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Scripture

King Nebuchadnezzar 10/6/2016

Daniel 4:1-18

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

4:1 1 King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.


3   How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders!
  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4 2 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods3—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.

13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

Footnotes

[1] 4:1 Ch 3:31 in Aramaic

[2] 4:4 Ch 4:1 in Aramaic

[3] 4:8 Or Spirit of the holy God; also verses 9, 18

(ESV)

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Scripture

King Nebuchadnezzar 10/5/2016

Daniel 3:1-30

Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image

3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits1 and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Fiery Furnace

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared2 to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.3 But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.4 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics,5 their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside6 the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Footnotes

[1] 3:1 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

[2] 3:9 Aramaic answered and said; also verses 24, 26

[3] 3:15 Aramaic lacks well and good

[4] 3:17 Or If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king

[5] 3:21 The meaning of the Aramaic words rendered cloaks and tunics is uncertain; also verse 27

[6] 3:28 Aramaic and changed

(ESV)

Categories
Scripture

King Nebuchadnezzar 10/4/2016

Daniel 2:31-49

Daniel Interprets the Dream

31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage,1 but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Daniel Is Promoted

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

Footnotes

[1] 2:43 Aramaic by the seed of men

(ESV)

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Scripture

King Nebuchadnezzar 10/3/2016

Daniel 2:1-30

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2:1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,1 “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm—9 if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared2 to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said:


  “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
    to whom belong wisdom and might.
21   He changes times and seasons;
    he removes kings and sets up kings;
  he gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22   he reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what is in the darkness,
    and the light dwells with him.
23   To you, O God of my fathers,
    I give thanks and praise,
  for you have given me wisdom and might,
    and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
    for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”

25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” 26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Footnotes

[1] 2:4 The text from this point to the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic

[2] 2:15 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 26

(ESV)

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Saturday Study Scripture

Saturday Study

Saturday Study

Major Prophets (10-1-16)

This week and next, we have a different task with the prophets in that we are not focusing on one person but many. In this we are covering an important and large span of time. Today’s going deeper is an effort to give you an overview of the major prophets and their stories.

  1. What and who are the major prophets?

This week you have had a brief sampling of the major prophets of the Bible in your reading. They are not called the major prophets because they were greater men than others, but because their books in the Bible were longer. These prophets span a large amount of time as well as locations. Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted the coming exile. Ezekiel was deported off into Babylonian captivity. Daniel was deported as a young man and lived through the rise and fall of two other empires.

A prophet is someone who declares the Word of God. This can be a foretelling of events or a forth telling which is declaring God’s words or commands. God has given us His Word through many different men, declaring Himself to us, by making promises about the future and telling us what is expected of us in the revelation of the Bible. These prophets spoke words directly from God, usually with a ‘thus says the Lord’. We should be thankful for the testimony of these men.

That is, “The significance of a Bible preacher or prophet is not the man himself but is the message he delivers.” At the end of the day, the biography of a preacher or prophet is much less important than the message from God that he brings.

  1. Isaiah

Isaiah was a great prophet. Israel and Judah are on the verge of judgment. The Assyrian army is growing in strength. Isaiah was sent to call Israel and Judah to repent of their sins and unbelief and to trust God alone for personal and national salvation (deliverance).  In chapters 1-35 we see Isaiah speaking to a nation awaiting God’s judgment. This occurred in 722 B.C. for the northern kingdom (Israel), and 586 B.C. (100 years after Isaiah) for the southern kingdom (Judah). Isaiah warns of judgment, but also gives comfort in that God would deliver the faithful ‘remnant’ of His people. Isaiah gives prophecies of judgment that are interspersed with prophecies of the coming kingdom where everything is made right.

In chapters 36-39, King Hezekiah is lifted up as an example of someone who trusted God and saw the kingdom miraculously delivered from Assyria. This was short lived as 21 years later they fell to the Babylonians in judgment by God.

