Category: Old Testament Survey

Bible Basics

Joel

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Author

Joel, whose name means “Jehovah is God.” Some scholars believe that Joel was serving as a priest whenever the Lord called him into the prophetic ministry.

Date

The date of writing is unknown, as the author gives neither kings or world events which would help us to place it. Due to the generalities given in Joel’s prophecies, scholars tend to place Joel as either the earliest writing prophet, around 800 B.C., or as writing post-Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Temple, after 515 B.C.

(As there is a great debate among scholars and a very large amount of evidence to consider concerning Joel’s placement in history, I highly recommend you refer to other commentaries and research materials for more insight.)

Audience and Purpose

Joel is writing to the Jewish people, speaking of coming judgements for their sin and to press the people to return to the Lord. His major focus is on the final judgement of God on “the day of the Lord,” which we understand, in light of the New Testament, will happen at the return of Christ.

The people of Israel assumed that “the Day of the Lord” would bring God’s judgement on pagan nations, alone, while Israel was left out. Joel’s prophecy, however, paints a different picture. Only the righteous, who repent of their sins and live in faithfulness to the Lord would be spared from the great day of judgement.

Major Themes

  • The Day of the Lord.
  • Judgement.
  • Salvation.

Key Scriptures

  • Joel 2:28-29 — ““And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.”
  • Joel 2:32 — “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved…”

Outline

  • Joel 1:1-2:17 — Prophecy Concerning The Day of the Lord and a Great Military Invasion
  • Joel 2:18-32 — Prophecy of Restoration for God’s People
  • Joel 3:1-21 — Prophecy of God’s Judgement on the Nations

Gospel Summary

Joel’s prophecy deals with both God’s salvation of individuals, as well as the future global restoration and Kingdom of God.

As Joel prophesies God’s coming judgement day on the nations, he informs us that God (Jesus) will judge every person according to their faith in Him, Joel makes it evident that your family heritage and bloodlines will not matter. All sinfulness, Jew and Gentile alike, will be brought to justice before Him before the restoration of Jerusalem and the final establishment of God’s eternal Kingdom.

Hidden within Joel’s prophecy of destruction and judgement, however, are gospel gems like the Key Scriptures mentioned above. Judgement day will not be hopeless for faithful believers. Joel tells us that it is not by works, but by placing our faith in the Lord that we will be saved (2:32), and he gives us the famous promise that God’s Spirit will be poured out as a gift on all mankind! This passage is quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:16-21, when the Holy Spirit did, in fact, come in power on the church.

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Hosea

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Author

Hosea, whose name means “Salvation.” His prophetic ministry was one of the most personally painful in all the Bible, as his own marriage is used as the prophetic metaphor for the message God has for His own people.

Date

Hosea’s ministry covered from about around 750 to 715 B.C. He was a contemporary of both Isaiah and Micah.

You can compare the times of his writings with 2 Kings 14-17, beginning near the end of King Jeroboam II’s reign in Israel, through the fall of the Northern Kingdom to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. His ministry seems to have continued after Israel’s downfall until at least the reign of King Hezekiah in Judah in 715 B.C., who is mentioned in 1:1. It was likely around this time that Hosea wrote the book.

Audience and Purpose

Hosea was writing to Israel, the northern kingdom, especially during their last decade before destruction by the Assyrians. 

His marriage to an unfaithful, self-prostituting wife becomes the primary prophetic metaphor to describe the nation’s unfaithfulness in their relationship to God. As Hosea’s wife is being sold into slavery, it becomes clear that Israel is  also facing a season of captivity due to their sin. Yet through Hosea’s actions, God also reveals Himself to be the redeemer who will rescue them from their self-inflicted destruction.

Major Themes

  • God’s Faithfulness.
  • Man’s unfaithfulness.
  • Covenant.
  • Redemption. The picture of Hosea standing at the slave action, purchasing back his unfaithful wife is one of the greatest pictures of redemption in scripture (3:1-3).

Key Scriptures

  • Hoseas 1:10 — “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.”
  • Hosea 14:9 — “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.”

