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Bible Basics

 John Meister

Bible Basics

Copyright 2021 John Meister

ISBN: 9781005664954

Published by John Meister at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.  This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people.  If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.  If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. If you set your own price and it was “free”, which is a price, and you found this book useful or entertaining, please return and purchase again selecting a price as you feel led, it will be appreciated.  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: LAW - Genesis to Deuteronomy (5 books)

Chapter Two: HISTORY - Joshua to Esther (12 books)

Chapter Three: WISDOM - Job to Song of Solomon (5 books)

Chapter Four: PROPHETS - Isaiah to Malachi (17 books)

Chapter Five: GOSPELS - Matthew to Acts (5 books)

Chapter Six: PAUL - Romans to Philemon (13 books)

Chapter Seven: LETTERS - Hebrews to Jude (8 books)

Chapter Eight: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (1 book)

Appendix A: Hermeneutics

About John Meister

Other books by John Meister

Connect with John Meister

Introduction

This e-book provides a loosely structured guide for an eight (8) section overview of the Bible for personal study, home groups or Sunday school sessions.  The sessions could be 45 minutes to one hour each.  When teaching this material over the years the classes were often extended to more sessions with greater depth, based on the interests of the class and the amount of material covered.  This material has also been condensed greatly and presented in two one hour sessions at a Bible retreat.

There is far more content in this e-book than can be presented in each session, so if used for a study group you will have to identify what will be covered, and the rest left to read and examine later, or more sessions added.  Carefully selected passages were chosen to show not only the nature of the book, but also the relevant content to our faith in Christ and God's overarching plan of redemption for mankind.

Practical verses were chosen that would make excellent memory versions for personal growth and faith.  When memorizing a passage it is best to cite the reference, then the passage and then the reference again, getting into this habit will allow you to recall key verses and provide the reference for others to follow, and to see even more of God's Word in context.  Many of these passages have been memory verses of the author over some 45 years.

There are links throughout this book to http://BibleTech.net providing a variety of formats for study, reading through in a year, and in various orders based on chronology or the Hebrew order of the Old Testament.  The links used in this book point to http://bibletech.net/STUDY/,  which offers one chapter per page with the NASB at the top, and then below in three columns the KJV, NASB, and Greek text from either the LXX or the Koine Greek.

The Greek from the LXX may not be lined up correctly or accurate in all of the OT books on BibleTech.net.  The copy of the LXX used had additional rabbinical notes and included the apocryphal books.  Apologies in advance if errors are noted with the LXX Greek.  The LXX used in the plain text files was a different copy.  In addition to those formats there are also French and German versions and plain text files that can be downloaded at:  http://bibletech.net/TEXT-EN-DE-FR-GR/.  Also on that page is a parallel KJV, German, French and Greek version of the New Testament at:  http://bibletech.net/TEXT-EN-DE-FR-GR/KJV-DHS-LSG-GK-NT.html and the Old Testament at: http://bibletech.net/TEXT-EN-DE-FR-GR/KJV-DHS-LSG-GK-OT.html. The LXX in that parallel version was from a different source and should be correct if an accurate version of the LXX is desired for study.  A parallel KJV and German version is available at:  http://bibletech.net/KD/.  The German version is Luther's 1545, Die Heilige Schrift.  The French version is the Louis Segond.

The general content and flow of the Bible and major events are identified showing dates, names, places and promises.  The material notes the failures of men and points to the promises, coming and works of Jesus Christ.  Dates are provided to show that these events and people actually existed in history and to show the progression of God's revelation of His redemptive plan for mankind through Jesus Christ.

This is not a book about defending the Bible or answering critics, it is simply about the Bible and what is presented in it.  Passages cited are generally from the New American Standard Bible (this link for information and copyright notices), considered by many to be the best, most readable, accurate, word-for-word, literal, English translation available.

The Bible emphasizes that we are reconciled and justified by faith, not by any of our works or good deeds:  Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.;  Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,;  Galatians 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.;  Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

The Bible needs to be read individually and all the way through at least once.  Links to verses and a schedule to read through in one year are included in this book or on BibleTech.net.  Understanding God’s Word starts with reading it, not by hearing about it from others.  The passages provided in this book should whet your appetite for more of God's Word.

The 66 books of the Bible have withstood the test and challenges of time, history and people who despise the Bible.  By having an idea of what each of the 66 books contains one can understand better the overall revelation of God through the Bible, and the hope we have in Jesus Christ.  The books of the Bible can be organized in six to eight sections. Jesus identified three major sections in the Old Testament:  the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms.  The New Testament could be grouped into the Gospels, the Letters and the Revelation.

In this book eight sections were created by separating the Prophets into History and Prophets, and the Letters into the writings of Paul and other Letters.

We can trust Jesus because we can trust the Bible.

Jesus explained to His disciples after His resurrection the importance of the entire Bible.

Details are important as they validate the truth and promises of God's Word.  Even the most seemingly boring and dry parts often hold details that glorify Jesus and explain much.

We live by faith, but it is not a blind faith, as we have much evidence to consider.

The internal accuracy of God's Word is easily verified by simply reading the entire Bible.

Luke 24:44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you,

that all things which are written about Me in

the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms

must be fulfilled.”

Luke 24:45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,

47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Luke 24:44-47 NASB

Luke 24, Jesus declared to the disciples that the entire Old Testament told of Him. Every detail of the Old Testament is important and shows that Jesus is who He claims to be, the Son of God, the Creator and Savior of the world.

If Jesus had failed to uphold or follow any of the Old Testament, then He would have sinned, and could not have died for our sins.  Scripture does not hide the sins of those recorded; they are there for all to see.  We must remember that just because some did something in the Bible does not mean that it was right, however that should be apparent for two reasons:  1) by having read what God said earlier in the Bible we should see the error or sin, and 2) the person's life has become complicated because of the matter.  So, we see the failings of every man, but none are recorded about Jesus for a good reason, there were none.  Jesus, the second Adam, lived a perfect life in order to be the spotless Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.  Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses and paid the price for all sin.

When the names of men are recorded they are listed for historical reasons, and either as honorable mentions, often because of their faith in the Lord, or dishonorable, pointing out their sinful failures.  All mankind has failed and sinned, only Jesus never sinned, and Jesus fulfilled both the Mosaic Law and prophecy concerning the Promised Seed, the Messiah.

Because of the differences in languages and ancient names, the names of places and people may differ in the Bible than in secular history.  Archeology often makes the correlation and always validates the Bible.  The Bible has recorded names and places that were not discovered until recent times. (e.g. Ebla) Various findings in archeology and literature shed more light on the validity of God’s Word and further strengthen our faith in it.  Archeology has never shown the Bible to be in error in any way.

Careful study of the details will reveal that Jesus never failed us and fulfilled the details of the Law in order that He might be the perfect Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.

