Bible Commentaries

Jeremiah 47:1-7 — 46:7} 3 – So terrible was the invasion that parents would flee for their lives, & leave the kids behind! Yet, check out 49:11 “Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; And let your widows trust in Me." 5 – They act like mourners at a funeral, shaving their heads. 6,7 – Q: When will you put away your sword Lord? A: How can I put it away till judgment is over? Chilling words! “God judges a man, not by the point

Jeremiah 47:1-7 — 46:7} 3 – So terrible was the invasion that parents would flee for their lives, & leave the kids behind! Yet, check out 49:11 “Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; And let your widows trust in Me." 5 – They act like mourners at a funeral, shaving their heads. 6,7 – Q: When will you put away your sword Lord? A: How can I put it away till judgment is over? Chilling words! “God judges a man, not by the point

Hosea 6:1-11 — Here God has Divine doubts about their sincerity! It was a “Shallow Religious Revival”! Their loyalty drifted like a morning cloud, & dried up like the dew. Here one minute gone the next. (6) Mercy – (○"⊙$⊙⊙ hesed) 275 in OT. Means “covenant love”, “loyal love”. It is a steel-ribbed love. The NIV translates 10:12 as “unfailing love”. Kathy Troccoli’s song, “It’s

Hosea 6:1-11 — Here God has Divine doubts about their sincerity! It was a “Shallow Religious Revival”! Their loyalty drifted like a morning cloud, & dried up like the dew. Here one minute gone the next. (6) Mercy – (○"⊙$⊙⊙ hesed) 275 in OT. Means “covenant love”, “loyal love”. It is a steel-ribbed love. The NIV translates 10:12 as “unfailing love”. Kathy Troccoli’s song, “It’s

Numbers 8:1-26 — LAMPS & LEVITES! (Ch.8) LAMPS! (1-4) Why is this repeated here? Maybe because they’re preparing to leave Sinai & move toward the Promise Land. Thus to shine as lights in the world, i.e. as they traveled. LEVITES! (5-26) Lay hands on & offer them like a wave offering - (wave offering/special presentation to God) Counterpart in NT Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Levites = set apart for the subordinate

Numbers 8:1-26 — LAMPS & LEVITES! (Ch.8) LAMPS! (1-4) Why is this repeated here? Maybe because they’re preparing to leave Sinai & move toward the Promise Land. Thus to shine as lights in the world, i.e. as they traveled. LEVITES! (5-26) Lay hands on & offer them like a wave offering - (wave offering/special presentation to God) Counterpart in NT Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Levites = set apart for the subordinate

Micah 3:1-12 — cannibals! (4) These wolves in shepherds clothing would cry out for God’s mercy, but no mercy would be given. They were not being heard by God! And the next group(the prophets) were not speaking for God! BAD PROPHETICAL LEADERSHIP! (5-7) So how do you lead misleaders? Instead of guiding the flock, they led them astray. They brought messages of “false peace”. If you “bought them a drink”(2:11) they would declare whatever you wanted them to say.

Micah 3:1-12 — cannibals! (4) These wolves in shepherds clothing would cry out for God’s mercy, but no mercy would be given. They were not being heard by God! And the next group(the prophets) were not speaking for God! BAD PROPHETICAL LEADERSHIP! (5-7) So how do you lead misleaders? Instead of guiding the flock, they led them astray. They brought messages of “false peace”. If you “bought them a drink”(2:11) they would declare whatever you wanted them to say.

Zechariah 9:1-17 — it’s a Southward sweep. We’ll watch Syrian, Phoenician, & Philistinian cities tumble. Syrian Cities tumble(Damscus) (1,2a) Phoenician Cities tumble(Tyre) (2b-4) They had a citadel of defense(Tyre/tsor = Rock). 150’ high walls, on its 150 acre rock fortress, a ½ mile from the mainland. It withstood a 5 year siege by the Assyrians. A 13 year siege by the Babylonian army. But when Alexander came with a small army he defeated them in only 5 brief

Zechariah 9:1-17 — it’s a Southward sweep. We’ll watch Syrian, Phoenician, & Philistinian cities tumble. Syrian Cities tumble(Damscus) (1,2a) Phoenician Cities tumble(Tyre) (2b-4) They had a citadel of defense(Tyre/tsor = Rock). 150’ high walls, on its 150 acre rock fortress, a ½ mile from the mainland. It withstood a 5 year siege by the Assyrians. A 13 year siege by the Babylonian army. But when Alexander came with a small army he defeated them in only 5 brief

