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ScriptureStream episodes
- Two Good Bible Study HabitsIntroduction
- I Peter 1:10-12
- I Corinthians 2:13
Be content with the Holy Spirit’s revealed word.- Joshua 2:15-18 – Some ancient writers looked at the scarlet cord as being a symbol of Jesus’ blood. Both saved. However, the Holy Spirit never made that connection.
- Exodus 27:19 – All the pegs of the tabernacle were to be bronze. M. R. DeHaam in The Tabernacle tries to connect the pegs to the resurrection in that they were in the group and also rose above the ground. Against, the Holy Spirit never makes this connection.
- Absurd example: The “David Church”
- Ezekiel 37:15-23 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints interprets the two sticks as foretelling the Bible and Book of Mormon being joined.
- Hebrews 8:1-5 – The Holy Spirit makes the connection between the tabernacle and heaven.
- Hebrews 9:23; 10:1 – The Holy Spirit makes more connections for us.
- Be careful about making connections beyond what has been revealed.
- Romans 5:14-19 – The Holy Spirit connects Adam and Christ.
- II Peter 1:20
Study the context!- “He made it!” – This means completely different things depending on the context.
- Examples:
- Psalms 14:1
- Ecclesiastes 2:10
- Matthew 10:8
- Acts 27:31
- Hebrews 9:24
- Ephesians 3:1-6 – We can read and understand!
- Examples from Dr. Mark Strauss:
- Philippians 1:14
- Luke 4:43
- Matthew 5:7, 20; 6:1; 7:13-14
- Matthew 7:28
- Exegesis – to draw out the meaning of the text.
- Eisegesis – to read your own meaning into the text.
- Luke 10:29-37 – Augustine tried to read this story as an allegory, but that is going beyond the simple meaning of the story.
34 min - The Basic Storyline of the Old TestamentIntroduction
- If asked by someone for help in their reading of the Old Testament, giving them just the basic storyline, could you do it?
- Hebrews 5:11-14
- Of the 39 Old Testament books, only twelve need to be read in order to get the chronological story. The other 27 are valuable for the details.
Genesis- Three men: patriarchs (Acts 7:8)
- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
- Three promises: Genesis 12:3; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10
- Land – the land which I will show you
- Fulfilled, Joshua 21:43-45; 23:14
- Nation – I will make you a great nation
- Fulfilled, Exodus 1:7
- Special descendant – in you all the families of the earth will be blessed
- Fulfilled, Galatians 3:14-16
- The balance of the Old Testament is all about the fulfilling of these three promises.
Exodus- 215 years of bondage
- Reason for Jews being in Egypt in servitude; had become a great nation, a thread to Pharaoh, Exodus 1:14
- Exodus 12:37 – 600,000 men
- Exodus 3-7 – Moses raised up as deliverer
- Exodus 8-11 – Plagues intended to soften Pharaoh’s heart and release the Jews.
- Exodus 12-13 – Passover instituted
- Exodus 14-40 – Jews escape Egypt, come to Sinai, events at Sinai
- Exodus 19 – Ten Commandments
- Exodus 24 – Golden calf
- Jesus our Passover lamb – I Corinthians 5:7
Numbers- 40 years of wandering
- Numbers 1-10 – Preparations for leaving Sinai
- Numbers 10-12 – Events before Kadesh
- Murmuring against Moses and Aaron
- Numbers 12-20 – Events at Kadesh
- Numbers 12 – Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron
- Numbers 13 – Spies sent to Canaan, evil report
- Numbers 14 – Rebellion of people and punishment
- Numbers 20-36 – Events prior to entering Canaan
Deuteronomy- “Remember” – 24 times
- Deuteronomy 1-31 – Retelling of the law
- Deuteronomy 32-34 – 120 years of Moses’ life ends
Joshua- Seven years to conquer the land
- Joshua 1-5 – Entering the land
- Joshua 6-12 – Conquest of the land
- Joshua 13-21 – Distribution of land
- Joshua 22-24 – Settling in land
- Joshua 21:45 – None of God’s promises failed
Judges – I Samuel 8- 14 judges, 300 years
- Judges 2:11-23 – 300 year cycle of apostasy: sin, oppression, repentance, deliverance, relapse
I Samuel 8 – I Kings 11- “Give us a king”
- 120 years, united kingdom: Judah and Israel
- Saul, David, and Solomon
- II Samuel 7:12-17 - David’s desire to build temple; God assures him a descendant of His (Jesus) will fulfill prophecy.
