! 722-721BC 612 606 597 586 536 516 457 445BC Obadiah 21 “And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s!” Setting: The prophecies of the Book of Obadiah are directed to the time of 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar’s army laid siege on Judah, destroying Jerusa- lem, Solomon’s temple and deporting the Jews to Babylon. There is only speculation about the prophet Obadiah, very little is known about the one who wrote the shortest Book in the Old Testament (only 21 verses). The purpose probably wasn’t for Edom, but for the comfort of the surviving Judeans. Some have suggested that Obadiah follows the covenant-lawsuit format that would be presented when one nation violates their covenant with another nation. Obadiah describes 3 sentences (vs. 2-9) and 3 pronouncements (vs. 10-14) as well as a promise of vindication and restoration (17-21). Structure of the Book of Obadiah Vs. 1-9 Edom’s pride & judgment Vs. 10-14 Edom’s sin against Judah Vs. 15-21 Edom’s judgment and God’s restoration of Judah “The pride of your heart has deceived you... You say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’” (vs. 3) “For violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.” (vs. 10) “As you have done, it shall be done to you!” (vs. 15) “Then your mighty me, O Teman, shall be dismayed...” (vs. 9) Edom’s sin against Judah: 1)  Not defending Judah from Babylon (vs. 11) 2)  Rejoicing over Judah’s destruction (vs. 12) 3)  Shouldn’t have looted Judah (vs. 13) 4)  Shouldn’t have slaughtered & delivered refugees to Babylon (vs. 14) Judah’s restoration: 1)  God will restore and reestablish Judah but not Edom (vs. 17-18) 2)  Judah will possess all the nations’ land (vs. 19-20) 3)  The kingdom will be the Lord’s! (vs. 21) Samaria falls; Shal- maneser of Assyria dies and Sargon II reigns. Israel exiled by Assyria. Fall of Nineveh (Assyria) Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt at Carchemish; First deportation of Jews to Babylon (Daniel taken) Second deportation of the Jews to Babylon (Ezekiel taken) Jerusalem falls to Nebu- chadnezzar; 3rd deporta- tion. Judean refugees flee to Egypt—take Jeremiah Cyrus of Persia issues His decree allowing Jews to return to Palestine. First return with Zerubbabel (70 years from first exile Jer.29:10; 2 Chro.36:21). Temple completed 70 years after destruc- tion Jer. 29:10). 2nd return under Ezra (Revival of the People) 3rd return under Nehemiah (The Wall) Themes & Message of Obadiah Nahum (to Nineveh/Assyria) and Obadiah (to Edom) are the only two Prophets that are addressed completely to another nation other than Israel or Judah. Edom was the nation that grew from Jacob’s twin brother Esau and the brotherly rivalry continued for 1,500 years. They should have been help- ing their “kin” instead they were making matters worst: 1) gloating over the Israelites’ problems, 2) looting their homes, and 3) murdering the Judean refugees and handed them over to Babylon. The Edomites were a prideful people. Their capital, Sela, was (what they thought) an impenetrable rock fortress city. It could only be reached by these narrow gorges. Very similar to the city of Petra that is also located in Edom and protected by towering rocks. They had presumptuous, deceitful hearts. They thought, “Who can bring me down to the ground!” God cares deeply about justice and the day will come when injustices is addressed in Edomites. “As you have done, it shall be done to you!” (vs. 15)God’s enemies will be punished. “Vengeance is mine says the Lord!” God is sovereign over all the nations whether they acknowledge it or not. Edom is mentioned many times by Obadiah’s contemporaries. Jeremiah describes the same events as Obadiah, The LORD says to Edom, "I will certainly make you small among nations. I will make you despised by all humankind. The terror you inspire in others and the arrogance of your heart have deceived you. You may make your home in the clefts of the rocks; you may occupy the highest places in the hills. But even if you made your home where the eagles nest, I would bring you down from there," says the LORD. (Jeremiah 49:15-16). Ezekiel adds, “As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I deal with you– you will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all of Edom– all of it! Then they will know that I am the LORD.'“ (Ezekiel 35:15) Mt. Zion in Jerusalem Obadiah 21 “And the kingdom shall be the Lord’s!” Mt. Seir capital of Edom Obadiah 4 Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!" says the LORD. How was this judgment on Edom realized? Often times in prophecy, there is a near future and distant future—two events. In the 2nd century, the Jews and Edom’s other enemies destroyed the Edomites and their identity as a nation. However, Edom, also symbolizes all of the Gentile powers that domi- nated and opposed Israel. In the last verse of Obadiah, we learn “the kingdom shall be the Lord’s!” (vs. 21). The history of civilization has been a power-struggle between nations and kingdoms. The King of kings and the Lord of lords will destroy all competing nations and will establish His kingdom on the only mountain that matters, not Mt. Seir of Edom, but Mt. Zion of Israel. God’s people will get the LAND again! The Lord Jesus Christ will reign over this Kingdom and it will endure forever. He will reign in solitary glory. Revelation 11:15 declares, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

Study Notes Ed Underwood Jonah: Grace for SinnersShould I not be even more concerned about Nineveh? (God to Jonah, 4:11) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Jonah was the prophet of Israel’s last chance. After the ministry of Elisha, God gave the northern kingdom one more opportunity to repent, seeing whether prosperity would accomplish what affliction had not (2 Kings 14:23-29). God blessed the reign of Jeraboam II with prosperity and peace. During these years Assyria was in a period of mild decline. God tested the faith of Israel and her prophet during this period of plenty. Both failed the test. Jonah rebelled against his assignment of mercy, and the nation failed to heed the warning from Jonah’s experience. Amos and Hosea will soon prophesy the doom of Israel. Failing to share the blessings of God, their self-centered ways harden their hearts beyond repentance. The Book of Jonah confronts God’s people with His concern for all creatures, even cattle (4:11). It reminds those who already belong to God of His love for all nations and His desire to deliver them from their sin. Jonah is honest if nothing else. “He hopes all along that somehow God won’t be consistent with His own well-known character (4:2). But God is consistent throughout, in contrast to Jonah’s hypocritical inconsistency. What happens to Nineveh and to Jonah happens precisely because of what God is like. The audience of the book is thus invited implicitly to revise their understanding of what God is like, if they indeed share Jonah’s selfish view.” (Douglas Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, p 434) “The overriding theme of the book is the sovereign God’s grace toward sinners, illustrated in His decision to withhold His judgment from the guilty but repentant Ninevites.” (Robert B. Chisholm Jr., A Theology of the Minor Prophets,” in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 432) Jonah reminds us that God is always pursuing those who are not yet His people with His mercy and grace: Jonah: Don’t begrudge God’s grace! Jonah is an unusual book because of its message and its messenger. Like Obadiah and Nahum, it revolves around a gentile nation. God is concerned for the Gentiles as well as for His covenant people Israel. The message, however, is for God’s people. This is obvious in the emphasis on the lessons to the prophet rather than to the recipients of the prophecy. The lesson for God’s people is clear: Recipients of God’s mercy should not begrudge God’s mercy to others. I. THE DISOBEDIENCE OF THE PROPHET: Jonah tries to run from God, but God runs him down. (1-2) A. JONAH REBELS AND RUNS: The call of Jonah, the disobedience of Jonah, and the judgment on Jonah are recorded in the first chapter. Jonah does not want to see God spare the notoriously cruel Assyrians. Instead of going five hundred miles northeast to Nineveh, Jonah attempts to go two thousand miles west to Tarshish (Spain). But the Lord runs him down with a great storm and a great fish. (1) B. JONAH REPENTS: While inside the fish, Jonah utters a psalm of thanksgiving from memory of several praise psalms. When he is finally willing to obey and be used by God, he declares that “salvation is of the Lord” (2:9). After he is cast up on the shore, Jonah has a long time to reflect on his experiences during his eastward trek of five hundred miles to Nineveh. (2) II. THE OBEDIENCE OF THE PROPHET: Jonah now learns a lesson in compassion and obedience. (3-4) NINEVEH REPENTS: Jonah obeys his second commission to go to Nineveh. His skin bleached out from his stay in the fish, Jonah becomes a walking object lesson from God (Luke 11:30). His one-sentence sermon brings incredible results! Because of His great mercy, God “relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them.” (3) JONAH POUTS: In the final chapter, God’s love and grace are contrasted with Jonah’s anger and lack of compassion. He is unhappy with the good results of his message because he knows God will now spare Nineveh. God uses a plant, a worm, and a wind to teach Jonah a lesson in compassion. In the end, Jonah is forced to see that he has more concern for a plant than for hundreds of thousands of people. Note: To “not know their right hand from their left” is idiomatic. It’s speaking of people who have no moral compass, are mentally and morally unaware of God and therefore ready to respond to God’s exposure of their sin and their need to turn to Him. (4) JONAH AND YOU: Grudging God’s mercy is an affront to His character and leads to disobedience. When we gather in holy huddles and view non-Christians as the enemy, deserving of God’s wrath, we become modern-day Jonahs. Jonah connected God’s love for all nations with the blessing of His people. He prospered Israel so that they would love others in His name. How do you view the prosperity of America—as your birthright or as your blessing to use for the glory of Christ? Howwouldyoucompletethissentence?Theperson/peopleIfeelaremostundeservingofGod’smercy is/are . What do you think Jesus wants you to do with that attitude? 3. What are some ways you as a part of our faith community could help us demonstrate our concern for those who are outside of the grace and mercy of God? Messiah: Jonah is the only prophet Jesus likened to Himself. Jonah’s experience is a type of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Matthew12:39-41). The Hebrew idiom, “three days and three nights” only requires a portion of the first and third days.)