Outline

  • Hosea 1:1-3:5 — Hosea’s Family Troubles as Symbols
  • • Hosea 4:1-14:9 — Prophecies Revealing the Meaning of the Family Symbols 

Gospel Summary

Despite the negative circumstances of Hosea’s writings, as Israel faced the coming judgment of God for their unfaithfulness, Hosea is still held up as one of the most beautiful pictures of God’s love and grace in the Old Testament. We see the beauty of the gospel through Hosea, who represents God’s unfailing love, continually chasing after his unfaithful wife, representing God’s people, chosen out of sin. Even when Gomer is being sold into slavery as an outcome of her whoring lifestyle, Hosea is there to purchase his wife back to Himself (redeem her).

It is difficult to find any other Old Testament picture of the gospel that so clearly demonstrates prophetically the message of Romans 5:8 — “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Daniel

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Author

Daniel, which means “God is Judge” or “God is Prince.” He is also given the name Belteshazzar in captivity by one of Nebuchadnezzar’s officers (1:7), which means “Baal’s Prince.”

Date

Daniel’s prophetic ministry covers all of Israel’s time in captivity, recording both the fall of Jerusalem, and Daniel’s personal experience being carried away into captivity in 605 B.C. (1:1-8) through his visions during the reign King Cyrus in 536 B.C. (10:1). It was King Cyrus who would release the Jews to re-settle in Jerusalem.

Most scholars assume that Daniel wrote the book sometime shortly after the events took place, possibly around 530 B.C. Daniel would have been around 90 years old at that time. (The events of Daniels death are unknown.)

Audience and Purpose

Daniel, along with Ezekiel, is one of the prophets during the time of captivity to Babylon. Whereas Ezekiel’s prophecies were primarily calling the Jewish people back to faith in God, Daniel’s ministry was primarily to the rulers of their pagan captors. The majority of his prophecies deal with the rise and fall of the gentile empires, leading up to the Kingdom of God being released over the earth.

You can easily distinguish which audience Daniel was directing his message to, by the language he uses.

  • Daniel 1:1-2:4a are written in Hebrew, which was the language of the Jews.
  • Daniel 2:4b-7:28 are written in Aramaic, which was the official “business language” of the Babylonian empire.
  • Daniel 8:1 to the end of the book is written, again, in Hebrew.

Major Themes

  • Sovereignty of God and Human Empire. Many of the stories in Daniel concerning the Babylonian kings, was well as the prophetic visions of Daniel concerning the future kingdoms of the world, are given to demonstrate God’s sovereignty above all human governments and controls. (See Daniel 2:21)
  • Hope in the midst of Oppression and Persecution.
  • Prophecy.
  • Apocalypse. An apocalypse is generally considered to be a revelation of future events, especially on a broader, global scale and dealing with end times.

Key Scriptures

  • Daniel 4:3 — “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.”
  • Daniel 6:3 — “Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.”
  • Daniel 10:12 — “Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”

Outline

  • Daniel 1:1–6:28 — Daniel’s Life in Babylon
    • Daniel 1:1-21 — Introduction
    • Daniel 2:1-49 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the Statue
    • Daniel 3:1-30 — Nebuchadnezzar Builds the Statue
    • Daniel 4:1-37 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the Fallen Tree
    • Daniel 5:1-31 — Daniel’s Feast
    • Daniel 6:1-28 — Daniel in the Lion’s Den
  • Daniel 7:1–12:13 — Daniel’s Visions
    • Daniel 7:1-28 — Daniel’s First Vision: The Four Great Beasts
    • Daniel 8:1-27 — Daniel’s Second Vision: The Ram, The Goat, and The Little Horn
    • Daniel 9:1-19 — Daniel’s Prayer for His People
    • Daniel 9:20-27 — Gabriel Answers Daniels Prayer: The 70 Weeks Prophecy
    • Daniel 10:1-12:13 — Daniel’s Visions of The Spiritual Battle over Human Empires

Gospel Summary

W. Graham Scroggie, in his book “Know Your Bible,” called Daniel “the greatest book in the Bible on godless kingdoms and the Kingdom of God.”1 As Daniel sees visions of empires rising and falling, looking far beyond his own time in Babylon, there is only one foreseeable truth to world events: God is the one in charge.

