HL 2

The Big Picture of the Old Testament
The way that this study works is that it goes through a narrowing process to help
explain and make clear what each book of the OT is about. It goes as follows:
We start with the entire OT.
The OT is narrowed down into each of the books of the OT.
Each book of the OT is narrowed down by dividing it into its major sections.
Each section is then summarized into a couple of paragraphs.
The paragraphs are then used to formulate and answer questions that give us
the Big Picture of the book.
And finally, the Big Picture questions and answers are summarized into a few
points that tell the purpose of each book.
It is always easier to understand a book when you know the Big Picture and purpose
of the book before you read it. But even knowing this is not of eternal value if we fail
to realize that every book of the Bible, including the OT books, points us towards
and informs us about Jesus. Therefore, at a high level, I also explain how each book
of the OT teaches us about Jesus.
The order that the books of the Bible are presented in this study is in the order of
the Hebrew Bible: the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Writings. I must confess
that the farther I got into this project the wordier I became. But I trust you will still
get the big picture of each book.
Introduction to the Big Picture

Whether you are new to studying the Bible or you have a lot of experience, in order
to understand what you are reading, you must understand how it fits in to the Big
Picture. Each book was written by God through human authors for a purpose. And
each book fits in to Gods overall plan of salvation, which was fulfilled in Christ. The
following paper walks you through each book of the Old Testament, briefly breaking
down each book section by section, telling you how it fits into the Big Picture. The
purpose of each book is summarized by showing what Big Picture questions the
book answers. And finally a description is given of what we learn about Jesus from
each book.
I have been studying the Bible for most of my life and yet I still had questions as to
how the pieces of each book fit together. Sometimes I wonder what unifying themes
tie the stories together or for what purpose the stories are given. I felt like if I had
these questions, others probably had the same questions. Then I came across an
Introduction to the Bible class taught by Dr. John Kleinig that was put online by
some of his former students (see JohnKleinig.com for some wonderful resources).
[You might have heard of John Kleinig before. He is the author of the Concordia
Commentary on Leviticus. If you read that commentary, your view on Leviticus will
change entirely. You will no longer see Leviticus as a bunch of strange rituals that

have no application for today. Instead you will see how it all connects to Christ and
how he fulfilled them all.] In this class Dr. Kleinig went through each book of the
Bible at a high level, giving its structure, themes, and purpose. This was what I was
looking for. I listened to the lecture series and took detailed notes. I have made
those notes available on this website. I used those lectures as the primary basis for
this Big Picture look at the Old Testament. Other books that I consulted in
formulating this Big Picture include: the Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV), the
Concordia Self-Study Commentary, and Called To Be Gods People An Introduction
to the Old Testament.

Introduction to the Pentateuch
The Five Books of the Pentateuch and the Foundational Story of Israel
Pentateuch means five scrolls. Each of the first five books of the Bible were written
on separate scrolls. The Pentateuch is to be taken as one story which tells the
foundational story of Israel. The story is told in six stages.
1. Gen. 1 11 tells about the creation of the world and the creation of human
nations. It says that all nations started with Adam and Eve and that all
nations were created by the one true God.
2. Gen. 12 50 gives the history of the patriarchs of Israel, the founding fathers.
3. Ex. 1 19 tells about the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt by God.
4. Ex. 20 40; Lev. 1 27; and Num. 1 10 tell how God brought the Israelites
to Mt. Sinai where he made his covenant with them. In it he committed
himself to them and gave them access to himself in the divine service. And
he gave Israel the Ten Commandments and the other laws that they need to
live by as his holy people.
5. Num. 11 36 tells about Israels journey from Mt. Sinai through the desert to
the edge of the promised land.
6. Deut. 1 34 gives Moses farewell speeches to Israel as they camped just
outside the promised land.
One important aspect to Gods covenant promises to Abraham was Gods promise
to give the land of Canaan to Abrahams descendants. Because of this one would
expect the Pentateuch to end with Israels entry into the land. But it doesnt. It ends
with them camped just outside the land. Why?
Most of the time the identity of a nation is given by its land. For instance, those who
live in the land of the USA are citizens of the USA. In the Pentateuch God is
establishing a new nation. But its identity will not be based primarily on the land.
This is a foundational story and a foundational story tells who you are and why you
exist. Israels story says that they are a holy people, different from all the other
nations. God created them from Abraham, rescued them from Egypt, and made a
covenant with them. In that covenant he gave them the divine service, which gave
them access to God. Because of this access, they can meet with God and share in
his holiness and blessing. This is what makes them his special people. So the focus

for Israel is less about the land and more on the covenant God made with Abraham,
the covenant he made with Israel, and the divine service that he gave them.
Israels existence as Gods people did not depend on possession of the land. They
were the people of God when the patriarchs wandered without possessing the land.
They were the people of God when they were slaves in Egypt. They were Gods
people as they wandered in the desert. They were Gods people when they went
into exile in Babylon. And they were still the people of God when the Romans
scattered them around the world. Their identity did not depend upon them living in
the land, but rather it depended upon their access to him in the divine service. And
it is the same for all Christians. What makes Israel special then is: (1) the covenant
God made with them and (2) the divine service that he gave them.
The Pentateuch is the heart and core of the OT. If you want to understand the rest of
the Old Testament, you have to understand the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch gives
the answer to the question of: what makes Israel different from all the other
nations? It explains how they are the people of God.
1. First, God made foundational promises to them in the covenant he made with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are Gods people because of Gods Word
and promises.
2. Secondly, they dont make themselves holy. They are made holy by Gods
presence with them at the tabernacle and later at the temple. It is God that
makes and keeps them holy.
3. Thirdly, as his holy people, they have access to God and his blessings by
means of the divine service at the tabernacle.
In summary then, the Pentateuch tells the foundational story of Israel, which tells
them who they are and what God requires of them, their mission in life.
Genesis God Created Israel to Be a Blessing

Pre-History (Gen. 1 11)
God created a perfect and orderly world with people being the crown of his creation
(Gen. 1 - 2). But the people God created messed up Gods creation by their sin and
rebellion (Gen. 3 5). The corruption and violence of the people got so bad that God
decided to wipe his earth clean and start all over with Noah and his family (Gen. 6
9). From Noah came all the nations of the earth (Gen. 10), which God caused to
spread out upon the earth (Gen. 11).
The Patriarchs of Israel (Gen. 12 50)
The focus of the majority of the second part of Genesis is on Abraham and his
descendants (Gen. 12 50). God made unconditional promises (Gen. 12:1-3) to and
a one-sided covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15, 17). This would be the foundation for
Gods dealings with Israel and later with Christianity. God promised to create a
nation from Abraham and his descendants, to give that nation the land of Canaan to
live in, and to use that nation to bless the world. It was from this nation that the
promised Savior (Gen. 3:15) would come. In spite of their old age and infertility God
caused Abraham and Sarah to have a son, Isaac (Gen. 21:1-7). God reiterated his
covenant promises to Isaac and then to his son Jacob (Gen. 26:24-25; 28:13-14).
Jacob had 12 sons and from these sons would come the 12 tribes of Israel and the
nation of Israel. Through his providence God sent Jacobs son Joseph to Egypt and
raised him up as a leader to save Israels family from starvation (Gen. 37 45). At
the end of Genesis Israels family moved to Egypt and settled there to avoid a major
seven year drought (Gen. 46-47).
Genesis Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. How did the world come to be? God created it by his Word.
2. How did Gods perfect world get messed up? People rebelled.
3. How did Israel come to be? It was a nation that God would create from
Abraham and Sarah.
4. Did God have special plans for Israel? Yes, he promised to bless the world
through Israel.
5. How did Israel get to Egypt? Israel had to go to Egypt to escape the drought.
Learning About Jesus in Genesis
In Genesis Jesus is:
The promised Offspring/Seed of Adam and Eve who will crush the serpents
head.
The new Adam who obeyed Gods Word perfectly.
The One Man who reversed the effects of Adams sin bringing justification and
righteous.
The promised Offspring/Seed of Abraham through whom the whole world will
be blessed.
The goal of the genealogies of Genesis. The line goes from Adam to Seth to
Noah to Shem to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah and eventually to Jesus.
The great High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, our eternal High Priest in
the heavenly sanctuary.
The only Son, the Son of promise, who was sacrificed by God the Father and
the Ram who was sacrificed in our place.
The Ladder that bridges heaven and earth together, reconnecting sinful
mankind with God.
A new and greater Joseph as he too suffered injustice, was released from
prison (the prison of death), saved many people, and brought good from evil.
The Lion of Judah, the promised King who would rule forever.

Exodus God Delivered Israel to Be a Holy and
Priestly People
Gods Redemption of Israel from Slavery (Ex. 1 18)
God blessed the Israelites in Egypt and caused them to multiply greatly (Ex. 1:7,
12). A new pharaoh arose and subjected the Israelites to slavery (Ex. 1:8-14). The
Israelites cried out for help. God heard their cries and came to deliver them (Ex. 3:79). God chose to work through Moses to deliver his people (Ex. 3:10 4:31).
Equipped with the name and word of God, Moses confronted pharaoh in a series of
10 plagues (Ex. 5 12). Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt were powerless against the
might of Yahweh (the Lord), the God of Israel, and pharaoh was compelled to let the
Israelites go (Ex. 12:29-41). In the form of a pillar of cloud/fire God led the Israelites
out of Egypt (Ex. 13:17-22). When the Egyptians changed their minds and sent their
army after the Israelites, God miraculously saved them by opening a way through
the waters of the Red Sea and by drowning their foes (Ex. 14).
Gods Covenant with Israel, His Holy People (Ex. 19 40)
God delivered his people out of Egypt in order that he might dwell with them, lead
them, and go with them to the land he promised them. But there was one major
problem. God was holy and Israel was sinful. How could a holy God live amongst a
sinful people without destroying them? The answer is found in the covenant God
made with them at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19-31). In the enactment of the covenant God
would make his people holy through the sprinkling of blood (Ex. 24) and through
Gods gifts of the tabernacle, priesthood, and divine service (sacrifices) God would
keep his people holy by sharing his holiness with them (Ex. 25-31). Having made
them holy and provided a way to keep them holy, God was now able to safely take
up residence with them and go with them. After the tabernacle (tent) had been built
(Ex. 36 39), Gods holy presence moved from the top of Mt Sinai to the tabernacle
(Ex. 40). This would be his royal residence in which he would live in the midst of his
people and from which he would meet with and bless his people.
Special Note on the Two-Sides of the Covenant at Mt. Sinai
Most people think that Gods covenant with Israel was given in Ex. 19 - 24 and they
tend to focus only on the peoples obligations of the covenant, the Ten
Commandments (Ex. 20) and the Book of the Covenant (Ex. 21 23). But God had
much more to say and offer in the Covenant in Ex. 25 - 31.
Lets take a quick look at Gods side of the covenant. Before anything else, in Ex.
20:2 God gave Israel three things. (1) First he gave them his personal name. When
you introduce yourself by name, you give the other person access to yourself. God

gave Israel full access to himself through his personal name Yahweh. (2) Secondly,
God made a commitment to Israel by promising to be their God. (3) Thirdly, he
reminded them what he had already done for them. He had redeemed them and
brought them up out of slavery in the land of Egypt. Then after telling Israel how
they were to live as his holy people (Ex. 20-23), he made them holy through the
sprinkling of blood (Ex. 24). Then he gave Israel the means by which they could
remain holy and continue receiving his holiness (Ex. 25-31). This all goes together
and is Gods side of the covenant. This is what God committed himself to do for
them.
This was a two-sided covenant. Israel did have commitments to keep in this
relationship. But when people today look at Israels side of the covenant they tend
to look at it in the wrong way. Many people believe that Israel had to do these
commandments in order for God to accept them and to make themselves holy. This
is wrong. The correct way to look at it is that this is the way that people who have
already been made holy live. Holy people do not do anything to desecrate Gods
holiness and holy people do not do anything to dirty their pureness. Keeping the
first table of the commandments (first three commandments) would keep them
from desecrating Gods holiness. And keeping the second table of the
commandments (the last seven commandments) would keep them from dirtying
their cleanness. Yet as sinful people they were bound to break the commandments
and that is why God gave them the atoning sacrifices of the divine service to cover
their sin and to provide forgiveness.
Exodus Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. What happened to Israel in Egypt? They grew greatly but then were made
into slaves.
2. How did Israel escape from their slavery? God came and delivered them by
the mighty power of his Word and through his servant Moses.
3. Where did Israel go after being freed? They were led through the Red Sea into
the wilderness by God to Mt. Sinai.
4. What happened at Mt. Sinai? God made a covenant with them. In the
covenant God said he would be their God and share his holiness with them
and that they, as his holy people, were to be committed solely to him and to
live according to his commandments.
5. How could a holy God live among sinful people? Through the tabernacle, the
priesthood, and the divine service God provided a way that he could share his
holiness and safely live with his people without destroying them.
6. When and how did God take up residence with his people? After the
tabernacle had been built, Gods glorious presence, which was both hidden
and revealed in the glory cloud, moved from the top of Mt. Sinai to the
tabernacle.

Learning About Jesus in Exodus
In Exodus :
The Angel of the Lord (the pre-incarnate God the Son) appeared to Moses in
the burning bush, revealing who God was and what he planned to do to
rescue Israel. In the NT God the Son appeared to mankind in the flesh in the
person of Jesus, revealing God and his plan of salvation for the world.
In the burning bush the Angel of the Lord told Moses he had come to deliver
Israel and to take them to the promised land. The Good News of the Gospel is
that Jesus came to deliver the world from slavery to sin and to take those who
believe in him to the heavenly promised land.
God said his name was I AM (Yahweh, the LORD). Through a series of I AM
statements Jesus claimed to be God.
God called Israel his firstborn son. From Israel would come the Savior of the
world Jesus, the only begotten Son of God.
The Passover lamb saved the firstborn of Israel from death. Jesus is our
Passover Lamb who saves us from eternal death.
The Israelites ate the Passover meal. In the NT Christians eat the Passover
Meal each time they eat the Lords Supper, Holy Communion. In this Meal
Jesus comes to us and gives us himself for the forgiveness of our sins.
God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt with a mighty act of redemption
(plagues, exodus, Red Sea). In a similar yet greater way, Jesus delivers
humankind from slavery to sin through his perfect life and atoning death on
the cross.
Israel was led into the desert by God, was tested to see if they would rely on
God and his Word for 40 years, and responded in unbelief. Jesus too was led
into the desert by the Holy Spirit, was tempted by the devil, and responded
by remaining faithful. Jesus is a new faithful Israel.
Israel ate manna (bread from heaven) in the desert. Jesus said I am the Bread
of Life, giving spiritual strength for the journey.
God miraculously provided water from a rock for Israel in the desert. Jesus is
the Rock that provides living water to satisfy and quench our spiritual thirst.
At Mt. Sinai, God was present and spoke to Israel. In Jesus God is present and
speaks to his people.
God gave his law to Israel, requiring that their whole life be wholly devoted to
God. While Israel (and we) could not keep the law, Jesus kept the law
perfectly for us.
Blood was applied to the altar and sprinkled on the people, atoning for their
sin and making them holy. In a similar yet greater way, Jesus blood atones
for sin and makes people holy.
The tabernacle (tent) was the place where God would live among his people.
In the NT the body of Jesus became the tent where God
tented/lived/tabernacled with his people.

Leviticus Keeping Israel a Clean and Holy People
Leviticus presupposes Gods presence and interaction with His people in the daily
divine service (the daily sacrifices) which was established in the covenant in
Exodus. God wanted to be with his people in order that he might share his holiness
with them. Leviticus then shows when, where, how, and why God shares his
holiness. But before the Israelites could come into his presence to receive his
holiness they had to be ritually clean. Coming into Gods holy presence could have
two effects. It brought either life to the clean or death to the unclean. Therefore the
whole book is concerned with keeping Gods people clean in order that they might
approach him and receive his holiness, life, and blessing.
Through the Divine Service God Purifies, Sanctifies, and Blesses His People (Lev. 1
10)
Through the sacrifices of the divine service (Lev. 1-7) God gave Israel several gifts.
He cleansed them of their sins through blood atonement. He showed his
sweetness toward them in the sweet aroma of incense. He accepted them and
showed his favor toward them by the pleasing aroma of the sacrifices. He shared his
holiness with them by giving them holy food from his altar.
With the tabernacle being built, with God being present with his people, and with
the instructions for how Israel could approach God and receive the blessings he
wished to give them, it was time to inaugurate the divine service. First the priests
were consecrated for holy service to God (Lev. 8). And then the divine service was
officially inaugurated (Lev. 9). Aaron presented the sacrifices exactly as God
commanded. And the climax of the service was Yahwehs appearance to Israel via
holy fire (Lev. 9:23-24). In contrast, when two of Aarons sons used unauthorized
fire, God struck them down (Lev. 10). This shows that Gods holy presence is either
life-giving or death-dealing. God can only be approached in the manner that he
prescribes.
Purification of Unclean People and Things (Lev. 11 16)
As was shown in chapter 10, it was a matter of life and death to be able to
distinguish between clean and unclean and holy and common. Therefore God gave
them a manual on purity (Lev. 11 15) in order to help them make those
distinctions. This manual would help the priests prevent the tabernacle from
becoming desecrated and teach the people about cleanness so they could approach
God safely without any worries. These chapters prepare for the great Day of
Atonement (Lev. 16) which provided complete cleansing of the tabernacle, its
furnishings, and the people.
How Gods Holy People Live (Lev. 17 27)

Gods people had been made holy (Ex. 24) and had been shown how they could
continue to be holy by receiving Gods holiness in the divine service (Ex. 25 31;
Lev. 1 10). God now explains how his holy people should live (Lev. 17 27). First,
they should order their lives spatially around the sanctuary (Lev. 17 22), for this
was the place where they received holiness, life, and blessing from God. They are to
revere the sanctuary where their holy God resided among them (Lev. 26:2). They
were to avoid desecrating Gods holiness by using blood improperly (Lev. 17), by
sexual immorality (Lev. 18), by having idols and performing occult practices (Lev.
19), and by practicing child sacrifice and spiritism (Lev. 20). God worked through his
servants, the priests, at the sanctuary therefore it was necessary that the priests
remain clean and do nothing to desecrate Gods holiness (Lev. 21-22). In fact a main
part of their job was to guard Gods holiness.
Second, holy people should order their lives temporally around the Sabbaths and
holy days, the so called church calendar (Lev. 23 26). God ordained holy days to
commemorate his prior, current, and future work as Deliverer and Provider for
Israel. The calendar tied everyday living to the sanctuary (Lev. 23). Each morning
and evening the priests tended to the holy oil in the lamps in the Holy Place (Lev.
24). Each week the priests changed out and ate the holy bread that stood in Gods
presence representing the 12 tribes of Israel (Lev. 24). Gods holy name was the
most holy thing that the laity had. They were at no time to desecrate Yahwehs holy
name. To curse Gods holy name meant death (Lev. 24). The weekly Sabbath with its
day of rest for the people was the basis for the Sabbatical Year where the land
rested for 1 year every 7 years (Lev. 25). Gods people recognized that God was the
Owner of the land and that he allowed them to use it. If they went into debt and had
to sell themselves or their land, they or the land could be redeemed (bought
back) at any time or if not redeemed it was returned in the Year of Jubilee. The land
and people were holy. They belonged to God and had to be returned to him. They
and/or their land could not be permanently sold (Lev. 25).
Lev. 26 summarizes the basic relationship between God and his people. God has
rescued them from slavery (Lev. 26:13) so that he could go with them as their God
and give them the promised land. As a response to Gods grace, they were to have
no other gods (Lev. 26:1), keep his Sabbaths, and revere his sanctuary by
participating in the divine service (Lev. 26:2). If they did so, God would heap his
blessings upon them (Lev. 26:3-12). If on the other hand, they had other gods or did
not faithfully participate in the divine service, God would punish and discipline them
(Lev. 26:14-39). Gods purpose in punishing them would be to cause them to repent
and restore their relationship with him so that he could fulfill his covenants with
them (Lev. 26:42-45). Those people in a right relationship with God recognized his
grace towards them and put their trust in him. This was especially true in times of
trouble when they made a vow to God and God answered their prayer and they then
joyfully kept their vow (Lev. 27).

Leviticus Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. How can a sinful people safely approach the holy God? They could approach
him without any worries by means of blood atonement and by coming before
him in a ritually clean state.
2. How did God show his favor towards the Israelites? He showed his favor
through the sweet smell of incense and the pleasing aroma of the sacrifices.
3. How did God share his holiness with the Israelites? He shared his holiness
with them by giving them holy food, which came from the sacrifices made to
him.
4. What is one way that Gods holy people live? Holy peoples lives are centered
on the sanctuary and not desecrating Gods holiness, for this is the place
where God shared his holiness with them.
5. What is another way that Gods holy people live? Holy people center their
lives time-wise around the holy days, which tied their everyday lives to God
and his grace.
6. What happens when Gods people live as he designed, trusting in the one
true God and participating in the divine service? They receive blessing.
7. What happens when Gods people do not live as he designed, having other
gods and/or not participating in the divine service? God punishes and
disciplines them in order to cause them to repent and return to him so that
he might bless them.
Learning About Jesus in Leviticus
There is much that teaches us about Jesus in Leviticus.
All of the OT sacrifices pointed forward to the one great sacrifice of Christ.
Jesus sacrifice on the cross was our burnt offering, grain offering, sin offering,
guilt offering, and peace offering all in one.
The blood from the offerings was used to make atonement for sin and it
looked forward to the blood shed by Christ to atone for the sins of the world.
The result of the sacrifices a column of sweet smelling smoke. This conveyed
God pleasure and favorable disposition toward his people. This was a
precursor to the Gospel, the Good News of Gods pleasure and favorable
disposition toward Christians because of Christs sacrifice and for his sake.
Another result from many of the sacrifices was a holy meal (holy bread and
holy meat) provided by God for the priests and people. This looked forward to
the NT meal of Holy Communion in which Jesus gives us his crucified and
risen body as holy bread from heaven.
The fire of Gods presence was on the Altar for Burnt Offering. It was kindled
by the high priest. In the NT the fire of Gods presence is the Holy Spirit. God
places his Spirit in the hearts of believers. And that fire is kindled by our High
Priest, Jesus.
The high priest was anointed with holy oil and consecrated when the blood of
sacrifices was sprinkled on him. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and
consecrated by his own shed blood.
The priests served God in the divine service at the tabernacle. Before they
could serve they had to be washed and had to wear special vestments, which
were anointed with holy oil and blood, giving them safe access to God. In the
NT all of Gods people are priests who have been washed and clothed with
Christ in Holy Baptism. Because of this they are qualified to serve in the
Divine Service and have safe access to him.
With the tabernacle being completed, the instructions for the sacrifices being
given, and the priests being ordained, the daily divine service was then
inaugurated. Jesus inaugurated the NT Divine Service through his life and
death. Luke shows that Jesus became the new place for worship. And Jesus
and his gifts are the content of the Divine Service. In the Divine Service Jesus
reveals himself and the forgiveness he won to people when they hear Gods
Word and receive his holy body and blood.
In the OT to participate in the sacrificial ritual one had to be physically clean.
In the NT Jesus cleanses the heart and conscience through his Word and
Baptism so that we might come into Gods holy presence and participate in
the Divine Service.
In the OT if one became unclean, one had to go through a purification
process, which varied depending on the type of impurity. In the NT Jesus
purifies us by taking our sinfulness and impurity on himself and by giving us
his righteousness and holiness the Great Exchange.
The application of blood on the Day of Atonement was a comprehensive act
of atonement for the sanctuary and the people. In the NT Jesus shed his blood
to atone for the sins of the world. In the Holy Supper Jesus gives us his blood
to cleanse and sanctify us.
In the OT the only authorized use of blood was for atonement. All pagan uses
of blood were prohibited. In the NT Jesus blood is life-giving and Spirit-filled.
Through it he conveys eternal blessings. Therefore Jesus gives us his blood to
drink in the Lords Supper.
In the OT persistent sexual immorality polluted the people and the land and
caused the Israelites to lose the inheritance of their land through exile. It is
the same in the NT. If followers of Jesus live a sexually immoral lifestyle, they
forfeit their heavenly inheritance.
In the OT God shared his holiness with his people at the tabernacle in the
divine service. They were made holy when they ate the holy meat from the
peace offering. In the NT God shares his holiness with his people through
Christ in the Divine Service. We are made holy when we eat and drink the
holy body and blood of Christ.
Some sins in ancient Israel were punishable by death. In the NT all sins are
punishable by death, but Jesus died the death that we deserve. In Baptism we
die with Christ and are raised up to a new life.
In the OT some priests were disqualified from approaching the altar and
offering sacrifices because of physical deformities. In the NT all Christians are
priests. Because they are united with Christ in Baptism, they share in his
physical and spiritual perfection and therefore are unblemished and fit for
service to God and can approach the altar without fear.
In the OT only the priests could eat the most holy food and they had to be
sure not to desecrate it. In the NT all of Gods people are priests and eat the
most holy body and blood of Christ. They too must be careful not to
desecrate it by not recognizing Christs real presence.
OT sacrifices had to be animals without defect. Jesus offered himself as a
sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is the Lamb of God who is without defect
or blemish.
In the OT God established a religious calendar made up of weekly Sabbaths
and annual festivals and Sabbaths. All OT festivals and Sabbaths pointed to
and were fulfilled in Jesus.
In the OT the only way to come into Gods presence was through the Holy
place. Jesus fulfilled the function of the Holy Place. He is the Way, the only
Way, into Gods holy presence.
In the year of Jubilee, someone who sold himself or his property to pay a debt
was freed. They returned to their property and family or the property was
returned to them. Jesus ushered in a Jubilee age where those who trust in him
are released from their debt of sin and are freed to return to Gods family and
their heavenly home.

Numbers God Leads His People Through the
Wilderness
The events in Numbers begin at the end of Israels time at Mt. Sinai. Numbers will
cover Israels journey from Mt. Sinai to the plains of Moab. It covers this journey in
three stages. (1) They begin at Sinai; (2) they journey to Kadesh; and (3) then they
journey to Moab. The book is structured around these three geographical stages.
Each stage ends with a section that forms a transition to the next stage, both
geographically and theologically.
Stage 1 (Num. 1 12):
At Mt. Sinai Preparations are Made for the Journey (Num. 1:1 10:10)
At the beginning of Numbers, Israel had exited Egypt about one year earlier and
they are about ready to leave Mt. Sinai and begin their journey to the promised
land. But first they will they need to make some preparations. God is present with
them and will travel with them on their journey. God will show his presence through
the tabernacle and the pillar of cloud/fire. So the preparations for the journey
revolve around Gods holy presence with Israel.
Through a census ordered by God, Israel is to count how many men there are of
fighting age (Num. 1). God will be their Commander-in-Chief. When Israel makes its
journey through the wilderness, they will march in military formation, with the Ark
of the Covenant (God) leading the way (Num. 2). When they camp, the tabernacle
will be in the center. Surrounding the tabernacle will be two concentric squares. On
the outer edge will be the 12 tribes, three tribes on each side (Num. 3). Closest to
the tabernacle will be the priests and Levites, with the priests being on the east side
where the entrance to the tabernacle was (Num. 4). Because God was present with
his people, his people needed to be clean (Num. 5). God was with Israel in order to
bless them (Num. 6) and in response to his blessing they were to show reverence
and respect for his presence at the tabernacle (Num. 7). The Levites were
consecrated and given responsibility for the tabernacle (Num. 8). Before leaving,
Israel was to celebrate the Passover (Num. 9:1-14). Doing so would not only remind
them of Gods great act of salvation in the past, but it would reassure them that God
would deliver them from future troubles as well. On the journey God would lead
them by the pillar of cloud/fire (Num. 9:15-23). When it lifted, they were to follow it.
When it stopped, they were to camp. There was also an audible signal of trumpets
that would alert the people to gather at the tabernacle or to break camp (Num.
10:1-10). These were the preparations they made for the journey.
Stage 1 (Num. 1 12):

Transition from Sinai to Kadesh and Preparation to Rebellion (Num. 10:11 12:16)
When all of the preparations were complete, the cloud of Gods presence lifted
above the Ark and the people followed the cloud and Ark into the wilderness of
Sinai, marching in the order prescribed by God (Nu. 10:11-35). Not long after they
set out, three acts of rebellion are recorded. The people complain about their
hardships (Num11:1-3); the people complain about the lack of meat and vegetables
(Num. 11:4-35); and finally, even Aaron and Miriam rebel (Num. 12:16). The
rebellion recorded here is a preview of and the theme of the next stage of Israels
journey at Kadesh (Num. 13 21).
Stage 2 (Num. 13 21):
All Out Rebellion Results in Wandering in the Wilderness (Num. 13:1 20:13)
The setting for the second stage is Kadesh. The Lord had Moses send 12 men, a
leader from each tribe, to explore the land, the people, and the towns of the
promised land. For 40 days they explored the whole land (Num. 13:1-25). They
reported back that the land was good but the cities were well fortified and the
people were like giants. Ten of the twelve explorers/spies did not believe they could
take the land and they spread a bad report among the people (Num. 13:26-33).
Because of this the people rebelled and wanted to go back to Egypt. Because of
their ingratitude and lack of trust in him, God wanted to destroy the people with a
plague. But Moses interceded for Israel and turned God from his wrath.
Nevertheless, God swore that all of the people who witnessed his great acts of
salvation in Egypt but rebelled here would not enter the promised land, except for
Caleb and Joshua, the two explorers/spies who trusted in God. Instead of entering
the promised land, they would wander and die in the wilderness for 40 years (Num.
14:1-45).
Not too much is reported concerning their time in the desert (Num. 15 21). One
could imagine that living in the desert and watching your loved ones die would be
very disheartening and cause one to lose hope. And so the Lord assured the
younger generation that they would indeed enter the promised land as he promised.
Through Moses he said, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I
am giving you... (Num. 15:2, 18). It was not a question of if they would enter; there
was no doubt that they would indeed enter. And when they did, they would have
communion with God when they worshipped God in the way that he prescribed
(Num. 15). But then it is reported that Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with 250
tribal chiefs rebelled against Moses and Aaron, accusing them of exalting
themselves above everyone else. God showed that they had not exalted
themselves, but that in fact he had chosen Moses and Aaron as the leaders of his
people when he had the earth swallow up the three rebels and when he struck the
250 men down with fire. When this happened the people became angry and it was
only by the intercession and atonement made by Moses and Aaron that they were

spared from Gods wrath (Num. 16). God gave further evidence that he had chosen
the priests and Levites to serve him at the sanctuary through the budding of
Aarons staff (Num. 17). But because of the privileged status of the priests, they
were also responsible for the holiness of the sanctuary. And because they received
no inheritance, God provided for them through the sacrifices and the tithes of the
Israelites (Num. 18). Because of the death of so many men that day, the Lord
provided a means to purify the Israelites from the uncleanness of death (Num. 19
Red Heifer). At the end of 40 years, not much had changed. Israel was back at
Kadesh where they had started and the people were still complaining about the lack
of water as they had earlier (Num. 20:1-5). Through Moses God provided water, but
because Moses disobeyed God, he would not be able to enter the promised land
(Num. 20:6-13).
Stage 2 (Num. 13 21):
Transition from Kadesh to Moab and from Rebellion to Beginning the Preparations to
Enter the Promised Land (Num. 20:14 22:1)
With the 40 years of judgment complete, Israel was ready to move from Kadesh to
the plains of Moab. But as always the journey was not easy. The Edomites refused to
let Israel pass through their territory; Israel had to defeat king Arad; and there was
one last episode of complaining. Israel finally reached the Arnon River which
empties into the Dead Sea at the edge of the plains of Moab (Num. 20:14 21:20).
When the Amorite kings Shion and Og opposed Israel, God gave Israel victory over
them and they took and possessed the land east of the Jordan River (Num. 21:2135). This final advance that has led them to edge of the promised land looks forward
to the third stage where God would begin to prepare Israel to enter the land.
Stage 3 (Num. 22 - 36):
God Begins to Prepare Israel to Enter the Promised Land (Num. 22 32)
When Balak, king of Moab, saw what Israel did to the Amorites, he became afraid.
Balak hired the diviner Balaam to curse Israel. But when Balaam tried, God instead
put words of blessing and prophecy into his mouth, showing that he can even use
the forces of evil to carry out his purposes (Num. 22-24). When this did not work,
the Moabites resorted to enticing Israel with their fertility cults. They were
successful in seducing Israel into great sin and idolatry and it was only the great
zeal for the honor of the Lord by Phinehas that stopped the Lord from completely
consuming his wayward people (Num. 25). When they enter the land, the land
would have to be divided up and distributed amongst the tribes. So God ordered
another census. The larger tribes were to receive larger parcels of land. And the
assignment of the land was to be made by the high priest casting lots, which in
reality really meant that God would decide (Num. 26). Provision was even made for
families which only had daughters to inherit land (Num. 27:1-11) (usually land
inheritance went through the sons). Since Moses was about to die and would not

enter the land, Israel needed a new military leader. God chose Joshua and
commissioned him in the sight of all the people (Num. 27:12-23). God reiterated
what he had told their fathers in Leviticus. Once Joshua led them into the land, they
were to remain in close communion with him by the offerings they brought to him.
By means of offerings at the tabernacle they would be assured of his presence with
them and his blessing of them (Num. 28-29). When they enter the land and a vow to
God is made, it is to be kept, it is a serious matter. But God gave special rules for
the vows of women in order to retain good family relations (Num. 30). Because the
Midianites were partners with the Moabites in the seduction of Israel (see Num.
25:16-18), God ordered Israel to destroy them and God gave them victory. The
booty won belonged to God, but in this case God decided to share some of it and
divide it between the soldiers and the people (Num. 31). With the east side of the
Jordan conquered, the tribes of Gad and Reuben asked, received permission, and
then settled the land east of the Jordan with the promise to help their brothers
defeat the Canaanites west of the Jordan (Num. 32). Soon Israel would cross the
Jordan and conquer and settle the rest of the promised land.
Stage 3 (Num. 22 - 36):
Transition Looking Forward to What They Need to Do When They Enter the Land
(Num. 33 36)
God had Moses record all of the stages of their journey from the time they left Egypt
to the place where they now camped on the plains of Moab. Once they enter the
land, they are to drive out the Canaanites and to destroy all their idols and places of
worship. They are to take possession of the land given to them by God (Num. 33).
God outlined the borders of the land he was giving them in all four directions (Num.
34:1-15). Caleb and Joshua were to oversee the division of the land and in the
distribution of the land each tribe was to be represented by one tribal chief (Num.
34:16-29). The Levites would not inherit any land. Instead they would be given cities
scattered amongst the tribes (Num. 35:1-8). In the matter of justice, upon taking
possession of the land, the Israelites were to establish cities of refuge to protect
those who accidentally killed someone (Num. 35:9-34). One final law was given
concerning the land given to a tribe. This law insured that the land would not go to a
different tribe through marriage (Num. 36). These chapters transition and look
forward to when Israel will enter and take possession of the promised land. It
prepares for and gives a glimpse of Gods instructions to Israel in the book of
Deuteronomy.
Numbers Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. How did Israel get from Mt. Sinai to the plains of Moab? God led them through
the wilderness in a 40 year journey from Sinai to Moab.

2. How did God show that he was present with Israel on the journey? He showed
his presence with them in the form of a pillar of cloud/fire. His presence was
also associated with the Ark of the Covenant.
3. How did God lead Israel through the wilderness? Israel followed the pillar of
cloud when it went ahead of them and when it stopped they set up camp.
4. When they camped, where did God stay? The tabernacle was set up in the
middle of the camp. This was Gods tent. He dwelled in the very midst of
Israel.
5. What did the presence of the holy God with Israel mean for Israel? It meant
that Israel had to remain ritually clean so that they would not desecrate
Gods holiness. Gods holy presence was life-giving and protected Israel. Each
person in Israel was holy but there were different grades of holiness. The
closer one was to God, the more holy he was. The greater degree of holiness
brought with it demands of greater purity and greater responsibility to protect
Gods holiness.
6. What was Moses role in Israels journey? Moses was chosen by God as his
deputy. God spoke to Moses and Moses carried out Gods commands. The
people were to listen to Moses as he relayed Gods Word.
7. How would one characterize Israel on this journey and what was the result of
it? Israel complained and rebelled the entire time of the journey. Because of
their rebellion, Israel was made to live in the desert for 40 years until the
entire generation that left Egypt died.
8. Why did God put up with Israel? Several times God wanted to wipe Israel out
because of their rebellion but he spared them because of the intercession of
Moses and because of his mercy.
Learning About Jesus in Numbers
We see and learn about Jesus in Numbers in various ways.
Throughout Numbers God spoke to his people by speaking to Moses in the

tabernacle. In the NT God spoke his best and final word to his people in his
son Jesus. God commands us to listen to him.
The Ark of the Covenant represented Gods presence with Israel. It led them
on their journey through the wilderness to the promised land and it was at
the heart of the camp of Israel. In the NT God is present with his people in the
person of Jesus. Jesus leads us on our journey through the wilderness of this
life to the heavenly promised land and is at the heart of Gods people, the
church.
Since holy God lived in the camp with Israel, the Israelites had to be clean so
that they would not desecrate Gods holiness. Jesus purposely touched the
unclean (lepers, the dead) and healed and raised them. When he touched
them, he took their uncleanness upon himself, desecrating his holiness. The
punishment for desecration was death. Jesus made unclean people clean so
that they could come into Gods holy presence and receive blessing.
Israel celebrated the Passover one year after leaving Egypt. They had to
follow the Passover instructions, including not breaking any of the lambs
bones. Jesus is our Passover Lamb. In the Passion account, it is specifically
mentioned that they did not break any of his bones.
The glory cloud appeared above the tabernacle, signifying Gods presence
with Israel. God led them through the wilderness via the glory cloud. The
cloud looked forward to Jesus. Jesus is fully God in the flesh. Jesus leads us
through the wilderness of life on our journey to the heavenly promised land.
When the ashes of a red heifer mixed with water were sprinkled on people
who had become unclean from exposure to a corpse, they became clean. In
Hebrews the cleansing power of Jesus blood is contrasted with this cleansing.
Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice. His blood cleanses not just
outwardly, but to the core of our being.
God had Moses make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. When those
bitten by poisonous snakes looked up to it, they were saved from dying. Jesus
said that just as the bronze serpent was raised up to save people, so he had
come to earth to be raised up on the cross to save people from their
poisonous and deadly sins.
Balaam prophesied that a future king would arise from Judah. Much later in
fulfillment of this prophecy, the Wise Men followed a star and came to
worship baby Jesus, the King of the Jews.

Deuteronomy Terms for Israels Residence in
Gods Land
[Dr. Kleinigs lecture on Deuteronomy was very short (10 minutes). Instead he gave
the class a major assignment of self study. What follows is based on Dr. Kleinigs
outline of Deuteronomy.]
General Introduction
The book of Deuteronomy records three farewell speeches by Moses to the people
of Israel. These speeches occur as Israel is camped on the plains of Moab on the
east side of the Jordan River just outside of the promised land. God, who is the
owner of the land, is about to evict the current tenants of the land because of their
idolatry and immorality and give the land to the Israelites, making them the new
tenants. These speeches then by Moses are meant to prepare the people for life in
the land.
The three speeches of Moses are arranged in the form of a covenant or treaty
between a greater king and a lesser king. This is sometimes called a suzerain-vassal
treaty. In this kind of treaty a great and powerful king (suzerain) would allow a
smaller king and his people (vassal) to live in the great kings kingdom and protect
them from their enemies if they would swear full allegiance to the great king and
pay him tribute. In this case God was the Great King who defeated Israels enemies
and gave the land to Israel. They in turn were to give their full allegiance to him and
serve God in the manner specified by him in the covenant. The arrangement of
Deuteronomy in this form shows that the covenant made at Sinai also applies to this
generation and future generations. The basic form of this type of treaty and
Deuteronomy is:
Preamble and historical prologue (Deut. 1:1 4:43)
Stipulations for the agreement (Deut. 4:44 26:19)
o ... The basic requirements of the agreement (Deut. 5 11)
o ... The application of the basic requirements for life in the land (Deut.
12 26)
Blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience to the covenant (Deut.
27 28)
Enactment of the Covenant (Deut. 29 30)
Publication of the Covenant (Deut. 31 34)
Within Deuteronomy we see three different cycles that are stressed and elaborated
over and over again. Note that all three cycles involve God, the land, and the
people.
1. The first cycle is what God wants to happen.
God the landowner loves and gives

the land and through the land life and his blessings to
the people of Israel, who in return worship, love, and obey
God the landowner.
2. The second cycle tells what will happen if the first cycle is disrupted by
persistent idolatry.
God the landowner will turn his face in wrath away from
the land and carry out the covenant curses of death and exile on
the idolatrous people, who forget and hate
God.
3. The third cycle tells what will happen if the people repent of their idolatry.
God the landowner will restore
the land and his blessings to
his exiled people, who are turning from their idols back to
the one true God.

Introduction to the Book: Preamble of the Covenant Document (Deut. 1:15)
The book of Deuteronomy consists almost entirely of speeches by Moses to Israel.
Deut. 1:1-5 provides the setting for those speeches. The Israelites were camped just
outside the Jordan River. It had been 40 years since God had rescued them from
slavery and brought them up out of Egypt. At this place and at this time, as Israel
was about to enter the promised land, Moses spoke to the Israelites. In terms of a
covenant document, this is the preamble to the document, providing the persons,
place, and time of the covenant. In this setting Moses will explain the law given at
Mt. Sinai to this current generation of Israelites who had not been born yet or who
were under the age of 20 when the law was originally given.
Speech 1: Historical Prologue of the Covenant Document (Deut. 1:6 4:43)
The historical prologue of a covenant provides the historical events that led up to
and became the basis for the covenant. It tells what the great king has done for the
people, why they are entering into this agreement with him. These chapters review
the history of the last 40 years, from the time of Israels release from slavery in
Egypt to the present, as they are camped just outside the promised land. It
concentrates on what God has done for Israel.
It tells of Gods promise of the gift of the land of Canaan to Abrahams descendants,
Gods deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt, Gods covenant with Israel at Mt.
Sinai, Gods order to enter and take possession of the land, Israels refusal to go in
and take the land, the death of entire generation in the desert, resistance from two
kings, God giving Israel victory over the two kings armies, Moses job to teach the

covenant laws to this generation, the most important commandment to follow,
which was to have no other gods or idols of gods, Israels faithfulness to God, which
would lead to a long life of blessing in the land, Israels unfaithfulness, which would
lead to exile from the land, and Gods mercy on Israel and his bringing them back if
they repented. Because of all that God had done for them, Israel was to
acknowledge God as the only true God, be faithful to him, and keep his
commandments and the result would be that they would live a long time in the land
and receive Gods blessings.
Part 1 of Speech 2: Covenant Stipulations - The Basic Requirements of the
Agreement (Deut. 4:44 11:32)
The core covenant requirements for Israel are the Ten Commandments. When they
live in the land God is giving them, they are to live by these commandments so that
they might live a long life in the land. And the heart of the Ten Commandments is
that they are to be fully and only devoted to the Lord, having no other gods. God
instructs them to completely drive out the existing nations in the promised land in
order that the Israelites are not tempted to follow their gods. Even though the
nations are more powerful than Israel, God will fight for Israel and drive them out.
God warns them that when he does bring them into the land, which is a good and
prosperous land, they must not forget about God, thinking that it was their hard
work that brought prosperity. Forgetting about God will lead to their destruction.
God will drive out the nations and give the land to Israel not because Israel is so
numerous or righteous, but because of the wickedness of the nations and because
he remembers his covenant promises to Abraham. Actually Israel is a rebellious
nation as shown by their constant complaining in the desert, the golden calf
incident, and by their refusal to trust God and enter and take possession of the land.
It was only the intercession of Moses that saved Israel from being completely wiped
out by God. In giving them the land, God is being gracious to them and therefore
their response should be to fear the Lord, walk in his ways, and love and serve him
with all their being. The God who created all things has graciously chosen them.
They have seen for themselves the marvelous works that God has done for them.
As a reverent response, they are to keep Gods commandments so that they might
live long in the land. The Lord is the Source of blessing. If they remain faithful to
him, his blessings will flow to them. If they turn to other gods, they cut themselves
off from the Source of blessing and instead will be cursed.
So in the first part of his second speech, Moses confined himself to the most basic
requirement of the covenant: to fear and love the one true God. An underlying and
unreserved commitment to the Lord would be basic to life in the land.
Part 2 of Speech 2: Covenant Stipulations - The Application of the Basic
Requirements for Life in the Land (Deut. 12 26)

Now, based on the core requirements given in Deut. 5-11, Moses addresses some
specifics about how they are to live in the land. The first major area he addresses is
worship of the true God (Deut. 12:1 16:17). The pagan nations they are
dispossessing worship their gods at many high places. Israel is to worship the Lord
at a single place where God chooses to put his Name. At this place God would reside
and make himself available to his people. At this place they were to bring their
sacrifices and eat their holy meals in Gods presence. They were not to worship God
as the pagans worship their false gods. They must worship the Lord alone. Any
disloyalty to the Lord in the land, whether by members of ones family or a whole
city, had to be purged from the community. They were to do and eat nothing that
would make them unclean, for one had to be clean to come into Gods holy
presence. When they settled in the land, they were to recognize their total
dependence on God who is the Owner and Giver of all that was good. By tithing
their produce and consecrating their firstborn animals they recognized God as the
great Giver. Besides owning the land, God was also the Owner of the people. They
were his people. He had called them to be free people who walked and worked side
by side with him. Therefore every seven years they were to cancel Israelite debts
and free Israelite slaves; they were to return to God what was his. Once in the land,
the Israelites were to be careful to attend the three annual pilgrim festivals: the
Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of
Tabernacles. Three times they were to travel to the place where Gods sanctuary
was and show appreciation for Gods blessings. By following these statutes and
rules, Israel would express their total commitment to the Lord.
The second major area Moses covers in this part of his second speech is community
life in the land (Deut. 16:18 26:9). The instructions in these chapters cover a wide
range of things that affect Israels civil, religious, and domestic life. The civil laws
covered things such as: judges, property rights, and trial by witnesses. The religious
laws covered things like: the livelihood of the priests and Levites, prophets speaking
Gods word, and cultic purity. The laws covering domestic affairs included: sanctity
of life, marital and family ordinances, sexual integrity, and neighborly kindness. The
fact is that the covenant they have with the Lord affects all areas of Israels life.
They are Gods people; he will be with them in the land; and this has to have an
effect on the whole of their life. If Israels life in the land becomes characterized like
that of the Canaanites as godless and immoral, then they will suffer the same fate
as the Canaanites they will be driven from the land. Instead they are to recognize
his gracious presence with them and his blessings on them and respond with
gratitude and thanksgiving.
Part 3 of Speech 2: Blessings for Obedience and Curses for Disobedience to the
Covenant (Deut. 27 28)

The Lord had been gracious and merciful to the people of Israel. He had chosen
them, delivered them, covenanted with them, provided for them, led them, and
fought for them (Deut. 1 4). In return he asked that be fully committed to him
alone (Deut. 5 11). A full commitment to the Lord meant that every aspect of their
life would reflect their love for the Lord (Deut. 12 26). The future of the Israelites
will depend upon their faithfulness to the Lord as shown by their obedience or
disobedience to the stipulations of the covenant. If they remained faithful to the
Lord, the Source of life, and kept his commandments, his blessings would flow fully
and freely to them. If they disobeyed the covenant stipulations, then the covenant
curses will take effect. When they enter the land, they are to have a covenant
ratification ceremony. In it the blessings and curses of the covenant will read out
loud and the people will verbally give their accent to them, thereby publically
recognizing that they understand the terms of the covenant and the results of their
obedience or disobedience.
Part 1 of Speech 3: Enactment of the Covenant (Deut. 29 30)
With the terms of the covenant spelled out (Deut. 5 26) and with the
consequences for obedience or disobedience to it made clear (Deut. 27 28), the
renewal of the covenant with this generation is then enacted. The renewal of this
covenant makes clear for this generation and all future generations that Israels
relationship with God is governed by the following unalterable principles. 1) Their
partnership with God was not something they merited, but a gift of Gods grace
(29:1-15). 2) If they were unfaithful to the covenant, they would provoke Gods
anger and he would expel them from the land (29:16-29). 3) But if the people are
expelled from the land, there is still hope. If they return to the Lord, he will have
compassion on them and renew their covenant relationship (30:1-10). 4) The people
cannot claim ignorance of the covenant, for God has revealed his will to the people
through Moses (30:11-14). 5) In the covenant God places before Israel two
alternatives: faithfulness to the Lord brings life and unfaithfulness brings death
(30:15-20).
Part 2 of Speech 3: Publication of the Covenant (Deut. 31 34)
Typically a covenant was written down and was then periodically and regularly reread, reminding the people of their obligations to the great king. Moses wrote down
the Law and commanded the priests to read the Law to the people every seven
years. By hearing the covenant, the people were to learn to fear the Lord as they
live in the land he was giving to them. In its written form, it was called the Book of
the Law, and if they rebelled it would serve as a witness against them. Also The Lord
had Moses write down a song and teach it to Israel. The song was a summary of the
Law, and in it Moses looked prophetically to the future. In the song, the Lord is a
Rock, strong and unmoveably faithful. And in contrast Israel is weak, will abandon

the Lord, and therefore will be scattered. Yet, the Lord will have compassion on his
people and destroy the nations that oppose him.
With that Moses handed over leadership to Joshua, pronounced a blessing on the
tribes of Israel, climbed Mt. Nebo, saw the promised land, died, and was buried by
the Lord.
Deuteronomy Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Why was God going to give Israel the land of Canaan? Because of his love for
them and because of his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
2. Why was God going to take the land away from the Canaanites? Because of their
idolatry and immorality.
3. For what purpose was God giving the land to Israel? God was going to use the
land as his instrument to give Israel life. He would bless the people through the
land.
4. From the time of the exodus to Israels encampment just outside the promised
land, God had been gracious towards Israel. What gracious acts had God done
for Israel? The Lord had chosen them, delivered them, covenanted with them,
provided for them, led them, and fought for them.
5. What did God want in return for the grace he had shown to Israel? He wanted
Israel to respond by being completely faithful to him alone.
6. What would happen if Israel acknowledged the Lord as the only true God and
worshipped him alone? God would bless them in the land and they would be
permitted to remain in the land.
7. What would happen if Israel acknowledged and worshipped other gods? By
rejecting the Source of blessing and life, Israel would experience the opposite,
curses and death.
8. What would happen if Israel purposely and persistently worshipped other gods?
God would kick Israel out of the land; he would send them into exile.
9. If Israel had been exiled from the land because of their idolatry, what would
happen if they repented of their sin and returned to the Lord? The Lord would
have compassion on them and allow them to return to the land.
Learning About Jesus in Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy is all about the land. The ultimate purpose for the land
relates to Jesus. He will be born in the land, live a perfect life in the land,
preach, teach, and heal in the land, die in the land, rise from the dead in
the land, and ascend into heaven from the land. Jesus would carry out
Gods plan of salvation in this land.
God swore on oath to give the land of Canaan to Abrahams descendants.
In Deuteronomy God is about to fulfill that promise. The ultimate purpose
for the land as described in the Abrahamic covenant was to bless the
world. The blessing God promised for the world would come through Jesus,
who blessed the world by carrying out Gods plan of salvation for the
world.
Deuteronomy reminds OT Israel that they were graciously chosen by God
to be his treasured possession and his holy people. The NT equivalent is
the Church. God makes people his treasured possession when he brings
them into his Church by baptizing them into the death and resurrection of
Christ. They are made righteous by receiving the righteousness of Christ.
God shares his holiness with them in the Divine Service through his
presence with them, through his Word, which is preached and heard, and
though the Holy body and blood of Christ given to them in the Supper.
The earthly promised land, which Moses is preparing Israel to enter,
represents the eternal promised land of heaven. Jesus came in order to
lead people out of the wilderness of this life into an eternal life of blessing
in the eternal promised land, the new heaven and new earth.
OT Israel is at the same time portrayed in Deuteronomy as a people holy
to the Lord and as a people who are sinful and rebellious. The NT people
of God are the same way. They are saints and sinners at the same time.
Christ came to win forgiveness for sinners. And when a person receives by
faith the forgiveness Christ won and the righteousness of Christ, he is
considered a saint (holy one) by God. And yet, at the same time, he
continues to have a sinful nature which causes him to sin.
Deuteronomy continually reminds Israel of how God saved them from
slavery in Egypt. This act of salvation points forward to the greater act of
salvation by Jesus. His death and resurrection provides a way out a life of
slavery to sin and death for people all over the world.
Moses was known as a great prophet. A prophet is one who speaks Gods
word. In Deuteronomy a greater prophet was promised. Jesus is the
Greater Prophet who not only spoke Gods word, but who was Gods Word.
Deuteronomy emphasizes that if Israel abandons the Lord and does not
keep his commandments, they will face the covenant curses. Christ
received the full justice and curses of Gods wrath that we deserve
because of our sins so that we would not have to.
Once they enter the land, Israel was to worship God in only one place and
that was the place where God would make his Name to dwell with his
people. Gods name is connected with his presence with his people at the
tabernacle and later temple. In the NT the one and only place where we
worship God is in Jesus. Jesus tabernacles with us and God will only
receive our prayers and worship when they are done in his name.