I Kings, II Kings – Divided kingdom- Israel – 931-722 B.C.
- 19 kings, all of them evil
- Lasts for 200 years before being taken into Assyrian captivity, from which they never returned.
- Judah – 931-586 B.C.
- 20 kings, some good, some evil
- Lasts for 130 years after Israel goes into captivity before being taken captive by Babylon for seventy years, then return.
II Kings 23-25- Three groups taken into Babylonian captivity
Ezra and Nehemiah- Three groups return from Babylonian
35 min - The Greatest FatherIntroduction
- Ephesians 6:4
- I John 3:1
He always prioritizes our souls.- Genesis 13:2, 5-6 – God is okay with us being prosperous.
- I Kings 3:13
- Job 1:1
- II Thessalonians 3:7-10 – God exalts a good work ethic.
- Proverbs 17:17
- Matthew 10:16, 28, 39
- Revelation 2:10
- We need to make it clear to our children that their souls are what are most valuable.
- Matthew 16:26
He balances tough love and tender love.- Genesis 6:12-13 – God destroyed the earth with a flood.
- Psalms 86:14-17 – God also showed compassionate love.
- Kids need to hear, “no” and it needs to be enforced.
- There are also times when kids make a mistake and need compassionate love.
He tells His children to be different.- Exodus 19:5
- Leviticus 18:3 – Don’t walk like the Egyptians, Canaanites, or anyone else.
- Leviticus 19:2
- Leviticus 20:22
- Deuteronomy 18:9 – Don’t imitate the nations.
- Jeremiah 10:2
- I Peter 2:9-11 – We are sojourners here.
- Teach your kids to be different!
- II Corinthians 6:14-18
30 min - Faith, Part 6Faith dispels fear (continued)
- Mark 4:37-41
- Fear and faith are incompatible (Mark 4:40).
- Fear assumes God does not care (Mark 4:38).
- “Teacher, do you not care …”
- Fear assumes God can’t (or won’t) help me.
- Sometimes we don’t feel worthy of God’s help.
- We may project our own shortcomings on God.
- Fear assumes God cannot be at work in the storm like He is in the calm.
- God is with us in the storm.
- Matthew 28:20; Mark 16:20; Acts 18:10; II Timothy 4:17
- Hebrews 13:5-6
- God cares for us in the storm.
- Christ’s compassion: John 11:33-38; Luke 7:13; 19:41-44. He cares at all times.
- God wants us to trust in His care, rather than react to our own anxiety.
- God’s care is an answer to anxiety: Matthew 6:30
- God brings good out of storms.
- Philippians 4:6-7
- Fear tells us that God’s presence and care will mean no storms. The Bible teaches us that God works in storms to bring the good out of them.
- Joseph – Genesis 50:20
- Paul – Philippians 1:12
- We can learn and grow by enduring trials and hardships.
- James 1:2-4
- Let go of fear.
- Be introspective. Why are you so afraid?
- Pray for help and healing. Philippians 4:6-7
- Evaluate past storms.
46 min - John 5Spiritual health is the most important thing.
- John 5:2-9
- John 5:13-15 – It doesn’t seem that Jesus is telling the man he was lame because of sin. Jesus is saying that if the man sins, something worse than lameness will befall him, namely hell.
I need to double-check if I am mistaken.- John 5:10, 16
- The Jews thought that this was a sin, but the fact that Jesus commanded it shows it was not.
Don’t see a contradiction where there is harmony.- John 5:17-18 – The Jews thought this was blasphemy, not understanding who Jesus was.
- John 5:19-24
- Jesus gives four lines of evidence to show He was the Christ:
- John 5:30-36 – The testimony of John the Baptist (1) and His own works (2).
