The book of Isaiah is a favorite of many Christians for good reason. Therein, we learn so much about our God, His character, and His plans for the future. Isaiah is often called the Messianic prophet for good reason. He spoke more about Jesus and the future kingdom of God than anyone else in the Hebrew Scriptures. Continue reading “Isaiah, the Messianic Prophet.”
Up to this point, we have looked at each book of the Bible with the hopes of creating a better understanding of each book. My goal is to create a curiosity within each person that would drive them to read these wonderful books even more. Sometimes these articles have acted as introductions and at other times they were more about helping us to better understand the message of the book. Continue reading “Introduction to the Prophets.”
The book of Song of Solomon is a unique and challenging book for the modern mind. The language sounds strange and forces the listener to wonder what the authors intent could have been.
Ecclesiastes is a book that is often overlooked. Some have read it and concluded that it is the words of a bitter man who has descended into resentment and anger. Continue reading “Ecclesiastes: the meaning of life.”
I truly appreciate the beauty and simplicity of the book of Proverbs. It has been a favorite of mine for many years. Continue reading “Proverbs: God’s wisdom for life.”
For many years, I read the Psalms as historical works of poetry that were theological in purpose. I believed their primary purpose was to reveal something about God. Now don’t misunderstand me; Psalms teaches us a lot about God and our relationship to Him but that is not their purpose. Continue reading “Psalms: a window into the heart of man.”
The story of Job is familiar to most of us. Even those who are not Christians have heard about Job and his story of loss and pain. We, as Christians, have likely read it numerous times, heard Bible classes and sermons about it, and yet, I would contend that there are not many today who truly understand the bigger point of this story. Continue reading “Job: a story about trusting God.”
Often when someone mentions the book of Esther the main point is often God’s providence. I find it ironic that God is not even mentioned in the book while thoroughly teaching us about God’s perfect sovereignty and timing. Continue reading “Esther: a story about responsibilities.”
Roughly twelve years after Ezra had successfully rebuilt the temple and restored the worship of God, Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. Together they were a formable team that restored the political and spiritual state of Israel.
Continue reading “Nehemiah: a story about the power of hard work.”
The story of Ezra is an encouraging story about the grace and mercy of God. Continue reading “Ezra: a book about starting over.”
The history of Israel is both an inspiring story of victory and faith and a cautionary tale. Repeatedly they moved from faithfulness to indifference; from outright rebellion to humble repentance. The story of Israel is a single story about a nation who struggles to live in a relationship with the all-powerful God of heaven. Continue reading “Step by Step: an introduction to Ezra and Nehemiah.”
The books of First and Second Chronicles were originally one book. Together they tell the story of God’s people from the earliest of times to the years following the return from exile in Babylonia. Most think they continue the story of First and Second King’s, but it does not. Actually, they lay the foundation for the stories of Ezra and Nehemiah, and as such, are often the among the last books of the Hebrew Scriptures. Continue reading “1 & 2 Chronicles: A story about the lessons learned from history.”
The book of the Kings continues the story from the books of Samuel and is intended to be read as a continuous story. In the Hebrew Bible, the book of kings is a single book with a great message. Within its pages, we read about the death of King David, the reign and death of Solomon, the building of the Temple, and the eventual division of the kingdom. Continue reading “1 & 2 Kings A story about the consequences of unfaithfulness.”
The main thrust of the story of Second Samuel was covered in our last article on first Samuel. I didn’t realize that I had titled it wrong until I began preparing for today’s article. It should have read “1 & 2 Samuel: a story about the dangers of desire.”
Despite that, I still want to cover some things that I didn’t get to mention in our last article. I want to talk about a couple big lessons learned in Second Samuel. Every book contains great lessons to learn about God and about ourselves. Primarily the Bible is a story about God and how he was working in their lives. Second Samuel is no exception. Within its pages, we learn several powerful lessons about life and our God.
If Second Samuel teaches us anything, it teaches us that God is a faithful and merciful God.
Continue reading “Second Samuel: a story of faith, faithfulness, and failures.”
The story of First Samuel begins with a godly woman named Hannah and her husband. Her story is one of disappointment, provocation, and an overwhelming desire for a son.
Continue reading “1 Samuel: A story about the dangers of desire.”
Central Haywood Church of Christ 