Introduction to the Prophets
Who and What are Prophets
The second major collection of books in the Hebrew Bible are called the Prophets. To
understand these books, you must understand who and what prophets are. With
that in mind, here is a list of things that we know about prophets and prophecy:
A prophet is a messenger or spokesman for God. A prophet is like a kings
herald. He proclaims Gods Word.
A prophet is a person who has been called and sent by God to speak Gods
Word to people.
A prophet is empowered by Gods Spirit. He is inspired by the Holy Spirit and
speaks the Words of the Spirit. The Spirit and Gods Word always go together.
Since a prophet speaks Gods Word, the authority of the message comes from
God and not from the prophet.
A true prophet stands in the heavenly council of God and hears the discussion
and hears the decision that God makes.
A true prophet always announces Gods judgment on sin and calls people to
repentance. False prophets do not preach Gods Law and judgment. Rather,
they always preach good news. They preach what people want to hear
instead of the truth of their sin.
Because the word of the prophet is Gods Word, it creates and shapes history.
Gods Word and history go together. The history of Israel is the history of the
prophetic Word of God.
Once a prophet spoke Gods Word it was as good as done because Gods
Word is performative; when God speaks it happens.
Prophets received Gods Word either audibly with their ears or in a vision with
their eyes.
Prophets were also intercessors. Prophets could not only hear and speak
Gods Word, but they could also speak to God and get an answer from God.
Prophetic History
According to the Hebrew Bible there are three major clusters of books: the Law, the
Prophets, and the Writings. The Hebrew Bible lumps together what we call the
Prophets (Isaiah through Malachi) and the six Historical books (Joshua 2 Kings). In
the Hebrew Bible these six historical books are called the Former Prophets. We are
going to look at the Former Prophets next. The Hebrew Bible divides the Prophets
between the Former Prophets and the Latter Prophets. The Latter Prophets consists
of four big scrolls: Isaiah, Jeremiah/Lamentations, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Prophets
(the Minor Prophets).
The Prophets in the Hebrew Bible include:

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
The Former Prophets

... Joshua 2 Kings
The Latter Prophets
... Isaiah
... Jeremiah/Lamentations
... Ezekiel
... The Twelve Prophets
Why does the Hebrew Bible consider Joshua 2 Kings as prophecy, as part of the
section called the Prophets?
1. One thing about prophecy is that it always arises in a particular historical
situation and speaks to that situation. So history and prophecy always go
together. To understand a particular prophecy, you must understand the
historical situation that it comes from and speaks to. When a prophet speaks
a prophecy, God is telling what he is doing and/or what he is about to do. So
prophecy arises out of history; it creates history; it makes history; it helps us
make sense of history or of Gods activity in history. History and prophecy
always go together. So the books called the Former Prophets (Joshua 2
Kings) give the history of when the prophets were being sent by God and
were playing an important role in the life of the nation of Israel.
2. A second reason why the historical books are part of the Prophetic section of
the OT is that the history of Israel while they lived in Canaan was made,
shaped, and formed by the prophetic Word of God. During this period of
history, all of the important events that happened occurred as a result of a
specific prophetic Word of God. For modern people history is shaped by
politics, economics, and culture. In the OT history is seen as being shaped by
God. The OT sees that worship and prophecy shape history. If the Israelites
worship God then certain things happen to them. If they worship other gods
then other things happen to them. So it interprets history in light of the Law
of Moses and the messages of the prophets. History was created by the
prophetic Word and therefore history had to be understood in terms of the
prophecy that created it.
3. Some modern scholars call the Former Prophets (Joshua 2 Kings)
Deteronomic history. They call it this because in the book of Deuteronomy
Moses, the first great prophet, predicted what would happen to Israel when
they lived in the land of Canaan. He said if they acknowledge and worship
only the Lord all will go well for them. But if they do not acknowledge that the
Lord is the only true God and worship other gods then God will exile them
from the land until they repent of their sins. The books of the Former Prophets
show that the Israelites did not heed Moses prophetic word of warning. And

the very thing that he said would happen if they were idolatrous and refused
to repent did happen they were exiled from the land. So the history of Israel
while they lived in Canaan is explained in these books in terms of the
prophetic word of Moses given in Deuteronomy.

Joshua God Gives the Promised Land to Israel
The book of Joshua is all about the promised land. Therefore the book is structured
as follows: preparation and entry into the land (Josh. 1-5), the conquering of the
land (Josh. 6-12), the distribution of the land (Josh. 13-21), and the terms for
remaining in the land (Josh. 22-24).
Preparations and Entry into the Promised Land (Josh. 1 5)
Moses has died and Joshua has been commissioned to take over as Israels military
leader. Joshua is given the task of leading Israel into the promised land and
conquering the nations that currently occupy it. This was a monumental task.
Therefore God assured Joshua that he would be with him, that no one would be able
to stand up to him, and that God would give the land to him and the Israelites as he
promised their forefathers. God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous
and to use as his guide the Book of the Law, which refers to the Pentateuch, and
more specifically, Deuteronomy (Josh. 1:1-9).
With those instructions from God Joshua began the preparations to enter the land.
He ordered that the people get prepared (Josh. 1:10-18) and he sent spies to check
out Jericho and the land they were about to enter (Josh. 2). For their entry into the
land, the people were ordered to follow the Ark of the Covenant (which represents
God). As God miraculously led Israel through the Red Sea when they left Egypt, so
he miraculously led them through the raging waters of the Jordan River into the
promised land (Josh. 3-4). Before they began the battles to take the land, final
preparations had to be made. First there was a mass circumcision of those not
circumcised in the desert. Then they celebrated the Passover, which would have
reminded them of Gods act of salvation in Egypt and also given them confidence of
Gods protection for the future. And finally, Joshua met the Commander of the army
of the Lord (the pre-incarnate Son of God), who would go with and fight for Israel.
Conquering the Promised Land (Josh. 6 12)
The military campaign to conquer Canaan was carried out in three phases.
(1) First Israel defeated the central part of Canaan, defeating Jericho (Josh. 6), Ai
and Bethel (Josh. 8), and Gibeon (Josh. 9:1 10:28). During these battles Israel
learned that they would not win victory over their enemies through their military
power but that God would fight for them and give them the land as a gift (Josh. 6, 8,
10:1-28). They also learned that they must follow Gods word. Since God was the

Victor, the spoils of war belonged to him and he would determine what to do with
them. When a man named Achan took some of the gold and silver from Jericho
which belonged to God, God became angry with Israel and stopped fighting for
them (Josh. 7). After Achan was pointed out as the culprit and received his
punishment, Gods anger subsided and he once again fought for Israel (Josh. 8-12).
In response to Gods grace, Israel must always remain faithful to God and follow his
word (Josh. 8:30-35).
(2) In the second phase Israel conquered the southern area of Canaan (Josh. 10:2943). Joshua led the army from city to city and defeated each one and devoted them
to the Lord.
(3) In the third phase, the kings of the north banded together to fight Israel, but God
gave them into Joshuas hands and Israel defeated them (Josh. 11).
A summary of the territories and kings that were defeated by Israel under the
leadership first of Moses and then of Joshua is given in Josh. 12. With the help of the
Lord, they defeated 31 kings in all. Their victories came in the central, southern, and
northern parts of Canaan, and on both the eastern and western sides of the Jordan.
The Distribution of the Promised Land to the Tribes of Israel (Josh. 13 21)
While much of the land had been conquered, little of it was actually possessed and
occupied. But since Joshua was old, God would leave that up to each of the
individual tribes, that is, to actually take possession of land allotted to them. And so
now God told Joshua to divide up the land and to assign it to the nine and one half
tribes that had not received their inheritance yet (Josh. 13:1-7). The assignment of
land to the tribes occurred in three stages.
(1) First, Moses assigned land east of the Jordan to the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of
Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 13:8-33).
(2) Second, Joshua assigned the land west of the Jordan to the other nine and onehalf tribes (Josh. 14-19).
(3) Third, Joshua set aside cities scattered throughout the land as cities for the
Levites and as cities of refuge (Josh. 20-21).
These chapters (Josh. 13-21) contain a dizzying array of geographical data that
outline the boundaries of each tribes territory. This is the land that God promised to
the patriarchs. And it will be in this land that God will carry out his plan of salvation.
The terms for Israel to Remain in the Promised Land (Josh. 22 - 24)

Before Joshua died, he exhorted the Israelites three times. His basic message all
three times was that they should remain faithful to and serve only the Lord. They
should obey all of his commandments given to them in the Law of Moses. And he
warned them that if they turned to other gods and served them, they would perish
from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you (Josh. 23:13b). He
gave this basic message to: (1) the two and one-half tribes as he sent across the
Jordan to their homes and commended them for helping their brothers (Josh. 22:19), (2) to all the leaders of Israel (Josh. 23), and (3) to all the tribes as he asked
them to commit themselves in covenant loyalty to the Lord (Josh. 24:1-28).
Joshua Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Who took over leadership of Israel after Moses died? God commissioned
Joshua to lead Israel.
2. What did God promise Joshua and Israel? God promised to be with them, to
fight for them, and to give them the land.
3. How did Israel enter the promised land? God miraculously led Israel into the
land by stopping the Jordan River long enough for all the people to cross.
4. Ultimately, how did Israel conquer the nations that occupied the promised
land? God fought for them and gave them the victory.
5. What was required of Israel for God to give them victory? They had to trust in
God and follow his Word.
6. How was the land divided amongst the tribes? God assigned the land to each
tribe by lot and according to their size.
7. What did Israel have to do to remain in the land God had given them? They
had to worship Yahweh, the one true God, and obey his commandments (and
when they didnt keep his commandments, they could repent of their sin and
God would forgive them).
Learning About Jesus in Joshua
We see and learn about Jesus in Joshua in various ways.
God had promised to give Israel the land and to give them peace. Now
through his servant Joshua he is about to do it. In fact it is as good as done
(Jos. 1:13). This foreshadows the future in which God through his Servant, a
greater Joshua (Jesus), would defeat all of the enemies of Gods people and
would lead them into the eternal and heavenly promised land.
Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who had heard of Gods mighty act of salvation
of Israel through the Red Sea and Gods destruction of the two kings east of
the Jordan, had come to believe that the God of Israel, Yahweh, was the God
of heaven and earth. She and other great sinners turned saints were
accorded the honor of being part of the genealogy of Jesus, who would work
even greater acts of salvation and permanently defeat all the enemies of
Gods people.
The scarlet cord used by Rahab to mark her house served a similar purpose
as the blood of the Passover lamb in Egypt. It marked all those in the house
as being safe because of their belief and trust in Yahweh. Because of it they
would not be destroyed with the rest of Jericho. And it serves as a type of the
atoning blood of Christ which when applied to us sinners marks us as safe,
covers our sins, and saves us from eternal destruction.
Joshuas encounter with the Commander of the Lords army was an encounter
with the pre-incarnate Christ. It is through Christ that God will defeat all the
enemies of Gods people in the OT and the NT.
The sound of the trumpet was used as a signal for the people to shout and
when they did the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. When this happened
they destroyed the city. A trumpet will sound at the End signaling Christs
return. And when he does he will show his power over all of his enemies.
When the Israelites defeated the coalition of kings, Joshua had the
commanders of the Israelite army come and place their feet upon the necks
of the kings. This humiliating position showed that the kings had been
defeated and were under the complete control of the Israelites. Such will be
the scene when Jesus comes again. He will come with power to disarm the
principalities and powers and to put all his enemies under his feet, including
the last enemy death.
In a farewell speech to the leaders of Israel, Joshua reminded them that the
Lord had fought for them and defeated their enemies. He had apportioned
the land amongst the tribes and he would fight for them in the future. In
response to such grace, Joshua encouraged them to remain faithful to the
Lord and to have nothing to do with other gods. It is no different in the NT. In
Christ God has graciously defeated all of our enemies. We too are to respond
by remaining faithful to the one true God, forsaking all other gods.
In the covenant renewal at Shechem, Joshua recounted Gods saving acts for
Israel. While this generation was not in Egypt to experience the exodus
themselves, they received the benefits of those acts. Similarly, while we were
not at Calvary to see Gods greatest act of salvation, nevertheless, we all
benefit from it. We receive benefits Jesus won by faith.
God had a plan of salvation. Through Joshua, the son of Nun, he moved that
plan forward one major step. In the fullness of time, through the second
Joshua (Jesus, the Son of God), he would carry out the last step in his plan.
Through him, in a most unlikely way (the cross and the tomb), all the enemies
of Gods people would be defeated and an eternal inheritance would be made
available to the heavenly promised land.

Judges The Case for Kingship in Israel
To understand Judges, you must understand that it is giving the case for kingship. It
deals with the need for kingship. The book falls into three clear parts.
A Summary of the Theology of Judges (Judges 1 2)
Note that a judge in Judges is not a judge in a court. Rather, it is a person raised up
by God to right a wrong. A judge is a kind of savior or deliverer. After Joshua died,
the Israelites fell into a recurring cycle which is outlined in the opening chapters.
(1) They worshipped other gods.
(2) God reacted by giving the Israelites into the hands of their enemies.
(3) Under the power of their enemies, the Israelites were in great distress and they
cried out to the Lord.
(4) God heard their cries, had compassion on them, and raised up a judge who
delivered them from the hand of their enemies.
(5) Everything was ok as long as the judge lived. But when he died, the Israelites
reverted to worshipping false gods and the whole cycle started again.
Notice that the main problem for Israel is not their enemies. The main problem is
that they worship other gods. The problem is theological. They go from worshipping
the one true God to worshipping false gods.
This cycle also brings out an important practical point. The Israelites lived under a
tribal system. This system worked well in dealing with conflicts within the tribe but it
renders them weak when they are attacked by their enemies from the outside.
Israel had no king or standing army to protect them. So to deal with this threat God
raised up judges.
The Cycle of Sin and Apostasy Repeated Over and Over Again (Judges 3 16)
The cycle introduced in the first section is illustrated in this section six times. Each
time: Israel turns to other gods; God allows enemies to defeat Israel; the enemies
treat Israel harshly and Israel cries out to God for help; God raises up a judge who
delivers Israel from their enemy; while the judge lives they worship the Lord, but
when he dies they start worshipping false gods again. This basic story is told over
and over again.
There were more than six judges. The story of this cycle could have been told many
more times. So why is it told six times? Seven is the number of completed divine
action (as an example, Gods work of creating the universe was fully completed in
seven days). The cycle of sin and apostasy will only temporarily be broken by the
judges. It will be the seventh judge who finally and permanently does away with

sin and apostasy. The seventh judge will fix things forever. He will do it completely
and perfectly. So these judges point forward to a judge who is to come. In the short
term this points forward to the kings and specifically to king David. David would
deliver the Israelites from all of their enemies and he would lead Israel in
worshipping the true God. In the long term it points forward to Jesus, the final Judge
who does away with sin and apostasy forever, who defeats all the enemies of Gods
people, and who leads them in eternal worship of the one true God.
What the People Do without a King to Lead Them (Judge 17 21)
The last part of Judges contains two very strange cases, which relate to why kings
are needed. The two stories illustrate two problems that exist because people do
what they wanted to. (1) In the first case, an idol and a priest were stolen and then
used by the tribe of Dan in worship. Because of this, the whole tribe of Dan was
guilty of idolatry. (2) In the second case, as the concubine of a priest passed through
Benjamite territory, she was gang raped. When the other eleven tribes called out
the tribe of Benjamin for such a heinous act, the Benjamites banded together in
defiance. Because of this the eleven tribes ganged up on the tribe of Benjamin and
nearly wiped it out.
These two incidents show two problems. The first case shows that if a whole tribe
worships another god or worships God in the wrong way, there is no one to call
them to account. They must worship the Lord only and they must worship only in
the way that God prescribes. The second case deals with the issue of intertribal
justice. If there is a dispute between two tribes there was no mechanism to handle
the situation.
The Duties of a King
So the military prowess of the judges in Judges 3 16 along with the last two special
cases in the book in Judges 17 21 are being used to show why kings are needed.
The whole book of Judges basically maps out the duties of a king. 1) First, the king
would be the military leader for the nation like a judge. 2) Secondly, a king would
make sure that all people worship the right God and in the right way. The king was
the head of the nation when it came to worship. He was not a priest but he did have
a religious duty to lead the congregation in its worship of the true God. 3) Thirdly,
the king was to settle disputes between tribes. He was like the chief magistrate, the
supreme judge.
Judges Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Moses (the book of Deuteronomy) and Joshua (the book of Joshua) had
warned Israel not to worship any other gods other than the Lord. Did Israel
heed their warning and remain faithful to the Lord? Judges shows us that they
were not faithful. They were enticed by the false gods of the Canaanites and
worshipped them.
2. How did God react to their turning away from him? He disciplined them by
allowing foreign armies to defeat them.

3. What did Israel do when they came under the harsh rule of the Canaanites?
They cried out to God for help.
4. How did God respond to the Israelites cry for help? God raised up a judge
who led Israel in defeating their oppressors.
5. After the judge defeated Israels enemies, Israel once again worshipped God.
What happened after the judge died? The Israelites once again were enticed
by the false gods of the Canaanites and worshipped them. The cycle started
all over again.
6. When Israel did worship the Lord, did they always worship him in the way
that God prescribed? No. An example was given where they worshipped the
Lord in the wrong way. They had idols for the Lord. They had their own
shrines. They made people priests who should not have been priests. They
did what they wanted. They did not follow the Law of Moses. There was no
king to make sure they worshipped the true God and that they worshipped
him in the right way.
7. When there were disputes between tribes, how were they settled? An
example is given of tribes ganging up on other tribes. They fought with each
other. There was no king to administer justice between tribes.
8. Judges shows us what the three main responsibilities of a king would be.
What three things would a king be responsible for? A king would provide
military protection, lead the nation in the proper of worship of God, and
administer justice between the tribes.
Learning About Jesus in Judges
We see and learn about Jesus in Judges in various ways.
Under Joshua God graciously gave Israel the land he promised to their
forefathers. In response to such grace the Israelites remained faithful to the
Lord. But after Joshua died, Judges tells us that Israel began worshipping
other gods, thereby breaking the covenant. Because they rejected God and
his grace, God punished them. This then should serve as a warning for the NT
people of God. The ultimate revelation of Gods grace is shown in the work of
Christ. If the OT people of God were punished for rejecting Gods grace, how
much more will the NT people of God be punished for rejecting the long
promised Savior.
The angel of the Lord is a manifestation of the second person of the Trinity.
He appeared and called Israel to repentance for breaking the covenant by
worshipping the Canaanite gods. In the NT God manifested himself in Son,
Jesus. Jesus message was the same as it was in the OT: repent!
The Holy Spirit played a prominent role in Judges. God placed his Spirit on the
judges and through the power of the Spirit they defeated their enemies and
saved Israel. But the salvation and peace that the judges brought only lasted
for a short period of time. The judges were but a shadow of the great Judge
(Jesus) who was to come. The Spirit descended upon and remained on Jesus.
Jesus battled and defeated all of our spiritual enemies once and for all. And
as a result he provides eternal salvation and rest for all his people.
God promised to be with Gideon and to strike down all the Midianites.
Likewise, in Jesus, God is Immanuel (God with us) and through him, he strikes
down all of our enemies.
God chose Gideon as a judge to save Israel despite the fact that Gideons
clan was the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh and Gideon was the weakest in
his family. Likewise God chose to save the world through Jesus who in
appearance was despised and rejected by men and who in temperament was
meek and mild. This is the Great Reversal where God accomplishes great
things in the most lowly and unexpected ways. Gods power is made perfect
in weakness.
When Gideon won victory, the people tried to make him their king. They did
recognize that God was their king. In the NT God sent his Son as King to the
world to establish his eternal kingdom. Once again the people did not
recognize who their true king was. They mocked him and made fun of him,
giving him a crown of thorns, even as he was defeating mankinds spiritual
enemies.
The last two stories in Judges (Judg. 17-21) illustrate why Gods wrath was
kindled against Israel. They broke both tables of the Law, in their false
worship and shameful treatment of fellow human beings. What is true of
Israel is true of all people in their naturally depraved state. That is why God
sent his only Son Jesus to live the perfect life that we could not and to pay the
punishment that we deserve.

1 & 2 Samuel The Beginning of Kingship in Israel
1 & 2 Samuel deal with the foundation of kingship in Israel. It shows how kings
arose in Israel. God reluctantly gave in to the demands of Israel and gave them
kings. First there was Saul. And then there was David who became the foundation of
the royal family in Israel. These two books cover the short time when these two men
were king. It begins around 1060 BC and ends around 970 BC close to the end of
Davids reign. It covers only 90 years but it is a very dramatic and important period
in Israels history. During this time Israel goes from being a bunch of loose knit
tribes to a kingdom and even an empire that is politically significant.
Through Samuel God Prepares Israel for Kings (1 Sam. 1 7)
The first part of Samuel contains three stories. Since Samuel is all about kingship,
what do these stories have to do with kingship in Israel?
(1) 1 Sam. 1 3. Samuel grew up before the Lord, was called by the Lord, and
became a prophet for the Lord (1 Sam. 3:20). As prophet, Samuel would
receive the Word of the Lord and would make Saul the first king of Israel and
David the second king. Also as a prophet he announced Gods rejection of Eli
as high priest. Because of this God would later raise up the line Zadok for the
high priest. This new and faithful line of high priests would serve Gods
anointed king David.
(2) 1 Sam. 4 6. The capture and restoration of the Ark from the Philistines is a
prelude to king David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem where he would also build
the altar to God. It was around the altar and the Ark that king Solomon would
later build the temple.
(3) In 1 Sam. 7 Samuel is pictured as the last judge of Israel. But instead of
raising up an army, Samuel fought for Israel through prayer and sacrifices.
God heard his prayers and delivered Israel. Therefore the Philistines were
subdued all the days of Samuels life. Because there was peace in the land,
every year Samuel was able to travel a regular circuit through Israelite cities,
judging the disputes of Israel.
These stories then give us a glimpse of some of the main duties of a king. Israels
kings were to listen to God through his prophets, protect Israel from their enemies,
worship and trust the Lord, and maintain justice in the land.
Israel Requests a King Saul Chosen by God as King (1 Sam. 8 10)
When Samuel was old and his sons proved to be corrupt, the elders of Israel asked
Samuel for a king like the other nations. (This was problematic because kings in the
ancient world were associated with pagan gods and idolatry.) By making this
request they were rejecting God as their King. Samuel warned them about how a
king would treat their families but they refused to listen and God gave them their

request. God chose Saul as the first king of Israel and had Samuel privately anoint
him as Israels first leader. Then Samuel gathered the people of Israel together and
cast lots and the lot landed on Saul, publically showing that he was the Lords
choice for king.
God Rejects Saul as King The King of Israel is Subject to Gods Word (1 Sam. 11
15)
Saul started out well as he led the people in victory over the Ammonites and rightly
attributed the victory to the Lord. Samuel exhorted the people and the king to
remain faithful to the Lord. If they did, God would be for them. If they did not, God
would be against them. The king of Israel was to be different than the kings of other
nations. He was to report to and follow the commands of the Lord, Israels heavenly
King. But Saul did not strictly follow the Lords commands. He offered sacrifices
himself instead of waiting for Samuel. He made a rash vow that caused the people
to eat meat with blood in it (this was a pagan practice strictly forbidden by God).
And he did not fully devote to destruction all of the plunder from the Amalekites as
the Lord commanded. Each time when Samuel confronted Saul, Saul tried to cover
up his act of disobedience with a show of pietism. Each time Saul had a chance to
confess his sins and repent but did not do so. Sauls acts of cover up did not fool
Samuel or God and Samuel announced to Saul that because he rejected the word of
the Lord, the Lord had rejected him as king.
God Chooses and Trains David as the Future King of Israel (1 Sam. 16 31)
The Lord then selected David as the next king. He was an unlikely choice because
he was a lowly shepherd boy and the youngest of all his brothers. David then
began a long learning process, an apprenticeship to be king.
He is introduced to the royal palace and the workings of kingship as a harp
player for Saul.
Then he is introduced to the military. He shows his faith in God by fighting
and defeating the Philistine champion Goliath. The Lord was with him as he
defeated the giant with only a sling and a pebble.
David is then taught to deal with adversity, as Saul becomes jealous of him
when the people hold David in higher regard than Saul. As a result Saul tries
to kill David many times.
David learns to survive as he is forced to live on the run in the desert and in
caves.
A group of outcasts soon are his followers. Here David learns to be a leader
and how to deal with all kinds of people. His followers include a prophet and
priest. This rag-tag group would, in time, become the leaders of the
Theocracy.
As Saul tries to kill David, David has several chances to kill Saul, but David
refuses to do so because of his respect for the Lords anointed king.
Davids next move was to live among the Philistines. Most likely God was not
pleased with that but God uses even bad choices to accomplish His purposes.
By living among the Philistines, David gained knowledge of the Philistines
one of Israels main enemies.
While living among the Philistines, David and his men went on raids, which
served to sharpen their military skills and help their fellow Israelites.
With all of these years of training David is now ready to be king as Saul takes
his own life.
David Made King of Israel (2 Sam. 1 5)

2 Samuel opens with David hearing about and mourning the death of Saul, the
Lords anointed king. David is then anointed a second time. This time he is
anointed king of Judah by the men of Judah. Meanwhile Abner, Sauls commander,
set up Sauls son, Ish-Bosheth as king over the northern tribes of Israel. Soon war
broke out between the houses of Saul and David. The conflict lasted several years
and over that time the house of David grew stronger and the house of Saul grew
weaker. Later a rift arose between Ish-Bosheth and Abner, and Abner went over to
Davids side. Abner helped convince the northern tribes to make David king over all
of Israel. But Joab, Davids commander, didnt trust Abner and killed him. IshBosheth was then murdered clearing the way for David.
With their king and his commander dead, all the tribes of Israel came to David and
made him king over them as well. Three reasons are given as to why he was made
king. 1) He was a fellow Israelite. 2) He was a good military leader under Saul. 3)
The Lord had said David would be the shepherd and prince of Israel. As king, David
conquered Jerusalem and made it his royal city. Up to this time Jerusalem had not
been conquered and was not part of any tribe. Strategically it was right in between
the north and the south, making it a safe and good political move. Then David
defeated Israels archenemy the Philistines. Several times, including when he went
up against the Philistines, David inquired of the Lord, showing he took his orders
from the real King the Lord.
God Made a Covenant with David and Established the Davidic Dynasty (2 Sam. 6
9)
David brought Gods royal throne, the Ark, to Jerusalem with great pomp and
circumstance. So not only was Jerusalem the political center, but it was now the
religious center as well. Chapters 7-9 describe Davids kingdom at its height. The
Lord has given Israel rest and David wishes to build the Lord a house (temple) but
God has other plans. Instead the Lord promises/covenants to build a house for
David, a dynasty of kings that will last forever. David responds with a beautiful
prayer. In it he acknowledges the Lord as the One True God, the Lords sovereignty,
and His establishment of Israel as His own. David asks God to keep His promise
that His name would receive glory. The Lord gave David victory over all his
enemies, so that Davids kingdom stretched from Egypt in the south to the
Euphrates in the north. It also briefly mentions Davids rule as being just and right.
And it describes Davids kindness to the house of Saul, in particular to
Mephibosheth (Jonathons son).
Davids Failure and Gods Judgment on David and His Family (2 Sam. 10 21)
Chapter 10 sets the stage for chapters 11 and 12, which is the turning point of
Davids reign. Weve seen David the saint and now we see David the sinner. It

gives background information on the war with the Ammonites, which was the
occasion that led to adultery (with Bathseba) and murder (of Uriah). Uriah is
contrasted with David. Uriah fought for Israel; he refused any comforts of home,
even being with his own wife. He said he couldnt have any comforts while the ark
(God leading the army), Joab, and the army fought. David meanwhile is at home,
living in luxury, lusting over a woman and committing adultery. David sends Uriah
back to war to the front lines where he was killed. Then God confronts David
through the prophet Nathan with a parable. In the verdict rendered by David to the
story told by Nathan, he condemns himself to death. God pronounces judgment on
David. David admits and confesses his sin and Nathan pronounces Gods
forgiveness. David expresses joy in receiving forgiveness in Ps. 32 and 51. But the
consequences of his sin will affect him and his family the rest of his life. David
accepts his punishment. Chapter 12 ends with Solomons birth and it declares
Gods special favor on him.
Chapters 13-20 give the consequences of Davids sin and the succession of the
kingship. David has many wives and concubines. Nothing negative is ever said
about it, but in the following chapters, we see the results of this and Davids sin.
Gods judgment affects him and his family the rest of his life. Davids son, Ammon,
rapes his half sister, Tamar. David is upset but does nothing about it. Absalom,
Tamars full brother, takes revenge on his half-brother and kills him two years later.
Absalom fled and after three years David allows Absalom to return to Jerusalem.
But the king would not see him for another two years. Absalom then conspires and
rebels to take over as king. David has to flee from Jerusalem but he keeps the ark
there, symbolizing Gods continued rule. Then one of Davids people (Hushai)
infiltrates Absaloms advisers and gives Absalom bad advice, appealing to
Absaloms vanity, which allows David to escape. Soon a battle ensued between
Absaloms followers and Davids followers. Davids men under Joab won and
Absalom was killed. David mourns for Absalom. David then tries to put the pieces
of his kingdom back together. But soon another rebellion broke out, which
eventually Joab put down.
David the Avenger, Intercessor, Singer of Psalms, and Altar Builder (2 Sam. 21
24)
Chapters 21-24 are viewed as appendices to the rest of the book. The stories in
these chapters come from different periods of Davids reign. They paint a picture of
David.
David rights the wrong done to the Gibeonites by Saul.
David with his men defeat the Philistines, one of the great enemies of Israel.
David is the singer of psalms in which he praises God for deliverance from his
enemies.
In his last words, David clings to the unconditional promises God made to him
in the covenant.
David is a warrior who leads mighty men in battle. The Lord works through
David and his men to give victory.
The Lord used a sinful deed of David (the taking of an unauthorized census)
to cause David to buy property and build the altar on the spot where the
future temple would be.
David offered sacrifices to avert anymore of Gods wrath and to insure his
blessing instead.
The picture provided of David is generally a picture of what the kings of Israel were
to be like. They were to maintain justice, defend Israel, recognize God as the great
Deliverer, cling to Gods promises, and lead Israel in worship of the one true God.
Summary of Samuel
This book about the origin of kings in Israel began with Samuel. It told of how he
grew up and worked at the sanctuary, how God rejected the priesthood of Eli
through Samuel, how Samuel was called to be a prophet, how the Ark was taken
and returned by the Philistines, and how Samuel led Israel as a judge by interceding
to God and offering sacrifices. The thread that ties all these things together is
worship. The book ends with king David buying the property and building an altar at
the place where the temple will soon be built. So bracketing the core of Samuel (the
kingships of Saul and David) at its beginning and end are stories related to worship.
The reason for this is that there is a strong connection between the kingship and
worship of Israel. Kings would plan the temple (David), build the temple (Solomon),
oversee the operation of the temple, and provide the sacrifices offered at the
temple by the priests in order to avert Gods wrath and insure his blessing.
1&2 Samuel Answer the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Who was the last judge of Israel and what other offices did he hold? Samuel
was the last judge of Israel. He also held the offices of priest and prophet.
2. How did Israel get their first king? They asked Samuel for a king so that they
could be like the other nations. God didnt like their request, but he granted it
anyway. Through Samuel, God chose Saul as Israels first king.
3. How was the king of Israel to be different from the kings of other nations? The
kings of Israel were not considered gods and did not have the ultimate power.
The kings of Israel reported to God who was the ultimate King of Israel. The
kings were required to listen to and obey Gods Word as it was written in the
Pentateuch and spoken through the prophets.
4. Through what means did God reject Saul and choose the next king of Israel?
God had Samuel announce to Saul that God had rejected him as king. And
through the prophet Samuel God chose David as the second king of Israel.
Gods Word through the prophets shaped Israels history.
5. What important covenant did God make with David? God promised David a
dynasty of kings. He unconditionally promised David that his dynasty would
last forever.
6. Davids spectacular sins of adultery and murder show us some important
aspects about kings and God. What were they? Like everyone else, the king is
going to sin. When he does, if he confesses his sin and repents, God will
forgive his sins and cleanse him of his unrighteousness. But even when God
forgives sins, there are consequences of sin and God may allow them to run
their course.
7. From king David, what do we learn about how kings are to rule in Israel? They
were to maintain justice, defend Israel, recognize God as the great Deliverer,
cling to Gods promises, and lead Israel in worship of the one true God.

Learning About Jesus in Samuel
Samuel was a priest, judge, and prophet. He grew up and worked at the
sanctuary. He offered sacrifices. He was the last judge to lead Israel. And God
called him to be a prophet. Through Samuel God shaped Israels history by
ending one dynasty of priests and by choosing and rejecting Saul as king and
by choosing David as king. Samuel was a type of Christ. Christ held these
same offices. As priest Christ sacrificed himself on the cross. As Judge Jesus
leads his people and defeats their enemies. As prophet Jesus both speaks
Gods Word and is Gods Word in the flesh.
God allowed Israel to have kings, but their kings were to be different from the
kings of other nations. They were to listen to and obey Gods word as
recorded in the Pentateuch and spoken by the prophets. As our heavenly
King, Jesus obeyed God the Father when he willingly came to this earth taking
on the form of a man, lived a perfect life, suffered, died, and rose from the
dead. Our King gave himself for us. He willingly subordinated himself in order
to accomplish His Fathers will, which was our salvation.
Young David became the champion of Israel as he went up against Goliath,
the champion of the Philistines. Davids most important weapons as he
fought the giant were the name of the Lord Almighty and his trust in the Lord.
Like Israel, we have a Champion who fights for us Jesus. Like David, Jesus
trusted the Father. He fought off the champion of the forces of evil, the devil,
with Gods Word.
Gods covenant promise to David was that his kingdom would endure forever.
This promise was fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus was born in the line of David. He
became King in his suffering and death. Mockingly he was given a purple
robe, a crown of thorns, and he died as king of the Jews. But that was not
the end. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, where he now
rules as King of kings. His rule will never end.
King David inquired of the Lord; he sought to do Gods will. Likewise, Jesus
was constantly in prayer, talking to the Father and seeking to do his will. And
Jesus carried out the Fathers will perfectly.
David wanted to build a house (a temple) for the Lord. But God preferred a
tent (tabernacle) where he could live among his people. In a similar way, the
Father sent his Son, Jesus, to tabernacle (live) among us. Later God allowed
Solomon to build a more permanent structure, the temple. When Jesus
became incarnate, he tented among us. Jesus now lives among his people in
a permanent structure. That structure is the church, which is made up of all
believers. Jesus dwells within them through his Spirit. The church will last
forever.
The Lord provided Israel with rest from their enemies under David. But that
rest didnt last. A permanent rest would come only when Christ would win a
complete and everlasting victory over all our enemies sin, death and the
Devil. With our enemies vanquished, we now have a lasting rest.
David sinned. God confronted him through the prophet Nathan. In repentance
David confessed his sin and in mercy God forgave his sin. We are like David.
We sin. God confronts us with the Law. In repentance we confess our sins and
then for Christs sake God forgives our sins.
Even though God forgave David, there were consequences for Davids sin. It
affected his entire family. All people are sinful and the consequences of sin
affect the whole world, which makes life in this world hard. But there is hope.
When Jesus returns he will usher in a new heaven and new earth where there
will be no sin or consequences of sin.

1&2 Kings How Gods Gifts of the Temple, Kingship,
and the Land were Lost
As Kings begins God has given Israel two great gifts, the gift of the land and the gift
of kings. In the beginning of Kings God gives Israel a third great gift, the gift of the
temple. The story of Kings then is the story of how Israel lost these three great gifts.
Kings tells the story of how this happened. In a nut shell, it happened because they
were unfaithful to the Lord and worshipped other gods.
Solomon Succeeds David and Builds the Temple (1 Kings 1 11)
This section begins with Solomon succeeding David as king. God gave Solomon
such great wisdom that word of it spread around the world. The highlight of
Solomons rule, as presented by 1 Kings, was his building of the temple. The temple
and its furnishings were patterned after the tabernacle with the dimensions of it
being double the size. Solomon spared no expense as he used the finest wood (the
cedars of Lebanon) and pure gold. The walls were covered with cherubim, palm
trees, and open flowers, which were reminiscent of the paradise of Eden. Through
the atonement made at this place, one could reenter paradise. Then the Ark of the
Covenant was brought from the tabernacle and placed in the Most Holy Place of the
new temple. When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud of Gods
presence filled the temple. The temple was now the place where God would dwell
among his people. Solomons beautiful prayer of dedication of the temple is
recorded for us. In it three themes emerge: Gods name, forgiveness, and prayer. At
this place the God of heaven would give Israel access to himself. Because he would
forgive their sins, the people would have access to God through his holy name and
through prayer at the temple.
All seemed to be going great for Solomon. God had given Solomon great fame and
riches. But even so the seeds of discontent and division were being sown.
Solomons many building projects were accomplished with the forced labor of the
Israelites. Solomon married many foreign women which had been forbidden by God
because he knew they would turn Israel to other gods. And worst of all, Solomon did
indeed join his wives in the worship of their false gods; he did not remain fully
devoted to the Lord like his father David. Because of this, God announced to
Solomon that the kingdom would be torn from him. Vassals in the north (Syria) and
south (Edom) plotted and achieved their independence. And the discontent within
the kingdom found a leader in Jeroboam, who had been put in charge of all the
forced labor by Solomon. As Jeroboam rebelled, Solomon tried to kill him and
Jeroboam fled to Egypt. When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam was set to
succeeded Solomon as king.
The Divided Kingdom (1 Kings 12 2 Kings 17)

After Solomon died, the Israelites gathered at Shechem to make Rehoboam king.
When Jeroboam heard of Solomons death, he returned from Egypt and went with
the people to Shechem. The people demanded that Rehoboam lift the heavy yoke of
harsh labor imposed by Solomon. When Rehoboam refused, ten of tribes in
the north broke away and made Jeroboam their king. Only Davids tribe of
Judah and the tribe of Benjamin remained loyal to Rehoboam. The
kingdom of Israel had split in two.
A major problem for Jeroboam was that the temple was in Jerusalem, which was
controlled by Rehoboam. To prevent his people from going to Jerusalem to worship,
he set up two new places of worship, one in Bethel and one in Dan. When he did, he
committed a great sin. He did the following:
1) He worshipped the right God but in the wrong way. He set up idols for the Lord.
2) He established unauthorized shrines on high places. The only place where they
were authorized by God to build an altar was in Jerusalem.
3) He built an unauthorized altar at Bethel.
4) He established an unauthorized festival. He moved the Feast of Weeks back one
month.
5) He consecrated and ordained unauthorized people to be priests.
6) He established himself as chief priest at Bethel.
So the sin of Jeroboam has to do with idolatry and unauthorized means of
worship. When it refers to the sin of Jerobaom throughout Kings, this is what it is
talking about.
The kingdom of Israel remained divided from 892 BC to 721 BC. This large section of
kings that we are looking at gives the history of kings during this period. It is hard to
follow because it covers the kings of both the north and the south. As their stories
are told, two kings serve as models and points of comparison. King David is the
model of a faithful king. He was the model in the following ways: David always
worshipped the Lord. He led the nation in the worship of the Lord. He never
worshipped any of the false pagan gods. When David sinned, he confessed his sin
and repented. David saw that his most important duty as king was to care for the
holy things of God. Jeroboam on the other hand was the model of an
unfaithful king because of the things just outlined above. So each of the kings of
the north was compared to Jeroboam, whether they followed his sinful ways or not
(most did). And each of the kings of Judah was compared to David, whether they
followed the faithful ways of king David (some did, but many did not).
The kings of Israel (the north) followed the idolatrous ways of Jeroboam. And
unfortunately many of the kings of the south also led Judah into the worship of
Canaanite gods through idols. The use of idolatry opened up the way to all
kinds of false worship. What began as worship of the Lord through idols in the
north escalated into worship of other gods. This included the worship of Molech,

which required child sacrifice. Then the worship of these gods was brought right in
to the temple and the false gods were worshipped right along side of the Lord. And
it continued to escalate with astrology (worship of the sun and moon), divination,
sorcery, magic, and the occult. Idolatry opened the door to all kinds disgusting
things. This is why God forbid any kind of idols in the first place. That door was to
remain closed so that these things would not happen.
In an effort to call Israel and Judah back to himself, the Lord sent
prophets to both the north and south. Their basic message was: Repent!
Turn from your false gods back to the Lord, the one true God. Some of the
prophets God used were:
Through a prophet God confronted Jeroboam about the altar he built at Bethel
and through the prophet Ahijah God revealed that because of his evil God
would cut off the family of Jeroboam; it would no longer exist.
God sent the prophet Elijah to confront the king of Israel, Ahab, his wife
Jezebel, and the prophets of Baal. He also confronted Ahab and Jezebel about
their confiscation of Naboths vineyard. The prophet Micaiah warned Ahab not
to war against Syria. But when Ahab did not listen, he lost his life. Through
the prophet Elijah God told Amaziah, Ahabs son, that he would die from an
injury he had sustained and he did.
Elijah was to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha to carry out Gods judgment
against evil. He anointed Elisha as his successor. Later Elisha finished Elijahs
work by having Hazael and Jehu anointed. Elisha was also known for doing a
whole series of miracles. These miracles showed that the Lord was the Living
God who was gracious and merciful and could deliver his people from their
troubles if they would only turn to him. On his death bed, Elisha prophesied
that Israel would defeat Syria three times.
Did the kings and the people listen to the prophets and repent of their sins? Over
and over, king after king, we read, And he did what was evil in the sight of the
Lord. This is the evaluation of almost every king of the north and of many kings in
the south. God sent the prophets to Israel and Judah with the message, Turn from
your evil ways. And their response was, But they would not listen. Because
they would not listen to his prophets and repent of their sins, God
removed Israel from his sight. He banished them to exile (2 Kings 17:7-23).
This is what God warned of in the Pentateuch and this is what he warned through
his prophets. But the kings and people did not heed his warnings. Israel (the
northern kingdom) ceased to exist as the Assyrians scattered them in exile. Out of
mercy, for the time being, God spared Judah.
The Destruction of Judah and Jerusalem (2 Kings 18 25)

As we just saw, because of their wicked ways Israel provoked Gods anger and he
removed them from the land. Was Judah any better? 2 Kings 17:19 says, Judah also
did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs
that Israel had introduced. So the answer is, no. At the time that Assyria destroyed
the northern kingdom, Hezekiah was king in the southern kingdom. All of Judah had
fallen to the Assyrians except for Jerusalem. It looked as if it was just a matter of
time before Jerusalem would fall too. But Hezekiah followed in the ways of David,
trusting in the Lord. Hezekiahs faith was well placed as God suddenly delivered
Jerusalem from the hands of the Assyrians as he had promised he would do through
the prophet Isaiah. Towards the end of Hezekiahs reign though, God warned
through the prophet Isaiah that in the future the Babylonians would defeat Judah,
carry away the plunder of victory, and take away their sons and daughters to serve
Babylon. So they escaped destruction by the Assyrians now, but because
they would continue in their sins, they would not escape the Babylonians
later.
Succeeding Hezekiah was his son Manasseh. Manasseh led Judah into the worship of
false gods as Ahab had done to Israel. Of Manasseh the scriptures say, Manasseh
led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the LORD
destroyed before the people of Israel. Because the evil of Manasseh was so
great, God sent prophets to pronounce his judgment on Judah. He said he
would bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah and would wipe them out.
Later when king Josiah reigned the Book of the Law (the book of Deuteronomy or
the Pentateuch) was found by the high priest Hilkiah. When Josiah heard what the
book said, he went into mourning, for he knew Judah had worshipped other gods
and had not kept Gods Law and that the end result of it would be the covenant
curses exile from the land. Josiah inquired of the Lord through the prophetess
Huldah and God announced that because of the repentance shown by Josiah
he would wait to carry out his wrath against Judah until after Josiah had
died.
Then Josiah carried out a whole series of reforms in accordance to the Book of the
Law. First he read the Book of the Law to the people. Then he and the people
covenanted with the Lord to follow him and to keep his commandments. He
removed from the temple everything related to false gods and burned them. He did
away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the
high places. He took down the Asherah pole at the temple and burned it. He also did
away with the shrine prostitutes at the temple. He desecrated all of the high places
and tore down the shrines. He did away with child sacrifice to Molech. He did away
with the worship of the sun god. He pulled down and smashed to pieces the
unauthorized altars built by the kings of Judah. He demolished the altar and high
place at Bethel that Jeroboam built. He did the same to the shrines and high places
in Samaria. He had the people celebrate the Passover. He got rid of the mediums,

spiritists, idols, and household gods. Josiah turned to the Lord with all of his heart
and soul and strength.
In spite of all these reforms, it was too late. God had made up his mind to remove
Judah from his presence as he had done to Israel. The kings that succeeded Josiah
did evil as prior kings had done and the Lord sent the Babylonians to destroy
Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple as he warned he would do through his
prophets. The king and his officials, along with the craftsmen and leading men,
were taken away to Babylon, leaving only the poorest people. A puppet king
(Zedekiah) was set up by Babylon, but he rebelled. The response of the Babylonians
was to completely destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. 2 Kings ends with king
Jehoiacin, who had surrendered to the Babylonians and had been imprisoned, being
released. The line of Davidic kings had not died out; there was a tiny glimmer of
hope for the future.
Kings Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Who succeeded David as king and what two things was he known for? Davids
son Solomon succeeded David as king. He was known for his wisdom and as
the one who built the temple for the Lord.
2. What was the purpose of the temple? It was the place where the Lord would
live among his people, give people access to his holy name, forgive people
their sins, and hear the prayers of his people.
3. What was the primary cause of the split of Israel into two kingdoms? Solomon
introduced forced labor for his building projects. And Rehoboam, Solomons
successor, promised to continue the force labor. So ten of the twelve tribes
broke away and made Jeroboam their king.
4. What was Jeroboams biggest problem and what did he do about it? The
temple was in the south at Jerusalem. He didnt want his people to go there
to worship. So he made his own places of worship, means of worship (idols
and high places), and priests.
5. What did God think about the worship system Jeroboam created? He said it
was evil. God had not authorized any of it.
6. In following the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, what two kings
became the standards by which the other kings were compared to? The
northern kings were compared to Jeroboam, whether they did evil as he did.
The southern kings were compared to David, whether they followed the Lord
only as David did.
7. What kinds of things did idol worship lead to? It led to the worship of other
gods, and then to worship of other gods in the temple, and then to astrology,
divination, sorcery, magic, and the occult.
8. When the kings of the north or the south did these kinds of evil, who did God
send to them and what was their message? God sent prophets to speak his
word to them. Gods message to them through the prophets was: Repent!
Return to me and worship me alone!
9. What did God threaten to do if the kings and the people continued in their
idolatrous ways? God threatened to kick them out of the land.

10.In the end did the people of Israel and Judah listen to Gods Word through the
prophets and what was the result of it? They did not listen. They continued to
worship other gods. Therefore God kicked his people out of the land, first the
northern kingdom and then the southern kingdom.
11.What three great gifts from God did Israel lose because of their refusal to
repent and worship the Lord only? They lost the promised land, kingship, and
the temple. God had warned them. They would not listen and repent. And
God kept his Word.
Learning About Jesus in Kings
When Solomon became king, David had him publically ride his royal mule,
showing that David sanctioned Solomon as his successor. Centuries later one
greater than Solomon (Jesus) entered Jerusalem riding a mule and the
people greeted him with shouts of Hosanna! In doing so Jesus did indeed
claim to be a king, but his kingdom was not of this world. In fact he would be
King over all kings.
Solomon was given practical wisdom. In the beginning of his reign he was
also spiritually wise as he walked in the Lords ways. True wisdom is knowing
God as your Rescuer, Redeemer, and Savior. Christians know God; they know
him as their Rescuer, Redeemer and Savior when they know Jesus. Jesus is
their wisdom; he is their righteousness, holiness and redemption.
God lived among his people at the temple. He was enthroned in the Holy of
Holies as he sat upon the Mercy Seat between the Cherubim. In the NT God
continues to live among his people in the person of his Son, Jesus. The Son of
God came to earth to dwell (tabernacle, see John 1) with us. He lives in us
now by his Spirit. And his throne is our hearts.
The temple was adorned with precious metals, gold, silver, and bronze. They
were a sign that a King lived there. Jesus is our King, but he did not look or
act like the kings that we know. As King, he was humble and became poor
that we might receive the riches of heaven.
In his temple dedication prayer, Solomon asked God to hear the prayers of his
people when they prayed to him at the temple. In the NT God invites us to
pray and he promises to hear our prayers when they are prayed in Jesus
name.
David believed in and worshipped only the Lord. He had nothing to do with
any of the false gods. Because of this he became the standard by which the
kings were measured and compared. Likewise, Jesus willingly came to earth
and carried out his mission of living a perfect life, suffering, dying, and rising
from the dead at the request of God the Father. He carried out the Fathers
will in order that we might be saved.
When the kings of Israel and Judah led Israel astray, God sent prophets to
speak his word to them. His message through the prophets was: Repent! Turn
away from your false gods and turn instead to me. When Jesus came his
message was similar: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! He came
to turn us from our false gods to the only living and true God.
A large portion of Kings is about the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was
known for his confrontation and condemnation of evil king Ahab and the
prophets of Baal. Elisha was known for performing many miracles where God
showed his power and grace toward his people. As Joshua succeeded and
completed the work of Moses, so Elisha succeeded and completed the work
of Elijah. And both of these pairs foreshadowed and looked forward to a new
pair in the NT, John the Baptist and Jesus. John was fiery and called people to
repentance like Elijah. Jesus performed many miracles like Elisha, displaying
Gods power and grace towards people. For each miracle performed by
Elisha, Jesus performed a similar miracle.
All of the kings of Israel and most of the kings of Judah did evil in the eyes of
the Lord. Two kings of Judah are singled out because, like David, they
worshipped the one true God. Hezekiah was known for his trust in the Lord
and Josiah was known for his reforms, for his implementation of the Law.
These two kings pointed forward to Jesus who completely trusted God the
Father and perfectly did his will.