Although many interpretations of Daniel’s visions have been given, the question of fulfillment remains. Some believe Daniel’s visions and the were complete with the Syrian King, Antiochus IV in around 160B.C. Others believe they were fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70A.D. Still, others believe Daniel’s visions point to a future ruler to come. Nevertheless, the point Daniel intends to bring is valid no matter which view is correct. God is sovereign over kings and kingdoms, and His promise to restore His people is a guarantee. God’s Kingdom is eternal, and there is only one King who will remain standing in the end – Jesus Christ.

1 Quoted in “Jensen’s Survey of the Old Testament,” page 374.

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Ezekiel

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Author

The book was written by Ezekiel, who’s name means “God Strengthens.” From the timeframe given in Ezekiel 1:1, it can be deduced that Ezekiel was born in 623 B.C; and would have been a child when the book of the Law was recovered by King Josiah. In his lifetime, he would have witnessed the revival of faith in God’s law by the people of Judah, and then their return to sin and ultimately the nation’s fall to Babylon.

Many have considered Ezekiel’s ministry to be a continuation of the ministry of Jeremiah, who prophesied up to the fall of Jerusalem, although Jeremiah is never mentioned in the book of Ezekiel. To compare their ministry, notice that Jeremiah 29 was written to the Jews in exile to whom Ezekiel was prophesying.

Ezekiel’s ministry was marked by visions. (See 1:4-28, 2:9-3:3, 3:22-23, 8:1-18, 9:1-11, 10:1-22, 11:1-25, 37:1-10, and 40:1-48:35.)

He was also known because of his use of strange symbolic actions to demonstrate his prophecies. (See 4:1-3, 4:4-8, 4:9-17, 5:1-17, 12:1-20, 21:1-17, 21:18-23, 22:17-31, 24:15-27, 37:15-17.)

Date

From about 592 B.C; lasting for at least 22 years.

Ezekiel was taken to Babylong in 597 B.C during Nebuchadnezzar’s second invasion of Jerusalem, at the same time as King Jehoiachin (see 2 Kings 24:10-16). He was called into the prophetic ministry five years later. 

Audience and Purpose

Ezekiel is one of two Old Testament prophets who were writing from exile in Babylon. While Daniel, the other of the two, was God’s mouthpiece to the King of Babylon, Ezekiel was speaking to God’s people in their captivity, calling them to repentance and faithfulness. 

Many of the Jewish people did return to faith and obedience to God during their captivity. Since Israel’s identity was no longer linked to the promised land or the temple in Jerusalem, this period is considered to be the beginning of Judaism, and giving Ezekiel the nickname, “the father of Judaism.”

Specific to Ezekiel’s audience was the Jewish elders in captivity, who would often visit Ezekiel’s home to seek his wisdom and advise (see 8:1, 14:1, and 20:1).

Major Themes

  • Idolatry.
  • God’s Sovereignty.
  • Prophecy and Visions.
  • Hope and Restoration.

Key Scriptures

  • Ezekiel 36:22-27 — “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
  • Ezekiel 38:23 — “So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Outline

  • Ezekiel 1:1-1:3 — Ezekiel’s Call as a Prophet
  • Ezekiel 1:4-24:27 — Prophesy of God’s Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem 
  • Ezekiel 25:1-32:32 — Prophesy of God’s Judgment on the Nations
  • Ezekiel 33:1-39:29 — Promise of Restoration for God’s people
  • Ezekiel 40:1-48:35 — Vision of a Rebuilt Temple

Gospel Summary

Ezekiel refers to himself as the “son of man,” simply referencing his own humanity. However, this title is the one Jesus took for Himself more than any other, which refers to the fact that Jesus’ humanity was by choice, made in willful obedience to His heavenly Father. Ezekiel was a prophet to people in exile from their homeland. Jesus was the Savior to people in exile from relationship with God.

