Search Results for: thru the Bible

Zechariah heart

Zechariah & Haggai tag team Israel towards heart change

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Thru the Bible: Zechariah 1-3

Like Haggai, Zechariah is dealing with the post-Babylonian Jews in Jerusalem.

Their efforts to rebuild the temple got halted just after the death of Cyrus the Great and was not permitted to continue until the reign of Darius I. This was an unknown gap of time lasting no more than 8 years.

During this time the few Jews who returned to Judah, had been establishing themselves – building houses, rejuvenating wells, planting crops, processing harvests… in general, just getting on with the business of life.

Once Darius I came into power and decreed that the work should continue the response of Israel was somewhat lacking. However, when Haggai prophecied to them, they immediately began enthusiastic work on the temple.

Literally just 2 months later is when the events in this book of Zechariah began.

Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers” and God did indeed remember His covenant with them recorded in Deuteronomy 28-30 and was making certain to encourage these people that He WILL keep His promises.

Through Zechariah God offers Israel hope!

Haggai

Haggai jogs memories & rekindles devotion in Judah

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Thru the Bible: Haggai

Haggai is one of two prophets in particular who were used of God to help steer the Jewish returnee’s from Babylonian exile to devotion to God. He understood judgment in a way which the Jewish people did not. God is merciful and kind in His judgments, but sometimes His people need an actual human voice to hear, rather than scripture to remember.

The players in this book are familiar to us from Ezra, Nehemiah, Ezekiel…etc. Of note were Haggai, Zerubbabel the governor, Joshua the priest and King Darius I all in the time period including the end of the 6th century B.C..

These people had returned to Judah with the stated intention of helping to rebuilt the Temple by the order and permission of Cyrus the Great. However, upon returning to their former estates, they got so caught up in restoring their homes and lives that they forgot the temple. THAT is the primary focus of Haggai’s prophecies.

The lineage of Jesus through Zerubbabel is also a major contribution to our understanding how Jesus was able to be the fulfillment of continuing David’s reign, after Jeconiah’s progeny had been denied future access by God through the prophet Jeremiah.

This is a very small but pivotal book!

Spiritual Blessing In Him

Every Spiritual Blessing… in Him!

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Ephesians is a lovely book which more than not mirrors the letter to the Colossians, only with a lot more depth!

In the first 3 chapters we learn of all of our blessings of position and privilge we have and that they are all found IN HIM!

God Justice Authority

God, Justice & Delegated Authority

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God gave permission to satan to attack Job due to an accusation against Job’s character and godly fear. This permission included all Job possessed.

Last week we examined how that could have included his adult children. This week we are examining how this could have affected his servants who also lost their lives.

At the end we just introduce the beginning of chapter 2 and Job’s second trial.

Job trial

Job’s trials begin

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As Job’s trials begin we see that the target of accusation is really God.

In this message we begin to uncover some of the basics regarding the suffering of the godly. We also address the issue of Job’s children dying and its connection with Job.

This discussion touches on the topics of authority, what we think we know about satan and demons, temptation and the nature of the coflict between satan and God.