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In "Obadiah: Who Will Bring Me Down?" Charles Sebold walks through the shortest book of the Old Testament, a single twenty-one-verse oracle against Edom, the descendants of Esau. After tracing the long rivalry of the two brothers from Rebekah's womb through Edom's refusal of passage in Numbers 20 and Moses' charge, "You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother," he shows that the indictment rests on family: Edom wronged its brother Jacob. Edom's sin began with pride. Secure in the clefts of the rock, it asked, "Who will bring me down?" and God answered, "From there I will bring you down." Its allies, its wise men, and its warriors would all fail. Then comes the charge: on the day Babylon sacked Jerusalem, Edom stood aloof and was "like one of them." The eight "do not" commands of verses 12 to 14 trace a slippery slope of sin, from gloating to looting to handing over survivors. Watching came first, and the rest followed. Because the day of the Lord is near, "as you have done, it shall be done to you." God remembers wrongs done to His people, and His judgment fits the deed exactly. Yet Proverbs 24 forbids God's people the same gloating, and Romans 12:19 reminds us that vengeance belongs to the Lord, which is exactly why we need not take it ourselves. History confirms the word: Edom vanished. The book closes on Mount Zion, with a remnant that escapes, a restored land, and the promise that "the kingdom shall be the Lord's." The lesson calls believers to love brother, neighbor, and enemy, to glory in God's justice rather than in anyone's ruin, and to refuse to stand aside when evil falls on others.

In "Joel: The Day of the Lord," a Sunday night overview of the Minor Prophets, Charles Sebold walks through Joel's three chapters around one refrain and one question: "The day of Yahweh is great and very awesome; who can endure it?" (Joel 2:11). Locusts and drought strip Judah so bare that the temple offerings cease, and the people are told to read it as Yahweh's own doing. Yet even now the door stays open: rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to a God who is gracious and merciful. Repentance does not manage God; it works because of who He is. Yahweh answers with restoration beyond recovery, repaying the years the locust ate, and then pours out His Spirit on all flesh, a new-covenant promise Peter saw breaking in at Pentecost and awaiting its fullness. The remnant whom God calls will call on His name (Joel 2:32; Romans 10:13). Chapter 3 turns dark in the Valley of Decision, where Yahweh mocks the nations by summoning them to beat their plowshares into swords, and Revelation 14 shows Christ treading the winepress. The only refuge from the day of the Lord is the Lord Himself, who tore the veil and opened the way.

In "A Book of Reversals," lay teacher Charles Sebold opens a Sunday evening series through all twelve Minor Prophets with an overview of Hosea 1-7. After setting the scene in the divided kingdom, with Jeroboam's golden calves at Dan and Bethel and the north's many names (Israel, Ephraim, Samaria), he introduces Hosea as Scripture's most difficult wordsmith, a northern poet whose rare vocabulary and love of jamming opposites together keep translators guessing. In chapters 1-3, Hosea is commanded to marry Gomer and names her children Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah, and Lo-ammi, yet God immediately reverses the verdict, promising to call "Not My People" children of the living God, a promise Paul extends to Gentiles in Romans 9. God hedges faithless Israel in with thorns as an act of mercy, turns the Valley of Achor into a door of hope, and trades "Baali" for "Ishi." Hosea then buys his wife back for fifteen shekels and barley, half a slave's price and all he had, a picture of the Lord giving His Son for a people worth nothing. Chapters 4-7 open God's covenant lawsuit: a people destroyed for lack of knowledge, worshiping the blessings instead of the Giver, fluttering between Assyria and Egypt like a silly dove, and offering a repentance that vanishes like morning dew, even as their words about being raised on the third day foreshadow Christ. The greatest reversal of all: God's covenant love never depended on His bride's faithfulness.

This lesson provides an introductory overview of the New Testament, focusing on its contents and authorship within a broader series on Scripture. The speaker explains that the New Testament covers approximately one hundred years of history, culminating in the incarnation of Christ, and is divided into historical books, epistles, and apocalyptic literature. A significant portion addresses authorship, noting that while most books have clear attributions, Hebrews remains debated due to stylistic differences from Paul's other writings. The preacher emphasizes that apparent contradictions in the Gospels are resolvable through harmonization and contextual understanding of ancient literary conventions. Finally, the session concludes by affirming the divine inspiration and authority of the text as a defense against skeptical critiques.

