Tag: Bible Study

Bible Basics

Micah

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Author

The book was written by Micah, who’s name means “Who is like Jehovah?” Micah came from a small town about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem, called Moresheth (likely Moresheth-gath or “possession of Gath). Though not from the city itself, there was a major highway from Egypt to Jerusalem which ran through this area, so Micah would have been caught up on all current events in the capitol during a prosperous time in Judah’s history.

Date

The book was written during the reigns of three of Judah’s kings: Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, who collectively ruled from 750 to 687B.C. Micah was a contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah and his prophecies were likely published prior to the fall of Israel to the Assyrians in 722B.C.

Audience and Purpose

Micah was writing primarily to the southern kingdom of Judah, although his prophecies also involve the kingdom of Israel and her capitol city, Samaria, declaring both God’s impending judgement and a hope for future restoration.

Major Themes

  • Sin and Judgement
  • Sovereignty of God
  • Justice. One of Micah’s biggest themes is the oppression of the poor in the nation.
  • God’s Promise of Salvation and Restoration.

Key Scriptures

  • Micah 3:8 — “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.”
  • Micah 7:7 — “But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”
  • Micah 7:18 — “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.”

Outline

  • Micah 1:1-2:13 — Prophesy of God’s Judgment on Israel (Samaria) and Judah 
  • Micah 3:1-5:15 — Promise of Restoration Following Judgement
  • Micah 6:1-7:20 — Charges Against Israel and Hope for Restoration

Gospel Summary

Micah’s prophetic judgements against God’s people were primarily concern how the wealthy were oppressing the poor and God’s call for justice. It was a prosperous time in the nation’s history, yet the rich were oppressing the poor, in order to make themselves richer (see Micah 2:1-2). There was a major lack of love and justice in the nation.

As with most of the Old Testament prophets, Micah declares that the nation will be punished for their ongoing sin and refusal to repent despite God’s graciousness to them. He also delivers a message of restoration and hope in a coming deliverer. Micah makes many messianic prophecies, including the specific one that the Messiah would be born in the little town of Bethlehem, yet His greatness would extend to the ends of the earth (Micah 5:2-5).

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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

Jonah

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Author

Jonah, whose name means “dove.” Although his book does not tell us much about his personal history, we do learn from 2 Kings 14:25 that he was the son of Amittai, from the town of Gath-hepher. This town was only about three miles northeast of Nazareth. According to one Jewish tradition, Jonah’s mother was the widow of Zarephath and that it was Jonah whom Elijah raised from the dead in 1 Kings 17:8-24. It is also possible that Elisha was the one who discipled Jonah into the ministry.

According to 2 Kings 14, Jonah was primarily a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel, during the rule of King Jeroboam II. However, the majority of what is know of Jonah’s ministry is his work as a prophet to Ninevah, recorded in the book of Jonah.

Date

The book was probably written around 770 B.C; toward the end of Jonah’s ministry. His time as a prophet comes after Elisha and before Amos and Hosea.

Audience and Purpose

The book is written as a biographical narrative, recounting the story of Jonah’s ministry to Nineveh. Although the primary people group targeted by Jonah’s ministry in the book were the people of Nineveh, we must not forget that the intended audience of the writing was the people of God back in Israel.

The main purpose of the book is to show that God’s grace and forgiveness are available to anyone who repents of their sin, whether a Jewish prophet, or a wicked pagan nation. (Take note that it would be the people of Nineveh –  the capitol of Assyria — who would come and destroy the northern kingdom of Israel less than a century later.)

Major Themes

  • Prophecy.
  • Repentance and Holiness.
  • Human Will and Emotion.
  • Salvation of the Gentiles.
  • Obedience to God’s Calling.

Key Scriptures

  • Jonah 4:2 — “And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.”

Outline

  • Jonah 1:1-17 — Jonah Runs from God’s Call as Prophet to Nineveh
  • Jonah 2:1-10 — Jonah’s Prayer
  • Jonah 3:1-10 — Jonah Prophesies Judgement on Nineveh and People Repent
  • Jonah 4:1-4 — Jonah’s Anger
  • Jonah 4:5-11 — God’s Response

Gospel Summary

Jonah is one of the best stories in the Old Testament concerning the grace and mercy of God, and His desire to forgive sin. 

Jonah, as a prophet of the Lord, knew that God would forgive the people of Nineveh if they repented, yet his personal prejudice against them despised the idea that they should be forgiven. Faced with his own sin and consequences of his disobedience (inside the fish’s belly), Jonah has to repent and be forgiven as well. This universal condition of sin and the need of a savior is the great equalizer of all humanity. We all need the grace of God to cover us, Jews and Gentiles alike.

One other point of interest is that the skepticism of many toward the “fish story” being true, would lead Jesus to use Jonah as a picture of His own death and resurrection. People would have to dare to believe the impossible to see that He is who He said He is: “But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:39-41).