- John 5:37-38 – God the Father bore witness of Jesus (possibly His baptism – Matthew 3:17) (3).
- John 14:24
- John 5:39-40 – The scriptures also testify of Jesus (4).
- John 5:45-47
- Luke 24:27
- How are you saved?
- Ephesians 1:7
- I Peter 3:21
- James 2:24
- Ephesians 2:8
- Acts 3:19
- Romans 10:10
- Titus 3:5
- All of these are true! It is wrong for us to try to drive wedges between them.
30 min - Joshua 7-9Joshua 7Joshua 7:1-15 – Defeated at Ai
- Joshua 7:1 – Achan violates the ban on plunder that God had put in place (see Joshua 6:17).
- Joshua 7:4-9 – Because of Achan’s sin, Israel loses a battle. Joshua went straight to God in prayer, which was the correct response.
Joshua 7:16-26 – Achan punished- Achan “saw … coveted … took … concealed.” This is the way sin always works! Compare James 1:14-15.
- We must stop sin right at the beginning and not let it proceed.
- Joshua 7:22-25 – Achan’s punishment was swift and severe. See Deuteronomy 13:6-11.
Joshua 8Joshua 8:1-8 – Instructions about Ai- Joshua 8:2 – The firstfruits of the conquest were from Jericho and were dedicated to God. Thereafter, God allowed the people to plunder. Ultimately, God rules and can make commands as He wishes. (If only Achan had waited for one more battle, he could have had his plunder and still been acceptable to God! We must operate on God’s timetable.)
Joshua 8:9-29 – Defeat of Ai- God instructs Joshua to set an ambush for Ai, utterly defeating them.
Joshua 8:30-35 – Altar and reading the lawJoshua 9Joshua 9:1-27 – Gibeonite deception and covenant- Joshua 9:14 – They did not consult God!
41 min - Because of Your Good DeedsIntroduction
- I Peter 2:12
Put a positive, spiritual spin on life.- Matthew 5:13-16
- Matthew 5:10-12 – Christians react to things differently.
- Acts 5:40-6:1
- How do I react when things happen?
- Philippians 1:12-14 – Paul had a positive outlook on his imprisonment.
Tell stories about your repentance.- I Corinthians 13:6
- Galatians 1:23-24 – They glorified God because of Paul’s repentance.
- I Timothy 1:13-15 – Paul talked about himself as a way of talking about Christ.
Choose words that reflect your spiritual mindset.- Titus 2:7-8 – Every time we communicate, it’s an opportunity to turn toward spiritual things.
- “I’m blessed.”
- “I’ll pray for you.”
- “It’s a good day God has made.”
- Acts 9:1; Romans 1:7 – Look at how Paul talked to Christians before and after his conversion.
- Our speech should reflect our faith.
- I Peter 4:11
- If we’re too afraid to mention God around non-spiritual people, who is influencing who? We are to be salt and light in the world.
Invite someone to Benchley.- John 4:7-42 – This woman saved many just be inviting people to hear Jesus. Can we do that?
25 min - Faith, Part 5Faith creates courage (continued)
- Terror: a state of intense fear
- Hebrews 11:30-40 – Through faith, these people had the courage to deal with all these troubles.
- Gideon goes from having no great faith and no courage to leading God’s people as one of the judges. Judges 6-8
- Gideon’s faith becomes stronger.
- Obedience despite doubt. We may have doubts about our abilities and God’s plan for us. God uses us when we follow through.
- God’s strength is in our weakness. God often uses the humble and unlikely to accomplish His purpose. Our weakness can become a platform for God’s strength and glory. Judges 7:20
- Giving credit to God. Judges 7:13-15 (Gideon worshipped God.)
- The recounting of Gideon’s journey from fear to faith and the courage it instilled in him reminds us that:
- God can work through our doubts and weaknesses.
- When we submit to His will and trust in His strength, we can overcome obstacles.
- Gideon shows us that God’s presence and power are with us, even in our moments of uncertainty.
- How does out faith grow our courage?
- How does our courage grow our faith?
- How does the world see our faith and the courage it brings us?
