Wisdom In The Word Bible Studies

We continue in this lesson the discussion about David and the infamous Goliath. An abnormally large and strong man with six fingers on each hand. Why does the Bible make these facts clear? Why do these special attributes of the Goliath and those of his kind matter so much that the Bible speaks directly about them?

 We find that Goliath was not fully human as he was a descendant of the Nephilim – the fallen ones – which were not planned creations of God. They were specifically developed by Satan and his angels for their purposes. 

Join us in this lesson as we continue learning more about how Satan and his angelic and demonic hoards are setting about to destroy humanity, leveraging God's creations against Him and you and me.

Yes, this information is in the Bible, and historical fact,. Christians need to know this to understand better what God is allowing, and why and how it affects us and this world even today as we enter the close of the Age and the world is prepared to enter the 7-year Tribulation.

God said this would happen. He warned the Israelites through Samuel that having any human king over Israel would not go well for them. It sure was turning out that way, and this was Israel's first king! It did not take long for Saul to sour and fall into rebelliousness against God.

Continuing forward from the last lesson, we see Saul rebelling yet again. This time He does so in a major way that crosses the line of no return. Saul was to destroy all of the Amalekites, but he again decided to hold back from fully performing what God told him to do. This was the “final straw” that broke the back of Saul’s rulership. He's is soundly rejected by God and not only that, the Holy Spirit is removed from him as well.  

This went so badly, that God grieved He's selected Saul as a king over His people. Not destroying all of the Amalekites was not a rectifiable situation. It was to have "long legs" into Israel's future. God decreed that Saul was finished and was to be replaced.  

Join us in this lesson as we continue learning about the fascinating and very informative story of Saul's decline into almost a madness, as David, son of Jesse is hand-selected by God through Samuel to become the next king over Israel. The transition is not immediate. There is much richness and learning for us in the account of the selection and rise of David and the decline of Saul.

1SA 15:34 Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

1SA 16:1 The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his son to be king."

Listen-in as we continue to learn how God allows for the desire of the people of Israel and instructs Samuel to select and raise the first human king.  

The people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us". When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." 

Samuel has is orders, and as much as he is repulsed by what God is going to allow, he obeys. 

There was a man of the tribe of Benjamin, a man in good standing, who had a son named Saul. Saul was an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites--a head taller than any of the others.

We see that Saul had all of the “goods” of a kingly man: tall, dark and handsome. Human nature by default in prone to impart undue favor upon and assume higher intelligence, wisdom and character from those with physical beauty. We know this because we see beauty or other attractiveness used in advertising and propaganda, which seems almost always to work! We know this because even people today select leaders who "look" the part. 

Samuel locates and anoints Saul as the first king over Israel. Now, the people have what they aggressively demanded. As we see how the period of the monarchy rolls out for the nation, I hope it will instill in us the warning to be very careful to give way to God's will and never to demand anything from Him. He may just teach us a lesson by allowing us to have our way. Realize that you've asked for and will bet set up for trouble -  that God just might allow - to teach you a hard lesson, as He had to do to with Israel.

God had a point to prove to this people and this is exactly what was going to happen. Here, we'll start to allow the Bible to guide us down this hard, twisting road of pits and holes and traps in the period of the monarchy in the sordid history of Israel. 

Through disorder and chaos and losing battle after battle, Israel realizes that they again need have a king, establish a monarchy, to reign over their debauched nation. A monarch affords a single point of national administration, law, justice and judgement. 

Wait a minute! Didn't they accept God as their King a long time ago ? Didn't they willingly enter an unbreakable covenant with Him as He was to be their King? They had a choice and they agreed to "elect" God as their King forever. But,  they rejected their King a long time ago, too. 

Yes, they wanted a king again, but not God. They still rejected him. They wanted a human king this time, and that for the wrong reasons. This king was to go out and fight their enemies. 

They failed to fully realize and take to heart that God had been fighting their battles for them all along and when they were trounced, it was because they were out of fellowship with God. It was not because God was not able to win their wars. They knew this, but  wanted reject living under that King's laws! Rebelliousness is a knife to your own throat. (We all need to learn this well!). 

It is no different with human begins through time and today, even in this modern age. We as peoples in our respective countries want “kings” over us to fight our battles and protect us. Even worse, many today now want their kings to feed and cloth and give them prosperity, too! However, in demanding this, we relinquish more and more of our freedoms in trade for this so-called protection. We desire to be slaves and don't care about this as long as the king gives us what we need and want. (So, how's that working for us? Look around and give this some serious thought!).

The problem? Human kings, as all people, are evil. Not one is ever found righteous. Not one. History bears this out, but we, in our rebelliousness ignore this to our own peril time and time again because we are just as evil.

Samuel is very upset and complains to God about Israel's desire. Join us as the Bible gives us God's response and His instructions to Samuel about how to handle this situation and what to tell Israel on His behalf. This may surprise you! Even more, God's words to Samuel are absolutely applicable to all peoples and nations, even until today. You will learn much about us as we live today. 