Deuteronomy 20:1-20 — Intro: Our worlds Global Defense Spending is $1.756 Trillion...annually. US leads w/$640 bill per yr. During the reign of Julius Caesar, to kill an enemy soldier cost less than $1. At the time of Napoleon, it had considerably inflated - to more than $2,000. At the end of the WWI, it

Deuteronomy 20:1-20 — Intro: Our worlds Global Defense Spending is $1.756 Trillion...annually. US leads w/$640 bill per yr. During the reign of Julius Caesar, to kill an enemy soldier cost less than $1. At the time of Napoleon, it had considerably inflated - to more than $2,000. At the end of the WWI, it

John 17:1-5 — pray for you for those 3 minutes. Why 3 minutes? That’s how long it takes to slowly read through this chapter. Other chapter names: Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer; The true Lord’s Prayer; Outline: Jesus prayed for Himself(1-5); for His disciples(6-19); for all of His church(20-26) Transition: Read 16:33 & note the world(19 x’s) & Jesus victorious. This is the longest prayer by Jesus, in 2 ways: #1 In length; #2 In scope (covers then, till now)! It

John 17:1-5 — pray for you for those 3 minutes. Why 3 minutes? That’s how long it takes to slowly read through this chapter. Other chapter names: Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer; The true Lord’s Prayer; Outline: Jesus prayed for Himself(1-5); for His disciples(6-19); for all of His church(20-26) Transition: Read 16:33 & note the world(19 x’s) & Jesus victorious. This is the longest prayer by Jesus, in 2 ways: #1 In length; #2 In scope (covers then, till now)! It

Acts 12:1-25 — Living a Self-Exalting Life (Herod); & another Living a God-Exalting Life (Peter). Faith is fundamentally God-Exalting; Glory seeking is fundamentally Self-Exalting…and the 2 can’t fit into one person! A TALE OF TWO LIVES! (1-25) LIVING A SELF-EXALTING LIFE…HEROD! (1-4) HEROD KILLS JAMES! Meanwhile back in Jerusalem…Herod touches off another round of persecution. This one as much political as religious. Herod? Which one? – Herod the

Acts 12:1-25 — Living a Self-Exalting Life (Herod); & another Living a God-Exalting Life (Peter). Faith is fundamentally God-Exalting; Glory seeking is fundamentally Self-Exalting…and the 2 can’t fit into one person! A TALE OF TWO LIVES! (1-25) LIVING A SELF-EXALTING LIFE…HEROD! (1-4) HEROD KILLS JAMES! Meanwhile back in Jerusalem…Herod touches off another round of persecution. This one as much political as religious. Herod? Which one? – Herod the

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 — crucified! Paul slams down his pile driver & hits it once…The Power of God; again…The Wisdom of God; again…The Spirit of God; again…The Spiritual Discernment of God; again…The Mind of God. #1 The POWER of God! (1-5) (1) Paul came armed to Corinth with that crazy/foolish sounding gospel (1:18). He didn’t depend on eloquence & intellectual brilliance. [though he had both] Paul knew: art, music, philosophy, culture, the poets, & about his world

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 — crucified! Paul slams down his pile driver & hits it once…The Power of God; again…The Wisdom of God; again…The Spirit of God; again…The Spiritual Discernment of God; again…The Mind of God. #1 The POWER of God! (1-5) (1) Paul came armed to Corinth with that crazy/foolish sounding gospel (1:18). He didn’t depend on eloquence & intellectual brilliance. [though he had both] Paul knew: art, music, philosophy, culture, the poets, & about his world

Hebrews 5:1-11 — Slide#3 Intro: [I’ll explain our title: munis triplex later] Ch.1,2 dealt w/Jesus being Greater than Angels & the Prophets. Ch.3,4 dealt w/Jesus being Greater than Moses (Jews favorite/greatest Prophets). Now… Ch.’s 5-10 all deal w/Jesus being Greater than Aaron the High Priest. [Started in 4:14] See, you don’t go before a judge w/o a lawyer, and you don’t go before God w/o a priest. Confidence rests in your counselor. The better your attorney

Hebrews 5:1-11 — Slide#3 Intro: [I’ll explain our title: munis triplex later] Ch.1,2 dealt w/Jesus being Greater than Angels & the Prophets. Ch.3,4 dealt w/Jesus being Greater than Moses (Jews favorite/greatest Prophets). Now… Ch.’s 5-10 all deal w/Jesus being Greater than Aaron the High Priest. [Started in 4:14] See, you don’t go before a judge w/o a lawyer, and you don’t go before God w/o a priest. Confidence rests in your counselor. The better your attorney