June - Reading 25

The final Scriptures in our schedule for June are:

Luke 7:1-10

Philippians 4:14-23

Psalm 122

2 Kings 24-25

May God continue to bless you as you read from His Word.

 

Good evening -

We finished the Book of 2Kings this evening and we see all but a handful of the poorer agrarian Jews marched off to exile under the Babylonian captors. Later in the year we will see that Jeremiah is among these exiles and it is theorized that he is the author of these last two Books. The whole purpose was to preserve the history of the Jewish nation for the people as they lived in captivity. Our next set of readings will be the two Books of Chronicles. This collection will serve a similar function when the people return to Israel after a period of 50 years.
Though the Book ended on a high note of Jehoiachin being treated well in captivity, the account of the destruction of the temple is heart wrenching. As Solomon himself said, "all is vanity." The people of Judah and Israel could have avoided this point in their history if they had heeded Moses' warning in Deuteronomy 28:36 - 68. Disobedience is the cause of their anguish.

We also read tonight of the centurion mentioned in Matthew 8:5-13. Matthew says that the centurion met Christ personally, while Luke says that he sent his represenatives. Either way, the thing that immediately stands out for me is that the Scriptures say that Christ was "amazed" at this man's faith (the KJV says that He "marvelled" at him). This only occurs twice in the New Testament Scriptures. Here it is at the centurions belief. The other time it is because He is amazed at the lack of belief of His own townspeople (Mark 6:6).

We also finished the Pauline Epistle of Philippians today. This is the central theme of the Letter: Paul is thanking the church at Philippi for their gifts and money and support throughout his ministry. Paul met the Philippians back in Acts 16:12-40. The letter is very Pauline in its ending and appears in every way to be authentic. This was a very personal Letter and a glimpse into the character of our most formative early Christian missionary.

May God bless you

- Clint

 

Here is our reading schedule for July for any of you who have not discovered the link at the bottom of the page:

http://www.baptistboard.com/brp-007.html

 

Sunday School lecture 10/12/03 conclusion

Philippians 4:15-20 The Previous Gifts

Paul furthers his gratitude in recounting that the recent gift of Epaphroditus was not an isolated incident. The Philippians had “entered into partnership” with Paul as early as the Macedonian ministry ten years before (when the Gospel was first preached to them) though the church at Philippi could not have been more than a few weeks old as we see in Acts 17:2. This verse demonstrates that Paul was in Thessalonica a brief time before he was sent away in Acts 17:10. The term “once and again” shows that there were at least two previous incidences of giving to Paul before the current circumstance. We also know that Paul received gifts from a Macedonian church, likely Philippi, in 2Corinthians 11:9.

It should be clarified that the Philippian church was the only church to help Paul in the circumstances being mentioned. We also know that Paul received gifts from other churches, likely Philippi and others, in 2Corinthians 11:8-9.

In verse 17-20, Paul returns to his theme of his independence. Paul is quite explicit in his Epistles that though he deserved and was due wages from the churches he planted, he never called these dues as we see demonstrated in 2Corinthians 11:9. Paul supported himself in Thessalonica as shown in 1Thessalonians 2:9. Instead of wages, Paul was concerned primarily with the Spiritual maturation of the Philippian church. Whether Paul received a gift was of no consequence; that the Philippians desired to give him a gift was all important. Their generosity in sending gifts was far more valuable that the material aspect of such. The true value of them was that they were a sacrifice to God, a reflection of the Mind of Christ.

Just as God supplied all of Paul’s needs, so too would He supply the needs of the Philippians. We have assurance of compensation by God Himself that if we give we shall receive, even when those whom we benefit are in no position to compensate us. Proverbs 11:25

It is fitting that an auxiliary benediction ends this Passage. All the ages that proceeded us and all the generations to come will not be enough to exhaust the treasures promised to us by God.

Philippians 4:21-23 Closing Salutation and Benediction

The Letter closes with a final salutation possibly written in Paul’s own hand to authenticate the message. The saints are all Christians. The brethren are likely Timothy, Epaphroditus, probably Luke, and any other member of Paul’s entourage. Caesar’s household includes any part of the structure from the lowliest slave to the highest-ranking officials. This refers to those who had received Paul’s proselytizing as described in the first chapter of the Letter.