- John 15:13
- Hebrews 9:26 – How much faith and courage must this have taken for Christ to die willingly?
- II Peter 1:5
Faith dispels fear- Fear
- Torment: extreme pain
- Mark 4:40 – Fear and faith are incompatible.
44 min - The Minor JudgesIntroduction
- Hebrews 11:32-34
God cares about each one of us.- Judges 12:8-15 – Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
- John 20:30-31; 21:25
- Jonah 4:11
- Genesis 1:16 – “… He made the stars also.”
- Luke 12:6-7 – God knows the number of hairs on your head. You are valuable to Him!
- God loves each one of us!
Humans repeat mistakes.- Judges 2:16
- The judges may have been local leaders.
- The time periods of the judges may have overlapped.
There was a lot of peace.- Oppression: 114 years
- Rest: 296 years
- Judges 3:30 – 80 years of peace. Some of the people living during this time may have known nothing other than peace!
The cycle of sin continued.- Judges 10:1-5
- Ecclesiastes 1:4-9
- The cycle:
- Sin: Judges 3:7
- Oppression: Judges 3:8
- Cries to God: Judges 3:9
- Judge to deliver: Judges 3:9-10
- Period of rest and peace: Judges 3:11
- God is a god of grace!
- What problem can God not help with?
- I John 4:14; 1:9
Strength comes through struggle.- Judges 2:20-3:4 – God left these nations on purpose to test the Israelites.
- Judges 3:31 – Shamgar; more struggle, more fighting
- II Corinthians 12:7-9 – God allowed Paul to have a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble.
- II Timothy 3:11; 4:14-18
- James 1:2-4
34 min - Joshua 5-6Joshua 5
- Joshua 5:1 – Kings’ hearts melted
- They were terrified of the Israelites!
- Joshua 5:2-8 – Circumcision
- It did not make military sense to do this at this time, but God put fear into their enemies and they did not attack.
- Leviticus 12:3 – Circumcision was supposed to be an ongoing law, but it had not been followed.
- Joshua trusted that God would protect them while the army healed.
- Joshua 5:9 – Gilgal
- God is calling this out as a new beginning.
- Joshua 5:10 – Passover
- See Exodus 12:6. It’s not clear that the Passover had been observed since they left Mt. Sinia. Going by Exodus 12:25, it’s possible that observance was not to begin until they entered Canaan.
- Joshua 5:11-12 – Manna ceased
- The manna continued from Exodus 16 to Joshua 5. If you multiply it out, God provided at least 50 billion meals!
- Now they would eat the produce of the land.
- Joshua 5:13-15 – Captain of the Lord’s host
Joshua 6 – Jericho- Joshua 6:1-5 – God gave them Jericho, but they had to meet His conditions.
- Joshua 6:6-9 – Modern day Tell es-Sultan could be the site of ancient Jericho. It is one of the most excavated archaeological sites in the world.
- Joshua 6:15-21 – The walls of Jericho fall and the Israelites take the city.
- Joshua 6:22-27 – Rahab and her family are spared.
- Joshua 6:27 – Joshua’s curse was fulfilled in I Kings 16:34 when Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt the city, losing his firstborn and youngest son in the process.
ApplicationsGod can “give” something with conditions- Hebrews 11:30
- Ephesians 2:8
JerichoSalvationGod gives itJoshua 6:2: “I have given Jericho into your hand”Ephesians 2:8: “it is the gift of God”You didn’t earn itDeuteronomy 9:6: “it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land”Ephesians 2:8-9 – “not of yourselves … not as a result of works, so that no one may boast”And yet there are conditionsJoshua 6:2: “You shall march around the city …”Matthew 7:21: “he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter”God rewards faith wherever it is found.- Matthew 21:31
- Rahab was in the lineage of both David and Jesus.
- Isaiah 42:3
- God is willing to forgive and help us grow.
No stronghold can resist God.41 min
About ScriptureStream
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Just the gospel, plainly spoken. ScriptureStream compiles lessons presented at the Benchley church of Christ, located just north of Bryan, TX. Visit ScriptureStream.com for full notes on each lesson…
and additional resources for Bible study.