Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
The way that this study works is that it goes through a narrowing process to help
explain and make clear what each book of the OT is about. It goes as follows:
We start with the entire OT.
The OT is narrowed down into each of the books of the OT.
Each book of the OT is narrowed down by dividing it into its major sections.
Each section is then summarized into a couple of paragraphs.
The paragraphs are then used to formulate and answer questions that give us
the Big Picture of the book.
And finally, the Big Picture questions and answers are summarized into a few
points that tell the purpose of each book.
It is always easier to understand a book when you know the Big Picture and purpose
of the book before you read it. But even knowing this is not of eternal value if we fail
to realize that every book of the Bible, including the OT books, points us towards
and informs us about Jesus. Therefore, at a high level, I also explain how each book
of the OT teaches us about Jesus.
The order that the books of the Bible are presented in this study is in the order of
the Hebrew Bible: the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Writings. I must confess
that the farther I got into this project the wordier I became. But I trust you will still
get the big picture of each book.
The promised Offspring/Seed of Adam and Eve who will crush the serpents
head.
The new Adam who obeyed Gods Word perfectly.
The One Man who reversed the effects of Adams sin bringing justification and
righteous.
The promised Offspring/Seed of Abraham through whom the whole world will
be blessed.
The goal of the genealogies of Genesis. The line goes from Adam to Seth to
Noah to Shem to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah and eventually to Jesus.
The great High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, our eternal High Priest in
the heavenly sanctuary.
The only Son, the Son of promise, who was sacrificed by God the Father and
the Ram who was sacrificed in our place.
The Ladder that bridges heaven and earth together, reconnecting sinful
mankind with God.
A new and greater Joseph as he too suffered injustice, was released from
prison (the prison of death), saved many people, and brought good from evil.
The Lion of Judah, the promised King who would rule forever.
All of the OT sacrifices pointed forward to the one great sacrifice of Christ.
Jesus sacrifice on the cross was our burnt offering, grain offering, sin offering,
guilt offering, and peace offering all in one.
The blood from the offerings was used to make atonement for sin and it
looked forward to the blood shed by Christ to atone for the sins of the world.
The result of the sacrifices a column of sweet smelling smoke. This conveyed
God pleasure and favorable disposition toward his people. This was a
precursor to the Gospel, the Good News of Gods pleasure and favorable
disposition toward Christians because of Christs sacrifice and for his sake.
Another result from many of the sacrifices was a holy meal (holy bread and
holy meat) provided by God for the priests and people. This looked forward to
the NT meal of Holy Communion in which Jesus gives us his crucified and
risen body as holy bread from heaven.
The fire of Gods presence was on the Altar for Burnt Offering. It was kindled
by the high priest. In the NT the fire of Gods presence is the Holy Spirit. God
places his Spirit in the hearts of believers. And that fire is kindled by our High
Priest, Jesus.
The high priest was anointed with holy oil and consecrated when the blood of
sacrifices was sprinkled on him. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and
consecrated by his own shed blood.
The priests served God in the divine service at the tabernacle. Before they
could serve they had to be washed and had to wear special vestments, which
were anointed with holy oil and blood, giving them safe access to God. In the
NT all of Gods people are priests who have been washed and clothed with
Christ in Holy Baptism. Because of this they are qualified to serve in the
Divine Service and have safe access to him.
With the tabernacle being completed, the instructions for the sacrifices being
given, and the priests being ordained, the daily divine service was then
inaugurated. Jesus inaugurated the NT Divine Service through his life and
death. Luke shows that Jesus became the new place for worship. And Jesus
and his gifts are the content of the Divine Service. In the Divine Service Jesus
reveals himself and the forgiveness he won to people when they hear Gods
Word and receive his holy body and blood.
In the OT to participate in the sacrificial ritual one had to be physically clean.
In the NT Jesus cleanses the heart and conscience through his Word and
Baptism so that we might come into Gods holy presence and participate in
the Divine Service.
In the OT if one became unclean, one had to go through a purification
process, which varied depending on the type of impurity. In the NT Jesus
purifies us by taking our sinfulness and impurity on himself and by giving us
his righteousness and holiness the Great Exchange.
The application of blood on the Day of Atonement was a comprehensive act
of atonement for the sanctuary and the people. In the NT Jesus shed his blood
to atone for the sins of the world. In the Holy Supper Jesus gives us his blood
to cleanse and sanctify us.
In the OT the only authorized use of blood was for atonement. All pagan uses
of blood were prohibited. In the NT Jesus blood is life-giving and Spirit-filled.
Through it he conveys eternal blessings. Therefore Jesus gives us his blood to
drink in the Lords Supper.
In the OT persistent sexual immorality polluted the people and the land and
caused the Israelites to lose the inheritance of their land through exile. It is
the same in the NT. If followers of Jesus live a sexually immoral lifestyle, they
forfeit their heavenly inheritance.
In the OT God shared his holiness with his people at the tabernacle in the
divine service. They were made holy when they ate the holy meat from the
peace offering. In the NT God shares his holiness with his people through
Christ in the Divine Service. We are made holy when we eat and drink the
holy body and blood of Christ.
Some sins in ancient Israel were punishable by death. In the NT all sins are
punishable by death, but Jesus died the death that we deserve. In Baptism we
die with Christ and are raised up to a new life.
In the OT some priests were disqualified from approaching the altar and
offering sacrifices because of physical deformities. In the NT all Christians are
priests. Because they are united with Christ in Baptism, they share in his
physical and spiritual perfection and therefore are unblemished and fit for
service to God and can approach the altar without fear.
In the OT only the priests could eat the most holy food and they had to be
sure not to desecrate it. In the NT all of Gods people are priests and eat the
most holy body and blood of Christ. They too must be careful not to
desecrate it by not recognizing Christs real presence.
OT sacrifices had to be animals without defect. Jesus offered himself as a
sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is the Lamb of God who is without defect
or blemish.
In the OT God established a religious calendar made up of weekly Sabbaths
and annual festivals and Sabbaths. All OT festivals and Sabbaths pointed to
and were fulfilled in Jesus.
In the OT the only way to come into Gods presence was through the Holy
place. Jesus fulfilled the function of the Holy Place. He is the Way, the only
Way, into Gods holy presence.
In the year of Jubilee, someone who sold himself or his property to pay a debt
was freed. They returned to their property and family or the property was
returned to them. Jesus ushered in a Jubilee age where those who trust in him
are released from their debt of sin and are freed to return to Gods family and
their heavenly home.
Israel celebrated the Passover one year after leaving Egypt. They had to
follow the Passover instructions, including not breaking any of the lambs
bones. Jesus is our Passover Lamb. In the Passion account, it is specifically
mentioned that they did not break any of his bones.
The glory cloud appeared above the tabernacle, signifying Gods presence
with Israel. God led them through the wilderness via the glory cloud. The
cloud looked forward to Jesus. Jesus is fully God in the flesh. Jesus leads us
through the wilderness of life on our journey to the heavenly promised land.
When the ashes of a red heifer mixed with water were sprinkled on people
who had become unclean from exposure to a corpse, they became clean. In
Hebrews the cleansing power of Jesus blood is contrasted with this cleansing.
Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice. His blood cleanses not just
outwardly, but to the core of our being.
God had Moses make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. When those
bitten by poisonous snakes looked up to it, they were saved from dying. Jesus
said that just as the bronze serpent was raised up to save people, so he had
come to earth to be raised up on the cross to save people from their
poisonous and deadly sins.
Balaam prophesied that a future king would arise from Judah. Much later in
fulfillment of this prophecy, the Wise Men followed a star and came to
worship baby Jesus, the King of the Jews.
2. The second cycle tells what will happen if the first cycle is disrupted by
persistent idolatry.
God the landowner will turn his face in wrath away from
the land and carry out the covenant curses of death and exile on
God.
3. The third cycle tells what will happen if the people repent of their idolatry.
his exiled people, who are turning from their idols back to
Deuteronomy is all about the land. The ultimate purpose for the land
relates to Jesus. He will be born in the land, live a perfect life in the land,
preach, teach, and heal in the land, die in the land, rise from the dead in
the land, and ascend into heaven from the land. Jesus would carry out
Gods plan of salvation in this land.
God swore on oath to give the land of Canaan to Abrahams descendants.
In Deuteronomy God is about to fulfill that promise. The ultimate purpose
for the land as described in the Abrahamic covenant was to bless the
world. The blessing God promised for the world would come through Jesus,
who blessed the world by carrying out Gods plan of salvation for the
world.
Deuteronomy reminds OT Israel that they were graciously chosen by God
to be his treasured possession and his holy people. The NT equivalent is
the Church. God makes people his treasured possession when he brings
them into his Church by baptizing them into the death and resurrection of
Christ. They are made righteous by receiving the righteousness of Christ.
God shares his holiness with them in the Divine Service through his
presence with them, through his Word, which is preached and heard, and
though the Holy body and blood of Christ given to them in the Supper.
