Bible Commentaries

Nehemiah 11:1-36 — Intro: In ch.11 we have the settlement of the city of Jerusalem. This is the last piece of Israel’s history that the OT contains. The prophets add a little of some later conditions of the people. After this is a lapse of 4 centuries & then Israel’s history resumes in the NT. Inter-Testamental period, or the 400 Silent Years. INHABITING JERUSALEM (Ch.11) ​​​​​​​WHO WILL DWELL IN JERUSALEM? (1,2) Why

Nehemiah 11:1-36 — Intro: In ch.11 we have the settlement of the city of Jerusalem. This is the last piece of Israel’s history that the OT contains. The prophets add a little of some later conditions of the people. After this is a lapse of 4 centuries & then Israel’s history resumes in the NT. Inter-Testamental period, or the 400 Silent Years. INHABITING JERUSALEM (Ch.11) ​​​​​​​WHO WILL DWELL IN JERUSALEM? (1,2) Why

Leviticus 17:1-16 — 17-20 we have a legal code again stressing “holiness”. All along the Lord was looking for not only an obedience to the law, but for them to have a holy character! {Which are not necessarily the same thing!} These chapters deal with 4 special areas that needed to be respected & kept holy: the sanctity of Blood(life)[17]; the sanctity of Sex [18]; the sanctity of the Law[19]; the sanctity of Judgment[20] Q: What about all the other religions? - What about others who are sincere

Leviticus 18:1-30 — didn’t exist; the modernist pretend that nothing else exists.” HOLINESS IN MARRIAGE RELATIONS! (1-5) Holiness is best realized in connection w/the nature & character of God. (Griffith Thomas) The Basis of Holiness! (1-4) “I am the Lord your God”(2) – God’s character & claim on us form the foundation of true life. This reminds us we are “under” His authority! Q: Are you under His authority? If so, does that change

Song of Solomon 6:1-13 — He’s mine) 2:16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” (He’s mine, I’m His) 7:10 “I am my beloved's, And his desire is toward me.” (I’m His, & He desires me) FEELING LOVE FROM HER 1ST LOVE! (4-10) ​​​​​​​Now men, be honest, how would you feel, with the earlier rejection, what would be your response? Note: He doesn’t say to her, “Woman, where were you when I knocked?” No,

Isaiah 26:1-21 — is the Prince & the Personification of Peace! Prince: “His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Is.9:6 Personification: “For He Himself is our peace,” Eph.2:14 [3] God the Spirit provides the Fruit of Peace! “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,…” Gal.5:22 So, the Father decreed peace; the Son purchased peace; the Spirit applies peace. ​​​​​​​Peace

Isaiah 30:1-33 — man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.” (Wilbur Rees, Leadership, Vol. 4, no. 1.) Q: How much of God do you want? Trusting in….? (1-12) A 3rd woe is pronounced on Judah for their rebellion against the Lord. They trusted more in their diplomacy (their skill & tact in dealing with other people). Confidence

Jeremiah 2:1-37 — for they really didn't think he would take them seriously. But they kept their promise and gave him a large area which today is part of the city of Philadelphia. William Penn simply believed what they said.  Should we do less with God! vs.4-8 - Now they were unfaithful! Q: Who can understand or fathom there poor response to the yearning love of God? Q: Who can understand or fathom “our” poor response to the yearning love of Christ? The heathen so devoted & w/their

Jeremiah 28:1-17 — THE BREAKING OF THE YOKE! (28:1-17) False prophets give false hopes! Vs.2-4 – Historians tell us Neb. Was suppressing a revolt in Babylon. Hananiah wrongly interprets this as the end of Neb.’s rule. Vs.6 – This vs. could be interpreted “Oh, that the lord would do what you have said!”{or,

Jeremiah 28:1-17 — THE BREAKING OF THE YOKE! (28:1-17) False prophets give false hopes! Vs.2-4 – Historians tell us Neb. Was suppressing a revolt in Babylon. Hananiah wrongly interprets this as the end of Neb.’s rule. Vs.6 – This vs. could be interpreted “Oh, that the lord would do what you have said!”{or,

Jeremiah 32:1-44 — loved God. Here Jeremiah puts his shekels on the line to prove he believed Gods promises, despite the enemy beating at their gates. We must be like Jeremiah & obey God despite what we see, what we feel, & what may happen! Vs.9-14 – Why all the detail in the legal transaction? To show those who were watching he believed what he was preaching. We see it: Signed, Sealed, Witnessed, Weighed(shekels)(10); Notarized(12c); then Secured(14). The earliest copies of

