Gilbert House Fellowship

DAVID NEARS the end of his life as our chronological study of the Old Testament continues. We read a number of psalms of repentance and thanksgiving, and recount the list of David's mighty men of valor — and speculate on one of those odd bits of scripture referring to the "ariels" (rendered "lionlike men" in the KJV) of Moab slain by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada (2 Samuel 23:20).

THE REBELLION of Absalom has been quashed but a new one rises up in its place: As David returns to Jerusalem accompanied by members of his tribe, the Judahites, the northern tribes arrive along the way and confront the men of Judah. This leads to the short-lived rebellion of Sheba the son of Bichri, which highlights the ongoing tension between Judah and the northern tribes and foreshadows the eventual division of the kingdom in the days of Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

Click here for the complete archive of our New Testament Bible studies to date, and click here for the Old Testament studies to date.

JESUS LEAVES his disciples with some final teachings before the Crucifixion. We discuss the accounts of the Last Supper, his declaration that no one comes to the Father except through him, and Jesus' clear claim of divinity before the Sanhedrin.

We also touch on the timing of Jesus' appearance on Earth at the height of the power of the Roman Empire. It is no coincidence that he arrived at the earliest possible moment in history when a message could be taken to all points on the globe.

MATTHEW 24 and 25 are among the most important chapters in the New Testament. Jesus spells out the future days of vengeance on Israel, the days of Tribulation, and the return of the Messiah to reign on Earth.

We discuss these chapters and why their intended audience was the Jews (although some scholars disagree, arguing that Matthew 24 and 25 apply to the Church and not to the Jewish people). We consider the parables of the Ten Virgins and the Talents in light of their application to the Jews alone, and the judgment of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25 being a judgment of Gentiles during the Tribulation, with salvation for those who showed kindness to "the least of these my brothers" — the Jews.

This contradicts a new teaching that incorrectly interprets Matthew 25:31-46 as a judgment of nations, rather than people — the lesson being that believers must ensure that they're living in a "sheep nation" and not a "goat nation" (presumably by taking control and forcing people to behave) to avoid being sent "into eternal punishment"!

THE PSALMS in our study this week reflect the mood of David after his sin in sending Uriah the Hittite to his death. We discuss several penitential psalms, including the best-known (Psalm 51).

We then look at the consequences of David's shortcomings as a father as his eldest son, Amnon, rapes his half-sister, Tamar, the sister of David's son Absalom. Absalom waits two years and then murders Amnon. After three years of exile in the small Arabian kingdom of Geshur, Absalom returns to Jerusalem, is eventually reconciled to David — and then organizes a rebellion against David.

JESUS IS in Jerusalem and, knowing that his time is short, begins to speak of his return, both directly and in parables. We discuss the parable of the wedding feast and what it means that some at the feast will be bound and cast into outer darkness, the abomination that causes desolation (another "already but not yet" fulfillment of prophecy), and Jesus' citation of Psalm 110:1, showing that Messiah is greater than David and not merely a human descendant of Israel's first great king.

We also discuss Jesus' reply to the Sadducees about the resurrection and what it means that we will someday be like the angels in heaven, who "neither marry nor are given in marriage."

DAVID IS at the high point of his kingship, and — as happens all too often with us mortals — he decides he isn't satisfied with the blessings that God has bestowed. Lust drives David to conspire to murder an honest and honorable man, Uriah the Hittite. It results in the death of David and Bathsheba's illegitimate child and begins a chain of events that culminates in betrayal within his own house.

We also discuss the concept of heavenly books and several messianic passages in the Psalms we read this week, including the prophecy that Jesus would be offered sour wine — vinegar — in his hour of distress.

OUR NEW Testament study moves to the events of the final week of Jesus' ministry before the Crucifixion.

We discuss the Kingdom of God, the prophetic nature of the parable of the ten mins, the salvation of Zacchaeus the tax collector, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the growing plot to kill Jesus (and Lazarus!), and the significance of the Mount of Olives.