Isaiah How God Deals with and Plans to Use
Jerusalem/Zion
Isaiah, the First of the Latter Prophets, Has a Vision about Judah and Jerusalem
Isaiah begins the third major set of scrolls of the OT. First there were the five scrolls
of the Pentateuch (Genesis Deuteronomy). Then there were the four scrolls of the
Former Prophets (Joshua Kings). Now comes the four scrolls of the Latter Prophets
(Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Minor Prophets). Chronologically Isaiah is not the
first of the Latter Prophets. So why does it come first? It comes first because the
prophet Isaiah gives the big picture. And if you dont get the big picture, you will not
understand the rest of the prophets correctly. This means that you need to
understand the work of all the other prophets in the light of the prophet Isaiah.
To see what Isaiah is about, we look at the heading of the book, Is. 1:1. What is
recorded in the book of Isaiah is a vision that Isaiah had about Judah and Jerusalem.
Since Isaiah saw a vision, Isaiah writes in picture language that describes what he
saw. As we read it, we must try and imagine and picture in our own minds what
Isaiah saw. What Isaiah saw was primarily about Jerusalem. Jerusalem is not only the
royal city but also the holy city, the place where the temple was. Every single part
of Isaiah focuses on Jerusalem and how God will use Jerusalem to benefit the whole
world.
What Job Does God Have for Isaiah?
The foundational vision for Isaiahs ministry is in Is. 6. In it Isaiah saw the Lord
sitting upon his throne in heaven surrounded by seraphim (angels) who were
praising him. Heaven is the place where the course of history is determined. And in
this vision Isaiah sees a decision that has been made in heaven that will affect the
history of Judah and Jerusalem. God needs a volunteer to go to Jerusalem and tell
them what decision he has made. Isaiah volunteered to go. Isaiah learns that his
task will be to go and proclaim this message to a people who are deaf, dumb and
blind. Isaiah will proclaim the message, but the people will refuse to listen and
repent and the land will be laid waste. God will cut Israel and Judah down until there
is only a stump left. But there is a glimmer of hope as a shoot will grow from the
stump, new life will appear.
Isaiah Gives the Big Picture Purpose of Jerusalem a Place Where the Nations will
Worship the Lord
The prevailing theology of that day was that God was going to set up a world empire
which would be ruled by the king of Israel and Jerusalem would be its capital. But in
Isaiah God paints a different picture. Jerusalem would not be the center of a world

empire, rather it would be the center of world-wide worship of the Lord. Isaiah sees
the nations of the world worshipping God together with the Jews. But all the nations
of the world were rebellious against God. So God will judge the nations. But his
judgment will start with his own people, Israel and Judah. Gods judgment of
Jerusalem is a prelude to his judgment of the nations. And in a similar way, Gods
deliverance of Jerusalem under Hezekiah and his deliverance of his people from
exile in Babylon is a prelude of his deliverance of all the nations of the earth from
sin. All people who repent will be saved, both Jews and Gentiles. Lastly and most
importantly, God made wonderful promises of what he had in mind for the holy city.
But those promises for Jerusalem will not be fulfilled in this age but in the age to
come. Gods promises about the earthly Jerusalem will be fulfilled in the eternal
heavenly Jerusalem.
Isaiah Structured Around Three Crises
The three main parts of Isaiah revolve around three major crises in the history of
Jerusalem and the temple.
1. Is. 1 39 has to do with the Assyrian crisis. At that time (742 701 BC) the
Assyrians were the dominant world power. Israel (the Northern Kingdom)
formed an alliance with Syria against the Assyrians. Judah would not join the
alliance. The Assyrians came and wiped out Syria and Israel. The Assyrians
then turned and defeated all of Judah except for Jerusalem. When things
looked hopeless for Jerusalem God miraculously delivered it, sparing Judah
from exile for the time being.
2. Is. 40 55 has to do with the Babylonian crisis. The Babylonians had
reemerged as a world empire and had defeated the Assyrians. In 597 BC the
Babylonians captured Jerusalem and deported important members of the
ruling class. Later when Judah rebelled, the Babylonians came in and utterly
destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. They carried off the remaining citizens
of Jerusalem to exile in 586 BC.
3. Later the Persians rose up and established their own world empire and
defeated the Babylonians. The Persians had a policy of allowing citizens of
defeated countries to go back and resettle their country. Is. 56 66 deals with
the time when the Israelites were allowed by Persians to return and rebuild
Jerusalem and the temple. Some Israelites returned and began rebuilding.
They believed that God would also give them their kings back and that they
would once again be an independent nation. But God had other plans. In the
future they would have a king, but he would be a different kind of king; he
would be an eternal king.
Is. 2:1-4 The Foundational Vision of Jerusalem

The foundational vision for Jerusalem in Isaiah is found in Is. 2:1-4. Here God tells of
his plans for Jerusalem. In the latter days (the time of overlap between the old
age and the new eternal age, the time between Jesus first coming and the end of
the world) God will make Jerusalem (symbolic of the church) a place of worship not
only for the Jews but also for the nations. In worship people from all over the world
will learn Gods ways of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. God will use worship at
Jerusalem (the church) to establish peace. God will use worship to establish his rule
in the world liturgically instead of politically. In Gods kingdom the sword will not be
necessary. This vision is of great importance. In a way the rest of Isaiah explains it.
Part 1: Is. 1 39 - Gods Uses the Assyrians for His Purposes
In the foundational vision of Jerusalem (Is. 2:1-4) we see that God has great plans
for Jerusalem as a worldwide center of worship but the people of Jerusalem are
wicked and unfaithful. And the people of the nations throughout the world are no
different. How will God carryout such great plans with these rebellious people?
(Is. 1-6) First God will start with his own people. He will refine and purify his
people as one burns away the dross from precious metals. His fire will be his
judgment. He will bring his judgment against Judah and Jerusalem to burn
away their sin and humble their haughty hearts. In the heavenly court God
makes a case against his people. He has been gracious to them and they
have responded with evil. Therefore God has rendered a verdict of guilty
against them. God allowed Isaiah to be a witness of this heavenly court case
and called him as a prophet to go and tell what he has seen and heard.
Through his judgment God will cut Israel down until there is only a stump left.
(Is. 7-12) Judah and Jerusalem are threatened by an alliance between Israel
and Syria. God tells Ahaz, Judahs king, not to worry. God will whistle and call
in the king of the Assyrians whose army will wipe them out. God will use
Assyria as his ax. He will cut down Israel and Judah, leaving only a stump
(Jerusalem). Assyria will take great pride in their devastation of the nations.
But it will be short lived because when God is through using them as his ax,
he will turn his fierce wrath against them and destroy them. Although Israel
and Judah will be reduced to a stump, in the future from this stump will come
a shoot, a branch. This Branch will be the messianic King. He will rule in
righteousness and gather the remnant of Gods scattered people. When the
remnant returns, they will give thanks and praise the God of their salvation.
(Is. 13-23) God used Assyria to bring judgment on wayward Israel and Judah
in order that they might see the error of their ways and return to him. Next
God uses Assyria to judge the nations. They oppose God and do what they
can to prevent his kingdom from coming. God will use the evil Assyrians to

put down the nations and to promote his plan and purposes. Through Isaiah
God announces his sentence on the nations. The God who created the
heavens and the earth and who makes and controls history has spoken and
will most assuredly carry out what he has determined will happen. The
nations are arrogant and worship their own made up gods. God will show
them that they cannot depend upon themselves or their false gods. Israel and
Judah are no better than the nations. Through alliances and idolatry they cast
their lot with the nations and their gods. Therefore Gods judgment on them
will be their call to repentance.
(Is. 24-27) Gods judgment on Israel and Judah (Is. 1-12) was a prelude to his
judgment on the nations (Is. 13-23). Likewise, Gods judgment on the nations
is a prelude to the final Day of the Lord when God will judge the whole earth.
Every Day of the Lord is a day of wrath and a day of deliverance. On the Last
Day all of the enemies of God will go down to defeat and all the people of
God, those who put their trust in him, will be delivered and be joyful and
celebrate. It will be the ultimate great reversal. The strong and ruthless will
be brought down and the weak and humble will be raised up. Grief and
despair will give way to a joyous celebration. Even death will be swallowed
up. Gods people look forward to that Day, putting their trust in God and his
righteousness. The story of Israel is the story of all of Gods people of all time.
They were chosen and blessed by God, but they were unfaithful. God
disciplines his wayward people by sending them into exile. When they have
repented he brings them back to himself. So on the Last Day God will redeem
his people and bring his people from all over the earth to the heavenly
Jerusalem, where they will eternally praise him for his providential care,
discipline, and redemption.
(Is. 28-33) The attention of Is. 13-27 was on the nations. Now in Is. 28-33 the
focus returns to Gods people. Gods judgment will begin with his own people.
God pronounces a series of six woes. His judgment will first come on Israel
because they dismiss his prophets. Then it will come upon Jerusalem because
they go through the motions of worship with unrepentant hearts. He judges in
order to purify his people in order that they might be a blessing to the nations
as he intends them to be. Instead of trusting in the Lord, they seek safety
through alliances. These alliances will only bring them humiliation. But God
will use the affliction they bring on themselves to teach his people and when
they cry out to him for help he will miraculously deliver them from the
Assyrians. The destroyer of nations will be destroyed by God.
(Is. 34-35) As the judgment of the nations in Is. 13-23 led into the Day of the
Lord in Is. 24-27, a day of Gods wrath against evil and deliverance of those
who trust in him, so the woes on the wicked in Is. 28-33 lead into the Day of
the Lord in Is. 34-35. On that day the enemies of God and his people, as

represented by Edom, will be destroyed (later Assyria and Babylon were
destroyed) and those who wait on the Lord will be vindicated (the remnant of
Israel and Judah returned from exile). It will be a day of transformation. The
land of the wicked will be changed from a prosperous land into a waste land
and the people of God will be forever changed from being weak and fearful to
strong and courageous, to experiencing eternal joy. This is done when they
are brought into Gods presence at the temple in Jerusalem (represents the
church) via the Way of Holiness (Christ).
(Is. 36-39) The background to chapters 36 and 37 is that Israel (the Northern
Kingdom) has fallen to the Assyrians and all of Judah has fallen too except for
Jerusalem. Hezekiah is king and Jerusalem is surrounded by the Assyrian
army. Despite the desperate situation, Isaiah urges Hezekiah not to surrender
but instead to trust that the Lord will deliver them as he promised. Hezekiah
does trust God and God miraculously over night does deliver Jerusalem from
the Assyrians. The prophecies of Isaiah came true. God kept his word.
The incident recorded in Is. 38-39 provides a link to the next major part of the
book. Earlier in Hezekiahs life, Hezekiah was sick and about to die. Hezekiah
fervently prayed to God and God graciously gave him another 15 years. The
king of Babylon heard about Hezekiahs sickness and recovery and sent an
envoy with letters and a present for Hezekiah. Hezekiah welcomed the envoy
and showed him all of the riches of his kingdom. Isaiah used this occasion to
announce that in the future all of the riches of Judah would be carried off to
Babylon and that some of the kings son would be carried to Babylon also.
The second part of Isaiah then addresses the needs of Gods people after
they have been exiled to Babylon some 100 years later as Isaiah had
prophesied.
Part 2: Is. 40 55: God Delivers His People Through His Servant Cyrus and Through
the Suffering Servant
In this part of the book, Isaiah looks into the future when the people of Judah and
Jerusalem are in exile in Babylon. This part of the book focuses on events that
occurred between 539 BC 537 BC. In 539 BC the Babylonian empire was destroyed
by the Persians. And in 537 BC the Persian king ordered the Jewish leaders to go and
rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. So this part revolves around that command to
return and the small remnant that did return to rebuild it. The focus here then is on
Zion at the end of Babylonian exile.
Its hard to divide the second part of Isaiah because it is all so intricately interwoven
together. But you can divide it into three general parts.
(Is. 40) Gods preparation to bring his people back home from exile to Zion.
Gods people had been in exile for 70 years. It appeared as if they would be
assimilated into the Babylonian people and their identity as a people and
nation would be forever lost. But suddenly there is Good News for this forlorn
people: their hardship was over; their iniquity was pardoned. A voice cries out
in the wilderness that God will not let any obstacle scuttle his plans to come
and redeem his people. No one or nothing can stop the Creator of the
universe, who alone determines the course of history, from carrying out his
plan to come and get his people like a shepherd gathering his flock and bring
them back to himself in Jerusalem. From there he would cause them to be a
blessing to all the nations of the earth as he first promised Abraham.
(Is. 41-48) The Lord has stirred up a king in the east (the Persian king Cyrus)
to serve God, carrying out his righteous purposes. Through Cyrus God will
restore his people. The Lord has not forsaken his people. Instead he has come
to help and redeem his people. Cyrus is a servant of the Lord who will be
used by God to return his people from exile to the promised land. But God
promises to send a much greater Servant, The Servant who will come to
redeem all people who are in bondage to sin.
(Is. 49-55) There are four psalms in this part of Isaiah that tell us about The
Servant who is to carry out Gods mission for Zion: 42:1-4; 49:1-7; 50:4-9;
and 52:13 53:12. They tell us that: (1) the Servant will be a King who is
empowered by Gods Spirit and who is gentle with the weak and brings
justice to the nations through his teaching. (2) The Servants task is not only
to bring Israel back to God, but to also bring Gods light and salvation to the
nations and to bring them to God. (3) The Servant is The Prophet who speaks
Gods word to the people, but the people reject him and Gods word. Yet he
remains faithful and relies on God for vindication. (4) The Servant is a High
Priest who sprinkles the blood of atonement for the nations. The blood that he
sprinkles is his own as he sacrifices his life on behalf of the people in order
that they might return to God. Through his shed blood and sacrifice he
justifies sinners by bearing their sins and giving them his life. As High Priest
he also intercedes for the transgressors whom he gives his life for.
Based on the work of the Servant/Messiah/King/High Priest, the Servant will
throw a banquet, a life-giving, life-sustaining meal. He invites sinners from all
over the world. Its a free meal in which the Messiah extends the covenant
with David to all people and in which all are invited to come, repent, and
receive mercy. All the people who indulge in this meal will praise God, bear
witness to God, and call on the nations to repent.
Part 3: Post-Exilic Zion Under the Persians and Heavenly Zion

Part 3 can be broken into three parts:
In Is. 56 59 God vindicates the righteous people of Zion (those whom God
has made righteous) and brings judgment on the unrighteous. This includes
all Jews and Gentiles (foreigners and eunuchs) who trust in the Lord and who
live faithful and righteous lives. The righteous stand in contrast to the
unknowing and uncaring shepherds of Gods people and to those who have
forsaken the Lord for idols and live unrighteous lives. The righteous confess
and turn from their sins to the Lord. They seek to help those in need. The
unrighteous go through religious motions but their hypocritical hearts
continue in wickedness and oppress the hungry, homeless, and naked. The
unrighteous flout Gods grace and will and therefore receive his wrath.
In Is. 60 62 God glorifies Zion as an international place of worship. The light

of Gods salvation offered at Jerusalem will draw men out of the darkness of
sin. Israels deliverance from extinction in Babylon serves as a predictive
prophecy of the release of all repentant sinners from the sentence of eternal
death. Just like exiled Israel, they will experience the Great Reversal. A
Messenger announces and carries out this Good News. The once desolate and
deserted Jerusalem will be rebuilt and be once again the place of Gods
sanctuary. To it her Savior will come and its inhabitants (the repentant people
of God, both Jews and Gentiles) will be redeemed and made holy.
In Is. 63 66, after his final judgment, God makes the whole city of Jerusalem
his temple in the new heaven and new earth. God had graciously redeemed
Israel from slavery in Egypt and given them the promised land. But Israel
spurned his grace and time after time worshipped other gods. Therefore God
would send them into exile. Having repented of their sin, Isaiah led Israel in
prayer, asking God to come down and be gracious to them again. Gods
response was that those who persist in rebellion and idolatry will face his
wrath, but those who turn to him and remain faithful can look forward to joy
and peace. The story of Israels return to the promised land and its rebuilding
of Jerusalem looks forward to the End. Those who ignore the one true God will
face his eternal wrath. Those who turn to him in repentance and faith can
look forward to the peace and joy of the heavenly Jerusalem. The Good News
will go out to the nations and the nations will come to the heavenly temple in
the heavenly Jerusalem where their praise to God will never end. This is the
fulfillment and culmination of the basic vision in chapter 2 where it said God
would make Jerusalem the place of worship for all the nations of the earth.
The Purpose of Isaiah

1. It shows us why God allowed his holy city Jerusalem to be destroyed and its
citizens to be exiled.
2. It shows us what Gods plans are for Zion in dealing with the whole world.
3. It shows us when and how Gods promises for Zion, the city of Jerusalem,
would be fulfilled.
Generally speaking, this book is most important for us Christians because all the
prophecies of Zion/Jerusalem ultimately have to do with the church and the role of
the church in Gods plan for the whole world. The church is the city of God. The
church is the New Jerusalem. The church is the place where we have access to God
and his presence here on earth. The church is the place where the Messiah reigns
here on earth. Etc., etc. So all these prophecies have to do with the church and have
been, will be, and are being fulfilled in and through the church.
Isaiah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. What was Gods overall goal for Zion/Jerusalem? His goal is to make
Jerusalem into a world-wide place of worship in which both Jews and Gentiles
together worship God.
2. What major problem or obstacle did God have to overcome to make his goal
for Jerusalem happen? The Jews and the Gentiles are sinful, have other gods,
and refuse to repent and turn back to God.
3. How does God overcome this obstacle? He brought judgment on Israel and
Judah and on the nations. God always judges in order to save. That is, his
judgment is meant to get peoples attention and to cause them to repent, to
turn back to him.
4. What kind of judgment did God bring upon Israel and Judah and Jerusalem?
God used the Assyrians as his ax against Israel and Judah until only a stump
(Jerusalem) was left. God used the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and the
temple and to take his people into exile.
5. What kind of judgment did God bring upon the nations that surrounded and
interacted with Israel and Judah? God brought his judgment against the
nations through Assyria and Babylon. They defeated the nations and made
them a part of their empires.
6. When God was done using the Assyrians and Babylonians to bring about his
judgment, how did he then bring his judgment upon them? God used the
Babylonians to defeat and end the Assyrian empire. God used the Persians to
defeat and end the Babylonian empire.
7. How did exile affect Gods people? They repented of their sin and turned back
to the only true God.
8. How did God deliver his people from exile? God used Persian King Cyrus and
his policies to allow a remnant of Israel to return to Jerusalem to rebuild.

Through Cyrus, God had come to his people as a Shepherd to gather his
people and bring them back to himself.
9. What is the Day of the Lord? And when did it occur for Israel and Judah? It is a
day when God intervenes and brings judgment and/or deliverance. It
occurred in 722 BC for Israel when they were destroyed by the Assyrians. It
occurred in 586 BC for Jerusalem when it was destroyed by the Babylonians.
It occurred in 537 BC when Cyrus gave the orders for the remnant of Gods
people to return and rebuild the temple and Jerusalem.
10.What Day of the Lord did these Days of the Lord look forward to? These Days
looked forward to the final Day of the Lord when God will bring his final
judgment and final deliverance.
11.When did and will the final Day of the Lord occur? Who will the final Day of
the Lord center on? And what does he do? The final Day of the Lord occurred
when Gods Son died on the cross and three days later rose from the dead.
Jesus took Gods full judgment in the place of sinners and made their
deliverance from eternal death possible. This final Day of the Lord will be
consummated on the Last Day. Jesus is the Messiah/Suffering Servant/King
that Isaiah speaks of.
12.Ultimately in what is Gods plan to make Jerusalem into a worldwide place of
worship for Jews and Gentiles fulfilled? The earthly Jerusalem looks forward to
the heavenly Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem is the church. It is the place
where God is present and people from all over the world come to worship
him. This worldwide worship begins now on earth and will continue forever in
heaven.
Learning About Jesus in Isaiah
Zion is mentioned throughout Isaiah. The temple was built on Mt. Zion in
Jerusalem. Therefore Zion refers to Gods presence among his people. OT
Zion then looks forward to the NT church. The focus of the church is on Jesus,
for it is only through Jesus that it is possible to come into Gods holy
presence. Therefore he is the Way into the church and the chief cornerstone
on which the church is built.
(Is. 7:10-17) God had promised king Ahaz that he would not allow Syria and
Israel to defeat Judah. God gave a sign that God was with the people of
Jerusalem. In a period of nine months, the time it takes for a woman to
become pregnant and give birth to a child, it will be clear that God is with
them, protecting them. This will be so clear that a child born under these
circumstances will be called Immanuel God with us. The NT reveals the
ultimate meaning of this prophecy. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the
Virgin Mary would become pregnant and give birth to Gods Son and he would
literally be Immanuel, God with us.
(Is. 9:2-7) As the people of God sit in darkness and dread of the Assyrians,
God gives hope that one day he will destroy the enemies of his people. Gods
miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem at the time of Hezekiah looks forward to

the Messianic King who will come as a child who will do miraculous things for
Gods people, who will be Almighty God himself, who will be an everlasting
provider and protector, and who will permanently heal the rift between God
and people, and who will rule on Davids throne in justice and righteousness
forever. The only one this could be talking about is Jesus. He is the Christ
(Messiah, Anointed One). He is the King of all kings. He came as a child. He
did miracles. He is God in the flesh. He watches over and cares for Gods
people. He came to be the stairway that reconnects heaven and earth. He
rules now and forevermore.
(Is. 11:1-10) When God sent Judah into exile, he cut off the kings of David.
But God promised a shoot or branch would grow from the stump of Jesse,
another Davidic king would arise. This king would be filled with the Spirit and
he would deal with evil and the Evil One with his word and Spirit. And the
result of his rule would a return to paradise. And as a result the nations will
come to him. This again refers to Jesus who was from the line of David, who
was anointed with the Spirit, whose made things happen by simply speaking
the word, who crushed the Evil One, who ushers all those who trust in him
into the paradise of heaven, and whom the nations are drawn to.
(Is. 40:3-11) prepare the way of the LORD; ... And the glory of the LORD shall
be revealed ... In the short term this speaks of God coming as a Shepherd to
his exiled people in Babylon to gather them and to bring them home. In doing
so, all the nations would see the Lord in action delivering his people. This is
good news for the exiles. In the long term the NT tells us that it refers to John
the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus by preaching repentance. In the
person of Jesus God has come to redeem his people. When one sees Jesus,
one sees God at work saving a sinful world. Since Jesus is God, when one
sees Jesus and the work that he does, one sees the glory of God. This is the
Good News of the Gospel. The Good Shepherd has come to find his lost lambs
and carry them home.
(Is. 42:1-4) This is the first Servant psalm. It is quoted in Mt. 12:18-21 and it
refers to Jesus, a King who is different. He is chosen by God and endowed
with the Spirit. His task is to extend Gods rule to the nations. His rule is
compassionate and gentle and just. At his ascension Jesus was coronated as
King of the universe.
(Is. 49:1-7) The task given to the Servant was not just to save and restore
Israel and Judah, but to bring Gods salvation to the whole world. And though
the Servant was despised, in the end God would exalt him and all would bow
before him. The Lord Jesus came to this world as Gods Light in a sin
darkened world. Though he brought light of Gods salvation to all, people
preferred to live in darkness. They despise and reject their Savior. But in the
end God will vindicate him and every knee will bow before him.
(Is. 50:4-9) Unlike Israel the Servant was not unfaithful to God or rebellious
against him. And despite suffering terrible persecution, he set his face like
flint on doing the task set before him. Jesus lived a perfect life, living by the
Word of God. Jesus was also greatly persecuted as the religious establishment
was out to get him. Yet knowing the suffering and torture of the cross awaited
him, he resolutely made his way to Jerusalem to suffer and die on the cross.
He was obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
(Is. 52:13 53:12) Every bit of this psalm applies to Jesus. He was despised
and rejected by men. He took on all of our griefs and afflictions. He suffered
and died for our transgressions and iniquities. He took all of this on himself
willingly and sacrificed himself as a guilt offering even though he committed
no sin. He gave us his righteousness in order that we might be accounted
righteous, be healed, and have peace. After his death, he was vindicated
when he was raised back to life and received the spoils of the Victor. It is
through Jesus that salvation will be brought to and made available to the
nations.
(Is. 54) Jerusalem would be laid waste by the Babylonians and its inhabitants
carried off to exile. She would be disgraced like a barren woman with no
children. But the Lord promises that she would be granted innumerable
children in the future. This is a picture of the Servant Jesus and the results of
his substitionary suffering and death. He could have no children because he
was put to death. But he would not be disgraced, for after his resurrection he
had offspring all over the earth. All who are part of the Christian church are
his offspring.
(Is. 55) The Servant throws a banquet. All people from all nations are invited.
It is free of charge. And it is a life-giving meal. Those who eat the meal are
witnesses to Gods grace to the nations. Those who eat the meal are
repentant and find the Lord in the meal. Those who partake in the meal are
full of joy and peace. This meal is the Lords Supper. In it Jesus offers free of
charge to all people who repent life, salvation, joy, and peace. Their
participation in the meal is a witness of the Good News of the Gospel for all to
see.
(Is. 61) Isaiahs predictive prophecy that the Lord will show favor to his people
by releasing them from the prison of exile looks forward to the Lords favor on
all of mankind when through the promised Messiah he brings liberty to all
those held captive to sin. Jesus applied Is. 61:1-2a to himself in his sermon at
the synagogue at Nazareth.

Jeremiah The End of Israel as a Nation
Four Periods of Jeremiahs Ministry which Spanned from 627 583 BC
1. 627 622 BC (Josiahs reign 640 609 BC). Judah lost their political
independence under the Assyrians. It was a time of religious syncretism.
Jeremiah called them back to the Lord. Josiah began a religious reformation in
622 BC.
2. 609 597 BC (Jehoikims reign). The Babylonians defeated the Assyrians, who
then captured Jerusalem and deported the king in 597 BC. Jeremiah warns
that Judah will be destroyed because of its idolatry and injustice.
3. 597 587 BC (Zedekiahs reign). Zedekiah was made king by the
Babylonians. He made an alliance with the Egyptians. As a result, the
Babylonians came and destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BC. During this time
Jeremiah called for Judah to surrender to the Babylonians.
4. 586 583 BC. Ruling class deported. Jeremiah remained in Judah. The
Babylonian governor was assassinated. The rebels escaped to Egypt and took
Jeremiah with them. Jeremiahs message at this time was repentance.
(1) Jer. 1: Jeremiahs Call
Before Jeremiah was formed in the womb and born, the Lord knew him, set him
apart, and appointed him as a prophet. Jeremiah, a young small town son of a
priest, was called to speak the words that the Lord commanded him to speak to
Judah. The Word of the Lord that Jeremiah was to speak was powerful, building up
and tearing down nations and individuals. His general message was that God was
going to raise up kings in the north who would destroy Judah because of their
idolatry. God promised to be with him and rescue him as the entire nation would
defy God and his prophet.
(2) Jer. 2 35: Jeremiahs Message of Gods Judgment on Judah and
Jerusalem
(... 2a) Jer. 2 6: The Consequences for Apostasy
These chapters give the core of Jeremiahs preaching. His main theme was: Return
to the Lord. Israels apostasy had a long history of defiling Gods holy land. They did
this by forsaking God for false gods and by trusting in foreign alliances rather that
God. Neither Gods kindness nor his admonitions had any effect on them. Therefore
God was now pressing charges against them. They deserved the threatened dire

consequences but it was still not too late. They could repent. That was Jeremiahs
message. They must repent in order to escape disaster. Jeremiahs warnings of
judgment were supported by evidence against the entire nation. Because of their
crimes against God and their fellowman, God would remove his protecting hand and
instead send a nation out of the north to devour them. For 40 years Jeremiah
pleaded and warned and called them to repentance. But each time he was rebuffed.
God had instructed them in good and sent prophets to warn them but they
disregarded him. Therefore God threatened to send a great nation who would
ravage the land and spread terror throughout.
(... 2b) Jer. 7 10: The Consequences of False Worship
Jeremiah warned Judah that God would punish them for their persistent false
worship. They believed the temple guaranteed them immunity to the consequences
of their evil deeds. They treated the sacrifices as a mechanical process. They tried
to cover all the bases by worshipping other gods in addition to the Lord. They put
idols of false gods in the temple. They practiced child sacrifice to the fertility gods.
They worshipped the Baal-gods. Jeremiahs warnings about false worship went
unheeded. What would the consequences be for their false worship of these false
gods? They will face Gods wrath. The nation would be devastated. The dead bodies
of the people will lay out in the open before their gods (sun, moon, stars), giving
testimony to the impotence of these false gods. Jeremiah offers them a remedy for
their terminal illness, but they refuse to listen. In an effort to get their attention,
Jeremiah calls in professional mourners to mourn for Judah who is as good as dead.
But again they refuse to listen and therefore they will face the same fate as the
nations that preceded them in the land. God will kick them out of the land.
(... 2c) Jer. 11 20: Punishment Reiterated Many Times/Jeremiah Persecuted
Many times and in many ways God had Jeremiah announce the punishment that
awaited them and the reasons for it. They had broken the covenant with God. They
did not cling to the Lord. False prophets lied by preaching prosperity instead of
doom. They refused to repent. Sin was deeply engraved on their hearts and minds.
They attacked the Lords true prophets. They worshipped other gods. They
sacrificed their children. Gods punishment for all this was expressed in several
ways. They would face sword, famine, and plague. There would be no joy in life. God
the Potter would have to start all over and reshape his people in exile. They would
face war, siege, and devastation. They would be smashed like clay. Sprinkled in with
these words of judgment were words of Gospel about Gods plan to bring Good
News to the nations. But Jeremiahs primary word was the Law.
How did all of this affect Jeremiah? Jeremiah was deeply affected. He was deeply
troubled by what lay ahead for his people. He preached this divine judgment against
Judah, but no one would listen. In addition the people continuously year after year

hated Jeremiah, insulted him, and attacked him. It was more than Jeremiah could
take, so he cried out to the Lord. He pleaded to God for vindication and the ruin of
his enemies. He complained that God did not punish the wicked. God reassured
Jeremiah that in due time the wicked would receive their punishment.
(... 2d) Jer. 21 23: Gods Condemnation of Judahs Leaders
In this section, the Lord, through Jeremiah, speaks against the leaders of Judah. The
kings did not execute justice and righteousness. Through Jeremiah God told the
kings that he would oppose them and strike them down. The kings who were
appointed by God as shepherds to watch and care for his flock instead scattered
and destroyed Gods flock. But their wickedness would not frustrate Gods plans. He
would raise up a Branch of David who would be faithful shepherding Gods people,
who would provide them with safety, and who would give them his righteousness.
Jeremiah also spoke against the prophets and priests. They had perverted divine
truth, giving false hope instead of exposing sin. God would be against them too.
These leaders of Judah were leading the people of Judah straight into exile.
(... 2e) Jer. 24 29: The Foretelling of Judahs Exile to Babylon
Jeremiah prophesied that those who were led off into exile in a foreign country
would become penitent, but those who remained would not learn their lesson and
would remain impenitent. He said the king of Babylon would dish out Gods wrath
on Judah and then afterward Gods wrath would fall on Babylon and other wicked
nations. Jeremiah prophesied before all people that the temple and Jerusalem would
become desolate like Shiloh. Because of this they wanted to kill Jeremiah but his life
was spared based on precedent set a century earlier when Micah prophesied the
same thing at the time of Hezekiah. Jeremiahs message was opposite that of the
false prophets. He said they must submit to Babylon if they want to stay in the land
and if they didnt, they would be sent into exile. Later, after the first phase of exile
had already taken place, Jeremiah wrote a letter to those already in exile. He told
them not to believe the false prophets who said God would release them soon.
Rather, they should make themselves at home because they were going to be there
for 70 years.
(... 2f) Jer. 30 33: In spite of Exile, a Promise of Restoration
Jeremiah had hammered Judah for its wickedness and idolatry and prophesied its
destruction and exile. But that was not the end of Gods message for Judah.
Jeremiah looked beyond the exile to Gods eternal plan of salvation. God would use
the exile to discipline his stubborn people, but then he would bring them back to the
land where they would once again worship him at Zion. The Lord would redeem
Israel and love her again as if she were his virgin bride. In this new era, God will
establish a new covenant and once again he will be Israels God and they will be his

people. To show the certainty of these prophecies, even though Judah was about to
go into exile, Jeremiah bought some property. Just as surely as Judah would go into
exile, the people of Judah would return to the land. Gods purpose in restoring his
people would be to bring forth a righteous branch of David. He would keep his
covenant with David and bring forth the Messianic King who would rule in
righteousness and justice forever.
(... 2g) Jer. 34 35: Prophecies of Doom for King and People
One day they will return from exile, but soon, because of their unfaithfulness, they
will be taken into exile. King Zedekiah will be taken to Babylon. And just as the kings
broke Gods covenant and refused to listen to the prophets that God sent, neither
did the people. As the people cancelled the freedom they promised to their slaves,
so God would take away their freedom when they would be forcibly taken to
Babylon. If the Recabites were faithful to a man-made ordinance, how much more
shouldnt Judah keep Gods covenant. But instead Judah had broken Gods
commands and worshipped other gods. God had sent prophets to warn the people,
but they refused to listen. Therefore God would carry out the covenant curses that
had he had threatened. God was justified in sending them to exile.
(3) Jer. 36 38: Jeremiah Suffers Because of His Message of Doom
Jeremiahs prophecy of the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem did not change. God
had Jeremiah record on a scroll all the words God had spoken against Israel, Judah,
and the nations. These words were to be read to the people, officials, and king in
hopes that they would turn from their evil ways. When the scroll was read to the
king Jehoiakim, he did not listen, instead he burned it.
Jeremiahs message to king Zedekiah was the same the Babylonians will capture
and burn the city. Jeremiah was falsely accused of deserting Judah and was beaten
and imprisoned for many days. When Jeremiah was moved from the dungeon to the
court of the guards, he preached his message of doom to the people and to all who
would listen. This infuriated some officials who threw him into a muddy cistern to
die. Jeremiah was rescued from the cistern. And once again Jeremiah told the king
that if he surrendered to the Babylonians his life and the city would be spared, but if
he didnt, all would be lost. And Jeremiah remained under arrest until Jerusalem was
taken.
(4) Jer. 39 45: The Fall of Jerusalem and Its Aftermath
After a 2 year siege Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians as Jeremiah prophesied and it
was burned. The people were either killed or taken into exile. Only the very poor
were left. But God delivered Jeremiah, putting him under Gedaliah, the new
Babylonian governor. A plot soon arose from a band of men from Judah to kill

Gedaliah. They carried out their plan and then, being afraid of the repercussions,
took hostages and fled south. They sought divine sanction to go to Egypt, but the
Lords message through Jeremiah was to stay in the land. He warned them if they
went to Egypt Gods judgment would follow them and they would be destroyed.
They went to Egypt anyway, forcing Jeremiah to go with them. God revealed
through Jeremiah that the Babylonians would soon destroy Egypt and their gods.
The Jews that fled to Egypt continued to worship false gods. This was the reason
why God destroyed Judah and Jerusalem in the first place. Jeremiah warned them
that if they continue in their idolatry the same fate would await them in Egypt. They
were not out of Gods reach in Egypt.
(5) Jer. 46 51: Gods Judgment Against the Nations
Gods judgment on sin and idolatry began first of all with his own people. But the
nations around Judah were no better and Gods judgment would come against them
for their sin and idolatry also. God would use the Babylonians to punish Egypt, the
Philistines, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, and Elam. After
punishing these nations, the Lord would do the same to Babylon. He would raise up
the Persians who would carry out Gods wrath against the Babylonians. God had
used the Babylonians to discipline his people and the nations. God had promised to
bring about the salvation of the world through Abrahams descendants. Now that
Babylon had served its purpose, God would do away with it in order that his people
might not be absorbed by the nations and cease to exist. Instead he will have them
repent and return to the land where they would serve his purposes. There he would
rebuild them and from them would come the Savior of the world.
(6) Jer. 52: Historical Appendix to Show that the Prophecies Came True
All that Jeremiah had prophesied came true. The city of Jerusalem fell. The king fled
but was captured and taken to Babylon. The temple, the kings palace, and much of
Jerusalem were burned. The temple vessels, which were made of precious metals,
were taken. The people were killed or hauled into exile. The book of Jeremiah ends
with a small glimmer of hope, as king Jehoiachin is released from prison and treated
with dignity until the day he died.
The Purpose of Jeremiah
Jeremiah spoke for many years leading up to the exile and just after the exile took
place. But the final version of the book of Jeremiah was created for the people who
were in exile. Jeremiah was put together for two reasons.
1. It showed people who were under Gods judgment why God had rejected his
people and allowed them to be taken into exile.

2. It called Gods people to repentance and encouraged them to hope in God for
the restoration of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah has a message for the church. The book of Jeremiah calls the church in all
times and all places to repent and to hope in God for forgiveness. It is a great book
of Law and Gospel.
Jeremiah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. By what authority did Jeremiah speak to the people and leaders of Judah and
Jerusalem? Jeremiahs authority came from God. Jeremiah was called to this
task by God.
2. How did Jeremiah know what to say? God gave his word to Jeremiah and
Jeremiah spoke Gods word to the people of Judah.
3. What was Jeremiahs primary message? His message was, Stopped your
wickedness. Stop your idolatry. Return to the Lord.
4. What was the reason for Gods judgment on Judah and Jerusalem? The people
of Judah refused to listen to Jeremiah and other prophets God sent and
repent.
5. In general, what spiritual leaders did God provide for his people and did they
do their job? God provided kings, priests, and prophets. They did not do their
job. The kings led the people into idolatry. The priests used Gods word to
excuse sin instead of exposing sin. The prophets preached prosperity instead
of repentance.
6. Why was the temple going to be destroyed? Because the people wantonly
sinned, refused to repent, and then came before the Lord,desecrating Gods
holy temple.
7. Who will suffer because of Gods judgment? Obviously the people and leaders
of Judah will suffer. But also note that Jerusalem is the place where Gods
eyes, ears, and heart are at. When Jerusalem comes under attack, it pierces
the heart of God and Jeremiah. When the people suffer, God and Jeremiah
suffer with them.
8. How long would Gods judgment on Jerusalem and the temple last and what
was the purpose for Gods judgment? Gods judgment will last 70 years. God
brought judgment against them in order to cause them to repent. After they
repent, he will bring them back.
9. The one king who shepherded Gods people in worship of the one true God
was David. Who did God promise to raise up as shepherd after the exile? He
promised to raise up a new David, one who would lead Gods people and
establish righteousness (Jesus).
10.What promise did God make to his people for the future? God promised to
make a new covenant in which people would know him and he would forgive
sins.
11.Jerusalem was the place where God was present with his people at the
temple. What did God promise for his people in the future? God promised a

New Jerusalem in which the whole city was the new temple. In the New
Jerusalem the Gentile nations will join with the Jews as one community to
worship God.
Learning About Jesus in Jeremiah
In the OT and in Jeremiahs day, the ark of the covenant represented Gods
presence with his people. Jeremiah looks forward into the Messianic age (Jer.
3:15-18) in which there will be no ark. In that age Jesus will be the new ark of
the covenant. In that time the church is symbolized by Jerusalem. In Word
and Sacrament Christ is present with his church, the New Jerusalem. In the
church Christ brings people together from the nations to worship God in his
holy presence.
Jeremiah spoke against the kings, priests, and prophets for leading the people
astray. Jesus would be a King who truly shepherds God people. Jesus would
be a true prophet who truly calls people to repentance. Jesus would be a true
priest who would sacrifice himself for sinful mankind.
The hearts of Jeremiah and God ached because of Judahs stubborn
impenitence. They both suffered with the people. Jesus, who is God in the
flesh, not only suffered for us and in our place, but it grieves him when
people do not repent. For instance, Jesus lamented over Jerusalem when they
refused to repent.
God had brought Israel up out of Egypt. Jeremiah says that soon God will
bring them up out of the north (Babylon) (God makes this promise throughout
Jeremiah, but especially in Jer. 30-33.) As God first brought Israel up out of
slavery in Egypt and then out of exile in Babylon, so in like manner he will
bring his chosen people (the church) up out its slavery to sin and death and
up out of its exile from God. He did this through his Son, Jesus. Jesus leads
people back to God. He leads them back to the heavenly promised land.
In the midst of Jeremiahs reiterative message of doom are glimmers of hope
in which God says he will not completely destroy them. After a short while he
will bring them back from exile, restore them, and make a new covenant with
them. God will do this in order to carry out his plan of salvation. From this
people who live in this land will come the Savior Jesus who will fulfill the new
covenant by providing forgiveness of sins for all people.
God promised to raise up a Davidic king who would be a righteous Branch,
who would do what is right, who would be called the LORD Our
Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:14-18). Jesus was a descendant of David who
was completely righteous before God and who made it possible for his
subjects to be accounted as righteous before God (because he gave them his
righteousness) and thus be saved and live in safety.
After their restoration God promises to raise up a Prince and Leader from their
midst (Jer. 30:21). While even the high priest dare not approach God except
once a year, this Prince will draw near to holy God. Jesus descended from the
restored community and became the Prince of Peace. He had continuous

access to the Father because of his perfect righteousness.
Jeremiah prophesied that God would make a new covenant with his people
(Jer. 31:31-34). Jesus instituted the new covenant at the Last Supper with his
disciples. In the old covenant at Sinai, the people were made holy when the
blood was sprinkled on them. In the new covenant, it is the shed blood of
Christ received in the Sacrament that makes people holy. It is the shed blood
of Christ that provides forgiveness of sins.
In the last chapters of Jeremiah (Jer. 46-51), Jeremiah prophesied against the
nations. From this we see that the God who created the world and governs
the nations raises up nations and cuts them down in order to serve his
purposes. Gods ultimate goal was to use the nations in order to establish his
eternal kingdom. So he raised up the Romans and established them in order
that he might bring forth his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who would rule his
kingdom in grace. He came as a humble Servant King who gave himself for
mankind and who then ascended to the Fathers right hand where he now
rules all nations for the benefit of his church.
Jeremiah was a type of Jesus. Jeremiahs message was Repent! and Jesus
said, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. As Jeremiah was falsely
accused, so was Jesus. As Jeremiah interceded for his people, so Jesus was in
constant prayer to his Father. As Jeremiah was flogged for blasphemy, so was
Jesus. As Judahs leaders plotted against Jeremiah, so they did against Jesus.
As Jeremiah was grieved over Judahs impenitence, so was Jesus. As
Jeremiahs persecutors could not overcome him, neither could Jesus
persecutors. Jeremiah spoke Gods word, but Jesus not only spoke it, he was
Gods Word in the flesh. As Jeremiah was mocked and insulted, so was Jesus.
Jeremiah was threatened with death, but Jesus actually died. Jeremiah was
thrown into a cistern to die but was later saved. Jesus was nailed to a cross
and died, but 3 days later rose from the dead in order to save mankind from
its sins.

Ezekiel The Destruction of the Temple
Ezekiel, a member of a priestly family, was deported to Babylon with the first batch
of deportees in 597 BC. He was called by God to be a prophet in Babylon about 5
years later. Ezekiels main focus is Jerusalem and the temple. His prophecies explain
why God abandoned the temple and allowed it and Jerusalem to be destroyed and
how God promised to create a new temple in which his purified people would
worship him alone.
The book of Ezekiel is primarily presented in chronological order. The prophecies
against Judah in Eze. 1-24 occur before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
The prophecies against the nations in Eze. 25-32 occur next. And the prophecies in
Eze. 33-48 occur after the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.
The book can be divided into two major sections. The first section, Eze. 1-32, deals
with Gods judgment against Judah and the nations. The second section, Eze. 33-48,
contains Gods promises of the restoration of Israel and its temple. There are many
parallels between the two sections. On a broad scale the three parts of the first
section match the first three parts of the second section.
Part 1 - Watchman . Ezekiel is presented as the watchman of Judah, sent to

warn them of Gods judgment (Eze. 1-3/Eze. 33).
Part 2 - Judgment/Restoration of Gods people . While Eze. 4-24 speaks of

Gods judgment on his people, Eze. 34-37 speaks of Gods restoration of his
people.
Part 3 - Judgment of the nations . Both Eze. 25-32 and Eze. 38-39 prophesy
Gods judgment on the nations that oppose him and his people Israel.
There are also other parallels between the two sections, most of which are
opposites of each other:
Dramatic visions of the temple . (Eze. 8-11/Eze. 40-48)
Mountains of Israel . (Eze. 6/Eze. 36)
News about Jerusalem . (Eze. 3:22 5:17/Eze. 33:21-33)
Prince of Judah . (Eze. 12/Eze. 37:15-28).
Leaders of Judah .(Eze. 22/Eze. 34)
Destruction . (Eze. 21/Eze. 35)
Unfaithfulness . In Eze. 23/Eze. 36:16-38)

Gods Judgment on the Rebellious People of Jerusalem and Judah (Eze. 1
32)
Gods Call of Ezekiel as a Watchman for the Rebellious People of Judah (Eze. 1 3)

After living in exile in Babylon for 5 years, by means of a vision, Ezekiel was called
by God, who is over all of the universe, to be the watchman of Israel. What God told
him and showed him in visions, Ezekiel was to communicate to Israel. His message
would not be a popular one. His message was one of mourning and woe. His
message was for a rebellious and stubborn people who would not listen. To
empower Ezekiel in such a daunting task, God endowed Ezekiel with the Holy Spirit.
Gods Judgment on His People for Defiling Holy Things (Eze. 4 24)
Ezekiel communicated his message of doom in many ways. He used symbolic acts
to symbolize siege, death, and exile (Eze. 4-5, 12). He proclaimed Gods judgment
verbally on idolatry (Eze. 6). He told them the vision he had of God abandoning the
temple because of their idolatry (Eze. 8-11). He prophesied against the false
prophets and those who practiced witchcraft and idolatry. He prophesied that in his
wrath Yahweh would wield his sword (the Babylonians) against Judah (Eze. 13-14,
21). He proclaimed Gods judgment by telling parables and allegories portraying the
people of Jerusalem as fruitless vines, as an adulterous wife, as trusters of foreign
alliances rather than Yahweh, as ones thrown into the pot of Gods wrath, and as a
nation that has died (Eze. 15-17, 23, 24). He refuted a blasphemous proverb by
holding each person accountable (Eze. 18). He composed a funeral lament for the
nations and for the kings of Judah (Eze. 7, 19). He presented their history of idolatry
which will now bring Gods consuming wrath (Eze. 20). As Yahwehs prosecuting
attorney, Ezekiel presents Gods case against Jerusalem (Eze. 22).
Gods Judgment on the Nations Hostile to God and His People (Eze. 25 32)
While the judgment of God began with Israel (Eze. 4-24), the pagan nations which
surrounded Israel would not escape Gods wrath (Eze. 25-32). Their attempts to
oppose and wipe out Israel threatened Gods plan of salvation which was to be
implemented through Israel. Gods wrath upon these seven pagan nations will lead
to their downfall and extinction (Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and
Egypt). There are not only seven nations, but the seventh nation, Egypt, who is a
world power, is spoken against seven times. Seven is the number of completeness.
Therefore these seven nations represent all the nations that try and prevent Gods
plan of salvation from coming to fruition. They all face the same outcome - they will
all be defeated.
While these nations are destined to remain buried under the sands of time (Eze. 2532), Israel, purified and redeemed from exile, will be resurrected and restored and
once again play its assigned role in establishing the kingdom of the Messiah (Eze.
33-48).
Gods Promise of the Restoration of Israel and Its Temple (Eze. 33 48)

Ezekiels Role as Israels Watchman (Eze. 33)
In Eze. 33, Ezekiel is re-commissioned as the watchman of Israel. As watchman in
Eze. 1-24, he was required to warn the people of coming trouble and disaster.
Individually and collectively the people of Jerusalem did not heed Ezekiels warnings
and they paid a heavy price for it. All that he warned them about came true and
Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed (Eze. 33:21). Now after the fall of
Jerusalem, the watchman, Ezekiel, is prepared for a new assignment. He is to
preach the good news that anyone who repents and turns from his evil ways will
live. Yet he also had to continue preaching Gods judgment because there were
some who remained in the land and others in exile that remained unbowed by the
disaster that befell them.
Gods Restoration of Israel (Eze. 34 37)
Yahweh had put shepherds over his flock (kings and priests), but they did not do
their job. So Yahweh said that he himself would be their Shepherd. He would search
for his scattered flock, gather them, and bring them back from exile. And he will
appoint a new shepherd, his servant David (Jesus), the Good Shepherd. Under him,
they will be safe and Yahweh will bless them. While the land of Israel would once
again flourish, God would turn the land of Israels enemies, as epitomized by the
Edomites, into a wasteland never to rise again. When Yahweh sent his people into
exile, the nations ridiculed Yahweh as a weak god. But when he brings them back
and blesses them, he will restore his holy name among the nations. Israel and Judah
had been sent into exile because of the defilement of their idolatry. When they
return Yahweh will cleanse them of their uncleanness and give them a new heart
and new spirit and move them to keep his laws. Humanly speaking, with the people
being scattered in exile, the prospects of reviving the nation were about as good as
making a bunch of dry bones come to life. But that is what Yahweh promised to do,
resurrect the people of Israel and Judah and bring them back to their land as one
people. Under the Shepherd/King David (Jesus), who was appointed by God, they
would live as his people in everlasting peace in the holy presence of Yahweh.
Gods Judgment on the Nations (Gog) and Forces of Evil that are Hostile to Him
(Eze. 38 39)
The restoration of Israel in the land, living in safety under the Davidic kingship (Eze.
37), prefigures spiritual Israel being gathered from the nations into the church and
living safely under Christ. As Israels enemies sought to prevent their restoration, so
all of the enemies of the church will join forces against the Messianic kingdom. The
leader of the forces of evil against the church in Ezekiel is Gog. He gathers immense
forces that surround the church, but since Yahweh is against Gog, the fate of him
and his forces is already determined death (see Rev. 20 where the setting and
results are the same). The army he gathers is a vast army of nations and without

the Lords intervention the church would be easy prey. But instead, God destroys
the whole host of the churchs enemies. By doing so, the greatness and holiness of
God is made clear to all. This recognition of Gods holy name among the nations will
not only come in the future but will begin when Israel is delivered from their
Babylonian exile.
The Description of a New Temple and Its Services (Eze. 40 48)
What Ezekiel prophesied in Eze. 34-37 he now sees fulfilled in a vision of a new
temple (Eze. 40-48). He describes what he sees in terms of the old covenant the
temple, its form of worship, the laws concerning religion and civic life, and the
Promised Land. Today we live in the age that Ezekiel foresaw.
Ezekiel is like a new Moses as:
(1) he describes and gives the dimensions of the temple (Eze. 40:1-43:12);
(2) he receives instructions for worship at the temple (Eze. 43:13-46:24);
(3) he learns that Gods presence provides his people with life, an inheritance, and
access to God (Eze. 47-48).
(1) The temple that Ezekiel saw was symbolic. The layout and description of the
new temple (Eze. 40:1 - 43:12) lead the reader to recognize the perfection (perfect
symmetry and balance of the temple)and holiness (three sets of steps up to the
Holy of Holies) of God, and the paradise (carved with palm trees and cherubim) that
results as God lives with his people. Earlier Ezekiel saw Gods presence leave the
temple. Now he sees him return to it to live among his people forever. This looks
forward to the NT church as God is present with his people through his perfect and
holy Son, Jesus.
(2) For the new temple, no Day of Atonement and no high priest are described.
These are not necessary since the one-time sacrifice of atonement was made by
Christ, our heavenly High Priest. What is described are the altar, Levites and priests,
and sacrifices and holy days (Eze. 43:13-46:24). While in this era believers have
been reconciled to God through the blood of Christ, they are still sinners. These
things then represent the fact that they must daily come in repentance to God
seeking his mercy and the forgiveness of their sins. The prince, while not a priest,
was the head of the people and faithfully carried out his responsibilities in providing
for worship.
(3) Water flowed from Gods presence in the temple, providing life wherever it
flowed, including even the Dead Sea (Eze. 47:1-11). This represents God giving life
to dead sinners in a fallen world. The resurrected and restored people of God will be
given an inheritance near the life-giving presence of God at the temple. There they
will live permanently and safely, with continuous access to God at his temple in the
holy city (Eze. 47:12 48:35).