Chapters 40-66 give comfort and hope. God promises a return from exile. Isaiah gives us some of the most revealing passages about the coming messiah. Some of the greatest passages on Christ come from this section such as Isaiah 42 & 53. Isaiah 53 is the clearest gospel presentation of the Old Testament. We see its fulfillment in the death, burial and resurrection of our savior.  Take a moment to read it.

We start in Isaiah chapter one with the vision Isaiah is given. God calls the earth and heavens to hear what He is saying. God is sitting in judgment over the wickedness of Israel. In the Old Testament, we see the example that anytime there is a judgment people are to witness or act as witnesses. This should bring to mind that of a court room. God proceeds to then list off the sins of Israel. Israel, specifically Jerusalem and Judah, are on trial here. God’s case is stated all the way down to 1:16, then God proceeds to give comfort making this statement, “If you are willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land” (1:19).  Prior to this in verse 18, God makes a promise to wash their sins.

See the beauty in this: the gospel is rich in this book! There is punishment for wickedness. God will not let it stand, He will punish it because He is holy. This is the vision of Isaiah in chapter 6. Isaiah gets a vision of the holiness of God. The text states this three times – holy, holy, holy, in Hebrew a doubling is an intensifier. This is like a couple exclamation points at the end of a sentence. God’s holiness is so great!!! Isaiah realizes his problem in this vision and he realizes he cannot stand before the God of the universe. God in His mercy and grace purifies Isaiah. This theme of salvation from God and by God is throughout Isaiah. As you read the book you can see the beautiful Messiah, the branch of David, brought forth- as a suffering servant who gave himself to redeem a people to himself. You can also see, even though Israel doesn’t deserve it, God comfort even while disciplining; telling them of the future and that His promises will still be fulfilled.  Have your sins been washed white as snow? Have you trusted in the Servant broken for the remission of sin?

  1. Jeremiah

Jeremiah begins his ministry 60 years after Isaiah. The Northern Kingdom had already fallen in 722 B.C. Assyria is at the end of her glory days and a new super power is on the horizon -Babylon. Most of Jeremiah’s ministry was showing Israel that they needed to repent and have faith. Jeremiah longed for a nation that trusted in God.

Jeremiah was the most persecuted of the Old Testament prophets. He was forbidden to pray for his nation (Jer. 7:16-27). God tells Jeremiah that his ministry will be tough, that people, even kings and priests will not listen to him but will fight him. Jeremiah gives an eyewitness account of the fall of Jerusalem. Even in the midst of judgment God gives hope. It is in the middle of Jeremiah that we have one of the greatest passages in the Old Testament that looks forward to the hope in the coming Messiah.

Jeremiah 31:31-40 proclaims the New Covenant. Even though Israel is in the middle of judgment, God proclaims that He will make a New Covenant. This is hope that even though Israel has failed miserably, God is going to make a covenant with his people. God not only promises a New Covenant, but it will not be like the last. God says He will put His law on our hearts and all of his chosen people will faithfully walk with and know the Lord. If this is not great enough, the Lord proclaims that this will happen as surely as the sun and the moon run their courses.  God gives hope in the midst of trials and judgment for His people. This is a great blessing of being a child of God, part of the elect. God does not leave us without hope and this hope is in the form of promises. What God says He will do, HE WILL DO. He has never broken a promise. In your trials and struggles take comfort in God. That is one of the great lessons of Jeremiah. God’s arm is not short so that He cannot save, but is working His perfect plan. He is helping you to see sin as He sees it: heinous and deserving of punishment. He is working sanctification in you all the while giving you precious promises in His Word.

  1. Ezekiel

The prophet Ezekiel was taken down several years before the destruction of Jerusalem. He was the son of a priest. Ezekiel had a unique role as a prophet in that much of what he did was an illustration or word pictures to the people of Israel. For example: in Ezekiel 3:24 Ezekiel is commanded to be tied up in his house. Chapter 4:1-3 Ezekiel is to take a brick and engrave ‘Jerusalem’ on it and set siege works about it. Ezekiel is also told by God that God is going to take his wife and he is not allowed to mourn for her. This was a sign to Israel that the sanctuary will be profaned and that there is going to be death and destruction. Many visual illustrations are used throughout the book to teach Israel about their sin and its consequences.  Ezekiel has one of the saddest chapters in the Old Testament, chapter 10. In chapter 10 the glory of the Lord leaves the temple.