Return to the Table of Contents

EIGHT MAJOR SECTIONS, 4 Old Testament, 4 New Testament:

OLD TESTAMENT:

1) THE LAW - Five books of Moses - the Torah - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#law

BOOKS:  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

KEY VERSE:  Exodus 3:14  God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said,

“Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (NASB)

2) HISTORY - Israel’s story - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#history

BOOKS:  Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel & 2 Samuel, 1st & 2nd Kings, 1st & 2nd Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

KEY VERSE:  Nehemiah 1:7  We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. (NASB)

3) WISDOM - Psalms and Proverbs -http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#wisdom

BOOKS:  Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

KEY VERSE: Proverbs 3:13  How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. (NASB)

4) PROPHETS - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#prophets

BOOKS:  Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

KEY VERSE:  Daniel 10:14  Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.” (NASB)

Return to the Table of Contents

NEW TESTAMENT:

5) GOSPELS - The 4 Gospels & Acts -http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#gospels

BOOKS:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts

KEY VERSE:  John 8:58  Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” (NASB)

6) PAUL - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#paul

BOOKS:  Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st & 2nd Thessalonians, 1st & 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon

KEY VERSE:  1 Timothy 2:7  For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (NASB)

7) LETTERS - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#letters

BOOKS:  Hebrews, James, 1st & 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd & 3rd John, Jude

KEY VERSE:  Hebrews 1:1-2  God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (NASB)

8) THE REVELATION - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#revelation

BOOK:  Revelation

KEY VERSE:  Revelation 19:10b  For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (NASB)

Return to the Table of Contents


FIRST CHAPTER OF EACH BOOK:

OLD TESTAMENT:

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0001_01_Genesis_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0051_02_Exodus_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0091_03_Leviticus_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0118_04_Numbers_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0154_05_Deuteronomy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0188_06_Joshua_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0212_07_Judges_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0233_08_Ruth_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0237_09_1_Samuel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0268_10_2_Samuel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0292_11_1_Kings_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0314_12_2_Kings_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0339_13_1_Chronicles_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0368_14_2_Chronicles_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0404_15_Ezra_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0414_16_Nehemiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0427_17_Esther_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0437_18_Job_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0479_19_Psalms_001_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0629_20_Proverbs_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0660_21_Ecclesiastes_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0672_22_Song_of_Solomon_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0680_23_Isaiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0746_24_Jeremiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0798_25_Lamentations_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0803_26_Ezekiel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0851_27_Daniel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0863_28_Hosea_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0877_29_Joel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0880_30_Amos_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0889_31_Obadiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0890_32_Jonah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0894_33_Micah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0901_34_Nahum_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0904_35_Habakkuk_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0907_36_Zephaniah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0910_37_Haggai_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0912_38_Zechariah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0926_39_Malachi_1_nas.html

Return to the Table of Contents

NEW TESTAMENT:

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0930_40_Matthew_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0958_41_Mark_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0974_42_Luke_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0998_43_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1019_44_Acts_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1047_45_Romans_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1063_46_1_Corinthians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1079_47_2_Corinthians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1092_48_Galatians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1098_49_Ephesians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1104_50_Philippians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1108_51_Colossians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1112_52_1_Thessalonians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1118_53_2_Thessalonians_02_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1120_54_1_Timothy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1126_55_2_Timothy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1130_56_Titus_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1133_57_Philemon_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1134_58_Hebrews_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1147_59_James_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1152_60_1_Peter_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1157_61_2_Peter_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1160_62_1_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1165_63_2_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1166_64_3_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1167_65_Jude_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1168_66_Revelation_01_nas.html

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READ the BIBLE verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book!

The Bible consists of 66 books recorded by 40 different writers with a total of 1,189 chapters

Old Testament: 39 books, 929 chapters, 23,145 verses, 601,070 words

New Testament: 27 books, 260 chapters, 7,958 verses, 180,551 words

31,103 total verses = 23,145 Old Testament + 7,958 NT

781,621 total words = 601,070 Old Testament + 180,551 NT

(Note: word count based on the KJV, other translations may vary slightly)

The Bible is presented on http://BibleTech.net in KJV, NASB and the Greek side by side, along with German and French versions in text files or in parallel with English.

Read 3 chapters a day at:  http://bibletech.net/ONE_YEAR/, or by using the Hebrew Order of the Bible (The Mikrah), or by following the Chronological order.

Return to the Table of Contents

 click for larger image on line.

This image shows the difference between the Christian Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible.

The Hebrew Bible is ordered by the Jewish perception of importance.  The order of the Historical (Prophetic) Books, Samuel, Kings and then Isaiah and the Major Prophets, provides a clear chronological flow, but not completely in order.  They also seem to de-emphasize Ruth (The story of the Kinsmen Redeemer in the lineage of David) and the book of Daniel, one of the most important prophetic books in the Bible next to the Revelation.  Reading through using the Hebrew order shows the history of Israel more clearly and is worth the time.  In the Christian Bible the historical books are separated from the prophets with the works of wisdom in between.

Return to the Table of Contents

The following diagram provides an overview of history and the Bible:

Genesis to Malachi  (click on image to view larger version on line)

4100 BC - Creation: 6 literal days (key word: yom - a 24 hour period) - Genesis 1, 2

3200 BC - Sin:  Promise of the SEED - Genesis 3 / Enoch - Genesis 5:22

2450 BC - Flood: Noahic Covenant - Genesis 6-9

2400 BC - Nations: Shem, Ham & Japheth - Genesis 10

2350 BC - Languages: Babel, Nimrod - Genesis 11

1921 BC - Land: Abrahamic promise - Genesis 12; Acts 7:17

1616 BC - People: Isaac/Jacob (Israel) - Exodus 2:24 - 12 tribes

1664 BC - Tribes: Shiloh from Judah - Genesis 49:10

1491-1451 BC - Promise to Moses: Deuteronomy 34:10; Exodus; 1 Kings 8:56

1450-1065 BC - Joshua - Judges 17:6 - Saul

1056 BC - Kingdom: Davidic promise - 2 Samuel 7:13; I Kings 9:5

1015 BC - Solomon - son splits Israel

NORTHERN TRIBES:  931-722 BC - 19 kings ruled Israel

JUDAH and BENJAMIN:  931-586 BC - 19 kings ruled Judah

585 BC - Babylonian Exile - 70 yrs Jeremiah 29:10

536 BC - Prophecy of the 70 weeks - Daniel 9:24-27

445 BC - Jerusalem rebuilt- Nehemiah 2 - Cyrus

400BC - Minor Prophets, last word - LXX written before 165 BC

Matthew to Revelation  (click on image below to view larger version on line)

John the Baptist - Luke 3:1-3 (3788 Jewish calendar year) - 28 AD

Daniel’s 69 weeks - 173,880 days (69*7*360) = 476yrs- 445BC - 32 AD

Passover Week Luke 24; John19; Matthew 27 - (3792) - Nisan 10-17, 32 AD

Stephen - Acts 7; NT written 49-68 AD

Jerusalem destroyed - Ezekiel 36:3; Luke 19:41-44 (3880) 70AD

Church age / Revelation (Rev) written - (3900) 90AD

“times of the gentiles” - Matthew (Matt) 21:18-22; Luke 21:24

Balfour Agreement - 1917; UN resolution 181 - 1947

Israel returns - Ezekiel 36:8-12- (5708) 14 May 1948

Restrainer removed, rapture: I Thessalonians 4:13-17; Ephesians 1:13; 4:13: Rev. 20:6

Gog, Magog/Muslims invade Israel Ezek 38, 39 - when ???

Daniel 9:27 - 70th week - Tribulation period - when ???

