Sermons and Biblical Studies

PROVERBS 8 Then I was the craftsman at His side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in His presence (Proverbs 8:30). Proverbs 1–9 presents us with two “women,” one named Folly and the other named Wisdom. Each of them has a house, and each of them invites us into her house … Continue reading “THE WISDOM OF GOD”

PROVERBS 1 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck (Proverbs 1:8–9). Since almost all biblical wisdom is written in a poetic form, today we shall consider the essential character of Hebrew poetry. … Continue reading “HOLY PERSPECTIVES ON LIFE”

PSALMS 1–2 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.… He is like a tree planted by streams of water … (Psalm 1:1–3). We come now to a consideration of the wisdom literature of the Bible. The five wisdom books of the Old Testament are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, … Continue reading “WHAT IS BIBLICAL WISDOM?”

ESTHER When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16b). Mordecai the Jew offended one of the chief counselors of the king of Persia, a man named Haman. Full of vengeance, Haman determined not simply to punish Mordecai, but … Continue reading “WHO WILL SPEAK?”

NEHEMIAH 1–4 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it” (Nehemiah 2:20). Nehemiah was a man who knew how to handle conflict. What we know of … Continue reading “CONFLICT MANAGEMENT”

EZRA 1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing (Ezra 1:1). Ezra is one of four books in … Continue reading “EZRA: REDEMPTION SECURED”

2 CHRONICLES Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld” (2 Chronicles 20:20b). The question often arises when reading the books of Chronicles, Why are these same stories told twice in Scripture? We already read about David, Solomon, and … Continue reading “THE CHRONICLES OF GOD”

2 KINGS 23 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses (2 Kings 23:25). The worst king Judah ever had was Manasseh, the … Continue reading “A LAST OPPORTUNITY”

2 KINGS 20 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord” (2 Kings 20:16). As Assyria marched throughout the ancient Near East, conquering one little country after another, Ahaz king of Judah sought to spare his country by making an alliance with Assyria. He sent gold and silver from God’s temple as … Continue reading “POLITICS OR FAITHFULNESS?”

2 CHRONICLES 24 After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them (2 Chronicles 24:17). Although Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, was basically a good king, he made one foolish mistake: He made peace with Ahab, king of Israel (1 Kings 22:44). Making … Continue reading “REFORM AND APOSTASY”