by Paul Apple | Oct 19, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DANIEL’S PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND PETITION FOR DELIVERANCE PROMPT REVELATION OF GOD’S FUTURE PROGRAM FOR ISRAEL INTRODUCTION: S. Lewis Johnson: It is undoubtedly true that this is one of the great prophecies of the Old Testament, perhaps one of the most...
by Paul Apple | Oct 17, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVIL WORLD EMPIRES MAGNIFY THEIR POWER AND INFLUENCE BUT ULTIMATELY WILL ALL BE BROKEN BY THE SOVEREIGN POWER OF GODINTRODUCTION:Stephen Miller: In the previous chapter God had given a preview of world history with emphasis on the end times, particularly the...
by Paul Apple | Oct 16, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SUCCESSIVE EVIL EMPIRES DOMINATE THE WORLD SCENE UNTIL GOD REIGNS VICTORIOUS WITH HIS SAINTS IN HIS KINGDOMINTRODUCTION:Stephen Miller: For a variety of reasons, “modern commentators are generally agreed that chapter 7 is the single most important chapter of...
by Paul Apple | Oct 5, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE END BECOMES THE NEW BEGINNING INTRODUCTION: Raymond Dillard: Concluding the narrative with these two verses highlights the hopefulness already intimated in 36:20–21 and directs the reader to the continuation of the narrative in Ezra. The book ends with a...
by Paul Apple | Oct 5, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: STUBBORN REJECTION OF GOD LEADS INEVITABLY TO EXILE AND TEMPLE PLUNDERING AS JUDGMENT FALLS ON JERUSALEM INTRODUCTION: Raymond Dillard: The Chronicler has arranged the accounts to portray two themes (cf. Williamson, 412): (1) the common fate of the last four...
by Paul Apple | Oct 4, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD ELEVATES WORSHIP CELEBRATION WHILE DISOBEDIENCE EXPOSES ONE TO HARM INTRODUCTION: Andrew Hill: The Passover is the preeminent religious festival for postexilic Judah and the apex of temple worship for the Chronicler. The reason...
by Paul Apple | Oct 3, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE RECOVERY OF THE WORD OF GOD MOTIVATES REFORMATION INTRODUCTION: Iain Duguid: Josiah is another example of faithfulness expressed in temple worship cleansed of idolatry and performed in accordance with the laws of Moses and the prescriptions of David...
by Paul Apple | Sep 30, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVEN THE WORST SINNER, IF HE HUMBLY REPENTS, IS NOT BEYOND THE MERCY OF GODINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: Though the Chronicler was heavily dependent on Kings for his account of Manasseh (33:1–10 // 2 Kgs 21:1–10), the two accounts contrast sharply in their...
by Paul Apple | Sep 29, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE FEET OF CLAY, HEZEKIAH ENCOURAGES LOOKING TO THE LORD FOR DELIVERANCE RATHER THAN TRUSTING THE ARM OF THE FLESHINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: Following his “acts of faithfulness” (as in 2 Chronicles 29–31; cf. 31:20), Hezekiah saw the death of the...
by Paul Apple | Sep 27, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ADMINISTRATION OF SPIRITUAL WORSHIP AND SUPPORT FOR LEADERS REQUIRES FAITHFUL FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIPINTRODUCTION:John Gill: This chapter begins with the destruction of idolatrous worship, the appointment of the courses of the priests and Levites, and the...
by Paul Apple | Sep 25, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REPENTANCE, HUMILITY AND CONSECRATION PROMOTE AN INCLUSIVE SPIRIT OF UNIFIED CORPORATE WORSHIP THAT ISSUES IN GREAT JOYINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: The end of the northern kingdom resulted in both the rapid increase in Judah’s population due to the influx of...
by Paul Apple | Sep 24, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SPIRITUAL REVIVAL REQUIRES CONVICTED REPENTANCE, CLEANSING OF GOD’S TEMPLE AND COMMITMENT TO JOYFULLY WORSHIP WHOLEHEARTEDLYINTRODUCTION:J.A. Thompson: The Chronicler had a deep interest in Hezekiah. He devoted more space to his account of Hezekiah’s reign...
by Paul Apple | Sep 22, 2022 | Bible-OT
(Chap. 27) REIGN OF RIGHTEOUS JOTHAM – A GOOD KING BUT STILL CORRUPT PEOPLE BIG IDEA:DESPITE THE POSITIVE REIGN OF JOTHAM AND DIVINE BLESSING OF BUILDING PROJECTS AND INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS, THE PEOPLE FAIL TO REFORMINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: This wholly positive...
by Paul Apple | Sep 18, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SUCCESS FOSTERS PRIDE WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO SELF-EXALTATION WHICH THEN RESULTS IN JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: The earlier history [2 Kings] had reported that Uzziah did “right” and enjoyed one of the longest reigns of the Judean kings. The...
by Paul Apple | Sep 17, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SUCCESS FOSTERS PRIDE WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO IDOLATRY AND STUBBORNNESS WHICH THEN RESULT IN JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: On the whole the record of Amaziah’s reign is a negative one. Apart from the brief, but clouded, victory over Edom as a reward for...
by Paul Apple | Sep 15, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PROMISE AND PRIVILEGE CAN QUICKLY DEGENERATE INTO APOSTASY WHEN WE REJECT GOD’S WORD AND FOLLOW WORLDLY COUNSELINTRODUCTION:Andrew Hill: The Chronicler features the reigns of three kings following the execution of the usurper Athaliah: the child-king Joash,...
by Paul Apple | Sep 13, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE THREAT ATHALIAH POSED TO THE DAVIDIC DYNASTY REQUIRED PROVIDENTIAL PROTECTION TO ELEVATE JOASH TO THE THRONEINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: Athaliah represented the one break in the dynastic continuity of the descendants of David. Though the queen mother...
by Paul Apple | Sep 12, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVIL COUNSEL AND ECUMENICAL ALLIANCES ALMOST WIPE OUT THE DAVIDIC DYNASTYINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: The future of the Davidic throne seemed precarious: the crisis that had brought Ahaziah to the throne is highlighted by repetition of the circumstances that...
by Paul Apple | Sep 10, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVIL LEADERSHIP PUTS THE KINGDOM IN JEAPARDY BUT DOES NOT NULLIFY GOD’S COMMITMENT TO THE DAVIDIC COVENANTINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: The Chronicler presents Jehoram’s reign as a complete aberration, the reversal of the reigns of kings before him.Raymond...
by Paul Apple | Sep 7, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: UNHOLY ALLIANCES COMPROMISE A SINCERE HEART FOR THE LORD BUT SALVATION CAN STILL COME AS WE SEEK HIMINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: Of all the accounts of the kings after Solomon, the account of Jehoshaphat’s reign is second in length only to Hezekiah’s (2...