The Purpose of Ezekiel
While some parts of Ezekiel are rather bizarre, the overall purpose of Ezekiel is
clear.
1. First, Ezekiel shows why God allowed the temple and the holy city of
Jerusalem to be destroyed.
2. Second, it shows that God promises to restore Israel and Judah and once
again live among his people who have been purified.
Ezekiel Answers the Following Big Picture Questions:
1. What did God call Ezekiel to be and to do for the people of Jerusalem and
Judah?
God called Ezekiel to be the watchman of Judah. His task was to call them to
repentance and to warn the people of Gods coming wrath .
2. What was the reason why Gods judgment would come upon Jerusalem and
why would he allow it and the temple to be destroyed?
The main reason for Gods judgment was idolatry, the worship of false gods
along side of Yahweh. Their idolatry defiled Gods holiness.
3. How did Ezekiel warn and communicate Gods message of judgment?
He used many ways over a period of 5 years. He used symbolic acts. He
preached. He prophesied. He told parables and allegories. He held them
accountable. He presented their idolatrous history. He composed a funeral
lament for the nation.
4. Besides Israel, who else would receive Gods judgment?
Any and all nations that oppose God and his plan of salvation will be judged
by God. Israel would be judged first, but the nations would not escape Gods
justice.
5. For what purpose did God send his people to exile?
He did not send them to exile in order to permanently destroy them as he did
some of the nations. He sent them to exile in order to purify them, to refine
them, to burn away the dross of their sin.
6. How did the people of Jerusalem respond to the warnings of Ezekiel?
They ignored his message. They did not change. They did not repent.
7. What did God do when the people of Jerusalem refused to repent?
God withdrew the glory of his presence from the temple and relocated it with

his people that were already in exile. Without Gods presence, the temple,
city, and land were no longer holy. There was nothing special about them any
longer. God then allowed the Babylonians to destroy the once holy city and
temple.
8. With Jerusalem destroyed and the people scattered, the nation of Israel was
like a pile of dry bones. It was dead. But what did Yahweh promise to do?
He promised to resurrect the nation through the power of his Word. And he
promised to breathe life back into it by his Spirit.
9. Because Yahweh allowed Jerusalem and the temple to be destroyed and his
people to be dragged into exile, the nations ridiculed his holy name. How
would he restore his reputation?
He would restore it by bringing the people back from exile and reestablishing
the nation. The name of Yahweh would once again be revered.
10.With his flock of Israel and Judah scattered among the nations, how would
God restore the nation?
He would act as their Shepherd. He would search for them, gather them, and
lead them back to their own land. And he would appoint a new shepherd, one
who was from the line of David, one who would always remain faithful, one
who would reign forever. This of course is Jesus.
11.When Israel acted like an adulterous wife, Yahweh sent her away to Babylon.
But that was not the end of the relationship. What did Yahweh promise to do?
He promised to redeem her, bring her back to himself, and make a new
marriage covenant of peace with her. In this new covenant he would give
her a new heart, his Holy Spirit, and a true love for her husband, Yahweh.
He did this in the new covenant that Christ instituted.
12.Finally, how was this restored relationship pictured in Ezekiel?
It is pictured as a new temple. The temple was Gods place of residence
among his people. In the new temple (the church) God would live with his
people forever. There would be one purified flock made up of people from all
over the world and one King (Jesus) who would be the Good Shepherd of his
people.
Learning About Jesus in Ezekiel
Over 90 times Ezekiel is called a son of man, (or it could be translated as

son of Adam), which emphasizes his humanity. Jesus favorite designation
for himself was Son of Man. Even though he was God, Jesus took on human
flesh and became human like us, except without sin.
Ezekiel was the watchman of Judah (Eze. 3; 33), who warned Judah and
preached repentance. Likewise, Jesus was a watchman who preached,
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Mt. 4:17) and ... I have not
come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. (Lk. 5:32) (See also Mt.
11:20-21; 12:41.)
By their idolatry, the people of Judah and Jerusalem had made themselves
unclean. Therefore when they came before God at the temple they defiled his
holiness. Because of sin all people are unclean and cannot stand before God.
Jesus came to cleanse all people of their sin and make them clean. This
allows them by faith in Jesus to stand without fear in Gods holy presence.
Through a vision, Ezekiel saw the glory of God go from the Holy of Holies, to
the inner gate, to the outer gate, to the Mount of Olives, and then to Gods
people in exile in Babylon (Eze. 8-11). The glory of God left the temple. And
then the Babylonians destroyed the temple. Jesus reenacted this scene
during Holy Week. Jesus went to the temple and taught during Holy Week, but
the leaders rejected him. So Jesus withdrew from the temple and went to the
Mount of Olives. Then Jesus foretold the destruction of the temple. So Jesus,
who is the glory of God and the presence of God, withdrew from the second
temple just like Gods glory withdrew from the first temple.
God had left the temple and went to be with his exiled people. In Babylon the
people have become a temple and God has become the Holy of Holies. So
God is present in the community of sinners who are under his judgment in
order to purify them, to make a new beginning with them, and to bring them
back to the promised land. What is happening in Ezekiel is a prelude to what
will happen in the NT. In Jesus God withdrew his presence from the temple
(see previous point above). Jesus became the new Holy of Holies. Through
Jesus God dwells with his people (the church) who are a community of sinners
in exile from heaven and who are therefore the new temple. Through Jesus
God purifies his people, makes a new beginning with his people (baptism),
and brings his people back to the eternal promised land.
Even though Jerusalem will be destroyed and Judahs last king will die in
captivity, Yahweh promises in the future to take a sprig from the Davidic tree
and plant it in Israel, where it will grow and be majestic and bear fruit (Eze.
17:22-24). This figurative promise came true when God gave to Jesus the
throne of his father David (Lk. 1:32) and established his universal, eternal
Messianic kingdom (Rev. 11:15).
In chapters 25 32 the nations that surround Israel and seek to destroy her
are prophesied against. God let it be known that they would not thwart his
plan of salvation which he would work through the descendants of Abraham.

Rather, it is the nations who will be destroyed and from Israel will come the
promised Savior. Those seven nations represent all of the forces of evil that
oppose God and his people. Jesus will defeat all of them through his perfect
life, suffering, death, and resurrection. They cannot stop him.
God promised to send a new shepherd to the people of his flock (Eze. 34:2325; see also Eze. 37:24-25). He would not abuse the flock like past shepherds.
Rather he would watch over and care for the flock. This shepherd in the line
of David was Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd who feeds the flock bread from
heaven. He will make a covenant of peace, which heals the brokenness of
humanity and makes them whole again with God and each other.
Again we see that what happens in Ezekiel (Eze. 36:16-32 ) parallels what
happens in the NT. Through their sin Israel defiled Gods holiness. In judgment
and justice God sent them into exile. In grace God would save them and bring
them back. The problem that caused their judgment was their hard hearts.
When they returned, through the Holy Spirit, God would transform them by
giving them a new heart. This would cause them to repent and motivate
them to keep and delight in Gods Law. And Gods holy name would be
restored. In the NT, people are still sinful and deserve Gods judgment. Their
sin has led them to be exiled from God. God sent Jesus to save and bring his
people back to himself. In Baptism the saving work of Jesus is applied to each
person. In Baptism God gives his Holy Spirit who, working through the Word,
gives us a new heart. With a new heart, we live a baptismal life of
repentance, daily dying to sin and living for God and others. Through Gods
saving and transforming actions his name is glorified in our lives.
In Eze. 37:1-14, Ezekiel prophesies that Israel, who is in exile and humanly
speaking as dead as a pile of dry bones, will be raised back to life. God says
he will resurrect the nation. Resurrection here points forward to Jesus
resurrection, resurrection on the Last Day, and the resurrection that occurs in
Baptism. Until we are baptized, we are dry bones. And when Gods Word and
Spirit are prophesied to us, we come alive. Jesus Spirit not only gives power,
but he also gives life as he resurrects us with Christ.
The new temple, as described in Eze. 40 42, has no high priest and no ark
of the covenant and no mercy seat. The reason for this is that these functions
have been fulfilled by Christ. One time each year the high priest would enter
the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat to make atonement.
In the new temple this is no longer necessary because the eternal High Priest,
Jesus Christ, shed his blood on the cross, making atonement for the sins of
the whole world. So in the new temple, which is the church, Gods people
have been fully reconciled to God once and for all by Christ by the blood of
Christ.
In the vision (Eze. 47:1-12) water flowed from the temple. The water
increased from a trickle to ankle-deep, to knee-deep, to waist-deep, to a
flowing river. This river gave life to the desert and to the Dead Sea. In John,
Jesus is viewed as the new Temple, the place where God dwells among his
people (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In John, Jesus is also pictured as the source of
living water. It begins when we, who are as dead as the Dead Sea, are
baptized by a trickle of water and the Spirit and are made alive in Christ (John
3:5). With Christ living in us through Baptism, the water he supplies grows
into a fountain of water that provides not just life, but eternal life (John 4:14).
And the water of life continues to grow in those who believe in Jesus until out
of the heart flow rivers of living water (John 7:38).
Eze. 47:13-48:35 describes how the promised land will be divided up amongst
the 12 tribes. Each tribe will be given an equal amount of land and they all
live around the temple from which the life-giving water flows from. The tribes
will be made up of Israelites and foreigners. All of them will receive an
inheritance. The holy city which contains the holy temple will have gates in
all 4 directions, a gate for each tribe, giving each tribe equal access to
Yahweh who is present with them. Again, this looks forward to the time of the
church. All Christians (12 tribes) have an eternal inheritance (the heavenly
promised land) in which they all have equal access to the holy city and
temple (the church) from which the life-giving water flow (Jesus) and where
the holy God is present with his people.

The Minor Prophets
In the Hebrew Bible the twelve books called the Minor Prophets come after the
Major Prophets. They are called the Minor Prophets not because they are less
important than the Major Prophets, but because of their size. They are much smaller
than Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, each of which had their own scroll. The Minor
Prophets were small enough that all of them were placed on one scroll together.
Therefore sometimes these twelve prophetic books are called the Book of the
Twelve.
The Main Themes of the Minor Prophets
The main themes for the Minor Prophets are as follows:
The legal complaint against Israel and Judah . Yahweh had made a covenant
with his people, but they had broken it by worshipping other gods and by
mistreating other people. Through the prophets Yahweh stated his case
against them.
The Day of the Lord . It was a day in which the Lord would come and act in
judgment against those who opposed him and act in deliverance for those
who put their trust in him. There were many near-future days of the Lord.
These days served as a preview of the coming great day of the Lord in
which God would pour out his wrath on unrepentant sinners and deliver
repentant sinners who trusted in God for salvation.
Oracles against the nations . God would bring his judgment against nonIsraelite nations for their sins. These oracles showed that Yahweh was over all
nations and their false gods, was a just God who punished all who sin equally,
and was a loving God who stood up for and rescued his people from their
oppressors.
Repentance . The prophets preached Gods Law to show the people their
sins and to lead them to sorrow and hopelessness, that is, to know they had
rebelled against God and broken his Law. But the prophets also preached
Gods Gospel. The Gospel is the Good News that God promises to forgive sins
and save them from his wrath. They simply need to trust Gods promise of
salvation and then they will have the joy of being freed from their sin and
death.
Messianic hope . When God promised to forgive their sins, it was not as if
God could simply forget about their sins. He is a just God who requires that
his Law be kept perfectly and that those who break it be punished. God could
forgive their sin and not punish them for it because he promised to send a

Savior who would keep Gods Law perfectly for them and suffer the
punishment that they deserved. Their hope for deliverance and salvation was
to be found only in the promised Messiah.
The Arrangement of the Minor Prophets into Four Groups
The Minor Prophets were sent by God to the northern kingdom of Israel and to the
southern kingdom of Judah during the period of the kings. The Minor Prophets can
be grouped together into four groups based on where they were sent and when they
were sent.
1. Gods Use of the Destruction of the Northern Kingdom as a Type and Warning of
Gods Judgment on Judah and the Nations
Hosea: Gods threat against the northern kingdom for its unfaithfulness
should serve as a warning to the southern kingdom.
Joel: Through a locust plague, the prophet warns Judah of Gods coming
judgment and urges them to repent in order to escape Gods judgment. This
is a prelude to Gods judgment of the nations and the salvation of Gods
people on the Day of the Lord.
Amos: Gods judgment and destruction of Israel for their social injustice and
idolatry was announced and should serve as a warning for Judah and the
nations.
Obadiah: Gods judgment of Edom is a prelude to his judgment on all nations

for their mistreatment of Zion.
2. Judah during the Assyrian Period
Jonah: Gods shows his compassion even for his enemies through his use of
Jonah to lead Assyria to repentance.
Micah: He announced Gods judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem and

Gods deliverance of Zion.
Nahum: Gods judgment on Assyria and his deliverance of Judah.
3. Judah during the Babylonian Period
Habakkuk: the wicked will be punished Judah, the Babylonians, all the
wicked. Those who live by faith, trusting in God will be vindicated.
Zephaniah: Gods judgment on Judah and the nations before he restores a

humble remnant in Zion.
4. Judah during the Persian Period
Haggai: Encouragement to rebuild Gods temple so that he can bless them

with his presence.
Zechariah: The post-exilic restoration of Zion will lead to Gods rule over the
whole earth through a humble king.
Malachi: Encouraged the demoralized Jews to remain faithful to the Lord as

they wait for the day of the Lord.

Hosea A Picture of Unfaithful Israel
Through prophets God communicates his Word. And the main message of all the
prophets was: repent! God communicated that same message through Hosea to the
northern kingdom before it fell to the Assyrians. Yet he did it in a different way. He
did it not so much through the spoken word, but through Hoseas life. God used the
unfaithfulness of Hoseas wife to give Israel a picture of herself and to help her
understand how her unfaithfulness to him caused him to suffer.
The Message of Hoseas Marriage (Hos. 1 3)
In Hos. 1:1-9, at Gods direction, the prophet Hosea takes Gomer the prostitute as
his wife and they have three children. The names of the children are prophetic for
the judgment God will soon lay upon Israel because of their idolatry: Yahweh will
bring judgment against Israel at Jezreel; he will no longer have mercy on them; and
Israel will no longer be Gods people. Yet in spite of this there is a bright future for
Israel in which they will be replanted in the land and be called Children of the living
God (Hos. 1:10-11). How is this possible? Gods judgment upon her is meant to be
disciplinary and restorative. The whoring wife (Gomer, Israel) will be punished for
her actions. Everything will be taken away from her (Hos. 2:1-13). But then the
faithful husband (Hosea, God) will betroth himself to her a second time and this
time she shall be faithful. The Good News for Israel is that once again she shall be
planted in the promised land with her Husband, where he will once again have
mercy on her and she will once again be his people (Hos. 2:14-23). As Hosea
redeemed the woman and took her back as his wife, so after time away in exile,
Yahweh will bring Israel back and then they will seek him alone (Hos. 3).
Unfaithful Israel and the Faithful Lord (Hos. 4 14)
These chapters constitute a long commentary on the infidelity of Israel that is
portrayed in chapters 1-3.
In Hos. 4-7 God states his case against Israel. The blame for Israels infidelity falls
mainly on the priests. They did not teach the faith to the people and therefore the
people have gone astray and worshipped other gods. God sent prophets, but the
people refused to listen. For this Israel will face Gods judgment, of which there is no
escape. They are corrupt and refuse to repent. Instead they rebel against him.
Hos. 8-10 gives Gods judgment on Israel. Gods judgment is that he has found
Israel guilty of breaking his covenant and rebelling against his Law and therefore
must be punished. They have alienated themselves from God, opposed him, and put
their trust in other gods and nations. . As a result of all this, God will remove them
from the land. Because of their wickedness he will drive them from his presence.

They are like a vine that generates degenerate fruit. They sow iniquity and reap
injustice. Because they trusted in their warriors and fortresses instead of God, they
will be destroyed through the horrors of war.
While Israel is unfaithful, Yahweh has always shown fatherly love and faithfulness
(Hos. 11-14). He has raised Israel as his son. But his son was stubborn and would
not listen to him or obey him. Therefore the Father had to discipline his son by
sending him away. Yet he would have compassion on his son and not leave him in
exile forever. Israel forgot the gracious One who saved them in Egypt, cared for
them in the wilderness, and brought them into this good land. Because of this God
would destroy them and start all over. The only way to rebirth and new life for Israel
will be the way of repentance. They are urged to confess their sins, to throw away
their idols, and to trust in Gods mercy. When they turn back to God he will heal
them, love them, and bless them.
The Purpose of Hosea
1. First of all it explains why God brought disaster on the northern Israelites and
it calls Israel to repentance.
2. Secondly, it provides a model of how God deals with his people in wrath and
in love when they refuse to repent.
Hosea Answers the Following Big Picture Questions:
1. How is Israels relationship with Yahweh pictured in Hosea?
Israel is pictured as an unfaithful wife who prostitutes herself out.
2. How has Israel been unfaithful? In what ways has she prostituted herself out?
Israel has turned to all of the Canaanite gods and worshipped them. She
credits her prosperity to Baal. She does not fully trust in Yahweh, rather she
trusts in alliances with foreign countries and she trusts her fortified cities.
3. What has Yahweh done to call attention to this unfaithfulness of Israel?
He has sent prophets to speak and act out his this truth, including the
prophet Hosea.
4. How did Yahweh use Hosea to call attention to Israels spiritual adultery?
He had Hosea marry a prostitute. When Israel saw her being unfaithful to
Hosea, they were actually seeing themselves as they prostituted themselves
out to other gods.
5. What did the names of Hoseas and Gomers three children say would be
Israels punishment for her unfaithfulness?

As a result of her adultery, (1) Israel will be scattered among the nations; (2)
God would no longer have mercy on her; and (3) Israel would no longer be
Gods people.
6. According to Hosea, who was to blame for Israels unfaithfulness?
The priests were to blame because they did not teach the people that Yahweh
was the only true God and that they were to worship him alone. The people
themselves were to blame because God sent prophet after prophet to call
them to repentance but they would not listen and refused to repent.
7. What did God find Israel guilty of?
He found her guilty of breaking his covenant with them, rebelling against his
Law, alienating herself from him, opposing him, and going to and trusting in
other gods.
8. What would Israels punishment be for committing adultery against Yahweh?
Because of her wickedness, she would be removed from the land and driven
from his presence. She would be sent into exile and left with nothing.
Because she trusted in armies and fortified cities, she will be destroyed by
the horrors of war.
9. While Israel is pictured as adulterous wife and prostitute, how is Yahweh
pictured in Hosea?
Through Hosea himself Yahweh is pictured as a faithful and loving husband. In
spite of her unfaithfulness he still loves her.
10.What other picture in Hosea is given to show Israels adversarial relationship
with Yahweh?
Yahweh is pictured as a loving father and Israel as his wayward son. As a
loving father, Yahweh freed his son from slavery, cared for him in the
wilderness, and gave him his own good land. He set up rules and boundaries
for his son (covenant stipulations), but Israel was a stubborn son, who would
not listen and repent and who went his own way.
11.What would be the punishment for Gods stubborn, wayward son, Israel?
Israel would be disciplined by being sent into exile. God would destroy the
nation.
12.What kind of response did Yahweh want from Israel for this punishment?
He wanted them to confess their sins, to throw away their idols, and to trust
in Gods mercy. In other words, he wanted them to repent and turn back to
him and worship him alone.

13.How is Gods action for Israel pictured through Hoseas action for Gomer after
he sent her away?
Hosea redeemed Gomer and took her back and made a new marriage
covenant with her. In the same way, after Israel spent some time in exile,
Yahweh would take Israel back again as his wife. He would redeem her and
once again treat her as his virgin bride, showering her with love and
compassion. For a while they would be taken from the land, not have a place
of worship, and not have kings. But after a while he would bring them back
and they would once again serve Yahweh at his temple under the rule of the
Messianic King.
Learning About Jesus in Hosea
Hosea pictures Israel as unfaithful and God as faithful (Hos. 1-3). In this we
see a picture of ourselves. We, like Israel, are unfaithful. But God remains
faithful to us, even sending his only Son for us.
In Hosea the relationship between God and his people is pictured as a

husband and wife (Hos. 1-3). This looks forward to the NT where Christ is the
husband and the Church is his bride. As a bride is expected to faithful to her
husband, so the church is expected to be faithful to Christ.
Hosea says Israel will return from exile and seek Yahweh as they live under
King David (Hos. 3:5). King David of old points forward to the great
Descendant of King David. As King and descendant of David, Jesus rules in
truth and righteousness and leads his people in true worship.
Hosea redeemed Gomer and took her back to be his bride (Hos. 3). Whether
he paid the price of a slave or the bride price a second time is not clear.
Either way he paid the price and took her back. In the same way Christ
redeemed us, paying for us with his holy precious blood, in order that we
might be restored as his bride, the Church.
Having redeemed his wife, Hosea expected her to be faithful to him (Hos. 3).
In the same way, God would expect Israel to remain faithful after he
redeemed them from their captivity. Having redeemed us from our captivity
to sin and death and giving us new life, Christ expects us, out of gratitude to
him, to live a life fully devoted to him.
The priests are condemned in Hosea for not teaching Israel the truth (Hos. 4).
Jesus is the true priest who not only teaches the truth but is the Truth. He
teaches about himself and what he does for the world that we/they might
receive from him the forgiveness of their sins.
Yahweh finds Israel guilty of breaking his covenant (Hos. 8). Jesus instituted a
new covenant which is a covenant of pure grace based upon his shed blood
for the forgiveness of our sins.
Hosea proclaims that Israel will lose the land and be sent into exile (Hos. 9:3;
11:11). But then when the nation is as good as dead, God will allow them to
return (Hos. 1:11; 2:23; 11:5). This looks forward to the death and
resurrection of Christ and the death and resurrection of each believer in
Christ through Baptism.
Jesus is the true Israel. In the OT Israel was called out Egypt by God (Hos.
11:1; 13:4), only to enter the promised land and worship Baal. Like Israel,
Jesus was called out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1; see Mt. 2:15). But unlike Israel, Jesus
remained faithful to his Father. Sinful mankind is unable to remain faithful.
Therefore, as our substitute, Jesus is faithful for us.

Amos The Death of Israel Announced
Amos was a sheep farmer from the sticks in Judah. Amos was called by God from
being a farmer to go prophesy in the northern kingdom. He prophesied at two main
places. One place was Bethel, the religious center of the northern kingdom. This is
where the majority of prophecies took place. The second place was Samaria, the
power center and capital of the northern kingdom. Amos prophesies in the northern
kingdom during the reign of Jeroboam II between 750 725 BC at approximately the
same time as Hosea. This was a time of great prosperity in the northern kingdom.
And so the theology goes like this: God is blessing us with great prosperity because
God is pleased with us. This is the context that Amos steps into.
(Amos 1:1-2) Yahweh Pictured as the Angry Lion from Zion
Yahweh is pictured as an angry lion, roaring from Zion. He shows his anger through
physical means such as earthquakes and droughts and through His Word spoken by
his prophets (such as Amos).
(Amos 1:3 2:16) Yahwehs Wrath on All His Enemies, Including Israel
Why is God angry? In Amos 1:3 2:3 Amos announces Gods judgment against 6
nations that oppose him and his people. Israel would be glad to hear this. Now, 7 is
the perfect number, so they would have expected to hear of Gods judgment
against one more nation. And indeed Amos said God would judge Judah as well
(Amos 2:4-5). But then something unexpected happens. Next they would have
expected to hear how God was going to bless Israel. Instead, Amos announces
Gods judgment against an 8th nation the Israelites themselves (Amos 2:6-16).
Yahweh is angry because in Israel the rich prey upon the poor; they show no
gratitude to Yahweh who rescued them from slavery and gave them this good land;
and they join in the disgusting fertility cults of the Canaanites.
(Amos 3 4) Oracles of Judgment Against Israel
Yahweh has chosen Israel as his special people. He has sent prophets to them to call
them to repentance. And yet the worst of the pagans would be shocked by the
immorality of Israel (3:1-10). When Yahweh strikes his people, he will first strike the
rich and the leaders. He will strike their places of false worship and the places of
power where oppression takes place. Even when Yahweh sought to bring Israel to
repentance by bringing drought, pestilence, and disaster upon them, they did not
return to him (3:11 4:13).
(Amos 5 6) The Announcement of Israels Death

Then Amos announces Israels death. Having cut themselves off from God, its a
kind of suicide. It is announced by means of a dirge (Amos 5:1-3). This is followed by
a call to seek God in order to have life instead of death. They are to seek good,
hate evil, and establish justice in the gate. They must first repent (Amos 5:4-15).
Then a woe is spoken (Amos 5:16-6:7). When that term is uttered, it announced
that a person was doomed to die. Here God pronounces his woe on the people of
the north for their perverted worship (Amos 5:16-27) and for the complacency of
the leaders of the nation (Zion and Samaria) for their sin (Amos 6:1-7). This
culminates then in Gods decision to destroy Samaria, the capital of the northern
kingdom, the center of the problem (Amos 6:8-14).
(Amos 7:1 9:10) Five Visions of Israels End
Next Amos has five visions of Yahwehs judgment on the northern kingdom. In the
first two (locusts [7:1-3] and fire [7:4-6]) Amos interceded and Yahweh relented. In
the third, (plumb line [7:7-17]) Israel does not measure up to Gods expectations.
Because they reject his Word and worship false gods they will be sent into exile. In
the fourth vision (good looking fruit [8:1-14]), they have outward prosperity but
inwardly they are rotten. This is shown by their shameful treatment of the poor.
Since they refuse to listen to Gods Word, there will be a famine of Gods Word. He
will no longer warn them. And in the fifth vision, Yahweh will try and get their
attention by an earthquake (see Amos 1:1). There will be no escaping its
destruction. They will die even in their temple. This points forward to the final
destruction of Israel in 721 BC.
(Amos 9:11-15) Hope of Restoration
After forecasting Israels death, Amos ends with prophecies of hope. First he
prophesies the restoration of the Davidic monarchy (Amos 9:11-12). This means
that the north will one day be united with the south and ruled by a descendant of
David. Secondly, he prophecies that after the devastation of judgment, God will
restore them to the land and there will again be a time of prosperity in the land
(Amos 9:13-15).
The Purpose of Amos
The purpose of Amos is to announce Gods sentence of death on Israel and the
reasons for his judgment against them.
Amos Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. At this time in Israels history (750 725 BC under king Jeroboam II) how does
Yahweh feel about Israel?
He is angry with them. He is like a lion roaring over its prey.

2. Who did Yahweh call to be his spokesman (prophet) to Israel, the northern
kingdom, and what was his message to be?
Yahweh called Amos, a farmer from Judah, to go north to Israel to proclaim a
message of doom.
3. Why would Amos message have surprised Israel?
Israel would have thought that Yahweh was rewarding them because of the
prosperity they were enjoying. But in reality God had been blessing them in
spite of their sin.
4. Why was Yahweh angry with Israel?
Yahweh was angry because in Israel the rich preyed upon the poor; they
showed no gratitude to Yahweh who rescued them from slavery and gave
them this good land; and they joined in the disgusting fertility cults of the
Canaanites. He sent prophets to call them to repentance but they would not
listen to them. They were more immoral than the pagan nations.
5. Who and what will Yahweh strike first?
He will strike their leaders and the rich. He will strike Bethel, the place where
their false worship of false gods takes place and he will strike Samaria, the
place of the rich, where social injustice originates.
6. According to Amos, how bad will Yahwehs judgment be for Israel?
Amos announced the death of the nation. God will destroy the nation. He will
shake the nation to its foundations. He will send them into exile.
7. What is their only hope of escaping Gods judgment?
Their only hope is to repent but they refuse to do so.
8. What message of hope does Amos end with?
He ends with the message that after exile Israel will be restored to the land
where they will live under the restored Davidic monarchy and once again
have prosperity.
Learning About Jesus in Amos
Amos message of doom came two years before the earthquake he predicted
(Amos 1:1). The fulfillment of the predicted earthquake vindicated Amos and
showed that his message was true. Jesus ministry was also validated by
earthquakes. The earthquakes of Good Friday and Easter morning showed
that his death and resurrection on behalf of humankind was true and
authentic. God shook creation when he ushered in the new Messianic/Davidic
kingdom in Christ.
A lion roars when it catches it prey and tears it to pieces. Therefore a Lions
roar invokes terror. In Amos Yahweh is the Lion who roars over his people who
take him for granted and do not live by his covenant (Amos 1:2). He is about
to tear them to pieces. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. But he does not come
to devour his people. Rather, he comes to save them. He comes to unleash
the power of Gods promises for his people (Rev. 5:5). And Christs power,
opposite of what one would normally expect, is made perfect in his death on
the cross (2 Cor. 12:9).
Israel had broken every aspect of the covenant (Amos 2:6 4:13). They
worshipped other gods (1st table of the Law) and they treated people unjustly
(2nd table of the Law) and they were about to be punished for it. This is
actually a true picture of all of humankind. All people sin against God and
deserve to be punished. For that reason Jesus came to keep the Law for us, to
do what we cannot do. But that is not all. In his suffering and death he took
upon himself the punishment that we deserved.
The Day of the Lord is a day on which Yahweh intervenes into human history,
bringing destruction on the unrighteous and vindication to the righteous.
Israel wrongly assumed that since God had chosen them that the Day of the
Lord would be a day in which they were elevated above the nations. But they
did not get the fact that they too were unrighteous and the Day of the Lord
would be a day of darkness for them (Amos 5:18). In fact all people will face
the Day of the Lord. The question is, Will God consider you unrighteous or
righteous? Will it be a day of destruction or vindication for you? No one has
any righteousness of their own. Therefore God had to provide a way for us to
appropriate the righteousness of Christ. This is done through the Holy Spirit
giving the gift of faith. The righteousness of Christ is given to Christians when
they are baptized. For those who have been baptized there is now no
condemnation (Rom. 8:1) and therefore they will be vindicated on the Day of
the Lord. For all those who are not in Christ, it will be a day of destruction.
Amos ends by speaking of restoration after the exile (Amos 9:11-15). A few of
the people of Israel would return to the land God had given them, but most
would not. God would send the promised Messiah (Jesus) who was from the
line of David. He would reestablish the Davidic kingdom which would then
include people from all nations. The Messianic kingdom would be available to
the scattered people of Israel and to all people. All those who repent of their
sin and trust in the Messiah (Jesus) will be saved and become a part of his
kingdom.

Obadiah Judgment for Those Who Attack Gods People
Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob was renamed by
God to Israel. And another name for Esau was Edom. The descendants of
Jacob/Israel were the Israelites. The descendants of Esau/Edom were the Edomites.
The rivalry that started between Jacob and Esau continued with the nations that
came from them. Obadiah prophesies against Edom for its role in opposing Israel.
We cannot be sure of when Obadiah was written. There are two dates that are
possible, an early date and a late date.
Early date, somewhere between 850 830 BC, when Jerusalem was attacked
by the Philistines and Arabs during the reign of Jehoram. If this is the case he
would be a contemporary of Elisha.
Late date, between 605 587 BC, when the Babylonians attacked Judah and
Jerusalem several times. If this is the case he would be a contemporary of
Jeremiah.
The later date is a little more likely because there seems to be a close connection
(similar motifs and vocabulary) between Obad. 1-7 and several verses in Jeremiah
(Jer. 49:14-16; 49:9-10; 38:22a).
Title and Introduction (Obad. 1)
Obadiah sees a vision in which Yahweh calls upon the nations to attack Edom.
Gods Judgment on Edom (Obad. 2-14)
God announces his judgment on Edom (Obad. 2-7) and the reason for that judgment
they plundered the holy city (Obad. 8-14). Because they plundered, Gods
judgment on them will be that they will be plundered. This might be called the Day
of the Lord for Edom, the day when Yahweh intervened to set things straight with
them.
The Day of the Lord A Day of Judgment and Yahwehs Kingdom
Established (Obad. 15-21)
Gods judgment on the Edomites serves as a prelude and pointer to his judgment on
the nations. When Gods final judgment comes, God will visit upon each nation that
which it handed out. God will pay them back in kind. They will drink the cup of Gods
wrath. Yet those who flee to Yahweh on Mt. Zion will be saved (no matter what
nation they are from). As the Israelites shall return after exile and possess the land
of their enemies, so at the End the enemies of Gods people will be defeated and
Yahwehs kingdom will be fully and permanently established.
Why Obadiah Comes After Amos

Why was Obadiah placed after Amos in the Bible, even though chronologically they
are over 200 years apart? Amos ends by prophesying that the house of David would
be restored and his kingdom would be expanded to include Edom. So Obadiah
comes immediately after Amos because it builds upon that prophecy. Edom will be
destroyed; a remnant of Israelites shall return; and Israel will possess the land of
their enemies.
The Purpose of Obadiah
1. To understand the judgment of Edom as a prelude to the judgment of all
nations for their mistreatment of Gods people.
2. To give hope to the people of Zion after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586
BC.
Obadiah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. How did Obadiah receive this prophecy from God?
God showed it to him in a vision.
2. What was Gods message and who was it about?
Gods message was that God called upon the nations to rise up against Edom
and to plunder them.
3. What was the reason for Gods judgment of Edom?
Edom had aided and abetted the Babylonians in destroying Jerusalem. They
joined in plundering the holy city.
4. The judgment of God upon Edom pointed to something much bigger. What
was it?
Gods judgment on Edom pointed to the End when God will bring judgment
against all nations that oppose and mistreat his people.
5. What will happen at the End?
Those who oppose God and his people will drink the cup of Gods wrath.
Those who flee to God will be saved.
6. What will God establish at the End?
God will establish his eternal kingdom.
Learning About Jesus in Obadiah
The last enemy of Israel that king David defeated was Edom. Similarly, when
king Davids greater Son, Jesus returns, he will defeat the last great enemy of
Gods people death.
The Day of the Lord is a day of judgment and a day of salvation. For the
Edomites this would be a day of judgment. For humankind this day came on
Good Friday. On the day that Jesus suffered and died on the cross, God judged
sin and brought salvation to all who believe and trust in Jesus as the Savior.
The outcome from this Day of Judgment will be made known to all when Jesus
returns on the Last Day.
Obadiah depicts Israel being restored and the land being re-allotted to them
with Yahweh as their king. This looks forward to the eternal promised land
where Gods people will be reunited with God and live under his rule. This
kingdom and rule will be consummated in Christ. Rev. 11:15 says, The
kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever.

Jonah Yahweh Has Compassion for All People
The book of Jonah is completely different from all the other Minor Prophets. Whereas
the other books contain the words of the prophets, the book of Jonah tells the story
of a compassionate God sending the prophet Jonah to Nineveh to call them to
repentance. Jonah prophesied during the time of the Israelite king Jeroboam II (793
753 BC).
The Ninevites were the great enemy of Israel. They were known as the butchers of
the ancient world. They were like terrorists with no concern for life or limb. It was
unthinkable to Jonah that Yahweh would even consider offering them a chance to
repent. The key to understanding the book of Jonah is the question God asks in the
last verse of the book: Should not I pity Nineveh?
Jonahs Deliverance (Jonah 1-2)
First, Jonah is disobedient. When God tells him to go to Nineveh, he tries to run
away in the opposite direction (Jonah 1:1-3). Then God brings judgment on Jonah for
his disobedience. God raised up a storm and Jonah is tossed into the raging sea
(Jonah 1:4-16). Finally, God miraculously delivers Jonah by means of a whale. God
delivers him from the grave and puts him back on dry land. (Jonah 1:17 2:10).
Jonah is representative of all the prophets and of the people of Israel. The God who
created the land and seas and all that live on earth is concerned about all of his
creatures. Therefore he gave his prophets and his people the task to proclaim to the
nations his judgment on evil and deliverance of the penitent.
Ninevehs Deliverance (Johah 3-4)
Yahweh called Jonah to go to Nineveh a second time. This time Jonah was obedient
and went to Nineveh. Jonah preached Gods judgment and called Nineveh to
repentance (Jonah 3:1-4). Miraculously, the people and king of Nineveh repented.
They repented and God relented (Jonah 3:5-9). Afterwards, in anger, Jonah went up
on a hill that overlooked the city and waited to see if God would destroy it. As
evildoers and enemies of Gods people, Jonah wants to see them suffer. The story
ends with God rebuking Jonah (Jonah 3:10 4:11).
Even though the Ninevites were the enemies of God and his people, God sent Jonah
to them to preach Law and Gospel in order that they might repent. This shows that
God doesnt just have compassion on his own people, but he has compassion on all
people, including the most wicked people. He is a gracious God and merciful, slow
to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Jonah 4:2).
The Purpose of Jonah

1. It shows the universal scope of God's compassion which extends even to his
enemies and it encourages his people to exercise the same compassion.
The Reason Why Jonah Appears Before Micah and Nahum
This book introduces the next two books, Micah and Nahum. Both of those books
announce Gods final judgment on Nineveh and Assyria. If Jonah was not placed
here, we would have gone from the announcement of judgment on the nations in
Joel, Amos, and Obadiah, to the announcement of the destruction of Nineveh. It
would have appeared that God had not given them a chance to repent. It would
have appeared that God does not care about those who are not his people. But
Gods mercy extends to all the nations, even his enemies.
Jonah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Who did God call to go to Nineveh and how did he respond?
God called Jonah to go to Nineveh. But Jonah did not want to go and instead
went the opposite way.
2. What did God do when Jonah disobeyed?
God brought judgment against Jonah by sending a great storm that resulted
in Jonah being thrown into the sea.
3. How did God miraculously save Jonah?
He sent a great fish to swallow Jonah and spit him up on dry ground.
4. When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh a second time, how did Jonah react?
This time Jonah went to Nineveh as commanded.
5. What message was Jonah to proclaim?
Jonah was to proclaim that the city of Nineveh would be overthrown in 40
days because of its evil.
6. How did the people and king of Nineveh respond to Jonahs preaching?
The people and king of Nineveh repented.
7. How did God react when they turned from their evil ways?
He relented and did not send the threatened disaster.
8. How did Jonah feel about God having mercy on the city of Nineveh?
He was angry. That is why he did not want to go to Nineveh. He knew if they
repented God would have mercy on them.
9. How does the story of Jonah end?
It ends with God rebuking Jonah for not having compassion for all people.

10.What do we learn about God from the book of Jonah?
God is a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in
steadfast love. He has compassion for all people, even on the wicked
Assyrians.
Learning About Jesus in Jonah
Jonah didnt want to go to Nineveh, tried to run away, didnt want to preach
Gods word to his enemies, and was angry when they repented. He is the
opposite of Jesus. Jesus willingly came to earth; he eagerly preached Law and
Gospel; and was glad whenever a sinner repented. In fact Jesus even suffered
and died for his enemies.
Jesus spoke of Jonahs encounter with the great fish as a sign of his death and
resurrection (Mt. 12:39; 16:4; Lk. 11:29). As Jonah descended into death
inside the fish and then received life when he was spit up on dry ground, so
Jesus experienced death in the belly of a tomb and then three days later
received new life when he was resurrected from the dead.

Joel Repent! Take Refuge in Yahweh
The book of Joel is hard to date. He gives no historical information. No kings are
listed and neither Assyria nor Babylonia are mentioned. The prophecies are directed
to Judah, Jerusalem, and the nations.
Introduction (Joel 1:1-4)
Gods Word through the prophet Joel is to call the elders and people to teach the
lesson of the locust plague to future generations.
The Locust Plague Serves as a Prelude to the Day of Gods Judgment and
Deliverance (Joel 1:5 2:27)
Lament for the Locust Plague (Joel 1:5-20)
The prophet calls upon Israel to recognize the dire situation they are in and to call
out to God in repentance. The people heed his call and lament the seriousness of
the situation and call upon the Lord
Cry of Alarm for War and Fasting (Joel 2:1-20)
The locusts, called the Northerner, symbolize the invading armies God threatened to
send in judgment. (The enemies of Gods people normally came out of the north.)
They are to sound the alarm by blowing the trumpet. It is a call to the people to
avoid calamity by returning to the Lord in fasting and prayer. Then the Lord relented
and promised to deliver them from the locusts, to remove the northerner from
them.
A Call to Rejoice in the Yahwehs Promise of Plenty (Joel 2:21-27)
Because Yahweh has promised to bring about a great reversal of fortunes for his
people, the whole land is called upon to rejoice. They shall eat plenty, praise his
name, know the Lord, and know that he is the only God.
The Future Day of the Lord for the Nations (Joel 2:28 3:21)
The purpose of the locust plague, a Day of the Lord for Judah, was to point forward
to the future Day of the Lord for the nations, which is the subject of these verses.
The Last Times, the Time of the Chruch (Joel 2:28-32)

In the last times, God will pour out his Spirit upon the church, as he did the
prophets, in order that it might interpret the will and work of the Lord, expose sin,
and call the nations to repentance. Those who are outside Gods people and who
heed this call will be brought into the church (Zion and Jerusalem) and will be saved.
Judgment of the Nations for Their Mistreatment of Israel (Joel 3:1-8)
At the End will come the Final Judgment. God will be the Judge and his verdict will be
for his people and against the nations (Joel 3:1-8). His decision will be based upon
how they have dealt with and treated his people.
The Final Judgment Pictured in Three Ways (Joel 3:9-21)
The Judgment is then pictured in three ways. First Yahweh tells the rebellious
nations to prepare for war. But as they gather for war, Yahweh suddenly judges
them. Second, it is pictured as a harvest. Crops are not harvested until they have
grown and matured. God is patient and deliberate in waiting for the evil of the
nations to reach its full potential before he cuts them down. Third, he roars his
decision, which is for his people and against the oppressing nations. Gods verdict
will render his people safe and secure. They will have the plenty of paradise and live
in unbroken communion with the Lord their God.
The Purpose of Joel
The purpose of Joel is to teach Gods people to repent and to take refuge in the Lord
by calling on him for deliverance from judgment. It is also to provide hope for the
salvation of Zion and the restoration of paradise through God's presence in her.
Joel Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. What does the Word of the Lord through Joel call the elders and people to do?
Yahweh calls them to take this lesson of the locust plague and teach it to
future generations.
2. What does God teach Judah (and all people) through the locust plague?
He teaches them that in the same way as the situation is dire when the land
is stripped bare by locusts, so they are in a dire situation because of their sin
and therefore need to repent and cry out to the Lord for mercy.
3. Who does Yahweh threaten to send in judgment against Judah?
He threatens to send invading armies from the north.
4. How can Judah avoid the calamity of Gods judgment?
They can turn to the Lord in fasting and prayer.

5. How does Yahweh react when people repent?
He relents and delivers his repentant people from his judgment.
6. How should Gods people react when God relents and shows them mercy?
They should rejoice, praise the Lord, and enjoy restored and full communion
with God.
7. The locust plague pointed forward to the final Day of the Lord. What did
Yahweh promise to pour out in the End Times and for what purpose?
He promised to pout out his Holy Spirit upon all his people in order that they
might be like prophets calling the nations to repentance and bringing the
nations into the church.
8. At the End, God will render a judgment. What will that verdict be?
God will rule in favor of his people and against the nations that oppressed
and mistreated his people.
9. What will this verdict mean for Gods people?
It will mean that they will be restored to full communion with God. They will
forever live in safety and security. They will once again live in paradise.
Learning About Jesus in Joel
Joel called upon the priests to intercede for the people. Jesus is our High
Priest who continuously makes intercession for us.
In Joel, Yahweh identifies himself with his people. For what the nations do to
them, they do to him (Joel 3:4). In the same way when Jesus spoke of the
Final Judgment, he identified himself with the least of these my brothers
(Mt. 25:40).
Jesus fulfills another prophecy of Joel. Joel said in the last times that God
would pour out his Spirit upon all his people. After his resurrection, Jesus
breathed on his disciples and said, Receive the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22). Then
on Pentecost Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to work believing faith in people from
many nations (Acts 2).

Micah God Judges Sin and Saves a Penitent Remnant
Micah is a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea and prophesied approximately from
750 732 BC. He came from Moresheth, a little village in the Judean countryside,
which is about 30 miles south and west of Jerusalem. He prophesied against
Samaria and Jerusalem during the time of the divided kingdom during the reigns of
Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (all kings of Judah). Micah announced three major
events: (1) the fall of Samaria in 1:6 (722-721 BC), (2) the devastation of Judah by
the Assyrians in 1:9-16 (701 BC) and (3) the sack of Jerusalem and destruction of
the temple in 3:12. King Hezekiah listened to Micahs prophecy and he and the
people repented and God delayed the destruction of Jerusalem until later.
Gods Case Against Samaria and Jerusalem (Micah 1 2)
This section gives Gods case against Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom,
and against Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom. Their basic sins were
idolatry, oppression of the poor, and false prophecy. And as a result, God would
judge them for it. But there is also a promise that after the judgment God will gather
a remnant of the people sent into exile and restore them.
Gods Judgment and Deliverance of Zion (Micah 3 5)
The focus in this section is on Gods judgment and deliverance of Zion. The
particular problems that Micah focuses on with Jerusalem are the greed of their
leaders and the systemic corruption of the whole nation. Because of this, Jerusalem
will become a heap of ruins. But in the latter days God will restore and reestablish a
purified Jerusalem in which the nations will come. From Babylon Yahweh will redeem
his people and bring back a remnant to Zion. And there they will be ruled by a king
who hails from tiny Bethlehem and worship the one true God.
Gods Requirements and the Hope of Vindication by Him (Micah 6 7)
Here God presents his case against Israel. God wants them to act justly just as he
does, to show mercy just as he shows mercy, and to live humbly in his presence.
Then Zion laments the faithlessness of its people as it fails to live as God requires.
The picture for Gods people looks very bleak because they are filled with
wickedness and violence for which God will strike them down. But it ends by giving
hope to the faithful remnant that one day God will have compassion on and will
vindicate Zion by raising her up as he once did when he brought them up out of
Egypt.
The Purpose of Micah

The purpose of Micah is to encourage the people of Zion to put their hope in God
and to trust that when they do he will vindicate them.
Micah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Through Micah, who does God make a case against?
God is against Samaria and Jerusalem.
2. Who does Micah prophesy against?
He prophesies against both the north and the south (Israel and Judah), as
represented by their capitals of Samaria and Jerusalem. He prophesies
against the rich, kings, judges, priests, false prophets, and the people.
3. What have they done that God is against them?
They have committed the sins of idolatry, greed, and systematic corruption
and injustice.
4. What will happen to them because of their sin?
God will make them into a heap of ruins and send them off into exile.
5. Yet what does God promise?
He promises to keep a remnant of people for himself whom he will bring back
from exile and restore to a relationship with himself. He will reestablish a
purified Jerusalem and vindicate her and raise her back up.
Learning About Jesus in Micah
Micah 4:1-3, like Isaiah 2:1-4, pictures the Last Times with Mt. Zion being
raised up above the other mountains and the nations streaming to it. This
pictures people from all over the world flocking to the one, true God. This
refers to the time of the church when the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being
preached to all nations. When people believe the Gospel they stream to the
church where the one, true God is present, where they receive the
forgiveness of sins that Jesus won, and where they are reconciled to the
Father through Jesus. Through Christ they have the peace that surpasses all
understanding.
Micah continues in 4:6-8 with the promise that in that day God will gather
the lame and the exiles into a strong nation and he will rule over them
forever. He promises that Jerusalem and the kingship will be restored. God
fulfills these promises even today through Jesus. Jesus, being true God,
gathers the poor and exiled into his kingdom, the church, and rules over
them. The kingship of David is restored in Christ as he is from the line of
David. Therefore Jesus also rules not only as true God, but also as true man.
What the OT said would happen is fulfilled in the NT in the God-man, Jesus.
Micah follows his prophecy about the Messianic Kingdom in Micah 4 with a
prophecy about the Messiah in Micah 5:1-5a. Micah says that many years
after Jerusalem has been captured and Judahs king dethroned a new Davidic
king will arise from the ancestral town of David, Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-3).
This refers to Jesus who was from the line of David and was born in
Bethlehem (Matt. 2:2-6). Micah says he will have ancient or eternal origins. It
was in Christ that the Eternal God took on human flesh to rule Gods
kingdom, the church. Micah pictures the rest of his brothers joining Israel.
This refers to the gathering of the nations into Christs Messianic kingdom
through the preaching of the Gospel.
Micah also pictures the Messiah as a shepherd (Micah 5:4-5a). He will

shepherd his flock in the strength and name of Yahweh. He will provide the
flock with security and peace. This again refers to Jesus. Jesus declared
himself to be the Good Shepherd. The Scriptures commonly picture God as a
Shepherd who cares for his flock. And so Micah once again sees the Messiah
as both God (caring for his flock and who is from of old, from ancient days)
and man (a baby born in Bethlehem). And the NT clearly expounds Jesus
divinity and humanity as the Good Shepherd born in Bethlehem.
Micah closes his book (Micah 7:14-20) by drawing together the Messianic
themes of: the shepherd, the promise to Abraham, and the forgiveness of
sins. Even though Israel would fall to the Assyrians and Judah to the
Babylonians, God promises through Micah that he will not abandon his
people. He will be the Shepherd who goes out, finds his lost sheep, and
gathers them to himself in order that he might keep his covenant with
Abraham and bless the world. He does this through Jesus who gathers Gods
people into the church in order to save them through the forgiveness of all
their sins.

