by Paul Apple | Sep 18, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE REINFORCEMENT OF EZEKIEL’S COMMISSIONING STRESSES• THE VALUE OF THE WORD OF GOD,• THE RESOLVE TO FAITHFULLY COMMUNICATE GOD’S WORD• AND THE ACTIVITY OF THE SPIRIT OF GODINTRODUCTION:This continuation of the calling and commissioning of Ezekiel progresses...
by Paul Apple | Sep 17, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THERE CAN BE NO DEVIATION OF MISSION OR MESSAGE IN PROCLAIMING GOD’S WORD OF JUDGMENT DESPITE OPPOSITION AND REJECTIONINTRODUCTION:The vision of the glory of the Lord from chapter 1 prepared Ezekiel for his ministry. The calling and commissioning of Ezekiel...
by Paul Apple | Sep 15, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE FOUNDATION FOR DIVINE CALLING IS THE VISION OF GOD’S GLORY COMING IN JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Ezekiel and the other exiles had to be feeling alone and abandoned there in Babylon. What a hard fall from their nationalistic pride in God’s covenant promises...
by Paul Apple | Sep 14, 2021 | Sports
How do you lose 3 games in the season opener? The Ravens found a way. After taking the lead with under 40 seconds, they allowed the Raiders (despite no timeouts) to complete 2 twenty yard passes down the middle of the field for a tying three-pointer. Then in overtime,...
by Paul Apple | Sep 5, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE JUDAH’S SAD ENDING, ALL IS NOT LOST FOREVERINTRODUCTION:Judah is finally a barren land – even abandoned by those who had not been carried off to Babylon. The failed leadership of Nebuchadnezzar’s appointee, Gedaliah, could not sustain a stable...
by Paul Apple | Sep 4, 2021 | Pet Peeves
There are too many examples to cite and I don’t want to get your blood pressure boiling. But here is a recent absurdity that the Post Office in my home town of Catonsville MD has just tried to justify. They have removed the public mailboxes on both sides of the street...
by Paul Apple | Sep 4, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD TURNS THE LIGHTS OUT ON HIS HOLY CITY AND EXILES HIS APOSTATE PEOPLE — DESTRUCTION, DEPORTATION, DESECRATION, EXECUTION AND EXILEINTRODUCTION:Judgment Day has finally arrived for the city of David and for its inhabitants. It is not a pretty sight. The...
by Paul Apple | Sep 3, 2021 | Sports
When it comes to success in the NFL draft, the Baltimore Ravens have one of the better track records in the league. However, one area that should be examined more critically is whether they have been rating the Michigan players too highly (possibly due to close...
by Paul Apple | Sep 3, 2021 | Sports
With all the talk about the Orioles in rebuilding mode and beefing up their farm system as they look forward to becoming competitive, we need a reality check from examining the trades made since 2016. We had a large number of legitimate major league starters (and even...
by Paul Apple | Aug 30, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S CONTROL OF THE NATIONS CONTROLS THE FATE OF HIS PEOPLEINTRODUCTION:Powerful nations like Egypt and Babylon act in their own self-interests under the direction of their sovereign leaders. But true sovereignty in world events belongs to God alone who...
by Paul Apple | Aug 27, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REFORMATION WITHOUT INWARD TRANSFORMATION CAN’T DIVERT GOD’S JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:What an impressive list of worship reforms! It’s no surprise that the wrath of God was targeting a nation that had become so apostate and idolatrous. But despite all of the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 26, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA:REFORMS UNDER JOSIAH BEGIN WITH THE RECOVERY OF GOD’S WORD AS THE NATION REFOCUSES ON TOP LEVEL PRIORITIES INTRODUCTION:Judgment against Judah and Jerusalem has already been proclaimed. The wrath of God is about to be unleashed because of Judah’s spiritual...
by Paul Apple | Aug 23, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE APEX OF APOSTASY AND IDOLATRY UNDER MANASSEH AND AMON ELICITS SEVERE JUDGMENT UPON JUDAH AND JERUSALEMINTRODUCTION:Judah and Jerusalem have now arrived at the end of the line. They failed to learn any lessons from God’s dealings with Samaria and Israel....
by Paul Apple | Aug 21, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RIGHTEOUS HEZEKIAH HOLDS ON AT THE END OF HIS REIGN AS HIS LIFE IS MIRACULOUSLY EXTENDED AND HIS VANITY IS PROPHETICALLY CHASTIZEDINTRODUCTION:Hezekiah goes into the record books as one of the greatest of the kings of Judah. By his own testimony he “walked...
by Paul Apple | Aug 19, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE BEST DEFENSE IS A DIVINE DEFENSEINTRODUCTION:You have heard the saying in the sports world: The best defense is a good offense. Here we see in the spiritual and political realm: The best defense is a Divine Defense. When God is on our side we have...
by Paul Apple | Aug 17, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: IN TIMES OF CRISIS SATAN USES MANY CRAFTY ARGUMENTS TO TRY TO UNDERMINE OUR FAITHINTRODUCTION:This historical scene in Judah is set in opposition to the preceding account of the Fall of Samaria in Israel. Once again we have a crisis facing God’s covenant...
by Paul Apple | Aug 14, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SYNCRETISTIC RELIGION NULLIFIES THE FEAR OF GOD AND VIOLATES THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIPINTRODUCTION:These events mark a major watershed in the history of the Jewish nation. After repeated warnings and persistent pleas by the prophets, the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 13, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PRIVILEGED ISRAEL FINALLY FACES CAPTIVITY AND EXILE FOR HER COVENANT UNFAITHFULNESS AND PERSISTENT IDOLATRYINTRODUCTION:God’s patience and repeated warnings provide many opportunities for repentance. But in the end, a stiff-necked and rebellious people...
by Paul Apple | Aug 10, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WHEN LEADERS GOVERN BY COMPROMISE INSTEAD OF CONVICTION THE SHORT TERM GAINS WILL BE WIPED OUT BY DIVINE JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Ahaz proves to be the master of compromise and religious syncretism. He relies on powerful foreign governments like Assyria instead...
by Paul Apple | Aug 9, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: UNSTABLE SUCCESSION OF KINGS IN ISRAEL SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO RIGHTEOUS KINGS IN JUDAH SHOW THE CONTRAST BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH – YET CONSISTENT DECLINEINTRODUCTION:Here you have a kingdom sandwich = 5 wicked kings of Israel sandwiched between 2 somewhat...