The earthly promised land, which Moses is preparing Israel to enter,
represents the eternal promised land of heaven. Jesus came in order to
lead people out of the wilderness of this life into an eternal life of blessing
in the eternal promised land, the new heaven and new earth.
OT Israel is at the same time portrayed in Deuteronomy as a people holy
to the Lord and as a people who are sinful and rebellious. The NT people
of God are the same way. They are saints and sinners at the same time.
Christ came to win forgiveness for sinners. And when a person receives by
faith the forgiveness Christ won and the righteousness of Christ, he is
considered a saint (holy one) by God. And yet, at the same time, he
continues to have a sinful nature which causes him to sin.
Deuteronomy continually reminds Israel of how God saved them from
slavery in Egypt. This act of salvation points forward to the greater act of
salvation by Jesus. His death and resurrection provides a way out a life of
slavery to sin and death for people all over the world.
Moses was known as a great prophet. A prophet is one who speaks Gods
word. In Deuteronomy a greater prophet was promised. Jesus is the
Greater Prophet who not only spoke Gods word, but who was Gods Word.
Deuteronomy emphasizes that if Israel abandons the Lord and does not
keep his commandments, they will face the covenant curses. Christ
received the full justice and curses of Gods wrath that we deserve
because of our sins so that we would not have to.
Once they enter the land, Israel was to worship God in only one place and
that was the place where God would make his Name to dwell with his
people. Gods name is connected with his presence with his people at the
tabernacle and later temple. In the NT the one and only place where we
worship God is in Jesus. Jesus tabernacles with us and God will only
receive our prayers and worship when they are done in his name.
Why does the Hebrew Bible consider Joshua 2 Kings as prophecy, as part of the
section called the Prophets?
1. One thing about prophecy is that it always arises in a particular historical
situation and speaks to that situation. So history and prophecy always go
together. To understand a particular prophecy, you must understand the
historical situation that it comes from and speaks to. When a prophet speaks
a prophecy, God is telling what he is doing and/or what he is about to do. So
prophecy arises out of history; it creates history; it makes history; it helps us
make sense of history or of Gods activity in history. History and prophecy
always go together. So the books called the Former Prophets (Joshua 2
Kings) give the history of when the prophets were being sent by God and
were playing an important role in the life of the nation of Israel.
2. A second reason why the historical books are part of the Prophetic section of
the OT is that the history of Israel while they lived in Canaan was made,
shaped, and formed by the prophetic Word of God. During this period of
history, all of the important events that happened occurred as a result of a
specific prophetic Word of God. For modern people history is shaped by
politics, economics, and culture. In the OT history is seen as being shaped by
God. The OT sees that worship and prophecy shape history. If the Israelites
worship God then certain things happen to them. If they worship other gods
then other things happen to them. So it interprets history in light of the Law
of Moses and the messages of the prophets. History was created by the
prophetic Word and therefore history had to be understood in terms of the
prophecy that created it.
3. Some modern scholars call the Former Prophets (Joshua 2 Kings)
Deteronomic history. They call it this because in the book of Deuteronomy
Moses, the first great prophet, predicted what would happen to Israel when
they lived in the land of Canaan. He said if they acknowledge and worship
only the Lord all will go well for them. But if they do not acknowledge that the
Lord is the only true God and worship other gods then God will exile them
from the land until they repent of their sins. The books of the Former Prophets
show that the Israelites did not heed Moses prophetic word of warning. And
God had promised to give Israel the land and to give them peace. Now
through his servant Joshua he is about to do it. In fact it is as good as done
(Jos. 1:13). This foreshadows the future in which God through his Servant, a
greater Joshua (Jesus), would defeat all of the enemies of Gods people and
would lead them into the eternal and heavenly promised land.
Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who had heard of Gods mighty act of salvation
of Israel through the Red Sea and Gods destruction of the two kings east of
the Jordan, had come to believe that the God of Israel, Yahweh, was the God
of heaven and earth. She and other great sinners turned saints were
accorded the honor of being part of the genealogy of Jesus, who would work
even greater acts of salvation and permanently defeat all the enemies of
Gods people.
The scarlet cord used by Rahab to mark her house served a similar purpose
as the blood of the Passover lamb in Egypt. It marked all those in the house
as being safe because of their belief and trust in Yahweh. Because of it they
would not be destroyed with the rest of Jericho. And it serves as a type of the
atoning blood of Christ which when applied to us sinners marks us as safe,
covers our sins, and saves us from eternal destruction.
Joshuas encounter with the Commander of the Lords army was an encounter
with the pre-incarnate Christ. It is through Christ that God will defeat all the
enemies of Gods people in the OT and the NT.
The sound of the trumpet was used as a signal for the people to shout and
when they did the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. When this happened
they destroyed the city. A trumpet will sound at the End signaling Christs
return. And when he does he will show his power over all of his enemies.
When the Israelites defeated the coalition of kings, Joshua had the
commanders of the Israelite army come and place their feet upon the necks
of the kings. This humiliating position showed that the kings had been
defeated and were under the complete control of the Israelites. Such will be
the scene when Jesus comes again. He will come with power to disarm the
principalities and powers and to put all his enemies under his feet, including
the last enemy death.
In a farewell speech to the leaders of Israel, Joshua reminded them that the
Lord had fought for them and defeated their enemies. He had apportioned
the land amongst the tribes and he would fight for them in the future. In
response to such grace, Joshua encouraged them to remain faithful to the
Lord and to have nothing to do with other gods. It is no different in the NT. In
Christ God has graciously defeated all of our enemies. We too are to respond
by remaining faithful to the one true God, forsaking all other gods.
In the covenant renewal at Shechem, Joshua recounted Gods saving acts for
Israel. While this generation was not in Egypt to experience the exodus
themselves, they received the benefits of those acts. Similarly, while we were
not at Calvary to see Gods greatest act of salvation, nevertheless, we all
benefit from it. We receive benefits Jesus won by faith.
God had a plan of salvation. Through Joshua, the son of Nun, he moved that
plan forward one major step. In the fullness of time, through the second
Joshua (Jesus, the Son of God), he would carry out the last step in his plan.
Through him, in a most unlikely way (the cross and the tomb), all the enemies
of Gods people would be defeated and an eternal inheritance would be made
available to the heavenly promised land.
Under Joshua God graciously gave Israel the land he promised to their
forefathers. In response to such grace the Israelites remained faithful to the
Lord. But after Joshua died, Judges tells us that Israel began worshipping
other gods, thereby breaking the covenant. Because they rejected God and
his grace, God punished them. This then should serve as a warning for the NT
people of God. The ultimate revelation of Gods grace is shown in the work of
Christ. If the OT people of God were punished for rejecting Gods grace, how
much more will the NT people of God be punished for rejecting the long
promised Savior.
The angel of the Lord is a manifestation of the second person of the Trinity.
He appeared and called Israel to repentance for breaking the covenant by
worshipping the Canaanite gods. In the NT God manifested himself in Son,
Jesus. Jesus message was the same as it was in the OT: repent!
The Holy Spirit played a prominent role in Judges. God placed his Spirit on the
judges and through the power of the Spirit they defeated their enemies and
saved Israel. But the salvation and peace that the judges brought only lasted
for a short period of time. The judges were but a shadow of the great Judge
(Jesus) who was to come. The Spirit descended upon and remained on Jesus.
Jesus battled and defeated all of our spiritual enemies once and for all. And
as a result he provides eternal salvation and rest for all his people.
God promised to be with Gideon and to strike down all the Midianites.
Likewise, in Jesus, God is Immanuel (God with us) and through him, he strikes
down all of our enemies.
God chose Gideon as a judge to save Israel despite the fact that Gideons
clan was the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh and Gideon was the weakest in
his family. Likewise God chose to save the world through Jesus who in
appearance was despised and rejected by men and who in temperament was
meek and mild. This is the Great Reversal where God accomplishes great
things in the most lowly and unexpected ways. Gods power is made perfect
in weakness.
When Gideon won victory, the people tried to make him their king. They did
recognize that God was their king. In the NT God sent his Son as King to the
world to establish his eternal kingdom. Once again the people did not
recognize who their true king was. They mocked him and made fun of him,
giving him a crown of thorns, even as he was defeating mankinds spiritual
enemies.
The last two stories in Judges (Judg. 17-21) illustrate why Gods wrath was
kindled against Israel. They broke both tables of the Law, in their false
worship and shameful treatment of fellow human beings. What is true of
Israel is true of all people in their naturally depraved state. That is why God
sent his only Son Jesus to live the perfect life that we could not and to pay the
punishment that we deserve.
While living among the Philistines, David and his men went on raids, which
served to sharpen their military skills and help their fellow Israelites.
With all of these years of training David is now ready to be king as Saul takes
his own life.
David offered sacrifices to avert anymore of Gods wrath and to insure his
blessing instead.