Nahum Yahwehs Vengeance Against His Enemies Brings
Comfort to His People
At the time that the book of Nahum was written (between 663 BC and 612 BC), the
northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrians and the Assyrians threatened
the southern kingdom of Judah. The Assyrians were known for their cruelty and it
was comforting for Gods people to know that soon Nineveh, the capital of the
Assyrian empire, would fall. Earlier Jonah had prophesied against Nineveh but when
the city repented, its punishment was delayed. But now the empire had returned to
its evil ways and Nahum announces that its time of judgment is imminent. Nahum
probably prophesied during the reign of Josiah (641 609 BC) and was therefore a
contemporary of Zephaniah and Jeremiah.
Address to Judah: God Will Judge Nineveh and Deliver Judah (Nah. 1)
Yahweh will not let his enemies (like Nineveh) go unpunished. He has the power to
bring judgment on them, for he has power over the forces of nature. Those who
oppose him cannot withstand his anger. But for those who trust in him, he is a
stronghold and refuge. Judah will be delivered from the hands of the Assyrians. Even
at full strength, the Ninevites dont stand a chance.
Address to Nineveh: Assyrias Fall will be Fierce (Nah. 2-3)
Nineveh will come to a violent end. It will be laid desolate by Yahweh of Hosts. Woe
to Nineveh, the bloody, violent city. Yahweh is against her and will humiliate her. If
this seems impossible because of her great status and power, remember the
Egyptian capital of Thebes. Just as Thebes seemed impregnable but was sacked, so
will be the fate of Nineveh. Everything Nineveh does to protect herself will be in
vain. And when she is destroyed, all those nations which she cruelly oppressed will
rejoice.
The Purpose of Nahum
The purpose of Nahum is to assure the oppressed people of Judah that God would
free them from the harsh oppression of the Assyrians and all other wicked people
who oppress them.
Nahum Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Will Yahweh allow those who oppose him and oppress his people to do it
without consequences? And if not, what will he do?
No, Yahweh will take vengeance on his enemies. He will pay them back
according to what they have done.

2. Does Yahweh have the power to carry out his threatened vengeance?
Yes, he has command and power over the storms, seas, rivers, mountains,
and whole earth.
3. What chance do the enemies of Yahweh have at escaping his wrath?
None.
4. As opposed to his enemies, what is Gods disposition towards his trusting
people?
For them he is slow to anger, powerful to save, and a stronghold and refuge.
5. What kind of end does Nineveh face?
They face a violent end in which Yahweh fights against her and destroys her.
6. If it seems impossible for the great and mighty city of Nineveh to fall, what
event should they remember?
The great Egyptian city of Thebes was once in a similar situation. It was
surrounded by water for protection. It was powerful. Yet it was defeated and
its inhabitants were sent into captivity. The same fate awaits Nineveh.
7. How will the nations that Nineveh defeated and oppressed react?
They will rejoice over the defeat of Nineveh, which did unceasing evil.
Learning About Jesus in Nahum
What a joyful day it will be when a messenger comes bringing the good news
to Judah that the dreaded enemy, the Assyrians, have been destroyed and
that there will now be peace in the land (Nah. 1:15a). This is a result of Gods
action, which at the same time both destroys his enemies and saves his
people. This act depicts in a small way what God would later do through his
Son. He would send his Son who would utterly defeat all of God enemies and
save all of Gods people. This is the Gospel Jesus Christ, the Son of God
(Mark 1:1). This is the Good News God brings to us through the prophets, the
evangelists, and his ministers of the Word.
In Nahum, Yahweh is depicted as the Divine Warrior who avenges those who
harm his people. He is like a mighty flood that relentlessly pursues his
enemies and overtakes them. Likewise, in Revelation Jesus functions as a
Divine Warrior. In justice he judges and makes war (Rev. 19:11). He treads
the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty (Rev. 19:15). Through
his death and rising from the dead, he conquers all of Gods enemies. Satan
and all his minions will be thrown into the lake of fire, while all those who
trust in Jesus will live eternally in peace in Gods holy presence.

Habakkuk God Will Punish the Wicked; Wait in Faith and
Rejoice in Yahweh
The book of Habakkuk is unique because it consists of a dialogue between
Habakkuk and God. Habakkuk (and no doubt other godly people in Judah) is
troubled by what seems to be Gods inaction towards the wickedness and
oppression in Judah. In the first two chapters Habakkuk lodges his complaints and
God answers him. In the third chapter Habakkuk responds with a beautiful
confession of faith.
Historical Setting
The Assyrians defeated the northern kingdom of Israel in 722/721 BC.

In 612 BC, Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, fell to the
Babylonians.
In 605 BC the Egyptians were defeated by the Babylonians.
Judah had become a vassal to the Babylonians. But when Judah was
unfaithful to Babylon, they suffered repeated incursions by the Babylonian
troops between 605 and 597 BC.
Habakkuk entered into the scene probably around 605 BC (this would make
him a contemporary of Jeremiah) and it was his task to interpret for the
people of Judah the rise of the Babylonian empire.
Debate Between Habakkuk and Yahweh (Hab. 1:1 2:5)

First, Habakkuk asks Yahweh why he doesnt do something about the wickedness,
violence, and injustice in Judah (Hab. 1:1-4). The wicked prosper while the righteous
suffer. Yahwehs answers Habakkuk by saying that he has not been sitting by idly,
but instead he has been raising up the Babylonians who have carried out Gods
wrath on the wicked Assyrians and who will carry out his wrath upon the wickedness
of Judah (Hab. 1:5-11). God will use the wicked Babylonians to punish the wicked
people of Judah.
But Yahwehs answer raises an even more perplexing question. Since the
Babylonians were even more wicked and evil than Judah, how could holy God use
the extremely evil Babylonians to punish his less evil people (Hab. 1:12 2:1)?
Yahwehs answer to this second question has two important components (Hab. 2:25). First, in Gods own way and time Babylon, and indeed all evil, will also be
punished. Second, until that time comes, those who are righteous will live by their
faith. (The apostle Paul explains what this means in Romans. No human being has
any righteousness of his own, but he is counted righteous by God if by faith he
appropriates Jesus righteousness (Rom. 1:17; 3:22-24; 4:24; 5:1; 8:33)). In other
words, those people who are faithful trust God and his Word and by faith receive

what God graciously promises. So at the final Judgment, all wickedness will be
destroyed and those who have faith will receive eternal life.
Yahwehs Justice is Certain: Five Woes Against Arrogant Babylon (Hab.
2:6-20)
To the Babylonians who carry out all kinds of injustices, God pronounced five woes.
Yahweh will not let these injustices go unpunished. But when these woes were
pronounced, Babylon was at the height of its power and glory. And for years to
come, they would have great success. Therefore to believe this Word of God would
take faith.
A Prayer for Gods Deliverance of His People and Defeat of Their Enemies
(Hab. 3:1-19)
The key phrase in Habakkuks closing prayer is: in wrath remember mercy.
Habakkuk has come to realize and trust that evildoers will experience Yahwehs
wrath. And even though Gods people also deserve judgment, Habakkuk asks that
Yahweh have mercy on them. In his vision he then sees Yahweh coming out of the
south in power, as he once led Israel out of Egypt and through the desert. He is in
control of all of nature and nature trembles in his presence. His purpose in coming is
not only to punish evil, but also to deliver his people from the wicked conquerors.
Those who wait on Yahweh in faith will be saved, vindicating the Anointed One.
Habukkuks response is one of holy fear. He will quietly wait for the day when
Yahweh brings judgment on the invaders and saves his people. In spite of
appearances to the contrary, he knows that Yahweh will keep his Word and he will
rejoice in the salvation that Yahweh brings.
The Purpose of Habakkuk
The purpose then of Habakkuk is to encourage the righteous Israelites to wait
faithfully for their vindication when God judges their enemies and to rejoice in him
as their coming deliverer.
Habakkuk Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Judah was filled with violence and injustice. The evildoers flourished. Why
does God sit idly by and allow this to happen? Why doesnt God punish them?
In reality God is not sitting idly by. He is raising up the Babylonians who will
be the rod he uses against the evildoers of Judah.

2. Why does Yahweh use the evil Babylonians to punish the wicked in Judah?
Throughout history Yahweh has used evil against evil; he has used evil
nations to undo other evil nations.
3. How can a holy and pure God use evil to do his work?
God only allows evil people and nations to exist and to prosper for an
appointed period of time. He uses them for his own purposes and when their
time is up, he puts an end to them. In fact there is an appointed time when
God will put an end to all evil (Hab. 2:3a). This is what we call the Last Day.
That is the day when God will deal with evil once and for all.
4. What should those who seek justice against the evildoers do as they suffer?
They should be patient and know that at some point God will punish the
wicked. And if it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay
(Hab. 2:3b).
5. We want Gods justice here and now. But there is a problem with that. Since
all people are sinful, who would escape Gods righteous judgment?
No one. If God were to deal with people based on their righteousness, no one
would survive.
6. Gods criteria for judging people therefore is not whether they are good or
bad. (Since all people are sinful, all people are bad.) If this is the case what
criteria does he use?
The criteria God uses is if a person has faith in him and his Word or not.
Those who have faith in Jesus swap their sinfulness for Jesus righteousness
and are counted righteous for Jesus sake.
7. God will use the Babylonians, who are at the height of their power, to punish
Judah. What is Yahwehs message for the Babylonians which will bring some
comfort to Gods people?
His message is, Woe! Yahweh will not let them go unpunished. Their time of
judgment is coming.
8. What does Habakkuk come to believe and pray for?
He comes to believe that Yahweh will punish the wicked and he prays that
when he does, that he have mercy on his faithful people (Hab. 3:2).
9. In his vision, what does Habakkuk see God doing?
He sees God come out of the south in power. This reminds us of when God
brought Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand, led them through the desert,
and brought them into the promised land where he defeated all of Israels
enemies. So not only will God punish the wicked, but he will at the same time
deliver his people. This later happened when Babylon was defeated and Israel

was allowed to return to the promised land and it will happen on the Last Day
when Satan, evil, and death will be defeated and those who waited in faith
will be saved unto eternal life.
10.What was Habukkuks response and what should our response be to this Word
of the Lord?
Habakkuk quietly waited in faith for God to fulfill his Word. And we should do
the same. We look forward to the Last Day when God will deal with evil and
vindicate the righteous. Like Habakkuk, we will rejoice in the Lord; [we] will
take joy in the God of [our] salvation. God, the Lord, is [our] strength (Hab.
3:18-19a).
Learning About Jesus in Habakkuk
Habakkuk wanted God to end the evil of Judah and Babylon immediately. But
instead God said there was an appointed time for this to happen. God carried
out his judgment on evil when Jesus went to the cross. On that appointed
day, Jesus took all of the sin, evil, and wickedness of the world upon himself
and paid the punishment for it. On that day Gods verdict against evil was
pronounced and on the Last Day God will do away with evil forever for
Christs sake.
God has promised that he will do away with evil and also save and give life to
the righteous. But since all people are sinful, who are the righteous? The
righteous are those who live by faith. Why are those who have faith
considered righteous by God? The apostle Paul quotes Habakkuk and makes
The righteous shall live by faith the theme of his letter to the Romans. All
people sin and fall short of the glory of God, but God justifies (pronounces
righteous) those who have faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26b). Abraham believed
Gods promises all of which pointed forward to Jesus and it was counted to
him as righteousness (Rom. 4, esp. 4:22). And the same is true for us (Rom.
4:23 5:1). We are righteous by faith.
If no one has any righteousness of their own, where and how does one
receive righteousness? God considers people righteous because he gives
them his righteousness as a free gift (Rom. 5:17). It is faith that receives
Jesus righteousness as a free gift of grace.
In his vision Habakkuk saw God coming out of the south to not only destroy
the wicked but also to save his people of faith. God fulfilled this when he
raised up the Cyrus who defeated Babylon and allowed the Israelites to return
to the promised land. This fulfillment was a miniature picture of the ultimate
fulfillment in Christ. In his life, Christ perfectly kept Gods Law for us. He
offers that perfect righteousness to all of the sinful people of the world. Those

who have faith receive that righteousness as their own. On the cross Christ
defeated all the powers of evil and condemned all of the unrighteous. But for
those who are in Christ, who possess his righteousness by faith, there is no
condemnation (Rom. 8:1). God will bring them to the eternal promised land
where they will live forever.

Zephaniah The Day of Yahweh is Coming for Judah
During the years between Isaiah and Zephaniah (around 700 630 BC), no
prophetic books were published. This was probably the case because wicked kings
Manasseh (697 643 BC) and Amon (643 641 BC) reigned. During this time
injustice, child-sacrifice, and idolatry ran rampant.
The Author and Setting (Zeph. 1:1)
Zephaniah was the great grandson of Hezekiah. He prophesied in the early days of
king Josiah (641 609 BC) either shortly before or after Hezekiah implemented the
Deuteronomic Reformation. His oracles were probably delivered between 630 610
BC.
(The reformation occurred when the book of Deuteronomy or possibly the entire
Pentateuch was found during the renovation of the temple. When it was read to king
Josiah, he found that Judah was not keeping covenant made at Sinai. Therefore he
instituted reforms where he destroyed the shrines to Baal, Asherah, and other false
gods and led Judah to worship Yahweh, the one true God.)
The Day of Yahweh as a Day of Judgment for the Wicked (Zeph. 1:2 3:8)
Yahweh announces his universal judgment on all evil (Zeph. 1:2-3). His judgment
will begin with his own people. The people of Judah and Jerusalem will receive
judgment because of their worship of other gods alongside Yahweh (Zeph. 1:4-13).
He warns that the Day of Yahweh is coming and it will be a day of darkness and ruin.
The only hope for Judah to escape Gods wrath is to seek Yahweh in humility (Zeph.
1:14 2:3).
Judah will not be the only ones feeling Gods wrath. The nations that oppress Gods
people will also feel it (Zeph. 2:4-15). Gods wrath will destroy the Philistines.
Because the Moabites and Ammonites insult and mock Gods people, Yahweh will
destroy them. In his wrath Yahweh will strike Egypt and destroy Assyria.
Jerusalem does not accept Gods correction. All of her officials are corrupt. The
destruction of the nations was to serve as a warning to Gods people, but Judah paid
no attention. They refuse to repent. Therefore God pronounces a woe upon her
(Zeph. 3:1-8).
The Day of Yahweh as a Day of Restoration and Deliverance for the
Righteous (Zeph. 3:9-20)

The fire of Yahwehs wrath on Judah and the nations not only destroys, but it also
purifies. God destroys all of the gods and things that the nations put their trust in so
that they will call on the name of Yahweh and serve him along with a remnant of
Gods people on Mt. Zion. Gods wrath will purge away the proud and haughty,
leaving the meek and humble who trust Yahweh. Zion will be restored; Yahweh will
be its King; and Yahweh will be present with his people and rejoice over them.
(Note that Zion is another name for Jerusalem, but in a religious context and not a
political one. Zion is the place where God dwells with his people and rules over
them and rejoices over them. And they in turn rejoice over all that God has done for
them.)
The Purpose of Zephaniah
The purpose of Zephaniah is to announce God's Day of Judgment on Judah and all
the nations before the restoration of a humble remnant in Zion.
Zephaniah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. What is Yahwehs first announcement through Zephaniah?
Yahweh announces universal judgment on all evil.
2. Why will the people of Judah and Jerusalem receive Gods judgment?
They will receive Gods judgment because of their worship of other gods
alongside Yahweh.
3. The day of Gods judgment is called the Day of Yahweh. What will that day be
like for unfaithful Judah?
It will be a day of darkness and ruin.
4. What is the only way that Judah can escape Gods wrath?
They must repent and seek Yahweh in humility.
5. Who else will receive Yahwehs wrath?
The nations that surround and oppress, insult, and mock Gods people.
6. What did Judah refuse to do and what would be the result of it?
Judah would not receive correction; they refused to repent. Therefore they would
feel the fire of Gods wrath.
7. The fire of Gods wrath also serves another purpose beside destruction. What
is it and who is affected by it?
It also serves to purify. There is a remnant of people from Judah and the nations
who will be purified and humbly call on the name of Yahweh in Zion.

8. Gods judgment serves his saving purposes. What will the end result be?
Jerusalem will be restored. There Yahweh will live with his people whom he has
gathered from Judah and the nations.
Learning About Jesus in Zephaniah
1. The Day of Yahweh is a day in which God intervenes into human history and
takes care of evil. It is a day when the wicked are judged. When Zephaniah
warned Judah that the Day of Yahweh was coming (Zeph. 1:7-18), it was a call to
repentance, a call to turn away from idolatry. Each Day of Yahweh in the OT
points forward to the Great Day of Yahweh in the NT. On Good Friday in the
person of Jesus Christ, God intervened into human history to take care of evil. On
that day evil was judged. On that day Jesus took Gods judgment on himself so
that we who deserve it would not have to.
2. When Zion is restored, it will not consist of only Israelites. Many peoples
from far far away (beyond the rivers Cush) shall come to the holy mountain
and seek refuge in and call upon the name of Yahweh (Zeph. 3:9-13). The
church is Mt. Zion where God is present, where humble people from all nations
come to take refuge in him, where they find forgiveness of sins for Christs sake,
and where they are safe from all their enemies.
3. Zephaniah ends by speaking of Jerusalems restoration (Zeph. 3:14-20). The
return of a remnant from exile and the reestablishment of Jerusalem and the
temple were a fulfillment of this restoration. But the ultimate fulfillment is in
Christ. Jerusalem and Zion point forward to Christs church. Because of what
Christ has done, God offers a whole host of blessings to his people, the church:
judgments are taken away; enemies are cleared away; Jesus, who is the King of
Gods kingdom, is present with his people; his people live in safety; Yahweh
saves, loves, and rejoices over his people; and Yahweh reverses the fortunes of
his oppressed and outcast people.
4. Yahweh had blessed Judah, but they had turned their backs on him. Because
of this, the blessings they received would be turned into curses. Though they
build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall
not drink wine from them (Zeph. 1:13). But Zephaniah ends with Gods promise
of a reversal of the curse: when I restore your fortunes (Zeph. 3:20). The
inversion of curse to blessing, of death to life, points to the greatest reversal of
all. Jesus died but then rose from the dead. In Christ is life. Those who trust in
him have their fortunes reversed; they are moved from being dead under a curse
to immediately receiving eternal life.

Haggai Rebuild the Temple So That I May Bless You
The Setting of Haggai and Zechariah

Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in 586 BC. In 536 BC the people started
coming back to Jerusalem and they rebuilt the altar and laid the foundation for the
temple but then they stopped for various political and economic reasons. In 520 BC
God sent two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, and their message was to rebuild the
temple (Ezra 5:1-2). So in 520 BC, almost 20 years after they first started rebuilding,
they resumed the reconstruction of the temple. The rebuilding of the temple took 5
years. So they finished rebuilding it in 515 BC (Ezra 6:13-18). This is a very
important event in Jewish history. It begins what is called the second temple period.
To the People of Judah: Rebuild Yahwehs House (Hag. 1:1-11)
Yahwehs message to the people of Judah was that now was the time to rebuild his
house, the temple. This message was spoken to Zerubbabel, the governor, and
Joshua, the high priest, who were the leaders of Jerusalem. Yahweh chides them for
being more concerned about their own houses than his house. Because they have
neglected Yahwehs house, he had withdrawn his blessing from them.
(Note that 14 times in Haggai, Yahweh is called Yahweh of Hosts or Yahweh of
Armies. This emphasizes his power and authority, especially as a Divine Warrior for
his people. While the Persians and the kingdoms of the world seem powerful and
autonomous, in reality Yahweh is over all and will shake and overthrow all kingdoms.
Haggai is the prophet of this universal God.)
The People of Judah Obeyed and Resumed Building the House of Yahweh
(Hag. 1:12-15)
Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the remnant of people feared Yahweh and obeyed his
command. Yahweh said he was with them and moved them to restart constructing
Yahwehs house.
(Note the contrast before and after the exile. Before the exile Gods prophets were
ignored and persecuted. Now after the exile the people listened and obeyed the
words of Gods prophet.)
This House of Yahweh Will Be More Glorious Than Solomons (Hag. 2:1-9)
As they rebuilt the temple, a word of encouragement came from Yahweh. In
appearance and craftsmanship, the glory of the new temple was nowhere near that
of Solomons first temple. Yet Yahweh promises that he is with them as he promised
he would be in the covenant at Sinai and that the glory of the second temple will
surpass that of the first temple.
How would God bring it such glory? In the future not just the Israelites, but people
from the nations would come to the temple to worship God (Hag. 2:7; see also

Micah 4:1; Is. 2:2). This looks forward to the Messianic age. When Jesus, who was
the Messiah, was first brought to the temple, Simeon confirmed that God was
fulfilling Haggais prophecy by making Jesus a light to the nations and the glory of
Israel (Luke 2:27-32). In fact Jesus is the new temple (Mt. 12:5-6; John 2:19) and
from him radiates Gods glory (John 1:14; Heb. 1:3). Also it is in the temple that God
gives peace (Hab. 2:9). Ultimately it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus for the
forgiveness of sins that we have peace with God.
In the Future Yahwehs Defiled People Will Be Blessed (Hag. 2:10-19)
Haggai begins his third prophecy with a question for the priests about holy and
defiled offerings (Hag. 2:10-13). God then uses their answer to demonstrate that
until now the peoples offerings have been defiled and worthless (Hab. 2:14-19a).
But in the future God will bless them through proper worship at the rebuilt temple
(Hag. 2:19b).
Zerubbabel is Yahwehs Chosen Leader (Hag. 2:20-23)
The last prophecy of Haggai was to Zerubbabel. Yahweh has chosen him as his
servant and signet ring. As a signet ring made an imprint that clearly showed that a
decree had authority because it came from the king, so Zerubbabels leadership in
the rebuilding of the temple as a descendant of David would clearly show that God
was shaking things up in order to reestablish his presence with his people in the
temple.
As a descendant of David and a servant of God who restored the temple in order
that God would bless his people, Zerubbabel would serve as a guarantee (signet
ring) that in the future Great Day of the Lord God would shake all of creation and
send his Servant to rebuild Gods Temple (which was Jesus body raised on the third
day) in order that God could be present with his people and bless them through his
Word and Sacraments proclaimed and administered in his church.
The Purpose of Haggai
The purpose of Haggai is to encourage the rebuilding of the temple, so that God
could bless his people by his presence with them.
Haggai Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1. What was the primary message the prophet Haggai had for the remnant in
Jerusalem?
Haggais message to the remnant was: Yahweh says it is time to rebuild the
temple.
2. Up to this point what had the people been more concerned about?
They had been more concerned about their own homes.
3. What had Yahweh done since they were more concerned about their own
houses instead of his house?

He had withdrawn his blessings from them (crops, food, drink, clothes, and
wages).
4. How did the leaders and people of Judah respond to the prophets command?
They listened to it and obeyed it. They began to rebuild the Gods house.
5. How did this new, rebuilt temple compare to Solomons temple?
In splendor and glory it fell far short of Solomons temple.
6. But what did Yahweh promise about the future glory of the new temple?
He promised that the future glory of the rebuilt temple would surpass that of
Solomons temple.
7. What would bring the temple such glory?
Not only Israel, but also the nations would come to worship God in the temple.
And from the temple God would give people his peace.
8. Up to this point, what was the spiritual state of the people and their sacrifices?
The people were defiled and therefore so were their sacrifices to Yahweh.
9. But now that they were rebuilding Gods house, what did Yahweh promise?
Through the worship offered at the temple, Yahweh promised to bless the people
of Jerusalem and Judah.
10. What did God say he would make Zerubbabel and what did it guarantee?
God said he would make Zerubabbel a signet ring (authority and guarantee).
Zerubbabel had been chosen by Yahweh to lead his people in rebuilding the
temple. As his chosen one and as a descendant of David, God would use
Zerubabbel to show that the rebuilding had been authorized by God and would
be the beginning of a worldwide shake up, one in which he would overthrow
kingdoms in order to raise up his own kingdom as he once did in Egypt.
Learning About Jesus in Haggai
>> Yahweh commanded the people of Jerusalem to rebuild his temple in order
that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified (Hab. 1:7). Ultimately
Jesus is the new Temple who was rebuilt, that is, destroyed and rebuilt on the
third day. About Jesus the Father said, With him I am well pleased. And through
the cross Jesus was glorified and so was God the Father.
>>Yahweh promised future splendor and glory for the temple (Hag. 2:7, 9). He
would do this not only by having Israel worship there, but also by bringing
people from the nations there to worship him. This points forward to the
Messianic age and is fulfilled in Christ. Simeon confirmed that God was fulfilling
Haggais prophecy through Jesus by making him a light to the Gentiles and the
glory of Israel (Luke 2:27-32). In fact Jesus is the new temple (Mt. 12:5-6; John
2:19) and from him radiates Gods glory (John 1:14; Heb. 1:3).

>>Yahweh declared that he would give people his peace from the temple
(Hag.2:9). Peace is a complete wholeness and wellness of body, soul, and spirit.
Jesus is the one that brings Gods peace. To his disciples Jesus said, Peace be
with you (John 20:19, 21, 26). Through faith we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). Paul begins his letters by extending peace
from God and the Lord Jesus. Jesus is our peace (Eph. 2:14) and Jesus
preached peace (Eph. 2:17). Jesus made peace by shedding his blood on the
cross (Col. 1:20).
>>Yahweh promised to bless the people through their worship at the rebuilt
temple (Hag. 2:19). God instituted the OT sacrificial worship system in order that
he might bless his people (see Lev.). Everything about OT worship pointed
forward to Jesus. And it is through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that God
blesses people. Through God-given faith, people appropriate the blessings Christ
won for us forgiveness, life, and salvation.
>>Zerubabbel was a type of Christ. He was a descendant of David, chosen and
sent by God, a servant of God, and a signet ring (Hag. 2:23). God used
Zerubabbel to lead the people in rebuilding the temple. This was the first step in
establishing Gods kingdom. The complete fulfillment was carried out by Jesus.
Like Zerubabbel, Jesus was a descendant of David. He was the king promised
who would rule forever. Like Zerubabbel, he was chosen and sent by God for the
sake of true worship. He came to take away mans sin. He was the Servant who
lived and suffered in the place of and for mankind. And he completed the work of
Gods salvation of mankind.

Zechariah Rebuilt Temple Leads to Gods Rule Over the
Whole Earth
In 520 BC God sent two prophets to tell the people to resume the building of the
temple. It was resumed and it was finished and dedicated in 515 BC. The fact that
God sent two prophets meant that it was very important. For more on the setting of
Zechariah, see the The Setting of Haggai and Zechariah section of Haggai.
Part 1: The Rebuilding of the Temple is the Beginning of the Rebuilding of
Zion (Zech. 1 8)
A Call to Return to Yahweh (Zech. 1:1-6)
Zechariah received the word of Yahweh during the reign of the Persian king Darius.
He is to call Israel to return from their evil ways to Yahweh.
Eight Visions of the Restoration of Zion (Zech. 1:7 6:8)
The visions are presented in a chiastic form, narrowing from the whole earth down
to the temple and then widening again from the temple back to the whole earth.
They show that God is in control, is looking out for his people, would cause the
temple to be rebuilt and from them will bring forth the Savior.
(Zech. 1:7-17) Vision 1 Scope: The Whole Earth
Yahweh controls the events of history in order that out of mercy for Jerusalem and
anger towards the oppressing nations his house and the holy city can be rebuilt and
once again be prosperous.
... (Zech. 1:18-21) Vision 2 Scope: International
... The overly brutal nations that destroyed Israel will in turn be destroyed by other
nations.
... ... (Zech. 2:1-13) Vision 3 Scope: Jerusalem and Judah
... ... Jerusalem will be rebuilt and Gods scattered people will return from Babylon to
Jerusalem where God will live among and protect them. And people from many
nations will join Israel and become a part of Gods people.
... ... ... (Zech. 3:1-10 Vision 4 Scope: Temple
... ... ... Yahweh was also restoring the priesthood. Joshua the high priest and the
priests were symbolic of the Messiah to come. The Messiah, like Joshua, would walk
in Yahwehs ways, rule over Yahwehs house, and have direct access to God. He
would be a Servant, the promised Branch. He would remove the sin of Israel in one
day and provide peace and security.
... ... ... (Zech. 4:1-14) Vision 5 Scope: Temple
... ... ... Zerubabbel, who laid the foundation of the temple, will build and complete
the temple through the power of the Holy Spirit. No opposition can stop him.
Through Zerubabbel and Joshua (two olive trees), who represent kingship and
priesthood, Gods grace (oil) will be supplied and flow to the people in the New
Jerusalem in the new temple.

... ... (Zech. 5:1-4) Vision 6 Scope: Jerusalem and Judah
... ... Judah will be purged and purified as all lawbreakers will be removed from the
land.
... (Zech. 5:5-11) Vision 7 Scope: International
... In these verses a system of measure is used as a symbol for the whole system of
sinful corruption that must be removed from land and find a new home far away in
Babylon.
(Zech. 6:1-8) Vision 8 Scope: The Whole Earth
Yahweh controls the events of history in order that his Spirit can create the right
political climate to bring his people back from their exile in the north to Jerusalem.
Coronation of Joshua the High Priest as a Sign of the Future Royal Priest (Zech. 6:915)
A crown is to be made for Joshua the high priest. A crown represents kingly rule.
Joshua, the high priest, with his crown then would symbolize the coming Messiah
(Branch) who would hold and carry out both the priestly and kingly functions. It is
from the temple they are rebuilding that the Messiahs work would branch out from.
Fasting Will Be Turned Into Feasting (Zech. 7 8)
Ever since the temple was destroyed Gods people fasted to commemorate that
terrible day. Now that the temple was being rebuilt, they ask if they should continue
to fast? The answer is, no. First of all fasting is to be an expression of sorrow for sin.
Israels fasting was self-centered and insincere. Second, the reason for the exile was
Israels refusal to listen to Yahweh as he spoke through his prophets. Thus Yahweh
made the land desolate because they refused to repent. Yet Yahweh promises a
reversal from fasting to feasting. How is this possible? Not by anything the people
will do. It will only happen because of Yahwehs saving mercy. The peoples response
to his mercy should be to love and speak the truth, render justice, avoid evil, and
instead of fasting they are to feast with joy. In doing so, they will become a light to
the Gentiles.
Part 2: Gods Ultimate Purposes for Zion, the Holy City (Zech. 9 14)
The style and tone of the second part of the book different significantly from the
first part. This part does not mention specific dates, which makes it hard to
determine the historical setting. Some account for these differences by attributing
these chapters to a later period in Zechariahs life. If that is the case, then the
temple has been rebuilt but times are still hard. These chapters then would provide
encouragement for Israel by giving her hope in the coming Messiah. The value and
authority of what God caused to be recorded here is shown by the use of several
passages from these chapters in the NT in the passion and death of Christ.
Oracle about Yahweh's Concern for His Flock and Its Shepherds (Zech. 9 - 11)

This oracle looks forward to the Messianic age. Yahweh will bring judgment on the
enemies of his flock. His judgment will serve his saving purposes, as a remnant of
the Gentile nations will become a part of Gods people (Zech 9:1-8). Yahweh will
also send a humble King who will rule in peace (Zech. 9:9-10). Because of his
covenant in blood with his people he will deliver them from all evil (Zech. 9:11-17).
Yahweh is against foreign leaders and nations that oppress his people and worship
worthless gods. He will reverse his peoples fortunes and from them he will raise up
a Shepherd who will provide structure, stability, and safety. From the nations the
scattered flock will be redeemed and brought to Yahweh and the oppressing
shepherds will be cut down (Zech. 10:1 11:3).
Gods kingdom always faces opposition. Zechariah is called on to play the part of
Yahweh as the Good Shepherd of his people. His flock was exploited by pagans, both
outsiders and their own leaders. The flock is doomed. To his flock, Yahweh sends his
chosen Shepherd. He is equipped with two staffs - Favor and Union. He faithfully
tended the sheep and destroyed the false shepherds. But the Shepherds ministry is
a tragic failure as the people despise him. As a result of their hard-heartedness, the
Shepherd withdrew his Favor from them. When the Shepherd asked for his pay, the
payment they offered was an insult. They gave him the price paid for a slave who
was accidentally killed (30 pieces of silver). He is commanded to throw the money
into the temple to the potter where God witnesses their ingratitude. The Union
between God and his people is broken. As punishment, Yahweh raised up a
worthless shepherd to lead his flock (Zech. 11:4-17).
Apocalyptic Oracle about Zion Gods Ultimate Purpose for Zion (Zech. 12 - 14)
Because of its ingratitude Yahweh has given Jerusalem over to a worthless
shepherd, but the God who created the universe will speak another creative word
which will cause Jerusalem to repent and mourn for the Shepherd they killed and to
be an instrument of Gods judgment on the nations. He will cleanse his people of all
false gods and false prophets and create in them pure hearts. In a flashback we see
that it was Yahwehs will that his Shepherd be killed and a remnant of the flock be
scattered. Under such trial he will refine them and they will call upon Yahwehs
name.
A day is coming when the whole world will team up against Gods people and
ruthlessly defeat her. But on that day Yahweh will fight for her and save her. On that
day Yahweh will become King over the whole earth. On that day life will flow from
the holy city and the holy city will be exalted as all other mountains are made low.
Those who refuse Yahwehs rule, life, and peace will experience a living death,
terror, utter poverty, and a plague. A remnant from the nations who survive the
Kings judgments will join Israel in keeping the Feast of Tabernacles. This is a joyful
feast where Yahweh is recognized as the Creator, Deliverer, and gracious King. On
that day everything that was common will be holy, that is, used in service of
Yahweh.
The Purpose of Zechariah

The purpose of Zechariah is to show how the post-exilic restoration of Zion with its
temple would eventually lead to the triumph of God's rule over the whole earth. And
the key figure in doing this is the coming Priest/King.
Zechariah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions
1.
What was Zechariah to call Israel to do?

Zechariah was to call Israel to repentance.
2.
Zechariah had 8 visions. What was the message of the visions?

The message of the visions was that Yahweh was in control of the world and
nations and he would cause the circumstances to occur that would allow a
remnant of Israel to return and rebuild the temple through which Gods grace
could once again flow to his people.
3.
What did Joshua the high priest and his crown represent?
He and the crown were a type of the future Priest/King that God would send the Messiah, the Branch. The work of the Messiah would begin at the temple
and then branch out from there into the world.
4.
How would Israels fasting turn into feasting?

This could only happen as a result of Gods saving mercy for his people. Their
response to Gods mercy would be righteous living and joyous feasting. In
doing so they become a light drawing the Gentiles to God.
5.
Because of his love and concern for his people, what will Yahweh do for
them?
He will strike down their enemies, deliver them from evil, and raise up a
Shepherd/King for them.
6.
What will the Shepherd/King do for Gods flock?

He will rule them in peace. He will provide them with safety. He will favor
them. He will unify them with God.
7.
How will the people respond to the Shepherd/King?

They will despise him, insult him, and kill him.
8.
Because they despise and reject the Good Shepherd that he sent, what will
God do?
He will give them over to a worthless shepherd and scatter his flock.
9.
Will Yahweh abandon his people forever?

No. He will do a new thing. He will cause his people to repent, cleanse them
of all their false gods, and create pure hearts in them. Gods judgment on
them turned out to be a refining fire.
10. The whole world will team up against and defeat Gods people. What will
God do?
He will fight for them and save them. And from his holy city will flow life and
peace. This life and peace will be available to all people.

11. A majority of the world will reject his life and peace. What will they
experience as a result?
They will experience a living death, terror, utter poverty, and a plague.
12. Some people from the nations will not reject the life and peace he offers.
What will they do?
A remnant from the nations will join Israel in worshipping Yahweh by
participating in the Feast of Tabernacles. In their feasting they will recognize
Yahweh as their Creator, Deliverer, and gracious King. When this happens
everything in their life that was common will be holy. All of life will be used to
serve Yahweh.
Learning About Jesus in Zechariah
1.
Zechariah sees people from many nations joining Israel and becoming a part
of Gods people (Zech. 2:11; 8:20-22; 9:10; 14:16). This occurs when the
Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached to the nations and when people are
baptized into the name of the Triune God.
2.
Joshua and the priests are a sign to the Branch, the Messiah (Zech. 3:3-10).
As high priest Joshua was given pure, clean garments in order that he would
be fit to serve. Christ did not need to be given new garments to be fit to
serve. By his perfect life he was pure and clean. Jesus, like Joshua, would walk
in Yahwehs ways, rule over Yahwehs house, and have direct access to God.
He would be a Servant, the promised Branch. He would remove the sin of
Israel in one day (Good Friday) and provide everlasting peace and security for
Gods people in the kingdom of God.
3.
Zerubabbel and Joshua (two olive trees) represent kingship and priesthood
(Zech. 4:10b-14). Through them Gods grace (oil) will be supplied and flow to
the people in the new, rebuilt Jerusalem and temple. These two men
represent Christ, as Christ holds the two-fold office of Priest and King. And it
is through Christ alone that Gods grace flows to people.
4.
Joshua the high priest along with the special crown made for him represent
the promised Messiah (Zech. 6:9-15). This again represents Christ in his twofold office of Priest and King. By his sacrifice of himself, Christ brings people
into Gods kingdom where he rules as the eternal King.
5.
Zechariah prophecies that a King will come to Zion (Zech. 9:9-10). He will be
righteous and bring salvation. He will be humble and rule in peace. This
prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm
Sunday (Mt. 21:4-5; Jn. 12:14-16).
6.
Zechariah played the part of the Shepherd who Yahweh sent to lead his
people with favor and union (Zech. 11:7-14). This was fulfilled by Christ. He
went around exposing how Israels shepherds were leading the flock astray.
The people would not listen to their Shepherd. So he became impatient with
them and withdrew Gods favor from them. Judas received 30 pieces of silver

for his betrayal of Jesus, a paltry amount. Because of his bad conscience of
betraying an innocent man, Judas threw the money into the temple. They
used the money to buy the Potters field (Mt. 27:1-10). Rejecting and killing
the Good Shepherd showed that their covenant unity with God was broken.
7.
Zechariah proclaims that the people of Judah and Jerusalem will repent and
mourn for the One they killed (pierced) who had been sent by God. And they
will be cleansed of their sin (Zech. 12:10 13:1). The One that was pierced
was Christ. To make sure he had died, the Roman soldiers thrust a sword into
his side, which penetrated Jesus heart (Jn. 19:33-37). From the time of Jesus
through today, we mourn realizing that it was our sin that caused Jesus
death. And yet the very reason, Jesus died and shed his blood on the cross
was to cleanse us of all our sin (1 Jn. 1:7).
8.
The Good Shepherd would be killed as a result of divine will. And when he is
killed his flock of followers will be scattered because of persecution. Yahweh
will do this in order to refine and purify his people. Then when they call upon
Yahwehs name, he will say, They are my people. (Zech. 13:7-9). Jesus was
sent by the Father for the purpose of dying. Before his death Jesus used Zech.
13:7 to predict his disciples would fall away from him (Mt. 26:31). And after
his death, those who believed in him were persecuted and most left
Jerusalem and were scattered to escape death (Acts 8:1). This was Gods
refining action and because of it the Gospel spread and more and more
people said, Yahweh is my God.
9.
Chapter 14 of Zechariah gives a symbolic picture of the Last Day. The

nations will gather in opposition to the church (Jerusalem). When all looks lost
and the church looks like it will be completely destroyed, the Lord (Christ) will
intervene to fight for, protect, and redeem his people. This takes place at the
Mount of Olives, the place from which Jesus ascended into heaven. On the
Last Day creation will be transformed to a place where Gods people are safe
and there is no more darkness, cold, or frost. Life will flow out like a river from
Gods holy presence to the entire land year round. Yahwehs kingship, so long
anticipated and celebrated sacramentally by the church, shall universally be
established and acknowledged. Those who refuse Yahwehs rule, life, and
peace will experience a living death. On that Day, people from the nations
will join Israel in keeping the Feast of Tabernacles. This feast was celebrated
during the time of the harvest. And so God will gather in believers from all
nations. And all of his people will remember how God fought for them,
delivered them, provided for them, covenanted with them, and safely brought
them to the heavenly promised land, just as he had done for Israel long ago.
Any who do not pay homage to Yahweh will be punished. In this new creation
all things will be holy to Yahweh.

Malachi Remain Faithful to Yahweh and Wait for the Day
of Yahweh
Malachi is the last of the prophets. Malachi, which means my messenger, is a
symbol of the coming messenger who is John the Baptist and of The Messenger who
is Jesus Christ.
We dont know the exact time that Malachi prophesied. We know that it was in the
post-exilic period. The temple has been rebuilt. The city has been restored. So it was
somewhere between 450 300 BC. And it is a time when the people who had
returned from exile were discouraged because God had not yet fulfilled his promises
to them. What were his promises? He had promised a Messiah, that Jerusalem would
be the center of worship of all the nations of the world, and that Gods rule would
extend over all the earth. The people were disillusioned because God had not
fulfilled these promises.
- - - Six Disputations Between Yahweh and His People (Mal. 1:14:3) - - . . . 1. Dispute Over Yahwehs Love for His People (Mal. 1:2-5) . . .
Yahweh says, I have loved you. Judah says, How have you loved us? (Mal. 1:2a)
Yahweh illustrates his love for them by contrasting the descendants of Israel with
the descendants of Esau, the Edomites. The Edomites are under Yahwehs judgment
and have no future. The Israelites have Yahwehs promises and a great God who can
carry them out.
. . . 2. Dispute Over Judahs Profaning of Yahweh Name (Mal. 1:6-2:9) . . .
Yahweh says Judah does not honor or fear him; they despise his name. But Judah
says, How have we despised your name? (Mal. 1: 6-7). Yahweh made a covenant
with the Levites. He gave them the special tasks of offering sacrifices and teaching
the people about Yahweh. But they offer polluted sacrifices which profane Yahwehs
name and their instruction has led Gods people astray.
. . . 3. Dispute Over Judahs Faithfulness to God and Others (Mal. 2:10-16) . . .
Yahweh accuses Judah of being unfaithful to the Mosaic covenant (Mal. 2:10). That
unfaithfulness is illustrated in two ways, in marriage and divorce. First, some in
Judah have taken as a spouse those who worship false gods. Worshipping false gods
breaks the first commandment and profanes Yahwehs sanctuary. Second, men in
Judah are divorcing their wives. In this regard they are unfaithful to their wives,
breaking the sixth commandment.
. . . 4. Dispute Over Yahwehs Justice (Mal. 2:17-3:6) . . .
The people of Judah weary Yahweh by questioning his justice (Mal. 2:17). The people
of Judah question whether Yahweh will ever intervene and bring judgment on the
wicked. In answer Yahweh says he will. And when he does he will send a messenger
to prepare the way for Yahweh and then The Messenger will come suddenly to his
temple to refine and purify Gods people and bring judgment on the wicked.

. . . 5. Dispute Over the Need for Repentance (Mal. 3:7-12) . . .
Israel has had a long history of rebellion against Yahweh and even now they rob him
of what he is due in tithes (Mal. 3:7-8). Repent, bring the full tithe, and they will see
how Yahweh blesses them.
. . . 6. Dispute Over the Accusation that Yahweh Blesses Evildoers (Mal. 3:13-4:3) . . .
The people speak against Yahweh for prospering evildoers while those who faithfully
serve him benefit nothing (Mal. 3:13-15). But Yahweh says that he is paying
attention and is recording the names of those that serve him faithfully. And when
the Day of Judgment comes those who serve him will be his treasured possession
and will be spared and distinguished from the wicked who will burn like stubble. It
will be a day of reversal where those who fear Yahweh will be raised up and the
wicked will be put down.
- - - Closing Admonition and Promise (Mal. 4:4-6) - - As promised, the Day of Yahweh will come. On that Day the wicked will be punished
and the righteous vindicated. But before that Day comes, Yahweh will send Elijah
to prepare for it (John the Baptist preached repentance in preparation for Jesus). As
they wait for it, they are admonished to remember, that is, to live by the Law of
Moses, which includes not just laws but also Gods promises. It will be their guide as
they live trusting in Gods promises. The alternative is total destruction.
- - - Malachi Answers the Following Big Picture Questions - - 1. After all that has happened to Judah (the destruction of Jerusalem and the
temple, and the exile to Babylon), how can the people of Judah know that
God still loves them?
They need only compare themselves to their brothers, the Edomites. Their
land has been laid waste and they have no future. The people of Judah on the
other hand have been brought back from exile, have rebuilt Jerusalem and
the temple, and have Yahwehs promises of a glorious future. They are to
know that he is a great God who can and will make it happen.
2. Since returning from exile, temple worship, as led by the priests, had been reestablished. But the priests showed contempt for Yahwehs holy name. How
so?
They despised Yahwehs name by offering polluted sacrifices and by leading
the people astray by false teaching.
3. Since returning from exile, the people have been unfaithful to Yahweh and
each other. How so?
First, some men had taken women who worshipped foreign gods as wives.
Second, some men have divorced the wives of their youth. They have torn
apart the husband and wife whom God had brought together as one.

4. To the people of Judah, it appears as if the wicked prosper. They wonder, Will
Yahweh ever bring judgment against the wicked?
Yahwehs answer is, Yes. And when he does he will send a messenger ahead
to prepare the people. And then Yahweh himself will come bringing judgment.
5. They have been robbing God of what he is due. How were they robbing God?
They withheld the required tithe, therefore they are under Gods curse rather
than his blessing.
6. The faithful struggle while wicked prosper. The faithful want to know, What do
we get for trusting in God?
Their names will be written in the Book of Remembrance as Gods treasured
possession. Since their names are in the Book, on the Day of Judgment they
will be spared. While the wicked burn, those who fear God will be saved and
will be filled with joy.
7. As they wait for the Day of Judgment, how are they to live?
They are to live by the Law of Moses. That is, they are to trust Yahwehs
promises and follow his commandments, and also look for the messenger
who will prepare the way for the promised Messiah.
- - - Learning About Jesus in Malachi - - 1. Yahweh says in Mal. 1:11 that his name will be honored as great among the
nations. This is fulfilled in Christ. Even now Christians all around the world
adore the name of the Triune God. The day is coming when Jesus will return
and on that day not only Christians, but every tongue will confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:11). For those who fear
Gods holy name, Jesus will come as the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2).
2. Judah was unfaithful in their marriages. The men of Judah married women
who worshipped false gods and they divorced the Jewish wives of their youth
(Mal. 2:11). Marriage was designed by God to be a picture of Christs
relationship with the church. Christ, the bridegroom, loved his bride, the
church, so much that he willingly gave up his life for her. This shows that
nothing can separate the church from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Worship of other gods breaks the first commandment. Divorce provides
witness to mans sinfulness instead of to Gods total commitment to his bride.
3. The people of Judah questioned Yahwehs justice. They asked, Will he ever
come bringing judgment on evildoers? (Mal. 2:17) Yahwehs answer was that
he would send a messenger to prepare the way for Yahweh and then
suddenly Yahweh would come to his temple (Mal. 3:1). This was fulfilled in
John the Baptist and Jesus (Mt. 11:10-11). John was the messenger who
prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance. Jesus, who is God in the
flesh, continued the message of repentance and also offered the Good News
of the kingdom of God.
4. ... the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple and the
messenger of the covenant in whom you delight (Mal. 3:1) both refer to

Jesus. Jesus is God and he first came to his temple at his presentation as the
firstborn male (Lk. 2:22-38). Throughout his ministry Jesus taught in his
temple. And he came back to his temple for each of the required pilgrim
festivals. Jesus message was that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. And
Jesus established a new covenant for the forgiveness of sins.
5. The Day of Yahweh is the day in which God comes and deals with sin. On the
one hand, for the evildoer that day will burn like a furnace. On the other
hand, for those who fear Yahwehs name, it will be like the Sun of
Righteousness rising (Mal. 4:2). Jesus is the Light of the World (Jn. 8:12). Jesus
is the bright morning star (Rev. 22:16). The world has been stuck in darkness
since the first sin. But as the sun rises each day, dispelling the cold darkness,
so Jesus is the Sun that dispels the coldness and darkness of sin.
6. As they wait for Yahweh to come, Malachi directs them to remember the
Law (Mal. 4:4). The Law (which is Torah or Teaching refers to both Law and
Gospel) was given to Israel as a custodian to lead them to Christ (Gal. 3:24).
The Laws commandments showed them their sin and need for Jesus. The
ceremonial laws concerning worship all pointed forward to Christ, who as The
Sacrifice, shed his blood to atone for the sins of the world.
7. Yahwehs final word through Malachi is that before the great and awesome
day of the Lord comes I will send you Elijah the prophet (Mal. 4:5). So the
dreaded Day will not come without warning. And in fact one like Elijah did
come as John the Baptist cried out in the wilderness repent for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand. He prepared the people for Jesus. By heeding his voice
and receiving Jesus as their Savior, the people could escape the ban of utter
destruction which threatens all those who reject Jesus.