Throughout the book of Ezekiel, we see the people of God living, once again, in the punishment for their sin, away from God’s Temple (His presence) in Jerusalem. This scene of desperation is the same as Adam and Eve, when they were cast from God’s presence, out of the Garden of Eden. Yet, just as there was hope given to Adam and Eve of a Savior who would come and rescue humanity, Ezekiel’s voice rings out, as well, with hope for salvation and restoration. He calls the people to repent, and even in the midst of their current, unhappy circumstances, to put their faith and hope in God alone. 

Many passages in Ezekiel point us forward to the coming Messiah, and give us a picture of who this Messiah would be. This includes, among other things:

  • Our Sanctuary (11:16-20)
  • Israel’s True King (21:26-27);
  • The Faithful Shepherd (34:11-31);
  • The One who gives us new hearts and a new spirit (36:26-27);
  • Our Resurrection (37:12-14), and
  • The Living Water (47:1-12).

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Lamentations

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Author

Unknown, although both Jewish and Christian tradition attribute the book to Jeremiah, especially based on 2 Chronicles 35:25. Some scholars contest this belief as the style of writing does not match that of the book of Jeremiah.

Date

The book was likely written very soon after the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon in 586 B.C. It was definitely composed before the Jews returned from exile in 516 B.C.

Audience and Purpose

As the author is unknown, the audience is not clear. If Jeremiah wrote the book, he would have been writing to the Jews who remained in Jerusalem after the destruction of the city, or to those who escaped to Egypt in Jeremiah 40-42.

If another anonymous author wrote the book, it is possible that it was written to the Jews who found themselves taken into captivity in Babylon, recounting the condition of the city left behind.

The book is a collection of five ‘elegies’ or poems of lament. The first four poems are written using an acrostic form, with chapters 1,2, and 4, beginning each line with each successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Chapter 4 does this three times.) Although this form of poetry was originally designed to help in the memorization of the poems, some have speculated that Lamentations author’s intent was to show how complete the grief of the Jewish people was (i.e. ‘from aleph to taw,’ which is the Hebrew equivalent as ‘from A to Z’).

Major Themes

  • Mourning and Grief.
  • God’s Judgement for Sin.
  • Justice and Mercy.
  • Hope for Restoration.

Key Scriptures

  • Lamentations 1:1 — “How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave.”
  • Lamentations 1:12 — “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.”
  • Lamentations 5:21-22 — “Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old— unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.”

Outline

  • Lamentations 1:1–22 — Poem 1: The Destruction of Jerusalem
  • Lamentations 2:1–22 — Poem 2: God’s Judgement on Jerusalem
  • Lamentations 3:1–66 — Poem 3: Hope in God’s Faithfulness
  • Lamentations 4:1–22 — Poem 4: The Holy Stones Lie Scattered
  • Lamentations 5:1–22 — Poem 5: A Prayer for God’s Restoration

Gospel Summary

As the author of Lamentations grieves the destruction of Jerusalem as a demonstration of God’s wrath over sin, our minds must immediately be drawn to the ultimate show of God’s wrath, poured out on Jesus on the cross. In fact, Lamentations 1:12 (see above) which describes the incomprehensible nature of God’s fury poured out has been used by many in reference to the suffering of Christ. The book closes with the hope of restoration, assuming God’s anger had been removed from the people. Once again, we are drawn to the understanding that until the atoning work of Christ on the cross, sinful humanity was still the target of God’s anger and judgement.

One interesting side note is that there is a place just outside the North wall of Jerusalem called, “Jeremiah’s Grotto,” which tradition says is the place where Jeremiah wept over the city and composed the book of Lamentations. This grotto sits near the bottom of a hill attested to be Golgotha, where Jesus would later lay down His life to bear the full wrath of God and enable the final restoration of not only Jerusalem, but the whole of creation.

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Jer

Jeremiah

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Author

Jeremiah, who is also called “The Weeping Prophet” since no one would listen to his warnings, and his calling as a prophet took him into the final destruction of God’s people as a nation.