The picture provided of David is generally a picture of what the kings of Israel were
to be like. They were to maintain justice, defend Israel, recognize God as the great
Deliverer, cling to Gods promises, and lead Israel in worship of the one true God.
Summary of Samuel
This book about the origin of kings in Israel began with Samuel. It told of how he
grew up and worked at the sanctuary, how God rejected the priesthood of Eli
through Samuel, how Samuel was called to be a prophet, how the Ark was taken
and returned by the Philistines, and how Samuel led Israel as a judge by interceding
to God and offering sacrifices. The thread that ties all these things together is
worship. The book ends with king David buying the property and building an altar at
the place where the temple will soon be built. So bracketing the core of Samuel (the
kingships of Saul and David) at its beginning and end are stories related to worship.
The reason for this is that there is a strong connection between the kingship and
worship of Israel. Kings would plan the temple (David), build the temple (Solomon),
oversee the operation of the temple, and provide the sacrifices offered at the
temple by the priests in order to avert Gods wrath and insure his blessing.
1&2 Samuel Answer the Following Big Picture Questions
1. Who was the last judge of Israel and what other offices did he hold? Samuel
was the last judge of Israel. He also held the offices of priest and prophet.
2. How did Israel get their first king? They asked Samuel for a king so that they
could be like the other nations. God didnt like their request, but he granted it
anyway. Through Samuel, God chose Saul as Israels first king.
3. How was the king of Israel to be different from the kings of other nations? The
kings of Israel were not considered gods and did not have the ultimate power.
The kings of Israel reported to God who was the ultimate King of Israel. The
kings were required to listen to and obey Gods Word as it was written in the
Pentateuch and spoken through the prophets.
4. Through what means did God reject Saul and choose the next king of Israel?
God had Samuel announce to Saul that God had rejected him as king. And
through the prophet Samuel God chose David as the second king of Israel.
Gods Word through the prophets shaped Israels history.
5. What important covenant did God make with David? God promised David a
dynasty of kings. He unconditionally promised David that his dynasty would
last forever.
6. Davids spectacular sins of adultery and murder show us some important
aspects about kings and God. What were they? Like everyone else, the king is
going to sin. When he does, if he confesses his sin and repents, God will
forgive his sins and cleanse him of his unrighteousness. But even when God
forgives sins, there are consequences of sin and God may allow them to run
their course.
7. From king David, what do we learn about how kings are to rule in Israel? They
were to maintain justice, defend Israel, recognize God as the great Deliverer,
cling to Gods promises, and lead Israel in worship of the one true God.
Samuel was a priest, judge, and prophet. He grew up and worked at the
sanctuary. He offered sacrifices. He was the last judge to lead Israel. And God
called him to be a prophet. Through Samuel God shaped Israels history by
ending one dynasty of priests and by choosing and rejecting Saul as king and
by choosing David as king. Samuel was a type of Christ. Christ held these
same offices. As priest Christ sacrificed himself on the cross. As Judge Jesus
leads his people and defeats their enemies. As prophet Jesus both speaks
Gods Word and is Gods Word in the flesh.
God allowed Israel to have kings, but their kings were to be different from the
kings of other nations. They were to listen to and obey Gods word as
recorded in the Pentateuch and spoken by the prophets. As our heavenly
King, Jesus obeyed God the Father when he willingly came to this earth taking
on the form of a man, lived a perfect life, suffered, died, and rose from the
dead. Our King gave himself for us. He willingly subordinated himself in order
to accomplish His Fathers will, which was our salvation.
Young David became the champion of Israel as he went up against Goliath,
the champion of the Philistines. Davids most important weapons as he
fought the giant were the name of the Lord Almighty and his trust in the Lord.
Like Israel, we have a Champion who fights for us Jesus. Like David, Jesus
trusted the Father. He fought off the champion of the forces of evil, the devil,
with Gods Word.
Gods covenant promise to David was that his kingdom would endure forever.
This promise was fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus was born in the line of David. He
became King in his suffering and death. Mockingly he was given a purple
robe, a crown of thorns, and he died as king of the Jews. But that was not
the end. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, where he now
rules as King of kings. His rule will never end.
King David inquired of the Lord; he sought to do Gods will. Likewise, Jesus
was constantly in prayer, talking to the Father and seeking to do his will. And
Jesus carried out the Fathers will perfectly.
David wanted to build a house (a temple) for the Lord. But God preferred a
tent (tabernacle) where he could live among his people. In a similar way, the
Father sent his Son, Jesus, to tabernacle (live) among us. Later God allowed
Solomon to build a more permanent structure, the temple. When Jesus
became incarnate, he tented among us. Jesus now lives among his people in
a permanent structure. That structure is the church, which is made up of all
believers. Jesus dwells within them through his Spirit. The church will last
forever.
The Lord provided Israel with rest from their enemies under David. But that
rest didnt last. A permanent rest would come only when Christ would win a
complete and everlasting victory over all our enemies sin, death and the
Devil. With our enemies vanquished, we now have a lasting rest.
David sinned. God confronted him through the prophet Nathan. In repentance
David confessed his sin and in mercy God forgave his sin. We are like David.
We sin. God confronts us with the Law. In repentance we confess our sins and
then for Christs sake God forgives our sins.
Even though God forgave David, there were consequences for Davids sin. It
affected his entire family. All people are sinful and the consequences of sin
affect the whole world, which makes life in this world hard. But there is hope.
When Jesus returns he will usher in a new heaven and new earth where there
will be no sin or consequences of sin.
Through a prophet God confronted Jeroboam about the altar he built at Bethel
and through the prophet Ahijah God revealed that because of his evil God
would cut off the family of Jeroboam; it would no longer exist.
God sent the prophet Elijah to confront the king of Israel, Ahab, his wife
Jezebel, and the prophets of Baal. He also confronted Ahab and Jezebel about
their confiscation of Naboths vineyard. The prophet Micaiah warned Ahab not
to war against Syria. But when Ahab did not listen, he lost his life. Through
the prophet Elijah God told Amaziah, Ahabs son, that he would die from an
injury he had sustained and he did.
Elijah was to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha to carry out Gods judgment
against evil. He anointed Elisha as his successor. Later Elisha finished Elijahs
work by having Hazael and Jehu anointed. Elisha was also known for doing a
whole series of miracles. These miracles showed that the Lord was the Living
God who was gracious and merciful and could deliver his people from their
troubles if they would only turn to him. On his death bed, Elisha prophesied
that Israel would defeat Syria three times.
Did the kings and the people listen to the prophets and repent of their sins? Over
and over, king after king, we read, And he did what was evil in the sight of the
Lord. This is the evaluation of almost every king of the north and of many kings in
the south. God sent the prophets to Israel and Judah with the message, Turn from
your evil ways. And their response was, But they would not listen. Because
they would not listen to his prophets and repent of their sins, God
removed Israel from his sight. He banished them to exile (2 Kings 17:7-23).
This is what God warned of in the Pentateuch and this is what he warned through
his prophets. But the kings and people did not heed his warnings. Israel (the
northern kingdom) ceased to exist as the Assyrians scattered them in exile. Out of
mercy, for the time being, God spared Judah.
The Destruction of Judah and Jerusalem (2 Kings 18 25)
When Solomon became king, David had him publically ride his royal mule,
showing that David sanctioned Solomon as his successor. Centuries later one
greater than Solomon (Jesus) entered Jerusalem riding a mule and the
people greeted him with shouts of Hosanna! In doing so Jesus did indeed
claim to be a king, but his kingdom was not of this world. In fact he would be
King over all kings.
Solomon was given practical wisdom. In the beginning of his reign he was
also spiritually wise as he walked in the Lords ways. True wisdom is knowing
God as your Rescuer, Redeemer, and Savior. Christians know God; they know
him as their Rescuer, Redeemer and Savior when they know Jesus. Jesus is
their wisdom; he is their righteousness, holiness and redemption.
God lived among his people at the temple. He was enthroned in the Holy of
Holies as he sat upon the Mercy Seat between the Cherubim. In the NT God
continues to live among his people in the person of his Son, Jesus. The Son of
God came to earth to dwell (tabernacle, see John 1) with us. He lives in us
now by his Spirit. And his throne is our hearts.
The temple was adorned with precious metals, gold, silver, and bronze. They
were a sign that a King lived there. Jesus is our King, but he did not look or
act like the kings that we know. As King, he was humble and became poor
that we might receive the riches of heaven.
In his temple dedication prayer, Solomon asked God to hear the prayers of his
people when they prayed to him at the temple. In the NT God invites us to
pray and he promises to hear our prayers when they are prayed in Jesus
name.
David believed in and worshipped only the Lord. He had nothing to do with
any of the false gods. Because of this he became the standard by which the
kings were measured and compared. Likewise, Jesus willingly came to earth
and carried out his mission of living a perfect life, suffering, dying, and rising
from the dead at the request of God the Father. He carried out the Fathers
will in order that we might be saved.