Introduction to the Writings
The Hebrew Bible has three groups of books:
1. the Law/ the Torah (practical teaching, training),
2. the Prophets (the Former Prophets (historical books) and Latter Prophets (4
scrolls=Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve))
3. the Writings
The third category of books may have been influenced by the notion of inspired
wisdom as in Jeremiah 18:18. Jeremiah was written about 600 BC. At that time the
people recognized that Gods Word came to them in three different ways. This verse
reads as follows:
Then they said, Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not
perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet.
Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his
words (Jer. 18:18).
So Gods word comes in three ways: (1) The Law taught by the priests; (2) the Word
taught by the Prophets; and (3) counsel/wisdom/advice taught by the elders, the
wise and experienced leaders. In determining the canon, the agreed on books of the
Bible, the Law was agreed on first, somewhere around 600 BC. Then came the
Prophets, somewhere between 300 200 BC. But even during the time of Jesus, the
list of the books of the Writings had not yet been set. These books were settled on
by the Rabbis around 90 AD.
The writings contain the books that were not set down for continuous reading in the
synagogue. In the synagogue even up to today, there are two readings, the Law and
the Prophets. But on five special occasions one of the five festive books of the
Writings is read. (1) The first one is the Song of Solomon. It is read on the feast of
Passover. (2) The book of Ruth is read at the feast of Pentecost. (3) Lamentations is
read on the day of fasting that commemorates the destruction of the second
temple. (4) Ecclesiastes is read at the feast of tabernacles. (5) Esther is read at the
feast of Purim, which commemorates Gods rescue of the Jews from extinction from
the Persian king.
The books and the order of the books in the Writings vary according to tradition. For
instance in the Palestinian tradition Chronicles comes first. Some traditions place Job
before Proverbs. In our English Bible Daniel is among the Prophets, while in the
Hebrew Bible it is in the Writings. Wisdom helps us understand Gods work in human
history and what Gods goal is in human history.
There are two different kinds of books in the Writings. There is wisdom material and
liturgical material. The liturgical books tend to focus on the temple and worship. The
theological principle that is at work for them is the connection between wisdom and
piety/spirituality or between wisdom and worship. This is summarized in the verse:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This tells us that Wisdom has to
do with spirituality and piety, living the spiritual life. What is the foundation for
wisdom? Where do you get wisdom from? You get it from God and from fearing God,

meaning you get it by participating in worship. So worship of the Lord is the
foundation of wisdom. Wisdom and worship go together.

Psalms In Faith Trust and Praise God the
King
I will use a couple of ways to try and convey the big picture of the Psalms. First, I
will use the way that Dr. Kleinig used in his Introduction to the Bible course. He
presented six major kinds of psalms. Second, I will use a way as presented in the
book Prepare the Way of the Lord.
= = = The Basic Structure of Psalms = = =
Like the Pentateuch, the Psalms are divided into 5 books. Each of the books ends
with a phrase similar to: Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel. And as the 5 books
of the Torah are associated with Moses, so the 5 books of the Psalms are usually
associated with David because he introduced the practice of singing psalms in the
divine service and he is the author of a large number of them.
The five books are:
- Book 1: Psalms 1-41
In the first 3 books psalms of lament dominate. And in the last 2 books psalms of
praise dominate. So based on this structure, the Psalms take us on a journey from
lamenting to praising and that is our journey from earth to heaven. In heaven there
will be no more lamenting. We will be able to praise God without lamenting. But as
long as we are on this earth, lamenting will be a part of our praising. That is
something every generation has to learn.
= = = First Way of Looking at the Psalms - Six Types of Psalms = = =
There are many types of psalms but there are 6 major types of psalms that lead us
down the path from lamenting to praising.
1. Individual laments. For an example see Ps. 13.
.. 1a. When an individual experiences trouble, he is to call upon Yahweh for help.
Yahweh gave his personal name to Israel to give them access to himself. The
individual is to call upon Yahweh because Yahweh is the One who can help him. He
is the One who can fix the problem.
.. 1b. Then the trouble is described and the complaint is made to God. The
complaint is made to him because he is gracious and merciful and he wants to help
people who are in trouble. But note that many times there is a disconnect between
what a person is experiencing and what faith tells him about the character of God.
In other words, faith tells us that God is powerful and loving and caring, and yet he
has allowed this trouble to befall us.

.. 1c. Next a petition is made to God for help. Here the individual makes known to
God what he wants him to do to remedy the situation.
.. 1d. This is followed by a confession of faith. This is the trust in God that motivates
the complaint.
.. 1e. Lastly, the individual promises to praise Yahweh when his request has been
granted.
A quick note on the difference between praise and thanksgiving. Thanksgiving
focuses on the gift and praise focuses on the giver of the gift. When you receive a
wonderful gift, you cant wait to tell others. You praise the giver of the gift to others.
So praising God is us telling others how good and gracious God is more than it is
telling God how good he is. Another difference is that praise looks forward to what
God will do, while thanksgiving looks backward to what God has done.
As stated above, a complaint is made to Yahweh because he can fix the problem
and because he is loving and gracious. And the complaint psalm ends with a
promise to praise God. So paradoxically, it is the experience of pain and suffering
that one learns to praise God. It is through painful experiences that one learns how
good God is. In a nutshell, this is the theology of the cross. God works in the
opposite way that one would think.
2. Individual Thanksgiving. For an example see Ps. 30.
.. 2a. First the individual thanks God for what he has done for him. He thanks
Yahweh for deliverance from his trouble. This would be done in conjunction with a
Thank Offering. The result of the Thank Offering would be a celebration meal in
which the individuals family and friends were invited. At the meal the individual
would encourage his family and the whole congregation to praise God.
.. 2b. Then he gives the reason why they should praise God, as he gives an account
of the trouble he faced, his cry for deliverance, and Yahwehs act of deliverance.
.. 2c. As a result of his deliverance, he vows to praise God all the days of his life.
This journey began with a lament over trouble and it ended with thanksgiving for
deliverance and a vow to always praise God. So what is the community of Gods
people? It is a community of complainers who lament their troubles to God and it is
a community of praise singers who tell others what God has done.
3. Individual Confessions of Trust in God. For an example see Ps. 23.
In this type of psalm an individual expresses his faith and trust in Yahweh. Psalms of
lament have a short section for a confession of faith, but in this case the entire
psalm is a confession of faith.

The first three types of psalms are the psalms of the an individual. Corresponding to
the three individual psalms there are three national or corporate psalms. There are
national laments and national thanksgivings and national confessions of faith.
4. National lament. For an example see Ps. 79.
The occasion for a national lament might be a drought or plague or military defeat.
The book of Joel is an example of one. Because of a locust plague a national day of
fasting and prayer was called. The national lament has the same basic parts to it
that an individual lament has only on a national scale: call on Yahweh for help,
describe the trouble and make the complaint, petition God for help, make a
confession of faith, and promise to thank and praise God forever.
5. National Thanksgiving. For an example see Ps. 118.
Lets say Yahweh heard Israels national prayer of lament (Ps. 79) and Israels army,
with the help of Yahweh, was able to turn the tables and defeat the enemy. The
response of Israel would be national thanksgiving. The king would come to
Jerusalem and lead a procession of musicians and the choir into the temple. They
would come into Gods presence at the temple in order to thank and praise him in a
psalm of thanksgiving. In this type of psalm it was common for the king to represent
the whole nation. He would lead the procession into the outer court of the temple
and then request that the Gate of Righteousness be opened that they might enter
to thank God. The psalm then becomes a dialog between the king (representing the
nation) and the priests (representing God).
6. National hymns of praise. For an example see Ps. 100.
These hymns were sung regularly in the daily divine service (the daily sacrifice). As
the smoke arose from the offerings, the Levitical choir would sing a psalm of praise.
The psalm would be sung to the congregation and it would invite the whole nation
to praise God. The psalm of praise announced that God was graciously present
there with them and for them.
So in summary, looking at these major types of psalms, we see the journey that the
Israelites took individually and corporately from lamenting their troubles to God to
thanking and praising God for his gracious deliverance. We look forward to the time
when there will be no more lamenting but only continuous praising of God.
= = = A Second Way of Looking at the Psalms - Thy Kingdom Come = = =
Until recently most scholars looked at each individual psalm, determined its type,
and then interpreted it. This method did not look at the book as a whole or look for
any meaning based on the books structure.
More recently importance has been placed on the fact that the book of Psalms
contains psalms that were written over a period of centuries, which have been
collected and then grouped together into the form it now takes. Hezekiah first did
this when he collected the psalms of king David. The final collection and grouping of
the Psalms came after the exile. In its final version about half of the psalms are

attributed to king David. And many of the other psalms refer to God as King over
Israel, the nations, and the whole world. So looking at Psalms in its final form,
kingship and kingdom appear to be the overarching theme of the Psalms.
After the exile Israel had no king. So why would the final editors of the Psalms, who
put it out in its final form after the exile, put such an emphasis on the king and
kingdom? Israels kings were to be Gods representatives. One of their main tasks
was to see to it that Israel worshipped Yahweh in the manner he prescribed in the
Pentateuch. King David fulfilled this role very well. But the rest of the kings, in
varying degrees, did not. In the end they failed miserably and Israel and Judah were
sent into exile because of their idol worship. Even though Israel no longer had an
earthly king after the exile, the message of the Psalms to Israel was that Yahweh
their God continued to be their King and indeed was the King of the whole world.
And as King, he promised to send a Messiah, a new Anointed King who would reign
forever, advocating true worship and reigning justly.
So the Psalms were designed and structured in such a way as to send a message to
kingless Israel that they were still a part of Yahwehs kingdom and that one day
Yahweh would send the promised Messiah/King. In looking at Psalms in this way, we
still see it structured around the five books of psalms as we noted above, but the
psalms in each of the five books were purposely placed in each book in order to
redirect Israels gaze from an earthly king to their heavenly King.
- - - Introduction: The Twin Themes of the Torah and Messiah (Pss. 1-2) --The first two psalms introduce the entire Psalter. In Ps. 1 Torah (the Law, both Law
and Gospel) is Gods instruction for his people. The focus of Ps. 2 is on the Davidic
king. From these two psalms then we know that the Book of Psalms should be
treated as Yahwehs instructions for his people, especially concerning Israels
kingship.
- - - Books 1 & 2 (Pss. 3-41 & 42-72) King David - - Around half of the psalms in the book of Psalms are attributed to king David and
most of them appear in the first two books. In his life king David faced many
conflicts and troubles. David, the anointed future king of Israel, had to live life on
the run, living and hiding in caves as king Saul tried to hunt him down and kill him.
Later, because of some bad decisions he made while king, David faced many
troubles within his own family. And toward the end of his days, Davids life was filled
with political intrigue as his sons jockeyed for position to succeed him as king.
And so the major type of psalm in the first two books is the lament. King David took
his troubles to Yahweh, the One who could help him, and the One who David trusted
would help him. In his suffering and in his trust in Yahweh, David was a type of the
promised Messiah/King. Like king David the coming Messiah/King would suffer
greatly and place his trust in Yahweh. Out of Gods grace many times king David
escaped death, but as a part of Gods plan the coming Messiah/king would not only
face persecution like David, but also, unlike David, die at the hand of his enemies.

- - - Book 3 (Pss. 73-89) The Assyrian and Babylonian Crises - - After king David came Solomon and after Solomon the nation split into two
kingdoms and each kingdom had its own kings. From the very beginning and
through its short history, the kings of the north led Israel away from Yahweh. In the
south, even though all of the kings were from the line of David, none of the kings
lived up to the standard set by David. The unfaithfulness of the kings to Yahweh led
to the exile of Israel to Assyria and of Judah to Babylon. In the third book of the
Psalms we have psalms that speak to the time of monarchy in Israel and Judah
which ended in utter failure and exile.
These psalms speak of the wicked prospering and the faithful suffering, the injustice
that pervaded the court system, how it seemed as if God were far away, the
troubles and fears of Gods people, ruthless enemies, the mourning of the downfall
of the Davidic dynasty, and the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians. But
they also speak of requests for the reversal of fortunes for the wicked and righteous,
pleas for justice, confidence in Gods salvation, remembering Yahwehs gracious
acts, worship out of thanksgiving and gratitude, trust in Gods protection against
enemies, an appeal to the Davidic covenant, and deliverance from exile and a
restoration of Yahwehs holy name.
- - - Book 4 (Pss. 90-106) Israel in Exile, Yet Yahweh Still Reigns - - Davidic kingship in Judah ended in failure and exile. And so this fourth book of the
Psalms redirects the focus of Gods exiled people from the Davidic kings to the great
eternal King Yahweh. A core group of psalms (Pss. 92-100) focuses on Yahwehs
reign over the whole earth. His reign is loving, eternal, universal, invincible,
righteous, glorious, and holy. As a result Israel and all the nations should humbly
repent, joyfully praise him, pay homage to him and thank him, take refuge in him
and look to him for relief from trouble and disaster, and pray for the salvation that
only he can provide.
The Davidic kings may have failed, but Yahweh, the King over the whole universe,
still reigns. He reigns with love and compassion. Therefore Israel should repent,
trust in him, pray for the salvation that only he can provide, praise him, and worship
him alone.
- - - Book 5 (Pss. 107-145) Praise and Reflection on the Return to Judah and the New
Era - - Praise is a dominant theme in Book 5 of the psalms. Israel is called upon to praise
Yahweh for his unfailing love and faithfulness which brought them back from exile.
They were redeemed from Babylonian captivity only by Yahwehs mercy. In these
psalms, they celebrate and thank God for the salvation he worked for them. Not just
Israel, but all nations are called upon to praise Yahweh for he is the Creator,
Provider, and Ruler of all people. The nations should praise Yahweh for what he is
doing for them through Israel.
When they returned to the promised land Israel rebuilt the temple and reestablished
the daily sacrifices at the temple. Therefore many of the psalms in Book 5 were

used as a part of temple worship or were sung by the people as they made their
way to the temple for the great feasts. Pss. 120-134 are known as pilgrim psalms. It
is believed that as the people made their way to and went up to Jerusalem for one
the great feasts, they sang these psalms. These psalms expressed humility,
assurance, and trust in Yahweh, joy in deliverance, the privilege of going to
Yahwehs house and worshipping him, prayer for Yahwehs protection and
intervention against contemptuous neighbors and oppressors, godly wisdom for the
home, and blessedness for those who fear Yahweh. Pss. 113-118 were psalms of
praise that were used at the great religious feasts. These psalms celebrate Yahwehs
majesty and mercy and his salvation of Israel from exile. They appeal to Yahweh to
vindicate his holy name, which was derided when they went into exile.
- - - Conclusion to Psalms (Pss. 146-150) Praise Yahweh - - Praise Yahweh, the mighty King who reigns from Zion. Praise him with your whole
life. Trust completely in him. He is the Creator. He lifts up the lowly and brings down
the proud. He guides history for the benefit of his people. And he acts through his
people to bring salvation to a lost world. Israel should praise him for his grace, his
covenant relationship with them, and his salvation and restoration of them.
= = = Psalms Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. Where should the people of God turn when they experience suffering, pain,
and injustice? Why?
They should turn to Yahweh. They complain to Yahwh because Yahweh is the
only one who can do anything about it. They make their appeal to God based
upon the fact that he is loving and gracious and wants to help them.
2. When Gods people call upon him in times of trouble, what does it show about
them?
It shows that they trust in him, that they have faith in him. It showed that
even though Israel no longer had an earthly king, they still had a heavenly
King who they could rely on.
3. When God hears the prayer of his people and delivers them from trouble,
what is his peoples response?
They respond by thanking God for his gracious deliverance of them and they
praise God. That is, they tell others about the wonderful deeds God has done
for them.
4. David experienced many troubles and wrote many psalms of lament. What
does his suffering and his reaction to suffering ultimately point us to?
In his suffering, David reached out to and trusted in Yahweh to deliver him. In
doing so, David was a type of the promised Messiah/King. The Messiah would
likewise suffer and put his trust in Yahweh.
5. As reflected by the psalms, what was the state of affairs during the
monarchy? What did it lead to?
The wicked prospered, the righteous suffered, and idolatry was rampant.

Their disregard of Yahweh led to the captivity of Israel by Assyria and Judah
by Babylon.
6. The Davidic kings failed, but who could Israel still put their trust in? Why?
Even though the Davidic kings failed, Israel still had their heavenly King.
Yahweh is King over all the earth and all nations. His reign is loving, eternal,
universal, invincible, righteous, glorious, and holy.
7. How should Israel and all nations respond to Yahweh as he reigns lovingly and
compassionately?
All people should repent, trust in him, pray for the salvation that only he can
provide, praise him, and worship him alone.
8. What do the psalms call Israel to do in response to Yahwehs grace in bringing
them back from exile?
The psalms call Israel to praise Yahweh for their redemption from Babylonian
captivity. They celebrate and thank God for the salvation he worked for them.
9. The nations too are called upon to praise Yahweh. Why should the nations
praise Yahweh?
Yahweh is the Creator, Provider, and Ruler of all people. And they should
praise him for what he is doing for them (eternal salvation) through Israel
(bringing forth the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world).
= = = Learning About Jesus in the Psalms = = =
Jesus said that everything that was written about him in the Psalms (and the rest of
the Scriptures) must be fulfilled (Lk. 24:44). The Psalms have much to say about
Jesus. The book of Psalms prophesies much of Jesus life and ministry.
1. At Jesus baptism (Mt. 3:17; Mk. 1:11; Lk. 3:22), God the Father echoed Ps. 2:7
by saying, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.
2. In his wilderness temptation (Mt. 4:6; Lk. 4:10), the devil used Ps. 91:11-12
out of context to try and cause Jesus to test God.
3. When Jesus cleansed the temple (Jn. 2:17), he showed zeal for his Fathers
house (Ps. 69:9).
4. When Jesus taught, he taught in parables (Mt. 13:35), fulfilling Ps. 78:2.
5. At the feeding of the 5000 (Jn. 6:31), Jesus, quoting Ps. 78:24, said that when
their fathers ate manna in the wilderness, He [God] gave them bread from
heaven to eat.
6. When Jesus came to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Mt. 21:16; Mt. 21:9; Mk.
11:9; Lk. 19:38; Jn. 12:13) and the people lined the streets praising Jesus
saying, Hosanna (Save us we pray, O LORD), he fulfilled Ps. 8:2 and Ps.
118:25-26.

7. When Jesus authority was challenged (Mt. 22:44; Mk. 12:36; Lk. 20:42-43),
he quoted David in Ps. 110:1, saying that the Messiah was Davids lord.
8. In the parable of the tenants (Mt. 21:42; Mk. 12:10-11; Lk. 20:17), Jesus
quoted Ps. 118:22-24, saying that he was the Stone that the builders rejected
who had become the Cornerstone.
9. Jesus betrayal by Judas (Jn. 13:18) was prophesied in Ps. 41:9.
10.The mocking of Jesus as he was crucified (Mt. 27:29-30, 39-44; Mk. 15:16-20,
29-323) was prophesied in Ps. 22:7-8.
11.The casting of lots for Jesus clothes when he was crucified (Mt. 27:35; Mk.
15:24; Lk. 23:34; Jn. 19:23-24) was prophesied in Ps. 22:18.
12.Jesus thirst on the cross (Jn. 19:28-30) was predicted in Ps. 69:21.
13.Jesus cried out from the cross, My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me? (Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34) in fulfillment of Ps. 22:1.
14.Like king David in Ps. 31:5, Jesus committed his spirit to the Father (Lk.
23:46).
15.None of Jesus bones were broken (Jn. 19:36) in order to fulfill Ps. 34:20.
16.Jesus glorious resurrection (Acts 2:27-31, 13:35) was prophesied in Ps. 16:10.
17.Many psalms are psalms of a righteous sufferer, a person who has done
nothing wrong, yet is being persecuted and is suffering. The innocent
sufferer, par excellence, was Jesus. These type of psalms could be prayed by
any innocent sufferer. But these psalms fit Jesus perfectly. Its as if the words
came directly out of Jesus mouth.
18.Most of the royal psalms initially applied to the Davidic kings, but ultimately
they apply to the King of kings, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the King who will sit
upon Davids throne forever. There are some royal psalms that are so
grandiose in the kings rule over the world that they could not apply to the
Davidic kings, but instead describe the promised Messianic King. And so the
OT people of God put their trust in the promised Messiah even as the NT
people of God put their trust in Jesus who was the fulfillment of the promised
Messiah.
= = = The Purpose of the Book of Psalms = = =
The purpose of the book of Psalms can be seen by its beginning and ending psalms.
Psalms 1 and 2 serve as the heading for the entire book. And book of Psalms ends
with the Hallelujah psalms (Pss. 145-150) which serve as the conclusion of the
whole book.

1. Psalm 1 states that a righteous person is one who loves the instruction (Law)
of Yahweh and meditates on it day and night. When he does so, it makes him
a fruitful person. So one purpose for the Psalms then is to teach us to
meditate on Gods Word as a guide for a fruitful life.
2. The second purpose of the Psalter is shown in Ps. 2. This is a royal psalm,
probably used at the coronation of a king. But the Psalter was compiled after
the exile when Israel had no king. So this psalm looks forward to the
promised Messiah/King. This psalm ends with Blessed are all who take
refuge in him. The One to take refuge in is the promised Messiah/King. So
this psalm and the psalms in general teach the Jews to look forward to, to
hope fo,r and to take refuge in the coming Messiah. They should look to him
for help and salvation. The Christian church sees Jesus as a fulfillment of the
promised Messiah and it takes refuge in him and trusts in him for salvation.
3. The book of Psalms ends with a series of Hallelujah psalms. Since the book
ends this way, it teaches the church to praise God. Praise God not just in
worship, but in the whole of life and in anticipation of heaven. Because in the
age to come we will continually praise God.

Proverbs The Getting of Wisdom
The book of Proverbs was used in schools of wisdom in Israel to teach young men to
read and write and think. Proverbs didnt teach them so much what to think, but
how to think. A proverb was short and easy to remember. Therefore when one had a
life experience, one would remember the proverb and then use it as a tool to help
one understand and make sense of life.
Proverbs provides a large introduction that explains what wisdom is and why it is
important (Prov. 1-9) and then it teaches wisdom in seven books of wisdom (Prov.
10-31).
= = = Prov. 1-9: Solomons Instructions about Wisdom = = =
- - - Prov. 1:1-7: Prologue: The Purpose and Theme of Proverbs - - The purpose of Proverbs is to help people, young and old, attain wisdom and
discipline. What is the key to attaining wisdom? The key is: The fear of Yahweh is
the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 1:7a). In Proverbs God instructs and guides the
young in order that they might have a happy and prosperous life. Having respect for
God (the fear of Yahweh) and recognizing that he is intimately involved in every
part of your life is the foundation of wisdom. Therefore having a relationship with
Yahweh is essential for learning wisdom.
- - - Prov. 1:8-9:18: Introductory Discourses on the Nature and Value of Wisdom - - In chapters 1 7, wisdom is portrayed as parents teaching their son. They address
their son 10 times about wisdom. Over and over again Wisdom implores, receive
my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive
to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding ... (Prov. 2:1). The son is to
treasure wisdom because it gives life. Wisdom teaches the son to avoid sinners and
their enticements. Instead, he should choose the good path. True wisdom leads to a
proper relationship with ones neighbors and with Yahweh, knowing that Yahweh
created and sustains this world with an order to life and that one should live within
that order. Wisdom teaches the difference between the wicked and the righteous
and gives advice on how to live a righteous life. Wisdom steers one away from
adultery for it leads to disgrace and destruction and is a great snare to young men.
Heeding wisdom will lead one away from trouble.
In chapters 8, wisdom is personified as a woman and is contrasted to the adulteress
of chapters 2, 5, 6, and 7. Lady Wisdom is portrayed as the antitheses of the
adulteress of previous chapters. (1) Whereas the adulteress lurks in the shadows
and whispers seductions to individual men, Lady Wisdom calls out aloud from the
rooftops into crowded streets hoping to reach as many as possible. (2) The
adulteress is devious and deceptive, while Lady Wisdom speaks noble things that
are right and truth. (3) The adulteress slays those who frequent her chambers. On
the other hand, Wisdom hates evil, walks in the way of righteousness and justice,
and proves to be a blessing.

Wisdom existed from the beginning. Yahweh used wisdom, like a master craftsman,
to create the world. With wisdom Yahweh created the heavens and the earth and
established their boundaries and an order in which humans could live. And now
those who listen to Wisdom will have life and obtain Yahwehs favor.
In chapter 9 Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly are presented as opposites. Lady Wisdom
is perfect. She lives in a regal estate in which she has prepared a feast. She invites
all those who are simple and lack sense to come and partake in her feast. There she
will teach them wisdom and insight, which begins with the fear of Yahweh and offers
life. Lady Folly tries to mimic Lady Wisdom. She calls out in a loud and seductive
voice from her home which is high where all can hear her. She calls out to anyone
who passes by and invites them in for a meal. But while the meal seems to be
sweet and pleasant, in reality it leads to death.
= = = The Seven Books of Wisdom (Prov. 10-31) = = =
- - - Book 1: Solomons Proverbs for Wise Living (Prov. 10:1-22:16) - - These chapters consist of 375 short sayings of Solomon. The sayings cover all areas
of life (except worship): family relationships, friendship, how to behave in society,
the value of work, business and economics, government, etc. There is little
organization to the sayings. Yet there seems to be an overall contrast between
righteousness and wickedness. These varied sayings are strung together like pearls
on the string of wisdom. They were/are found by keen observation and experience
in life. Yet they are not just secular sayings. They are grounded in the reality
presented in chapters 1-9. Yahweh is the Creator and Sustainer of life. He provides
an order by which people are to live and he is intimately involved in the everyday
life of men. Therefore the foundation of these wisdom sayings is the fear of
Yahweh. Those who live wisely recognize God and their place before him. In
worship the Israelites were made holy by their contact with Yahweh. In Proverbs the
Israelites learn how Gods holy people are to live a sanctified life.
- - - Book 2: The Words of Wise People (Prov. 22:17-24:22) - - The sayings here are similar in form and content to the Introductory Discourses
about wisdom found in Prov. 1-9. Unlike Solomons proverbs (Prov. 10:1-22:16),
which offer tried and true maxims, these words of wisdom offer advice and
admonition to the pupil in wisdoms school, pleading with him not to stray from
God-pleasing conduct in life. Because he is so easily misled, previous warnings
about dangers along the way are reiterated.
- - - Book 3: Saying of the Wise (Prov. 24:23-34) - - This short section contains several sayings of wise men about impartial judging,
planning your work, being a truthful witness, and having a strong work ethic.
- - - Book 4: Hezekiahs Collection of Solomons Proverbs (Prov. 25-29) - - As the superscription says, these are proverbs of Solomon which the men of
Hezekiah copied (Prov. 25:1). In chapters 25-27 sage advice is given in longer

topical units, whereas the proverbs given in chapters 28 and 29 are given as single
verses like the prior proverbs of Solomon in Prov. 10-22. This section may be divided
up as follows: advice for kings and leaders (Prov. 25:2-27), advice about fools (Prov.
25:28-27:4), advice about dealing with family, friends, and other people (Prov. 27:522), and more advice for kings and leaders (Prov. 27:23-29:27).
- - - Book 5: The Words of Agur (Prov. 30:1-33) - - The words of Agur can be divided into two sections. The first section (Prov. 30:1-10)
contains Agurs prayers concerning the greatness of God and the lowliness of
himself and his advice concerning wealth. The second section (Prov. 30:11-33)
contains Agurs proverbs which are made up of lists of things. In these types of
proverbs, a list is given to prove that there is enough data to back up the stated
fact.
- - - Book 6: The Words of Lemuel from His Mother (Prov. 31:1-9) - - Lemuels mother wanted him to be a good king. So here she exhorts him to avoid:
sexual immorality, drunkenness, neglect of the helpless, and judicial partiality.
- - - Book 7: Acrostic Poem on the Good Wife as the Teacher of Wisdom (Prov. 31:1031) - - The 7th and last book is an acrostic poem, that is, a poem in which each verse
begins with the next letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The poem speaks about a
virtuous wife and mother. This woman is the opposite of the women denounced in
the rest of Proverbs. This woman is the personification of wise living. She is
described as trustworthy, hardworking, thrifty, providing for her family, strong,
charitable, prepared, dignified, wise, praised by her husband and children, and one
who fears Yahweh.
= = = Proverbs Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. What is the purpose of Proverbs?
The purpose of Proverbs is to teach wisdom, primarily to the young, but also
to those who are older and wise. In Proverbs God teaches the importance of
wisdom and the need for wisdom in daily life.
2. What is the key to obtaining wisdom?
The fear of Yahweh (Prov. 1:7; 9:10) is the key to obtaining wisdom. Wisdom
helps one see ones place in life. A wise person recognizes that there is one
true God, who is his Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Comforter. This is the
foundation for a person obtaining wisdom and living a wise life.
3. What should ones attitude be towards wisdom? Why?
One should treasure wisdom because it gives life. True wisdom leads to a
proper relationship with Yahweh and with ones neighbors. True wisdom helps
one live within the designed order of Gods creation. True wisdom steers one
towards a righteous life and away from a sinful, troubled life.

4. What types of things are associated with wisdom? Or what are the wise
known for?
A wise person is known for: fear of Yahweh, righteousness, justice, equity,
knowledge, discretion, truth, hates evil, humility, have and love life, strong
work ethic, sexual purity, sober, trustworthy, and charitable.
5. What is the opposite of wisdom? What is it known for?
A fool is the opposite of a wise person. A fool is known for not fearing Yahweh,
unrighteousness, wickedness, injustice, despising instruction, succumbing to
the enticements of sinners, running to embrace evil, greed, unjust gain,
undisciplined, lack of discretion, pride, arrogance, loves death, lazy, sexually
immoral, drunkard, untrustworthy, and uncharitable.
= = = Learning About Jesus in Proverbs = = =
1. In Proverbs God teaches all about wisdom. In the NT it says that Jesus is the
Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24, 30). But in Christ all of the treasures of the
wisdom of God are hidden (Col. 2:2-3). The second person of the Trinity took
on human flesh in the person of Jesus. Who would ever think to look for the
wisdom of God in what looks like an ordinary human being? Yet by having
faith in Jesus, the sinless Christ has become our righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).
2. In Proverbs God tells us that wisdom is precious because it gives life (Prov.
3:13-18). Prov. 3:18 speaks of wisdom as a tree of life. The tree of life ties
us back to Gen. 2-3, where Adam and Eve lived in the garden paradise with
God. This was life in its fullest sense. But because of their sin, they were
removed from Gods life-giving presence and sentenced to death. Jesus said,
I AM the Life (Jn. 14:6). Only through Christ can we be brought back to
paradise and once again live life to its fullest in the presence of God. In our
sinfulness this is not possible, for God is holy and we are not. But Jesus took
away all our sins and through faith in him he gives us his holiness, thereby
giving us the opportunity to enter the paradise of heaven and have eternal
life with God.
3. Wisdom existed before the creation of the earth and by wisdom God created
the world (Prov. 3:19; 8:22-31). Johns gospel begins by saying that in the
beginning the Word was God, the Word was with God, and everything that
God made was made by his Word (John 1:1-3). It goes on to say that the
Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). So the pre-incarnate
Jesus is Gods Word and Wisdom by which he created the heavens and the
earth.
4. Through his wisdom God saves sinful people. This saving wisdom is the
opposite of mans wisdom. To man, Gods wisdom looks like folly. It makes no
sense to man that God could save sinners by a promised Messiah who would
die on a cross. Man, through his human wisdom, cannot know God and his
love for mankind. It is only through the upside-down wisdom of God, which
uses the One that was lowly, shamed, and despised, that he brings about the
salvation of sinners (1 Cor. 1:18-31).

5. Proverbs says that the fear Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10).
To fear Yahweh is to recognize that he is the Creator and that we are his
creatures. It is to know our place in life. It is to know that we are completely
dependent on him for all things. Therefore we fear Yahweh when we
recognize that he gives us life and sustains our life. He provides not just for
our physical needs, but also for our spiritual needs. We fear Yahweh when we
depend on Jesus for forgiveness. We fear Yahweh by believing and trusting in
his Son.
6. Wisdom invites all people to a great banquet which provides life (Prov. 9:1-6).
Jesus too invites all to come to the banquet he has prepared, to eat from his
table and have life. In the Lords Supper Jesus offers his very body and blood
for us to eat and drink in order to give us eternal life.
7. It has long been recognized that Prov. 8 is messianic. It speaks of the preincarnate Christ. In it, it is as if Jesus himself is speaking. Look at what he
says about himself in this chapter. He calls out to all and his message
contains words of truth and righteousness. His instruction is precious. He has
knowledge and discretion. He hates evil. He is humble. He is wise. He is just.
He grants an inheritance to those who love him. Yahweh possessed him at
the beginning before the world existed. Yahweh made the heavens and earth
through him. Those who listen to him have life, are blessed, and find favor
with Yahweh.
= = = The Purpose of Proverbs = = =
Proverbs was used as a text book in the wisdom schools.
1. It was used as the primary school curriculum. (The secondary school
curriculum is Ecclesiastes. The tertiary book of curriculum is the book of Job.)
It was used to teach young men to read and write and think. It prepares them
for public life.
2. It also teaches people to get wisdom by leading a God fearing life.

Job The Innocent Sufferer
= = = The Structure of the Book of Job = = =
- - - Introduction: Satan Tests Jobs Integrity (Job 1-2) - - Job is introduced as a man that is blameless and upright, one who feared God and
turned away from evil (Job 1:1). He had been blessed by God with children, flocks,
herds, and servants. And job continually offered sacrifices for the sins of his
children.
We are told that Satan appeared before Yahweh in heaven. Satan had been going
out across the earth looking for the things people did wrong so he could accuse
them before God (Satan means accuser or prosecutor). Yahweh pointed out to
Satan how Job was an exemplary man who feared the Lord. But Satan said that if all
his blessings were taken away, Job would no longer fear God, but rather would curse
him. To find out Yahweh gave Satan the authority to take away Jobs blessings. And
when Satan took Jobs servants, flocks, and children, Jobs response was to worship
Yahweh. Job did not sin or charge God with wrong (Job 1:22).
After this, Yahweh once again pointed out to Satan that even though his blessings
were taken away, Job still feared God. Satan said, Allow me to afflict him personally
in his body and he will curse you. Yahweh gave him the authority to do so. Satan
struck Job with sores from head to foot. But yet In all this Job did not sin with his
lips (Job 2:10).
When Jobs friends heard about all that happened to Job, they came to comfort him.
They sat with him for seven days in silence because they saw that his suffering was
very great.
- - - Jobs Crisis Discussed with His Comforters (Job 3-27) - - The reader of Job knows what is going on and why Job has lost his earthly blessings
and why Job is suffering. The reader understands that Job is an innocent sufferer
who is being tested. Job too knows that he is innocent but he does not understand
why he is suffering. Jobs friends believe that Job is suffering because he has not
repented of some sin. So Jobs friends try and explain this to him.
The theology that Jobs friends use is that the righteous do good works, are
rewarded for it , and always prosper, while the wicked do evil works, are punished
for it, and always suffer. Therefore since Job is suffering, they accuse Job of sinning
in some great way but not repenting of it. So even though they have come to
comfort Job, his friends unknowingly side with Satan in accusing Job. Job agreed that
people do suffer because of sin, but he insisted that in this case he had done
nothing wrong to cause his current suffering.
The debate between Job and his friends goes on for several rounds, with each friend
taking a crack at explaining to Job why he suffers. And with each accusation Job
continues to defend himself. The longer it goes, the more frustrated Job gets and

along the way Job accuses God of being malicious, arbitrary, and his enemy. Job also
accused God of being incompetent and unjust in his handling of the world. Job
appealed to God several times throughout the ordeal but God remains silent.
Therefore Job has a problem. Normally any Israelite that suffers injustice can go to
Yahweh with a complaint (many of the Psalms are complaints) and get justice from
God against his enemies. But here Job sees God as his enemy and therefore he has
no one to appeal to to prove his innocence. He appealed to his friends but they
sided with Satan his accuser. He appealed to God but God was silent. So Job looks
for an intermediary who he can go to to work things out. He looks for an arbiter or
referee to go to court with Job and God to settle their differences (Job 9:32-33). He
acknowledges that he has a witness in heaven testifying for him, representing him
as a defense attorney (Job. 16:19-20). In Job 19:25-27 Job affirms that he has a
redeemer, one who stands up for him and advocates for him, proving his
innocence and winning his acquittal. So, on the one hand, Job appeals to someone
other than God, a mediator. But on the other hand, Job consistently appeals to God
because no one can persuade God to alter his plans other than God himself. So then
what Job is really doing is appealing to God against God. Job is appealing to Gods
grace against Gods judgment.
Knowing that he is innocent, Job challenges God with an oath (As God lives) of
innocence (Job 27:1-6). By swearing an oath upon Gods life, if Job were not
innocent he would forfeit his life. If he was innocent then his accusers would be
placed under a curse. And in this case, his accusers are his friends. (See what Job
does for his friends at the end in Job 42:7-9.)
- - -Celebrating the Hidden Wisdom of God (Job 28) - - Chapter 28 is a magnificent poem about the wisdom of God. In it Job concludes that
Gods wisdom is beyond mans understanding. It is hidden from him. All that man
can do is fear Yahweh and trust in him. This is a turning point in the book. Job knows
that he must try and get past the why questions and simply trust Yahweh, who as
the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, is far above man who is a product of
Gods creative wisdom. But Job finds it difficult to just get past it.
- - - From Jobs Complaint to Gods Answer (Job 29:1-42:6) - - Like a defense lawyer in court, Job gives a final summation of his defense of himself.
He reviews what his life once was, a life of prosperity in which he enjoyed close
fellowship and favor with God and his fellow men (Job 29). Then he reviews that he
has lost everything: his honor with men, physical well being, and fellowship with
God (Job 30). Job cannot explain why this has happened. He simply knows that he is
not guilty of doing anything to cause it. He strongly denies committing various kinds
of sins that could be a cause of it. And for each class of sin that he denies, he adds
an oath. By these oaths Job attempts to force God to reveal Jobs innocence or guilt.
If guilty then he must punish him, but if innocent then he must end Jobs suffering
(Job 31).
Elihus speeches (Job 32-37) are a bridge from the deadlocked dialogues with Jobs
friends to the solution announced in Yahwehs oracles. Elihus theology is similar to

his friends, but advances beyond their mechanical theology of retribution. Elihu
challenges Job and suggests that God reveals himself in pain and agony and that He
uses adversity to knock down peoples pride and save them from themselves.
Therefore there is a revelatory, educational, and disciplinary value to suffering. Elihu
suggests that God allows suffering in order to bring people to everlasting life (Job
33:29-30). In other words, he strips away everything we hold on to and trust in so
that all that is left is to trust in is God. In this way suffering serves the cause of faith.
Elihu defends God as being just, great, and majestic and challenges Job to accept
Gods ways as being beyond human understanding.
At this point, one might expect that Job would answer Elihu as he did his other
friends. But something unexpected happens. God suddenly appears. But in
appearing God does not come to answer the question of, why the innocent suffer. In
his earlier complaints Job had accused Yahweh of incompetence in running the world
and of injustice in administering the world. So first Yahweh addresses the
incompetence charge (Job 38:1-40:2). He takes Job on a journey across all of
creation, looking at its foundation, measurements, cornerstone, etc. He instructs Job
on the complexities of the universe and amount of detail that is needed to govern it.
Jobs response is: Ok God, I get the picture. I am too small. I dont understand how
you run the world. I withdraw my charges of incompetence against you (Job 40:3-5).
Secondly, Yahweh addresses the charge of ruling the world unjustly (Job 40:641:34). God says to Job, If I give you all the power how would you handle the
problem of evil? Then Yahweh speaks of two chaos monsters, Behemoth and
Leviathan. These two monsters, who may be partially real and partially mythical,
represent evil. We would like for God to get rid of all evil. We think that that would
take care of the problem. But if God wiped out all evil, all people would be wiped
out, for all people have an evil heart. God uses the example of these two chaos
monsters to show how he deals with evil. In the current age, he doesnt get rid of
them, rather he tames and domesticates them. By his wisdom Yahweh does
something wonderful. He brings good out of evil. He brings order out of chaos. Only
in the age to come will God completely do away with evil. Jobs response is to
withdraw his charge of injustice against Yahweh (Job 42:1-6). Instead he repents of
his false accusations against him.
- - - Intercession by Job and Jobs Restoration (Job 42:7-17) - - After Yahweh spoke to Job and Job withdrew his accusations and repented, Yahweh
condemned Jobs three friends for using their theology to damn an innocent man.
What they said was generally true, but it was not true and appropriate in this
situation. Yahweh instructed the friends to bring offerings to Job and have Job offer
those sacrifices and pray on their behalf. So Job became an intercessor for them (Job
42:7-9). That then is one of the main points of the book. That is what Jobs friends
should have done. When people are suffering, rather than be quick to accuse and
side with Satan, they should use their access to God and intercede for them,
seeking Gods grace and forgiveness for them.
With that the cosmic contest between Yahweh and Satan is over. Yahweh has proven
his point: Job, the righteous man, does not serve God for material blessings. All of
them had been taken away and yet Job continued to call upon God in faith. Four
times in these verses Yahweh calls Job my servant (Job 42:7-8). Job served Yahweh

for the same reason that all people who believe and trust in God do, as a response
to divine grace. Since the main question had been answered, there was no more
reason for Job to suffer. So Yahweh, once more out of grace, restored all the things
that were taken from him, doubling his flocks, granting him ten more children, and
bestowing on him a long life (Job 42:10-17).
= = = Job Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. What is Satans main task? How is it shown in the book of Job?
Satan accuses people of wrong doing in order to alienate them from God. The
name Satan means accuser and Satan accuses Job of fearing God first of all
only because of all the blessings God gave him and secondly only because
God has protected him bodily.
2. As shown in the case of Job, what is one reason why God might allow us to
suffer?
He might allow us to suffer in order to test our faith, to exercise our faith, and
to strengthen our faith. Faith looks past the temporal to the eternal.
3. Is the purpose for human suffering always apparent to us?
No. We may suffer because a sin we commit. We may suffer because we are
being tested. We may suffer as a general consequence of living in a sin-filled
world. There may be other reasons as well and it is not always apparent as to
why we or someone else suffers.
4. Can we rightly say, like Jobs friends, that God punishes sin?
Yes. God is just. When we break his Law, it requires him to punish sin.
5. Can we rightly say, like Jobs friends, that every time someone suffers it is
because they are being punished for some sin they committed and did not
repent of?
No. There can be many reasons for suffering. Suffering may or may not be
the result of a specific sin.
6. Since all people are sinful and deserve Gods punishment, what hope do we
have?
God provides us with a mediator and redeemer, who defends us and who
swaps places with us, taking our punishment upon himself.
7. Jobs friends started out well by being there for him. But their comfort soon
turned into accusation. What did they do wrong?
They assumed that Job was suffering because of some unrepentant sin. Many
times this may be correct, but in this case they accused an innocent man.
8. What should Jobs friends have done instead of condemn him?
They should have interceded for him. They should have used their access to
God to seek Gods grace for Job.
9. Why might we accuse God of being incompetent and unjust in his
administration of the world? Why would this be wrong?

We might accuse God of incompetence and injustice because we do not
understand why he allows many things to happen. Gods wisdom is far
beyond our reach and comprehension. Like Job, we do not have direct access
to the heavenly courtroom where God is making decisions.
10.What do we want God to do with evil? And why might this be a bad idea?
We want God to completely do away with all evil. The only problem with that
is that all people are evil. If God were to do away with evil, he would have to
do away with all of us.
11.In his wisdom, how does God deal with evil?
God tames it and controls it and uses it for peoples advantage. He brings
good out of evil.
12.The main question of the book is: Do the righteous serve God only because
God has blessed them? If God allows all of their blessings to be taken away
will the righteous still serve God?
Job was considered a righteous man by God. When God allowed all of his
blessings to be taken away, Job did not sin and curse God as Satan said he
would. This illustrates that the righteous serve God purely as a response to
Gods grace and not because they think they will gain some blessing because
of it.
= = = Learning About Jesus in Job = = =
1. Job 1-2 shows clearly that the loss of Jobs flocks, servants, and children were
not a result of some kind of sin by Job and that the boils that covered Jobs
body from head to toe were not a punishment for sin. All of Jobs suffering
was caused by a kind of contest between Satan and God. Job suffered
greatly but was completely innocent of any wrongdoing. And throughout all
his discussions with his friends Job maintained his innocence. Jesus too was
an innocent sufferer. In fact, Jesus is the Innocent Sufferer par excellence. He
was the sinless Son of God. Jesus trials before Pilate and Herod showed
clearly that he was innocent. He was convicted only because of false
witnesses and trumped up charges. Yet even though he was sinless, he
willingly chose to suffer and die for the sins of the world.
2. Job was tested by Satan. Satan took from him nearly all of his material
blessings and afflicted him personally in his body. Satan wanted to show that
believers serve God only because there is something in it for them, that they
have selfish motives. But Job withstood Satans tests and never cursed God
as Satan said he would. Jesus too was tested by Satan. Satans goal in
tempting Jesus was to prevent him from saving sinners and to gain power and
glory for himself. Satan tempted Jesus in several ways, but, like in Jobs case,
Satan was unsuccessful. Jesus remained faithful and continued on his path to
the cross so that sinners could be saved. Had Jesus been selfish he could
have easily avoided the cross. But Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for
many.

3. We also learn about Jesus through the parallels of Jobs story to the passion
narrative of Jesus.
.. Just as onlookers mocked Job, so they mocked Jesus (Job 16:10; Mk. 15:32;
Lk. 23:11).
.. Both Job and Jesus felt abandoned and forsaken (Job 16:11; Mt. 27:46).
.. Jobs description of himself with there is no violence in my hands (Job
16:17) is very similar to the description to the Suffering Servant (Is. 53:9). Job
may have been the model used by Isaiah for the Suffering Servant (Is. 50:4-9;
52:13-53:12). And of course Jesus is the Suffering Servant. Jesus came not to
be served, but to serve. And he served by willingly suffering and dying that
sinful man might be saved.
.. Job and Jesus suffered the worst possible afflictions and yet trusted God.
.. Job was vindicated when he was fully restored (virtually resurrected), while
Jesus was vindicated when he was actually resurrected from the dead.
4. In offering sacrifices, Job is a type of Jesus. He offers them for his childrens
sin (Job 1:5). He offers sacrifices for his friends and prays for them and God
favorably receives them (Job 42:8). Jesus is the Lamb of God who offers
himself as The Sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus also prays for his
friends.
5. The mediator/redeemer theme runs throughout the book of Job (Job 5:1; 9:3235; 10:4-5; 13:15-18; 14:7-17; 16:18-22; 19:23-27; 33:23-28). Job
acknowledges that he has a mediator who will speak on his behalf to God. He
acknowledges that he has a redeemer who rescues him from those that
accuse him. In actuality Jesus is that Mediator between God and people (1
Tim. 2:5). He is Jobs and our Advocate before the Father (1 John 2:1). He
redeems Job and us with his holy precious blood and innocent suffering and
death (Gal. 3:13; 4:5; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:15). He justifies Job and us through
his death and resurrection (Rom. 4:25).
6. Job expresses confidence in God who forgives and grants eternal life (Job
14:13-17). It is only in Christ that God does forgive us and offer us eternal life
(Mt. 9:2; Mt. 26:28; Lk. 7:48; Lk. 24:47; John 3:15-16, 36; 6:40). That is the
entire reason why God the Son took on human flesh in the person of Jesus. He
came to live a perfect life for us and to suffer, die, and rise again that our sins
might be forgiven and that we might live life eternally in Gods holy presence.
7. In the prologue and epilogue God calls Job my servant (Job 1:8; 2:3; 42:7-8).
In the OT God also called Abraham, Moses, and David my servant. Being
Gods servant implies a special relationship with God. Job had a special
relationship with God and loyally served God. Job and all the other servants of
God looked forward to the Messianic Servant that Isaiah spoke about. Like the
OT servants of God, that Servant is chosen by God, is the One whom God
delights in, has Gods Spirit on him, acts wisely, is highly exalted, is
righteous, and bears the iniquities of people that they might be accounted as
righteous before God (Is. 42:1; 52:13; 53:11). Of course this Servant is Jesus.
= = = The Purpose of Job = = =

The book of Job is a book of wisdom which:
1. Helps innocent people cope with innocent suffering. It helps them to know
that Gods wisdom is far above their wisdom and that they should simply
trust God because they know that for those who love God all things work
together for good (Rom. 8:28).
2. Shows us how God uses suffering to turn a righteous person, who is mainly
concerned with justice (Job 27:7-17), into an intercessor and agent of divine
grace to others (Job 42:7-9).

Song of Songs Marital Love Reflects Gods Love
for His People
This is the first of five books read at five Israelite festivals. These festivals
commemorate great events in Israels history. The Song of Songs was read each
year at the Passover festival. In that festival Israel celebrated Yahwehs great love
for her as shown in his redemption of her from Egypt.
The book of Song of Songs is different from all of the other books of the Bible. It
consists completely of dialogs, primarily between a Lover and her Beloved. But it
never says, he said or she said. One must figure out from what is said, how it is
said, the pronouns, and the gender of the words who is speaking. Modern Bibles add
headings to help make this clear.
= = =The Structure of Song of Songs = = =
The book is a chain of loosely arranged love poems in the form of a dialog. The
repetition of the adjuration (or oath) to the daughters of Jerusalem in 2:7; 3:5; 5:8;
and 8:4 divide the main body of the book into four cycles of poems.
.
- - - Title and Introduction (Song 1:1-4) - - It begins with the title of the book, Song of Songs, which means the best song
(this is similar to saying, the Lord of lords or King of kings). Then the woman (later
called the Shulammite, 6:13) speaks of her beloved. Her wish is to Let him kiss me
with the kisses of his mouth! There is the obvious physical dimension to this. But
also based on what follows (the rest of the book is all speaking), there is what might
be called speaking kissing. The closeness of a marital relationship is not only
physical but also verbal.
.
- - - Four Cycles of Love Poems (Song 1:5-8:4) - - There are four cycles in the Song. Each of the cycles celebrates the love of a man
and woman for each other as expressed in their physical and verbal intimacy and
their delight in each other. Each cycle ends with an aduration to the daughters of
Jerusalem to not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. This means that they
should not arouse their own physical expressions of love outside of marriage.
Instead, in his wisdom, God designed and instituted marriage as the appropriate
place to share such physical and emotional intimacy.
.. 1. The first cycle (Song 1:5 2:7).
The reader is introduced to the love shared by the Shulammite and her beloved.
They rejoice in each others beauty and seek to share each others love.

.. 2.The second cycle (Song 2:8 3:5).
The Shulammite anticipates her beloved coming to her and their union. In her
dreams she seeks him, finds him, and brings him to her mothers house.
.. 3. The third cycle (Song 3:6 5:8).
The beloved is identified as Solomon. The bride sees Solomons wedding procession
coming. Solomon admires his brides beauty. In virginal love she has kept herself
exclusively for her husband. He then claims her as his own and enjoys all her
delights.
The Shulammite has a dream about her beloved but it soon turned into a nightmare.
She hears him knocking at her door and calling out to her to open it. She was
thrilled with delight that he was there but opening the door she did not see him.
Throughout the night she looked for him in the city but was mistaken as a prostitute
and was beaten. She charges the daughters of Jerusalem that if they find him to tell
him she is sick with love for him.
.. 4. The fourth cycle (Song 5:9 8:4).
Then the daughters ask her why he is more beloved than other men. She answers
with a fevered description of his entrancing physique and masculine charms.
Others ask where her beloved can be found. Her answer is that if you want to find
my beloved, you will find him with me (his garden), delighting in all she has to offer
him. They exclusively belong to each other.
The king delights in the appearance of his bride. His desire is for her. And the bride
invites her beloved to share in an intimate relationship.
.
- - - The Climax: The Power of Love (Song 8:5-7) - - Love produces fruit like a fruit tree. As a signet ring is unique to a single king, so
ones love is singularly devoted to ones beloved. Love is as strong as death. Love is
fiercely protective of ones beloved. Love is like fire that cannot be quenched. Love
is worth more than any wealth.
.
- - - A Summary of the Brides Life (Song 8:8-14) - - Looking back the bride remembers when she was young and not yet physically
developed. Her brothers were the guardians of her honor until she was spoken for in
marriage. As Solomon was the master of great wealth, so the bride is the master of
her own vineyard (her body) and she has decided to offer it (the owners portion) to
Solomon. He calls out for her and she yearns for him to come quickly.