Jeremiah 9:1-26 — society unraveling thread by thread. (www) “Life never seems to stand still”. You’re either moving from: Evil to Evil(vs.3); or as Paul said from Faith to Faith(Rom.1:17); or as the Psalmist said from Strength to Strength(Ps.84:7); or from Glory to Glory(2 Cor.3:18). This is the true Pilgrim’s Progress! Vs.4 – Truth was a precious commodity…you couldn’t trust your neighbor or even, your brother! Today, much of our life

Hosea 7:1-16 — time! Illus - MPD/range/Jim Ganley/shotgun/slugs. It could be said of Israel “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Mt.7:27 4 IMAGES! (1-5) A HOT OVEN! (1-7) (1) Your sin is always naked before God, “Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.” Ps.139:12 (4) It refers to

Judges 19:1-30 — Ephraim Benjamin, Judah. Jebus(ites)Jer Jabesh Gilead Bethlehem GIBEANITES GONE WILD (Ch.19) (1) A concubine was a friend with benefits in that day. A sexual partner, but who did not possess the legal and cultural status of a wife. Lev.21:14,15 says who he can/can’t marry. A widow or a divorced woman or a defiled woman or a harlot - these he shall not marry; but he shall take a virgin of his own people as wife. Didn’t say anything about concubine! Levitical Loophole he thought? (15)

Judges 19:1-30 — Ephraim Benjamin, Judah. Jebus(ites)Jer Jabesh Gilead Bethlehem GIBEANITES GONE WILD (Ch.19) (1) A concubine was a friend with benefits in that day. A sexual partner, but who did not possess the legal and cultural status of a wife. Lev.21:14,15 says who he can/can’t marry. A widow or a divorced woman or a defiled woman or a harlot - these he shall not marry; but he shall take a virgin of his own people as wife. Didn’t say anything about concubine! Levitical Loophole he thought? (15)

1 John 3:1-15 — family!!! Overview: Main point - Deliberate sin is a serious thing! Deliberate sin grieves the Father who loves you & has a wonderful future planned for you (1-3). Deliberate sin grieves the Savior who died for you & delivered you from the power of Satan (4-8). Deliberate sin grieves the Holy Spirit who lives in you & gave you new birth (9-15). Outline: 5 things - Love; Likeness; Loyalty; Living Rightly; Loving brothers. WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM! ​​​​​​​LOVE!

Revelation 15:1-8 — time before these judgments. This seems to come against the “overlapping” theory(occurring simultaneously). “complete” - Judgments will be finished, & He will begin to set up his kingdom! VICTORY CHANT! (2-4) vs.2 - Q: Who are these people? “Those who have the victory!” (believers from the trib. who had overcome the Beast & his system). Note: They’re in Heaven, not purgatory! Note: They are singing, something impossible if

Revelation 2:8-11 — church! (Myrrh/a bitter herb) A suitable name for a church facing persecution. The Myrrh plant when its crushed gives off a beautiful  fragrance,…so this church of Smryna! Wes - Share on Sudan. Open - Nero Description (pg.46 Phillips) DESTINATION (8a) Smyrna Today: “The church Persecuted has always come out Pure, the church Pampered has always been Polluted!” Ungers Bible Dict. says it is still an important seaport city. Its name  today

1 Samuel 13:1-23 — Deleon - Divorce Care. Dominic Gomez & team(50+ folks) - building homes in Valle Verde, Mexicali, México. Wed Night, Sharing our Faith Series - This week: Finding your style in sharing your faith. #1 Imp of Discipleship; #2 Testimony(4 part: my story, His, ours, theirs). SAUL’S SLIPPERY SLOPE! ​​​​​​​We’ve all heard the expression “a Slippery Slope”. It is the slide from A to Z via the intermediate steps

2 Samuel 12:13-31 — whirlwind. (Taken & adapted from Charles Swindoll intro pg.152 David.) One boat, was tied loosely to its moorings, snaps the rope & is carried out by the violent currents only to crash upon the rocks. But another boat, secured by its nautical ropes to the 4 cleats on the dock, is able to ride out the storm. And, it is ready to sail when the sun comes out in the morning. Our last chapter dealt with David right in the midst of a whirlwind, reaping the results of sin. Let’s see how he weathered