When the kings of Israel and Judah led Israel astray, God sent prophets to
speak his word to them. His message through the prophets was: Repent! Turn
away from your false gods and turn instead to me. When Jesus came his
message was similar: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! He came
to turn us from our false gods to the only living and true God.
A large portion of Kings is about the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was
known for his confrontation and condemnation of evil king Ahab and the
prophets of Baal. Elisha was known for performing many miracles where God
showed his power and grace toward his people. As Joshua succeeded and
completed the work of Moses, so Elisha succeeded and completed the work
of Elijah. And both of these pairs foreshadowed and looked forward to a new
pair in the NT, John the Baptist and Jesus. John was fiery and called people to
repentance like Elijah. Jesus performed many miracles like Elisha, displaying
Gods power and grace towards people. For each miracle performed by
Elisha, Jesus performed a similar miracle.
All of the kings of Israel and most of the kings of Judah did evil in the eyes of
the Lord. Two kings of Judah are singled out because, like David, they
worshipped the one true God. Hezekiah was known for his trust in the Lord
and Josiah was known for his reforms, for his implementation of the Law.
These two kings pointed forward to Jesus who completely trusted God the
Father and perfectly did his will.
(Is. 1-6) First God will start with his own people. He will refine and purify his
people as one burns away the dross from precious metals. His fire will be his
judgment. He will bring his judgment against Judah and Jerusalem to burn
away their sin and humble their haughty hearts. In the heavenly court God
makes a case against his people. He has been gracious to them and they
have responded with evil. Therefore God has rendered a verdict of guilty
against them. God allowed Isaiah to be a witness of this heavenly court case
and called him as a prophet to go and tell what he has seen and heard.
Through his judgment God will cut Israel down until there is only a stump left.
(Is. 7-12) Judah and Jerusalem are threatened by an alliance between Israel
and Syria. God tells Ahaz, Judahs king, not to worry. God will whistle and call
in the king of the Assyrians whose army will wipe them out. God will use
Assyria as his ax. He will cut down Israel and Judah, leaving only a stump
(Jerusalem). Assyria will take great pride in their devastation of the nations.
But it will be short lived because when God is through using them as his ax,
he will turn his fierce wrath against them and destroy them. Although Israel
and Judah will be reduced to a stump, in the future from this stump will come
a shoot, a branch. This Branch will be the messianic King. He will rule in
righteousness and gather the remnant of Gods scattered people. When the
remnant returns, they will give thanks and praise the God of their salvation.
(Is. 13-23) God used Assyria to bring judgment on wayward Israel and Judah
in order that they might see the error of their ways and return to him. Next
God uses Assyria to judge the nations. They oppose God and do what they
can to prevent his kingdom from coming. God will use the evil Assyrians to
(Is. 24-27) Gods judgment on Israel and Judah (Is. 1-12) was a prelude to his
judgment on the nations (Is. 13-23). Likewise, Gods judgment on the nations
is a prelude to the final Day of the Lord when God will judge the whole earth.
Every Day of the Lord is a day of wrath and a day of deliverance. On the Last
Day all of the enemies of God will go down to defeat and all the people of
God, those who put their trust in him, will be delivered and be joyful and
celebrate. It will be the ultimate great reversal. The strong and ruthless will
be brought down and the weak and humble will be raised up. Grief and
despair will give way to a joyous celebration. Even death will be swallowed
up. Gods people look forward to that Day, putting their trust in God and his
righteousness. The story of Israel is the story of all of Gods people of all time.
They were chosen and blessed by God, but they were unfaithful. God
disciplines his wayward people by sending them into exile. When they have
repented he brings them back to himself. So on the Last Day God will redeem
his people and bring his people from all over the earth to the heavenly
Jerusalem, where they will eternally praise him for his providential care,
discipline, and redemption.
(Is. 28-33) The attention of Is. 13-27 was on the nations. Now in Is. 28-33 the
focus returns to Gods people. Gods judgment will begin with his own people.
God pronounces a series of six woes. His judgment will first come on Israel
because they dismiss his prophets. Then it will come upon Jerusalem because
they go through the motions of worship with unrepentant hearts. He judges in
order to purify his people in order that they might be a blessing to the nations
as he intends them to be. Instead of trusting in the Lord, they seek safety
through alliances. These alliances will only bring them humiliation. But God
will use the affliction they bring on themselves to teach his people and when
they cry out to him for help he will miraculously deliver them from the
Assyrians. The destroyer of nations will be destroyed by God.
(Is. 34-35) As the judgment of the nations in Is. 13-23 led into the Day of the
Lord in Is. 24-27, a day of Gods wrath against evil and deliverance of those
who trust in him, so the woes on the wicked in Is. 28-33 lead into the Day of
the Lord in Is. 34-35. On that day the enemies of God and his people, as
(Is. 36-39) The background to chapters 36 and 37 is that Israel (the Northern
Kingdom) has fallen to the Assyrians and all of Judah has fallen too except for
Jerusalem. Hezekiah is king and Jerusalem is surrounded by the Assyrian
army. Despite the desperate situation, Isaiah urges Hezekiah not to surrender
but instead to trust that the Lord will deliver them as he promised. Hezekiah
does trust God and God miraculously over night does deliver Jerusalem from
the Assyrians. The prophecies of Isaiah came true. God kept his word.
The incident recorded in Is. 38-39 provides a link to the next major part of the
book. Earlier in Hezekiahs life, Hezekiah was sick and about to die. Hezekiah
fervently prayed to God and God graciously gave him another 15 years. The
king of Babylon heard about Hezekiahs sickness and recovery and sent an
envoy with letters and a present for Hezekiah. Hezekiah welcomed the envoy
and showed him all of the riches of his kingdom. Isaiah used this occasion to
announce that in the future all of the riches of Judah would be carried off to
Babylon and that some of the kings son would be carried to Babylon also.
The second part of Isaiah then addresses the needs of Gods people after
they have been exiled to Babylon some 100 years later as Isaiah had
prophesied.
Part 2: Is. 40 55: God Delivers His People Through His Servant Cyrus and Through
the Suffering Servant
In this part of the book, Isaiah looks into the future when the people of Judah and
Jerusalem are in exile in Babylon. This part of the book focuses on events that
occurred between 539 BC 537 BC. In 539 BC the Babylonian empire was destroyed
by the Persians. And in 537 BC the Persian king ordered the Jewish leaders to go and
rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. So this part revolves around that command to
return and the small remnant that did return to rebuild it. The focus here then is on
Zion at the end of Babylonian exile.
Its hard to divide the second part of Isaiah because it is all so intricately interwoven
together. But you can divide it into three general parts.
(Is. 40) Gods preparation to bring his people back home from exile to Zion.
Gods people had been in exile for 70 years. It appeared as if they would be
assimilated into the Babylonian people and their identity as a people and
nation would be forever lost. But suddenly there is Good News for this forlorn
people: their hardship was over; their iniquity was pardoned. A voice cries out
in the wilderness that God will not let any obstacle scuttle his plans to come
and redeem his people. No one or nothing can stop the Creator of the
universe, who alone determines the course of history, from carrying out his
plan to come and get his people like a shepherd gathering his flock and bring
them back to himself in Jerusalem. From there he would cause them to be a
blessing to all the nations of the earth as he first promised Abraham.
(Is. 41-48) The Lord has stirred up a king in the east (the Persian king Cyrus)
to serve God, carrying out his righteous purposes. Through Cyrus God will
restore his people. The Lord has not forsaken his people. Instead he has come
to help and redeem his people. Cyrus is a servant of the Lord who will be
used by God to return his people from exile to the promised land. But God
promises to send a much greater Servant, The Servant who will come to
redeem all people who are in bondage to sin.
(Is. 49-55) There are four psalms in this part of Isaiah that tell us about The
Servant who is to carry out Gods mission for Zion: 42:1-4; 49:1-7; 50:4-9;
and 52:13 53:12. They tell us that: (1) the Servant will be a King who is
empowered by Gods Spirit and who is gentle with the weak and brings
justice to the nations through his teaching. (2) The Servants task is not only
to bring Israel back to God, but to also bring Gods light and salvation to the
nations and to bring them to God. (3) The Servant is The Prophet who speaks
Gods word to the people, but the people reject him and Gods word. Yet he
remains faithful and relies on God for vindication. (4) The Servant is a High
Priest who sprinkles the blood of atonement for the nations. The blood that he
sprinkles is his own as he sacrifices his life on behalf of the people in order
that they might return to God. Through his shed blood and sacrifice he
justifies sinners by bearing their sins and giving them his life. As High Priest
he also intercedes for the transgressors whom he gives his life for.
Based on the work of the Servant/Messiah/King/High Priest, the Servant will
throw a banquet, a life-giving, life-sustaining meal. He invites sinners from all
over the world. Its a free meal in which the Messiah extends the covenant
with David to all people and in which all are invited to come, repent, and
receive mercy. All the people who indulge in this meal will praise God, bear
witness to God, and call on the nations to repent.
