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...
by Paul Apple | Jul 13, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: COVETOUSNESS SEVERELY COMPROMISES MINISTRY INTEGRITYINTRODUCTION:The temptation of greed and covetousness always poses a serious threat to ministry integrity. The servant of God is all too familiar with the material sacrifices he has made and the worldly...
by Paul Apple | Jul 13, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S GRACE TO HEAL THE LEPROSY OF SIN EXTENDS TO GENTILES WHO TURN FROM THEIR PRIDE AND SUBMIT TO HIS SIMPLE PLAN OF SALVATIONINTRODUCTION:This account probably took place at a later point in time since Gehazi is still viewed with some measure of respect in...
by Paul Apple | Jul 1, 2021 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PERFORMANCE OF MIRACLES BY ELISHA DEMONSTRATES GOD’S ABUNDANT AND GRACIOUS PROVISION FOR HIS PEOPLEINTRODUCTION:This series of miracles focuses on the ministry of Elisha – looking back to similar incidents in the ministry of Elijah – and looking forward...