Solomon was correct: there truly is nothing new under the sun!

Join us in this lesson as we learn about an incident that involves the holy Ark Of The Covenant. We learn how God allowed the Philistines to actually defeat Israel AND take the Ark Of The Covenant - for a time, that is... God makes a very strong point to all who were involved and all who learn of this from His Word. So, tune in...

"Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. 3 When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, "Why did the LORD bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies."

So, the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

When the ark of the LORD's covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, "What's all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?"

When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. "A god has come into the camp," they said. "We're in trouble! Nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the desert. Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!"

So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured..."

If you think this introduction is intriguing, listen in and learn how this all works out! If you have not studied this incident before, you may be amazed at what God does with the Philistines - and Israel - as He protects the honor of The Ark Of The Covenant.

Continue along with us as we begin to learn about a major inflection point for the nation of Israel. The time of the Judges is waning as God prepares the transition to a monarchy. God begins to assign kings to rule over Israel. 

We are moving past the time of the judges into the time of the monarchy in Israel. The books of I and II Samuel, I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles map out this transitional and impacting period in the history of the nation.     

We begin our study with an introduction to a man named Samuel, destined to be the last Judge of Israel.  Biblical history bears him out as a leader of the stature of both Abraham (the patriarch) and Moses (Warrior and lawgiver).

He also was the first great prophet to Israel and, although not of the tribe of Levi, was specifically called to be a priest. 

Samuel differed in his leadership as one of the judges of Israel in that his influence did not stand on military exploits, diplomatic skill or political shrewdness, but in personal integrity and unceasing loyalty to God. As the first great prophet of Israel, he established the “schools of the prophets” (I Sam. 19:20; I Kings 2:3~5; 4:38).

Samuel starts the great monarchy period by anointing both Saul and afterward, David as the first two kings of Israel, Samuel gradually relinquishes his position of authority as a Judge of Israel to the rising monarchy that God caused to commence.

RU 3:15 He (Boaz) also said (to Ruth), "Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out." When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and put it on her. Then he went back to town.

RU 3:16 When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, "How did it go, my daughter?"

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her and added, "He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, `Don't go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.' "

RU 3:18 Then Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today."

As we continue in the book and story of Ruth, we see that there is a problem that Boaz must be deal with first. There exists a kinsman of closer relationship to Naomi, and he had to be given first right of refusal to redeem his relative. 

Understanding how all of this works, Naomi assures Ruth that Boaz would not rest until the matter was settled. She knew that Boaz was an influential man and that he also was sure that things would go his way. How did she know this?  because Boaz sent the extra provision to Naomi of six measures of barley via Ruth as a signal.

Join us in this lesson to learn more about these concepts, and most importantly, what they mean prophetically in God's overall plan of salvation for Jew and Gentile.

We begin this study at an important juncture. Ruth, as a Gentile under the tutelage of Naomi, is aware that the “corner” or hem a garment of an Israelite man has important and specific meaning within their traditions. 

In the Israelite society, the hem of a garment was a symbol of stature and authority. This is similar to the placing of a badge of honor on a sleeve or stripes on a uniform of a person in the modern day.

Keeping this key fact in mind, join us as we see Boaz and Ruth begin a most beautiful relationship together. Such is a fore-type of the coming church age, revealing the mystery of the relationship between Jesus Christ, as King of kings and Lord of lords, and his chosen Gentile bride, whom he loves, redeems and marries.

 As we move forward, we focus on Ruth. She is an almost destitute Gentile in need, that goes out as a gleaner of the fields to provide food for herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi. It “just so happens” that she finds herself working in the fields of a relative of Naomi, a man named Boaz. 

Boaz, who is lord of these fields, was one of the wealthiest landowners in the area of Bethlehem, and greater Judah.  Why was Ruth directed by the Holy Spirit to go out to a field that the this particular man owned? In this lesson we take a close look at who Boaz was, and why it was imperative that Ruth obtain provision from his field.  

The book of Ruth ties together and applies some of the key societal structures of the Israelites, such as the Laws of Gleaning, Redemption and Levirate marriage, and the pivotal concept of  the "Kinsman Redeemer". Also, it is considered the ultimate love story, as the main characters of Ruth and Boaz display and effectively define pure, selfless devotion, loyalty and honor.

Most importantly, it is the main book in the Old Testament that outlines the key concept and function of the church as the bride of Jesus Christ in the New Testament age. The history of Ruth and Boaz can be applied as a fore type of the love and self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ as provider, redeemer and loving husband to the church. 

The New Testament church is considered the specially chosen bride - the "Eve" to Jesus' position as the coming "Second Adam". Where the first Adam and Eve failed and gave up their reign of the earth to Satan, the Second Adam comes to redeem what they lost.  The second Adam and Eve are destined to reign as King and queen during the coming 1,000-year Millennium on earth and the entire creation in eternity thereafter.

Please join us as we begin our study of the richness of the book of Ruth.