While the final benediction may appear rather ordinary on the surface, it is one final imperative towards unity. Though the phrase does not show in the Textus Receptus, of which the KJV is taken, in other manuscripts the final sentence reads, “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” Paul likely presumed that this Letter would be read before an entire congregation. The “you” in the final line is plural, whereas the "your spirit" is singular.

 

Sunday School lesson 8/29/04

2Kings 23:36-25

As the historian's narrative draws to a close, we are looking at the final years of the 7th century BC and into the first years of the 6th. The Babylonian Empire is now an established power as the battles east of Palestine have resulted in a major political shift. The new world power is led by Nebuchadnezzer, the son of Nabopallaser who had been more concerned with the remnants of the Assyrian loyalists during his reign. As a result, Josiah had enjoyed relative peace during his years. In the years that immediately followed Josiah's death Egypt had exhorted tribute from Judah under Jehoahaz. It was different world now with a new set of conquerors through which God's judgment on a disobedient Hebrew nation would be manifested.

2Kings 23:36-24:7 Jehoiakim King of Judah

Like his father, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim receives a bad review from the Historian. Jehoiakim was originally named Eliakim until Pharaoh Neco of Egypt gave him the throne name of Jehoiakim. It is at this point in history that a great many prophets whose names appear in the Scriptures were conducting their ministries. Jeremiah mentions him often and in Jeremiah 26:20-24 as opposing the prophets. Daniel began his ministry during this time and Habakkuk's ministry parallels the reign of Jehoiakim (Habakkuk 1:6).

During these years, Judah became a vassal state to Babylon. After three years of paying tribute to Nebuchadnezzer, Jehoiakim rebelled and refused to pay any more. The Babylonian response was swift. They sent their own troops along with Arameans (Syrians), Moabites and Ammonites to destroy Judah. The Historian quickly points blame towards Jehoiakim for his tyrannical and bloody reign.

The narrative of Jehoiakim ends with an historical fact that Egypt did not march east from their borders again. The Babylonian Empire quickly grew to cover the land from somewhere inside Egypt's territory to the Euphrates River in present day Iraq.

2Kings 24:8-17 Jehoiachin King of Judah

Jehoiachin at the age of 18 inherits a disaster. Jerusalem is under siege by the incredibly vindictive and powerful war machine of Babylon. The Historian is not specific as to what the sins of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin were but Jeremiah reveals much about these kings. In addition to the death of the prophet Uriah brought about by Jehoiakim, he also speaks of dishonesty, oppression and injustice being hallmarks of their reigns.

During Jehoiachin's reign, Nebuchadnezzer himself came to the besieged city and took Jehoiachin and his entire household captive. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzer's reign, or April 497BC, Jerusalem was pillaged by the invaders. He took the gold in the Temple and in the palace. He also deported many of the craftsmen and soldiers back to Babylon. The only ones left in the broken city were the poorest of the people. This had been prophesied by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 22:24-27.

He also deported Jehoiachin and his household as well and left Jehoiachin's uncle, Mattaniah, on the throne. Just as Neco had done with Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzer changes the king's name to Zedekiah demonstrating the power he had over him.

2Kings 24:18-25:7 Zedekiah the Final King of Judah

Zedekiah's evaluation is as unfavorable as his father's and grandfather's. It should be noted that his mother was not the daughter of Jeremiah the prophet as in Jeremiah 1:1 we learn that he was from Anathoth. This woman was from Libnah.

Though established as a puppet king, Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzer. This final act of a regent in Judah set into motion the final judgment against the Hebrew nation. On January 15, 588 BC, Jerusalem was one again put under siege. The siege lasted for eighteen months to two and one half years depending upon which lines of scholarship one follows. This makes the date either July 18, 586BC or summer of 587BC. In either case the conditions became extremely difficult. It is about this siege that the Book of Lamentations is written.

When the walls were finally, almost mercifully broken, the people attempted to flee but the Babylonian troops chased them down and captured them. Zedekiah attempted to flee towards what we believe to be the Jordan Valley but was overtaken in the Plains of Jericho. He was taken back to Nebuchadnezzer's military headquarters in Riblah where his sons were executed before him and he was then blinded. Then like a common slave, he was led away to Babylon in the east in shackles.