With victory and relative peace in his life, David reflects and writes what will eventually become Psalm 18. We discuss the small differences and do a survey/overview of this Psalm that contains Messianic Prophecy, Song Lyrics, Dispensational Truth and subtle references to the Trinity, the Rapture, the Second Coming, the Millennium, etc. Also Reference: (Psalm 18), Luke 1:47, Hebrews 1:8, Romans 10:13, (Revelation 19), Romans 16:20, Luke 6:37, Psalm 119:105. Hebrews 11:6, (Colossians 3:16), (Ephesians 5:19) https://bbfohio.com

Message one in a study of Philippians. Pastor Robert Rohlin opens Paul's most joyful letter at the words most readers skip - the greeting. Writing from a Roman prison cell around AD 60, chained day and night to a rotating guard, Paul introduces himself not as an apostle pulling rank but as a bondservant: the Old Testament slave who could have walked away free and chose to stay, ear pierced at the doorpost, because he loved his master. He calls the Philippians saints, greets their bishops and deacons, and remembers the unlikely first church in Europe - a businesswoman, a delivered slave girl, and the jailer who had beaten him. Why listen? If joy depended on circumstances, Paul had none left to draw on, and he still wrote the most joyful book in the New Testament. If your own trials have quietly convinced you that gladness has to wait for easier days, this message shows you where Paul actually found his: in belonging to Christ, in gospel progress that mattered more to him than his own comfort, and in a church family whose most painful memories God turned into joyful ones. Begin the series here and find out what it means to serve Christ by choice rather than by force. Please note: about six minutes at the start of the message, including the opening overview of the book of Philippians, are not included in this recording.

Esther 2:1–18 (LSB) Series: The Book of Esther (Sermon 3) Speaker: Rocky Stevenson Church: Benoni Bible Church Sermon Overview: In Esther 2:1–18, the narrative shifts from the public vanity of Xerxes' palace to the quiet, behind-the-scenes movements of divine providence. Set historically between Xerxes' defeat in Greece (479 BC) and the rise of Haman, this passage details how an orphaned Jewish girl, Hadassah (Esther), is brought into the royal harem and eventually crowned queen of Persia. This exposition examines the complex realities of life in exile. Far from presenting Mordecai and Esther as flawless heroes, the text reveals assimilated exiles navigating a corrupt pagan system. Yet, God's covenant faithfulness is not contingent upon human heroism; it rests entirely on His sovereign grace. Key Theological Themes: The Invisibility and Certainty of Divine Providence: How God arranges secondary causes to accomplish His sovereign decrees. Redemptive History & The Preservation of the Seed: Linking Esther's ascension to the preservation of the Jewish remnant, the lineage of David, and the ultimate arrival of Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:4–5). Covenant Promises to Scattered Israel: Demonstrating that God's covenant loyalty (Jeremiah 31:35–36; Romans 11:26) extended fully to the exiles in Persia, not just the remnant in Jerusalem. An encouraging and sobering exposition for all believers seeking to trust God's silent sovereign hand in ordinary, mundane, or difficult seasons.

Why does the book of Romans matter, and why do Christians need its message today? Romans gives us a clear, ordered, and Spirit-inspired explanation of the gospel of God. It reveals the holiness and righteousness of God, exposes the universal guilt of sinners, declares justification by faith alone in Christ alone, and explains how the grace that saves also transforms the lives of God's people. In this introductory sermon to the Romans: The Gospel That Changes Everything series, Dave Jenkins provides an overview of the major themes of Romans. He considers the depth of human sin, the righteousness of Christ, union with Christ, life in the Holy Spirit, the sovereign mercy of God, and the gospel-shaped life of the church. Romans brings clarity in a confused age because it directs us away from human effort, cultural approval, and self-righteousness and brings us to Jesus Christ alone. The book of Romans is not merely a theological work to be mastered. It is the Word of God, given to humble, comfort, correct, strengthen, and transform God's people through the gospel. For more from our Romans series please visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/category/sermons/romans-the-gospel-that-changes-everything/

This lesson introduces a new series on Scripture by providing a comprehensive overview of the Old Testament's structure, history, and theological significance. The pastor emphasizes that the entire Old Testament points to Jesus Christ, serving as the essential context for understanding His ministry and fulfillment of prophecy. Key themes include the diversity of literary genres requiring appropriate interpretation, the centrality of God's covenants in redemptive history, and the historical development of the biblical canon through the intertestamental period. The presentation argues that the Old Testament remains authoritative and profitable for teaching, equipping believers to recognize Christ in all its pages.

Sermon | Esther - Book Overview | Sunday Evening Service, July 19, 2026. Preacher: Rocky Stevenson This foundational sermon introduces the Book of Esther, setting the historical, geopolitical, and theological stage for verse-by-verse exposition. Set in Susa during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I, 486–465 BC), Esther addresses the majority of Jewish exiles who remained scattered throughout the 127 provinces of the Persian Empire rather than returning to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel. Through careful historical and biblical synthesis, this message addresses the most striking feature of Esther: the total omission of God's name, prayer, or explicit religious duties. Far from indicating secularism, this deliberate literary omission is the primary argument of the book. It demonstrates the doctrine of divine providence—showing how God sovereignly governs imperial decrees, political intrigue, and private coincidences to preserve Abraham's line and fulfill His covenant promises (Genesis 12:3; Romans 11:28–29). Designed to equip believers living in an increasingly secular culture, this message calls the church to quiet loyalty, standing on God's unwavering faithfulness even when heaven seems silent. Visit Benoni Bible Church: www.benonibiblechurch.co.za Address: 149 President Brand Rd, Rynfield, Benoni - view on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/pp...