Study Notes Ed Underwood Micah: God’s People in Court He has told you, O man, what is good and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God. (Micah 6:8) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Micah prophesied in the days of Jotham (739-731 BC), Ahaz (731-715 BC), and Hezekiah (715-686 BC), kings of Judah. Although Micah dealt primarily with Judah, he also addressed the northern kingdom of Israel and predicted the fall of Samaria (1:6). Much of his ministry, therefore, took place before the Assyrian captivity of Israel in 722 BC. His strong denunciation of idolatry and immorality also suggest that his ministry largely preceded the revival and sweeping reforms of Hezekiah. During Micah’s time, the kingdom of Israel continued to crumble inwardly and outwardly until its collapse. The Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-pileser III, Shalmeneser V, Sargon II, and Sennacherib reached the zenith of its power and became a constant threat to Judah. A contemporary of Hosea in the northern kingdom and of Isaiah in the court of Jerusalem, Micah was not as aware of the political situation as Isaiah, but he showed a profound concern for the sufferings of the people. His prediction of future Babylonian captivity for Judah (4:10) must have seemed ridiculous to his countrymen since Babylon was still under strong Assyrian domination and Hezekiah’s future successful campaign against the Assyrians seemed impossible. Micah’s message alternates between threat and hope—threat of judgment due to disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant, and hope of restoration due to God’s promises to His people. Like Amos, Micah exposed the people’s failures in social justice. Unlike Amos, Micah encouraged the believing remnant with exciting insights into the career and kingdom of its coming King. “Micah’s doctrine of the remnant is unique among the Prophets and is perhaps his most significant contribution to the prophetic theology of hope. The remnant is a force in the world, not simply a residue of people, as the word ‘remnant’ (she’erit) may seem to imply. It is a force that will ultimately conquer the world (4:11-13). This triumph, while presented in apparently militaristic terminology (4:13; 5:5-6), is actually accomplished by other than physical force [cf. Matt.5:3-12]. By removing everything that robs his people of complete trust in him (5:10-15), the Ruler from Bethlehem will effect the deliverance of his people. The source of power for God’s people in the world is their absolute trust in him and his resources.” (T.E. McComiskey, “Micah,” in Daniel-Minor Prophets, vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p 399.) The Book of Micah divides between three oracles, each beginning with the command to “listen.” Each message of judgment is important, but there is also mention of restoration of a remnant. Ultimately God would restore the descendants of Jacob to a position of world leadership under their Messiah. I. LISTEN, ALL YOU NATIONS! Judgment is coming on Israel and Judah, but the nation will ultimately be restored. (chapters 1-2) Micah: The Ruler from Bethlehem will establish justice in this world. Until then, promote justice; be faithful, and live obediently before your God! Beginning with a general declaration of the condemnation of both Israel and Judah, Micah declares both kingdoms will be overthrown because of their rampant treachery. He uses a series of wordplays on the names of several cities of Judah in his lamentation over Judah’s coming destruction (1:10-16). This is followed by some specific causes for judgment: premeditated schemes, covetousness, and cruelty. Nevertheless, God will regather a remnant of his people (2:12-13). II. LISTEN, YOU LEADERS OF JACOB, AND YOU RULERS OF THE NATION ISRAEL! Blessing will follow judgment. (chapters -5) In the previous oracle Micah emphasized judgment and devoted only two verses to blessing (2:12-13). In this oracle 1/3 contains judgment (chapter 3), while 2/3 emphasize blessing (chapters 4-5). Micah systematically condemns the princes (3:1-4) and the prophets (3:5-8) and concludes with a warning of coming judgment (3:9-12). Then Micah moves into a two-chapter message of hope, which describes the reinstitution of the kingdom (4:1-5) and the intervening captivity of the kingdom (4:6-5:1), concluding with the coming Ruler of the Kingdom (5:2-15). The prophetic focus gradually narrows from the nations to the remnant to the King. III. LISTEN, TO WHAT THE LORD SAYS! The third oracle summarizes what the prophet has already said and adds an appeal to God on behalf of his countrymen. (chapters 6-7) In his two controversies with His people, God calls them into court and presents an unanswerable case against them. The people have spurned God’s grace, choosing instead to revel in wickedness. Micah concluded with an amazing series of appeals to the character of the Lord and His promises to pardon Israel’s iniquity and renew the nation in accordance with His covenant. MICAH AND YOU: Micah’s writings provide some of the clearest day-to-day guidance for God’s people of every generation. That guidance is summed up in the theme verse of the book, Micah 6:8: He has told you, O man, what is good and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God. 1. Promote justice! Live and encourage the principles of what will be true in the world to come—the Kingdom of God—in the here and now world. (2:1, 8-9; 3:11; 6:11) Two questions: (1) Do you factor in God’s love for the poor in your politics? (2) Are you involved in a ministry to the poor and oppressed in your community?   2. Be faithful! Love God and others loyally by delivering on your capacity and commitments to meet their needs in the power of Christ. The prophecy of Micah gives us hope, in spite of the injustices and wickedness of this world. Our unshakeable confidence in Jesus Christ, the Ruler from Bethlehem, gives us courage to extend mercy to those in our world, to love them loyally. We live for the world to come, when He will reign and this world will be perfectly just! (2:13; 4:1-7; 5:1-9) 3. Live obediently before your God! Walk humbly and without arrogance in fellowship with God pursuing His priorities and will for your life instead of your own. God’s grace gives us power. Our absolute trust in Him and His resources is the source of our power (5:10-15). His unconditional love for His people is the source of our confidence (7:18-20). Messiah: Micah 5:2 is one of the clearest and most important Old Testament prophecies: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” This prophecy about the birth and eternality of the Messiah was made seven hundred years before His birth. The chief priests and scribes paraphrased this verse in Matthew 2:5-6 when questioned about the birthplace of Messiah.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Nahum God’s Judgment of Cruel Empires The Lord is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him (Nahum 1:7). The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Nahum prophesied the destruction of Nineveh to encourage the people of Judah. Surrounded by high walls, fortified with two hundred towers, encircled by a deep moat, Nineveh was truly an invincible and impregnable fortress—or so the Ninevites thought! Nahum foretold that this proud city and its inhabitants would be powerless to stand before God’s coming wrath. In the 100 years since Jonah’s remarkable revival, the people of Nineveh had returned to their defiant, immoral ways. Nahum’s preaching is not a call to repentance (like Jonah’s), but a decree of death for an evil and cruel people who have worn out the patience of God. The name “Nahum” means “comfort” or “consolation.” His message of the destruction of Nineveh would be a comfort to the nations she had oppressed. Like Jonah, who prophesied about 100 years earlier, Nahum directed his message against Nineveh, the city originally founded by Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-12). The revival in response to Jonah’s message of judgment about 760 BC was short-lived. In 722 BC, Sargon II of Assyria destroyed Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and scattered the ten tribes. Led by Sennacherib, the Assyrians also came close to capturing Jerusalem in the reign of King Hezekiah in 701 BC. By the time of Nahum (660 BC), Assyria reached the zenith of its prosperity and power under Ashurbanipal. Nineveh became the mightiest city on earth with fortifications that seemed and resources to withstand a twenty-year siege. Nahum’s prophecy of the capital’s overthrow seemed unlikely indeed. Nahum was the master poet of the prophets who has been called the poet laureate among the Minor Prophets. “His reverence for the almighty, trust in divine justice and goodness, condemnation of national iniquity, positive conviction that God will keep His word—these are qualities of true greatness. Add to that Nahum’s mighty intellect, his patriotism and courage, his rare, almost unequaled, gift of vivid presentation, and he indeed looms as one of those outstanding figures in human history who have appeared only at rare intervals.” (Walter A. Maier, The Book of Nahum: A Commentary, p. 20) Jonah Nahum The Mercy of God 760 BC Repentance of Nineveh Emphasis on the Prophet Disobedient Prophet Obedient Nineveh Deliverance from Water The Judgment of God 660 BC Callous Cruelty of Nineveh Emphasis on the Prophecy Obedient Prophet Disobedient Nineveh Destruction by Water Nahum: God is a refuge for His people! God calls Nahum to proclaim the coming destruction of Nineveh in order to encourage and comfort Judah. I. THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH DECREED: Nahum prophesies that judgment is certain on Nineveh because it plotted against God. This is a message of comfort to the people of Judah (1:15). The threat of Assyrian invasion will soon be over. (1) II. THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH DESCRIBED: Nahum prophetically describes the defeat of Nineveh showing that God is the judge to encourage the people of Judah to realize that God is more powerful than the mighty Assyrian empire. Assyria will be conquered, but Judah will be restored. Nineveh is burned and cut off forever. (2) III. THE DESTRUCTION OF NINEVEH DESERVED: Nahum declares the reasons for judgment on Nineveh in order to encourage Judah to remember that God is in control and will fight for His people because they are under the covenant. The city is cruel and corrupt. With all of its resources it cannot forestall divine judgment. (3) NAHUM AND YOU: This book is specifically about God’s judgment on Nineveh and the Assyrians. The broader truths of God’s judgment of evil in this world and His care and protection of His people are relevant to any generation. Here are a few thoughts about how we can apply Nahum to our daily lives: 1. Historic Sweep! The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished (Nahum 1:3). The reasons God brought Nineveh and the Assyrians down are the same reasons He will humble any world power. Any nation or movement that thirsts for conquest, practices cruelty and brutality to oppress others, tyrannizes the weak and innocent, and worships false gods can expect Nineveh’s fate. Ultimately, God’s justice will prevail. 2. Prophetic Precision! Nahum predicted that Nineveh would fall due to an “overwhelming flood” (1:8), and this is exactly what occurred. Extra-biblical historical sources record twelve specific fulfillments of details of Nahum’s prophecies. The Tigris River overflowed its banks and the flood destroyed part of Nineveh’s “impregnable” wall. The Medes/Babylonians invaded through this breach in the wall, plundered the proud but cruel city, and set it on fire. Nahum also predicted that Nineveh would “be hidden” from history (3:11). Again, after its destruction in 612 B.C., archeologists did not discover the city’s ruins until 1842 A.D. 3. Comfort and Protection! The LORD is good – indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress and he protects those who seek refuge in him (1:7). This is a mean and sin-stained planet. Enemies rise and fall; world powers rise and fall; God’s people are treated unfairly, even cruelly. But through it all we can depend on Him. He is our only good and sure Protector and our only dependable refuge. Messiah: Though there are no direct messianic prophecies in Nahum, the divine attributes described in 1:2- 8 picture Christ’s work as the judge of the nations in His second advent.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Habakkuk God’s Judgment of Cruel Empires “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness” (Habakkuk 2:4). The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Habakkuk spoke to the generation of Judeans who lived under the reign of evil King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim and the leaders of Judah were leading the nation toward disaster. Wickedness and unrighteousness were everywhere. Few everyday Judeans followed the law, and the rich and powerful ignored the law’s command that they treat one another justly. In the face of the growing threat of the ascending Babylonians, Judah had put her faith in unrighteous treaties with Assyria and Egypt, rather than her God. The prophet calls out to God to stop tolerating the evil and injustice in Judah. “Do something about this mess,” Habakkuk prays. And God answered: “Don’t worry! I’m planning to send the Chaldeans, a people even more corrupt than Judah, to chasten my people.” When Habakkuk reacts with shock and dismay, God patiently instructs His messenger until at last the prophet responds with a psalm of praise. Habakkuk honestly struggles with the way God orders the events of history and the injustice He seems to tolerate. “The prophet asked some of the most penetrating questions in all literature, and the answers are basic to a proper view of God and his relation to history. If God’s initial response sounded the death knell for any strictly nationalistic covenant theology of Judah, his second reply outlined in a positive sense the fact that all history was hastening to a conclusion that was [as] certain as it was satisfying.” (J. Ronald Blue, “Habakkuk,” in Daniel-Malachi, vol. 7 of The Expositor’ s Bible Commentary, pp. 495-496) Like Jonah, Habakkuk’s book records a dialogue between him and God, but with key contrasts: Jonah Habakkuk God called on Jonah Jonah ran from God Prayer and trouble Ends in foolishness Salvation of God to the Gentiles In the fish Habakkuk called on God Habakkuk ran to God Prayer after trouble Ends in faith Sovereignty of God over the Gentiles On the watchtower (2:4) God responds to Habakkuk’s honest struggle with some of the most perplexing problems believers face in Habakkuk 2:4. Many consider as the theme verse for the entire Old Testament: “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity (or “righteous”) will live because of his faithfulness (“honesty, integrity, reliability, faithfulness” in his relationship to God).” God inspired Habakkuk’s prophecy to vindicate His justice so that His people would have hope. Habakkuk: When this world gets you down, keep talking and listening to God ... And, be faithful to Him and trust Him for the results! I. HABAKKUK’S PROTEST: “God, this is unfair and unjust!” In the first dialogue Habakkuk asks God how long He will allow the wickedness of Judah to go unpunished (1:1-4). II. GOD’S RESPONSE: “Don’t worry; I’ve got this!” God’s startling answer is given in 1:5-11: He is raising up the fierce Babylonians as His rod of judgment upon sinful Judah. The Chaldeans will come against Judah swiftly, violently, and completely. The coming storm from the east will be God’s answer to Judah’s crimes. III. HABAKKUK’S PROTEST: “God, this is ridiculous; this is even more unfair and more unjust!” God’s answer to the first question leads to the second protest in 1:12-2:1. The prophet is more perplexed than ever and asks God how the righteous God can punish Judah with a nation that is even more wicked. Will the God whose eyes are too pure to approve evil reward the Babylonians for their cruelty and idolatry? Habakkuk stands upon a watchtower to wait for God’s reply. IV. GOD’S RESPONSE: “Trust Me; I’ll vindicate the righteous and destroy the wicked!” The Lord answers with a series of five woes. God is aware of the sins of the Babylonians, and they will not escape His terrible judgment. But Judah is guilty of the same offenses and stands under the same condemnation. Yahweh concludes His answer with a statement of His sovereign majesty: “But the Lord is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence” (2:20). Habakkuk 2:4 sums up the entire message of the Old Testament. It’s been translated two ways through the centuries: “Beholdtheproud,Hissoulisnotuprightinhim;butthejustshalllivebyfaith”(NKJV). “Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion, but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness” (NET Bible). I prefer the NET Bible because I feel it is truer to the Hebrew text. The Hebrew word, emunah, translated “faith” in the NKJV, nowhere else refers to “faith.” Its usage carries the idea of “honesty, integrity, reliability, and faithfulness” in someone’s conduct. The person this word refers to is the person of “integrity” or the “righteous” one. Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted three times in the New Testament—Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. In all three the emphasis is on the contrast between the way those who do not belong to God live and those who do believe in God. In Romans 1:17, the righteous are living by faith in the gospel. In Galatians 3:11, the righteous are justified before God because they are living by faith. In Hebrews 10:38, the righteous ones who live by faith are not shrinking back from their faith in the Superior Christ. The thrust of the verse is therefore the same whether we are emphasizing the faithful life or the faith that a faithful life requires. The context is trusting God when He seems unfair and the contrast is between those who do not live for Him and those who do. V. HABAKKUK’S PRAISE: “My trust is in you because you will never be outwitted or frustrated.” Habakkuk concludes his book with a psalm of praise in 3:19. He now acknowledges God’s wisdom in the coming invasion of Judah, and though it terrifies him, he will trust in the Lord. God’s creative and redemptive work in the past, gives the prophet confidence in the divine purposes, and hope at a time when he would otherwise despair. “I will rejoice because of the Lord; I will be happy because of the God who delivers me!” (Habakkuk 3:18) HABAKKUK AND YOU: Habakkuk 2:4 is like a lock that opens the door to the life that makes sense even when this world doesn’t. The trust that leads to a life of faithfulness to God in spite of circumstances is the great divider of the way we face hardship, injustice, and unfairness. Habakkuk: We struggle; we protest; we wait; and we decide whether to get up and trust Him one more day by staying faithful to Him. Messiah: The word “salvation” appears two times (3:13, 18) and is the root word from which the name “Jesus” is derived (Matthew 1:21). When He comes again, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (2:14).

Study Notes Ed Underwood Zephaniah: Judgment and Deliverance in the Day of the Lord “Be alert before the Lord God, for the Lord’s day of judgment is almost here.” (Zephaniah 1:7) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Zephaniah was the great grandson of godly King Hezekiah of Judah. His name, “Yahweh hides,” probably means that he was one of the descendants of David hidden from the atrocities of evil King Manasseh. As royalty, Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem and spoke primarily to the leaders and the privileged of Jerusalem during the reign of his relative, King Josiah. The prophet spoke to Judah during a time of relative peace and top-down reform under Josiah. However, the fifty years of enforced idolatry and gratuitous injustice and immorality had entrenched the Judean society in wickedness and rebellion against God. King Josiah’s reforms failed to penetrate the culture, and the Babylonians were emerging as a powerful enemy. God sent Zephaniah to tell Judah to embrace Josiah’s reforms in their hearts. He warns them of the coming Day of the Lord—a phrase repeated 23 times in only 3 chapters! Obadiah and Joel introduced the concept of the Day of the Lord, but Zephaniah speaks more of the ultimate Day of the Lord when God will destroy His enemies, remake creation, and keep all of His promises to Israel and Gentiles who trust in Him. The Day of the Lord is any “day,” or time, in history when God intervenes dramatically to control human events. “Zephaniah’s purpose was to announce coming judgment on Judah in the Day of the Lord. However, he said that judgment would extend to all the nations of the earth, indicating that the Day of the Lord would also bring deliverance of Israel and the Gentiles.” (Charles H. Dyer, The Old Testament Explorer, p. 809) This little book is a grim reminder to those who oppose God that He is not ignoring their callous rebellion. But it also offers great hope to all who trust in the God of Zephaniah: Zephaniah: Rejoice in the assurance of the coming Day of the Lord! The Lord Jesus alluded to this Minor Prophet on two occasions (Matthew 13:41; 24:29) to connect Zephaniah’s Day of the Lord with His Second Coming. I. JUDGMENT IN THE DAY OF THE LORD: The prophetical oracle begins with an awesome statement of God’s coming judgment upon all the earth because of the sins of humanity. The Day of the Lord will come with wrath and irrevocability, and God will have the last word. (1:1-3:8) JUDGMENT ON THE WHOLE EARTH AND JUDAH: God vows to make an end to both humanity and the animal world (1:2-3). Zephaniah then concentrates on the judgment of Judah (1:4-18), listing some of her offenses. Judah is poisoned with idolatrous priests who promote the worship of Baal and nature. Her leaders are completely corrupt. However, by His grace, Yahweh appeals to His people to repent and humblethemselves to avert the coming disaster before it’s too late (2:1-3). (1:4-2:3) JUDGMENT ON JUDAH’S NEIGHBORS AND JERUSALEM: Like Amos before him in the north, Zephaniah pronounces God’s coming judgment on the nations that surround Judah (2:4-15). Then he turns his attention to Jerusalem, the city of his ancestor, David (3:1-8). Like the pagan nations around her, Jerusalem “is disobedient; she refuses correction. She does not trust the Lord; she does not seek the advice of her God” (3:2). (2:4-15) II. DELIVERANCE AND BLESSING IN THE DAY OF THE LORD: Zephaniah assures his readers who trust in His God that the Day of the Lord isn’t all bad news. God’s dramatic intervention in history will bring deliverance and blessing to those who turn to God. (3:9-20) A. FUTURE BLESSINGS FOR GENTILES: With imagery from humanity’s original rebellion at Babel, Zephaniah looks forward to the time when human language will become a unifying factor and God’s people will gather from all nations to worship Him. (3:9-10) B. FUTURE BLESSINGS FOR ISRAEL: The remnant of Israel will be gathered, redeemed and restored. They will rejoice in their Redeemer, and He will be in their midst. (3:11-20) ZEPHANIAH AND YOU: The Day of the Lord is a consistent theme of the Bible. I believe Zephaniah speaks of several “days” of the Lord. The day of judgment when the Babylonians would take Judeans into captivity and the day of blessing when God returned them to the Land. The future day of judgment for Israel during the Great Tribulation and its day of blessing during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. However, the most specific Day of the Lord Zephaniah pictures and Jesus and the Apostles spoke of is the coming Day of the Lord when God will destroy sin by recreating the heavens and the earth after the Millennium. 2 Peter 3 is the “Zephaniah of the New Testament.” Just as in the days of Zephaniah, doubters and critics will always say that prophecies concerning the Day of the Lord are invalid because God hasn’t intervened in human history as dramatically as the writers of Scripture predict (2 Peter 3:1-10). Don’t make that mistake! Just as He did at His Incarnation, Jesus will show up again. He will fulfill every Biblical prediction concerning His Second Coming. Just as in the days of Zephaniah, God’s people are given something to do until the Day of the Lord arrives. For us, it is to join God in His relentless pursuit of those who need to turn to Him (2 Peter 3:8-9). This is a great motivator for us! We can become part of the answer to our Breakthrough Prayer to bring us 250 more who are folded into our redeemed community. Please pray for the privilege of reaching just one who is outside of the grace and mercy of God in your world by name. Just as in the days of Zephaniah, our society is irreversibly polluted by injustice and rebellion against God. The solution isn’t top-down through reform and legislation. This doesn’t mean we’re not politically astute and active. It means that our hope isn’t in America; it’s in our God. Our sin, the sin of humanity is too severe to be “fixed” by earthly reform. God will have to intervene by recreating everything to erase the impact of our sin. The only deliverance from sin is through Jesus’ work on the Cross. The only final solution for sin’s stain on Creation is the Day of the Lord. Messiah: Jesus associated Zephaniah’s day of the Lord with His second advent, making it clear that He is the One who will fulfill the great promises of the prophet.