2Kings 25:8-21 The Fall of Jerusalem

Following the more traditional lines of dating, we can place verse 8 on August 14, 586BC. The Temple that David had planned and Solomon built, the dwelling of the Ark and the personified presence of God, was burnt to the ground along with the palace, the dwellings and every other structure in the city. He demolished the walls that would lay in ruin for a century and a half until Nehemiah oversaw their reconstruction. The holy implements, some dating back to the time of David and Solomon if not Moses and Aaron, were destroyed and carried away as booty. The architectural and decorative pillars built by Solomon were destroyed for the bronze that composed their capitals.

Though the burning of the structures would only consume the wooden parts, Nehemiah 4:1 would indicate that the heat may have become intense enough to render the stones useless for rebuilding.

The Babylonians then captured five of the top priests, the commanding officer of the Judean troops, five royal advisors, a secretary and sixty of his men and took them back to the conqueror at Riblah. When they arrived there Nebuchadnezzer had them executed.

Thus Judah went into captivity, the period we commonly refer to as the Exile.

2Kings 25:22-26 Gedaliah's Governorship at Mizpah

Of the prominent men of Jerusalem, the only two that Scripture records as being left behind were Jeremiah and Gedaliah. Jeremiah's position of non-resistance to the Babylonians was well known and Gedaliah was a logical choice to govern the newly formed district. He was the son of Ahikam, noted in 2Chronicles 34:20 as one of the men sent by Josiah to the prophetess Huldah and who had supported Jeremiah's position according to Jeremiah 26:24.

He was set up in Mizpah, a city about seven and a half miles north of Jerusalem. At first, all went well. The choice was popular and even led some of the surviving guerrilla bands to return to the city and lay down their arms (Jeremiah 40:1-12). Even Jeremiah went to Mizpah at first to aid the new governor. However, after only three months, a man named Ishmael went with ten other men to assassinate Gedaliah. We learn in Jeremiah 40:13-15 that the Ammonite king, Baalis, hatched the plot. The refugees fearing reprisal from the Babylonians over the murder of Gedaliah, fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them despite his constant counsels and warnings.

2Kings 25:27-30 The Care and Freedom of Jehoiachin

The Historian's narrative ends on a somewhat optimistic note. Jehoiachin who had been led into captivity some thirty-seven years before is released from prison. Upon Nebuchadnezzer's death, his son, Evil-Merodach ascended the Babylonian throne. The new king, for reasons unknown to us, allowed the exiled Hebrew king a place at his table and a regular allowance. As he was the last legitimate king by the Exiled Jew's perception, this news would be well received.

Conclusions

Thus the curtain draws on the history of the Hebrew monarchy. The Christian may ask himself what has this to do with me, an heir of God under the new Covenant?

The answers are throughout the New Testament:

First of all we see the history of many of those in Christ's genealogy according to Matthew. Some good: David, Joash, Hezekiah, etc.

Some bad: Rehoboam, Jehoram, Manasseh, etc.

More importantly, we have recorded for us the consequences of breaking covenant with God.

Jude 1:5
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

 

Sunday School lesson 8/29/04

2Kings 23:36-25

As the historian's narrative draws to a close, we are looking at the final years of the 7th century BC and into the first years of the 6th. The Babylonian Empire is now an established power as the battles east of Palestine have resulted in a major political shift. The new world power is led by Nebuchadnezzer, the son of Nabopallaser who had been more concerned with the remnants of the Assyrian loyalists during his reign. As a result, Josiah had enjoyed relative peace during his years. In the years that immediately followed Josiah's death Egypt had exhorted tribute from Judah under Jehoahaz. It was different world now with a new set of conquerors through which God's judgment on a disobedient Hebrew nation would be manifested.

2Kings 23:36-24:7 Jehoiakim King of Judah

Like his father, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim receives a bad review from the Historian. Jehoiakim was originally named Eliakim until Pharaoh Neco of Egypt gave him the throne name of Jehoiakim. It is at this point in history that a great many prophets whose names appear in the Scriptures were conducting their ministries. Jeremiah mentions him often and in Jeremiah 26:20-24 as opposing the prophets. Daniel began his ministry during this time and Habakkuk's ministry parallels the reign of Jehoiakim (Habakkuk 1:6).

