We are always in constant dialogue with the world through — media, culture, friends and personal experiences — and with Scripture. What we know of Scripture challenges and rubs up against what we experience living in this world.
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Bible Reading
The series when we studied Isaiah 13-23 took place at a strange time. Global events churned fiercely and we were reminded, almost in an unprecedented way, of how important it is to connect our Bible reading with our reading of current affairs. Though the events of Isaiah 13-23 largely revolve around the rise of Assyria as the major power in the ancient world, how keenly we felt the indictment against human pride, and the emptiness of international alliances, forums and military coalitions in our day!
Isaiah chapters 13 to 23 plainly deal with the oracles of the prophet to the Gentile nations around Israel and Judah. These are God's words to the world spoken by the man he chose. We'll be studying them under the title "Lessons from the Nations". So why should we make time for these lessons? Here are five suggestions:
In Deut 7, Moses writes to Israel as they stand on the cusp of finally entering the Promised Land. These words served to strengthen and encourage God’s people. What might we be able to learn and glean from this passage?
Tim Keller calls it “the divinely inspired hymnbook for the public worship of God in ancient Israel”, and according to the editors of the ESV Study Bible — “the songbook of the people of God in their gathered worship” (ESV Study Bible). Clearly, the Psalms are important to a Christian’s Bible reading, but how do we read it? How should we approach this important book?
Many of us could be familiar with the narrative in the early part of Exodus. We may have been schooled in the plagues and the great deliverance from slavery in Egypt. But where is the gospel narrative in the book of Exodus?
For many of us, we know that the book of Job exists and is about suffering, but beyond that, our understanding is hazy. Some English and Literature majors may have read this book while learning about irony. Others of us may know that this book is often used to encourage those who are suffering but how it does it specifically, we are unsure.
What is its place in the Bible and what does it really mean for young people? Here are 5 thoughts to start us of!
Why 1 and 2 Thessalonians? What can we learn from it? We begin with 5 reasons to study these 2 epistles of Paul:
What is God warning about bloody cities? God is not just talking about Nineveh and Assyria, one city and kingdom. God is actually talking about a bigger dimension.
The first chapter of Nahum makes clear that God’s judgment is about to fall on Nineveh for her idolatry, pride, and evil. Chapter 2 is a prophetic lens through which we catch a glimpse of the terrible judgment that is about to befall Ninevah. The recurring themes of harsh, thorough, and unstoppable judgment coupled with God’s salvation for His people follow through from the first chapter. But what does it mean for us? We read the minor prophets in a world that has excised judgment from its vocabulary. We read it to learn about what God’s terrible judgment reveals about His character, and what it means for us today!
Who are the enemies of God? This is the question that we'll consider as we examine this passage. In fact, does it surprise you that God has enemies?
Psalm 42 teaches us how to speak to our soul and teach our hearts to hope in God.