.
= = = Interpreting the Song = = =
Its basic surface meaning, based primarily on the refrain (Song 2:7; 3:5; 5:8; 8:4), is
that human love between a man and woman is a gift from God to be enjoyed within
the institution of marriage. Such love should not be stirred up or awakened outside
of marriage. Deep love for your beloved is safe within the full commitment of
marriage, but is vulnerable outside of it.
But is there more to it? One of the rules of interpreting the Bible is to read a
passage or book within its context. In this case we look at the wider biblical context.
In the OT Scriptures God frequently pictures himself as a husband and Israel as his
bride (Is. 62:5; Jer. 2:2; 3:10; 31:32; Eze. 16:32, 45; Hos. 1-3 ). Therefore by
analogy, the Song of Songs helps the reader understand Gods relationship with his
people. It uses poetry to paint a picture of the great love God has for his people and
of the great love they in return should have for him. (For more about this from a NT
perspective, see the section Learning about Jesus in the Song of Songs.)
.
= = = The Song of Songs Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. What are two ways in the Song that God gives for a man and woman to
express their love to each other?
It is expressed physically and verbally.
2. What institution does God give where a man and woman can safely and fully
express their love for one another?
God instituted marriage in order that a man and woman can fully express
their love towards one another. When a couple fully expresses their love for
each other, they make themselves vulnerable; they make themselves fully
known to each other. This can be a scary thing. So God established the
marriage relationship in order to provide a safe environment in which both
spouses are committed to each other and trust each other and thereby are
not afraid to open up in expressing their love for each other.
3. The marriage relationship goes beyond the husband and wife. It becomes
analogous to Gods relationship with his people. How did God express his love
for his OT people verbally?
As the husband and wife expressed their love for one another verbally with
words of delight in the Song, so God spoke his love for his people in the OT
through his prophets. He called prophets to speak his Word to his people.
Through the prophets he spoke words of Law so that they would see their sin
and their need to return to him in repentance. Through the prophets he spoke
words of Gospel so that they would know that he was a loving and forgiving
God who had mercy on them. He also caused some of the prophets to record
his Word, so that future generations would also benefit from his Word and
know his love for them.

4. How did God express his love for his OT people physically?
As the husband and wife expressed their love for each other physically in the
Song, so God used physical means to express his love for his OT people. First,
he provided for his people in the same way that he does for all people, by
providing food, clothes, and shelter for them. But more importantly, he
provided for the forgiveness of their sins and communicated his love for them
through the sacrificial system. Through the shedding of blood and the
sacrifices made on the altar, God offered his people the forgiveness of their
sins and peace and fellowship with himself.
5. There is an exclusivity in marriage where each spouse gives himself and
herself only to the other. How does the bride express this in the Song? What
does this say about Gods expectations for his OT people in their relationship
with him?
The bride expresses her exclusive love for her husband by remaining a virgin
and she will continue this exclusive love by offering her delights to him alone.
God too wants his people to be completely devoted to him alone. That is why
he commanded that they have no other gods (first commandment). All of
their love is to be directed to him alone.
6. In the climax of the book, what does it say about the love of a marital
relationship? And what does it mean to Gods people to know that God has
this kind of love for them?
It says love is fruitful. It says the love of a spouse is singularly devoted to
ones spouse. It says love is as strong as death and is fiercely protective of
ones beloved. It says that such love cannot be quenched. It says that such
love is more valuable than anything. God has this kind of love for his people.
It is a great feeling to know that God loves us like this, that he is fully devoted
to us, that nothing can stop him from loving us, that we are of great value to
him.
.
= = = Learning About Jesus In the Song of Songs = = =
1. As the Shulammite and her beloved in the Song express their love for one
another verbally with words, so God speaks his word of love for the church
through the Scriptures and through his Son. In the Scriptures he tells the
church that he sent his only Son Jesus in order to save her (his bride) from
eternal death. In words of Gospel he tells the church that his love for her is so
great, that he gave his only Son for her in order he might die in her place.
2. As the husband and wife in the Song express their love for one another with
physical kissing, touching, and intercourse, so God expresses his love for the
church physically through his Son and the Sacraments. Jesus came physically
in the flesh to save the church. Jesus lived, suffered, and died physically in
the place of his bride. God expresses his love for the church physically
through the waters of Baptism. When the water and the Word of God are
applied in Baptism, God adopts, forgives, and gives new life to those who are
baptized. God also expresses his love physically through Holy Communion.

Through simple bread and wine along with Gods Word, the physical body and
blood of Christ are received by faith for the forgiveness of sin.
3. In the OT and in the Song in particular, God used the analogy of marriage to
show his relationship with his bride, Israel. In the NT he also uses the analogy
of marriage to speak of the profound mystery of Christs love for his bride,
the church (Eph. 5:22-33). First in Eph. 5:22-24, Paul speaks of the churchs
relationship with Christ in terms of the wifes relationship with her husband.
Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the Savior of the church. Therefore
the church is to willingly submit to Christ. So similarly as the bride in the Song
willingly, fully, and exclusively gave herself to her beloved, the church does
the same with Christ.
4. Next in the Ephesians passage, Eph. 5:25-33, Paul describes Christs
relationship with the church in terms of the husbands relationship with his
wife. Christ loved his bride, the church, so much that he willingly gave up his
life for her in order that she might be a holy and pure bride. Just as the groom
loved and cherished his bride in the Song and just as every husband should
do for his wife, Christ nourishes and cherishes the church. Christs love for
the church is an example of how all husbands should love their wife.
= = = The Purpose of the Song of Songs = = =
1. It celebrates the love of a man and woman for each other in marriage as they
express their love in verbal and physical intimacy, showing their delight for
each other.
2. It articulates Israels delight in her divine royal Lover Yahweh, who fully
committed himself to her in the Abrahamic covenant, rescued her from
slavery in Egypt, married her in the Sinaitic Covenant, provided and cared
for her in her desert journey, fought for her in giving her the promised land,
and will bring forth from her the promised Savior.
3. In presenting marriage as a man and woman fully delighting in each other to
the exclusion of all others, God uses marriage to reveal the great mystery of
Christs unyielding and undivided love for his bride, the church.

Ruth Faithfulness and Redemption
= = =Liturgical Use of Ruth = = =
The book of Ruth was read during the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), which
commemorated the conclusion of the barley harvest. This book was presumably
picked to be read during this feast because of its emphasis on the harvest. The last
word in the book is David. So in reading this book at Pentecost, the people of
Israel looked forward to a second David, the promised Messiah.
.
= = = The Structure of Ruth = = =
- - - Introduction: Naomi is Emptied and Bitter and Ruth is Faithful (Ruth 1:1-22) - - Elimelech, Naomi, and their two sons left Israel to live in Moab because of a famine.
While there Elimelech died and their two sons married Oprah and Ruth, but then the
two sons also died. With no husband or sons Naomi was left in a terrible situation.
She was left with no means of support.
When Naomi heard that God had lifted the drought in Israel, she decided to return
to Judah. She urged her daughters-in-law to stay in their country and remarry. Oprah
stayed but Ruth declared her faithfulness to Naomi, Judah, and Yahweh. Naomi and
Ruth returned to Judah, but Naomi was bitter with how the Almighty had dealt with
her, emptying her of her husband and sons.
- - - How Ruth Met Boaz, Her Future Redeemer and Husband (Ruth 2:1-23) - - Ruth went out to the fields to glean grain so that she and Naomi would have food to
eat. She happened to end up in Boazs field. Boaz took notice of her and heard
how faithful Ruth had been in caring for her mother-in-law. He told Ruth to glean in
his fields where he would guarantee her safety and instructed his servants to give
her special gleaning privileges, leaving extra stalks of grain on the ground for her.
When Naomi found out that Ruth had gleaned in Boazs fields and that Boaz had
been kind to her, she rejoiced, knowing that he was a close relative, a kinsmanredeemer.
[A kinsman-redeemer is one who watches out for the welfare of the extended family.
He redeemed family members from debt. He redeemed family land that had been
sold. He defended family in court. He avenged the killing of a family member. And
he provided an heir for a family member who died without a son to carry on the
family name and to inherit the family property. This last duty is important in Ruth.]
- - - Ruth Carries Out Naomis Plan to Secure Redemption through Boaz (Ruth 3:118) - - Because Boaz was a kinsman-redeemer for the clan of Elimelech, Naomi sent Ruth
to him at the threshing floor to request that he redeem her (see Ruth 3:9), that is,

provide an heir for Elimelech. [He could do this by marrying Ruth and producing a
son, who Naomi could then adopt and who would then legally be Elimelechs son.]
Boaz said he would be happy to do so, but there was another kinsman who was a
closer relative to Elimelech than he was. Boaz would first have to check with him to
see if he would be willing to redeem them.
- - - Boazs Faithfulness to Ruth and Yahweh as a Kinsman-Redeemer Demonstrated
(Ruth 4:1-12) - - Boaz crossed paths with the nearer kinsman-redeemer at the town gate, the place
where business and legal transactions occurred. Boaz gathered the elders as
witnesses, explained the situation to the other kinsman-redeemer, and, when he
refused to buy the property and marry Ruth, Boaz made it official that he was going
to buy the land and marry Ruth. (Why Naomi was selling the land is not entirely
clear. It could be that she was so destitute that she had to sell it. Or it could be that
it had already been sold by Elimelech and that she, retaining the right of
redemption, was re-selling the property to her kinsman-redeemer or, in other
words, was letting him buy the property back.)
- - -Conclusion: Naomi is Filled and Restored (Ruth 4:13-16) - - Yahweh blessed the marriage of Boaz and Ruth with a child (Obed). The child was
adopted by Naomi, which kept the family name alive, and he became an heir to the
family property. In the beginning of the story Naomi did not have food, did not live
in Judah, had possibly sold off the land, and had lost her husband and two sons
(Ruth 1:1-4). Now she lives in Judah again, has food from the generous hand of
Boaz, has had the land redeemed, and has a son who is a legal heir through the
marriage of Ruth and Boaz. She had been empty but now Yahweh has restored and
nourished her in her old age through the faithfulness of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:15).
- - - Epilogue: Genealogy of David (Ruth 4:17-22) - - Naomis son, named Obed, became the father of Jesse, who became the father of
David, who became the great king of Israel. The genealogy of David that is provided
goes back to Perez, one of the sons of Judah who was a son of Jacob/Israel. The ten
names in the list do not include all the generations but is selective. Ten is the
number of perfection. Through this line of people from the tribe of Judah - which
involved a pagan Moabite woman who became a faithful believer in Yahweh (Ruth)
and married a faithful kinsman-redeemer from Judah Yahweh provided not just for
Naomi, but also for all his people Israel (through David) and eventually the whole
world (through Jesus a descendant of David).
.
= = =Ruth Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. The book of Ruth is set during the time of the Judges. During this time, Israel
was known for its unfaithfulness to Yahweh, chasing after pagan gods. Was
anyone faithful during this time in Israels history?
Yes. While the nation in general was unfaithful to Yahweh, the story of Naomi,

Ruth, and Boaz shows that individual Israelites and some Israelite families
remained faithful to Yahweh during this dark period.
2. How did Naomi become empty?
A drought in Judah caused Naomis family to move to Moab because of a lack
of food. While living in Moab, Naomis husband and two sons died. So Naomi
was emptied of food, emptied of her homeland, emptied of her husband, and
emptied of her sons. She was left with nothing. Her future looked very bleak.
3. What one bright spot did Naomi have?
The one bright spot was that her daughter-in-law Ruth remained faithful to
her, stuck with her, and cared for her through it all.
4. After Yahweh lifted the drought in Judah, Naomi and Ruth moved back. While
gleaning, what did Yahweh lead Ruth to do? Who was Boaz? And what plan
did Naomi devise?
Yahweh led Ruth to glean for food in Boazs field. Boaz was a close relative of
Naomi in Elimelechs family, a kinsman-redeemer. Naomis plan was to have
Boaz redeem her, keep alive the family name, and keep the family property
within the clan.
5. When Ruth proposed the idea of Boaz redeeming Naomi and Ruth at the
threshing floor, how did Boaz react? What did he do?
He immediately agreed to do it, but there was one kinsman-redeemer that
had the right to redeem them before him. He approached the other kinsmanredeemer, explained the situation, and when he would not redeem them, he
made it known publically and legally that he would do so.
6. How did Boaz carry out the redemption of Elimelechs family name?
Boaz married Ruth and had a son named Obed with her. Naomi adopted Obed
as her son, so through Obed the family name continued and the assigned
property for the clan would remain in the family.
7. What was even more important about Obed? Who else was Yahweh providing
for when Boaz faithfully carried out his act of redemption?
Obed would become the grandfather of king David. So through Boazs act of
redemption Yahweh was providing not only for Naomi, Ruth, and Elimelechs
family, but also for the whole people of Israel. And looking even longer range,
Yahweh was providing for the whole world. For it was from the line of king
David from which the promised Savior would come.
.
= = = Learning About Jesus in the Book of Ruth = = =
1.
Faithfulness is an important theme in Ruth. Ruth pledged her faithfulness and

then was faithful to Naomi and Yahweh when she could have easily remained
in her homeland and remarried. Boaz too was faithful to Yahweh, as he
willingly carried out his duties as a kinsman-redeemer. In their faithfulness,
Ruth and Boaz gave us a small taste of the faithfulness of Jesus. When the

Father sent his Son to this world as its Savior, he willing came and joyfully
carried out his duties. He remained faithful even to the point of death, living
and dying in our place.
2. The whole story of Ruth revolves around redemption. Boaz was a kinsmanredeemer. The job of a kinsman-redeemer was to look after the general
welfare of the extended family. He was to make sure that the family name
and property were not lost. Boaz preserved both and in doing so became a
picture of Christ for us. Gods people are given the name of Christian when
they are baptized and then, as his people, they are given a portion in the
kingdom of heaven. Sin threatens to rob Gods people of both their name and
place in Gods kingdom. Therefore the Father sent his Son, Jesus, to be the
Redeemer of the world. He paid a heavy price (his death on the cross) to
secure for eternity the name and place of Gods people in the heavenly
promised land.
3. The marriage of the redeemer (Boaz) to the one redeemed (Ruth) is a picture
of the marriage of the Redeemer Christ to the Church (those he redeemed).
Boaz graciously redeemed Ruth and Naomi at a great personal cost. In the
same way Christ redeemed the Church and took her as his holy bride, paying
for her with his holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death.
4. The redemption of the family of Elimelech would lead in the near future to the
kingship of David. But that was not all. God had much greater plans. This
redemption would eventually lead to Kingship of Christ Jesus. The ultimate
goal then of the book of Ruth is Christ. From the line of David would come the
promised Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Jesus is the
Redeemer of mankind. Jesus is the King of kings.
.
= = = The Purpose of Ruth = = =
1. One purpose of Ruth is to show how Yahwehs care for one family eventually
produced king David, through whom Yahweh cared for the whole nation of
Israel. And then through the line of David, Gods care would expand from the
nation of Israel to the whole world through the promised Savior.
2. A second purpose is to show that not all of the families of Israel were
unfaithful to Yahweh during the dark time of the Judges. Some people
remained faithful and lived by the Torah, which Yahweh had given for their
benefit.
3. A third purpose was to show that Yahweh cares for his people through
redemption. The redemption of families and clans in ancient Israel through a
kinsman-redeemer was a picture of the coming Kinsman-Redeemer who
would give his very life to redeem Gods people, eternally preserving their
name and place in Gods kingdom.

Lamentations Lamenting the Destruction of the
Temple and Jerusalem
= = = Liturgical Use of Lamentations = = =
The book of Lamentations is set to be read during the feast/fast of Ab to
commemorate the destruction of the first temple in 587 BC as well as the second
temple in 70 AD. Christians traditionally read this book on Good Friday because
Jesus is the New Temple and on Good Friday that temple (Jesus body) was
destroyed. And then the temple of his body was rebuilt three days later in the
resurrection, as Jesus said it would be.
.
= = = The Structure of Lamentations = = =
Lamentations is a collection of five carefully crafted poems that mourn or lament
the fall of Jerusalem and the temple to the Babylonians. The careful construction of
the poems shows that the book was well thought out and not just a spare of the
moment cry of anguish.
- - - Poem 1 Jerusalems Desolation Caused by Her Sin (Lam. 1) - - This is an acrostic poem of twenty-two verses, one verse for each letter of the
Hebrew alphabet. Each verse is a stanza made up of three lines, the first of which
begins with a successive letter of the alphabet.
Zion, the destroyed city of God, is personified as a widow who has lost everything.
She has lost her husband (Yahweh), her house (the city) and her children (the
citizens of Jerusalem); all have been taken from her. Her friends and lovers (foreign
nations and gods) have turned on her and become her enemies. Her enemies
prosper while she is afflicted. She admits that everything that has happened to her
is well deserved; she has caused it by her rebellion. Yahweh brought her low
because of her unfaithfulness. She suffers all alone with no one to comfort her.
- - - Poem 2 Yahwehs Anger Poured Out on His People (Lam. 2) - - This is an acrostic poem of twenty-two verses, one verse for each letter of the
Hebrew alphabet. Each verse is a stanza made up of three lines, the first of which
In his burning anger Yahweh has consumed Judah. No one and nothing can escape
his wrath. He has destroyed his altar and temple and the walls and city of
Jerusalem. Those who pass by taunt her. Her enemies gloat over her. She
incessantly cries out to Yahweh for mercy.
- - - Poem 3 Yahwehs Anger Against Sin and Mercy Toward Sinners (Lam. 3) - - -

This is an acrostic poem of sixty-six verses, three verses per stanza. Each threeverse stanza is made up of three lines, with each line beginning with the same letter
following the order of the Hebrew alphabet.
Here the city is personified as a man who describes his situation as being locked in
a dark room where his tormentor beats him. The Lord is like a wild beast or an arrow
tearing his flesh. He receives no sympathy, but is a laughingstock. He is to the point
that he has no hope (Lam. 3:1-20).
Yet he does not drown in despair. He remembers the truth that The steadfast love
of the LORD never ceases. And so he puts his hope in Yahweh and waits for his
salvation, for he will not cast off forever (Lam. 3:21-36).
The Most High has the power to and does punish sins. Therefore Gods people must
confess and repent. Because of their transgressions, Yahweh has pursued them and
made them the garbage of nations. Their enemies scorn them and they weep in
grief (Lam. 3:37-51).
Yahweh hears the cries of the repentant and has mercy on them. He sees the
wrongs done to them and repays their enemies (Lam. 3:52-66).
- - - Poem 4 Zions Glorious Past vs. Its Miserable Present (Lam. 4) - - This is an acrostic poem of twenty-two verses, one verse for each letter of the
Hebrew alphabet. Each verse is a stanza made up of two lines, the first of which
In the past the sons of Zion were once prized like gold, but now they are worthless.
Their children die of hunger and thirst. The once rich scrounge for food. Their
punishment was worse than that of Sodom. Their leaders endured the same fate.
Yahweh has poured out his anger upon them because of the sins of their prophets
and priests. Yahweh has exiled his people to the nations. Yet when the time comes,
Judahs exile will end and the sins of their enemies will be uncovered.
- - - Poem 5 Judahs Plea to Yahweh for Forgiveness and Restoration (Lam. 5) - - A non-acrostic poem of twenty-two verses. Each verse is a stanza of two lines. It has
been suggested that the abandonment of the acrostic form in this last poem mirrors
and conveys the breakdown of Jerusalem into an abandoned ruin and leads to a
plea for mercy and restoration.
They recite to Yahweh all that has befallen them. They have lost their land. They
have no food or water. They are lower than slaves. Their women are raped. Their
princes and elders are shown no respect. They are required to do back-breaking
labor. Mt. Zion has been made desolate. They admit that all of this has happened
because they have sinned. They plea to Yahweh, the God who reigns forever, to
restore them unto himself.
.

= = = Lamentations Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. What happened to Jerusalem and Judah? And why did it happen?
Judah and Jerusalem were destroyed. In Lamentations Zion is personified as a
mother who has lost her husband (God) and home (city of Jerusalem) and her
children (citizens of Jerusalem) have been taken from her and carried off into
exile. She admits that she has deserved this because she has been unfaithful
to God and rebelled against him. Now she suffers all alone.
2. Who brought about Jerusalems destruction?
It was Yahweh who brought about Jerusalems destruction. Because of her
unfaithfulness to him and outright rebellion against him, his wrath burned
against her and consumed her.
3. How does Jerusalem feel about what has happened to her? But then what
does she remember and do?
Jerusalem feels like Yahweh is tearing her to pieces. She is to the point of
utter despair. Yet she remembers that Yahweh is steadfast in his faithfulness
and she repents and puts her hope of salvation in him.
4. How has Judahs status changed? What caused it?
Judah was once like a prized and precious possession, but now it is worthless,
an object of Gods wrath. This has occurred because of the sins of the people,
the prophets, the priests, and the kings.
5. Given the state that Judah and Jerusalem is in, what is their only hope?
Their only hope is in Yahweh, that he might have mercy on them and restore
them to himself.
.
= = = Learning About Jesus in Lamentations = = =
1. In Lamentations the temple, the place where God was present with his
people, the place where he showed his love and mercy to his people, has
been destroyed. In fact Yahweh has destroyed it himself through the
Babylonians. This prefigures what God would do to the New Temple of Israel.
The New Temple is the body of Jesus. Jesus said, Destroy this temple, and in
three days I will raise it up. The temple Jesus was speaking of was his body
(John 2:18-22). The old temple prefigured Jesus. Jesus was the place where
God is with his people. In Jesus God shows his love and mercy towards his
people. The Father destroyed Jesus body on the cross. He did this to punish
Jesus for our sins. Jesus willingly took our place and took upon himself the
wrath of God which we deserved. But after three days Jesus body was raised
from the dead. The New Temple was restored as Jesus said it would be.
2. The prophets, priests, and kings of Judah were to have been examples of the
greater Anointed One to come. They were to foreshadow Christ and his work.
Yet God removed the anointed dynasty of the kings and the chosen priests of
Judah and stopped communicating with his people through prophets (Lam.

2:6, 9). Even though these precursors to Christ were removed from Judah and
they were carried into exile, there would be One to come who would be a
great King, Priest, and Prophet. He would be a great King who would rule
peoples hearts and directed them to true worship. He would be a great Priest
who would offer himself as a Sacrifice for the sins of the world. He would be a
great Prophet who would speak the truth of Gods Word in love. For this
reason Lamentations calls on Gods people to wait on Yahweh for deliverance
(Lam. 3:25). He has promised not to cast them off forever (Lam. 3:31).
Instead out of his steadfast love he will show compassion (Lam. 3:32) through
the promised Christ.
3. Yahweh threatened his wrath on Jerusalem if they did not repent. And when
they refused to do so, he carried out that threat by wiping out the temple and
the city. In the poems of Lamentations, the bitterness of that experience is
deeply expressed. Jesus experienced that same bitterness. But while Gods
wrath on Judah was completely deserved, Jesus was completely innocent. Yet
he purposely took the full wrath of God on himself in order that humankind
would not have to. Man simply needs to believe in Jesus as his substitute.
Certain aspects of Jerusalems experience seem to hint at the bitterness of
what Jesus would go through. Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
(Lam. 1:12) is like And those who passed by derided him (Mk. 15:29). They
hiss and wag their heads (Lam. 2:15) is similar to they derided him,
wagging their heads (Mk. 15:29; Mt. 27:39). And the wormwood [bitterness]
and the gall! of Lam. 3:19 reminds us of the bitter wine mixed with gall that
was offered to Jesus upon the cross (Mt. 27:34). As Judah suffered alone and
was despised, so was Jesus. He did it for us in order that we would not end up
suffering as Jerusalem did.
.
= = = The Purpose of Lamentations = = =
The purpose of Lamentations was:
1. To lament the destruction of the temple, Jerusalem, and Judah.
2. To admit that God in his wrath had destroyed them and it was well deserved.
3. To look to Yahweh for mercy, compassion, and restoration.

Ecclesiastes Life Without God is Vapor
= = = Liturgical use of Ecclesiastes = = =
Ecclesiastes is set to be read each year at the Feast of Tabernacles, at the time of
rejoicing at the end of the agricultural year. As farmers at this feast, the Israelites
would look back at the results of their work and look forward to the work of the year
to come. So this book is appropriate to be heard at this feast because it warns about
the limitations of work and the true value of work as a gift from God.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Key phrases used in Ecclesiastes = = =
- The Hebrew word qoheleth means vapor, wind, breath. It has been translated as
vanity, meaningless, and futility. It describes the fallen human condition without
God. It is used 38 times in Ecclesiastes.
- The words translated as under the sun refer to mans place of existence within
the universe in this fallen world.
- Two other Hebrew phrases are translated as striving after the wind or chasing
the wind. These phrases describe the futility of human effort to find meaning in life
without God.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Structure of Ecclesiastes = = =
- - - Introduction: Without God Life is Like Vapor (Eccl. 1:1-11) - - Eccl. 1:1 is the title of the book: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king
in Jerusalem. Immediately after the title comes the theme of the book in Eccl. 1:2:
Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. In the rest of this section the theme is elaborated
upon. Life goes on day after day, year after year, from one generation to the next
with people working hard. And yet they and everything they do and work so hard for
just seems to vanish and be forgotten. Without God there is no meaning to life.
Without God it just seems to quickly dissipate and disappear.
- - - God Gives Meaning and Purpose to Human Lives in the Midst of Futility (Eccl.
1:12-6:20) - - . The futility of human wisdom (Eccl. 1:12-18)
. The futility of human pleasure (Eccl. 2:1-11)
. The futility of human existence and work (Eccl. 2:12-23)
. Only the recognition of God in all the things of life gives life meaning and joy (Eccl.
2:24-26)

. Life seems futile as the fate of man is the same as that of the animals death. Yet
he can take comfort knowing that God is in control. God has determined a time in
life for everything, therefore he can enjoy the things of life as gifts from God. (Eccl.
3:1-22)
. Life viewed from a worldly point of view seems cruel and meaningless. People
oppress each other. Successes motivated by envy do not bring happiness. Neither is
a lonely miser happy. The acclaim and esteem received for achievements comes
and goes (Eccl. 4:1-16).
. Superficial worship is meaningless. When not coming from the heart, many words
prayed and rash vows are just lip service. Instead, fear God with a sincere heart
(Eccl. 5:1-7).
. Those who love wealth are never satisfied. In fact greater wealth brings greater
anxiety. And we cannot take our wealth with us when we die. Instead realize that
the labor used to gain wealth and wealth itself are gifts from God. Enjoy them as
such (Eccl. 5:8-20).
. A man may have wealth, a large family, and a long life, but he will not be happy if
God does not give him power to enjoy them (Eccl. 6:2); he will be no better off
than those who acquire nothing (Eccl. 6:1-6). The same is true for work. What we
labor for does not satisfy us. And man has such a restricted point of view that he
cannot even determine what is good for him now, yet alone after he dies (Eccl. 6:712).
- - - Wisdoms Observations of Life and Living (Eccl. 7:1-12:8) - - . Death terminates the life of all in this fallen world. Therefore it makes sense: to
give serious thought to the brevity of life, to submit humbly to Gods providence, to
avoid both self-righteousness and uninhibited wickedness, to acknowledge universal
human depravity, and to recognize that there are things beyond human
comprehension (Eccl. 7:1-25).
. There may be some things in life that wisdom cannot explain, but wisdom can
reach the following conclusions: human nature, first created upright, has become
degenerate and succumbs to evil, kings (governments) have power but may not use
it properly, the wicked sometimes escape justice but eventually they will face God,
sometimes the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer, man cannot understand all
of Gods purposes, no matter if sinner or righteous all people die, the wise can do
great things but they may not be remembered (Eccl. 7:26-9:17).
. The Preachers answer for the nonsense of life under the sun is fear God, that is,
believe there is a God, tremble in his presence, and trust the superior wisdom of his
providence. His wisdom advises and reveals: dangers to be avoided, the effects of
wise and foolish talk, the blessings of life under a good king, that there is a time to
risk and a time to play it safe, to give generously when you have plenty, and to
know your limits (Eccl. 10:1-11:6).

. Wisdom says, Live life to the fullest while you are still young, but do so fearing
God, the Creator and Judge of all. Because of mans rebellion, we are living under a
sentence of death. As a result the debilities of old age come quickly, death
overtakes us, and our spirits return to God. Our time on earth is short. It is but a
mist that quickly dissipates (Eccl. 12:1-8).
- - - Conclusion: Fear God and Obey His Commands (Eccl. 12:9-14) - - The Preacher has rigorously evaluated life from mans point of view and made
known and recorded words of truth. These words are like sharpened sticks (goads)
that prod us to seriously consider the meaning of life and tent pegs that ground us
in the truth so that we will not be moved by the strong winds of false opinions.
These foundational, truthful, and firm principles of wisdom are reliable because they
are given by one Shepherd, the Authority and Teacher of wisdom. The teaching of
any author on the meaning of life, other than the true Author of life, will only lead to
weariness and dissatisfaction. Everything conceivable that might give man
happiness and fulfillment has been considered and found wanting, except for one
thing. Life can be enjoyed and have meaning only if one fears God. And when one
does, one will naturally seek to keep his commandments. And even though life at
times is unfair, we need not worry because in the end every deed will be judged by
God and all will be made right.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Ecclesiastes Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. What is life like without God?
It is like vapor that quickly dissipates. Life and the things of life come and go
and are quickly forgotten. By themselves they have no meaning.
2. What kinds of things do people look to in life to give it meaning and to
provide happiness? But what conclusion do they come to?
People look for meaning and happiness in wisdom, pleasure, work, successes
and achievements, superficial worship, wealth, large families, and power. But
without God, none of these things provide lasting meaning and happiness. To
look for happiness in these things is the vanity of all vanities; it is
meaningless.
3. What does the Preacher say is the only way to find meaning and happiness in
life?
Fear God. This means believe there is a God, tremble in his presence, and
trust the superior wisdom of his providence. Recognize that all the things that
people look to for happiness are gifts from God. Enjoy them as such.
4. What is it that reveals the truth that life is meaningful only when we fear
God?
Wisdom from God reveals that true meaning and happiness in life are only
found when we fear God. Gods wisdom teaches us that man has rebelled and
corrupted the human race and the world. Our rebellion has brought upon us

suffering and pain and death. Gods wisdom not only reveals the pitfalls of
life, but also the blessings God has given us for our enjoyment.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Learning About Jesus in Ecclesiastes = = =
1. The words of wisdom given by the Preacher in Ecclesiastes are given by one
Shepherd (Eccl. 12:11). In the OT God is often depicted as the great
Shepherd of his people. Several prophetic passages in the OT connect this
Shepherd with the promised Messiah (Eze. 34:23; 37:24; Mic. 5:3; Zech.
13:7). The NT writers identify Jesus as the promised Messiah/Shepherd (Matt
2:6; Mark 14:27; John 10:2-18; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25; Rev. 7:17). And the
purpose of Jesus coming was to take us from this life under the sun and
give us eternal life above the sun (see Eph. 2:4-6 and Col. 3:1). Christians
now live with an eternal perspective which gives meaning to life now and
looks forward to a meaningful and joyous life for eternity.
2. Gods wisdom reveals mans true place in the world. Man is a creature who
has rebelled against God and as a result will suffer and die. But that is not all
that Gods wisdom reveals. Jesus is the Wisdom of God and in him God
revealed salvation from sin and death. When one believes in Jesus, who is
Gods Wisdom and Salvation, one will find true meaning and happiness that
will last for eternity. In Christ God has been gracious towards sinners.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = The Purpose of Ecclesiastes = = =
The purpose of Ecclesiastes is:
To teach you that life has meaning only when you recognize God and what he
is doing in your life. Without God life quickly comes and goes; it dissipates
and disappears.
To recognize that life and all the things of life are a gift of God.
To encourage God's people to rejoice in their lot in life and to regard joy as
Gods best gift for them in this life.

Esther God Saves the Jews from Extinction
= = = Liturgical use of Esther = = =
The book of Esther was set for reading at the Feast of Purim in late February or early
March. The book of Esther explains the origin of the Feast of Purim and therefore is
obviously the festive scroll which was read at the feast which marks the end of the
Jewish ecclesiastical year.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Structure of Esther = = =
The book of Esther relays what at first appears to be a secular story about the near
extermination of the Judeans in Persia. The story contains a series of events which
seem to happen coincidentally and are interwoven around a number of feasts. At
these feasts a number of important events occur that will decide the fate of the
Jews. Even though God is not mentioned, the author uses the events of this story to
show that the holy God is in control, providing for his people. The feasts and
celebrations in the book of Esther can be used to structure the book.
.
- - - Xerxes Feasts (Est. 1:1-2:18) - - . The first feastVashti is deposed as queen (Est. 1:1-22).
At a great feast provided by king Ahasuerus for his nobles and the people of Susa,
the king commanded that queen Vashti come forward and display her beauty before
his drunken subjects. The queen refused to do so. In his anger and based on the
advice of his advisers, the king removed her as queen.
. The second feastEsther becomes queen (Est. 2:1-18).
A search for a new queen began by bringing the most beautiful young women from
all around the empire to the kings harem. One of these women was a Jew named
Esther. Esther kept her identity as a Jew hidden. Her uncle who had raised her was
Mordecai. Daily he would check on Esther to see that she was ok. Of all the women,
the king liked Esther the best. He made her queen and provided a great feast in
celebration of his new queen.
.
- - - Esthers Feasts (Est. 2:19-7:10) - - . Mordecai uncovers the assassination plot (Est. 2:19-23).
One day while at the kings gate, Mordecai found out about a plot by two officials to
kill the king. He told Queen Esther and Esther told the king. An investigation found it
to be true and the two officials were hanged. The incident was recorded in the
Chronicles of the king.

. Hamans plot to exterminate Mordecai and the Judeans (Est. 3:1-15).
The king promoted an official named Haman above all his other officials and
commanded the people bow before him. Mordecai refused to do so because he was
a Jew. When Haman found out, he was furious and sought to destroy Mordecai and
all of the Jews. Haman hatched a plot to exterminate the Jewish people and he
convinced the king to go along with it. Orders were drawn up and sent out as an
edict of the king to every part of the empire in the language of the people to kill all
the Jews and plunder their property on the 13 th day of the 12th month.
. Mordecai calls on Esther for help (Ext. 4:1-17).
When the Jews heard the decree, they fasted, wept, lamented, and lay in sackcloth
and ashes. When Esther found out she was deeply distressed. Mordecai begged her
to go before the king and plead for her people. But no one could go before the king
unless he first summoned them. Mordecai continued to urge Esther to intervene.
Knowing it could lead to her death, Esther agreed to do it after a period of fasting by
the Jews on her behalf.
. Esthers first feastOnly the king and Haman are invited (Est. 5:1-8).
Risking her life, Esther went uninvited before the king. But instead of incurring his
wrath, Esther won his favor and the king offered to fulfill whatever request she had.
She asked that the king and Haman to come to a feast the next day that she would
prepare for them. They did and when the meal was over the king again offered to
fulfill whatever she requested. Instead of immediately telling him her request, she
invited them both to another feast the next day.
. Hamans plot to hang Mordecai (Est. 5:9-14).
Haman left the feast in joy. But when he encountered Mordecai and Mordecai did not
bow down before him, he became angry again. Hamans wife and friends
encouraged Haman to build giant gallows and have Mordecai hanged on them.
Haman liked the idea and had them built.
. Xerxes sleepless night leads to Mordecai being honored (Est. 6:1-14).
That night the king could not sleep, so he had his Chronicles read to him. They read
to him about how Mordecai had saved the king by revealing the plot against him but
had never been honored for it. About that time Haman came in to speak to the king
about hanging Mordecai. When the king asked Haman how he should honor
someone whom the king delighted in, prideful Haman thought the king was talking
about him. Haman said the man should be treated and honored as if he were king.
So the king had Haman honor Mordecai, the man he wanted to hang, as if he were
king. And Haman was humiliated and extremely upset.
. Esthers second feastHaman executed (7:1-10).
Even while Haman was upset, he was whisked off to Esthers second feast for him
and the king. And again, after the feast, the king wanted to fulfill Esthers request.
Then Esther made the request that her life and the life of the Jews be spared. The
king demanded to know who would do such a thing. Esther revealed that it was
This wicked Haman and Haman stood there terrified. The king left in anger, while
Haman stayed and begged Esther for his life. His impassioned begging brought him
into contact with Esther. When the king returned and saw it, he thought Haman was
making advances toward the queen. At that time an aide came in and told the king

about the giant gallows Haman had built to hang Mordecai on. Then the king
commanded that Haman be hanged on those very gallows. And he was.
.
- - - The feast of Purim (Est. 8:1-10:3) - - . An edict in favor of the Judeans (Est. 8:1-17).
Esther revealed to the king that Mordecai was her uncle and the king elevated
Mordecai to the position that Haman once held, giving him royal authority. Then
Esther begged the king to revoke the decree authorizing the destruction of the Jews.
But since the decree could not be revoked, the king invited Esther and Mordecai to
write another decree to counteract the original decree. Mordecai had a new decree
written and sent out in the kings name. The decree said that on the 13 th day of the
12th month the Jews were authorized to gather, defend themselves, and plunder
their enemies. The Jews throughout the empire were filled with joy and the rest of
the people feared the Jews.
. The institution of the Feast of Purim (Est. 9:1-32).
Over time the power and prestige of Mordecai grew. And the high officials of the
kingdom became afraid of him and helped the Jews. When the appointed day came,
the Jews gathered and destroyed their enemies, but did not plunder them. In Susa
the edict was extended another day and the following day the Jews in Susa killed
more of their enemies and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. On the 14 th day the
Jews outside of Susa celebrated with gladness and feasting. And the Jews in Susa
celebrated on the 15th. Mordecai made it official that each year the Jews should
celebrate the reversal of their fortunes on the 14 th and 15th days of the 12th month.
The feast that was to be celebrated each year was called Purim because the day on
which the Jews were to be destroyed had been determined by casting lots (Pur).
. Mordecai as Xerxes second-in-command (Est. 10:1-3).
A full account of the high honor bestowed upon Mordecai was recorded in the
Chronicles of the king. Mordecai was second in power only to the king and sought
the welfare of his people.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Esther Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. Under what circumstances and how did a Jewish woman become queen of the
Persian Empire?
Queen Vashti was deposed when she refused to obey the king. In a search for
a new queen, the king chose Esther, a Jew, as the new queen.
2. How did the exiled Jew named Mordecai gain favor with the king?
Mordecai uncovered a plot against the kings life and made it known, thereby
saving the kings life.
3. How did it come about that an edict was made by the king to destroy the
Jews?

The kings highest official, Haman, became angry when the Jew Mordecai
would not bow down to him. So he created a plan to destroy all of the Jews.
He then tricked the king into sending out this decree.
4. Once the edict went out, who was the only hope for the Jews? What did she
do?
Their only hope of escaping destruction was Queen Esther. She risked her life
by going to the king and revealing that Haman had devised this plan to kill
her and all of her people.
5. What great reversal occurred for Mordecai and the Jews?
When the king learned of Hamans plot against the Jews, Haman was hanged
on the gallows he had built for Mordecai and Mordecai was elevated by the
king to the position Haman once held. The Jews were allowed to defend
themselves. And instead of the Jews being wiped out, their enemies were
wiped out.
6. What was instituted in order that the Jews would never forget this day?
The feast of Purim was instituted. Every year the on the 14 th day of the 12th
month the Jews were to celebrate the feast of Purim. On that day they were
to remember and celebrate how they were saved from extermination.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Learning About Jesus in Esther = = =
1. The Jewish people experienced a great reversal. This occurred when the
Jewish people, who were doomed, were saved. They are a type of the church.
We are all doomed by our sin. It looked as if there was no escape, yet Christ
came and saved us. When all looked hopeless for us, Christ took our place. In
doing so he took our sin upon himself and gave us his perfect righteousness.
We whom were once doomed have been saved the greatest reversal of all.
2. In a strange way, the wicked Haman is a Christ figure. He who was in a
position of power ended up being the one who was executed in the place of
Mordecai. Obviously Haman did not plan or want this to happen. In that
respect it was the opposite for Christ. He willingly went to his own execution
on the cross. It was the Fathers plan to send Jesus, his right hand man, to die
in our place. And Jesus willingly came from heaven to earth and took upon
himself the pain, suffering, and death that we deserved in order that we
might be saved.
3. God had long promised to bring forth the Messiah from the Jews. This would
not have been possible had the Jews been exterminated. Even the mightiest
kingdom of that day could not thwart Gods plan and promise of the Messiah.
Jesus was able to come from the Jews as God promised because of what God
accomplished through Mordecai and Esther.
4. God is not mentioned in Esther. The author arranged his book in such a way
that the reader would see that for Jews to be saved, a whole string of events
had to occur at the right time and in the right way. This could be no

coincidence. Very powerfully then the reader comes to his own conclusion
that God is in control and is with and working to save his people. Long ago he
had promised Abraham and his descendants that he would bless the world
through the promised Seed. God never breaks his promises and therefore he
caused this series of events to happen in order to rescue his people that they
may remain intact so that the Savior might come from them as he promised.
5. The feast of Purim celebrated the rest the Jewish people enjoyed because of
the defeat of their enemy Haman. In a similar way, Christ defeated our
enemies, sin, death, and the devil, bringing us rest. We celebrate Christs
great act of salvation for us each time we celebrate the great feast of the
Lords Supper. His Supper looks forward to the eternal heavenly feast where
we will continually celebrate Christs victory for us and the eternal rest that
we will enjoy.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = The Purpose of Esther = = =
The purpose of Esther is:
1. To explain the origin of the Feast of Purim.
2. To show how the Jews defeated their enemies and were saved from
extinction.

Daniel God Reveals His Plan for His People
= = = Structure of Daniel = = =
- - - Structured Around Two Languages and Two Chiasms - - The book of Daniel is unique and carefully put together. It is unique in that it is
written in two different languages: Aramaic and Hebrew. And the author used those
languages along with a chiastic literary technique to carefully structure the book.
The book is structured around two interlocking chiasms. (A chiasm is the concentric
arrangement of parts in a pattern such as ABC:CBA. It is a literary technique
frequently used in the Bible.)
Chiasm #1 is made up as follows:
Introduction #1 (Dan. 1:1-21) ................................................
[Narrative, Hebrew]
A. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of four kingdoms and the kingdom of God (Dan. 2:1-49)
[Narrative, Aramaic]
.. B. Nebuchadnezzar sees Gods servants rescued (Dan. 3:1-30) ..................
.... C. Nebuchadnezzar is judged (Dan. 4:1-37) ....................................
.... C. Belshazzar is judged (Dan. 5:1-31) .......................................
.. B. Darius sees Daniel rescued (Dan. 6:1-28) .................................
A. Daniel has a vision of four kingdoms and the kingdom of God (Dan. 7:1-28).
[Vision, Aramaic]
Chiasm #2 is made up as follows:
Introduction #2 (Dan. 7:1-28) ................................................
[Vision, Aramaic]
D. Details on the post-Babylonian kingdoms (Dan. 8:1-27) .....................
[Vision, Hebrew]
.. E. Jerusalem restored (Dan. 9:1-27) ..........................................
[Vision, Hebrew]
D. More details on the post-Babylonian kingdoms (Dan. 10:1-12:13) ...........
[Vision, Hebrew]
- - - Introduction #1: Prologue (Dan. 1:1-21) - - Babylon defeated Judah. Daniel and his three compatriots were exiled from Judah to
Babylon. God gave Daniel and his compatriots more skill and learning than all the
others training for the kings court. Daniel resolved not to defile himself and was
also given the ability to understand dreams and visions.
- - - A. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of four kingdoms and the kingdom of God (Dan. 2:149) - - King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, was troubled by it, and did not understand it.
When none of the wise men of Babylon could tell him the dream and its
interpretation, he commanded they all be killed. God revealed the mystery of the
dream to Daniel in a vision. Daniel went to the king and told him the dream and
what it meant. In the dream God was revealing to the king what empires he would

raise up and bring down in the future. As a result the king exalted Daniel and
Daniels God.
- - - B. Nebuchadnezzar sees Gods servants rescued (Dan. 3:1-30) - - King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image which was 90 feet high. He
commanded that all of the officials of his kingdom fall down before it and worship it.
Those who didnt were to be thrown into the fiery furnace. Three of the Jewish
officials (Daniels three compatriots) were accused of not bowing down. The king
gave them a second chance, but they faithfully refused to serve the gods of Babylon
and bow down to the golden image. In anger the king had the fire stoked blazing hot
and had them thrown into the furnace. But the three were unharmed. God sent his
Son to protect them. Because of this the king recognized the God of the Jews as a
great God and promoted the three.
- - - C. Nebuchadnezzar is judged (Dan. 4:1-37) - - Being in the royal court, Daniel recorded a decree from king Nebuchadnezzar. In the
decree the king told about a dream that had troubled him. And once again none of
the wise men could interpret it, but Daniel could. In the dream the king saw a great
tree that was chopped down. Only a stump remained. But after a period of time it
began to grow back. Daniel told the king that the tree represented him. The king
had grown too prideful and the God of Heaven would humble him until he realized
that the Most High God was the real ruler over the people and kingdoms of the
earth. And within a year all that was predicted in the dream came true. The king
was humbled for a period of time and then reestablished. After that he recognized
greatness and rule of the Most High God in heaven.
- - - C. Belshazzar is judged (Dan. 5:1-31) - - Sometime later Belshazzar was king. As King Belshazzar feasted and praised the
Babylonian gods, suddenly a human hand appeared and wrote a phrase on the wall.
The king was greatly disturbed by it, but no one could understand what it said. The
queen remembered that Daniel could interpret dreams. The king called Daniel in to
see if he could read and interpret the writing on the wall. Daniel reminded the king
how the Most High God had humbled king Nebuchadnezzar when he became proud
and now Belshazzar had become proud and worshipped false gods and had not
honored the Most High God who rules the world. Daniel said that the hand came
from God with this message: Your kingdom is done and will be given to the Medes
and Persians. That very night the king was killed and his kingdom was given to
Darius the Mede.
- - - B. Darius sees Daniel rescued (Dan. 6:1-28) - - -

The structure of Daruis government was that he had three high officials and then
120 satraps who reported to the three. Daniel was one of the three and he became
distinguished above them all. The officials and satraps became jealous of Daniel and
plotted against him. At their urging a law was passed that no one could pray to any
god but the king for 30 days. The person breaking this law was to be thrown into the
lions den. The officials spotted Daniel praying to his God and told the king. The king
had to enforce the law even though he did not want to and throw Daniel to the lions.
The next day the king found that Daniel was still alive, that Daniels God had saved
him. The king then had those who had accused Daniel thrown into the lions den
where they were immediately devoured. The king sent out a decree that all people
in his kingdom should fear the God of Daniel since he was the living God who rules
heaven and earth.
- - - A. & Introduction #2: Daniel has a vision of four kingdoms and the kingdom of
God (Dan. 7:1-28) - - Daniel had a vision during the reign of Belshazzar. In the vision he saw four beasts.
Each beast was terrifying and had great power. Then he saw God sitting as Judge in
his heavenly court. Gods judgment was to take away the dominion and power of
the beasts. Instead he gave all dominion and power to the Son of Man whose
kingdom would last forever. Then the vision was interpreted for Daniel. The four
beasts were four kings and kingdoms. The fourth kingdom would be different from
the other three. The king of this kingdom would speak against the Most High and his
saints. He would rule over Gods people for a period of time. But his power would be
taken from him by the heavenly court and he and his kingdom would be destroyed.
The power and dominion of these earthly kingdoms would then be given to the Son
of Man and the saints of the Most High God and they would rule forever and ever.
- - - D. Details on the post-Babylonian kingdoms (Dan. 8:1-27) - - Daniel had a second vision. In this vision he saw a ram with two high horns (Medes
and Persians) who ruled powerfully. But then a mighty goat, with a great horn
(Greeks, Alexander the Great), arose who broke the rams two horns. He ruled with
complete power for a short period of time before his great horn was broke
(Alexander died). Four little horns arose (four successors to Alexander) to rule. A
little horn arose and grew to become a great power (Antiochus Epiphanes who was
a type of the Antichrist) and challenge God and persecute his people before God put
an end to him.
- - - E. Jerusalem restored (Dan. 9:1-27) - - Israel had broken their covenant commitments by rebelling against God and had
refused to listen to the prophets that God sent to call them to repentance. God had
warned Israel of the consequences of breaking the covenant, which was exile from
the land. Therefore God was just and right in sending Israel to exile. As the end of
the 70 years of exile neared, Daniel confessed these truths in prayer to God. Daniel
appealed to Gods mercy on behalf of Judah and Jerusalem. God answered Daniels
prayer by saying he would forgive Israel and allow Jerusalem and the temple to be

restored as the central place of worship. But that would only last until the Messiah
came. When the Messiah was cut off (died on the cross), sin would be taken care
of and eternal righteousness would be ushered in. After that the OT sacrificial
system would no longer be necessary.
- - - D. More details on the post-Babylonian kingdoms (Dan. 10:1-12:13) - - Daniel saw a vision of a man (Christ or an angel) who would reveal what would
happen to Gods people from the days to come until the end of the world. As a
result of the kingdoms that God would raise up and tear down, Gods people would
face great persecution. Even while allowing such persecution God was acting for the
benefit of his people by using the persecution as a purifying and refining fire. Gods
people are urged to stand firm even in the face of persecution. A particular bad time
for Gods people would be under Antiochus Epiphanies. He is used as a type of
Antichrist. In the End Times the Antichrist will do everything in his power to destroy
Gods people. Just when it looks like Gods people will be annihilated, God will
deliver his people and those who continue on the way of salvation given by God will
be given rest and allotted a place in heaven.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Daniel Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. What did the Babylonians do when they conquered a nation? Who did they do
this to in the book of Daniel?
When the Babylonians defeated a nation, they forcibly took people from the
defeated nation to exile. Some of the promising young people they would
take and then indoctrinate them into their culture and religion while they
were still impressionable. In this case they exiled and attempted to
indoctrinate Daniel and his three compatriots.
2. What type of training did the Babylonians put Daniel and his three
compatriots through? What gifts did God give them? And what was the result?
They took Daniel and his three compatriots and trained them, along with
other youth from other nations, to serve in the kings court. God gave Daniel
and his three compatriots the gift of great wisdom and understanding and
they soon rose above the other trainees. Daniel was also given the ability by
God to interpret dreams and visions.
3. How did God use Daniel and the special ability he had given him for this
purposes?
God used Daniels ability to interpret dreams to interpret a dream that king
Nebuchadnezzar had. Through the dream God revealed what he was going to
cause to happen in the future. God was going to raise up and then tear down
four world kingdoms. But then the kingdom of God would come and displace
the fourth kingdom. Therefore God was revealing that the goal of history was
for him to establish his kingdom on earth.
4. What did Daniel and his three compatriots resolve to do? What trouble did
that lead to? But what good results came from it?
They resolved not to defile themselves and they resolved to remain faithful to

