by Paul Apple | Aug 21, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RIGHTEOUS HEZEKIAH HOLDS ON AT THE END OF HIS REIGN AS HIS LIFE IS MIRACULOUSLY EXTENDED AND HIS VANITY IS PROPHETICALLY CHASTIZEDINTRODUCTION:Hezekiah goes into the record books as one of the greatest of the kings of Judah. By his own testimony he “walked...
by Paul Apple | Aug 19, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE BEST DEFENSE IS A DIVINE DEFENSEINTRODUCTION:You have heard the saying in the sports world: The best defense is a good offense. Here we see in the spiritual and political realm: The best defense is a Divine Defense. When God is on our side we have...
by Paul Apple | Aug 17, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: IN TIMES OF CRISIS SATAN USES MANY CRAFTY ARGUMENTS TO TRY TO UNDERMINE OUR FAITHINTRODUCTION:This historical scene in Judah is set in opposition to the preceding account of the Fall of Samaria in Israel. Once again we have a crisis facing God’s covenant...
by Paul Apple | Aug 14, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SYNCRETISTIC RELIGION NULLIFIES THE FEAR OF GOD AND VIOLATES THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIPINTRODUCTION:These events mark a major watershed in the history of the Jewish nation. After repeated warnings and persistent pleas by the prophets, the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 13, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PRIVILEGED ISRAEL FINALLY FACES CAPTIVITY AND EXILE FOR HER COVENANT UNFAITHFULNESS AND PERSISTENT IDOLATRYINTRODUCTION:God’s patience and repeated warnings provide many opportunities for repentance. But in the end, a stiff-necked and rebellious people...
by Paul Apple | Aug 10, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WHEN LEADERS GOVERN BY COMPROMISE INSTEAD OF CONVICTION THE SHORT TERM GAINS WILL BE WIPED OUT BY DIVINE JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Ahaz proves to be the master of compromise and religious syncretism. He relies on powerful foreign governments like Assyria instead...
by Paul Apple | Aug 9, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: UNSTABLE SUCCESSION OF KINGS IN ISRAEL SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO RIGHTEOUS KINGS IN JUDAH SHOW THE CONTRAST BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH – YET CONSISTENT DECLINEINTRODUCTION:Here you have a kingdom sandwich = 5 wicked kings of Israel sandwiched between 2 somewhat...
by Paul Apple | Aug 5, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD REMAINS FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD AND TO HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE DESPITE THEIR FAILURE TO REMAIN LOYAL IN TRUSTING HIMINTRODUCTION:How many times did God come to the aid of His people and bail them out of desperate situations? How many gracious victories did He...
by Paul Apple | Aug 4, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE GOODNESS AND GRACIOUSNESS OF GOD REFLECT HIS ONGOING COVENANT LOYALTY TO ISRAEL DESPITE THE WICKED REIGNS OF JEHOAHAZ AND JEHOASHINTRODUCTION:With the death of Elisha the prophet, certainly the nation of Israel had cause to wonder if God would now...
by Paul Apple | Jul 31, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FINISHING STRONG REQUIRES BEING RELENTLESS IN THE PURSUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESSINTRODUCTION:Jesus gave us the illustration of two different houses built on two very different foundations. The one was solid – built on rock – able to stand on its own and endure any...
by Paul Apple | Jul 31, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: LOYALTY TO THE MESSIANIC LINE (AVOIDING EXTINCTION) ENTHRONES YOUNG JOASH WHILE EXECUTING TREACHEROUS ATHALIAHINTRODUCTION:It is difficult for us to imagine the level of tension in Judah over the apparent eradication of the Davidic Messianic line. It seems...
by Paul Apple | Jul 29, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ZEAL FOR THE LORD WITHOUT WHOLEHEARTED OBEDIENCE UNDERMINES JEHU’S RECORD OF REFORMSINTRODUCTION:It’s possible to be zealous for the Lord but with impure motives. Jehu is an example of a powerful leader who is blessed by God with improbable victories, yet...
by Paul Apple | Jul 27, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DIVINE EXECUTIONS DISPLAY THE IRONY OF PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT AND THE HORROR OF GRUESOME DESECRATIONINTRODUCTION:Jehu is God’s avenging instrument of execution to purge both Israel and Judah of the wicked influence of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel and their...
by Paul Apple | Jul 26, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE CERTAINTY AND SUDDENESS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT – DESPITE ITS SEEMING DELAYINTRODUCTION:Despite God’s promise of judgment against those who oppose Him and persist in their rebellion and sins, people tend to disregard or mock His threat. They imagine that life...
by Paul Apple | Jul 24, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE COMBINATION OF INTERMARRIAGE TO FOREIGN PAGANS AND WICKED PARENTAL MODELS WEAKENS THE KINGDOM OF JUDAHINTRODUCTION:The Davidic kingdom in Judah continues to slide downward until God’s people look no different than the people of the world. Evil parenting...
by Paul Apple | Jul 22, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD BOTH JUDGES AND WEEPS — THE SEVERE JUDGMENT OF GOD DISPLAYS ITSELF IN TENSION AGAINST HIS WEEPING FOR THE SINS NECESSITATING SUCH JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Our minds find it difficult to hold two contrasting attributes or actions in a state of tension....
by Paul Apple | Jul 20, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S PEOPLE CAN EXPECT TO RETURN FROM EXILE AND TAKE UP POSSESSION OF THEIR RIGHTFUL STANDING IN THE PROMISED LANDINTRODUCTION:The impact on the exiles in Babylon of this short story of God’s watchcare over the Shunammite woman cannot be underestimated....
by Paul Apple | Jul 19, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: NEVER DISPUTE THE LORD’S PROMISE OF SALVATION – NO MATTER HOW DESPERATE THE SITUATION – HE WILL ALWAYS COME THROUGH –4 SALVATION LESSONS FROM THE SIEGE OF SAMARIAINTRODUCTION:The account of the Siege of Samaria continues the series of salvation lessons...
by Paul Apple | Jul 18, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WE ALL NEED GOD TO OPEN OUR EYES TO HIS TRUE CHARACTERINTRODUCTION:Elisha performs his function here as the man of God, as the prophet of God, in pointing people to the true character of God in every situation. Despite the pressure from the attacks against...
by Paul Apple | Jul 14, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: MINISTERS OF THE WORD SHOULD TURN TO THE MASTER IN CRISIS SITUATIONS BECAUSE HE WILL SHOW CONCERN AND EXERCISE CONTROLINTRODUCTION:This is a very interesting short story from the standpoint of biblical hermeneutics. What is the point of the author? What main...