1,260 days - antichrist - abomination of desolation

1,260 days - Jacob's trouble - Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13

Armageddon - visible Return of Christ - Revelation 16:16

1,000 yr Kingdom - Isaiah 11; 65:25; Revelation 20:6-7

Final Battle/Judgment /New earth- Revelation 20:7-15

(full listing of links to chapters here:  http://bibletech.net/STUDY/FULL_LIST.html )

The Just shall live by FAITH -Romans 1:17; Galatians (Gal) 3:11; Hebrews 10:38

Warn: Ezekiel 33:1-20; Share: Matt 28:19-20 ; Walk:Gal/Ephesians/I Thessalonians 5

Chapter One: LAW - Genesis to Deuteronomy (5 books)

1) THE LAW - The Books of Moses - the Torah - The Pentateuch - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/#law

BOOKS of this section: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

KEY VERSE:  Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said,

“Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (NASB)

Gen(esis), Exo(dus), Lev(iticus), Num(bers), Deu(teronomy)

In Hebrew, the five books of the Torah are identified by the incipits (first words) in each book; and the common English names for the books are derived from the Greek Septuagint (LXX - Latin number for the seventy scholars) and reflect the theme of each book, as listed in the wiki on the Torah:

Bəreshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית, literally "In the beginning") - Genesis, from Γένεσις (Génesis, "Creation")

Shəmot (שְׁמוֹת, literally "Names") - Exodus, from ξοδος (Éxodos, "Exit")

Vayikra (וַיִּקְרָא, literally "And He called") - Leviticus, from Λευιτικόν (Leuitikón, "Relating to the Levites")

Bəmidbar (בְּמִדְבַּר, literally "In the desert [of]") - Numbers, from ριθμοί (Arithmoí, "Numbers")

Dəvarim (דְּבָרִים, literally "Things" or "Words") - Deuteronomy, from Δευτερονόμιον (Deuteronómion, "Second-Law")

The first section of the Bible (LAW) is known at the Torah, or the Books of Moses.  It contains the Law and the promises of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  The verse chosen for this section is Exodus 3:14 ( http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0053_02_Exodus_03_nas.html )as it has a twofold importance.  One being that it describes the God of the Bible as everlasting, He exists, and He is the Great I AM.  The second reason this verse was chosen as it is mirrored in the Gospel of John when Jesus declares Himself to be the Great I AM in John 8:58. http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1005_43_John_08_nas.html  There are many that believe that when Moses was called up to the mountain that he actually communicated with Jesus.  This is supported by the transfiguration recorded in Matthew 17:1-9. http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0946_40_Matthew_17_nas.html

The book of Genesis gets most of the attention in this section, along with some of Exodus and the plagues of Egypt, and the appointed times in Leviticus as they relate to the Passion Week and have prophetic importance.  Knowing the general nature of the Torah is important as part of this overview.

One must keep in mind that the first mention or incident found in the Bible is very important, many of those are in Genesis.  The Bible does not often repeat itself and records without correction or comment the narrative and actions of those later, even if they were wrong.  It is the reader of the Bible that must be aware of what God said and understand that the many of the things done even by men of faith were wrong.

An example of this is that God intended there to be one man and one woman in a marriage as described clearly in Genesis 2:24.  Yet multiple wives and concubines are recorded, and, if the reader takes note, there are always problems and troubles associated with that act of disobedience or lack of faith.  It was the wives of Solomon that led to the downfall of the wisest man to ever live.

Details of the New Testament need to be understood in the context of the first occurrence in the Old Testament.  In particular, the order of the day as defined in Genesis 1:5 is important to understand the time line of the Passion Week in the Gospels.  The Passover is to take place at twilight, to the Western mind that is in the evening of THAT day.

The problem for Western minds is EVENING is the beginning of the NEXT Jewish day according to Genesis 1:5.  So on Nisan 14 the Passover meal would be taken during the "Western" WEDNESDAY evening, but it would be Thursday evening according to the Torah and Jewish reckoning (EVENING and MORNING is one day -Genesis 1:5).  This is a hard concept for us Gentiles and Westerners to grasp and combined with the complex details of the appointed times of Leviticus 23 we have much confusion as to when Jesus was crucified, resulting in the traditions of men based on a cursory understanding by Gentiles of when the Sabbath was.

When we consider the prophecy of Jesus about His time in the grave, "three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" as found in Matthew 12:40, and believe it to be not only correct, but to GIVE US A CLUE in that the order of the "normal" day is reversed, Jesus said 3 DAYS and 3 NIGHTS...  normal order is night and day.

The Passover meal was on our Wednesday evening, the beginning of Thursday for the Jew.  That means that Jesus had to be in the tomb by sundown on Thursday, which means Jesus was crucified and buried on THURSDAY... before the Feast of Unleavened Bread (a day of convocation - a High Holy Sabbath day) that began on Friday (the West's Thursday evening).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was on the 15th of Nisan - a Friday that year (considered a High Sabbath - which is why those who were crucified needed to be off the crosses by Sundown on Thursday the 14th!); Saturday was the16th, was the Sabbath according to the Commandment; Sunday was the 17th of Nisan, the Feast of First Fruits - and the Resurrection, which took place before sunrise, or at NIGHT... fulfilling literally the prophecy of Jesus as found in Matthew 12:40!

There are illustrations that attempt to clarify these details in Chapter 5, the point being that details from the Old Testament are critical to the accuracy of the New Testament.  If Jesus had not spent three DAYS and three NIGHTS in the Grave as He foretold, than He would have been a false prophet.  One does not have to twist the meaning of days or attempt to explain the reckoning of time to make the scenario fit perfectly with Leviticus 23 and Matthew 12:40, unless of course you are trying to make the traditions of men work.

Leave the traditions, commentaries and books about the Bible to the side until you've read the Bible through at least once, and work through Leviticus 23 carefully.  The details of the Bible do NOT support a Friday crucifixion, but the details of the Bible mesh with the requirements of the appointed times and the words of Jesus.

To SUMMARIZE:  Nisan:  14 - Thursday (Passover), 15 - Friday (Unleavened Bread - High Sabbath), 16 - Saturday (Regular Sabbath), 17 - Sunday (Feast of First Fruits)

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Book name: GENESIS (OT-1) - the book of beginnings

Bəreshit (בְּרֵאשִׁית, literally "In the beginning") - Genesis, from Γένεσις (Génesis, "Creation")

Author and date: Moses, 1450-140 BC

Key topics:  the 6 days of creation, the garden, fall of man, the promise of the SEED of  Woman (the Messiah), the Flood, the Nations from the sons of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the 12 tribes.

Chapters, Verses and words: 50 chapters, 1,533 chapters, 38,267 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Time line of key people and major events recorded in Genesis.

Creation to Flood - 1,656 years

Flood to Abraham - 297 years (First civilizations:  Sumerians, Babylonians, Egyptians)

Abraham to Christ - 2,165 years


This diagram shows the overlap of those listed in Genesis.  It is interesting to note that there is only about 60 years separating Noah from Abraham.  There are rabbinical writings that claim that there was a 60 year overlap of Noah and Abraham, which would be even more intriguing.  The specific dates are uncertain because of calendar variations.  It is generally agreed that Abraham lived from 2165 BC - 1990 BC (Genesis 11:26; 25:8).  The charts are based on that information.

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Using 2165 BC, Abraham's accepted birth year, and the detailed Biblical genealogies, the other dates are easily calculated.  Of significance is the date of the Noahic flood in 2455 BC.  The date of the flood varies a little, from 2349 BC according to Ussher, whose work was one of the earliest, to 2455 BC.  Noah's birth is based on 600 years before 2455 BC as based on Genesis 7:6 - “Now Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of water came upon the earth.”.  3055 BC was also reached by counting the years of each patriarch back from Abraham at 2165 BC.

The world radically changed around 4,477 years ago (from 2021) by a global disaster, the worldwide flood recorded in Genesis 8 & 9. It is interesting that most civilizations have a flood story.  It's interesting that only the Biblical record makes logical sense in every detail.  Add to that the planet's many features that clearly display the results of the Noahic flood, and the gradual warming of the planet.