Study Notes Ed Underwood Haggai: Finish the Task! “I will also shake up all the nations, and they will offer their treasures; then I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord who rules over all.” (Haggai 2:7) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for Him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). The Jews had been living in exile in Babylonia for 70 years. They had not been able to practice their formal worship as the Mosaic Law prescribed, because the Babylonians had destroyed their Temple and they had no authorized altar for sacrifices. They were forced to settle for private and public prayers while facing toward Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10). They gathered in synagogues to hear the Law read and worship God in exile. Imagine their joy when King Cyrus of Persia allowed them to return to their land in 538 B.C. The first wave of 50,000 Jewish pilgrims returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel. They enthusiastically rebuilt the brazen altar and resumed offering sacrifices, and laid the foundation for the reconstruction of the second Temple. They even celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles that first year. Envision their discouragement when Samaritan leaders with ties to the Persian authorities resisted their Temple construction. The former exiles felt threatened and unable to accomplish God’s first priority for the returning remnant—reestablish worship that glorifies Him. They went about their daily routine, and concentrated on rebuilding their lives—their businesses, their homes, and their farms—while ignoring their mandate to rebuild the Temple. Sixteen years later, God called Haggai and Zechariah to expose their misplaced priorities and challenge them to rebuild the Temple, because God had greater plans for them than they ever imagined. In 520 B.C. Haggai delivered four short messages in four months. His message was simple and focused: Rebuild the Temple, because God has chosen you to glorify Him worldwide. The Temple is described as God’s dwelling place on earth, a center of worship, and as a symbol to the nations of YHWH’s greatness. “Interestingly, Haggai’s message has none of the elements so characteristic of the other biblical prophets. For instance, he wrote no diatribe against idolatry. He said nothing of social ills and abuses of the legal system, nor did he preach against adultery or syncretism. His one theme was rebuilding God’s temple.” (Robert L. Alden, “Haggai,” in Daniel-Minor Prophets, vol. 7 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 573) This little book is a reminder to God’s people of all generations to assess their priorities, and to persevere against discouraging opposition in doing His will: Haggai’s words are emphatically authoritative: “Thus says the Lord” occurs 26 times in 38 verses. I. CHALLENGE TO FINISH THE TEMPLE: In his first sermon, Haggai calls the nation back to their God-given priority—build the temple—and tells them that they have been living with the wrong priorities (1:1-15). Then, a month later, the prophet promises that the glory of the temple they are about to build will be greater than Solomon’s! (2:1-9) Haggai: Rearrange your priorities and get on with serving God! Messiah: The promise in Chapter 2, verse 9, pointed ahead to the crucial role the Second Temple would have in God’s redemptive plan. Herod the Great would later spend a fortune on the project by enlarging and enriching this temple. And it would be filled with the glory of God incarnate every time Christ came to Jerusalem and entered the Temple. This is the same Temple Haggai’s audience was being challenged to build. II. PROMISE TO RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSING: Now joined by the voice of Zechariah, Haggai explains the perverse nature of evil and the problem of defilement in his third sermon. He promises God’s blessing to be upon the people, but they must repent and obey (2:10-19). Then, in the final sermon, Haggai promises God’s future blessings of His people demonstrated in his destruction of the nations and the future recognition of Zerubbabel (2:20-23). HAGGAI AND YOU: The path of a follower of the Lord Jesus isn’t an easy one. Though He always provides the power and He is always with us, He asks us to do some hard things. Nevertheless, there is usually an initial enthusiasm for following Him, but invariably opposition and hardship discourage us. Haggai’s call to the returnees to finish the task exposes four common problems discouraged followers of God face that may make us lose heart and abandon our assignment. Think of that one assignment the Lord Jesus has given you that now seems unattainable. Or maybe that one goal you’ve abandoned because of discouragement, opposition, and failure. Here are four mistakes we make that sidetrack us from our goals in Christ and in life: 1.Misplaced Priorities: The returnees got busy with everything else in life but building the Temple.Their days were filled with good things, but not the most important thing. Initial enthusiasm is great for getting started. But if we’re thinking that the initial enthusiasm we have for any ministry assignment or worthwhile endeavor in life will sustain us, we’re dreaming. A sure sign of maturity in life and in Christ is the understanding that “it” is always going to be much harder than we first envision. If we’re not prepared for hardship, we’ll turn our efforts and time toward secondary priorities, and convince ourselves that they are far more important than they really are in the long view or from God’s perspective. 2. Loss of Perspective: During the first year of rebuilding the Temple they were discouraged by comparison and intimidation. Some of the older people were telling them that the foundation they were laying was nothing compared to the greatness of Solomon’s Temple, and the Samaritans were telling them that they would persecute them if they didn’t stop building. Forgetting that they were called by their great big God to build this Temple, not Solomon’s, and forgetting that He is the God of history, they stopped building. When times are tough our naysayers and enemies feel far more persuasive and powerful than they actually are. If we’re not growing in our appreciation of the power and presence of our God, we’ll blow up our problems in our mind and quit. 3. Excessive Fears: Suddenly it seemed as if everything and everyone had turned against them, and they began to imagine frightening scenarios. And then those scenarios became so real in their minds that it froze them. Their Gentile tormentors and enemies would do “this” or “that” if we resisted them. If we’re not spending time in our Father’s Word and with His Son, His promises become less and less real to us, and the lies of our enemies and the possibilities of our problems become more and more “real.” 4. Unrealistic Expectations: The postexilic community thought that returning to the land would solve all their problems. Instead, their problems just began. “Why is this so hard?” Why aren’t we having more success?” Why don’t I see results?” are questions that we all ask. But when we become sidetracked by our naïve expectations, we’ll begin to either blame God for not “blessing” us in this endeavor, or we’ll decide that He must not have been “in this.” QUESTION: What is that one area of your life where you’ve allowed the discouragement of hardship to sidetrack you? Tell a friend or your HUB group your frustrations and sit down with the Book of Haggai for insights on how to get back on track.

Study Notes Ed Underwood  Zechariah The King Is Coming! “‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.” (Zechariah 4:6) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for Him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). The Jews had been living in exile in Babylonia for 70 years. They had not been able to practice their formal worship as the Mosaic Law prescribed, because the Babylonians had destroyed their Temple and they had no authorized altar for sacrifices. They were forced to settle for private and public prayers while facing toward Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10). They gathered in synagogues to hear the Law read and worship God in exile. Imagine their joy when King Cyrus of Persia allowed them to return to their land in 538 B.C. The first wave of 50,000 Jewish pilgrims returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel. They enthusiastically rebuilt the brazen altar and resumed offering sacrifices, and laid the foundation for the reconstruction of the second Temple. They even celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles that first year. Envision their discouragement when Samaritan leaders with ties to the Persian authorities resisted their Temple construction. The former exiles felt threatened and unable to accomplish God’s first priority for the returning remnant—reestablish worship that glorifies Him. They went about their daily routine, and concentrated on rebuilding their lives—their businesses, their homes, and their farms—while ignoring their mandate to rebuild the Temple. Sixteen years later, God called Haggai and Zechariah to expose their misplaced priorities and challenge them to rebuild the Temple, because God had greater plans for them than they ever imagined. In 520 B.C. Zechariah encouraged the returning remnant to rebuild the Temple by inspiring hope in the discouraged community. His book, the “Revelation” of the Old Testament, persuaded the Jews to lift their eyes to see the larger purposes and plans of their God. The Lord who rules over all is at work for His people and is moving history toward the return of His King—first to save, and then to reign. “[Zechariah’s] book is the most Messianic, the most truly apocalyptic and eschatological, of al the writing of the Old Testament.” (Joyce G. Baldwin, “Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary, pp. 69-70) Zechariah’s message reminds discouraged believers of all generations that in spite of difficult circumstances, God’s all-encompassing power and unrelenting purpose cannot be resisted: Zechariah emphasizes the irresistible power of God: “The Lord of Hosts” (“Lord who rules over all,” NET) occurs 35 times. I. EIGHT VISIONS (1:1-6:8): The book opens with an introductory appeal to the people to repent and return to God unlike their fathers who rejected the warnings of the prophets (1:1-6). A few months later, Zechariah has a series of eight night visions, evidently in one troubled night. The first five are visions of comfort, and the last three are visions of judgment. The angel who speaks with him interprets the visions, but some of the symbols are not explained. Zechariah: Your King is coming! Live with confidence in His unseen power and unfulfilled promises. Vision Horses Among the Trees Four Horns & Four Craftsmen Man with the Measuring Line Cleansing of Joshua Golden Lampstand & Olive Trees Flying Scroll Woman in Basket Four Chariots What they knew ... Their depressing circumstances The power of their enemies About Jerusalem Their adversary Responsibility to be light Present sins Widespread evil Need for God in chaos What they didn’t know ... The presence of a watching angel God’s plan to destroy the enemies Jerusalem’s glorious future Their divine advocate Supernatural resources Response to sin God would purge evil God would win *from the notes on Zechariah, by Tom Constable II. THE CROWNING OF JOSHUA (6:9-15): The crowning of Joshua (6:9-15) anticipates the coming of the Branch who will be King and Priest (the composite crown). III. FOUR MESSAGES (7-8): In response to a question about the continuation of the fasts (7:1-3), God gives Zechariah a series of four messages—a rebuke of empty ritualism, a reminder of past disobedience, the restoration and consolation of Israel, and the recovery of joy in the kingdom. God’s point is that it is more important how you live than how you fast (7:8-14). Rather than celebrating the fasts of the exile to commemorate their past failures, they should now commemorate the feasts to celebrate God’s blessing in the land. IV. TWO BURDENS: The first burden (9-11) primarily concerns the First Advent and rejection of Israel’s coming King. The second burden (12-14) primarily concerns the Second Advent of Christ and the acceptance of Israel’s King. The Jews of Jesus’ day had missed the distinction between these two imbedded events. Like all the prophecies concerning the coming career of Messiah-King, we know now that the prophet was describing two events that were blurred into one. This is the “telescopic” or “foreshortening” principle of understanding prophecy. The prophets are presenting two mountain peaks—the First and Second Coming of Messiah—but not the valley in between—the time of the Gentiles, the Church Age. With New Testament perspective, we see this foreshortening in Zechariah. 9:9 speaks of the 1 st st Advent, 9:10, the 2nd. 11:7-16 speaks of the 1 Advent, chapter 12, the 2nd. 13:7 st speaks of the 1 Advent, 13:8-9, the 2 . Peter describes this dynamic and our need to carefully divide the Scriptures: “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ (1st Advent) and his subsequent glory (2nd Advent)” (1 Pet 1:10-11) ZECHARIAH AND YOU: Your King is coming! Evil happens, but God will eventually defeat evil. His power cannot be resisted and His purposes cannot be thwarted. He is moving history toward His end, despite human and Satanic opposition. Even though we live in times of darkness and discouragement, we should live with the unshakeable confidence in His presence, power, and promises. What is hard in your life right now? What difficult or discouraging assignment have you received from God? “‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.” (The Lord of Hosts to Zerubbabel, Zechariah 4:6) For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comprehension, because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” (Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18) QUESTIONS: Where does it hurt? What don’t you understand? Take that hurt and that confusion and plant it into a garden of trust and hope. Don’t put your faith in circumstance; put your faith in the Rejected One who will be crowned in His Kingdom! nd