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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

Obadiah

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Author

Obadiah, whose name means either “servant of Yahweh” or “worshipper of Yahweh.” Although there are more than a dozen others named “Obadiah” in the Old Testament, there is not enough evidence to connect the author of this minor prophet to any of them with certainty.

Date

It is difficult to determine the exact date of the writing, as the book itself does not give any specific indicators, such as the rule of a king. This may be because there was not a king sitting on the throne at the time, which leads many scholars to believe the book was likely written in the mid 580’s B.C; after the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem around 586 B.C., but before the Babylonian conquest of Edom in 583 B.C.

This date would make Obadiah a contemporary of Jeremiah. This may be why Jeremiah seems to quote Obadiah on a few occasions: Obadiah 2:5 in Jeremiah 49:9; Obadiah 2:6 in Jeremiah 49:10; and Obadiah 2:8 in Jeremiah 49:7.

A second possible date for the writing would be during the invasion of Jerusalem by the Philistines and Arabians during the reign of King Jehoram, sometime between 840 and 825 B.C; although I believe this is less likely.

Audience and Purpose

Obadiah was prophesying agains the Edomites — the descendants of Esau — who had stood against Judah during the Babylonian invasion. Many Edomites even captured and turned in escaping Israelites to Babylonian authorities. As with other prophets, Obadiah closes with the promise of restoration for God’s people. Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament.

Despite his message being proclaimed against Edom, it is likely that Obadiah only presented this prophecy to the Jewish remnant in Jerusalem, rather than being delivered to the Edomites themselves. This was a common practice among Old Testament prophets.

Major Themes

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

Key Scriptures

  • Obadiah 1:21 — “Saviors shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.”

Outline

  • Obadiah 1:1-9 — Prophecy of God’s Judgment against Edom
  • Obadiah 1:101-14 — List of Edom’s Sins
  • Obadiah 1:15-21 — The Day of the Lord

Gospel Summary

Obadiah is so short, and his message so pointed, that it is likely easier to simply read it than to summarize. The book draws a drastic distinction between how God cares for His own people, and those outside of His covenant care. When the nations bless God’s people, they are blessed. However, when the nations become the enemies of God’s people, God Himself will avenge them.

The theme of God’s sovereignty over the nations is evident, even as the book closes with a look to the future when God’s people will be fully restored and God’s kingdom will rule in the earth. The pridefulness and self-confidence of the nations will be brought down (see v. 3, which is likely a reference to the ancient city of Petra, which was within Edom’s borders). This promise of restoration points, again, to God’s coming Messiah and King, Jesus.

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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

Amos

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Author

Amos, whose name means “burden-bearer.” Before his call as a prophet, he was not a known figure in Jewish history. When the Lord called him, he was a shepherd, tending to his flock of sheep and goats (7:14-15). (This is reminiscent of King David, who was also called by Samuel while shepherding his father’s flocks.)

Date

About 760 B.C., at the end of Jeroboam’s reign as king.

Audience and Purpose

Amos spoke mostly to the northern kingdom, Israel, although he also delivers prophetic words to Judah and the other surrounding nations.

Israel was, at that time, a mighty power in the region, and was booming economically. The people had become so self-sufficient, that God was forgotten in the nation. Against this backdrop, Amos points out the sinful action being done by the prophets, priests and princes. He decries that injustice is happening among the people of God, as the rich sell the poor to gain more wealth. He boldly declares that although the religious sacrifices and feasts are taking place, God is refusing to accept them because of the wickedness in their hearts (5:21-24). His hope is to bring people to repentance, before God’s judgement comes on the nation.

Major Themes

  • Morality.
  • Idolatry.
  • Sin and Judgement.
  • God’s Justice.

Key Scriptures

  • Amos 5:4 — “For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: “Seek me and live”
  • Amos 5:24 — “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Outline

  • Amos 1:1-2:16 — Prophecy of Condemnations towards the Nations, Judah, and Israel
  • Amos 3:1-6:14 — Prophecy of God’s Judgment on Israel
  • Amos 7:1–9:15 —  Visions of God’s Judgment and Restoration

Gospel Summary

Amos brings our attention to the fact that God’s righteousness is not fulfilled simply by keeping the law. The righteous commandments listed in the Old Testament are a matter of the heart. This sentiment is brought to light more clearly throughout the New Testament. Consider Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 5 on anger being equal to murder and lust being the same as adultery. He said in Matthew 15:19-20 that “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person…” Also consider Paul, who though he kept the law perfectly according to the traditions of the Jewish religion, continually declared his own inadequacy and need to a Savior.

Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).” As Amos points out, this goes beyond just the physical requirement, but comes from a complete submission to God — heart, soul, mind, and strength.

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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

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.

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



© 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.”

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



© 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.

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



© 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.

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!

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!

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