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Jesus created the world when He spoke it into being around 6,133 years ago (2021). (John 1:1-3,10 ; Colossians 1:16 )  Man's world view assumes billions of years with a model that denies the Biblical record, but their view is based completely on faith.

The Biblical view is by faith in the Bible; Man's view by his own understanding.  Both views are by faith.  Neither view can be tested or repeated, they are models of how all this came to be.  Details matter; and the Bible has those details.

CREATION:  seven days as defined by periods of light and dark, “yom” = ONE literal day

God says in many places that He created the heavens and the earth and all in it, in six literal days.

DAY 1 - Genesis 1:3-5 - light=day / dark=night

*IMPORTANT DETAIL: Gen 1:5 "And there was evening and there was morning, one day."

DAY 2 - Genesis 1:6-8 - “God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.

Gen 1:8 God called the expanse heaven.”  (heaven, water canopy or dome)

DAY 3 - Genesis 1:9-13 - dry land, seas, grass, herb, fruit trees

DAY 4 - Genesis 1:14-19 - sun, stars (for signs and seasons)

DAY 5 - Genesis 1:20-23 - water creatures, birds

DAY 6 - Genesis 1:24-28 - cattle and creeping things

(Genesis 1:26 ...Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 ... male and female He created them." v28 "God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over ... every living thing that moves on the earth."

DAY 7 - REST - Exodus 20:9; Deuteronomy 5:13 - Six days you shall labor and do all your work

THE FALL of MANKIND - disobedience, rebellion… resulted in Promise of the Seed - Genesis 3:14-19  (ground cursed/pain in birth)

DEATH in Genesis 3:21 - tunics of skin; blood was shed as a result of their sin.

FLOOD - Genesis 6 - 10 - Noahic Covenant Genesis 8:20-9:17

Genesis 9:3 - Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you;  I give all to you, as I gave the green plant.  4 Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

THE FLOOD:

Genesis 6 - 10 - The waters covered the ENTIRE earth for 371 DAYS!

Genesis 6:17 Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish.

Genesis 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened.12 The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. ... Gen 7:17 Then the flood came upon the earth for forty days, and the water increased and lifted up the ark, so that it rose above the earth. 18 The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water.  19 The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. 20 The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher (at least 22.5 feet!), and the mountains were covered.

Genesis 7:23 Thus He blotted out every living thing that was upon the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky, and they were blotted out from the earth; and only Noah was left, together with those that were with him in the ark. 24 The water prevailed upon the earth one hundred and fifty days.

Genesis 8:1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided.  2 Also the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained;  3 and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased.  4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.  5 The water decreased steadily until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains became visible. 6 Then it came about at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made;

Noah and passengers were on the ark for 371 days.

(Gen 7:24, 8:5, 8:6-7, 8:8, 8:10, 8:12, 8:14) - 371 days were not necessary for a “local” flood.

See also:  The Genesis Flood, Whitcomb & Morris isbn 0-87552-338-2 and Noah’s Ark: A Feasibility Study - John Woodmorappe isbn 0-932766-41-2, 298 pages

Genesis 9:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

IF the flood was not a global disaster, then why the covenant related to the earth?  God said He will not destroy all flesh as He had done.  The language is inclusive, ALL of the earth.

SONS OF NOAH - Genesis 10:1 Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood. -  JAPHETH - Genesis 10:2-5;  HAM - Genesis 10:6-20; and SHEM - Genesis  10:21-31

TOWER OF BABEL - Genesis 11 - dispersion of the people throughout the world

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GENERATION - NAME - Years Lived  (Covenants, curses or promises)

1st - Adam - 930 years  (promise of the seed, cursed ground and childbirth - 1st Adam represents sin - see Galatians)

7th - Enoch - 365 years and was taken, he did not die. (Genesis 5:24)  (see Hebrews 9:27)

8th - Methuselah - 969 years

10th - Noah - 950 years

11th - Shem - 600 years

14th - Eber - 464 years

...

20th - Abraham - 175 years

Abrahamic Covenant -  Genesis 12:1-3,

Genesis 17:5 - Abram --> Abraham, circumcision at 99 years old

Genesis 17:15 - Sarai --> Sarah

...

22nd - Jacob        147 years

 (Mizpah - Genesis 31:49 the conflict with Laban; Genesis 32:38 - Jacob became Israel)

23rd - Joseph 110 years (Genesis 39 Joseph sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers)

PATRIARCHS:

Adam - Noah -Abraham - Isaac - Jacob (Israel) - Joseph

12 tribes of Israel (mother, reference):

1 - Reuben Genesis 49:3 - (Leah, Genesis 29:32)

2 - Simeon Genesis 49:5 - (Leah, Gen 29:33)

3 - Levi Genesis 49:5 - (Leah, Gen 29:34)

4 - Judah Genesis 49:9,10 (SHILOH) *** - (Leah, Gen 29:35)

5 - Zebulun Genesis 49:13 - (Leah, Genesis 30:20)

6 - Isssachar Genesis 49:14 - (Leah, Gen 30:18)

7 - Dan Genesis 49:16 - (Bilhah, Gen 30:4)

8 - Gad Genesis 49:19 - (Zilpah, Gen 30:11)

9 - Asher Genesis 49:20 - (Zilpah, Gen 30:13)

10 - Naphtali Genesis 49:21 - (Bilhah, Gen 30:8)

11 - Joseph Genesis 49:22 (Ephraim and Manessah) - (Rachel, Gen 30:24)

12 - Benjamin Genesis 49:27 - (Rachel, Genesis 35:18)

Totals for each mother:  Leah - 6, Zilpah - 2, Rachel - 2, Bilhah - 2

***(SHILOH) - Genesis 49:10 "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Luther translated "Shiloh" as:  bis daß der Held komme.  The term "der Held" translates as the hero.  Some translations render it as the one who comes that it (the scepter) belongs to.

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Book name: EXODUS (OT-2) - Shəmot (שְׁמוֹת, literally "Names") - Exodus, from ξοδος (Éxodos, "Exit")

Author and date: Moses, 1450-140 BC

Key topics: Moses, the departure from Egypt, the presentation of the Law.

Chapters, Verses and words: 40 chapters; 1,213 chapters; 32,692 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

The book of Exodus opens with the birth of Moses.  Moses was trained to be a leader of Egypt.  When he learns that he was a Hebrew, his actions resulted in him becoming a fugitive. God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt. God brought judgment on Egypt:

The plagues on Egypt: Bible passages, and the possible Egyptian Deity directed against

1)  Blood (Exodus 7:14-25) - Khnum: guardian of the Nile, Hapi: spirit of the Nile, Osiris: Nile was bloodstream

2)  Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15) - Heqt: form of frog; god of resurrection

3)  Lice (Exodus 8:16-19) -  (gnats or mosquitoes)

4)  Flies (Exodus 8:20-32)

5)  Murrain (plague on cattle) (Exodus 9:1-7) - Hathor: mother-goddess;form of cow Apis; bull of god Ptah: symbol of fertility Mnevis: sacred bull of Heliopolis

6)  Boils (Exodus (9:8-12) - Imhotep: god of medicine (may have been too early for this god)

7)  Hail (Exodus 9:13-35) - Nut: sky goddess Isis: goddess of life; Seth: protector of crops

8)  Locusts (Exodus 10:1-20) - Isis: goddess of life; Seth: protector of crops

9)  Darkness (Exodus 10:21-29) - Re, Aten, Atum, Horus: all sun gods of sorts

10) The death of the firstborn (Exodus 11:1 - 12:36) - The deity of Pharaoh: Osiris, the giver of life.