Study Notes Ed Underwood Sermons By Ed: Malachi: The Only Hope for Your Hearts of Stone—The Lord You Are Seeking! “I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me.” (Malachi 3:1) The seventeen Books of Prophecy record the messages of the writing prophets (those whose messages are preserved in writing) God raised up to speak for Him following the ministries of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. The failings of the Divided Kingdom Era prompted God to speak to Israel in the north and Judah in the south. They continued to speak to God’s people for over 400 years, including the exile to Babylonia and the return to the Promise Land. (1 Kings 12-Esther) The prophets spoke for God to His people concerning the enforcement of terms of their covenant relationship with God. Each spoke to a specific generation of Israel or Judah to enforce the conditional covenant (Mosaic) in the context of the unconditional covenants flowing from the Abrahamic Covenant. Their message can be summed up in these sentences: You are mine! (Unconditional covenants, Romans 11:29). Walk with me and I will bless you. Walk away from me and I will call you back to myself through loving discipline (Conditional covenant, Romans 9-11). Life in the Promise Land was hard, very hard. The Persians still ruled their homeland, crops were failing, and locust plagues ravaged the land (Malachi 3:11). 80 years ago, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah had promised blessing, but the prosperity never came. Even after Ezra’s profound reforms and Nehemiah’s amazing success, most of the people were discouraged and doubtful of God’s goodness and care. The priests were self-serving and led them in cold, ritualistic worship and demanded outward obedience to the Law. But their hearts weren’t in it. On the inside they remained as rebellious as any generation of Israelites. Foreign cultures had successfully invaded the consciousness and morality of God’s people. The Israelites divorced their wives to marry Gentiles, and greed and injustice was the order of the day. “... Malachi and his contemporaries were living in an uneventful waiting period, when God seemed to have forgotten His people enduring poverty and foreign domination in the little province of Judah. ... True the Temple had been completed, but nothing momentous had occurred to indicate that God’s presence had returned to fill it with glory, as Ezekiel had indicated would happen (Ezk. 43:4). ... Generations were dying without receiving the promises (cf. Heb 11:13) and many were losing their faith.” (Joyce G. Baldwin, “Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi: An Introduction and Commentary, p. 211) Using a confrontational style, Malachi encourages them to pursue holiness by exposing their sin. He is the only prophet who ends his book with judgment. His book is an appropriate conclusion to the Old Testament. It stresses the hopelessly sinful condition of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who had been called by God to be a blessing to all nations. His message ends in a curse, leaving the world in need of another plan that isn’t dependent upon the obedience of the nation Israel. That plan will be introduced by the next prophet to speak, John the Baptist, who will, in turn, announce the coming of the One who would be called the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His name is Jesus Christ: Malachi emphasizes Israel’s God as the sovereign over the whole world, who is extremely patient with His wayward people. The last prophet to speak to God’s people before 400 years of silence, 47 of Malachi’s 55 verses are spoken by God Himself – the highest portion of all the prophets. I. “I STILL LOVE YOU!” (1:1-5): Malachi’s generation has forgotten how much God loves them. Embittered by the problems of the present, they have forgotten God’s past works on their behalf. God reminds them of His special love by contrasting the fates of Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel). II. “YOUR PRIESTS DO NOT REPRESENT ME!” (1:6-2:9): Though the returning remnant had succeeded in rebuilding extraneous worship, the priests were taking the lead in hypocritical worship. They exhibited favoritism as they encouraged flawed sacrifices. Malachi: Doubting God’s love leads to inauthentic worship and calloused disobedience! III. “YOUR MEN DIVORCE THEIR WIVES AND MARRY GENTILES!” (2:10-16): A sure sign of an inner attitude of rebellion against the God of Israel is intermarriage with pagan peoples. Malachi’s generation ignored God’s teaching on the sanctity of marriage. IV. “YOU DOUBT MY JUSTICE?” (2:17-3:6): Malachi’s generation had become apathetic to the point of doubting if God would ever back up His teaching on the necessity of justice in relationships and society. V. “YOU’RE ROBBING GOD!” (3:7-12): Malachi’s generation failed to connect their withholding of tithes and offerings with God’s withholding of blessing. VI. “I WILL JUDGE THE ARROGANCE OF THE PEOPLE WHILE BLESSING THE REMNANT FOR THEIR HUMILITY” (3:13-4:3): Those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name would be spared in the day of judgment as His own special possession. VII. “I WILL SEND AN ENCOURAGER TO RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE I JUDGE THE EARTH” (4:4-6): Malachi ends on the bitter word “curse.” Although the people are finally cured of idolatry, there is little spiritual progress in Israel’s history. Sin abounds, and the need for the coming Messiah is greater than ever. MALACHI AND YOU: The Old Testament concludes with a curse. In spite of God’s unfailing love for His people, they are irreparably flawed by sin. The ever-loving, never-failing God pronounces judgment on His never-loving, ever-failing people. But all is not lost. A coming herald will make the way for the One who will encourage God’s people to return to Him. Two indicators a person has fallen out of love with God: 1. Inauthentic Worship. Like Malachi’s generation they simply go through the motions. Doubting God’s love, they concentrate on the externals of worship while avoiding deep heart-interaction with God. Doubting God’s justice toward them, they give themselves permission to rob God of His lordship of their time and resources. 2. Calloused Disobedience. Like Malachi’s generation their attitude overflows into sinful behaviors. Doubting God’s love, they arrogantly express their cynicism and rebellion. Doubting God’s justice toward them, they give themselves permission to treat others unjustly. Especially the families they abandon through divorce. Two meditations that will encourage a person to fall back in love with God: Messiah: The Book of Malachi precedes four hundred years of prophetic silence, broken finally by the words of the next prophet, John the Baptist: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Malachi predicts the coming of the messenger who will clear the way before the Lord’s First Advent (3:1; cf. Isaiah 40:3). John the Baptist later fulfills this prophecy, but the next few verses (3:2-5) look to Christ’s Second Advent. “Elijah the prophet” will encourage repentance before the day of the Lord (4:5). John the Baptist was this Elijah (Matthew 3:3; 11:10-14; 17:9-13), but Elijah will also appear before the second coming of Christ (Revelation 11:6). First Advent of Christ To Rescue from Sin Suffering Servant Messenger to prepare the way (3:1a) (John the Baptist, Matt. 11:10; 17:11-12) Lord comes to the Temple (3:1a) (Triumphal Entry, Matt. 21:12-14) Cross of Christ Offers Love Second Advent of Christ To Rescue Creation Conquering King Messenger of the (new) Covenant (3:1b-4) (Jesus Christ, Matt. 26:28) Angel (messenger) of the Lord (3:1b-4) Elijah encourages repentance (4:4-6) Day of the Lord (4:4-6) Offers Hope.

Study Notes Ed Underwood FROM MALACHI TO MATTHEW Galatians 4:4 But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights (Galatians 4:4). Malachi closed the Old Testament with the last words the Jews would hear from God for four hundred years. A contemporary of Nehemiah, Malachi preached sermons about the problems Nehemiah faced (Nehemiah 13). Time had run out for that generation of Israelites. Refusing to follow the Law of Moses, their only hope to fulfill their mission of blessing the world by saving it from God’s curse (Genesis 12:1-3) was divine intervention. God will send Elijah before the great Day of the Lord. He will restore Israel to the covenant and save the world! Then, the Lord simply stopped speaking to Israel. Over 400 years later, John the Baptist, the Elijah-like prophet Malachi promised would prepare the way for Messiah (Malachi 3:2), broke the silence. After preaching repentance to the rebellious nation, John’s message suddenly changed when He introduced Jesus of Nazareth to God’s people, Israel: Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). A lot had changed since the time of Malachi. Rome was the dominant world power and ruled over most of the ancient Old Testament lands. Yet, in a small town of Palestine, Bethlehem of Judea, the one who would save the world was born—Jesus Christ. And though God had been quiet for 400 years, He had not been idle! Concerning the birth of the Savior, the apostle wrote, “But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son” (Galatians 4:4). God prepared the way for the Savior of the world! In several extraordinary and wonderful ways, God prepared the world for the coming of Messiah. Both Paul and Mark called attention to the historical era that preceded the coming of Christ to earth. I. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14) with perfect timing (Mark 1:15; Galatians 4:4). Summary: As a human father chooses the time for the birth of his child, so the Heavenly Father chose the time for the coming of Christ to save the world from bondage to works systems of righteousness (Galatians 4:4). 1. Context: Israel, was enslaved by the law (and the rest of the world through various systems of works righteousness) until Christ emancipated them. 2. The Father planned Christ’s coming with precise timing—when the world was ripe (fullness, appropriate, in the context of time, means the complete end of a period of time) for His message of deliverance. Three ways God had been working so that the time would be “full” or ripe for Christ’s coming: 1. Jewish Hope for their Messiah! a. The entire Old Testament looks forward to the coming of Christ. God had chosen Israel from all the nations of the world (Exodus 1:5-6). Beginning with the promises to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 9:4), they were the guardians of God’s Word (Romans 3:2) and the people from whom the Redeemer would come (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8; Romans 9:5). The Old Testament anticipated Christ’s coming as a suffering and glorified Savior in precise prophecies giving details of Messiah’s lineage, place of birth, world conditions at the time of His birth, life, death, and even His resurrection. b. Though Israel was disobedient and was under judgment from the days of Malachi, they were in the land as God had promised before the coming of Messiah. Though 400 years had passed and the religious climate had only become worse through Pharisaic hypocrisy and the Sadducees’ secularism, there was a spirit of Messianic anticipation in the air and a righteous remnant was looking for the Messiah (Simeon, Luke 2:25). The Jews offered to the world the hope of a coming Messiah who would bring righteousness to the earth. This tiny captive nation, situated on the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe provided the spiritual heredity of Christianity and, for a time, even gave the infant church its leaders and shelter. Israel provided the spiritual environment to propel the Gospel around the world. Roman peace and roads! Free movement about the Mediterranean would have been most difficult for the messengers of the Gospel before the reign of Augustus Caesar (27 BC-AD 14). The ancient world had been divided into warring tribes or city-states prior to the extension of Roman imperial power. Roman sailors kept the peace on the seas and Roman soldiers secured the roads of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Roman conquests that resulted in 100 years of relative peace as the church was born had also led to a loss of belief by many peoples in their pagan gods that had failed to protect them against Caesar’s legions. The Romans developed the world’s first system of roads radiating out from the Roman forum to the corners of the empire. The main roads were built of concrete and some exist today. The Gospel of Christ moved quickly across these Roman roads to strategic cities located throughout the Empire. The Roman Empire provided a political environment unique in history that was favorable to the spread of Christianity in the days of its infancy. Greek language and philosophy! More than 300 years before Christ, Alexander the Great had swept across the ancient world conquering one nation after another. Though the kingdom he established did not survive his death, the language of his armies, Koine or common Greek, did. By the time of Christ, Koine Greek had become the language of the common man throughout the Mediterranean world. The universal Gospel needed a universal language, and God provided it through the genius and ambition of Alexander—Koine Greek, one of the clearest and most precise languages of all time. Greek philosophy, though godless, was undermining pagan polytheistic religions around the world because they were rationally unintelligible. The bankruptcy of paganism and consequent pursuits of Greek philosophy left the conquered peoples of Rome thirsty for spiritual reality. Greece provided the intellectual environment that aided the propagation of the Gospel. II. God always prepares the way for people to meet Christ (Galatians 1:15-16). A. How did He prepare you for your introduction to His Son? Praise Him for His sovereign grace in the circumstances of your life this Easter Season! B. Who needs to meet Christ in your world? Ask the Father to prepare the way this Easter Season and tell Him you are willing to share the Good News! “After Malachi had ceased his prophesying and the canon of the Old Testament closed—that is, the number of the books in the Old Testament was fulfilled and the inspired prophets ceased to speak—God allowed a period of time for the teachings of the Old Testament to penetrate throughout the world. During this time, he rearranged the scenes of history, much as a stage crew will rearrange the stage sets after the curtain has fallen, and when the curtain rises again there is an entirely new setting.” –Ray Stedman

Study Notes Ed Underwood The Bible, The New Testament, and the Gospels “And so he [Jesus Christ] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive their eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant” (Hebrew 9:15). We’re all born with questions in our heart that the two most basic sources of human knowledge—reason and experience—cannot answer: Who am I? Why am I here? Does anyone care about me, I mean really? History seems out of control, where is this world headed? God in His grace has provided another source of knowledge—revelation—to answer the questions of humanity concerning meaning and significance in life. The Bible claims to be God’s special revelation to the beloved centerpiece of His creation—men and women, boys and girls. Though God demonstrates that He’s there through the general revelation of His creation (Psalm 19:1-6) and has given every human heart the knowledge that He exists (Romans 1:18), His special revelation is His more direct communication to humanity. This may involve dreams, angels, and visions, but we receive special revelation primarily and most clearly through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2) and in the written words, paragraphs, and stories in the 66 Books of the Bible. Many people, even sincere Christians, struggle as we read through the Bible. We may be familiar with a few of the stories and we may have heard sermons about a number of passages. But we find it difficult to put the pieces of the Bible together and feel lost when we’re trying to read through an entire Book of the Bible. What we need is the big picture of the Bible—a broader understanding of how the Bible is put together and how the events, people, and places connect. This is what Bible students call a synthetic study of the Scriptures. We’re dedicating two years to a synthetic study of the Word of God—all 66 Books. And it begins today with this overarching sentence on the Bible: The Bible is God’s masterpiece written to rescue us by revealing God’s Son—Jesus Christ. The Bible contains 66 Books, 27 of those comprise the New Testament, which begins with the 4 Gospels— historical books that provide an accurate and variegated picture of the person and work of Jesus Christ. I. The New Testament is the Good News that completes the awesome story begun in the Old Testament of God’s majestic and merciful plan to rescue people and Creation from consequences of human sin (Romans 1:16-17). A. The Bible is divided between the 39 Books of the Old Testament and the 27 Books of the New Testament. The God of the Bible is the Creator and Redeemer of His creation. He is personally and intimately involved in the lives of people and is moving history according to His plan. The Cross of Jesus Christ—the Son of God’s substitutionary death for the sin of humanity that defiled creation— is the central event of history from God’s perspective. There is a progressive revelation in the Scriptures, meaning that the story and the message unfolds over time. The Old Testament anticipates the work of Israel’s coming King—Messiah—by telling the story of God’s chosen people, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The New Testament announces the birth of Messiah and reveals Him as the Son of God who came to take away the sin of humanity. It puts Jesus’ death in perspective and records the beginnings, teachings, and future of the church—those who have received God’s resurrection life, eternal life, by believing in His Son. Jesus Christ claimed to be the Key that unlocks the Scriptures (Luke 24:44-46). The Bible ends by claiming that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelations 22:13) and His announcement that He is coming again (Revelation 22:20). B. The title, “The New Testament,” transliterates the Greek words, He Kaine Diatheke, which literally means, “The New Covenant.” The term “Diatheke,” or Covenant, characterizes a last will and testament that is ratified when the testator dies. It is a binding covenant or legal contract that blesses the recipients when the benefactor dies. The New Covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ (Luke 22:20) and a person enters into that covenant relationship when he or she comes to God on His terms—belief in His Son (John 6:47). This covenant, or testament, is the unifying theme of the books of the New Testament (1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 8:7-13; 9:15-17). 1. The New Testament is a collection of books that tell one story — the story ofJ esus Christ and His church. They were written from about AD 40-96 in Koine (“common”) Greek. They were separately distributed among the churches of the early church and gradually collected together. 2. The Structure of the New Testament helps us understand the Big Picture! II. The Bible was not written merely to be understood. It was written to change our life by persuading us to believe in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and trusting Him and His Word in ways that will instruct us and give us enduring and encouraging hope. A. Enduring Hope: The New Testament presents the Gospel of Christ, the Good News that when Jesus came the first time it was to deliver us from sin (Romans 1:16-17). B. Encouraging Hope: The New Testament presents the Hope of the Church, the Promise that when Jesus comes again He will rule and reign in His Kingdom (Revelation 22:20).

