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This book is a Biblical study of the will of God. All of God's actions, consistent with His stated will, have been aimed at the recovery of fallen mankind, so all can once again come into God's presence and have fellowship with Him. The study covers all statements of God's will, many statements about His will, the actions God has taken, those things in which He delights, and the gifts God has given to mankind to fulfill His will and to effect their return to the fold. The study covers Jesus' stated will, the actions He has taken, and the gifts He has given in fulfillment of God's will. Finally, the study covers the work of the Holy Spirit in this world as He works to implement and fulfill God's will.
This overview introduces the topics in each Old Testament book in concise form. The goal is to help each student of the Word gain a motivating interest to study the Old Testament. Why? . . . because the Old Testament is packed with detailed information about the Lord Jesus Christ and His interactions with mankind. Anyone who ignores the Old Testament today misses out on all the wonderful details God has provided to perfect our understanding!
The main purpose of the epistle of James is to teach about practical faith! Each person needs to come to Jesus Christ in faith to obtain eternal life. Faith in each believer will be accompanied by good works. If faith is present, good works will follow! Without faith and without God's help, good works will never happen! This is a wonderful letter which is enormously helpful to all who believe, having put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!
The history book, known as 1 Kings, covers the reigns from king David who ruled over all Israel, to Jehoram king of Judah, and to Ahaziah king of Israel. Most of the kings of Judah (with only two exceptions during the years covered in 1 Kings) did that which was good in the LordÕs eyes. All of the kings of Israel covered in 1 Kings, however, starting with king Jeroboam, were evil. The Lord God of Israel was in control! When called upon for help by the kings of Judah, the Lord God helped. When ignored and angered by the kings of Israel, the Lord remained in full control! The lessons we can learn from this account from several millennia ago teach us how to deal with similar situations in todayÕs society!
The history books Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther contain records of life during the 70-year captivity of the children of Israel, as well as records of their return to Jerusalem after the captivity. Ezra records the return to rebuild the House of God; Nehemiah records the return to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem; and Esther records an attempt in Shushan, during the reign of the Persian King Ahasuerus, to wipe out all Jews. Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all faced adversaries to the Lord's work and to the Lord's people. As with all projects of the Lord, adversaries set up roadblocks to hinder their success. The House of God, the walls, and the gates were successfully completed, and the whole Jewish people were saved from destruction. The Lord God insured that projects were completed, enemies were stifled, and the children of Israel remained safe!
The book of Daniel, one of God's prophets, is one of the most important prophetic books of the Bible. Its contents can be broken down into three main categories. First, it details the lives of Daniel and his three friends during the seventy years of captivity of the people of Judah and Jerusalem in Babylon. Second, it documents dealings Daniel and friends had with four kings of Babylon. Third, it presents the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar and the prophetic visions of Daniel. With God's help, Daniel interpreted the king's dreams. Then, God sent the angel Gabriel to help Daniel understand his own visions. The king's dreams showed the future kingdoms of mankind in this world. Daniel's visions showed the future of the children of Israel from his time forward, to the end times, and beyond. Since the end times still lie ahead, the prophecies of Daniel are very relevant to all peoples of the world.
The book of 2 Kings is the last of the four books originally known as The Books of Kings. These books cover the decline of Jewish society from the times of the judges, through the times of the kings of Israel and Judah, to the captivities of all the children of Israel in Babylonia and Assyria. This history of Israel mirrors the history of modern society. At one point in Jewish history, worship of the Lord God was dominant. But as time passed, worship of the Lord God was gradually replaced by idolatry and worship of heathen gods and idols. Just as the Lord waited for the people of Israel to call upon Him for rescue and salvation from their captors, the Lord today is waiting for mankind to tire of their captivity to sin and to call upon Him for rescue and salvation! . . . and when they do, He will respond and save them!
The two letters from Paul to the Thessalonian saints contain details of the second coming of the Lord, and encouragements to proper behavior leading up to that day. The Thessalonian saints were beset by persecution from rabble rousers and by deceptive words of false teachers. The letters contain explanations, words of comfort, caution, and command, and encouragements to watch, rejoice, walk, and please God. These letters are apropos to the 21st Century because today's saints have similar interests and similar problems to those facing the Thessalonians of the 1st Century . . . plus we are now ∼2000 years closer to the Lord's return!
The book of Joshua continues the history of the children of Israel following Moses' death - when the Lord placed Joshua in charge of His people. The book of Judges records the downward spiral of the children of Israel as they transitioned from the leadership of Joshua, through various judges, to anarchy! The book of Ruth is a lovely little book which tells the story of Ruth, a Moabitess who was redeemed and brought into the family of the Lord God of Israel by a near kinsman, Boaz. Joshua and Judges are chronological history books. The events in Ruth occur about 100 years after the time of the judges. There are many similarities between life in the days of these books, and life in 21st Century society. These three books present many valuable lessons applicable to people today!
In this Gospel, John focused on Jesus as the Son of God! Throughout, we find Jesus speaking often of the relationship He enjoys with God the Father! To understand the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, we must each necessarily study all four Gospels! With its special emphasis on Jesus Christ, Son of God, John's Gospel is a wonderful choice to start a study of the Bible! Every man, woman, and child will benefit from the lessons recorded by John!