During these years, Judah became a vassal state to Babylon. After three years of paying tribute to Nebuchadnezzer, Jehoiakim rebelled and refused to pay any more. The Babylonian response was swift. They sent their own troops along with Arameans (Syrians), Moabites and Ammonites to destroy Judah. The Historian quickly points blame towards Jehoiakim for his tyrannical and bloody reign.

The narrative of Jehoiakim ends with an historical fact that Egypt did not march east from their borders again. The Babylonian Empire quickly grew to cover the land from somewhere inside Egypt's territory to the Euphrates River in present day Iraq.

2Kings 24:8-17 Jehoiachin King of Judah

Jehoiachin at the age of 18 inherits a disaster. Jerusalem is under siege by the incredibly vindictive and powerful war machine of Babylon. The Historian is not specific as to what the sins of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin were but Jeremiah reveals much about these kings. In addition to the death of the prophet Uriah brought about by Jehoiakim, he also speaks of dishonesty, oppression and injustice being hallmarks of their reigns.

During Jehoiachin's reign, Nebuchadnezzer himself came to the besieged city and took Jehoiachin and his entire household captive. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzer's reign, or April 497BC, Jerusalem was pillaged by the invaders. He took the gold in the Temple and in the palace. He also deported many of the craftsmen and soldiers back to Babylon. The only ones left in the broken city were the poorest of the people. This had been prophesied by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 22:24-27.

He also deported Jehoiachin and his household as well and left Jehoiachin's uncle, Mattaniah, on the throne. Just as Neco had done with Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzer changes the king's name to Zedekiah demonstrating the power he had over him.

2Kings 24:18-25:7 Zedekiah the Final King of Judah

Zedekiah's evaluation is as unfavorable as his father's and grandfather's. It should be noted that his mother was not the daughter of Jeremiah the prophet as in Jeremiah 1:1 we learn that he was from Anathoth. This woman was from Libnah.

Though established as a puppet king, Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzer. This final act of a regent in Judah set into motion the final judgment against the Hebrew nation. On January 15, 588 BC, Jerusalem was one again put under siege. The siege lasted for eighteen months to two and one half years depending upon which lines of scholarship one follows. This makes the date either July 18, 586BC or summer of 587BC. In either case the conditions became extremely difficult. It is about this siege that the Book of Lamentations is written.

When the walls were finally, almost mercifully broken, the people attempted to flee but the Babylonian troops chased them down and captured them. Zedekiah attempted to flee towards what we believe to be the Jordan Valley but was overtaken in the Plains of Jericho. He was taken back to Nebuchadnezzer's military headquarters in Riblah where his sons were executed before him and he was then blinded. Then like a common slave, he was led away to Babylon in the east in shackles.

2Kings 25:8-21 The Fall of Jerusalem

Following the more traditional lines of dating, we can place verse 8 on August 14, 586BC. The Temple that David had planned and Solomon built, the dwelling of the Ark and the personified presence of God, was burnt to the ground along with the palace, the dwellings and every other structure in the city. He demolished the walls that would lay in ruin for a century and a half until Nehemiah oversaw their reconstruction. The holy implements, some dating back to the time of David and Solomon if not Moses and Aaron, were destroyed and carried away as booty. The architectural and decorative pillars built by Solomon were destroyed for the bronze that composed their capitals.

Though the burning of the structures would only consume the wooden parts, Nehemiah 4:1 would indicate that the heat may have become intense enough to render the stones useless for rebuilding.

The Babylonians then captured five of the top priests, the commanding officer of the Judean troops, five royal advisors, a secretary and sixty of his men and took them back to the conqueror at Riblah. When they arrived there Nebuchadnezzer had them executed.

Thus Judah went into captivity, the period we commonly refer to as the Exile.

2Kings 25:22-26 Gedaliah's Governorship at Mizpah

Of the prominent men of Jerusalem, the only two that Scripture records as being left behind were Jeremiah and Gedaliah. Jeremiah's position of non-resistance to the Babylonians was well known and Gedaliah was a logical choice to govern the newly formed district. He was the son of Ahikam, noted in 2Chronicles 34:20 as one of the men sent by Josiah to the prophetess Huldah and who had supported Jeremiah's position according to Jeremiah 26:24.