Study Notes Ed Underwood Matthew: Think Again; The Kingdom of Heaven is Near! “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Peter to Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew 16:16) The four Gospels are corresponding accounts that provide a complex portrait of the person and work, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, Savior of the world, and Son of God. These historical books encompass about 46% of the New Testament. Though they were not the first books written, the early church placed the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament because they are the bedrock upon which the book of Acts and the Epistles are constructed. The Gospels are written as biographies with a purpose. They are thematic portraits of the life of Christ focusing on the brief public ministry of the Son of God. Each author selects distinctive events and teachings of the Lord Jesus to present a purposefully skewed account to accomplish their purpose: Matthew, a Jew, writes to persuade his countrymen that Christ is their King. Frequently quoting from the Old Testament Scriptures, he argues that Jesus of Nazareth “fulfills what was written.” His birth, life, death, and His resurrection leave only one possible conclusion: Jesus is the Messiah of Israel. Mark seeks to reach the Roman mindset and presents Jesus as the Servant who came to “give His life as a ransom for many. He begins by serving the masses, but as He is being rejected and His departure grows near, He concentrates on serving His disciples and equipping them to serve others in His name. Luke focuses on the Greek way of thinking, revealing Christ as the Perfect Man. Dr. Luke highlights the human side of Jesus, describing Him as the one who came to earth “to seek and save that which was lost.” John writes to everyone, regardless of culture. He selects seven miracles and arranges them carefully to persuade his readers to believe in Jesus as the Son of God who will give them eternal life. “If a Bible reader were to jump from Malachi to Mark, or Acts, or Romans, he would be bewildered. Matthew’s Gospel is the bridge that leads us out of the Old Testament and into the New Testament.” (Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, 1:10) The Old Testament prophets predicted and Israel longed for the coming of the Anointed One who would enter history to rescue humanity and creation. The first sentence of Matthew announces that longed-for event: “This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Matthew referred to the Old Testament more than any other evangelist (author of a Gospel). There are 54 direct citations of the Old Testament, plus over 260 indirect references. No other Gospel contains as many of Jesus’ discourses and directives, and no other Gospel contains as many of the miracles He performed. “Matthew has a twofold purpose in writing his Gospel. Primarily he penned this Gospel to prove Jesus is the Messiah, but he also wrote it to explain God’s kingdom program to his readers. One goal directly involves the other. Nevertheless they are distinct.” (Stanley D. Toussaint, Behold the King: A Study of Matthew, p. 18) Matthew is the only Gospel writer to refer to the church (16:18; 18:17), and he most clearly described the mission of the church in light of the postponement of the promised messianic Kingdom (28:18-20). His concern for making disciples is apparent. He alone of the Gospel writers uses the Greek verb matheteuo, to disciple (13:52;l 27:57; 28:19) and it only appears one other time in the New Testament (Acts 14:21). Matthew’s theme is that “the kingdom of heaven”—God’s establishment of heaven’s order over all the earth, is “near”—coming soon. And though the physical messianic kingdom is still future, His supremacy is breaking in through His people, the church. Therefore, the readers should “repent” or think again about life and rearrange their priorities to “make disciples of all nations”: A key phrase in Matthew’s Gospel marks the major movements in the writer’s thinking: “When Jesus finished saying these things” (7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1). Matthew: Rethink your priorities so that you can make disciples to the King! I. PROLOGUE: INTRODUCTION OF THE KING (1:1-4:11): The promise to Abraham was that “all the families of the earth will bless one another by your name” (Genesis 12:3). Jesus Christ is qualified to be the King who brings this blessing because He is a descendent of Abraham and David. The magi know that the “King of the Jews” had been born, John the Baptist, the prophesied forerunner introduces Him, and His sinlessness is proved when He overcomes Satanic temptations. II. THE AUTHORITY OF THE KING (4:12-7:29): In a topical rather than a chronological arrangement, Matthew establishes the authority of Jesus Christ in His teaching that presents new laws and standards for God’s people. III. THE POWER OF THE KING (8:1-11:1): Ten miracles reveal Christ’s right to rule over disease, demons, death, and nature. With that authority, He commissions the 12 to take His message to Israel. IV. THE OPPOSITION TO THE KING (11:2-13:53): Israel begins to oppose Jesus. Initial enthusiasm over Him degrades to indifference and turns to open conflict over the Sabbath, the source of His power, His sign, and even in His family. Jesus then teaches clearly what His Kingdom is about. V. THE REACTION OF THE KING (13:54-19:2): Jesus turns His attention from the masses to His disciples as He trains the Twelve through teaching and example to prepare them for their future assignments in the church. VI. THE OFFICAL PRESENTATION AND REJECTION OF THE KING (19:3-25:46): Jesus teaches His disciples in Judea and enters Jerusalem and the Temple. Official Israel rejects Him and He laments over Jerusalem. VII. THE KING DESCRIBES THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD (24-25): In the Olivet Discourse Jesus outlines the future for His disciples. VIII. THE KING IS CRUCIFIED AND RESURRECTED (26-28): Jesus dies for the sin of the world, is buried, and rises again. Then, He appears to His disciples and commissions them to make disciples of all the nations. MATTHEW AND YOU: The New Testament opens with a birth announcement: The Prophesied King Just Showed Up! Matthew wants his readers to do what John the Baptist told the Jews to do: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!” I believe the kingdom of heaven is the future reign of Jesus over all creation in the Millennial Kingdom, but I also believe that the power of this kingdom is breaking in to space and time during the church age when someone turns to God by believing in His Son, and becomes a new person with a new purpose. Therefore, repent! The verbal form of that Greek word primarily means to rethink life in light of that truth. So ... Christian, rethink your priorities because the kingdom of heaven is near! 1. DevoteYourselftoHisChurch.Thekingdomofheavenisoverwhelmingthekingdomofearthbythe irresistible work of Christ in this age—His church (Matthew 16:18; 18:15-22). 2. Devote Yourself to His Commission. The specific way the kingdom of heaven is overwhelming the kingdom of earth today is by His church, His people, making disciples to Him of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20). Messiah: Matthew presents Jesus as Israel’s promised Messiah (1:23; 2:2, 6; 3:17; 4:15-17; 21:5, 9; 22:44- 45; 26:64; 27:11, 27-37). The phrase “kingdom of heaven” occurs thirty-two times in Matthew but nowhere else in the New Testament. The phrase, “that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled,” appears nine times!

Study Notes Ed Underwood Mark Follow Jesus; Serve Others “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Jesus Christ, Mark 10:45) The four Gospels are corresponding accounts that provide a complex portrait of the person and work, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, Savior of the world, and Son of God. These historical books encompass about 46% of the New Testament. Though they were not the first books written, the early church placed the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament because they are the bedrock upon which the book of Acts and the Epistles are constructed. The Gospels are written as biographies with a purpose. They are thematic portraits of the life of Christ focusing on the brief public ministry of the Son of God. Each author selects distinctive events and teachings of the Lord Jesus to present a purposefully skewed account to accomplish their purpose: Matthew, a Jew, writes to persuade His countrymen that Christ is their King. Frequently quoting from the Old Testament Scriptures, he argues that Jesus of Nazareth “fulfills what was written.” His birth, life, death, and His resurrection leave only one possible conclusion: Jesus is the Messiah of Israel. Mark seeks to reach the Roman mindset and presents Jesus as the Servant who came to “give His life as a ransom for many. He begins by serving the masses, but as He is being rejected and His departure grows near, He concentrates on serving His disciples and equipping them to serve others in His name. Luke focuses on the Greek way of thinking, revealing Christ as the Perfect Man. Dr. Luke highlights the human side of Jesus, describing Him as the one who came to earth “to seek and save that which was lost.” John writes to everyone, regardless of culture. He selects seven miracles and arranges them carefully to persuade his readers to believe in Jesus as the Son of God who will give them eternal life. Mark is the shortest and simplest of the four Gospels. It gives the reader a vivid, compelling account of the life of Christ. With no editorial comments, Mark lets the narrative tell the story: Jesus is a Servant, constantly on the move and the pace is exhausting. He never rests, never ignores a hurting heart, and never avoids controversy, opposition, or danger. He just keeps moving and serving toward His reason for coming to earth—to suffer and die for the sin of the world. Those who follow Him on the path of serving and suffering are often confused and exhausted, but always marveling at the wonder of being close to Him. Amazed at His words and works, His compassion and strength, they come to understand what all of us realize as we read on: Following Jesus is extremely difficult, but eternally rewarding. Mark began by citing Isaiah, who predicted the Servant of God (1:3; cf. Isaiah 40:3). He ends with the Servant suffering on the Cross, and the implications of that event on the lives of His followers. Jesus came to serve God and others by providing salvation through self-sacrifice. Mark is the Gospel that most portrays Christ as the Son who became the Servant of the Lord Paul describes in Philippians 2:5-11. John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas and disciple of Peter, records the life of Christ from the eyewitness stories of Peter. “Mark’s story of Jesus is one of swift action and high drama. Only twice, in chapters 4 and 13, does Jesus pause to deliver extended discourses.” (J. D. Kingsbury, Conflict in Mark: Jesus, Authorities, Disciples, p. 1): The pace of the Book is as exhausting as the pace of life for a devoted follower of Christ. The adverb euthys, translated “immediately,” occurs 41 times! I. PROLOGUE: PREP ARA TION OF THE SERV ANT (1:1-13): Mark’ s dramatic introduction of Jesus of Nazareth sets the tone for the rest of the book. Prophecies from Malachi and Isaiah identifying John the Baptizer as Messiah’s forerunner, established Jesus’ credentials as the Christ (Messiah). Mark: All who follow the Suffering Servant must be prepared to suffer and serve— to lay down their lives and serve others in His name! II. THE SERVANT’S GALILEAN MINISTRY (1:14-8:30): His work in Galilee stirs up the religious authorities. Two series of confrontations with Jewish leaders reveal their hard hearts (2:1-3:20). The first time around, they decide to kill Him (3:6); the second time, they accuse Him of relying on Satan instead of God (3:22). Three events—the charge by the religious authorities that His powers come from Satan, His rejection at Nazareth, and the murder of John the Baptizer—precipitate a great transition in the ministry of Jesus. His primary focus from this point forward is His twelve disciples. Just one year from His crucifixion, Jesus devotes six months to an intense training of the Twelve—teaching and demonstrating that He is the Son of God—as He withdraws away from the hostility of the Jewish authorities, the domain of Herod Antipas, and the fickle masses (3:23-8:22). The great transition in Mark’s narrative follows the re-teaching of the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” until finally Peter answers correctly for the Twelve, “You are the Christ!” (8:30) After Peter’s declaration, the disciples will learn what kind of Messiah He is as they follow Him to Jerusalem, where they will witness His crucifixion and resurrection. III. THE SERVANT’S JUDEAN MINISTRY (8:31-16:8): Jesus’ movement to the cross dominates the second half of Mark’s Gospel. From the time they leave the north, Jesus and His disciples were “on the way” to Jerusalem (9:33; 10:32). Mark bookends this section with two separate healings of a blind man—the first in Bethsaida on the north shore of Galilee (8:22-26), the second in Jericho, just before He enters Jerusalem for the last time (10:46-52). Mark’s careful placing of these miracles demonstrates that Jesus was endeavoring to open His disciples’ eyes to the truth of the necessity of the cross and suffering. All who follow the Suffering Servant must be prepared to lay down their lives and serve others in His name. Over a third of the book is devoted to the eight days following their arrival in Judea on the Sunday before His resurrection—from His entry into Jerusalem (11:1-11) to Christ’s resurrection (16:1-8). Monday through Thursday Jesus cleared the Temple, exposed the hypocrisy of Israel’s leaders, received Mary of Bethany’s worship, predicted His desertion and betrayal, instituted the Lord’s Supper, prayed in the garden, and was arrested and condemned by the Sanhedrin. But only the Roman authority, Pilate, could execute anyone. On Friday morning, Jesus stood trial before Pilate. By 9:00 AM, after being scourged and mocked, the process of His crucifixion began—the Son of God was nailed to a cross between two thieving insurrectionists. He was guilty of being “The King of the Jews.” For six hours, Jesus suffered on the cross, the last three being accompanied by miraculous events. Then, at 3:00 PM, Jesus died, and was buried in a nearby tomb. The foundational truth of Christianity is the Gospel: Christ died for our sins and arose. But too many Christians underestimate the mighty work of Jesus on the Cross. He not only paid the penalty for our sin, He made a way for us to overcome the power of sin! MARK AND YOU: When reading Mark, keep in mind the author and the audience. John Mark was a privileged young man who failed miserably in his early Christian life. He abandoned Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. Years later, he writes his Gospel from Rome, primarily to Roman Christians living in a proud and powerful culture. Remember that Mark is stressing sacrifice and service from a heart that grew up in privilege and to a people who dominated the world. Remember that Mark is stressing suffering from a heart that tried to avoid it and to a people who were facing persecution Remember that Mark doesn’t try to hide the faults and weaknesses of Jesus’ followers. Remember that Mark learned his lessons on suffering and servanthood the hard way—through disappointing those he admired in Christ when he decided that following Christ was too costly. Messiah: Mark portrays Jesus as an active, compassionate, and obedient Servant of God. Christ is constantly moving toward the goal of laying down His life for others!