The book of Ezekiel can be broken into two sections- chapters 1-24 which contain prophecies about the fall of Jerusalem and 25-48 after the fall of Jerusalem. The purpose of Ezekiel is to help the Jews understand that their captivity and the destruction of their homeland are because of their rebellion against God and disobedience to Him. The second reason for the book is to show us how God is merciful and He intends to restore holiness and that He will take care of His people.

The promises of the New Covenant are throughout the book of Ezekiel. In these promises we are given a new heart- not of stone, but of flesh- and that God will breathe new life in us. In Ezekiel 37, we have one of the greatest displays of God’s grace. This chapter is known as the valley of dry bones. The dry bones are representative of Israel, but they are also a shadow of what God does in the gospel bringing new life to us. God is going to bring the exiles back and breathe life into them. This will be better than before because they will know that ‘I am the Lord’.

God has not left. He is doing a work. So many times in our life we become despondent with trials. Ezekiel gives us hope. God does not leave His people. He will carry us through the trial giving us hope and giving us His precious promises that this trial is not the end, but that He is doing something and in His wisdom and power it is something great. Are you looking to the precious promises of God? Are you relying and trusting in Him?  Do you see the work He is doing? His Word declares it. One day it will be complete.

  1. Daniel

Daniel is the last of the major prophets. Daniel is an amazing character. He was taken into captivity at a young age.      Daniel 1:8-9 “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.

             9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs”

 Daniel set the pattern early on for obedience. God gave Daniel and three other men learning and skill in all literature and wisdom. The works of God among a pagan nation by His servants is amazing in the book of Daniel. Many of us remember the fiery furnace, the lion’s den, the handwriting on the wall.

There are many lessons we can learn from Daniel. He lived in a pagan culture and was a devout man of God. He was trapped by his religious zeal. He did not get upset or rail against the king or God. He still prayed and was obedient to God, but accepted his punishment for defying the kings decree (Daniel 6). The pattern for Daniel is to respectfully disobey when things went against the commands of God. His strength surrounded by pagans is amazing.

In Daniel 9, we have an amazing prayer. Several things we can glean from this chapter. 1. Daniel was aware of the promises of God. He knew how long they were to be in captivity. 2. Daniel based his prayer on the promises of God in Scripture. This is a great way to pray by lifting up and clinging to the promises of God. 3. Daniel came in great submission to God in prayer: by fasting and prayer in sackcloth showing an outward state of inward debasement. Sometimes it is helpful to put the outward in a posture for the heart to follow (try praying on your knees or lying flat as an outward sign of an inward position). Fasting is the giving up of a physical item as a way to focus on our dependence and satisfaction in God. 4. Daniel was open in laying out sin to bear. If you go through the text and highlight everywhere Daniel acknowledges and repents of the sin of Israel, you will see how Daniel had a right vision of the breaking of the Law of God and how horrible it is. 5. Daniel relies on the character and attributes of God: God’s steadfast love.

Use Daniel’s prayer as an example of how to pray. It is helpful to remember that what Daniel has prayed for has been fulfilled. The people started returning. Gabriel the angel (messenger of God) came and gave Daniel insight and understanding. Gabriel speaks of the spiritual return. James says the prayer of a righteous man has great power as it is working. Confess your sin and lay it before the Lord. Walk in righteousness: trusting in the righteousness of Christ. Do what is right. Prayer is important. It is a way for us to commune with God. How is your prayer life? See the example of Daniel. Read through the prayer. Read a verse or two and pray what comes to mind. Pray out loud. Don’t just keep it in your head.

We have seen some major themes that flow across the major prophets. The heinousness of sin, God will punish sin, and that God gives hope for His children and we must cling to it. Reading the major prophets will help you grow in these things.

May the Word of God move in our hearts and cause us to trust in God and obey his commands.  May we not take lightly the cost and lessons of those who have gone before us but grow and learn from them.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Joshua Kirstine

Olive Drive Church