Date

Jeremiah was called to the prophetic office around 626 B.C. (60 years after Isaiah finished his prophetic ministry). The book of Jeremiah covers a period of about 40 years of prophetic ministry and was likely compiled around 585 B.C.

Audience and Purpose

Jeremiah originally wrote to the people of Judah, about 40 years before the Babylonian (also called Chaldean) captivity.

As Isaiah had protected Jerusalem from falling to the Assyrians by his calls to repentance, Jeremiah would attempt to protect them from falling to the Babylonians. His attempts, however, would prove fruitless, as the people rejected his prophecies, and refused to repent. The book finishes with a prophecy of the future fall of Babylon (chapter 51) and then a recounting of the fall of Jerusalem into Babylonian captivity (chapter 52).

Major Themes

  • God’s Judgement for Sin.
  • God’s Promise of Salvation and Restoration.
  • The Day of the Lord.
  • Covenant.

Key Scriptures

  • Jeremiah 5:31 — “the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?”
  • Jeremiah 24:7 — “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.”
  • Jeremiah 29:13 — “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
  • Jeremiah 31:31-34 — ““Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Outline

  • Jeremiah 1:1-19 — Jeremiah’s Call as a Prophet
  • Jeremiah 2:1–25:38 — Prophesy of God’s Judgment on Judah
  • Jeremiah 26:1– 29:32 — Jeremiah’s Rejection By Judah
  • Jeremiah 30:1-33:26 — Promise of Restoration for Judah and Israel
  • Jeremiah 34:1-45:5 — Fulfillment of God’s Judgement on Judah
  • Jeremiah 46:1–51:64 — Prophesy of God’s Judgement on the Nations
  • Jeremiah 52:1–34 — The Destruction of Jerusalem

Gospel Summary

Jeremiah prophesied in the darkest hour for the Jewish people. After hundreds of years of breaking God’s covenant, they finally see the curse promised in Deuteronomy 28:25-68 come to pass. In such a dark book, it is difficult to see the gospel made evident, and yet lurking behind every prophecy of destruction Jeremiah makes, there are whispers of hope, and a day in the future when God would come into a new covenant with the people. It would not be a covenant based on the works of men, but one based on the faithfulness of God, which would ultimately transform men from the inside out, and bring God into focus as the object of their desires.

The dark history recorded in the book of Jeremiah was a necessary step toward God bringing about this new covenant, and should bring to mind the dark night of suffering Jesus went through as He went to the cross in order to see the new covenant birthed into the world.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Isaiah

Isaiah

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Author

Isaiah, who, because of the large numbers of prophecy concerning the coming of Christ, has earned the nickname, “The Messianic Prophet.”

Date

The book of Isaiah was written over many decades, covering the period from Isaiah’s calling as a prophet “in the year that King Uzziah died” (6:1), which would have been around 740 B.C; through the death of Sennacherib (37:38), which would have been around 681 B.C. However, many scholars believe Isaiah had finished his public prophetic ministry by 700 B.C.

Audience and Purpose

Isaiah was writing primarily to the people of Judah, after the nation was divided. His writings were prior to the attempted Assyrian captivity of Judah, and during the Assyrian captivity of Israel. Although delivered from Assyria under the leadership of King Hezekiah, Isaiah does  prophesy that Judah would be taken into captivity by Babylon as punishment for their sin as well as their restoration under a future man named Cyrus (see Chapters 41, 44-45).

In the book, Isaiah’s prophecies are recorded chronologically. Each of his prophecies tend to follow the same general pattern: first he brings an accusation agains the people for their sin, then he prophesies the judgement God will bring as punishment After this, he calls the people to repentance and to return to the Lord, then he paints a picture of God’s restoration and blessing to follow if they do.

Major Themes

  • God’s Judgement for Sin.
  • God’s Promise of Salvation and Restoration.
  • The Promised Messiah. Isaiah 53 has been called “The Gospel of Isaiah,” because it gives the clearest picture of Christ’s sacrificial death, making atonement for sin and sickness, than any other Old Testament writer.
  • The Day of the Lord. This day of God’s final judgment of the wicked and vindication of the righteous is a major topic for many of the Old Testament prophets.