—Luke’s purpose (1:1-4)—”orderly account” for Theophilus “so that you may know for certain the things you were taught” John’s Mission —”Preaching a bap- tism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (3:3) 4:18-19, 21 & Isaiah 61:1-2--The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to pro- claim the year of the Lord's fa- vor....Today this Scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read. “Now when the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set out resolutely to go to Jerusalem.” (9:51) “It is impossible that a prophet should be killed outside Jerusalem” (13:33) —“Son of Man” (25x in Luke) Describing Jesus as perfect represen- tation of humanity & King Dan. 7:14—To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eter- nal and will not pass away. His king- dom will not be destroyed. “The crooked will be made straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth, and all humanity will see the salvation of God” (Isaiah 40:3-5, 3:5-6) “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, be- cause you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and re- vealed them to little children. Yes, Fa- ther, for this was your gracious Weeping over Jerusalem—“If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace!” (19:42) Temple—“you have turned it into a den of robbers!” (19:46) Gabriel’s testimony in 1:32-33—He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will never end. Simeon’s testimony 2:30-32—For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. Baptism—”You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight” (3:22) Demonized healing (demon—“You are—the Holy One of God” [4:34]) and again demonized healing (demon— “You are the Son of God!” [4:41]). Zacchaeus (19:9) For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (19:10) “What authority are you doing these things?” (20:2) & temptation Genealogy traced back to Adam (Jesus’ qualifications as Son of Man) “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness” (11:39) “You load people down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves re- fuse to touch the burdens with even on of your fingers!” (11:46) Jesus rejected as prophet (revealer of God’s kingdom) (4:24, 7:16, 39, 13:33, 16:31, 20:13) Temptation—40 days of temptation and victory over Satan (c.f. 10:18, 11:18, 13:16, 22:3, 31) Purpose to “proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God” (4:43, 8:1, 16:16) “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?” (20:17) Gospel of Luke The Purpose of Luke is to give an “orderly account” (1:1-4) of the Son of Man’s loving march towards Jerusalem as He “breaks-in,” reverses and defeats sin and Satan’s rule, and initiates God’s program and rule by redeeming humanity through the Cross. Jesus has come to “proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God” (4:43, 8:1, 16:16). Jesus identifies Himself in Luke 4 as the Isaiah 61 Messiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Luke describes the love of God in action as Jesus releases the most shocking cap- tives. The good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it (16:16, 17:21), the “stronger man” has come (11:20-22), and Christ has defeated the power/ authority of Satan (22:53). Jesus’ teaching and miracles are visible signs of God’s “rule” over the realm of Satan that will be in full force in the future—the culmination of the Kingdom is when vic- tory is complete and King Jesus sets up His physical kingdom (21:5-38). To the surprise of the Jews, not only is salvation a present reality by faith in Christ (5:20, 7:9, 50, 8:48, 17:19, etc.), but Christ is establishing a community from all the nations (2:10,32, 3:8, 13:29, 20:17, 24:47, etc). Luke continues to develop this theme in his second volume, the Book of Acts, where the universal Gospel is taken to the “uttermost part of the world” (Acts 1:8). Ch. 1-2 Birth of John & Christ Ch. 3-4:13 John’s Mission, baptism Ch. 4:14-9:50 Ministry in Galilee Ch. 9:51-19:27 Galilee to Jerusalem Ch. 19:28-24:53 Jerusalem Ch. 5 Eating with Sinners—I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (5:32)) Ch. 23-24: Pilate/Herod/Barabbas Crucifixion, Burial, Resurrection Rejection in Nazareth (4:22-30) “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it” (9:24). Count the costs (14:25- 35)—it will cost you everything to be Jesus’disciple.Noservantcanserve two masters (16:13). “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance fortheforgivenessofsinswouldbe proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (24:46-47) New patch can’t be added to the old (thegoodnewsofthekingdomcan’tbe added to the religion of Jesus’ day {5:36-38}). will.” (10:21) “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (19:38, Psalm 118:26) John the Baptist Disciples/Followers of Christ Religious Leaders Captives that Jesus released Forerunner before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah (1:17, 75-76), the kingdom of God is at hand! Peter, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (5:8) Abrahamic pedigree means nothing (3:8) Filled with mindless rage (6:11) Healing of a demonized man (4:35, 9:42), Peter’s mother-in-law (4:39), the sick, diseased and demonized (4:40), Lepers (5:13, 17:13), the Paralytic (5:24), the man with a withered hand (6:10), Centurion’s Slave (7:10), Resurrecting of the Widow’s son (7:15), Legion (8:29), Bleeding Woman (8:44), Jairus’ daughter (8:55), Woman disabled for 18 years (13:12), man with dropsy (14:4), blind man (18:42). John’s disciples—“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for an- other?” (7:20) Sending the 12 with kingdom power (9:1) “John doesn’t drink and you call him a demon and I do drink and you call me a drunk and a friend of sinners” (7:33-34) Welcomes, eats and loves sinners (5:30, 32, 6:32- 34, 7:34, 13:2, 15:1-2) Humility leads to Kingdom living (6:20-42, 14:11, 18:14, 22:26) Opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God (8:10) Jesus casting out demons by the power of Satan (11:18) “It is impossible that a prophet should be killed outside Jerusalem” (13:33) Sending of the 72—“say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come on you!’” Calling of Levi, the tax collector (5:27), “Sinful” Women who washed Jesus feet (7:38)— Forgiven much, Love much!, Peter’s confession—“The Christ of God!” (9:20) Transfiguration (9:29) “He should know this women who is touching him, that she is a sinner” (7:39) “The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!' ... For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. (18:13-14) “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. Instead pursue God’s kingdom and these things will be given to you as well.” (12:22-23, 31) “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness” (11:39) Zacchaeus (19:9)—For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (19:10) “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it” (9:24) Weeping over Jerusalem—“If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace!” (19:42) —Children (insignificant in Jesus’ society)—“for the kingdom of God belongs to such as “these” (18:16) Count the costs (14:25-35)—it will cost you every- thing to be Jesus’ disciple. Temple—“you have turned it into a den of rob- bers!” (19:46) —“Then people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table in the kingdom of God” (13:29) No servant can serve two masters (16:13) “What authority are you doing these things?” (20:2) Main Characters in Luke “Although they see they may not see, and al- though they hear they may not understand” (8:10) “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (15:2) “You load people down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch the bur- dens with even on of your fingers!” (11:46) Criminal on the cross—“Remember me when you come in your kingdom...I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (23:42-43) Jesus rejected as prophet (revealer of God’s king- dom) (4:24, 7:16, 39, 13:33, 16:31, 20:13) —When you host the meal—invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. (14:13, 21) “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?” (20:17) —“And repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (24:46-47) Type of Savior who leaves 99 to look for the one, who receives the prodigal son back (15:1-32)

I. Logos as God and Man (1:1-18) III. Son of God’s ministry to His disciples (13:1-17:26) II. Signs of the Son of God (1:19-12:50) Washing of the disciples’ feet (13:1-17) Prediction of betrayal (13:18-30) New Commandment & prediction of denials (13:31-38) Comfort and instruction: heaven, the Way, sending of the Spirit (14:1-31) Vine & branches (15:1-17) Hatred of the world (15:18-16:4) Work of the Holy Spirit (16:5-16) Sorrow to joy: He has overcome the world (16:17-33) Jesus’ prayer for Himself (17:1-5) Jesus’ prayer for His Disciples (17:6-19) Jesus’ prayer for all believers (17: 20-26) John the Baptist’s witness: Denial of being the Christ & affirmation that Jesus is the One (1:19-34) First Disciples—James, John, Phillip, & Nathanael (1:35-51) Sign 1: Water to Wine (2:1-12) Cleansing of the Temple (2:13-25) What do the signs show: Jesus & Nicodemus (3:1-21) John the Baptist: “He must increase” (3:22-36) Jesus and the Samaritan Women (4:1-42) Sign 2: Healing the Officer’s Son (4:43-54) Sign 3: Sabbath Healing Controversy (5:1-18) IV. Son of God’s suffering, death, & resurrection (18-20) Sabbath Defense: Son does nothing on His Own (5:19-47) Sign 4: Feeding 5 thousand (6:1-15) Arrest of Jesus (18:1-11) Trials before the High Priests: Annas/Peter’s denial Caiaphas/Peter’s denials (18:12-27) Trial before Pilate (18:28-40) Insistence of crucifixion by the crowd (19:1-16) Crucifixion of Jesus (19:17-27) Death of Jesus: “It is finished” & fulfilled (19:28-37) Burial of Jesus (19:38-42) Empty tomb (20:1-9) Appearance to Mary Magdalene (20:10-18) Appearance to His disciples (20:19-23) Appearance to Thomas (20:24-29) Sign 5: Jesus walks on water (6:16-21) Bread of Life (Manna/flesh and blood of the Son of Man) (6:22-59) Reaction: Rejection and confession (6:60-71) Teaching, Unbelief, and offer of Living Water (7:1-52) Women caught in adultery (7:53-8:11) Light of the World: Sent from the Father, children of Abraham, devil, Son of God’s preexistence (8:12-59) Sign 6: Blind Man Healed & Controversy (9:1-41) Good Shepherd (10:1-21) Jewish rejection: Jesus’ claim of unity with the Father (10:22-42) Purpose of the Gospel — “That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God...and may have life in His name.” (20:30-31) Sign 7: Raising of Lazarus and Unbelief (11:1-54) Anointing at Bethany (11:55-12:8) Triumphal Entry (12:9-19) Warning: Son of Man will be lifted up (12:20-50) Appearance by the sea (21:1-14) Reinstatement of Peter: Threefold commission/prediction of Peter’s death, etc. (21:15-24) Outline of John V. Appearance and reinstatement of Peter (21) *Much of this is adapted from Wallace and Bock’s outlines on the Gospel of John (bible.org & Jesus according to Scripture) Sign 3 Sign 4 Sign 5 Sign 6 Sign 7 4) I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14) Before Abraham was, I AM Exodus 3:14 Sabbath Healing (5:1-18) 3) I am the door of the sheepfold (10:7, 9) John 5:18 Feeding 5000 (6:1-15) John 8:58 Explicit claim to Deity Jesus walks on water (6:16-21) 5) I am the resurrection and the life (11: 25) John 10:30 The Father and I are one Unity of essence. We are the same! Blind Man Healed (9:1-41) 6) I am the way, the truth and the life (14:6) My Lord and my God! Thomas’ response to the resurrected Christ Raising of Lazarus(11:1- 54) John 20:28 Gospel of John The apostle John makes it abundantly clear what the purpose of his Gospel is, “But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). The synoptic Gospels describe an “earth up” view, the Gospel of John describes a “heaven down” view. Matthew, Mark and Luke progressively reveal Christ as the Son of God, John affirms the deity of Christ at the very onset in verse 1, “the Word was fully God” and at the very end with Thomas’ proclamation “My Lord and My God” (20:28) and in all the space between (5:18, 8:58-59, 10:30-39, etc.). The first half of the Gospel highlights 7 miraculous “signs” of Jesus’ authority and relationship to the Father (4:48, 5:36, 7:31, 9:16, 12:27-30) that move some to belief, but others to rejection. Jesus’ audience is in- vited to “believe” (100x) in the Son of God for eternal life over and over (1:12, 3:15-18,36, 5:24, 6:47, 7:38, 8:24, 11:25, 12:36,46-47, 14:1, 19:7, 20:29). Scattered throughout the Gospel is the powerful theme of the Son of God coming to represent, replace, and complete the Jewish institutions and sacred symbols: Jesus is the real temple (2:21), His flesh and blood is the real manna from heaven (6:32, 35), He is the light of the world (8:12), the Good Shepherd (10:11), the resurrection and the life (11:25), the way, the truth, and the life (14:6), and the true vine (15:1). Jesus is the perfect Son, with all of the authority and power from the Father (“sent by the Father” 45x), to fulfill the timely plan (2:4, 7:6, 30, 8:20, 12:23, 13;1, 17:1, 19:28) to save the world from our sins (4:42, 12:32, 13:1, 17:1, 19:28). The religious leaders believed they had the authority of Moses, yet Christ explains how Moses condemns the religious establishment and testified of Christ (5:45-47). Not even Rome had authority over Jesus (19:10-11), it was the Father who empowered the Son with authority (3:35, 5:27) where as Jesus proclaims, I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again (10:18). Jesus’ mission, according to John, was very simple—Jesus was sent by the Father to save the world, whoever believed in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (3:16). Now this is eternal life– that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent (17:3). 7 Signs of the Son of God Son of God’s “I Am” statements “The Word was fully God!” Sign 1 Sign 2 Water to Wine (2:1-12) 1) I am the bread of life (6:35, 41, 48, 51) 2) I am the light of the world (8:12) John 1:1 The Word was fully God John’s genealogy traces back to eternity Healing the Officer’s Son (4:43-54) Making himself equal with God. Calling God His Father 7) I am the true vine (15:1, 5)

The Gospels Jesus: King, Servant, Son of Man, Son of God “But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” ―John 20:31 THINKING ABOUT THE TRUTH Even in Hub groups that have been together for a long time, it is amazing how few opportunities we have to share how we came to Christ. How did you come to Christ? What were the circumstances, people, beliefs that led you to Christ? What is your Gospel story? REVIEWING THE TRUTH 1. What has stood out to you about our study in the Gospels? Observations? Questions? Insights? Matthew Mark Luke John Received by Picture of Christ Highlights of the Gospel View of the Apostle Theme Verse Jewish Christians King of Israel Long Discourses Romans Suffering Servant Miracles Mark relied on Peter Mark 10:45 Greeks Son of Man Parables Luke relied on Paul Luke 19:10 All mankind Son of God Personal interviews John (eyewitness) John 20:31 Matthew (eyewitness) Matt 16:16 Read Matthew 16:13-17 2. What’s the difference between the people’s estimation of Jesus’ identity and the disciples? Read Mark 10:42-45 3. According to Mark, what is Jesus asking us to follow Him in? Read Luke 19:1-10 4. According to Luke, who are the “lost”? What has the Son of Man come to do? Read John 20:28-31 5. Why did John write his Gospel? How can it be true that “belief” is the only criteria for eternal life? WORKING AND PRAYING THE TRUTH INTO LIFE (30 Minutes) King of Israel Suffering-Servant Son of Man Son of God 6. As we go to prayer, which title/truth about Christ (from above) do you feel needs to be paramount in your heart and circumstances tonight? What is it about that truth you are clinging to? Prayer Time Please pray for the Men’s Weekend (May 17-19). Pray for God’s powerful movement in the hearts of our men. Matthew Mark Luke John Title/Truth of Christ

