Focal Passage: Jeremiah 36:4-8, 16-18; 45:1-5 

Jeremiah was a great prophet of the Lord. He was faithful to the end proclaiming God’s judgment on Judah in spite of constant rejection. Baruch proved to be a valuable friend, encourager and servant to the prophet during some of Jeremiah’s most difficult days.  

Faithfully represent those you serve. Jeremiah had become such a nuisance to the people of Judah that the king and his officials and the temple priests forbade the prophet from entering the temple anymore. Therefore, Jeremiah asked his friend and scribe Baruch to be his spokesman. Baruch must have known that this would most likely elicit the same negative response from those in power. Yet, he faithfully did all that Jeremiah asked him to do.  

Baruch believed in the Lord and knew that Jeremiah was God’s chosen instrument to speak His word for His people. God had called Baruch to be a faithful servant of the prophet and he fulfilled that role completely, regardless of the outcome.  [Read more…]

Focal Passages: Esther 3:1-9, 6:10-14 

This week’s lesson points to a secondary character in the book of Esther that serves as a cautionary tale.  Haman is the great villain of the story and teaches the dangers of allowing positions of power to serve one’s hubris and pride.    

Accept honors with humility.  Esther is the great narrative about how a Jewish young woman becomes queen of Persia and helps save her people from destruction.  Her uncle, Mordecai, helps and encourages her along the way.  Haman was placed by the king of Persia above all other officials, a group that included Mordecai.  Each day, as Haman was presented at court, all the officials would bow except Mordecai.  

Why did Mordecai refuse to pay homage to his superior? The clue to understand this is in Haman’s name.  He was the son of an Agagite. Agag was a dynastic, honorary title given to high-ranking Amalekites.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: I Samuel 18:1-4, 19:1-4, 23:15-18 

David and Jonathan exemplify a close-knit friendship — as described in Proverbs 18:24 — in I Samuel. Jonathan, the son of King Saul, did not allow the animosity fostered by his father against David to spoil the devotion he had for his friend. Jonathan’s solidarity with the future king of Israel proved true regardless of the cultural and familial pressures surrounding him.  

Don’t stumble over role expectations. The first four verses of I Samuel 18 introduce the reader to Jonathan. He was a prince of Israel, the son of King Saul. The king kept David close at hand in the palace and a friendship quickly blossomed between David and Jonathan. In verse 4, Jonathan removed all the trappings of his princely office and gave them to David as a symbol of the covenant between the two men. [Read more…]

Focal Passages: Judges 4:4-8, 12-16; 5:1-5 

When we think of the book of Judges, we probably will think of characters like Samson or Gideon. However, the book of Judges tells the story of several leaders in Israel who responded to God’s call. Judges outlines a cycle of disobedience and oppression for the nation of Israel. 

In the wake of Joshua’s passing the people of Israel slid into a pattern of idolatry resulting in foreign oppressors that plagued God’s people. During this plight God raised up leaders to deliver His people to victory and renewal of faith. The partnership of Deborah and Barak illustrates one of the more unexpected pairings of the Old Testament.  

Allow yourself to be challenged. Deborah was a prophetess filled with the Spirit of God. While Israel was suffering under the heel of the Canaanite king, Deborah judged the people with the wisdom of God. While Deborah fulfilled the role of a civic leader, she did not take men into battle. She summoned Barak and called him to be the military leader Israel needed to subdue their foe.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Exodus 17:8-13; 24:13-15 

The second study of this quarter focuses on the role of the supporting casts of the Bible. No one likes to play second fiddle. We all aspire to leading roles in the activities we pursue. This is the road to self-centeredness and conceit. Rather, God calls us to a life of servant-hearted ministry. We must realize it really is not about us in the first place; it is about giving glory to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). In church ministry and leadership, we will all play second fiddle to the Head of the Church, Jesus the Messiah. May we be good servants of the Master who has called us. [Read more…]

Focal Passages: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:14-20 

Over the past few weeks we have studied the many covenants God has made with His people. From Eden’s call to replenish the earth to God’s promise of a Davidic King the Bible displays the beauty of God’s assurances to provide the faithful with a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). All of these covenant promises find their fulfillment in the New Covenant outlined in Jeremiah 31 and accomplished through the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

A new covenant unlike any other. The new covenant finds its uniqueness contrasted with the Mosaic covenant at Sinai (Exodus 19). Interestingly, God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah in this passage to the unified people of God. At this point in biblical history, the Nation of Israel had been annihilated for over 150 years and the Kingdom of Judah was in the process of being sent into exile in Babylon.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: II Samuel 7:8-16 

In addition to God’s promise of blessing and salvation through the lineage of Abraham, God also promised King David in II Samuel 7 that there would always be one of His descendants sitting on the throne in Jerusalem. God has always remained faithful to the assurances He has given. 

Nonetheless, a king does not currently sit on a throne in Jerusalem. David’s descendants would reign first over a divided kingdom and would eventually fall to destruction and exile. The people would return; the city would be rebuilt; yet, a Davidic king was not placed on the throne. Is this an example of a promise God has not kept? Of course not.  [Read more…]

Focal Passage: II Chronicles 7:1-3, 12-20 

As we close out the month of June, the American public make plans for the cookouts, fireworks  and summer fun of Independence Day.  

As believers enjoy this festive time of patriotism, we must also take time to pray for our country and ask the Lord for His continued blessing upon this nation. II Chronicles 7 outlines the way we can intercede on behalf of our nation, state and communities. 

While we enjoy many freedoms in this land, especially religious freedom, the signs grow concerning that this may not always be the case. Moreover, God calls His people to pray for our government leaders (Romans 13), pursue the welfare of the communities around us (Jeremiah 29:4-7) and to always remember that blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh (Psalm 33:12).   [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Exodus 19:1-8 

The book of Exodus tells the wonderful story of how God delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt and led them toward the Promised Land. 

This narrative demonstrates the faithfulness of the Lord to His plan of salvation and great desire to make a people for Himself who will be a city on a hill, shining the Light of Christ on a lost and dying world. [Read more…]

Focal Passage: Genesis 12:1-3, 15:5-7, 17:7-11 

God’s promises in Scripture always point to the covenants He has made with His people. 

The last two lessons saw God’s mandate for humanity to be fruitful, replenish and steward the earth. This week’s lesson focuses on the covenant of redemption and blessing founded in God’s calling and promises to Abram.  Through the Lord’s interaction with the patriarch we learn that blessing is not something earned but is a gift of God’s grace.

God’s promise to us of blessing began with a call to Abram. Out of nowhere God called Abram.   Abram’s father had taken his family from Ur and traveled as far as Haran. Terah intended to carry on to Canaan, but he ended up settling in Haran and died there.  [Read more…]