Bible Commentaries

Ezra 7:1-28 — Intro: The Returns: Trip #1 49,897 people return [Zerubbabel leads, 538bc] [purpose rebuild temple] Trip #2 1,754 return [Ezra is in] (80 yrs. later) [purpose to rebuild the people] Trip #3 Nehemiah leads (14 yrs. later) [purpose to rebuild the wall] Ezra – A

Ezra 7:1-28 — Intro: The Returns: Trip #1 49,897 people return [Zerubbabel leads, 538bc] [purpose rebuild temple] Trip #2 1,754 return [Ezra is in] (80 yrs. later) [purpose to rebuild the people] Trip #3 Nehemiah leads (14 yrs. later) [purpose to rebuild the wall] Ezra – A

Song of Solomon 1:1 — Authorship: ​​​​​​​Date - 10th cent. bc. Authorship - Solomon as we see in vs.1(& in 5 others places in the book). What we have here! ​​​​​​​The Song of Songs! – The Choicest of 1005 songs he wrote(1 Kings 4:32). His moist exquisite song! As Jesus is the King of Kings – The Temple had the Holy of Holies – Here this is Solomon’s Song of Songs! (Spurgeon) “The historical books I may compare to the outer courts of the Temple;

Song of Solomon 1:1 — Authorship: ​​​​​​​Date - 10th cent. bc. Authorship - Solomon as we see in vs.1(& in 5 others places in the book). What we have here! ​​​​​​​The Song of Songs! – The Choicest of 1005 songs he wrote(1 Kings 4:32). His moist exquisite song! As Jesus is the King of Kings – The Temple had the Holy of Holies – Here this is Solomon’s Song of Songs! (Spurgeon) “The historical books I may compare to the outer courts of the Temple;

Isaiah 22:1-25 — JERUSALEM! (22) Jerusalem Devastated! (1-14) Jerusalem is surrounded by valleys on 3 sides(Tyropoeon, Kidron, Hinnom). So this is addressed to the Valley of Visions. Isaiah describes the Babylonian invasion & siege against Jerusalem led by Nebuchadnezzar in 588-586bc. (2 Kings

Isaiah 22:1-25 — JERUSALEM! (22) Jerusalem Devastated! (1-14) Jerusalem is surrounded by valleys on 3 sides(Tyropoeon, Kidron, Hinnom). So this is addressed to the Valley of Visions. Isaiah describes the Babylonian invasion & siege against Jerusalem led by Nebuchadnezzar in 588-586bc. (2 Kings

Jeremiah 37:1-21 — – Can’t blame this guard – after all, he had been urging everyone to “desert to the enemy” in a sense! And, some had (38:19) It is pretty natural then that he is following his own advice & defecting. Vs.14-15 – He tries zealously to deny the charges. He’s then handed over to the state officials (flog him & imprison him). He doesn’t go to the state prison yet(21). ​​​​​​​SECRET

Jeremiah 37:1-21 — – Can’t blame this guard – after all, he had been urging everyone to “desert to the enemy” in a sense! And, some had (38:19) It is pretty natural then that he is following his own advice & defecting. Vs.14-15 – He tries zealously to deny the charges. He’s then handed over to the state officials (flog him & imprison him). He doesn’t go to the state prison yet(21). ​​​​​​​SECRET

Jonah 2:1-10 — Jesus, and he prayed "God, please forgive men like these," he prayed, "because they are in part responsible for bringing me to You and Your Son." Jerry realized…God used his imprisonment to get his attention. Ps.116:3,4 The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!” To bounce back from the bottom, you begin by

Matthew 6:19-34 — they have a default code like 00000 that the hotel uses in case you forget your code you entered. Be careful. Jesus encourages us here, to keep our valuables in heaven with Him, for really safe keeping. Read Summary statement first (vs.33,34). The Big Idea: Put God 1st & material things will be taken care of by God. The kingdom of God - is the primary subject of the Sermon on the Mount. That kingdom which the God of heaven is erecting in this fallen world. Where we are

Deuteronomy 14:1-29 — CLEAN/UNCLEAN (Ch.14) Moses also includes as other forms of apostasy as including pagan rites of mourning the dead & eating of foods declared ritually unclean. In other societies, only the priests were subject to regulations such as these, but Israel was to be

Deuteronomy 14:1-29 — CLEAN/UNCLEAN (Ch.14) Moses also includes as other forms of apostasy as including pagan rites of mourning the dead & eating of foods declared ritually unclean. In other societies, only the priests were subject to regulations such as these, but Israel was to be

Deuteronomy 33:1-29 — BEGINNING PRAISES (33:1-5) Moses began & ended his blessing on Israel by offering praise to God. Bless and blessing occur some 415 x’s in the OT, showing the importance of this concept in biblical times. To bless means “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity/ fruitful, longevity, etc.” The person who is “blessed” is given some

Deuteronomy 33:1-29 — BEGINNING PRAISES (33:1-5) Moses began & ended his blessing on Israel by offering praise to God. Bless and blessing occur some 415 x’s in the OT, showing the importance of this concept in biblical times. To bless means “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity/ fruitful, longevity, etc.” The person who is “blessed” is given some

2 Corinthians 13:1-10 — FAITH FINAL! (13:1-6) (1-4) Paul appeals to the Law(Deut.17:6). He is through warning them. Discipline is imminent. It is time for a thorough spring cleaning! [fur is going to fly!] (2) I will not spare – He’s coming w/his white glove! Sometimes your doctor

2 Corinthians 13:1-10 — FAITH FINAL! (13:1-6) (1-4) Paul appeals to the Law(Deut.17:6). He is through warning them. Discipline is imminent. It is time for a thorough spring cleaning! [fur is going to fly!] (2) I will not spare – He’s coming w/his white glove! Sometimes your doctor

1 Timothy 5:1-25 — Fathers. Rebuke – (only occurrence) it describes a severe verbal pounding! Treat them w/love, respect, & gentleness…rather than w/harsh rebuke. – Preserve their dignity & worth. So, is it ever right to rebuke? 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. It’s not whether we should; it’s when & how…gently! Younger men –

Hebrews 10:19-25 — constantly involved with us, working all things together for good. This verse helps us to confidently point our ship into the high seas w/strength & power. We are not only to exist in a hostile culture but to buck its waves. Slide#10 In A.D. 404 John Chrysostom (golden mouth), the early church father, was brought in before the Roman emperor. The emperor threatened him with banishment if he remained a Christian. Chrysostom responded, You cannot banish me, for this world is my Father’s

Hebrews 12:12-17 — man is enabled to run & not be weary; but he also knew that of all things it is hardest to walk every day and not to faint. (William Barclay, Hebrews, pg.179) Outline: Finish Strong. Guard Against… Slide5 FINISH STRONG (12-14) Here the writer runs back to his running analogy. (vs.1 let us run w/endurance the race set before us) Remember, the spiritual life is a long distance run. Slide6 RUN TOUGH (12) The call here is to tough it out, suck it up, gut

Hebrews 13:1-6 — Philadelphia but also PhiloXenia. [φιλοζενια- hospitality] Not only a love for the brethren but also a love for strangers. Inns were often times miserable places. Aristophanēs (446-386 BC) a comic playwright of ancient Athens, wrote The Frogs,  Dionysus asks Hercules if he can tell him, which Inn has the fewest fleas. Theophrastus puts inn-keeping on the level of running a brothel. (Kent Hughes; pg.209) Thus