by Paul Apple | Dec 13, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PERSEVERING PERSPECTIVE COMBINES THE SHORT TERM PAIN OF DISCIPLINE WITH THE TRIUMPHANT RESOLVE TO REJOICE IN GOD’S LONG TERM DELIVERANCE REVIEW: We have seen the prophet wrestle honestly with the perplexing paradox of How could a righteous God let...
by Paul Apple | Dec 13, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PERPLEXITY REGARDING GOD’S WAYS AND GOD’S TIMING SHOULD NEVER SHAKE OUR FAITH IN GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS OR FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PROMISES INTRODUCTION: Eric Redmond: Habakkuk is struggling to reconcile his theology of God with the word of God that has just...
by Paul Apple | Dec 13, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PROPHET WRESTLES WITH THE APPARENT DELAY OF THE LORD IN ALLOWING EVIL TO GO UNPUNISHED – HOW LONG? INTRODUCTION: Cyril Barber: How can a message over twenty-six hundred years old impact our contemporary world? (1) The prophetic message continues to speak...
by Paul Apple | Jul 8, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE RIGHTEOUS KINGDOM OF GOD WILL REPLACE THE TEMPORARY DOMINION OF THE PROUD EDOMITES INTRODUCTION: Daniel Timmer: The limited, non-eschatological punishment of Edom described in terms of military defeat, political disintegration and shame and scorn is...
by Paul Apple | Jul 8, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE TABLES WILL BE TURNED ON THEIR MALICE AND ALOOFNESS AND GLOATING AND EXPLOITATION INTRODUCTION: David Baker: The external reasons for the fall of Edom are now identified. The surprising reversal of verse 7 (friends turning to enemies) is not that...
by Paul Apple | Jul 8, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD OVERTURNS ARROGANCE AND FALSE SECURITY BY COMPLETE DESTRUCTION INTRODUCTION: Leslie Allen: This first section of the composition in vv. 2–9 has analyzed from various angles the theme of the destruction of Edom. Beginning and end have stressed that...
by Paul Apple | May 2, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS IS CONTRASTED WITH THE RESTORATION OF JUDAH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ESCHATOLOGICAL DAY OF THE LORD INTRODUCTION: Trent Butler: MAIN IDEA REVIEW: The final Day of the Lord will bring victory and pardon for God’s people, but that...
by Paul Apple | May 2, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PROMISE AND FULFILLMENT OF BLESSINGS ASSOCIATED WITH REPENTANCE INTRODUCTION: James Nogalski: Joel 2:18 functions as the dramatic turning point of the book. Serious disagreement, however, exists regarding whether one should read 2:18 as a narrative...
by Paul Apple | May 2, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE ANTICIPATION OF A FUTURE COMING DAY OF THE LORD (EMPHASIS ON POSSIBLE IMMEDIATE INVASION BUT DEFINITE ESCHATOLOGICAL FULFILLMENT) PROMPTS PLEA FOR HEARTFELT REPENTANCE INTRODUCTION: David Baker: The description of the Day builds up throughout this...
by Paul Apple | May 2, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE DEVASTATION OF THE IMMEDIATE LOCUST PLAGUE AWAKENS WEEPING AND WAILING AND CRYING OUT TO GOD INTRODUCTION: Daniel Epp-Tiessen: Some stories are so meaningful and important to a community or group of people that they must be passed on from generation to...
by Paul Apple | Mar 16, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REPENTANCE IS THE PATHWAY TO ENJOYING GOD’S LOVINGKINDNESS IN RESTORATION AND FRUITFULNESS INTRODUCTION: Biblehub: Hosea 14 is a powerful reminder of God’s undying love and His ever-present willingness to forgive and restore. Regardless of how far we...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DEATH DEVOURS WHEN THE HELPLESS REJECT THEIR HELPER INTRODUCTION: Trent Butler: Guilt eventually brings the death sentence even from a God of compassion and salvation. J. Andrew Dearman: Chapter 13 is the second of two historically oriented prophetic lessons...
by Paul Apple | Mar 7, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: INDICTED FOR SPIRITUAL AND MORAL UNFAITHFULNESS, GOD’S ELECT NATION FACES DIVINE RETRIBUTION DESPITE THE CALL FOR REPENTANCE AND HOPE OF ULTIMATE RESTORATION DUE TO GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE INTRODUCTION: H. D. Beeby: ch. 12 stands at the beginning of the fourth...
by Paul Apple | Mar 5, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: COMPASSION AND MERCY TRIUMPH OVER JUDGMENT AS GOD CALLS HIS PRODIGAL NATION TO RETURN HOME DESPITE DESERVING EXTINCTION INTRODUCTION: H. D. Beeby: First, I have assumed that the chapter must be accorded some priority. It is the clearest statement of Hosea’s...
by Paul Apple | Mar 4, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S NATION CHARACTERIZED BY INIQUITY AND IDOLATRY MUST CONVERT OR SUFFER THE AWFUL CONSEQUENCES OF CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTION: Gary Smith: This section has a good deal of continuity with the previous one, since both condemn Israel’s false worship at...
by Paul Apple | Mar 3, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE JUDGMENT OF DISPERSION AND BARRENNESS CHARACTERIZES A NATION ABANDONED BY GOD FOR SPIRITUAL HARLOTRY AND DEEP DEPRAVITY INTRODUCTION: H. D. Beeby: Hosea continues his attack on the cult. In the previous chapters the targets had been idols, altars, and...
by Paul Apple | Feb 27, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DANGEROUS SELF-RELIANCE FUELS COVENANT TRANSGRESSION FOR A NATION THAT HAS FORGOTTEN ITS GOD INTRODUCTION: Robin Routledge: While there is general agreement that 8:1 marks the beginning of a new section, some view 8:1–14 and 9:1–9 as separate units (Wolff...
by Paul Apple | Feb 25, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WHEN THERE IS NO TURNING BACK TO THE LORD, MORAL CORRUPTION LEADS TO POLITICAL DISINTEGRATION OF A NATION (BOTH INTERNALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY) INTRODUCTION: H. D. Beeby: The RSV translation attaches 6:11b to ch. 7. This is acceptable and makes good sense....
by Paul Apple | Feb 21, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RELIGIOUS RITUALS CANNOT COMPENSATE FOR LACK OF LOYAL LOVE AND TREACHEROUS ACTS OF REBELLION INTRODUCTION: John Schultz: Again, God’s inner conflict is expressed in the question: “What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you,Judah?” It is as if...
by Paul Apple | Feb 20, 2025 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PATH TO RESTORATION INVOLVES REPENTANCE AND RENEWAL INTRODUCTION: Derek Kidner: There are at least two ways of taking this. One is that God is first portraying in 5:15 – 6:3 the deep conversion that He is working for and will at last evoke – that total...