In Is. 56 59 God vindicates the righteous people of Zion (those whom God
has made righteous) and brings judgment on the unrighteous. This includes
all Jews and Gentiles (foreigners and eunuchs) who trust in the Lord and who
live faithful and righteous lives. The righteous stand in contrast to the
unknowing and uncaring shepherds of Gods people and to those who have
forsaken the Lord for idols and live unrighteous lives. The righteous confess
and turn from their sins to the Lord. They seek to help those in need. The
unrighteous go through religious motions but their hypocritical hearts
continue in wickedness and oppress the hungry, homeless, and naked. The
unrighteous flout Gods grace and will and therefore receive his wrath.
In Is. 63 66, after his final judgment, God makes the whole city of Jerusalem
his temple in the new heaven and new earth. God had graciously redeemed
Israel from slavery in Egypt and given them the promised land. But Israel
spurned his grace and time after time worshipped other gods. Therefore God
would send them into exile. Having repented of their sin, Isaiah led Israel in
prayer, asking God to come down and be gracious to them again. Gods
response was that those who persist in rebellion and idolatry will face his
wrath, but those who turn to him and remain faithful can look forward to joy
and peace. The story of Israels return to the promised land and its rebuilding
of Jerusalem looks forward to the End. Those who ignore the one true God will
face his eternal wrath. Those who turn to him in repentance and faith can
look forward to the peace and joy of the heavenly Jerusalem. The Good News
will go out to the nations and the nations will come to the heavenly temple in
the heavenly Jerusalem where their praise to God will never end. This is the
fulfillment and culmination of the basic vision in chapter 2 where it said God
would make Jerusalem the place of worship for all the nations of the earth.
Zion is mentioned throughout Isaiah. The temple was built on Mt. Zion in
Jerusalem. Therefore Zion refers to Gods presence among his people. OT
Zion then looks forward to the NT church. The focus of the church is on Jesus,
for it is only through Jesus that it is possible to come into Gods holy
presence. Therefore he is the Way into the church and the chief cornerstone
on which the church is built.
(Is. 7:10-17) God had promised king Ahaz that he would not allow Syria and
Israel to defeat Judah. God gave a sign that God was with the people of
Jerusalem. In a period of nine months, the time it takes for a woman to
become pregnant and give birth to a child, it will be clear that God is with
them, protecting them. This will be so clear that a child born under these
circumstances will be called Immanuel God with us. The NT reveals the
ultimate meaning of this prophecy. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the
Virgin Mary would become pregnant and give birth to Gods Son and he would
literally be Immanuel, God with us.
(Is. 9:2-7) As the people of God sit in darkness and dread of the Assyrians,
God gives hope that one day he will destroy the enemies of his people. Gods
flint on doing the task set before him. Jesus lived a perfect life, living by the
Word of God. Jesus was also greatly persecuted as the religious establishment
was out to get him. Yet knowing the suffering and torture of the cross awaited
him, he resolutely made his way to Jerusalem to suffer and die on the cross.
He was obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
(Is. 52:13 53:12) Every bit of this psalm applies to Jesus. He was despised
and rejected by men. He took on all of our griefs and afflictions. He suffered
and died for our transgressions and iniquities. He took all of this on himself
willingly and sacrificed himself as a guilt offering even though he committed
no sin. He gave us his righteousness in order that we might be accounted
righteous, be healed, and have peace. After his death, he was vindicated
when he was raised back to life and received the spoils of the Victor. It is
through Jesus that salvation will be brought to and made available to the
nations.
(Is. 54) Jerusalem would be laid waste by the Babylonians and its inhabitants
carried off to exile. She would be disgraced like a barren woman with no
children. But the Lord promises that she would be granted innumerable
children in the future. This is a picture of the Servant Jesus and the results of
his substitionary suffering and death. He could have no children because he
was put to death. But he would not be disgraced, for after his resurrection he
had offspring all over the earth. All who are part of the Christian church are
his offspring.
(Is. 55) The Servant throws a banquet. All people from all nations are invited.
It is free of charge. And it is a life-giving meal. Those who eat the meal are
witnesses to Gods grace to the nations. Those who eat the meal are
repentant and find the Lord in the meal. Those who partake in the meal are
full of joy and peace. This meal is the Lords Supper. In it Jesus offers free of
charge to all people who repent life, salvation, joy, and peace. Their
participation in the meal is a witness of the Good News of the Gospel for all to
see.
(Is. 61) Isaiahs predictive prophecy that the Lord will show favor to his people
by releasing them from the prison of exile looks forward to the Lords favor on
all of mankind when through the promised Messiah he brings liberty to all
those held captive to sin. Jesus applied Is. 61:1-2a to himself in his sermon at
the synagogue at Nazareth.
In the OT and in Jeremiahs day, the ark of the covenant represented Gods
presence with his people. Jeremiah looks forward into the Messianic age (Jer.
3:15-18) in which there will be no ark. In that age Jesus will be the new ark of
the covenant. In that time the church is symbolized by Jerusalem. In Word
and Sacrament Christ is present with his church, the New Jerusalem. In the
church Christ brings people together from the nations to worship God in his
holy presence.
Jeremiah spoke against the kings, priests, and prophets for leading the people
astray. Jesus would be a King who truly shepherds God people. Jesus would
be a true prophet who truly calls people to repentance. Jesus would be a true
priest who would sacrifice himself for sinful mankind.
The hearts of Jeremiah and God ached because of Judahs stubborn
impenitence. They both suffered with the people. Jesus, who is God in the
flesh, not only suffered for us and in our place, but it grieves him when
people do not repent. For instance, Jesus lamented over Jerusalem when they
refused to repent.
God had brought Israel up out of Egypt. Jeremiah says that soon God will
bring them up out of the north (Babylon) (God makes this promise throughout
Jeremiah, but especially in Jer. 30-33.) As God first brought Israel up out of
slavery in Egypt and then out of exile in Babylon, so in like manner he will
bring his chosen people (the church) up out its slavery to sin and death and
up out of its exile from God. He did this through his Son, Jesus. Jesus leads
people back to God. He leads them back to the heavenly promised land.
In the midst of Jeremiahs reiterative message of doom are glimmers of hope
in which God says he will not completely destroy them. After a short while he
will bring them back from exile, restore them, and make a new covenant with
them. God will do this in order to carry out his plan of salvation. From this
people who live in this land will come the Savior Jesus who will fulfill the new
covenant by providing forgiveness of sins for all people.
God promised to raise up a Davidic king who would be a righteous Branch,
who would do what is right, who would be called the LORD Our
Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:14-18). Jesus was a descendant of David who
was completely righteous before God and who made it possible for his
subjects to be accounted as righteous before God (because he gave them his
righteousness) and thus be saved and live in safety.
After their restoration God promises to raise up a Prince and Leader from their
midst (Jer. 30:21). While even the high priest dare not approach God except
once a year, this Prince will draw near to holy God. Jesus descended from the
Part 3 - Judgment of the nations . Both Eze. 25-32 and Eze. 38-39 prophesy
Gods judgment on the nations that oppose him and his people Israel.
There are also other parallels between the two sections, most of which are
opposites of each other:
Ezekiel was the watchman of Judah (Eze. 3; 33), who warned Judah and
preached repentance. Likewise, Jesus was a watchman who preached,
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Mt. 4:17) and ... I have not
come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. (Lk. 5:32) (See also Mt.
11:20-21; 12:41.)
By their idolatry, the people of Judah and Jerusalem had made themselves
unclean. Therefore when they came before God at the temple they defiled his
holiness. Because of sin all people are unclean and cannot stand before God.
Jesus came to cleanse all people of their sin and make them clean. This
allows them by faith in Jesus to stand without fear in Gods holy presence.
Through a vision, Ezekiel saw the glory of God go from the Holy of Holies, to
the inner gate, to the outer gate, to the Mount of Olives, and then to Gods
people in exile in Babylon (Eze. 8-11). The glory of God left the temple. And
then the Babylonians destroyed the temple. Jesus reenacted this scene
during Holy Week. Jesus went to the temple and taught during Holy Week, but
the leaders rejected him. So Jesus withdrew from the temple and went to the
Mount of Olives. Then Jesus foretold the destruction of the temple. So Jesus,
who is the glory of God and the presence of God, withdrew from the second
temple just like Gods glory withdrew from the first temple.
God had left the temple and went to be with his exiled people. In Babylon the
people have become a temple and God has become the Holy of Holies. So
God is present in the community of sinners who are under his judgment in
order to purify them, to make a new beginning with them, and to bring them
back to the promised land. What is happening in Ezekiel is a prelude to what
will happen in the NT. In Jesus God withdrew his presence from the temple
(see previous point above). Jesus became the new Holy of Holies. Through
Jesus God dwells with his people (the church) who are a community of sinners
in exile from heaven and who are therefore the new temple. Through Jesus
God purifies his people, makes a new beginning with his people (baptism),
and brings his people back to the eternal promised land.