He was set up in Mizpah, a city about seven and a half miles north of Jerusalem. At first, all went well. The choice was popular and even led some of the surviving guerrilla bands to return to the city and lay down their arms (Jeremiah 40:1-12). Even Jeremiah went to Mizpah at first to aid the new governor. However, after only three months, a man named Ishmael went with ten other men to assassinate Gedaliah. We learn in Jeremiah 40:13-15 that the Ammonite king, Baalis, hatched the plot. The refugees fearing reprisal from the Babylonians over the murder of Gedaliah, fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them despite his constant counsels and warnings.

2Kings 25:27-30 The Care and Freedom of Jehoiachin

The Historian's narrative ends on a somewhat optimistic note. Jehoiachin who had been led into captivity some thirty-seven years before is released from prison. Upon Nebuchadnezzer's death, his son, Evil-Merodach ascended the Babylonian throne. The new king, for reasons unknown to us, allowed the exiled Hebrew king a place at his table and a regular allowance. As he was the last legitimate king by the Exiled Jew's perception, this news would be well received.

Conclusions

Thus the curtain draws on the history of the Hebrew monarchy. The Christian may ask himself what has this to do with me, an heir of God under the new Covenant?

The answers are throughout the New Testament:

First of all we see the history of many of those in Christ's genealogy according to Matthew. Some good: David, Joash, Hezekiah, etc.

Some bad: Rehoboam, Jehoram, Manasseh, etc.

More importantly, we have recorded for us the consequences of breaking covenant with God.

Jude 1:5
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

 

Sunday School lesson 10/17/04

Luke 7

As we move into chapter 7, Jesus' ministry is still in Galilee. In chapter 6 the Disciples have been assembled and the Twelve designated as Apostles. Chapters 1-6 have been a careful construction to show the Deity of Jesus and an affirmation that He is the Christ. Now Luke begins narrating to us in this chapter the nature of Jesus mission.

Luke 7:1-10 The Centurion's Faith

This story is paralleled in Matthew's account in 8:5-13 with a few discrepancies. Matthew tells us that the centurion met with Christ personally while Luke's account asserts that his contact with Jesus was through envoys. In both accounts the incident occurs after the Sermon on the Mount, or the Sermon on the Plain.

The significance of this account is quite obvious and would have held great interest for Luke's original audience. Jesus heals the centurion's slave at great distance with a word in this story without physical contact. It is in this situation that believers have found themselves for nearly two millenia now. A centurion was typically the commander in charge of a "century", or a hundred infantrymen. The size of a century varied according to the size of the legion but nonetheless, this was a man who had earned a position of great authority in the Roman army.

Though the centurion is hesitant to come to Jesus to ask for aid for his slave, Jesus has no hesitation in going to him. The "elders" sent by the centurion likely refers to "important citizens" as opposed to the religious title. Nonetheless they deemed the man worthy of Christ's attention. At this juncture we learn that the centurion possesses not only faith but humility as he deems himself "not worthy" neither to speak to Jesus nor have Him come into his home.

At these words, we see Jesus "marveled" at the man. This is one of only two times the action of marveling is attributed to Jesus. In this instance it is due to the belief of the centurion. The other instance is in response to disbelief in Nazareth (Mark 6:4-6).

The story climaxes with the delegation returning home and finding the centurion's servant returned to health.

 

That's excellent news, PrimePower7! Praise the Lord!

 

Our Scriptures for July 1 are:

Luke 7:11-17

Colossians 1:1-14

Psalm 123-124

1 Chronicles 1-2

 

Our Scriptures for July 1 are:

Luke 7:11-17

Colossians 1:1-14

Psalm 123-124

1 Chronicles 1-2

 

Our Scriptures for July 1 are:

Luke 7:11-17

Colossians 1:1-14

Psalm 123-124

1 Chronicles 1-2

 

Our Scriptures for July 1 are:

Luke 7:11-17

Colossians 1:1-14

Psalm 123-124

1 Chronicles 1-2

 

Our Scriptures for July 1 are:

Luke 7:11-17

Colossians 1:1-14

Psalm 123-124

1 Chronicles 1-2