Study Notes Ed Underwood Acts of the Apostles Against All Odds! But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8) Luke’s sequel to his gospel, the Book of Acts, begins where he left off—the ascension of Christ. The emphasis is different. The Gospel of Luke stresses the work of Christ while He walked on earth; Acts highlights the work of Jesus done by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. Without Acts we would have no record of the beginning and growth of the early church. Luke traces the birth and expansion of the church to strengthen the faith of Theophilus, a fellow Christian who may have helped finance Luke’s missionary and writing ministry (Luke 1:1-4). The Holy Spirit had a much broader audience in mind—the church of Christ throughout the age of grace. Luke’s selective but accurate history of the first 30 years of the church answers Theophilus’s questions in a way that is timeless: - What about the coming of the Holy Spirit? - What was the ministry of the Apostles? - How did the Gospel spread from Jerusalem to the rest of the world? - How did Christianity become a world religion rather than a Jewish sect? Throughout his account Luke presents Christianity as an irresistible force in the face of great opposition and persecution. Nothing can stop the work of Christ by the Spirit through His church. Gloriously more than a splinter group of Judaism, the church will inherit Messiah’s kingdom. Until then, He will be about His Father’s business, calling people to Himself from every tribe, tongue, and nation who will worship Him in His coming kingdom: God loves giving His people victory against all odds! Surprisingly, the people He used and is using are terribly flawed. Only their faith in Christ and His ability to work through them by His Spirit can explain the history of the church that is still being written today. I. Against all odds, the Lord Jesus built His church (Matthew 16:18). Luke-Acts is written to teach Theophilus and the church an accurate but selective history of the church (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-2). Luke, a companion of Paul (“we” sections,16:10-40; 20:5-28:31) and careful researcher of eyewitness accounts (Paul, Mark, James and others), wrote the Book of Acts in AD 60-62, during Paul’s imprisonment at Ceasarea and Rome (before the death of Paul in 66-68 and the burning of Rome in 64 which were not reported). Luke provides the only sequel to the history of the life of Christ recording the works or acts of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. Acts emphasizes the ministries of Peter and Paul over a period of about 30 years, beginning with the Lord’s ascension in AD 33 and ending with Paul’s two-year Roman house arrest from AD 60-62. Luke-Acts is written to strengthen the faith of Theophilus and the church by demonstrating the powerful work of Christ to establish His church in the world now and His Kingdom in the future. 1. The two structural keys to Acts —theme verse and panels or “progress reports”—present the church as an irresistible force in the face of overwhelming opposition and persecution. a. The theme verse (Acts 1:8) anticipates a report of the growth of Christianity. b. The progress reports confirm what the theme verse anticipated (2:47; 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:30-31). 2. The prophetic “bookends” to Acts — 1:6 and 28:31 — anticipate God’s objective to include a population of Jews and Gentiles in His Son’s millennial kingdom. a. Kingdom of God occurs 32X in Luke and 6X in Acts and is alluded to over 20X in Acts. b. The church of this age is presented as the heir of the kingdom. B. Luke-Acts is written to emphasize the power of God in the lives of ordinary people who believe their extraordinary God. Acts begins with the disciples still seeking an earthly kingdom now, forgetting the lessons of the upper room (1:6). Acts transparently reports Paul’s shady past and impulsive beginning, Peter’s legalistic struggles, the first church fight and the council to settle the dissension, Paul and Barnabas’ disagreement and parting of ways, and the realities of ministering in the name of Jesus—the pain of separation and persecution. II. Against all odds, the Lord Jesus is still building His church (Matthew 16:18). The church is still an irresistible force on earth. The church is still the steward of the kingdom message and the heir of the kingdom! God is still empowering ordinary people to live extraordinary lives. The church is still reaching populations of Jews and Gentiles during this age to worship Christ in the age to come! “The divine choice displays the divine wisdom. Though we might have imagined that men of education, wealth, or influence would be needed for the worldwide mission of the church, the divine choice centered on eleven unlearned and little-esteemed Galilean fishermen. It is not our qualifications for the work of God which matter, but whether or not we choose to do it. The worldwide spread and the centuries-long continuance of their work is the evidence of divine choice. Their fruit has remained because their mission originated in the divine choice. Whatever is of human origin withers (Isaiah 40:6,7) but that which is of God endures forever (Ecclesiastes 3:14).” --Zane Hodges, Acts 1:2, Greek 319 Class notes. III. Acts and You: There is nothing God cannot do and no one God cannot use to do it. Do you think of yourself and your church community as people chosen by God to reach future worshipers of Christ in His Kingdom? Why or why not? 1. In what ways do you identify with the people of the early church? 2. What about their experience excites you? Intimidates you?Humbles you? Scares you? Helps you?

Study Notes Ed Underwood Romans: Give it your all! For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes ... For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith. (Romans 1:16-17) Strategic—necessary or important to the initiation, conduct, or completion of a strategic plan; of great importance within an integrated whole or to a planned effect. God’s wise plan for building the church is a simple strategy—save the lost and build the saved among all the nations. God uses strategic Christians to execute the plan—those willing to give it their all to reach the world for Jesus Christ. He places these believers in strategic churches with great potential to bring revival that will literally turn entire cities and cultures to His Son. In the first one hundred years of Christianity there was no more strategic community of believers than those living in Rome. “All roads lead to Rome” was a reminder that the city of Rome was the cultural, commercial, and political center of the Empire. To this young church Paul writes his most thorough treatise on Christianity. His purpose is clear—to call them to a life of commitment by giving their all to God (Romans 12:1-2). His motivation is also clear—to encourage them to make this radical but reasonable decision because they are overwhelmed by God’s mercy. For eleven chapters the Apostle of grace exalts the mercies of God. “God’s righteousness is revealed in His mercies to all who believe,” writes Paul. “So I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, it has the power to deliver believers from the wrath of God and set them on a path of faith that will radically transform their lives.” He speaks from his own experience. Since he met Christ on the road to Damascus he found he could do the will of God with a free spontaneity and overwhelming joy he had never known under the law. “He knew himself accepted by God. Blessed with a new power within, and called to a service which for ever thereafter gave zest and purpose to life” (F. F. Bruce). By exalting God’s grace and mercies he had become a strategic, radically committed follower of Christ. And so, to these well-placed believers in Rome he exalts God’s mercy and grace. The lesson to Christians of every generation is clear: Strategic, radically committed Christians exalt the mercies of God! By comparing the history of the church at Rome with Paul’s letter to the Romans we appreciate the need to exalt the grace and mercies of God if we want to grow strategic, radically committed Christians. I. Paul’s most complete treatise on Christianity calls the strategic believers at Rome to a life radically committed to God. A. God had given the Romans believers a unique strategic opportunity to spread the Gospel. TheRomansaretheonlyEuropeanslistedinthe“PentecostalCongregation”(Acts2:10). Romans among the 3,000 converts took the Gospel back to Rome and many believers from all parts of the Empire migrated to the capital city. ChristiansweregrowinginRomethroughseveralhousechurches(Romans1:7,tosaintsatRome rather than the church at Rome; 16:5, one of these churches met in the home of Priscilla and Aquila). RomewasamagnetthatdrewpeoplefromallovertheEmpire(Phoebe,16:1-2). B. Paul appreciated the strategic importance of Rome. He dedicates three months of “down time” in Corinth (16:1-2) as he closes his third missionary journey and prepares to go to Jerusalem with a love gift (15:25-27). HehaddesperatelydesiredtogotoRomeforyears(1:8-16;15:22-24). SoheseizestheopportunitytosendalettertoRomewithPhoebe(16:1-2). Hebegsthesestrategicbelieversto“giveittheirall”forthesakeoftheGospel(12:1-2). II. Paul devotes eleven chapters to carefully detailing how the righteousness of God is seen in His mercies to believers. Then, he devotes four chapters exhorting believers to exalt God’s mercies by giving their lives to Him as an act of worship. A. Believers should never be ashamed of the delivering power of the Gospel that reveals the righteousness of God in everyone who believes (1:16-17). The Gospel delivers believers from the penalty of sin. Justification by faith—every believer is declared righteous the moment they believe (Chapters 1-4). The Gospel delivers believers from the power of sin. Sanctified by faith—every believer who relies on God’s Spirit will live righteously (Chapters 5-8). TheGospel’spromisesarethepromisesofacovenant-keepingGod(God’sfaithfulnesstoIsrael, Chapters 9-11). B. Therefore, the only reasonable decision is to give Christ your life as an act of worship (Chapters 12- 16). III. Romans and You! Give your life to God in response to His mercies (Romans 12:1-2). On the basis of God’s mercies, believers are urged to present themselves to God because such response is intelligent worship (Romans 12:1). The believer’s commitment of worship is maintained by a transformation, which comes through renewal of the mind in order to demonstrate God’s will in life experience (Romans 12:2). Can a single decision change a Christian’s life? I think it can! In fact, I believe there is one decision that the Book of Romans urges every Christian to make. A decision so significant and with such potential to transform and bless that Paul devotes eleven chapters preparing us to consider this decision! Romans 12:1-2 invites individual believers who have read this great treatise on the mercies of God to respond in a way that pleases God and maximizes the experience of their so great salvation. It is a commitment to God separate from the decision to put your faith in Christ, and it moves the Christian into a new experience of devotion and intimacy with Christ. The choice we are asked to make is to present our lives to God: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). The why is Romans 1-11. We make the logical decision to worship God by giving Him our life because of His mercy to sinners—mercy motivates! The what is outlined in 12:3-15:13—count the cost! When you give your life to God, He asks you to do the same thing He asked His Son to do—give your life to others.

Study Notes Ed Underwood 1 Corinthians You Were Bought with a Price—Live Like It! “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own. For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” (Paul to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) The thirteen Pauline Epistles develop the foundational truths of Christianity introduced in the Gospels. Paul wrote nine letters to churches and four to individuals. He writes from the perspective of the Apostle to the Gentiles, church-planter, pastor, and friend. His letters contain instructions, exhortations, and corrections that were real-time—messages to real people, gathered in real churches, with real problems as they endeavored to follow Christ and make a difference in their world. One consistent theme undergirds all of Paul’s teaching—the reality of every believer’s position in Christ. Corinth was one of the most influential cities in the Roman Empire and the capital of the province of Achaia. The “Las Vegas” of the Empire, Corinth was a wealthy and debauched place inviting all to come and taste the pleasures of the hundreds of temple prostitutes at the Temple of Aphrodite. The city prospered on commerce, entertainment, vice, and corruption. Corinth had gained such a reputation for sexual depravity that Aristophanes had coined the verb korinthiazo = to act like a Corinthian, i.e., to commit fornication. Paul planted a church there on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-7). He taught the Word of God in the city for eighteen months, and recruited Apollos from Ephesus to replace him as pastor of the Church in Corinth. About five years later during his third missionary journey, the disquieting news that the Corinthian church was tolerating immorality reached Paul at his headquarters in Ephesus. He responded with a touch letter that was not preserved by God (5:9). Then he heard from “Chloe’s people” that factions had developed (1:11). He had also received a letter from Corinth asking for his apostolic guidance in matters (7:1). This prompted the letter we know today as 1 Corinthians. “These two epistles constitute the most telling condemnation of arrogance, self-promotion, boasting, and self-confidence in the Pauline corpus; conversely, they describe in practical terms the nature of Christian life and witness, emphasizing service, self-denial, purity, and weakness as the matrix in which God displays his strength. Perhaps the high-water mark is the emphasis on love as 'the most excellent way' (1 Cor. 12:31—13:13) all Christians must pursue.” (Donald A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, p 451) Paul’s introduction hints at the purpose of his letter, “To the church of God that is in Corinth” (1:2). The community of faith (the church) was losing the battle against the culture of its surrounding community (Corinth). The Corinthian believers were failing at their assignment to influence their culture because they had forgotten their resources in Christ. Paul’s message to them comes from his pastor’s heart. He’s not afraid to reprimand them as he calls them to remember who they are and, more importantly, to whom they belong—Jesus Christ: The problems in the Corinthian church prompted Paul to offer them practical guidance that God preserved in the canon of Scripture so that we too could learn how to face the same problems today. Most of the problems in Corinth had to do with immature excesses. I. INTRODUCTION (1:1-9): Paul reminds the Corinthian believers of their sufficiency in Christ. They lack nothing they need to accomplish their God-given mission. II. STOP FIGHTING! (1:10-4:21): In the name of loyalty they were sinning the sin of divisiveness. Devotion to leaders was superseding their devotion to Christ. False pride and self-centered behaviors were ruining their witness to their culture and exposing their immaturity. They should worship only Christ, not His under-shepherds who are merely His servants. 1 Corinthians: Use your resources in Christ to reach your culture for Him! III. STOP FORNICATING AND SUING ONE ANOTHER! (5:1-6:20): In the name of love they were tolerating incest! Paul demands church discipline to encourage the offender to repent. In the name of self-protection they were suing one another in secular courts. Paul tells them to first try to work it out in the assembly under the guidance of spiritual authority. IV. NOW, CONCERNING YOUR QUESTIONS... (7:1-16:24): In some of the most practical chapters of the New Testament, Paul answers the Corinthians’ questions concerning marriage, liberty, public worship, the resurrection, and giving. V. CONCLUSION (16:5-24) Paul greets and encourages specific friends in the church at Corinth. 1 CORINTHIANS AND YOU: The “spirit” of the city of Corinth had invaded the church at Corinth. The primary way this manifested was in self-centered behaviors that led to excesses—in devotion to human leaders, in tolerance of immorality, in suing one another, in divorce, in selfish expressions of spiritual gifts, Christian freedom and worship, and in confusion over the resurrection. The core issue, however, was that the church at Corinth had forgotten its uniqueness. “The church of God is a community of people who share the life of God, are under the governing will of God, and cooperate in the work of God.” (Constable, 1 Corinthians) Church, rethink your position, power, and purpose on earth! You do not belong to yourself, but to Christ  -1Corinthians6:19-20. You have the capacity to resist temptation and overcome trials -1Corinthians10:12-13. You are part of one community that shares the life of one Lord, the power of one Spirit, and called to one purpose - 1 Corinthians 12. You are held accountable to a new law, the law of love - 1Corinthians13. You have a new power, resurrection power - 1Corinthians15. 1 Corinthians and Worship: All of the problems and issues in the church at Corinth manifested at their remembrance of Christ at His table. Paul dealt with this rigorously for the sake of the Savior’s reputation and the well being of the saints. Authentic expressions of worship occur in assemblies where believers love one another selflessly and intentionally. --The Corinthians were abusing one another rather than regarding one another. The rich were living selfishly, even and especially at their Lord’s Supper. Also, the church had divided along schisms—groups that disregarded other groups or strata in society. Authentic expressions of worship occur in assemblies where believers love the Lord Jesus by displaying His glory in the way they treat one another and remember His work often. --The Corinthians were abusing the Lord by making the meal and their personal groups more important than proclaiming His death and displaying His love for one another. Christ: The Corinthians are clamoring for meaning and power, but they need to understand that Jesus meets their every need.  