Even though Jerusalem will be destroyed and Judahs last king will die in
captivity, Yahweh promises in the future to take a sprig from the Davidic tree
and plant it in Israel, where it will grow and be majestic and bear fruit (Eze.
17:22-24). This figurative promise came true when God gave to Jesus the
throne of his father David (Lk. 1:32) and established his universal, eternal
Messianic kingdom (Rev. 11:15).
In chapters 25 32 the nations that surround Israel and seek to destroy her
are prophesied against. God let it be known that they would not thwart his
plan of salvation which he would work through the descendants of Abraham.
God promised to send a new shepherd to the people of his flock (Eze. 34:2325; see also Eze. 37:24-25). He would not abuse the flock like past shepherds.
Rather he would watch over and care for the flock. This shepherd in the line
of David was Jesus. He is the Good Shepherd who feeds the flock bread from
heaven. He will make a covenant of peace, which heals the brokenness of
humanity and makes them whole again with God and each other.
Again we see that what happens in Ezekiel (Eze. 36:16-32 ) parallels what
happens in the NT. Through their sin Israel defiled Gods holiness. In judgment
and justice God sent them into exile. In grace God would save them and bring
them back. The problem that caused their judgment was their hard hearts.
When they returned, through the Holy Spirit, God would transform them by
giving them a new heart. This would cause them to repent and motivate
them to keep and delight in Gods Law. And Gods holy name would be
restored. In the NT, people are still sinful and deserve Gods judgment. Their
sin has led them to be exiled from God. God sent Jesus to save and bring his
people back to himself. In Baptism the saving work of Jesus is applied to each
person. In Baptism God gives his Holy Spirit who, working through the Word,
gives us a new heart. With a new heart, we live a baptismal life of
repentance, daily dying to sin and living for God and others. Through Gods
saving and transforming actions his name is glorified in our lives.
In Eze. 37:1-14, Ezekiel prophesies that Israel, who is in exile and humanly
speaking as dead as a pile of dry bones, will be raised back to life. God says
he will resurrect the nation. Resurrection here points forward to Jesus
resurrection, resurrection on the Last Day, and the resurrection that occurs in
Baptism. Until we are baptized, we are dry bones. And when Gods Word and
Spirit are prophesied to us, we come alive. Jesus Spirit not only gives power,
but he also gives life as he resurrects us with Christ.
The new temple, as described in Eze. 40 42, has no high priest and no ark
of the covenant and no mercy seat. The reason for this is that these functions
have been fulfilled by Christ. One time each year the high priest would enter
the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat to make atonement.
In the new temple this is no longer necessary because the eternal High Priest,
Jesus Christ, shed his blood on the cross, making atonement for the sins of
the whole world. So in the new temple, which is the church, Gods people
have been fully reconciled to God once and for all by Christ by the blood of
Christ.
In the vision (Eze. 47:1-12) water flowed from the temple. The water
increased from a trickle to ankle-deep, to knee-deep, to waist-deep, to a
flowing river. This river gave life to the desert and to the Dead Sea. In John,
Jesus is viewed as the new Temple, the place where God dwells among his
people (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In John, Jesus is also pictured as the source of
living water. It begins when we, who are as dead as the Dead Sea, are
baptized by a trickle of water and the Spirit and are made alive in Christ (John
3:5). With Christ living in us through Baptism, the water he supplies grows
into a fountain of water that provides not just life, but eternal life (John 4:14).
And the water of life continues to grow in those who believe in Jesus until out
of the heart flow rivers of living water (John 7:38).
Eze. 47:13-48:35 describes how the promised land will be divided up amongst
the 12 tribes. Each tribe will be given an equal amount of land and they all
live around the temple from which the life-giving water flows from. The tribes
will be made up of Israelites and foreigners. All of them will receive an
inheritance. The holy city which contains the holy temple will have gates in
all 4 directions, a gate for each tribe, giving each tribe equal access to
Yahweh who is present with them. Again, this looks forward to the time of the
church. All Christians (12 tribes) have an eternal inheritance (the heavenly
promised land) in which they all have equal access to the holy city and
temple (the church) from which the life-giving water flow (Jesus) and where
the holy God is present with his people.
The legal complaint against Israel and Judah . Yahweh had made a covenant
with his people, but they had broken it by worshipping other gods and by
mistreating other people. Through the prophets Yahweh stated his case
against them.
The Day of the Lord . It was a day in which the Lord would come and act in
judgment against those who opposed him and act in deliverance for those
who put their trust in him. There were many near-future days of the Lord.
These days served as a preview of the coming great day of the Lord in
which God would pour out his wrath on unrepentant sinners and deliver
repentant sinners who trusted in God for salvation.
Oracles against the nations . God would bring his judgment against nonIsraelite nations for their sins. These oracles showed that Yahweh was over all
nations and their false gods, was a just God who punished all who sin equally,
and was a loving God who stood up for and rescued his people from their
oppressors.
Repentance . The prophets preached Gods Law to show the people their
sins and to lead them to sorrow and hopelessness, that is, to know they had
rebelled against God and broken his Law. But the prophets also preached
Gods Gospel. The Gospel is the Good News that God promises to forgive sins
and save them from his wrath. They simply need to trust Gods promise of
salvation and then they will have the joy of being freed from their sin and
death.
Messianic hope . When God promised to forgive their sins, it was not as if
God could simply forget about their sins. He is a just God who requires that
his Law be kept perfectly and that those who break it be punished. God could
forgive their sin and not punish them for it because he promised to send a
Hosea: Gods threat against the northern kingdom for its unfaithfulness
should serve as a warning to the southern kingdom.
Joel: Through a locust plague, the prophet warns Judah of Gods coming
judgment and urges them to repent in order to escape Gods judgment. This
is a prelude to Gods judgment of the nations and the salvation of Gods
people on the Day of the Lord.
Amos: Gods judgment and destruction of Israel for their social injustice and
idolatry was announced and should serve as a warning for Judah and the
nations.
Jonah: Gods shows his compassion even for his enemies through his use of
Jonah to lead Assyria to repentance.
Habakkuk: the wicked will be punished Judah, the Babylonians, all the
wicked. Those who live by faith, trusting in God will be vindicated.
Zechariah: The post-exilic restoration of Zion will lead to Gods rule over the
whole earth through a humble king.
Hosea pictures Israel as unfaithful and God as faithful (Hos. 1-3). In this we
see a picture of ourselves. We, like Israel, are unfaithful. But God remains
faithful to us, even sending his only Son for us.
Hosea says Israel will return from exile and seek Yahweh as they live under
King David (Hos. 3:5). King David of old points forward to the great
Descendant of King David. As King and descendant of David, Jesus rules in
truth and righteousness and leads his people in true worship.
Hosea redeemed Gomer and took her back to be his bride (Hos. 3). Whether
he paid the price of a slave or the bride price a second time is not clear.
Either way he paid the price and took her back. In the same way Christ
redeemed us, paying for us with his holy precious blood, in order that we
might be restored as his bride, the Church.
Having redeemed his wife, Hosea expected her to be faithful to him (Hos. 3).
In the same way, God would expect Israel to remain faithful after he
redeemed them from their captivity. Having redeemed us from our captivity
to sin and death and giving us new life, Christ expects us, out of gratitude to
him, to live a life fully devoted to him.
The priests are condemned in Hosea for not teaching Israel the truth (Hos. 4).
Jesus is the true priest who not only teaches the truth but is the Truth. He
teaches about himself and what he does for the world that we/they might
receive from him the forgiveness of their sins.
Yahweh finds Israel guilty of breaking his covenant (Hos. 8). Jesus instituted a
new covenant which is a covenant of pure grace based upon his shed blood
for the forgiveness of our sins.
Hosea proclaims that Israel will lose the land and be sent into exile (Hos. 9:3;
11:11). But then when the nation is as good as dead, God will allow them to
return (Hos. 1:11; 2:23; 11:5). This looks forward to the death and
resurrection of Christ and the death and resurrection of each believer in
Christ through Baptism.
Jesus is the true Israel. In the OT Israel was called out Egypt by God (Hos.
11:1; 13:4), only to enter the promised land and worship Baal. Like Israel,
Jesus was called out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1; see Mt. 2:15). But unlike Israel, Jesus
remained faithful to his Father. Sinful mankind is unable to remain faithful.
Therefore, as our substitute, Jesus is faithful for us.
Amos message of doom came two years before the earthquake he predicted
(Amos 1:1). The fulfillment of the predicted earthquake vindicated Amos and
showed that his message was true. Jesus ministry was also validated by
earthquakes. The earthquakes of Good Friday and Easter morning showed
that his death and resurrection on behalf of humankind was true and
authentic. God shook creation when he ushered in the new Messianic/Davidic
kingdom in Christ.
