by Paul Apple | Sep 30, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVEN THE WORST SINNER, IF HE HUMBLY REPENTS, IS NOT BEYOND THE MERCY OF GODINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: Though the Chronicler was heavily dependent on Kings for his account of Manasseh (33:1–10 // 2 Kgs 21:1–10), the two accounts contrast sharply in their...
by Paul Apple | Sep 29, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE FEET OF CLAY, HEZEKIAH ENCOURAGES LOOKING TO THE LORD FOR DELIVERANCE RATHER THAN TRUSTING THE ARM OF THE FLESHINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: Following his “acts of faithfulness” (as in 2 Chronicles 29–31; cf. 31:20), Hezekiah saw the death of the...
by Paul Apple | Sep 27, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ADMINISTRATION OF SPIRITUAL WORSHIP AND SUPPORT FOR LEADERS REQUIRES FAITHFUL FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIPINTRODUCTION:John Gill: This chapter begins with the destruction of idolatrous worship, the appointment of the courses of the priests and Levites, and the...
by Paul Apple | Sep 25, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: REPENTANCE, HUMILITY AND CONSECRATION PROMOTE AN INCLUSIVE SPIRIT OF UNIFIED CORPORATE WORSHIP THAT ISSUES IN GREAT JOYINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: The end of the northern kingdom resulted in both the rapid increase in Judah’s population due to the influx of...
by Paul Apple | Sep 24, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SPIRITUAL REVIVAL REQUIRES CONVICTED REPENTANCE, CLEANSING OF GOD’S TEMPLE AND COMMITMENT TO JOYFULLY WORSHIP WHOLEHEARTEDLYINTRODUCTION:J.A. Thompson: The Chronicler had a deep interest in Hezekiah. He devoted more space to his account of Hezekiah’s reign...
by Paul Apple | Sep 22, 2022 | Bible-OT
(Chap. 27) REIGN OF RIGHTEOUS JOTHAM – A GOOD KING BUT STILL CORRUPT PEOPLE BIG IDEA:DESPITE THE POSITIVE REIGN OF JOTHAM AND DIVINE BLESSING OF BUILDING PROJECTS AND INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS, THE PEOPLE FAIL TO REFORMINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: This wholly positive...
by Paul Apple | Sep 18, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SUCCESS FOSTERS PRIDE WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO SELF-EXALTATION WHICH THEN RESULTS IN JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: The earlier history [2 Kings] had reported that Uzziah did “right” and enjoyed one of the longest reigns of the Judean kings. The...
by Paul Apple | Sep 17, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SUCCESS FOSTERS PRIDE WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO IDOLATRY AND STUBBORNNESS WHICH THEN RESULT IN JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: On the whole the record of Amaziah’s reign is a negative one. Apart from the brief, but clouded, victory over Edom as a reward for...
by Paul Apple | Sep 15, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PROMISE AND PRIVILEGE CAN QUICKLY DEGENERATE INTO APOSTASY WHEN WE REJECT GOD’S WORD AND FOLLOW WORLDLY COUNSELINTRODUCTION:Andrew Hill: The Chronicler features the reigns of three kings following the execution of the usurper Athaliah: the child-king Joash,...
by Paul Apple | Sep 13, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE THREAT ATHALIAH POSED TO THE DAVIDIC DYNASTY REQUIRED PROVIDENTIAL PROTECTION TO ELEVATE JOASH TO THE THRONEINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: Athaliah represented the one break in the dynastic continuity of the descendants of David. Though the queen mother...
by Paul Apple | Sep 12, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVIL COUNSEL AND ECUMENICAL ALLIANCES ALMOST WIPE OUT THE DAVIDIC DYNASTYINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: The future of the Davidic throne seemed precarious: the crisis that had brought Ahaziah to the throne is highlighted by repetition of the circumstances that...
by Paul Apple | Sep 10, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVIL LEADERSHIP PUTS THE KINGDOM IN JEAPARDY BUT DOES NOT NULLIFY GOD’S COMMITMENT TO THE DAVIDIC COVENANTINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: The Chronicler presents Jehoram’s reign as a complete aberration, the reversal of the reigns of kings before him.Raymond...
by Paul Apple | Sep 7, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: UNHOLY ALLIANCES COMPROMISE A SINCERE HEART FOR THE LORD BUT SALVATION CAN STILL COME AS WE SEEK HIMINTRODUCTION:Iain Duguid: Of all the accounts of the kings after Solomon, the account of Jehoshaphat’s reign is second in length only to Hezekiah’s (2...
by Paul Apple | Sep 3, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SPIRITUAL FAITHFULNESS MUST BE SUSTAINED –IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST START OUT STRONGINTRODUCTION:We see many examples in Scriptures and in life where somebody starts out strong – trusting the Lord alone in times of pressure – but finishes poorly. New...
by Paul Apple | Sep 1, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WHEN GOD CHOOSES SIDES IT IS FOOLISH TO OPPOSE HIM –ABIJAH TRIES UNSUCCESSFULLY TO GET JEROBOAM TO STAND DOWN FROM CIVIL WARINTRODUCTION:Raymond Dillard: Where Kings describes a sinful king not wholly devoted to God, a king maintained only because of God’s...
by Paul Apple | Aug 31, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE LEADERSHIP FAILURE OF REHOBOAM RESULTS IN THE JUDGMENT OF SHISHAK’S INVASION WHICH IS MITIGATED BY HUMBLE REPENTANCE BUT STILL PAINFUL IN ITS OUTCOMEINTRODUCTION:Andrew Hill: Pharaoh Shishak or Sheshonq I was the founder of the Twenty-Second Dynasty, and...
by Paul Apple | Aug 30, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE KINGDOM OF GOD MUST ADDRESS ITS VULNERABILITIES BY TAKING APPROPRIATE MILITARY, RELIGIOUS, FAMILY AND ADMINISTRATIVE COUNTER MEASURESINTRODUCTION:Andrew Hill: The passage [vv. 5-17] divides neatly into two sections, a summary of Rehoboam’s defensive...
by Paul Apple | Aug 29, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FOOLISH INSISTENCE ON TYRANNICAL OPPRESSION CAUSES A DIVISION IN THE KINGDOM OF ISRAELINTRODUCTION:Frederick Mabie: Chapters 10-36 of 2 Chronicles constitute the final major section of the Chronicler’s work: the account of the kingdom of Judah following the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 27, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE UNIQUENESS AND SUPREMACY OF SOLOMON’S BLESSED RULE WERE MARKED BY ABUNDANT WEALTH, WISDOM AND FAMEINTRODUCTION:August Konkel: Two of Solomon’s international contacts are described in great detail: Hiram to the north and the queen of Sheba to the south....
by Paul Apple | Aug 25, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SOLOMON’S IDEALIZED KINGSHIP FOCUSED ON EXPANDING DOMINION AND ENHANCING WORSHIPINTRODUCTION:Martin Selman: The final section of Solomon’s reign (chs. 8-9) concentrates on the theme of praise for all that God has done for Solomon (see especially 9:8). This...