Study Notes Ed Underwood 2 Corinthians Triumph in Trials “For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.” (Paul to the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 4:5-6) The thirteen Pauline Epistles develop the foundational truths of Christianity introduced in the Gospels. Paul wrote nine letters to churches and four to individuals. He writes from the perspective of the Apostle to the Gentiles, church-planter, pastor, and friend. His letters contain instructions, exhortations, and corrections that were real-time—messages to real people, gathered in real churches, with real problems as they endeavored to follow Christ and make a difference in their world. One consistent theme undergirds all of Paul’s teaching—the reality of every believer’s position in Christ. Corinth was one of the most influential cities in the Roman Empire and the capital of the province of Achaia. The “Las Vegas” of the Empire, Corinth was a wealthy and debauched place inviting all to come and taste the pleasures of the hundreds of temple prostitutes at the Temple of Aphrodite. The city prospered on commerce, entertainment, vice, and corruption. Corinth had gained such a reputation for sexual depravity that Aristophanes had coined the verb korinthiazo = to act like a Corinthian, i.e., to commit fornication. Paul planted a church there on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-7). He taught the Word of God in the city for eighteen months, and recruited Apollos from Ephesus to replace him as pastor of the Church in Corinth. About five years later during his third missionary journey, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus to address problems in and answer questions from the Corinthian church. He sent Timothy to Corinth and expected him to return with a report (1 Corinthians 16:10-11). Timothy brought back the distressing news that false teachers were stirring up opposition to Paul and his teaching. So Paul made a hurried and painful visit to Corinth to stand against these enemies of the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:1; 12:14; 13:1-2). When he returned to Ephesus, Paul wrote a sorrowful letter, asking the congregation to discipline the leader of the opposition (2:1-11; 7:8). Titus carried this letter to Corinth, and Paul went to Macedonia to meet with Titus on his return trip (2:12-13; 7:5-16). There in Macedonia Paul wrote 2 Corinthians, and sent it with Titus and another brother in Christ (8:16-24). Finally, Paul made his last recorded trip to Corinth (Acts 20:1-3), an extended stay that allowed him to write his masterpiece, the Book of Romans. Paul’s Corinthian Interactions (from Tom Constable) Plants the “former Response First “painful “severe Second Anticipated church letter” to Paul Corinthians visit” letter” Corinthians visit Second Corinthians is the most personal of Paul’s letter to churches. If Romans reveals his mind, 2 Corinthians reveals his heart. The first seven chapters express his joy over the good report that the church had responded to his exhortation to remember the centrality of Christ. He then devotes chapters 8 and 9 to the principles guiding his request that they give to the work of Christ. Finally, in chapters 10-13, Paul speaks to the remnants of the opposition by defending his apostleship. No more realistic presentation of the cost of disciplemaking exists in the New Testament. And no more majestic presentation of the power of the gospel of the New Covenant can be found: Paul’s overwhelming concern in this letter was to oppose the influence of false teachers who were telling Christians that righteousness was by works. As he makes the gospel sparkling clear, he reveals some of the deepest practical truths about the glorious struggle of serving Christ in this fallen world. I. INTRODUCTION (1:1-11): Paul thanks God for the comfort that is ours during suffering because of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians: The magnitude of the privilege of serving Christ eclipses the pain. II. PAUL EXPLAINS HIS MINISTRY TO THOSE WHO STOOD AGAINST THE LIES ABOUT HIM (1:12-7:16): Paul didn’t delay his planned visit to Corinth because he was afraid of his enemies but to give the church ample time to repent. He goes on to demonstrate the superiority of the New Covenant, who Satan opposes the gospel, and how that opposition brings not only suffering today, but the prospect of rewards from Christ in the future. It’s a great privilege to be an ambassador for Christ that requires separation from the sin of our culture. Finally, Paul thanks the Corinthians for the good news of Titus’ report of their repentance. III. PAUL EXPLAINS NEW TESTAMENT STEWARDSHIP (8:1-9:15): This is the longest and most complete discussion of the principles and practice of giving of our money in the New Testament. The example is the Philippians selfless, courageous, and sacrificial giving. The application is Paul’s insistence that the privileged and wealthy Corinthians keep their promise to give generously. The promise is that God reward generous and sacrificial giving in the name of His Son. IV.PAUL EXPLAINS HIS DEFENSE OF HIS APOSTLESHIP (10:1-13:10): To the rebellious minority still resisting his authority, Paul presents his impeccable credentials. His meekness does not mean weakness but sensitivity and servanthood. His knowledge, integrity, resumé, sufferings, miraculous visions and works measure up to any of the Apostles. And they better get that right, because he’s coming, and he’s bringing his apostolic authority with him! V. CONCLUSION (13:11-14) Paul exhorts, encourages, and greets the assembly at Corinth. 2 CORINTHIANS AND YOU: If you’re considering following Christ as His devoted disciple (and you should!), Second Corinthians will calibrate your expectations. From this letter you will discover the two overarching truths all who serve Christ by pouring into others know learn: The expectation of suffering and the anticipation of glory. If you’re willing to pay the price of suffering for Christ, God will give you a front row seat to see His glorious power working in this world. Don’t underestimate the pain of ministering in the name of Christ! 1. Expecttrialsandtribulations—2Corinthians4:8-1511:16-33. 2. Expectopposition—2Corinthians11:1-15. 3. ExpectSatanicattack—2Corinthians4:1-7. 4. Expecttohavetogiveyourmoneyandaskforthemoneyofothers—2Corinthians8-9. 5. Expecttobemisunderstoodandfalselyaccused—2Corinthians10:1-18. Don’t underestimate the privilege of ministering in the name of Christ! Experiencethewonderofbeingusedtochangelives—2Corinthians3:1-5. KnowthatyouareministersofanawesomelyNewCovenant—2Corinthians3:6-18. Experience the power of Christ pulsating through your body, this “container”—2 Corinthians 4:1-8. ExperiencetheexhilarationoflivingbyfaithasanambassadorofChrist—2Corinthians5:1-21. AnticipateyourrewardatChrist’sjudgmentseat—2Corinthians5:9-11. Christ: “Jesus Christ is presented as the believer’s comfort (1:5), triumph (2:14), Lord (4:5), light (4:6), judge (5:10), reconciliation (5:19), substitute (5:21), gift (9:15), owner (10:7), and power (12:9).” –Kenneth Boa

Study Notes Ed Underwood Galatians Free at Last! “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, NASB). The thirteen Pauline Epistles develop the foundational truths of Christianity introduced in the Gospels. Paul wrote nine letters to churches and four to individuals. He writes from the perspective of the Apostle to the Gentiles, church-planter, pastor, and friend. His letters contain instructions, exhortations, and corrections that were real-time—messages to real people, gathered in real churches, with real problems as they endeavored to follow Christ and make a difference in their world. One consistent theme undergirds all of Paul’s teaching—the reality of every believer’s position in Christ. In 49 AD a delegation of Judean religious teachers came to the predominately Gentile church at Syrian Antioch and started teaching the Christians that those who were not circumcised as followers of the law of Moses could not be saved from their sin by simple belief in Jesus (Acts 15:1). They were part of a worldwide conspiracy to undermine the Gospel of grace sending emissaries of the lie to the daughter churches planted by the church at Antioch (Acts 15:23). The most vulnerable to the lie were the fledgling assemblies of the Roman province of Galatia. Paul and Barnabas had planted these churches on their first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). One historian describes the inhabitants of Galatia: “Fickleness is the term used to express their temperament. Their religious tendencies were marked by passion, ritualism, and mysticism.” (Lightfoot, The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians) Paul’s response is swift and strong. He will not tolerate this false gospel—that works are essential to salvation—to take root in the lives of these new Christians and churches. And neither should we. On the eve of the Jerusalem Council, Paul writes his most passionate letter, reminding the church of the real basis of our salvation: Galatians is the Magna Carta of Christian liberty, settling the issue of the Gospel: Salvation is by grace, through faith, plus nothing! I. The language and message of Galatians has been setting Christians free since it was written. A. Impact of Galatians on church history: Religious people have always mistrusted grace and the gospel. Galatians stands against the lie of grace plus works. Early Church: The Book of Acts records the necessary separation of Christianity from Judaism. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, “no doubt was one of the greatest forces” in that separation. (Merrill C. Tenney, Galatians) Reformation: Galatians catalyzed the Reformation more than any other book of the Bible. Tenney calls it “the cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation.” G.G. Findlay writes, “Martin Luther put it to his lips as a trumpet to blow the reveille of the Reformation (The Epistle to the Galatians, p. 3). Luther so loved the Book of Galatians that he called it “his wife”. “The Epistle to the Galatians,” he wrote in his commentary, “is my epistle. To it I am as it were in wedlock. It is my Katherine.” Today: The gospel of grace is under siege again. This little book insists that the church not add works to grace. We are justified by faith in Christ because Christ was faithful! The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to set Christians free of the yoke of slavery to works-righteousness by defending his apostleship, his grace-plus-nothing message, and the freedom his message releases in Christians. The message of the gospel was at stake: Judaizers were teaching that Gentile believers must be circumcised to be saved. The health of the churches in Galatia was at stake: These false teachers were confusing Gentile believers everywhere and their lie was beginning to influence the fledgling churches of Galatia. The future of the church was at stake: Christian liberty—which grows out of justification by faith, is essential to the survival and influence of Christians and Christianity. Outline: Righteousness is and always has been by grace through faith. Embrace faith, because the gospel and your freedom in Christ are at stake. Introduction:ThisisalettersocriticalthatPauldispenseswiththeusualnicetiesandgetsright to it: Are you Galatians nuts? Why are you deserting the grace and the gospel of Christ? (1:1-10) DefenseoftheMessengerofGrace:Pauldefendshisapostleshipbyprovingthatmessengersof grace-righteousness are the true messengers of Christ and noting that the message of the gospel is at stake (1:11-2:21). Defense of the Message of Grace: Paul teaches what justification by faith means, and why it is true (3:1-4:31). 3. Defense of Freedom in Christ: Paul demonstrates that the full experience and demonstration of the new creation in Christ can only come by grace through faith (5:1-6:10). D. Conclusion: Paul closes his letter as powerfully as he opened it by exposing the evil motives of the false teachers and comparing these with his pure motives (6:11-18). II. Galatians settles it! Deliverance from sin and righteousness comes only by grace through faith, not by following the Law or any set of religious rules and regulations. Have you settled it in your own life? Or are you insisting that God count some of your good works as reasons to accept you as righteous? Have you settled it in your view of others? Or are you insisting that God count some of the good works you feel must accompany faith before He accepts others who don’t measure up to your standards? Legalism is adding works to grace. What legalistic influences from your home or church of origin still haunt you as you struggle with being free in Christ? How do you really feel about Paul’s message in Galatians where he puts grace in your face? Do you, as Martin Luther, rejoice in the Book? Or do you remain suspicious of all this talk about grace and freedom?

Study Notes Ed Underwood Ephesians: Our Riches in Christ “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) The thirteen Pauline Epistles develop the foundational truths of Christianity introduced in the Gospels. Paul wrote nine letters to churches and four to individuals. He writes from the perspective of the Apostle to the Gentiles, church-planter, pastor, and friend. His letters contain instructions, exhortations, and corrections that were real-time—messages to real people, gathered in real churches, with real problems as they endeavored to follow Christ and make a difference in their world. One consistent theme undergirds all of Paul’s teaching—the reality of every believer’s position in Christ. No epistle emphasizes that core truth more than Ephesians. His phrase “in Christ” (or its equivalent) occurs about thirty-five times, far more than in any other New Testament book. And no church was richer in Christ than the privileged Ephesians. Paul had visited Ephesus at the end of his 2nd missionary journey where he left his dynamic church planting couple, Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:18-21). The city was one of the most important economic and religious cities in the Roman Empire. So, on his 3rd, the Apostle Paul headquartered there for nearly three years in AD 53-56 (Acts 19:20:30), and revival broke out in the entire province. About five years later, during his first imprisonment in Rome, Paul sent this letter, along with Colossians and Philemon. Ephesians is to Colossians what Romans is to Galatians, “a fuller treatment of the same general theme in a more detached and impersonal manner (Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary, p. 34). Romans and Galatians focus on salvation; Ephesians and Colossians focus on the church. Ephesians is Paul’s most definitive letter on the body of Christ, the New Testament church. It is the Holy Spirit’s exposition of Jesus’ promise in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” In six chapters Paul presents the church as God’s mystery now revealed in all its glory, richly blessed to prevail against God’s enemies as never before. We know from Revelation 2, that the Ephesian church would forsake their first love—Jesus Christ. It may be that the Apostle was already concerned that they were becoming complacent in their love for the Savior whose work had opened the heavens for blessing. So, Paul wrote this letter that “focuses on what God did through the historical work of Jesus Christ and does through His Spirit today, in order to build his new society in the midst of the old.” (John Stott, The Message of Ephesians, p. 24). Possessing ultimate spiritual wealth, the Ephesians were beginning to live like spiritual paupers, and consequently falling out of love with the Lord Jesus. Their founding pastor and Apostle sends this letter from prison in Rome. His purpose seems clear—to shock them out of the dangerous spiritual complacency Ephesians tells Christians that God’s action in bringing salvation to the world centers on the local church and its members obeying Christ’s command to love one another as He uses them to defeat His enemies. I. Use your blessings in Christ by pursuing your destiny in Christ. Prologue: Remember your riches in Christ! (1:1-2:7) Praise God for your blessings and pray for an even deep understanding of your riches in Christ. Always keep in mind that you were sinners, but are now saints saved by grace to be seated in heaven. Theme: Fulfill your destiny in Christ—saved by grace to serve by grace! (2:8-10) 1. Which is yours only by grace (2:8-9)   Remember your riches in Christ! 2. Which is yours to glorify His work(2:10) C. Body: Live up to your calling in Christ—help build God’s glorious church (2:11-6:20). By understanding the church’s glorious role on earth, place in history, and significance in the plan of God (2:11-3:21). By living lives which glorify God in the church—single-minded, submissive and strong (4:1- 6:20) D. Epilogue: Paul assures his friends of Tychusis’ upcoming visit with news from Rome (6:21-24). II. EPHESIANS AND YOU: When Jesus told Peter, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18), he had you and your community of faith in mind! What a glorious destiny. Have you forgotten your riches in Christ? Rekindle your love for Christ by meditating on your riches in Him so that you will pursue your destiny in Him. “Ephesians reveals that the church is part of God’s eternal plan, and it grows as a result of God’s power working through believers’ lives, overcoming their spiritual resources.” (Tom Constable, Ephesians, p. 6) Have you forgotten the place of your local church in history? Rekindle your love for the Bride of Christ by meditating on its calling as the only hope for this wicked world. “Ephesians is ultimately about how God has powerfully equipped the church to experience the blessing in Christ by creating a new community that is able to honor God and resist the forces of evil. No longer does one’s Jewish or Gentile identity dominate. They are part of a new reconciled community, a reconciliation that involves not only God but also one another. All enablement in this new sacred community is rooted in what the exalted Christ had provided for His people. That is why believers can have hope, since they have begun participation in a wealth of benefits distributed from heaven. The church’s members are citizens raised and seated with Jesus in a heavenly citizenship, though they represent Him now as light on the earth, fully enabled for the task. In all of this, God is taking steps toward the ultimate summation of all things in Christ.” (Darrell Bock, A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, p. 319). Remembrance Meditations: Because of Christ’s work on the Cross ... ... I am a radically gifted person with a radically eternal purpose in life living in a radically significant community. ... I have received the only hope in this world to become the world’s only hope in history. ... I am one of the most privileged persons in history serving God in the most privileged community in history.