A lion roars when it catches it prey and tears it to pieces. Therefore a Lions
roar invokes terror. In Amos Yahweh is the Lion who roars over his people who
take him for granted and do not live by his covenant (Amos 1:2). He is about
to tear them to pieces. Jesus is called the Lion of Judah. But he does not come
to devour his people. Rather, he comes to save them. He comes to unleash
the power of Gods promises for his people (Rev. 5:5). And Christs power,
opposite of what one would normally expect, is made perfect in his death on
the cross (2 Cor. 12:9).
Israel had broken every aspect of the covenant (Amos 2:6 4:13). They
worshipped other gods (1st table of the Law) and they treated people unjustly
(2nd table of the Law) and they were about to be punished for it. This is
actually a true picture of all of humankind. All people sin against God and
deserve to be punished. For that reason Jesus came to keep the Law for us, to
do what we cannot do. But that is not all. In his suffering and death he took
upon himself the punishment that we deserved.
The Day of the Lord is a day on which Yahweh intervenes into human history,
bringing destruction on the unrighteous and vindication to the righteous.
Israel wrongly assumed that since God had chosen them that the Day of the
Lord would be a day in which they were elevated above the nations. But they
did not get the fact that they too were unrighteous and the Day of the Lord
would be a day of darkness for them (Amos 5:18). In fact all people will face
the Day of the Lord. The question is, Will God consider you unrighteous or
righteous? Will it be a day of destruction or vindication for you? No one has
any righteousness of their own. Therefore God had to provide a way for us to
appropriate the righteousness of Christ. This is done through the Holy Spirit
giving the gift of faith. The righteousness of Christ is given to Christians when
they are baptized. For those who have been baptized there is now no
condemnation (Rom. 8:1) and therefore they will be vindicated on the Day of
the Lord. For all those who are not in Christ, it will be a day of destruction.
Amos ends by speaking of restoration after the exile (Amos 9:11-15). A few of
the people of Israel would return to the land God had given them, but most
would not. God would send the promised Messiah (Jesus) who was from the
line of David. He would reestablish the Davidic kingdom which would then
include people from all nations. The Messianic kingdom would be available to
the scattered people of Israel and to all people. All those who repent of their
sin and trust in the Messiah (Jesus) will be saved and become a part of his
kingdom.
The last enemy of Israel that king David defeated was Edom. Similarly, when
king Davids greater Son, Jesus returns, he will defeat the last great enemy of
Gods people death.
The Day of the Lord is a day of judgment and a day of salvation. For the
Edomites this would be a day of judgment. For humankind this day came on
Good Friday. On the day that Jesus suffered and died on the cross, God judged
sin and brought salvation to all who believe and trust in Jesus as the Savior.
The outcome from this Day of Judgment will be made known to all when Jesus
returns on the Last Day.
Obadiah depicts Israel being restored and the land being re-allotted to them
with Yahweh as their king. This looks forward to the eternal promised land
where Gods people will be reunited with God and live under his rule. This
kingdom and rule will be consummated in Christ. Rev. 11:15 says, The
kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever.
Jonah didnt want to go to Nineveh, tried to run away, didnt want to preach
Gods word to his enemies, and was angry when they repented. He is the
opposite of Jesus. Jesus willingly came to earth; he eagerly preached Law and
Gospel; and was glad whenever a sinner repented. In fact Jesus even suffered
and died for his enemies.
Jesus spoke of Jonahs encounter with the great fish as a sign of his death and
resurrection (Mt. 12:39; 16:4; Lk. 11:29). As Jonah descended into death
inside the fish and then received life when he was spit up on dry ground, so
Jesus experienced death in the belly of a tomb and then three days later
received new life when he was resurrected from the dead.
Joel called upon the priests to intercede for the people. Jesus is our High
Priest who continuously makes intercession for us.
In Joel, Yahweh identifies himself with his people. For what the nations do to
them, they do to him (Joel 3:4). In the same way when Jesus spoke of the
Final Judgment, he identified himself with the least of these my brothers
(Mt. 25:40).
Jesus fulfills another prophecy of Joel. Joel said in the last times that God
would pour out his Spirit upon all his people. After his resurrection, Jesus
breathed on his disciples and said, Receive the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22). Then
on Pentecost Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to work believing faith in people from
many nations (Acts 2).
Micah 4:1-3, like Isaiah 2:1-4, pictures the Last Times with Mt. Zion being
raised up above the other mountains and the nations streaming to it. This
pictures people from all over the world flocking to the one, true God. This
refers to the time of the church when the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being
preached to all nations. When people believe the Gospel they stream to the
church where the one, true God is present, where they receive the
forgiveness of sins that Jesus won, and where they are reconciled to the
Father through Jesus. Through Christ they have the peace that surpasses all
understanding.
Micah continues in 4:6-8 with the promise that in that day God will gather
the lame and the exiles into a strong nation and he will rule over them
forever. He promises that Jerusalem and the kingship will be restored. God
fulfills these promises even today through Jesus. Jesus, being true God,
gathers the poor and exiled into his kingdom, the church, and rules over
them. The kingship of David is restored in Christ as he is from the line of
David. Therefore Jesus also rules not only as true God, but also as true man.
What the OT said would happen is fulfilled in the NT in the God-man, Jesus.
Micah follows his prophecy about the Messianic Kingdom in Micah 4 with a
prophecy about the Messiah in Micah 5:1-5a. Micah says that many years
after Jerusalem has been captured and Judahs king dethroned a new Davidic
king will arise from the ancestral town of David, Bethlehem (Micah 5:1-3).
This refers to Jesus who was from the line of David and was born in
Bethlehem (Matt. 2:2-6). Micah says he will have ancient or eternal origins. It
was in Christ that the Eternal God took on human flesh to rule Gods
kingdom, the church. Micah pictures the rest of his brothers joining Israel.
This refers to the gathering of the nations into Christs Messianic kingdom
through the preaching of the Gospel.
Micah closes his book (Micah 7:14-20) by drawing together the Messianic
themes of: the shepherd, the promise to Abraham, and the forgiveness of
sins. Even though Israel would fall to the Assyrians and Judah to the
Babylonians, God promises through Micah that he will not abandon his
people. He will be the Shepherd who goes out, finds his lost sheep, and
gathers them to himself in order that he might keep his covenant with
Abraham and bless the world. He does this through Jesus who gathers Gods
people into the church in order to save them through the forgiveness of all
their sins.
What a joyful day it will be when a messenger comes bringing the good news
to Judah that the dreaded enemy, the Assyrians, have been destroyed and
that there will now be peace in the land (Nah. 1:15a). This is a result of Gods
action, which at the same time both destroys his enemies and saves his
people. This act depicts in a small way what God would later do through his
Son. He would send his Son who would utterly defeat all of God enemies and
save all of Gods people. This is the Gospel Jesus Christ, the Son of God
(Mark 1:1). This is the Good News God brings to us through the prophets, the
evangelists, and his ministers of the Word.
In Nahum, Yahweh is depicted as the Divine Warrior who avenges those who
harm his people. He is like a mighty flood that relentlessly pursues his
enemies and overtakes them. Likewise, in Revelation Jesus functions as a
Divine Warrior. In justice he judges and makes war (Rev. 19:11). He treads
the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty (Rev. 19:15). Through
his death and rising from the dead, he conquers all of Gods enemies. Satan
and all his minions will be thrown into the lake of fire, while all those who
trust in Jesus will live eternally in peace in Gods holy presence.
Habakkuk wanted God to end the evil of Judah and Babylon immediately. But
instead God said there was an appointed time for this to happen. God carried
out his judgment on evil when Jesus went to the cross. On that appointed
day, Jesus took all of the sin, evil, and wickedness of the world upon himself
and paid the punishment for it. On that day Gods verdict against evil was
pronounced and on the Last Day God will do away with evil forever for
Christs sake.
God has promised that he will do away with evil and also save and give life to
the righteous. But since all people are sinful, who are the righteous? The
righteous are those who live by faith. Why are those who have faith
considered righteous by God? The apostle Paul quotes Habakkuk and makes
The righteous shall live by faith the theme of his letter to the Romans. All
people sin and fall short of the glory of God, but God justifies (pronounces
righteous) those who have faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26b). Abraham believed
Gods promises all of which pointed forward to Jesus and it was counted to
him as righteousness (Rom. 4, esp. 4:22). And the same is true for us (Rom.
4:23 5:1). We are righteous by faith.
If no one has any righteousness of their own, where and how does one
receive righteousness? God considers people righteous because he gives
them his righteousness as a free gift (Rom. 5:17). It is faith that receives
Jesus righteousness as a free gift of grace.
In his vision Habakkuk saw God coming out of the south to not only destroy
the wicked but also to save his people of faith. God fulfilled this when he
raised up the Cyrus who defeated Babylon and allowed the Israelites to return
to the promised land. This fulfillment was a miniature picture of the ultimate
fulfillment in Christ. In his life, Christ perfectly kept Gods Law for us. He
offers that perfect righteousness to all of the sinful people of the world. Those
2.
