by Paul Apple | Mar 27, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WHEN YOU CAN’T MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DESTINY, AT LEAST ENJOY THE PRESENT INTRODUCTION: Despite the repetition of common themes in this Book of Ecclesiastes, I find one aspect to be especially puzzling – to what extent does the view of Solomon ever rise above...
by Paul Apple | Mar 26, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WISDOM CANNOT FIGURE OUT LIFE’S PERPLEXITIES INTRODUCTION: Douglas Miller: In sum, the larger unit (8:1-17) begins in 8:1 with the double rhetorical question: Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation/explanation? It closes with statements that...
by Paul Apple | Mar 25, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WISDOM TREADS CAREFULLY IN INTERACTING WITH SOVEREIGN POWER BECAUSE OF THE PRIORITY OF SUBMISSION AND THE REALITY OF LIMITATIONS INTRODUCTION: John Gill: The preacher begins this chapter with the praise of wisdom, from its excellency and...
by Paul Apple | Mar 24, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: UNDERSTANDING THE PERVASIVENESS OF FUTILITY AND THE REALITY OF PERSONAL PERVERSITY, PURSUE THE PATH OF WISDOM AND THE FEAR OF GOD INTRODUCTION: Albert Mohler: Wise living in this world must take human evil into account with utter realism. Stupidity and...
by Paul Apple | Mar 24, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WE ARE ALL HEADED FOR DEATH SO BE PREPARED TO FACE GOD INTRODUCTION: This is going to be a short Scripture reflection but hopefully memorable – I just want to focus on one verse from the Ecclesiastes 7:2 — “It is better to go to a house of...
by Paul Apple | Mar 22, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SINCE GOD IS SOVEREIGN, THE WISE MUST BENEFIT FROM SORROW AND SUBMIT RATHER THAN EXPRESS PRIDEFUL IMPATIENCE AND FRUSTRATION INTRODUCTION: Walter Kaiser: Present grief and pain may prove to be more beneficial in their effect on us than all the festivity,...
by Paul Apple | Mar 20, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVEN THOSE WHO APPEAR TO HAVE GRABBED HOLD OF THE GOOD LIFE STRUGGLE WITH NO ENJOYMENT, NO SATISFACTION AND NO ANSWERS TO LIFE’S ULTIMATE QUESTIONS INTRODUCTION: Daniel Akin: Chapter 6 begins, echoing the curse with the language of “sickening tragedy,” by...
by Paul Apple | Mar 19, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: APART FROM CONTENTMENT IN ENJOYING GOD’S GIFTS, THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH CAN CREATE HUGE PROBLEMS INTRODUCTION Iain Provan: Ecclesiastes 5:8–9 picks up the thoughts of 4:1–3, making it clear to the reader that oppression is not merely a matter of individuals...
by Paul Apple | Mar 18, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WISE WORSHIP CALLS FOR OBEDIENT LISTENING, CONTROLLED SPEECH, FAITHFUL COMMITMENT AND REVERENTIAL AWE INTRODUCTION Douglas Sean O’Donnell: As we approach God in worship, Pastor Solomon wants to establish a safe distance between us and the transcendent God....
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CONSIDERATION OF COVENANT HISTORY SHOULD PROMPT RENEWAL OF COVENANT COMMITMENT INTRODUCTION: Trent Butler: Josh 24 completes the book by giving the theological definition of the people of God. “The preceding account of God’s saving acts and election of...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: STAY FAITHFUL IF YOU WANT TO ENJOY GOD’S PROMISED BLESSINGS INTRODUCTION: David Howard: The final two chapters of the book contain Joshua’s two farewell speeches to the entire nation, delivered at the end of his life. Both were given in the pastoral,...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CORPORATE UNITY CAN EASILY BE THREATENED BY MISUNDERSTANDINGS DESPITE SIGNIFICANT MISSION SUCCESSES INTRODUCTION: David Howard: After all that had transpired and all that the nation had gone through together, the time had now come for the tribes to return to...
![Joshua 21:43-45 — Concluding Summary of God Keeping His Land Promise to Israel [Theme Verses for Joshua]](https://www.bibleoutlines.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/C21V43V45.jpg)
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS LAND PROMISE TO ISRAEL IS TO BE CELEBRATED (IN ITS IMMEDIATE CONTEXT ALTHOUGH NOT IN TERMS OF ESCHATOLOGICAL FULFILLMENT) INTRODUCTION: David Howard: A glorious spiritual summary concludes the entire section devoted to the land...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD FULFILS HIS PROMISE OF SUPPORT FOR THE MINISTERING LEVITES WITH DESIGNATED CITIES FROM EACH OF THE TRIBES INTRODUCTION: Helene Dallaire: After the introductory summary comes a description of the land allotment to the Levites. The following tribes...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD IN HIS MERCY ESTABLISHED 6 CITIES OF REFUGE FOR THOSE WHO COMMITTED UNINTENTIONAL MANSLAUGHTER INTRODUCTION: Jerome Creach: At the core of Joshua 20 is the notion that the spilling of blood (which was understood in an almost magical sense as...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD PUTS HIS PEOPLE EXACTLY WHERE HE INTENDS FOR THEM TO PROSPER AND TO SERVE HIM EFFECTIVELY INTRODUCTION: David Howard: After the most important tribes have been dealt with in previous chapters, the land distribution is rapidly concluded now in two...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: COMPROMISE AND COMPLAINING NEVER ADVANCE GOD’S KINGDOM AGENDA – STRIVE TO APPROPRIATE YOUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST INTRODUCTION: David Howard: The descendants of Joseph—Ephraim and Manasseh—received two large portions west of the Jordan, in the center of the...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH IS REFLECTED IN THE PROMINENCE GIVEN TO THE ALLOTMENT OF HER TERRITORY INTRODUCTION Robert Hubbard: Now, many readers will find the Judah section—hands down, the largest in chs. 14–19—tediously detailed. But that is the...
by Paul Apple | Jan 13, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: YOU CAN COUNT ON PROMISED REWARDS FOR FAITHFUL SERVICE INTRODUCTION: Robert Hubbard: From Transjordan the focus quickly shifts west of the Jordan to the land of Canaan. Comparable opening and closing formulae (“Now these are the areas/territories …”) bracket...
by Paul Apple | Nov 9, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD WAS FAITHFUL TO GRANT THE TRANSJORDANIAN LAND TO REUBEN, GAD AND MANASSEH WHILE UNIQUELY BLESSING THE LEVITESINTRODUCTION:David Howard: Before Joshua’s distribution of the lands west of the Jordan, the previous land distribution is reviewed. It had...