Exodus is relevant to the study of end time prophecy.  It records the failure of Israel to uphold conditional covenants with God, while showing the faithfulness of God and His UNCONDITIONAL COVENANTS with Israel as promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  The faithlessness of Israel provided the blessings of Abraham (Genesis 12:3) to all nations!

The first occurrences found in Exodus are relevant to an understanding of the work of Christ, especially the Passover, but also includes the calling of the Church to become a kingdom of priests to God as stated in Revelation 1:6 and Revelation 5:10.

The first trump of God is found in Exodus 19:6, and is related to the last trumpet of God, 1 Corinthians 15:52, at the removal of the church prior to the tribulation. In Exodus 19:6 God offers to Israel that they could become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, but Israel failed to uphold the conditions of the offer and the Levitical priesthood was established and of course the blessing of Abraham opened to us Gentiles via the church.  The church does not replace Israel, as the 12 tribes are to be in the Kingdom, and ISRAEL will be rescued at the end of the tribulation.   Israel is in their land now in fulfillment of Ezekiel 36! The church will be priests of God and the Bride of Christ in the 1,000 year Kingdom, as described in Revelation 5 and Revelation 20.

10 commandments were given in Exodus 20:

1) "You shall have no other gods before Me. (Ex. 20:3)

2) "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness (Ex 20:4,5)

3) "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain (Ex. 20:7)

4) "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Ex. 20:8-11)

5) "Honor your father and your mother, (Ex. 20:12)

6) "You shall not murder. (Ex. 20:13)

7) "You shall not commit adultery. (Ex 20:14)

8) "You shall not steal. (Ex 20:15)

9) "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Ex 20:16)

10) "You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Ex 20:17)

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Book name: LEVITICUS (OT-3) - Vayikra (וַיִּקְרָא, literally "And He called") - Leviticus, from Λευιτικόν (Leuitikón, "Relating to the Levites")

Author and date: Moses, 1450-140 BC

Key topics: The details of the priesthood, clean foods, and the appointed times.

Chapters, Verses and words:  27 chapters; 859 chapters; 24,546 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Leviticus 11:44 - Be ye holy as I am holy - name of book from Latin Vulgate

Sacrifices and offerings:

Burnt offering -  Leviticus 1:1-17

Grain offering - Leviticus 2:1-16

Peace offering - Leviticus 3:1-17

Sin offering - Leviticus 4:5-13

Trespasses and reparation - Leviticus 5:14-6:7

Clean/unclean Leviticus 11 - Leviticus 15

THE APPOINTED TIMES:  Feasts (7):

Passover - Leviticus 23:4-5 - Jesus was our Passover Lamb

Unleavened bread - Leviticus 23:6-8  - Jesus cleansed us from sin  (1Jn 1:7)

1st fruits - Leviticus 23:9-14 - Jesus was the first fruit of the resurrection (1Co 15:20)

Pentecost - Leviticus 23:15-22 - The church was started (Acts 2)

(the first 4 feasts were in the Spring; the last 3 feasts in the Fall)

Trumpets - Leviticus 23:23-25 - possibly the "calling up" of the Church (cf. Exo 19:3, 6; Rev 4:1; 5:10; 1Co 15; 1Th 4; 2Th 2)

Day of Atonement - Leviticus 23:26-32 - possibly the acceptance of Jesus by Israel (Zech. 12)

Tabernacles - Leviticus 23:33-44 - possibly the Millennial Kingdom

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Book name: NUMBERS (OT-4) - Bəmidbar (בְּמִדְבַּר, literally "In the desert [of]") - Numbers, from ριθμοί (Arithmoí, "Numbers") - name from Latin Vulgate

Author and date: Moses, 1450-140 BC

Key topics: events from the Sinai to Plains of Moab

Chapters, Verses and words: 36 chapters; 1,288 verses; 32,902 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Israeli encampment around the tabernacle (from above it looks like a cross!):

Numbers 2:3 to the EAST - Judah, Issachar and Zebulun - 186,400

Numbers 2:20 to the SOUTH - Reuben, Simeon and Gad - 151,450

Numbers 2:18 to the WEST - Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin - 108,100

Numbers 2:25 NORTH - Dan, Asher and Naphtali - 157,600

TOTAL male population above 20 years old - 603,550 (Numbers 1:46) (excludes Levites, women and those less than 20).

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Book name:  DEUTERONOMY (OT-5) - Second Law - name from the Septuagint - Deut 5:1-22 Law; Deut 6:4-5 - from the Hebrew: Dəvarim (דְּבָרִים, literally "Things" or "Words") - Deuteronomy, from Δευτερονόμιον (Deuteronómion, "Second-Law")

Author and date: Moses, 1450-140 BC

Key topics: The “second Law” the presentation of the Law to a new generation as the old generation perished in the wilderness because of their lack of faithfulness.

Chapters, Verses and words: 34 chapters; 959 verses; 28,461 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!”

There are 613 Laws: 248 are positive, 365 are negative

In the 1st 5 books of Moses the word "Torah" in Hebrew is spelled out every 50 letters.  “God’s Watermark”, referred to as Equidistant Letter Sequence, ELS - a “Bible Code” if you will -  explained well in the Bible Code Bombshell - R. Edwin Sherman - (isbn: 0892216239)

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Chapter Two: HISTORY - Joshua to Esther (12 books)

2) HISTORY - Israel’s history from Wilderness to Exile - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/#history

BOOKS: Jos(hua), Judg(es), Ruth, 1Sa(muel) & 2Sa(muel), 1Ki(ngs) & 2Ki(ngs), 1Ch(ronicles& 2Ch(ronicles), Ezra, Neh(emiiah), Est(her)

KEY VERSE:  Nehemiah 1:7 We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. (NASB)

Jos(hua), Judg(es), Ruth, 1Sa(muel) & 2Sa(muel), 1Ki(ngs) & 2Ki(ngs), 1Ch(ronicles& 2Ch(ronicles), Ezra, Neh(emiiah), Est(her)

Historical Timeline:

1051 BC - Saul ruled 40 years (Acts 13:21)

1011 BC - David ruled 40 years (2 Samuel 5:4)

971 BC - Solomon ruled 40 years (1 Kings 11:11, 42)

930 BC Israel Divided  (Solomon’s son, Rehoboam - I Kings 14:21)

792 BC Azariah (Uzziah) become king of Judah

755 BC Isaiah prophesizes in Judah

732 BC Damascus falls to Syria

729 BC Hezekiah becomes King in Judah

722 BC Northern Kingdom captive by Assyria

612 BC Babylonians overrun Ninevah, Assyria

605 BC Battle of Carchemish  - (Egypt and Assyria against the Babylonians)

597 BC Jerusalem is captured by Babylonians

586-539 BC Babylonian Captivity

Chronological Order of the Prophets (approximate dates)

I. Pre-Exilic prophets

Joel   850 - 700 BC

Jonah   800 BC

Amos   780 - 755 BC

Hosea   760 - 710 BC

Micah   740 BC

Isaiah   740 - 680 BC

Nahum  666 - 615 BC

Zephaniah  630 - 620 BC

Habakkuk  627 - 586 BC

Jeremiah  626 - 580 BC

2. Exilic prophets

Daniel  604 - 535 BC

Ezekiel  593 - 570 BC

Obadiah  585 BC

3. Post-Exilic prophets

Haggai   520 BC

Zechariah  520 - 518 BC

Malachi  450 - 400 BC

Three Kings who ruled All of Israel:

Saul ruled 40 year (Acts 13:21)

David ruled 40 years (2 Sam 5:4)

Solomon rules 40 years (I Kings 11:42) (see I Kings 11:11)

Northern Kingdom of Israel - Dispersion by Assyria 720 BC;

Babylonian Captivity 586-539 BC

Nineteen Kings who ruled JUDAH:  931-586 BC

Rehoboam ruled 17 years (I Kings 14:21)   931-913 BC

Abijam ruled 3 years (I Kings 15:2)              913-911 BC

Asa * ruled 41 years (I Kings 15:10)               911-870 BC

Jehoshaphat * ruled 25 years (I Kings 22:42)   873-848 BC (Jehoram 852-841 BC Israel)

Jehoram ruled 8 years (2 Kings 8:17)            853-841 BC

Ahaziah ruled part of 1 year (2 Kings 8:25, 26)   841 BC

Note: Queen Athaliah 6yrs (2 Kings 11:3)   841-835 BC

Jehoash ruled 40 years (2 Kings 12:1)              835-796 BC

Amaziah ruled 29 years (2 Kings 14:2)            796-767 BC

Uzziah (also known as Azariah) ruled 52 yrs (2 Kings 15:2)   790-740BC

Jotham * ruled 16 years (2 Kings 15:33)         750-731 BC

Isaiah 740-681 BC

Ahaz rules 16 years (2 Kings 16:2)               735-715 BC

Hezekiah * ruled 29 years (2 Kings 18:1, 2)    715-686 BC

Note: +Sun dial backwards -15 minutes

Manasseh ruled 55 years (2 Kings 21:1)          695-642 BC

Amon ruled 2 years (2 Kings 21:19)               642-640 BC

Jeremiah 626-586 BC

Josiah * ruled 31 years (2 Kings 22:1)              640-609BC

Jehoahaz ruled 3 months (2 Kings 23:31)       609BC

Jehoiakim ruled 11 years (2 Kings 23:36)      609-597BC (see Jeremiah 36:30 & Luke 3:31)

Jehoiachin ruled 3 months (2 Kings 24:8)      597BC

Zedekiah ruled 11 years (2 Kings 24:18)      597-586BC

Ezekiel - 592 BC (born 622 BC Eze 1:1)

Note: * - indicates a godly king

2 Kings 2:24 - (Jehoshaphat 873-848 BC / Jehoram 852-841 BC)

Nineteen Kings who ruled the Northern Kingdom of Israel: 931-722BC

Jeroboam ruled 22 years (I Kings 14:20)     931-910 BC

Nadab ruled 2 years (I Kings 15:25)            910-909 BC

Baasha ruled 24 years (I Kings 15:33)         909-886 BC

Elah ruled 2 years (I Kings 16:8)                 886-885 BC

Zimri ruled 7 days  (I Kings 16:15)              885 BC

Omri ruled 12 years  (I Kings 16:23)           885-874 BC

Ahab ruled 22 years (I Kings 16:29)            874-853 BC

Ahaziah ruled 2 years (I Kings 22:51)         853-852 BC

Jehoram ruled 12 years (2 Kings 3:1)          852-841 BC  (Jehoshaphat 873-848BC Judah)

Jehu ruled 28 years (2 Kings 10:36)            841-814 BC

Jehoahaz rules 17 years (2 Kings 13:1)       814-798 BC

Jehoash ruled 16 years (2 Kings 13:10)       798-782 BC

Jeroboam (II) ruled 41 years (2 Kings 14:23)  793-753 BC

Zachariah ruled 6 months (2 Kings 15:8)      753-752 BC

Shallum ruled 1 month (2 Kings 15:13)        752 BC

Menahem ruled 10 years (2 Kings 15:17)     752-742 BC

Pekahiah ruled 2 years (2 Kings 15:23)        742-740 BC

Pekah ruled 20 years (2 Kings 15:27)           752-732 BC

Hoshea ruled 9 years (2 Kings 17:1)             732-722 BC

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Book name: JOSHUA (OT-6)

Author and date:  Joshua, 1400 - 1370 BC

Key topics: 85 year old Joshua leads Israel into the land, the fall of Jericho, and records 29 years of Israel's history entering the land, overcoming and occupying the land.

Chapters, Verses and words:  24 chapters; 658 verses; 18,858 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Joshua - Israel enters the land   (I Cor 10:6 - these things happened as examples..)  Joshua 10:13 - Long Day: Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish & Edom

Joshua 1:1 Now after the death of Moses... that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister...

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Book name: JUDGES (OT-7)

Author and date:  Anonymous (Samuel ?), 1050 - 1000 BC

Key topics: The faithlessness and sin of Israel, and the 12 judges that rose up to lead the people from time to time.

Chapters, Verses and words: 21 chapters; 618 verses; 18,976 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Judges 1:1 Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord...

Judges 2:11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord....

Judges 3:12 Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.

The JUDGES, the oppression and the following peace:

Othniel  3:9-11 (1377-1337BC) - 8 years of oppression by Mesopotamia, 40 years of peace.

Ehud  3:15-30 (1319-1239) - 18 years of oppression by Moab, 80 years of peace (left handed)

Shamgar  3:31 (1260-1250) - oppressed by the Philistines.

Debora and Barak (1239-1199) - 20 years oppressed by the Canaanites, 40 years of peace.

Gideon  6:7-8:35 (1192-1152) - 7 years oppressed by Midian, 40 years of peace.

Tola  10:1-2 (1149-1126) - 23 years of peace.

Jair  10:3-6 (1126-1104) - 22 years of peace.

Jepththa  10:10-12:7 (1086-1080) - 18 years oppressed by the Ammonites, 6 years of peace.

Ibzan  12:8-10 (1080-1072) - 7 years of peace.

Elon  12:11-12 (1072-1062) - 10 years of peace.

Abdon  12:13-15 (1062-1055) - 8 years of peace.

Samson  13:2-16:31 (1075-1055) - 40 years oppressed by the Philistines, 20 years of peace.

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Book name: RUTH (OT-8)

Author and date:  Uncertain (Samuel ?), 1000 BC

Key topics: The story of David's great grandmother, a gentile woman of faith, and the action of Boaz, the kinsmen redeemer.

Chapters, Verses and words:  4 chapters;  85 verses; 2,478 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Ruth 1:1  Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

Ruth 1:16  But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.

Ruth 4:14  Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel.

Ruth 4:17 ...There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

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Book name:  1 Samuel (OT-9)

Author and date:  Samuel, 930 BC & later

Key topics: Samuel, the last judge of Israel. The book records the transition from the intended theocracy to a monarchy and the history of Eli, Samuel, Saul and David over about 120 years.

Chapters, Verses and words: 31 chapters; 810 verses; 25,061 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

1 Samuel 8:19-20  Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

1Samuel 15:22-29  Samuel said, "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king." 24 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord." 26 But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel." :27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind."

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Book name:  2 Samuel (OT-10)

Author and date:  Samuel, 930 BC & later

Key topics: The reign of King David, 40 years, the sin with Bathsheba and his reconciliation and the Davidic Covenant 2 Samuel 7

Chapters, Verses and words: 24 chapters; 695 verses; 20,612 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

David reigned from 1011 BC until 971 BC.

2 Samuel 1:1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned ...

THE DAVIDIC COVENANT:   2 Samuel 7:5-17  "Go and say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord, "Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?'"' 8 "Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. 10 I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, 11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you. 12 When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."'" 17 In accordance with all these words and all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

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Book name: 1 Kings (OT-11)

Author and date: Jeremiah, 550 BC

Key topics: David to Solomon, and the disruption of the kingdom.