Key Scriptures

  • Isaiah 1:18-20 — “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
  • Isaiah 53:4-6 — (Prophesying about Jesus) “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Outline

  • Isaiah 1:1-12:6 — Prophesy of God’s Judgment on His People 
  • Isaiah 13:1-27:13 — Prophesy of God’s Judgment on the Nations
  • Isaiah 40:1-55:13 — Promise of Restoration and Salvation for God’s people
  • Isaiah 56:1-66:24 — Preparation for a Glorious Future

Gospel Summary

Isaiah is quoted in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament prophet. Despite being a timely word of warning for the people of Judah concerning their continual sin and imminent punishment from the Lord, he still manages to prophesy a clearer picture of the life of the coming Messiah than any other book of the Old Testament. His prophecy includes, among other things:

  • the virgin birth and that the Messiah would be called “Immanuel,” or “God With Us” (7:14);
  • that Messiah would work from Galilee (9:1-2);
  • that Messiah would be God and that His Kingdom would be without end (9:6-7);
  • that God’s Spirit would rest on the Messiah, who would be called “the branch” (11:1-2);
  • the gentleness of the Messiah as a servant (42:1-4),
  • the suffering and death of the Messiah which would atone for the sin and sicknesses of mankind (52:13-53:12), and
  • the purpose of the Messianic anointing (61:1-4), which Jesus quotes concerning Himself in Luke 4:18-19.

© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Song of Solomon

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Author

Tradition holds that Solomon was the author, which is supported by the text itself, as Solomon is mentioned many times within the book.

Date

Possibly around 965 B.C; as most scholars believe that Solomon wrote this book early in life, before his affections for one woman (and for the Lord alone) was overcome by his acceptance of many wives and their gods.

Audience and Purpose

If the Book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s exploration of human wisdom and intellectualism written at the end of his life, then the Song of Solomon is his exploration of human emotions and love, written from the perspective of a young man being carried by such things.

Major Themes

  • Human Emotion.
  • Love and Marriage. In this book of love, written between Solomon and his unnamed lover, we also get a glimpse into the biblical mystery of marriage in Christ and the Church.

Key Scriptures

  • Song of Solomon 6:3 — “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine…”

Outline

  • Song of Solomon 1:1-6:3 — The Longings of the Lovers
  • Song of Solomon 6:4-8:4 — The Praises of the Lovers
  • Song of Solomon 8:5-14 — The Marriage of the Lovers

Gospel Summary

As Solomon was writing specifically about his own love interest, and exploring human passions and emotions, this book might seem out of place in the Old Testament canon. Young Jewish children are actually forbidden from reading the book of Song of Solomon until they are mature. 

At a basic level, our study of the Song of Solomon must understand that it paints a picture of God’s ideals for human love and marriage, including things like monogamy, fidelity, affection, and more. However, in light of the New Testament’s fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies of God claiming a people for Himself, we cannot miss the fact that in many ways the book of Song of Solomon is intended by God to be a metaphor of the love between God and His people, specifically between Christ and the church. For example, we can explore this metaphor deeper if we read the book in light of Ephesians 5:25-32.

© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Bible Basics

Ecclesiastes

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Author

Although the author only refers to himself as “the preacher, the son of David” in 1:1, there are many other evidences in the book that the author was King Solomon, including the author’s great wisdom (1:16), his mass of wealth (2:8), his building projects (2:4-6), and his discussion of his collection of proverbs (12:9-14).

Date

The book of Ecclesiastes was likely written between 940 and 931 B.C., near the end of Solomon’s reign.

Audience and Purpose

Ecclesiastes was written to God’s people to answer the question, “does life have meaning?”

Major Themes

  • Brevity of Life.
  • Wealth. The author amasses enormous wealth, but determines that it is “vanity.”
  • Human Pleasure. The author amasses thousands of women (wives and concubines), but determines that it, too, is “vanity.”
  • Wisdom and Human Intellect.