Yahweh, the only true God. When the three compatriots refused to bow down
to the kings gigantic statue, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. But God
protected them and it resulted in the king proclaiming their God as the Most
High God. When king Darius decreed that people only pray to him, Daniel
continued to pray to his God. This resulted in Daniel being thrown into the
lions den. But when God protected Daniel, king Darius proclaimed that all
people should fear Daniels God, the living God who rules heaven and earth.
So the result of their faithfulness was that Yahweh, the God of Judah, the God
who created and rules the earth, the God who was guiding history in order to
establish his kingdom, was exalted and proclaimed to be the living God who
is above all other gods.
5. At Gods command the kingdoms of this world arise and then fade away. But
what about Gods kingdom? How long will it last? And who will rule over his
kingdom?
Gods kingdom will last forever and it will be ruled by the Son of Man. Jesus
favorite designation of himself was son of man. Jesus will rule forever as
King of kings and Lord of lords. The Son of Man will share his rule with the
saints, the people of God. So God is in control of history and is guiding history
to establish his kingdom and benefit his people eternally. Those that oppose
him, his kingdom, his Messiah, and his people will not prevail.
6. In Daniel God revealed that he would forgive Judah and restore Jerusalem and
make the temple the central place of worship once again. But it would be
used as a central place of worship for only a short time. Why? What would
happen?
The temple in Jerusalem would be the central place of worship once again,
but only until the Messiah came. The Messiah would put an end to sin,
atone for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness. This will occur
when the Anointed One is cut off (Jesus death on the cross). Through the
promised Messiah God would deal with sin once and for all. Therefore,
because sin will be dealt with and atoned for, the temple, the place where
atonement was made for sin, would no longer be necessary. The true place of
worship would change from the temple to Messiah, for it is in him alone that
God atones for and forgives all sin, that he takes away unrighteousness and
gives eternal righteousness.
7. After the Messiah comes and before the End, what will happen to Gods
people?
Gods people will face great persecution. God will allow his people to be
persecuted in order to purify and refine them. When faced with persecution,
the people of God must remain steadfast in their faith, trusting in the Messiah
who has done all that is necessary for their eternal salvation. There will come
a time when it will look like the church will be wiped out completely, but then
God will step in and deliver his people and give them an eternal rest.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Learning About Jesus in Daniel = = =

1. The wise men of Babylon said their gods do not dwell with flesh (that is, with
humans) (Dan. 2:11). They believe their gods are far above human beings
and do not stoop down to dwell with them. In contrast to this is the God of
Israel. He is far above his people, but he graciously came down to dwell with
and among them in the tabernacle and temple. He was a God who was with
his people (Immanuel). The OT tabernacle and temple gave way to and
foreshadowed a new place in the NT in which God would dwell with his
people. Jesus body was the new temple of God (John 2:19). It is in the person
of Jesus that God dwells with his people. Therefore in the Lords Supper,
where Jesus true body and blood are present, Jesus is physically present with
his people. He is there for them.
2. In his dream (Dan. 2), king Nebuchadnezzar saw a large rock smash the
fourth kingdom which was made of iron and clay (Roman Empire). A rock is
not a man-made thing, as the statue was. The rock represents Gods
kingdom. His kingdom will destroy all man-made kingdoms. Each of those
kingdoms would only last a short period of time. Gods kingdom will last
forever. And Gods kingdom will be ruled by the Son of Man who is the Lord
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Rock which causes some to people to stumble and
which destroys all rivals. He will rule forever as the King of kings and Lord of
lords.
3. When Daniels three compatriots were thrown into the fiery furnace (Dan. 3),
suddenly a fourth man was with them and they all walked around in the midst
of the fire unharmed. The fourth figure was the pre-incarnate Jesus.
Symbolically the three men were in the midst of the fires of hell. And Jesus
went and protected them and led them out. Jesus journey to and through the
fiery furnace in Daniel looks forward to his descent into hell where he will
protect and keep from harm all those that believe in him and declare victory
over his and their enemies. Jesus entry into the lives of these three believers
to save them is a precursor for what he would do later when he entered the
affairs of men by becoming incarnate in order that he might save them from
the terrors of hell.
4. In a strange way king Nebuchadnezzar is a type of Jesus. He was a great king
who ruled over a vast empire. But when he became too proud and egotistical
God humbled him by causing him to lose his sanity and live like an animal.
After a while God raised him back up, giving him his sanity back, allowing him
to rule his kingdom again, and causing him to recognize the God of Judah as
the Most High God (Dan. 4). In similar way, Jesus was the great King who from
heaven ruled over the whole universe. But unlike king Nebuchadnezzar, when
asked to lower himself, go down to earth, and take on human flesh in order to
save humankind, Jesus willingly humbled himself. He willingly died on the
cross and stayed in the grave for three days. And then after he rose from the
dead, winning salvation for all people, Jesus ascended back into heaven
where he once again took his rightful position upon the throne where he now
and forever rules over all.
5. Daniel also prefigures Jesus. Both were wise men. Both were upright. Both
obeyed the government they lived under except when the government

overstepped the bounds that God placed on it. In that case, both obeyed God
rather than man. Both were accused and taken before the ruler. Daniel was
lowered into the pit of lions and was as good as dead. Jesus was placed in the
tomb and was dead for three days. Daniel was raised up from the lions den
and prospered under king Darius. Jesus was raised from the dead and
ascended into heaven where he now and forever rules the universe.
6. In a vision the Father showed that he would take away the dominion of the
nations and turn it over to the Son of Man. Jesus favorite designation for
himself was Son of Man. By doing this, Jesus claims to fulfill the vision of Dan.
7. He is the One who is King over all the kings of this earth. And his kingdom
will not pass away and never be destroyed. He will have everlasting
dominion over all peoples, nations, and languages. It was the Ancient of
Days (the Father) who gave dominion and glory and a kingdom to the One
like a son of man. This kingdom was handed over to Jesus and inaugurated
with his suffering, death, and resurrection. When Jesus ascended in the
clouds of heaven all power and dominion was given to him. Because of this
section in Daniel about power and rule being given to the son of man, the
Jews look for a Messiah who is powerful. They dont see Gods power
demonstrated and carried out on the cross as Jesus defeated mans enemies
of sin, death, and the devil.
7. In Dan. 9 God explained his plans for his people in terms of 70 weeks of
time. For the first 7 weeks Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt (the
time from the decree by Cyrus until Nehemiah). Then for 62 weeks
Jerusalem and the temple would the religious center once again, but all the
while living under the persecution of foreign governments (the time from
Nehemiah to Jesus). In the last week (the time from Jesus to the destroyed
temple in 70 AD) an anointed one would come - Jesus. Half way through this
week Jesus made a new covenant and died. In doing so, he put an end to
sin, atoned for iniquity, and ushered in everlasting righteousness (Dan. 9:24).
He had been anointed with the Holy Spirit as the new Most Holy Place. No
longer was the temple needed for worship. To make sure the temple was no
longer used for worship, at the end of the last week God allowed the
Romans to destroy it. Jesus body was the new place of worship. Worship
would center on him alone. In Jesus God was Immanuel (God with us).
8. In the end times (from the time of Jesus first coming until the Last Day when
he returns), Gods rule and authority will be challenged. Chapter 12 explains
how it will all turn out. When all seems lost for the church, Gods people will
be delivered. All those who believe in Jesus have their names written in the
Book of Life and will be saved. At that time all of the dead will be resurrected,
those who believe in Jesus (the wise) to everlasting life and those who do not
to everlasting shame and contempt.
9. The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream (Dan.
12:6) is Jesus. He reveals how long before the temple is desecrated. It will be
1290 days. This will run from the time that the temple is rebuilt until the
time when Antiochus Epiphanies desecrates the temple (539 BC - 168 BC).
Then only 45 days later (1335 days in total) the Blessed One will arrive. So

when the people saw the desecration brought about by Antiochus Epiphanies
they would know it would not be long before the Blessed One came (168 BC
5 BC). All of this was to assure Gods people that God was in control, had a
plan of salvation, and was carrying it out. Therefore believe in Jesus and in
the end a place for you awaits in heaven.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = The Purpose of Daniel = = =
The purpose of Daniel is:
1. To encourage God's people in all times and in all places to remain faithful to
God in the face of pagan persecution.
2. To assure Gods people that God has a plan to save them and that he is
actively carrying it out.
3. To assure that the one who is faithful and waits for God to act at the End will
be delivered and will be blessed.

Ezra / Nehemiah Rebuilding Gods House
= = = The Post-Exilic Situation A New Identity = = =
In the past God had given Israel certain gifts: 1) a land to live in, 2) the status of an
independent nation, 3) kings to provide law and order and to build, finance, and
provide offerings for the temple, and 4) a temple as a central place of worship. But
when Israel was unfaithful to Yahweh by worshipping other gods, he took away all
these gifts by allowing them to be taken into exile and allowing Jerusalem and the
temple to be destroyed. Now in grace after 70 years of exile, Yahweh would restore
some of these gifts to a certain extent. 1) He would allow them to return to the land,
but only a small number did. So they remained a scattered people. 2) They were
allowed to rebuild Jerusalem, but they were not a separate independent nation.
They were a part of the Persian Empire. 3) They no longer had kings to provide
protection, order, and offerings. They lived under Persian rule. 4) They were allowed
to rebuild the temple and resume the daily divine service at the temple.
So with Israel being scattered, living under Persian rule, and having no kings, they
suffered an identity crisis. What is it that unifies this people? What is it that
determines their identity? The one thing they still had was the temple and the daily
sacrifices in Jerusalem. And they still had the Word of God in the Torah of Moses.
What gave them their identity, unified them, and determined how they worshipped
and lived in the post exilic period was their religion. So the books of Ezra and
Nehemiah, along with Chronicles, define Israel as a liturgical community, a people
who worship Yahweh and live by the Word of Yahweh.
= = = Dating Ezra and Nehemiah = = =
Ezra
====
Ezra 1-6 The Rebuilding of the Altar and Temple
> 538 BC Decree from Cyrus. Exiles return.
> 537 BC Altar rebuilt and daily sacrifices resume.
> 536-530 BC Rebuilding of temple begins.
> 530-521 BC Opposition to the rebuilding of the temple. The rebuilding stops
during this period.
> 520-516 BC Rebuilding of the temple resumes and is completed.
> Note that Ezra 4:6-24 describes the opposition the returnees faced in rebuilding
Jerusalem (not the temple). This occurred at a later time than the rest of Ezra 1-6,
during the reigns of Xerxes (486-465 BC) and the first part of Artaxerxes I reign
(465-446 BC).
Gap Between Chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra
> 515-458 BC (58 years) The time between rebuilding of the temple and Ezras
arrival in Jerusalem. (It skips the rest of Darius reign (516-486 BC), all of Xerxes
reign (486-465 BC) and the first part of Aratxerxes I reign (465-448 BC).
Ezra 7-10 Ezra Goes to Jerusalem to Ensure the Torah of Moses is Followed

> 458 BC Ezra leads another group of people back from exile, arrives in Jerusalem,
and discovers and begins to address the mixed marriage problem.
> 459 BC Ezra investigates and deals with the mixed marriage problem.
Nehemiah
========
In Neh. 1-7 Nehemiah get permission, goes to Jerusalem, and spearheads the
rebuilding of Jerusalems walls.
> April 445 BC Nehemiah gets permission to go to Jerusalem.
> Fall 445 BC Nehemiah arrives at Jerusalem and spearheads the rebuilding of
Jerusalems wall.
> Late Fall 445 BC Ezra presides over an assembly where the Torah of Moses was
read.
>Oct. 445 BC The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated and a fast was declared.
> 432 BC Nehemiahs first term as governor ended.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Structure of Ezra and Nehemiah = = =
- - - The Meaning of the Word House Helps Us Understand the Structure of the Two
Books - - Many Hebrew words can have several different meanings, depending upon the
context in which it they are used. And sometimes the multiple senses of a word all
make sense in a given context (which makes it hard to translate into English). There
is a Hebrew word used in Ezra 1:2-7 that is translated as house (ESV) or temple
(NIV) that has three different meanings or senses.
It could mean: 1) house or residence, 2) household or homestead, or 3) family
or community.
In Ezra 1:2-7 the rebuilding of Gods house can mean all three: 1) the temple
itself, which is Yahwehs residence, 2) Jerusalem, the homestead of Gods people,
and 3) Gods people themselves, the community of Gods people. Knowing this
helps us understand the structure of these two books.
The structure is as follows:
A. Ezra 1:1-4 Cyruss decree to rebuild Yahwehs house (temple, community, and
city).
B. Ezra 1:5-Neh. 7:3 Rebuilding Yahwehs house.
... B1. Ezra 1:5-6:22 Rebuilding the temple.
... B2. Ezra 7:1-10:44 Rebuilding the community.
... B3. Neh. 1:1-7:3 Rebuilding the city.
C. Neh. 7:4-13:31 Consolidation and strengthening of the community as Yahwehs
household or family in Jerusalem around the temple.
.
- - - A. Ezra 1:1-4 Cyruss decree to rebuild Yahwehs house (temple, community,
and city) - - -

Yahweh caused king Cyrus to issue a decree to allow the people of Judah to return to
Jerusalem to rebuild Yahwehs house. House includes the temple, community,
and city. People all around the empire were to aid them in doing so by providing
money, material, and offerings.
- - - B. Ezra 1:5-Neh. 7:3 Rebuilding Yahwehs house - - ... B1. Ezra 1:5-6:22 Rebuilding the temple.
Those people of Judah who were stirred up by God to return were led back to
Jerusalem by Sheshbazzar. They took back with them the vessels that
Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple as plunder when he destroyed it (Ezra.
1:5-2:70). One of the first things the returnees did was rebuild the altar for burnt
offerings and reestablish the daily divine service, the daily offerings (Ezra 3:1-7). In
the second year after returning, they began to rebuild the temple, but they faced
opposition from their neighbors. Those who opposed them were successful for a
while in stopping the building project. But after ten years of inactivity, God sent the
prophets Haggai and Zechariah to prod the people into restarting the rebuilding
project. King Darius also gave his official approval by issuing a royal decree,
commanding the temple be rebuilt and be paid for out of the royal treasury. The
rebuilding of the temple was reinitiated in 520 BC and the temple was completed in
516 BC. After it was complete they celebrated the Passover and the Feast of
Unleavened Bread for the first time post exile (Ezra 3:8-6:22).
... B2. Ezra 7:1-10:44 Rebuilding the community.
(Note that the word Torah, which refers generally to the Pentateuch, is usually
translated as Law. The problem with that is that many people think of the Law only
in the legal sense as a bunch of rules to be obeyed. But the Torah was not just law.
It was both law and gospel. The good news (gospel) that God forgives sins in the
Torah centered around the sacrificial system. Therefore to avoid confusion I use the
term Torah instead of Law in order to make it clear that it contains both law and
gospel.)
Chapter 7 of Ezra picks up the story some 58 years later, during the reign of
Artaxerxes I. Ezra 7-10 and all of Nehemiah occur during his reign. Ezra was a fullfledged priest who was also a scribe skilled in the Torah of Moses. Ezra was sent by
the king to Jerusalem to make sure the people of Judah followed the Torah of the
God of heaven and to take gold and silver donated by the king to buy offerings for
their God. By doing this the king looked to find favor with the God of Israel and the
people of Judah (Ezra 7). Ezra led a small group of returnees to Jerusalem. They
made their way on the dangerous journey under Gods protection. When they
arrived they made offerings to God and delivered the kings donations (Ezra 8).
Upon arrival Ezra was told how the people had been marrying the pagan people of
that area who worshipped false gods. When Ezra learned this, he was appalled and
went into mourning and prayed to God, confessing Israels past sins, Gods grace in
allowing them to return, and their current sin of marrying pagans (Ezra 9). Then all
of the people were assembled and Ezra proclaimed their guilt to them and
commanded them to confess their sin and separate themselves from the pagan

people of the land. The people agreed to do so. This was done in an orderly fashion
and a record was kept of all who had married foreign wives and were separating
from them (Ezra 10). As the temple and the city had to be rebuilt, so also Ezra had
to rebuild the people of God in their worship and life on the foundation of the Torah
of God.
... B3. Neh. 1:1-7:3 Rebuilding the city.
The rebuilding of Gods house continues in Nehemiah some 12 years after the end
of the book of Ezra. Nehemiah, the royal cupbearer to king Artaxerxes I, heard about
the dire straits of the people and city of Jerusalem and asked for and received
permission and authority to rebuild the city. After returning to Jerusalem, he
inspected the broken-down walls and encouraged the people to rebuild. Nehemiah
faced opposition to rebuilding from some of Jerusalems neighbors. But undeterred
Nehemiah and the people began rebuilding, with various groups and families each
repairing one section of the wall. When the opposition heard that the rebuilding was
going forward in spite of their opposition, they were angry and plotted to attack the
Jews. The Jews armed themselves, posted guards, and continued building (Neh. 14). Nehemiah also faced problems from within, as the rich oppressed the poor and
the poor complained about it. Nehemiah stopped these practices and gave the rich
a good example to follow as he refused to take tax money to pay for his expenses,
something he legally could do as Governor (Neh. 5). As the work on the wall
continued, those who opposed Nehemiah plotted against his life. But Nehemiah
stood firm and the wall was finished in record time, 52 days (Neh. 6:1-7:3).
- - - C. Neh. 7:4-13:31 The Strengthening of Yahwehs household - - Yahwehs house, the temple, community, and city, had been rebuilt (Ezra 1 Neh.
6). But in order that the rebuilt community be sustained, it needed to be
consolidated. The temple and walls had been rebuilt but the city and its temple
needed to be protected. So Nehemiah recruited people whose job it would be to
stand guard duty for the city of Jerusalem. In order to prevent the enemy from
infiltrating the ranks of these guards, he recruited only from those who were
officially recorded as having returned from exile (Neh. 7). Having fortified the city,
the people themselves needed to be fortified for righteous living. This was done by
the people hearing and keeping the Torah of Moses (Neh. 8), confessing the
faithfulness of Yahweh throughout their history and the stubborn sinfulness of Israel
(Neh. 9), and pledging to provide all that was necessary to conduct worship at the
temple (Neh. 10). In effect the Pentateuch became the constitution of the rebuilt
community.
Nehemiah wanted Jerusalem, the holy city, to be stable and to prosper. Some of the
leaders of the community had settled in Jerusalem but most of the people lived in
outer villages. So Nehemiah took a tenth of the people, as determined by lot, from
all of the families that returned and had them repopulate Jerusalem (Neh. 11). The
priests and Levites who returned could be traced back to the time of Moses and
Aaron. Therefore it was established that those who led the worship of Judah were
legitimate according to the Torah (Neh. 12:1-26). The priests and Levites purified
themselves, the people, the gates, and the wall. And then the wall was dedicated
with great joy (Neh. 12:27-43). The priests and Levites were organized according to

the Torah and the command of David (Neh. 12:44-47). The Torah was read to the
people and where it was found that the Torah was not being followed, Nehemiah
instituted reforms. He purified the temple, honored the Sabbath, and dealt once
again with the problem of intermarriage with pagans (Neh. 13). In effect, he
organized the community as a liturgical community in accordance with the Torah.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Ezra and Nehemiah Answers the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. Through the prophet Jeremiah, Yahweh had prophesied that the people of
Judah would remain in exile for 70 years. After 70 years of exile, Yahweh kept
his word. What did Yahweh do to trigger the release and return of his people
to Jerusalem?
Yahweh, the God of heaven and earth, raised up Persian king Cyrus who
defeated the Babylonians. Yahweh moved Cyrus to issue a decree that would
allow the people of Judah to return and to rebuild the temple and offer
sacrifices for him and the royal family. This was in accordance with his
general policy to allow conquered people who had been exiled to return and
to worship their gods. He did this in order to curry favor with their gods.
2. After the decree by Cyrus was issued, Sheshbazzar led a group of Judeans out
of exile back to Jerusalem. What was one of the first things they did?
They rebuilt the Altar for Burnt Offering and reestablished the divine service,
the daily morning and evening sacrifices.
3. After reestablishing the daily sacrifices, what did the returnees attempt to do?
What kind of problems did they run into?
After rebuilding the Altar, the returnees started to rebuild the temple. But
they ran into opposition from some of their surrounding neighbors who were
successful in stopping the rebuilding of the temple.
4. After ten years of inactivity in rebuilding the temple, who did Yahweh raise up
to push and help the Judeans restart the rebuilding of the temple?
Yahweh sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to prod the people into
restarting the rebuilding project. He also moved King Darius to give his official
approval by issuing a royal decree, commanding the temple be rebuilt and be
paid for out of the royal treasury. The rebuilding of the temple was reinitiated
in 520 BC and the temple was completed in 516 BC.
5. The rebuilding of the temple was phase I of the rebuilding of Yahwehs
house. What was the second phase of rebuilding? Who did Yahweh tap to
head up this part of the rebuilding project? What solid foundation was he to
build upon?
The second phase was the rebuilding of the community of people. For this
task Yahweh chose Ezra the priest. Ezra was a scribe who was an expert in
the Torah of Moses. Ezra was sent to Jerusalem by Persian king Artaxerxes I to
teach the Torah of the God of Israel. The people were to learn the Torah and
live by it.

6. What major problem did Ezra encounter when he arrived in Jerusalem? Why
was this a big problem? What did he do about it? What was the solution to
the problem?
The problem was that the people, including the priests and Levites, had
married some of their pagan neighbors. The reason this was a big problem
was that this led the Judeans into worshipping false gods along with the one
true God, Yahweh. This was the very sin that caused Israel and Judah to be
expelled from the land in the first place. If this did not stop, they would be
expelled again. In response Ezra fasted, confessed Judahs sin to God,
gathered all the people, and confronted them with their sin. He commanded
them to confess their sin to God and separate from their foreign pagan wives.
And the people agreed to do so.
7.
What was the third phase of the rebuilding of Yahwehs house? Who did
Yahweh choose to do this rebuilding? What problems did he face? How did he
overcome them?
The third phase of rebuilding Yahwehs house was the rebuilding of the wall
around Jerusalem. To do this Yahweh chose Nehemiah. Nehemiah received
permission from king Artaxerxes I to go to Jerusalem and rebuild. From the
beginning he faced opposition from some of the political leaders in
surrounding areas. At first it was verbal intimidation. But when that did not
stop the rebuilding, they threatened to physically attack them. In response
Nehemiah posted guards and armed all the people and they continued to
rebuild the wall. There was also internal dissension as the poor people
complained about the rich people oppressing them. Nehemiah took the rich
to task and stopped those practices from occurring. In spite of the external
opposition and the internal dissension the wall was rebuilt in record time.
8.
In order to make sure that all of the rebuilding was not for naught, what did
Nehemiah and Ezra do?
They fortified the city and people. First Nehemiah fortified the city of
Jerusalem. The weakest points of the walled city were its gates. Nehemiah
recruited some of the returnees to be guards for the city. Ezra then fortified
the people by gathering them and reading and teaching them the Torah of
God. The Torah became the constitution of the rebuilt community.
9. What further measures were taken to insure current stability and future
prosperity for the city?
First, there were very few people living in the city of Jerusalem. So Nehemiah
repopulated the city by selecting by lot from all the families that had returned
a tenth of the people to relocate in the city. Second, they made sure that the
priests and Levites who served at the temple were legitimate descendants
from the tribe of Levi. Third, they joyfully gave thanks to Yahweh in the
dedication of the newly constructed wall. And fourth, they made sure the
Torah of God was followed. The priests were organized according to the Torah
and the instructions of king David. The Torah was read to the people. Where
Nehemiah found that the Torah was not being followed, he instituted reforms.
He purified the temple, honored the Sabbath, and dealt once again with the
problem of intermarriage with pagans. They organized the community as a
liturgical community using the Torah as their guide.

___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Learning About Jesus in Ezra and Nehemiah = = =
1. God used Persian kings to accomplish his purposes to bring a remnant of his
people back from exile. God also used the Roman kings to accomplish his
purposes. At the time of the Roman Empire God chose to send the promised
Savior. While the Romans ruled over Gods people, the Savior was born, the
Savior was sentenced to death and killed upon the cross, and the Savior rose
from the dead victoriously.
2. Zerrubbabel was a grandson of Jehoiachin one of the last kings of Judah.
Therefore he was a descendant of David. The royal line of David was kept
intact by God. This is important because God had promised David an
everlasting dynasty. It was from the line of David that the Savior would be
born. Jesus was from the line of David and he now he sits at the right hand of
God ruling over the universe. His rule will never end.
3. There are several lists and genealogies of returnees in Ezra/Nehemiah. The
Lord preserved his people even though they were exiled to a foreign land.
The ultimate purpose in preserving them was so that the promised Savior
might be born from this nation (Rom. 9:5), for salvation is of the Jews (Jn.
4:22).
4. The genealogies of Ezra/Nehemiah show that the lines of priests and of David
the great king were preserved. They show that the priests were legitimate
priests according to Gods Word. And as mentioned above, the line of king
David remained intact after the exile. Ultimately the lines of the priests and
David came together in Jesus, who is our eternal High Priest and the King of
Gods eternal kingdom in the line of David. Therefore these genealogies also
point us to Jesus, the One, who as our Priest, sacrificed himself for us and
intercedes for us and the One, who as our King, rules in our hearts and lives.
5. In the Garden of Eden God had promised a Seed who would crush the
serpent. The Seed was also to be a descendant of Abraham and David. Israel
was to be a holy race (Ezra 8:28; 9:2), which literally is holy seed. The
remnant that returned were holy seed because it was from them that the long
promised Holy Seed would come.
6. Gods plan of salvation involved the Promised Land and Jerusalem. So the
peoples restoration to the Promised Land and the restoration of Jerusalem
were important. The prophets had foretold that the Savior would be born in
the Promised Land in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and would come to Jerusalem as
a humble King (Zech. 9:9). The daily sacrifices were also restored at the Altar
at the temple in Jerusalem. These sacrifices pointed forward to the one great
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross at Jerusalem for the sins of the world. Ezra and
Nehemiah record how God restored the Altar, the temple, and Jerusalem in
the Promised Land to his people in order that he might carry out his plan of
salvation through Jesus.

7. The spiritual rebuilding and fortification of Gods people revolved around Ezra
reading and teaching the people the Torah of Moses. The Torah consisted of
both words of Law and of Gospel. The Torah, along with the rest of the
Scriptures, might also be called Gods Word. Gods Word is the foundation for
life. In fact Gods Word gives life. It does so because all of Gods Word teaches
us about Jesus who is Life. Whoever believes in Jesus has eternal life.
8. The rebuilding of Jerusalem was prophesied by Jeremiah and was connected
to the promise of the establishment of Gods new covenant (Jer. 31:27-40).
Nehemiah records the beginning of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, starting with
its wall and continuing with its people. The new covenant that is associated
with the rebuilt Jerusalem would be established by the promised Messiah
(Dan. 9:25-27; Mal. 3:1-4). Of course Jesus is the promised Messiah and on
the night on which he was betrayed he established the new covenant, the
covenant that depends upon the shedding of his blood for the forgiveness of
sins.
9. Erza and Nehemiah show concern for the Altar, the daily sacrifices, the
priests and Levites, the Sabbath, and annual festivals. All of these things in
one way or another prefigure the Messiah. They point us to and teach us
about Jesus. The One who would fulfill all these things would come from the
descendants of this remnant of people that God was preserving.
10.It was in the restored city of Jerusalem that Jesus would be welcomed by the
people as their king, but only a few days later those same people would yell,
Crucify him, crucify him. It was in Jerusalem that Jesus would be tried,
convicted, nailed to a cross, die, be buried, and rise from the dead. It was in
Jerusalem that Gods plan of salvation would be fulfilled.
11.There are many parallels between the time of Ezra and the NT time of church.
Therefore the entire era of which Ezra was a part of prefigures the era of the
church of Christ.
> Ezra taught and applied the Torah of Moses, both Law and Gospel, to the
returnees from exile. On a number of occasions Ezra taught that they had
broken the Law, which caused them to weep. Jesus took it one step further by
teaching that the Law of God applied not just to outward actions but to
inward motivations (e.g., for adultery see Mt. 5:27-28). Ezra taught that the
days holy to Yahweh were days of great joy to be celebrated. Jesus brought
great joy when he showed himself alive after lying dead for three days in the
tomb. This Good News is celebrated with great joy every Sunday in Christian
churches.
>At the time of Ezra the promises of the restoration of Judah were fulfilled.
The OT people of God had been scattered, but now after 70 years, as foretold
by Jeremiah, were being allowed to return. So too when Christ came the
promises of a new covenant were fulfilled. Jesus made the new covenant with
his disciples as representatives of the NT church, which offers forgiveness of
sins based on the shed blood of Christ.

>The time going forward after the restoration from exile was a time of
waiting. The OT people looked forward to the time when the Messiah would
come and establish Gods kingdom. In a similar way, the NT people of God
wait for Jesus to return to usher in Gods eternal kingdom. During this time of
waiting, in both the OT and NT the people of God are urged to remain faithful
to Gods Word.
> Ezra and the people of his day faced opposition in its mission of rebuilding
the temple and the holy city. They faced problems which originated externally
and internally. Opposition halted the rebuilding of the temple for a while, but
they listened to the prophets and finished it. They also overcame opposition
to rebuilding the wall. As in Ezras day, the NT church also faces opposition in
carrying out its God-given mission. The world does all it can to stop the
spread of the Good News. On the one hand, Christians are belittled and made
fun of. And on the other hand, Christians are physically abused and
sometimes even killed because of the Gospel. Internally too, the church faces
those who preach another gospel, a gospel that is based on peoples good
works (such as making a decision for Christ as if that were possible) or the
prosperity gospel (theology of glory vs. the theology of the cross). Despite
these external and internal hindrances, the NT church continues to tell the
Good News to the world and accomplish its mission.
> Ezra taught Gods Word of both Law and Gospel. Prior to the exile God sent
prophets to speak his Word, but the people would not listen and therefore
ended up in exile. When Ezra taught the Law, the people listened and
repented of their sins. When the prophets Haggai and Zechariah spoke Gods
Word, the people responded in faith and finished rebuilding the temple. Today
the church continues to preach Gods Word, both Law and Gospel. And today
Gods Word elicits the same responses. When confronted with the Law, we
see our sins, confess them, and repent. When the Gospel is preached, we
respond in faith and love, trusting in God and loving our neighbors.
12.In a number of ways Nehemiah too was a type of Christ.
> Nehemiah was a high official in the Persian Empire. He was the trusted
cupbearer for the king. Yet he did not hesitate to go to and associate with the
lowly Judeans at Jerusalem. Likewise, Jesus, who is the very Son of God,
humbly came down from his throne in heaven to become man and to
associate with lowly sinners.
> Nehemiah was a man of prayer. A number of his prayers are recorded in
the book of Nehemiah. Jesus too was constantly praying to the Father during
his earthly ministry.
> Nehemiah was determined that no obstacle or opposition would stop him
from accomplishing his mission of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Likewise,
Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem (Lk. 9:51). Jesus was determined to
accomplish his mission to win forgiveness of sins for all people. No one or
nothing could stop him.

> Nehemiah had compassion for the poor. When he found out that the rich
were taking advantage of the poor, he stepped in and confronted the rich.
The rich listened to Nehemiah and changed the way they dealt with the poor.
Jesus had compassion on the crowds of people that followed him because
they were like sheep without a shepherd. He taught them and proclaimed the
Gospel to them. He healed their sick of their diseases. He fed them. He
exorcised them of unclean spirits. He raised their dead.
> Enemies of Nehemiah plotted to kill him. They tried to lure him into a
situation where they could attempt to kill him. But he recognized it and
avoided their trap. For a long time the scribes and Pharisees plotted against
Jesus. Jesus knew of their plot and for a time he eluded them. But when the
time had come for him to pay for the sins of the world with his life, he
willingly gave himself into their hands.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = The Purpose of Ezra and Nehemiah = = =
The purpose of Ezra and Nehemiah is:
1. To show how God kept his promise to restore his people in his land after 70
years in exile.
2. To show how the altar, the temple, and Jerusalem were rebuilt after the exile
in spite of opposition and problems.
3. To show how the Torah became the foundation for worship and life for the
restored community. It shows how they became a liturgical community whose
life centered on and around their religion.

1 & 2 Chronicles Gods People Are a Liturgical
Community
= = = Structure of 1 & 2 Chronicles = = =
- - - 1 Chr. 1:1-9:34 Israels Ancestors - - This section covers a huge amount of time, from the time of Adam to the time after
the exile when a remnant returned to Jerusalem. This section consists entirely of
genealogies. Genealogies have to do with ones identity.
.. 1 Chr. 1 From Adam to Israel (Jacob)
From Adam came all the nations of the world. Yet, God chose one person from all
these people through whom he would begin to carry out His plan of salvation. That
person was Abraham. The genealogy of chapter 1 draws a straight line through the
generations from Adam to Noah to Shem to Abraham and then to Isaac and Jacob.
From Jacob God would build the nation of Israel.
.. 1 Chr. 2:1-9:1 The Ancestors of the Post-Exilic People, the Tribes of Israel
In chapters 2-7 the author provides the genealogies of Jacob's sons, who would
become the twelve tribes of Israel. The genealogies begins with Judah (1 Chr. 2-4),
the fourth son. The arrangement of Judahs genealogy shows David as its central
character. Davids line is established in the beginning of chapter 2 (1 Chr. 2:1-15).
The genealogies of chapters 2 and 3 center on Hezron. And it was from the line of
Hezron that David would come.
Descendants of Ram (David's ancestors, 2:10-17)
...Descendants of Caleb (2:18-24)
......Descendants of Jerahmeel, Son of Hezron (2:25-33)
......More material on Jerahmeel, Son of Hezron (2:34-41)
...More material on Caleb (2:42-55)
More material on Ram (David's descendants, 3:1-24).
In chapter 3 Davids descendants are traced up to the exile and then after the exile.
The royal line is intact. Gods promise of an eternal king from Davids line remains
possible. The overall arrangement of Judahs genealogy in 1 Chr. 2-4 puts David
squarely in the middle.
2:3...........Shelah
2:4-8............Perez
2:9 - 3:24...........Hezron (the house of David)
4:1-20..........Perez
4:21-23....Shelah
Next in chapter 5, the genealogies of the tribes west of the Jordan are given. The
genealogy of Levi is given an entire chapter (ch. 6), while the rest of the tribes are
packed in to chapter 7. The Levites played an important part in worship at the

temple. Through the genealogy of Levi, the Levites and priests who returned after
the exile were legitimized. The point being that the services they performed at the
rebuilt temple were divinely ordained services performed by divinely ordained
personnel through which Yahweh would bless his people with forgiveness and faith.
This segment of the tribal genealogies ends with the genealogy of the tribe of
Benjamin (1 Chr. 8). Benjamin was associated with Judah and Simeon, which made
up the southern kingdom. Saul, the first king of Israel, was from the tribe of
Benjamin. He would lose his kingship to David and so chapter 8 starts the transition
and looks forward to the story of king David and his role in preparing for the temple
(1 Chr. 10-29).
.. 1 Chr. 9:2-34 Inhabitants of Jerusalem in Post-Exilic Israel
But before getting to David, the genealogy of the returnees is given (1 Chr. 9). It
consists of the genealogy of four groups. Notice that three of the four groups are
connected to the temple. This hints at the main concern of the Chronicler: the
temple and the services performed there.
--------------------- - - 1 Chr. 9:35-2 Chr. 9:31 Establishing Israel as a Liturgical Community - - .. 1 Chr. 9:35-29:20 David: The Founder of Temple Worship
The Chronicler now turns his attention from genealogies to David and his role in
establishing the temple. The genealogy (1 Chr. 9:35-44) and demise of Saul (1
Chr.10) provides the lead in to David. David became king by Yahwehs choosing and
with support from all the tribes (1 Chr. 11-12). Having been firmly established as
king (1 Chr. 14), David learned the importance of following Gods Word (1 Chr. 13,
15). He established professional music and the order of thanksgiving as part of the
divine service (1 Chr. 16). He wished to build a house (temple) for Yahweh, but
instead Yahweh promised him a house (dynasty) (1 Chr. 17).
David would not be allowed to build the temple, but he would be allowed to make
preparations for the temple. (1) He provided peace in the land (1 Chr. 18-20). (2) He
purchased the site of the temple (1 Chr. 21). (3) He stockpiled materials for the
temple (1 Chr. 22). (4) He organized the temple personnel (the Levites) (1 Chr. 2326). The Levites were responsible for the buildings, holy food, thanksgiving and
praise, music, guarding the temple, and working as officials and judges. (5) And
David organized a smoothly run government (1 Chr. 27). With these preparations,
nothing should distract his successor from building the temple.
In the final two chapters of 1 Chronicles, everything David did to promote the
building of the temple comes to a climax when he: 1) presented Solomon as the one
God had chosen to succeed him and build the temple (28:1-8), 2) entrusted
Solomon with the task of building the temple (28:9-21), 3) supplied additional
funding for the temple project (29:1-9), 4) led the congregation in prayer asking for
Gods blessings on them (29:10-22a), and 5) made this event a coronation
ceremony in which the leaders pledged their support for Solomon, the future temple
builder (29:22b-25).

.. 2 Chr. 1-9 Solomon: The Great Temple Builder
Chapter 1 provides the setting for the temple builder, Solomon. Solomons reign
began with Solomon seeking Yahweh, Yahweh promising to give Solomon wisdom,
riches, and honor, and Yahweh delivering on his promises (2 Chr. 1). As presented
by the Chronicler, Solomons main concern as king was to build the temple for
Yahweh. He made preparations for it, built it, furnished it, brought the Ark to it, and
offered a dedication prayer for it (2 Chr. 2-6). Then the fire of Yahwehs presence
came down and consumed the sacrifices, signifying Yahwehs acceptance of the
temple, and his glory filled the temple. The Israelites celebrated with a feast (2 Chr.
7:1-10). Yahweh answered Solomons prayer by announcing that the temple was a
place where he would dwell and hear the prayers of his people. But he warns Israel
that if they turn to other gods, he will uproot them from the land and reject the
temple (2 Chr. 7:11-22). Israel could worship at the temple because there was
peace in the land and Solomon followed the commands of Moses and his father
David (2 Chr. 8). Yahweh blessed Solomon with honor, riches, and wisdom (2 Chr. 9).
--------------------- - - 2 Chr. 10-35 An Assessment of the Judean Kings as Temple Patrons
Rehoboam succeeded Solomon as king, but under him the northern tribes rebelled
and the kingdom split (2 Chr. 10:1-11:4). Jeroboam, the first king in the north,
introduced false worship (2 Chr. 11:13-17) and all of the kings that followed him in
the north continued that practice. Since the Chronicler is concerned with how true
worshipped survived up to and through the exile of the southern kingdom, he
basically excludes the history of the northern kingdom altogether.
The rest of this large section assesses each of the kings of the south (Judah) in
terms of how faithful there were to Yahweh. For this David set the standard. For
instance, Rehoboam and all of Israel abandoned the Torah of Yahweh and Yahweh
sent Shishak, the king of Egypt, to attack Jerusalem. But when Rehoboam and the
leaders of Judah listened to the prophet Shemaiah and humbled themselves,
Yahweh did not completely destroy them (2 Chr. 12). It was the responsibility of the
kings to make sure that Yahweh was worshipped at the temple in Jerusalem in the
way that Yahweh commanded in the Torah of Moses. How they performed as temple
patrons was the criteria used by the Yahweh in 2 Chr. 12-35 to determine the
success or failure of each king. Yahweh was with and blessed those kings who were
faithful to him and he was against and brought judgment against those who
rejected him by worshipping other gods and by not following the Torah of Yahweh.
--------------------- - - 2 Chr. 36:1-21 The Destruction of the Polluted Temple by the Babylonians - - King after king did evil in the eyes of the Yahweh. They refused to humble
themselves and turn back to Yahweh. They followed the detestable practices of the
nations and defiled the temple of Yahweh. They mocked Gods prophets. In doing so,
they aroused Yahwehs wrath and he handed them over to the Babylonians who

destroyed the temple and city of Jerusalem and carried the people off to exile. They
remained in exile for 70 years as prophesied by Yahweh through the prophet
Jeremiah.
--------------------- - - 2 Chr. 36:22-23 Yahwehs Command to Rebuild the Temple - - Chronicles ends with Yahweh moving Persian king Cyrus to proclaim that a temple
should be built for Yahweh in Jerusalem and that any of the exiles from Judah may
return to Judah. This too fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that the exiles would be
allowed to return after 70 years.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = 1 & 2 Chronicles Answer the Following Big Picture Questions = = =
1. Out of all the people in the world, according to chapter 1, which individuals
did God especially choose?
He chose Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob). The genealogy quickly narrows
from Adam and all of his descendants to Abraham and then Isaac and finally
Israel.
2. Who do the genealogies of chapters 2-7 refer to and why does this matter to
the returnees from exile?
Israel had 12 sons who would grow into the 12 tribes of Israel. The
genealogies are for the 12 tribes of Israel. They are the ancestors of those
who returned from exile. This assured the returnees that they were still Gods
people.
3. Out of the 12 tribes, which 2 tribes are stressed in the genealogies and why?
The genealogies of Judah and Levi are stressed and given more space than
the other tribes. The reason for this is that king David and all of the kings
from the south came from the line of Judah and the Levites and priests came
from the line of Levi. David and the Levites have important roles to play in
the worship of Israel, which in the post-exile time defines Gods people.
4. 20 chapters in Chronicles are devoted to king David. What aspect of Davids
reign, at the exclusion of virtually all other aspects of his reign, is emphasized
in these chapters?
Davids role in preparing for the temple is emphasized. He provided the right
conditions for building the temple: peace in the land and a well run
government. He provided all the things necessary for the building and
administration of the temple: the site, the materials, and the personnel. He
provided everything his successor Solomon would need so he could focus on
and build the temple.
5. Solomon was chosen by God to play an important part concerning the
temple. What did he do?

Solomon made preparations for it, built it, furnished it, brought the Ark to it,
and offered a dedication prayer for it.
6. How did Yahweh show his approval of the temple? And what did he promise
concerning the temple?
When Solomon finished his prayer, fire came from heaven which consumed
the sacrifices and Yahwehs glory filled the temple, signifying that Yahweh
had taken up residence in the temple. After the dedication feast for the
temple, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream. Yahweh told Solomon, I
have chosen this place for myself. It would be a place of sacrifice and a
place of prayer. Yahweh said, Now my eyes will be open and my ears
attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and
consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my
heart will be there for all time.
7. Yahweh kept his covenant with David by raising up descendants of David to
be king. In Chronicles what is to be the main task of the Davidic kings? What
criteria did the author use to determine if a king was successful or not?
In Chronicles the main task of the kings was to make sure that Yahweh was
worshipped at the temple in Jerusalem in the way that Yahweh commanded in
the Torah of Moses. How they performed as temple patrons was the criteria
used by the Yahweh to determine the success or failure of each king.
8. Based on this criterion, did most of the kings of Judah succeed or fail? Why?
Most failed because they did follow the Torah of Moses and allowed or even
encouraged the worship of other gods. Most were unfaithful to Yahweh.
9. Yahweh had warned Judah about being unfaithful. What were the threatened
consequences for unfaithfulness and what actually occurred because of their
unfaithfulness to Yahweh?
Yahweh warned Israel that if they turned to other gods, he would uproot them
from the land and reject his temple. When the king and people worshipped
other gods, followed the detestable practices of the nations, defiled the
temple and mocked his prophets, Yahweh did just as he threatened. In his
wrath he sent them to exile in Babylon and abandoned his temple, allowing it
to be destroyed.
10.Through the prophet Jeremiah, how long did Yahweh say the exile would last?
In fulfillment of his Word, what did Yahweh do at the end of that time period?
Through the prophet Jeremiah, Yahweh said the exile would last 70 years.
After 70 years of exile, Yahweh moved the Persian king, Cyrus, to announce
that the Judeans could return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, showing
that this was not the end for Judah, showing that the people of Israel would
not disappear and be dissolved among the nations.
11.In just a couple of sentences, how would you summarize 1 & 2 Chronicles?
Chronicles provides the history of Israel, from their rise in the 12 tribes of
Israel, to their fall where they were sent into exile in Babylon. The history in
between tells of the importance of the temple and proper worship of Yahweh
at the temple. At the temple the divine service was performed every day. It is

through the divine service that God interacts with and blesses people. When
people do not worship Yahweh, the one true God, they cut themselves off
from the Source of life and blessing. Yahweh used the post-exilic situation of
Judah to teach his people, both then and now, that their identity as his people
is not found in economics or land or a nation or kings or politics. Instead they
are a liturgical community, a community that worships Yahweh at the place
and in the manner that he himself prescribes.
__________________________________________________________________________________
= = = Learning About Jesus in 1 & 2 Chronicles = = =
1. The genealogy of chapter 1 quickly narrows to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.
God made covenant promises to Abraham and those promises were passed
down to Isaac and Israel. The core of this covenant was the promised Seed
through whom God would bless the world. Jesus is the promised Seed.
Through his death and resurrection he brought the blessing of Gods
forgiveness of sins to the world.
2. The genealogy of the tribe of Judah not only leads to David, but it also leads
to Jesus Christ. Jesus was born in the line of Judah and the line of David. He is
the prophesied Lion of Judah and the Davidic King who has an eternal reign in
heaven over all people. This line of ancestors is made up of not only Jews, but
it also includes Gentiles (Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba). Jesus is the Savior of not
only the Jews but of all people.
3. David introduced the singing of the psalms by the Levitical choir into the
divine service. The choir faced the congregation and sang the praises of God
to the people. In doing so, they sang Gods word to the people. Today the
hymns we sing are mostly paraphrases of Gods word set to music. We sing
the praises of God to each other. The greatest gift that we praise God for is
the sending of his Son to live a perfect life for us, to die the death we
deserved, and to rise from the dead in triumph over sin, death, and the devil.
Our hymns center on Jesus our Savior.
4. Much is made in Chronicles of the temple and the sacrifices made at the
temple. The temple and sacrifices looked forward to Jesus. Jesus is the new
Temple, the place where God is present with his people to bless them. Jesus is
the Lamb of God sacrificed for the sins of the world. Jesus is the Priest who
sacrificed himself for us.
5. Yahweh chose David to be king over Israel. Yahweh was with David and gave
him victory over all of Israels enemies. Later Yahweh raised up a Son of
David, Jesus Christ, as King. He rules over Gods kingdom. God was with him
and gave him victory over all of our enemies. But that victory came in an
unexpected way. He won victory through his suffering and death on a cross.
6. As a messianic figure, all Israel supported David as their lord and king. In
the same way, all of the NT Israel of God (all believers in Jesus) support and
trust in Jesus as their Lord and King.

7. David had been anointed king in order that he should be shepherd and ruler
over Yahwehs people, Israel. Being presented as a Messianic figure, David
typified Christ. Christ, which means the Anointed One, was anointed by the
Holy Spirit at His Baptism to be the Good Shepherd and the everlasting King
over Gods kingdom. In David we get a glimpse of the true Messiah who was
to come.
8. Solomon was said to be Gods son who will build Gods house, rule from Gods
throne, have Gods love, and never be abandoned by God. Solomon too is a
type of Christ. In a much greater way, Jesus is Gods Son. Gods house
(temple) is where God dwells among his people. When Jesus came he became
the new Temple. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Jesus has the Fathers love
and Jesus will rule forever.
9. David sat before the Lord and prayed to him. In doing this David is pictured
as a priest. Only the high priest could come before the Lord and he could do it
only on the Day of Atonement. So David is portrayed as a king-priest. In this
way David was a type of Jesus. Jesus, the eternal King, regularly came to the
Father in prayer. Jesus had direct access to the Father and today he sits at the
right hand of the Father in the heavenly sanctuary and intercedes for us.
10.The ark represented Gods presence with his people. The altar represented
the place where Gods people could meet with Him, but only through
substitutionary atonement. Only when sin had been paid for could the sinner
safely have access to and meet with God. In the NT these two things are
combined in Jesus. Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus is Gods presence among
us. But since we are sinful, atonement must be made. Jesus provided
atonement for us as He shed His blood on the cross. As our substitute He paid
the price for our sin by sacrificing Himself for us. Because of what He has
done we can safely have access to and meet with God without fear. Jesus has
taken Gods wrath for us. For Jesus sake God has been gracious and merciful
to us.
11.Abijah warned Jeroboam that fighting against a faithful Davidic king was the
same as fighting against Yahweh himself. To do so meant certain defeat. How
much more is this true concerning Jesus Christ. He is The Davidic King who is
completely faithful. The Father and he are one. Anyone who opposes Jesus
faces certain defeat.
12.When the kings and people turned to idolatry, Yahweh sent prophets to speak
his word. They warned them of dire consequences if they refused to repent.
Jesus was the ultimate prophet sent by the Father. He not only spoke Gods
word, but he was Gods Word in the flesh. Dire consequences await those who
refuse to listen to him the eternal fire of hell.
13.Many of the kings of Judah did evil by worshipping false gods. Yahweh
punished them for it, but he was not willing to destroy the house of David
because of the covenant he made with David. God had promised David an
eternal dynasty. It was Yahwehs plan to send a Son of David from the line of

David who would rule forever. Jesus was that Son of David. He was coronated
as King when he was lifted up on the cross, wearing a crown of thorns. Jesus
willingly went the way of humiliation, suffering, and death in order that we
would not have to.
___________________________________________________________________________________
= = = The Purpose of 1 & 2 Chronicles = = =
The purpose of 1 & 2 Chronicles is:
1. To legitimize the musical performance of praise as part of the divine service
at the Second Temple in the post-exilic period. This praise which began with
David became more and more important until it became very important at
the time of Jesus. The importance of praise grew during the post-exilic period.
2. To show how the prosperity of Israel depended on the orthodoxy of her
worship according to the Law of Moses. Israels prosperity does not depend
on having a king or having the land or a political system or a good economic
system. Israel prospers when they worship God in the way that he determines
in the Law of Moses.
3. To define the nature and identity of Israel as a liturgical community instituted
by the Lord through Moses and established by David and Solomon. In the
post-exilic period what counted was the temple and its services.

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The Big Picture of the Old Testament

Introduction to the Big Picture

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

Genesis God Created Israel to Be a Blessing

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

Throughout Numbers God spoke to his people by speaking to Moses in the

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

God the landowner loves and gives

the idolatrous people, who forget and hate

God the landowner will restore

the land and his blessings to

the one true God.

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Former Prophets

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

David Made King of Israel (2 Sam. 1 5)

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament

The Big Picture of the Old Testament