3.
What did Joshua the high priest and his crown represent?
He and the crown were a type of the future Priest/King that God would send the Messiah, the Branch. The work of the Messiah would begin at the temple
and then branch out from there into the world.
4.
5.
Because of his love and concern for his people, what will Yahweh do for
them?
He will strike down their enemies, deliver them from evil, and raise up a
Shepherd/King for them.
6.
7.
8.
Because they despise and reject the Good Shepherd that he sent, what will
God do?
He will give them over to a worthless shepherd and scatter his flock.
9.
10. The whole world will team up against and defeat Gods people. What will
God do?
He will fight for them and save them. And from his holy city will flow life and
peace. This life and peace will be available to all people.
Zechariah sees people from many nations joining Israel and becoming a part
of Gods people (Zech. 2:11; 8:20-22; 9:10; 14:16). This occurs when the
Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached to the nations and when people are
baptized into the name of the Triune God.
2.
Joshua and the priests are a sign to the Branch, the Messiah (Zech. 3:3-10).
As high priest Joshua was given pure, clean garments in order that he would
be fit to serve. Christ did not need to be given new garments to be fit to
serve. By his perfect life he was pure and clean. Jesus, like Joshua, would walk
in Yahwehs ways, rule over Yahwehs house, and have direct access to God.
He would be a Servant, the promised Branch. He would remove the sin of
Israel in one day (Good Friday) and provide everlasting peace and security for
Gods people in the kingdom of God.
3.
Zerubabbel and Joshua (two olive trees) represent kingship and priesthood
(Zech. 4:10b-14). Through them Gods grace (oil) will be supplied and flow to
the people in the new, rebuilt Jerusalem and temple. These two men
represent Christ, as Christ holds the two-fold office of Priest and King. And it
is through Christ alone that Gods grace flows to people.
4.
Joshua the high priest along with the special crown made for him represent
the promised Messiah (Zech. 6:9-15). This again represents Christ in his twofold office of Priest and King. By his sacrifice of himself, Christ brings people
into Gods kingdom where he rules as the eternal King.
5.
Zechariah prophecies that a King will come to Zion (Zech. 9:9-10). He will be
righteous and bring salvation. He will be humble and rule in peace. This
prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm
Sunday (Mt. 21:4-5; Jn. 12:14-16).
6.
Zechariah played the part of the Shepherd who Yahweh sent to lead his
people with favor and union (Zech. 11:7-14). This was fulfilled by Christ. He
went around exposing how Israels shepherds were leading the flock astray.
The people would not listen to their Shepherd. So he became impatient with
them and withdrew Gods favor from them. Judas received 30 pieces of silver
Zechariah proclaims that the people of Judah and Jerusalem will repent and
mourn for the One they killed (pierced) who had been sent by God. And they
will be cleansed of their sin (Zech. 12:10 13:1). The One that was pierced
was Christ. To make sure he had died, the Roman soldiers thrust a sword into
his side, which penetrated Jesus heart (Jn. 19:33-37). From the time of Jesus
through today, we mourn realizing that it was our sin that caused Jesus
death. And yet the very reason, Jesus died and shed his blood on the cross
was to cleanse us of all our sin (1 Jn. 1:7).
8.
The Good Shepherd would be killed as a result of divine will. And when he is
killed his flock of followers will be scattered because of persecution. Yahweh
will do this in order to refine and purify his people. Then when they call upon
Yahwehs name, he will say, They are my people. (Zech. 13:7-9). Jesus was
sent by the Father for the purpose of dying. Before his death Jesus used Zech.
13:7 to predict his disciples would fall away from him (Mt. 26:31). And after
his death, those who believed in him were persecuted and most left
Jerusalem and were scattered to escape death (Acts 8:1). This was Gods
refining action and because of it the Gospel spread and more and more
people said, Yahweh is my God.
9.
To teach you that life has meaning only when you recognize God and what he
is doing in your life. Without God life quickly comes and goes; it dissipates
and disappears.
To recognize that life and all the things of life are a gift of God.
To encourage God's people to rejoice in their lot in life and to regard joy as
Gods best gift for them in this life.
- - - Introduction #1: Prologue (Dan. 1:1-21) - - Babylon defeated Judah. Daniel and his three compatriots were exiled from Judah to
Babylon. God gave Daniel and his compatriots more skill and learning than all the
others training for the kings court. Daniel resolved not to defile himself and was
also given the ability to understand dreams and visions.
- - - A. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of four kingdoms and the kingdom of God (Dan. 2:149) - - King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, was troubled by it, and did not understand it.
When none of the wise men of Babylon could tell him the dream and its
interpretation, he commanded they all be killed. God revealed the mystery of the
dream to Daniel in a vision. Daniel went to the king and told him the dream and
what it meant. In the dream God was revealing to the king what empires he would
- - - B. Nebuchadnezzar sees Gods servants rescued (Dan. 3:1-30) - - King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image which was 90 feet high. He
commanded that all of the officials of his kingdom fall down before it and worship it.
Those who didnt were to be thrown into the fiery furnace. Three of the Jewish
officials (Daniels three compatriots) were accused of not bowing down. The king
gave them a second chance, but they faithfully refused to serve the gods of Babylon
and bow down to the golden image. In anger the king had the fire stoked blazing hot
and had them thrown into the furnace. But the three were unharmed. God sent his
Son to protect them. Because of this the king recognized the God of the Jews as a
great God and promoted the three.
- - - C. Nebuchadnezzar is judged (Dan. 4:1-37) - - Being in the royal court, Daniel recorded a decree from king Nebuchadnezzar. In the
decree the king told about a dream that had troubled him. And once again none of
the wise men could interpret it, but Daniel could. In the dream the king saw a great
tree that was chopped down. Only a stump remained. But after a period of time it
began to grow back. Daniel told the king that the tree represented him. The king
had grown too prideful and the God of Heaven would humble him until he realized
that the Most High God was the real ruler over the people and kingdoms of the
earth. And within a year all that was predicted in the dream came true. The king
was humbled for a period of time and then reestablished. After that he recognized
greatness and rule of the Most High God in heaven.
- - - C. Belshazzar is judged (Dan. 5:1-31) - - Sometime later Belshazzar was king. As King Belshazzar feasted and praised the
Babylonian gods, suddenly a human hand appeared and wrote a phrase on the wall.
The king was greatly disturbed by it, but no one could understand what it said. The
queen remembered that Daniel could interpret dreams. The king called Daniel in to
see if he could read and interpret the writing on the wall. Daniel reminded the king
how the Most High God had humbled king Nebuchadnezzar when he became proud
and now Belshazzar had become proud and worshipped false gods and had not
honored the Most High God who rules the world. Daniel said that the hand came
from God with this message: Your kingdom is done and will be given to the Medes
and Persians. That very night the king was killed and his kingdom was given to
Darius the Mede.
- - - B. Darius sees Daniel rescued (Dan. 6:1-28) - - -
What was the third phase of the rebuilding of Yahwehs house? Who did
Yahweh choose to do this rebuilding? What problems did he face? How did he
overcome them?
The third phase of rebuilding Yahwehs house was the rebuilding of the wall
around Jerusalem. To do this Yahweh chose Nehemiah. Nehemiah received
permission from king Artaxerxes I to go to Jerusalem and rebuild. From the
beginning he faced opposition from some of the political leaders in
surrounding areas. At first it was verbal intimidation. But when that did not
stop the rebuilding, they threatened to physically attack them. In response
Nehemiah posted guards and armed all the people and they continued to
rebuild the wall. There was also internal dissension as the poor people
complained about the rich people oppressing them. Nehemiah took the rich
to task and stopped those practices from occurring. In spite of the external
opposition and the internal dissension the wall was rebuilt in record time.
8.
In order to make sure that all of the rebuilding was not for naught, what did
Nehemiah and Ezra do?
They fortified the city and people. First Nehemiah fortified the city of
Jerusalem. The weakest points of the walled city were its gates. Nehemiah
recruited some of the returnees to be guards for the city. Ezra then fortified
the people by gathering them and reading and teaching them the Torah of
God. The Torah became the constitution of the rebuilt community.
9. What further measures were taken to insure current stability and future
prosperity for the city?
First, there were very few people living in the city of Jerusalem. So Nehemiah
repopulated the city by selecting by lot from all the families that had returned
a tenth of the people to relocate in the city. Second, they made sure that the
priests and Levites who served at the temple were legitimate descendants
from the tribe of Levi. Third, they joyfully gave thanks to Yahweh in the
dedication of the newly constructed wall. And fourth, they made sure the
Torah of God was followed. The priests were organized according to the Torah
and the instructions of king David. The Torah was read to the people. Where
Nehemiah found that the Torah was not being followed, he instituted reforms.
He purified the temple, honored the Sabbath, and dealt once again with the
problem of intermarriage with pagans. They organized the community as a
liturgical community using the Torah as their guide.