Key Scriptures

  • Ecclesiastes 1:2 — “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”
  • Ecclesiastes 3:1 — “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”

Outline

  • Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 — Introduction
  • Ecclesiastes 1:4-2:26 — First List of Vanities
  • Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 — A Poem: “For Everything There Is A Season”
  • Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 — The Humility of Man Before God
  • Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:16 — Second List of Vanities
  • Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 — Fear and Honor God
  • Ecclesiastes 5:8-12:7 — Wisdom for Life “Under the Sun”
  • Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 — Conclusion

Gospel Summary

The book of Ecclesiastes might well be considered humanity’s greatest test of all that life has to offer. King Solomon spent his life throwing lavish parties, accumulating wealth, growing in wisdom and knowledge, and exploring all the sensualities of the flesh. However, at the end of the day, his findings came down to this: life is but a fleeting moment of time, and in comparison to eternity, all of life’s pleasures and accomplishments on earth are “vanity.” His concluding words in the book, summarize this succinctly: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

The whole experiment that is Ecclesiastes brings about one conclusion, we must obey God and live for Him. Of course, the rest of the Old Testament continues to build the case that no matter how hard we try, we are incapable of doing that without the Messiah – Jesus – who is to come.

© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

proverbs

Proverbs

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Author

The majority of the proverbs were written by King Solomon, although later portions of the book are attributed to other authors, as well.

The proverbs collected in chapters 22:17-24:34 are attributed to “the wise,” while chapters 30 and 31 are assigned to the authorship of Agur and Lemuel. These men’s identities are otherwise unknown. It is possible that these proverbs, however, came before the time of Solomon, and that he, too, collected them and added them to his book of saying.

Chapters 25-29 are attributed to Solomon, but were collected and edited together by order of King Hezekiah of Judah around 700 B.C.

Date

Solomon would have written his portion of Proverbs from around 971-931 B.C; however, Hezekiah’s collection was not compiled until around 700 B.C. It is therefore easy to conclude that the book of proverbs in its current form was completed at that time.

Audience and Purpose

The audience and purpose of the book are stated clearly in the introduction of the book. Chapter 1 verse 5 says, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning…” which implies that Solomon was writing to anyone looking to grow in wisdom, particularly among his people, Israel. (Though we know the fame of Solomon spread around the world, so it is reasonable to assume many of his proverbs went beyond the borders of Israel as well.)

His purpose is again stated in chapter 1, verses 2-4: “To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth.” He expands on his own explanation of purpose in Ecclesiastes 12:9-14.

Major Themes

  • Wisdom.
  • Ethics and Morality.
  • Godly Worldview.

Key Scriptures

  • Proverbs 1:7 — “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
  • Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Outline

  • Proverbs 1:1-7 — Introduction
  • Proverbs 1:8-9:18 — A Father to Son Call to Wisdom
  • Proverbs 10:1-22:16 — Solomon’s Proverbs
  • Proverbs 22:17-24:34 — Proverbs of “The Wise”
  • Proverbs 25:1-29:27 — Hezekiah’s Collection of Solomon’s Proverbs
  • Proverbs 30:1-33 — Agur’s Proverbs
  • Proverbs 31:1-9 — King Lemuel’s Proverbs
  • Proverbs 31:10-31 — Proverbs Regarding a Godly Woman

Gospel Summary

The book of proverbs gives everyday examples of what it means to obey the great commandment of God: to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. These sayings, or maxims, apply daily wisdom to demonstrate how to live, and how not to live, to fulfill God’s law and to have a blessed life.

As with all of the books of the Old Testament, Proverbs points to Christ in many different ways, with each topic that is discussed in the book. However, the most prominent picture we get of Christ is that as Solomon became known as the wisest man ever to live, and put that wisdom into this writing, it was only a picture of Jesus (see Isaiah 11:2 and Matthew 12:42), who in His own early life demonstrated the wisdom of God in every aspect thought and action, as He lived in perfect obedience to God. Jesus is our highest example to follow in living a life of wisdom (see Colossians 2:1-3).

© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

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