Chapters, Verses and words: 22 chapters; 816 verses; 24,524words

Details for Study/Discussion:

I Kings 1:1 Now king David was old and stricken in years;

1 Kings 1:46-49 Besides, Solomon has even taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom. 47 Moreover, the king's servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!' And the king bowed himself on the bed. 48 The king has also said thus, 'Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.'" 49 Then all the guests of Adonijah were terrified; and they arose and each went on his way.

1 Kings 11:42-43 Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.

Rehobam split the nation:  1 Kings 12:8-11 But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him. 9 So he said to them, "What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, 'Lighten the yoke which your father put on us'?" 10 The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!' But you shall speak to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins! 11 Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'"

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Book name: 2 Kings (OT-12)

Author and date: Jeremiah, 550 BC

Key topics: The history of the Kingdom of Israel (North) - Chapters 1-10; Israel and Judah (11-17); and the southern Kingdom, Judah, (18-25).

Chapters, Verses and words: 25 chapters; 719 verses; 25,432 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Assyrian Captivity - 722 BC; Babylonian Captivity 586 BC.  Jerusalem fell July 18, 586 BC.

2 Kings 1:1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

2 Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, (see Hebrews 9:27 - could Elijah be one of the witnesses in the Revelation?)

2 Kings 25:1 Now in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around it. 2 So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

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Book name: I Chronicles (OT-13)

Author and date: Ezra, 450-425 BC

Key topics: A priestly or divine view of the reign of the kings.  Covers the period of 2 Samuel.

Chapters, Verses and words: 29 chapters; 942 verses; 20,369 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

I & II Chronicles - priestly or divine viewpoint of the reign of the kings and provides additional information.

I Chronicles 1:1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh, … 2:1 These are the sons of Israel;

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Book name: 2 Chronicles (OT-14)

Author and date: Ezra, 450-425 BC

Key topics: A priestly or divine view of the reign of the kings.

Chapters, Verses and words: 36 chapters; 822 verses; 26,074words

Details for Study/Discussion:

I & II Chronicles - priestly or divine viewpoint of the reign of the kings and provides additional information.  Covers Solomon's reign and the kings of Judah.

2 Chronicles 1:1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.

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Book name:  Ezra (OT-15)

Author and date:  Ezra, 456-444 BC

Key topics: The return of the exiles from Babylon.  10 references to "The Word of the Lord" in Ezra: 1:1; 3:2; 6:14; 6:18; 7:6; 7:10.

Chapters, Verses and words:   chapters;  verses; words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Ezra 1:1-2  Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying: 2 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.  (See Jeremiah 25:12, 29:10;  Isaiah 44:28, 45:1 - 740 BC, fulfilled 450 BC.)

Ezra 2:1 Now these are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city.

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Book name:  Nehemiah (OT-16)

Author and date:  Nehemiah, 445-425 BC

Key topics: About 12 years of history recorded, carrying over from Ezra.  Building the wall.

Chapters, Verses and words:  13 chapters; 406 verses; 10,483 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Nehemiah 1:1-4 The words of Nehemiah… And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 ...I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. 4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Nehemiah 4:6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

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Book name: Esther (OT-17)

Author and date:  Uncertain, 465 BC

Key topics:  During the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerses) King of Persia, who reigned from 485-465 BC.  The story of the preservation of the Jewish people by the actions of Queen Esther and Mordecai.

Chapters, Verses and words: 10 chapters; 167 verses; 5,637 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

The first use of the word “Jews” in the Bible. During the Assyrian captivity.  No mention of God is found in the book.

Esther 1:1-2 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)  2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

Esther 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?"

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Chapter Three: WISDOM - Job to Song of Solomon (5 books)

3) WISDOM - Psalms and Proverbs -http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#wisdom

BOOKS:  Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

KEY VERSE:  Proverbs 3:13  How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. (NASB)

Job, Psa(lms), Pro(verbs), Ecc(lesiastes, SS(Song of Soloman)

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0437_18_Job_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0479_19_Psalms_001_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0629_20_Proverbs_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0660_21_Ecclesiastes_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0672_22_Song_of_Solomon_01_nas.html

Job through Song of Solomon

Where does WISDOM come from?

I Kings 2:1-4  As David's time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying,  2 "I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.  3 Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn,  4 so that the Lord may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'

I Kings 3:9, 10  So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"  10  It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.

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Book name:  Job (OT - 18)

Author and date:  Job (?), occurred 1500 BC

Key topics:  Why do the righteous suffer?  And what is the divine perspective?

Chapters, Verses and words: 42 chapters; 1,070 verses; 10.102 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.

Job 1:7-12 The Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?"  Then Satan answered the Lord and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."  8 The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job?  For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."  9 Then Satan answered the Lord, "Does Job fear God for nothing?  10 Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side?  You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.  11 But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face."  12 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him."  So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

Job 1:21-22 He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."  22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Job 2:3-4 The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause." 4 Satan answered the Lord and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

Job 2:9-11  Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity?  Curse God and die!"  10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks.  Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.  11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him.

Job 3:1 Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,  2 "Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?  3 "Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!  4 "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,

Job 42:7 It came about after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.

Job 42:10 The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold.

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Book name:  Psalms (OT-19)

Author and date:  David, Solomon, Sons of Korah, Asaph, Heman, Ethan, Moses, 10th Century BC

Key topics: Praise through prayer.

Chapters, Verses and words: 150 chapters; 2,461 verses; 43,743 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Psalms are arranged into five books, roughly matching the Torah:

Book 1 - Psalms 1-41 - The five divisions correspond roughly to the five books of Moses. The first book is like Genesis, detailing blessing, fall, and redemption.

Book 2 - Psalms 42-72 - Like Exodus, this book describes ruin, and rescue by God.

Book 3 - Psalms 73-89 - As Leviticus covers God's tabernacle, this book covers God's temple.

Book 4 - Psalms 90-106 - Numbers tells of Israel's relationship to other nations; this book tells of God's kingdom compared to neighboring nations.

Book 5 - Psalms 107-150 - Deuteronomy was about God and his Word, and this book consists of praise for God and his Word.

Psalms - praise through prayer

119 is the longest chapter - longest chapter in the Bible

Ps 118:8 is the middle verse of the Bible

Out of 283 NT quotations from the Old Testament, 116 are from Psalms!

Authorship:

73 Psalms  - David

12 Psalms - Asaph

11 Psalms - the sons of Korah

2 Psalms - Solomon (72, 127)

1 Psalm - Moses (90)

(see: Ps 90:10  70-80 yrs - Gen 6 - 120 yrs)

1 Psalm - Ethan (89)

50 Psalms - anonymous

Messianic Psalms:  2, 8, 16, 22, 69, 45, 72, 89, 110, 118, 132

Psa 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

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Book name:  Proverbs (OT-20)

Author and date:  Solomon +, 950-700 BC

Key topics:  Proverbs - Got Wisdom?

Chapters, Verses and words: 31 chapters; 915 verses; 15,043 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Proverbs 1:1-3,5-7 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;  2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;  5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. (kjv)

Proverbs 25:1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

Proverbs 27:1-2 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

Proverbs 30:1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh,

Proverbs 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

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Book name: Ecclesiastes (OT-21)

Author and date: Solomon, 935 BC

Key topics: The wisdom of Solomon

Chapters, Verses and words:  12 chapters; 222 verses; 4,072 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Ecclesiastes 1:2,3,6-11  Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.  3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?  6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.(kjv)

Ecclesiastes 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 2:22-24 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? :23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 4:2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.

Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

Ecclesiastes 12:12-14 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

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Book name: Song of Solomon (OT-22)

Author and date:  Solomon, 965 BC

Key topics: the beauty of marriage

Chapters, Verses and words: 8 chapters; 117 verses; 2,661 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Song of Solomon 1:5-6 "I am black but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. 6 "Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, For the sun has burned me..."

Song of Solomon 7:4 "Your neck is like a tower of ivory, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon By the gate of Bath-rabbim; Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, Which faces toward Damascus.

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Chapter Four: PROPHETS - Isaiah to Malachi (17 books)

4) PROPHETS - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#prophets

BOOKS:  Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Direct links to the first chapter of each book, translations include KJV, NASB and LXX:

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0680_23_Isaiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0746_24_Jeremiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0798_25_Lamentations_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0803_26_Ezekiel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0851_27_Daniel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0863_28_Hosea_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0877_29_Joel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0880_30_Amos_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0889_31_Obadiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0890_32_Jonah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0894_33_Micah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0901_34_Nahum_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0904_35_Habakkuk_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0907_36_Zephaniah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0910_37_Haggai_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0912_38_Zechariah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0926_39_Malachi_1_nas.html

KEY VERSE:  Daniel 10:14  Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.” (NASB)

Isa(iah), Jer(emiah), Lam(entations), Ezk(Ezekiel), Dan(iel), Hos(ea), Joe(l), Mic(ah), Hab(akkuk), Zep(haniah), Hag(gai), Zch(Zechariah), Mal(achi)

Historical Timeline:

930 BC  Israel Divided (Solomon’s son…)

792 BC  Azariah (Uzziah) become king of Judah

755 BC  Isaiah prophesizes in Judah

732 BC  Damascus falls to Syria (But Isaiah 17 was not fulfilled)

729 BC  Hezekiah becomes King in Judah

722 BC  Northern Kingdom captive by Assyria

612 BC  Babylonians overrun Ninevah, Assyria

605 BC  Battle of Carchemish - (Egypt and Assyria against the Babylonians)

597 BC  Jerusalem is captured by Babylonians

Chronological Order of the Prophets (approximate dates)

1. Pre-Exilic prophets

Joel:  850 - 700 BC

Jonah:  800 BC

Amos:  780 - 755 BC

Hosea:  760 - 710 BC

Micah:  740 BC

Isaiah:  740 - 680 BC

Nahum:  666 - 615 BC

Zephaniah:  630 - 620 BC

Habakkuk:  627 - 586 BC

Jeremiah:  626 - 580 BC

2. Exilic prophets

Daniel:  604 - 535 BC

Ezekiel:  593 - 570 BC

Obadiah:  585 BC

3. Post-Exilic prophets

Haggai:  520 BC

Zechariah:  520 - 518 BC

Malachi:  450 - 400 BC

The arrangement of the Prophets in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles and the dates:

The first column shows the order of the books found in the Hebrew Bible, the Mikrah.

The second column shows the order of the books found in the Christian Bible.

The third column is the name of the books.

The fourth column is the number of chapters found in the book.

The fifth column is the number of verses found in the book.

The sixth column is the number of words in the book, as based on the KJV translation.

The seventh column is the year the prophet began writing the book.

The eighth column is the total years covered in the book.

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Book name:  Isaiah (OT-23)

Author and date:  Isaiah, 740 - 680 BC

Key topics: Many Messianic prophecies; Ch 1-12 concerned Judah; Ch 28-35 concerned Ephraim and Judah; Ch 36 dealt with Sennacherib's failed invasions of Jerusalem and Damascus and Hezekiah's illness and recover; Ch 40 through 48 deal with the greatness of God, Ch 49 through 58 concerned the Suffering Servant of the Lord; Ch 58 through 66 other prophecies.

Chapters, Verses and words: 66 chapters; 1292 verses; 37,044 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: - Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”  (read the preceding verses in Isaiah 7) foretells the virgin birth of Christ.  Isaiah 14:12 - “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!”  (read the following verses)  Isaiah 53:3, 4 “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… 4. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows…”  (read all of Isaiah 52 through 55) depicts the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, note that this chapter is typically not read in Jewish circles.  Compare Isaiah 53 to what is written in Zechariah12 and realize that the children of Israel will come to know that Jesus is the Messiah, likely in the time of Jacob's distress (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:24-27).  Isaiah 44:28, 45:1 - Cyrus - 200 years before!  The Babylonian exile started in 586 BC, return 538 BC

Isaiah 53:  The suffering Messiah.

Isaiah 53:1  Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Isaiah 53:2  For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

Isaiah 53:3  He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Isaiah 53:4  Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:5  But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Isaiah 53:6  All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

Isaiah 53:7  He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

Isaiah 53:8  By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

Isaiah 53:9  His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

Isaiah 53:10  But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.

Isaiah 53:11  As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:12  Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

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Book name: Jeremiah (OT-24)

Author and date:  Jeremiah, 627 - 585 BC

Key topics:  In Jeremiah 29:10 - he foretold 70 years of captivity in Babylon, based on Leviticus 26 and 23.  The curse against Jehoiakim explains the genealogy difference of Luke versus Matthew, where the SEED of the WOMAN (Genesis 3:15), Mary's lineage, provides the legitimate connection to the throne of David by his son Nathan!  While the royalty line still comes through the adapted earthly father, Joseph in Matthew!  God's Word is amazing in its accurate details, details that often puzzle, confuse and befuddle those who do not carefully search all of Scripture, or worse, rely on the traditions of men.  Search the WORD, look for key words or related events or topics and see if they are related.  Personal study of even the seemingly irrelevant or boring books often sheds light on a matter through the Holy Spirit who guides us in understanding God's Word as Jesus promised in John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Chapters, Verses and words: 52 chapters; 1364 verses; 42,659 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Known as the weeping prophet. There are still prophecies of Jeremiah unfilled concerning Israel, notably Jeremiah 49, concerning both Damascus, and Elam which is Western Iran.  The 7x7x7x7 warning in Leviticus 26 also may point to the restoration of Israel in 1948 AD in the same way it revealed to Jeremiah the time of Israel's Babylonian captivity, as Israel never regained complete control of their country. Besides the Persians, they had the Greeks and then the Romans over them until the Diaspora around 70 AD.  Jeremiah knew it would be 70 years in Babylon because it had been 490 years that Israel had failed to give the land its rest.  Leviticus 26:33-35 You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. 34 'Then the land will enjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies' land; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 35 All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it.

Jeremiah 30:7 'Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob's distress, But he will be saved from it.

The curse against Jehoiakim for refusing to listen to the Word of the Lord through Jeremiah, that none of his descendents would sit on the throne of David.  Jehoikim is listed in the genealogy of Joseph, transferring the rights to Kingship to Jesus as an adopted father, but the SEED of the WOMAN is also in the line of David through Nathan, a son of David born in Jerusalem.  So the genealogy of Joseph includes Jehoikim, but the genealogy of Jesus through Mary shows the right to sit on David's throne through the Seed of the Woman as foretold from Genesis 3:15.

Jeremiah 36:27-37:2  Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, 28 "Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. 29  And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, 'Thus says the Lord, "You have burned this scroll, saying, 'Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make man and beast to cease from it?'" 30  Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, "He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31  I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the calamity that I have declared to them - but they did not listen."'" 32  Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them. Jeremiah 37:1  Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. 2  But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

Jeremiah 49:1  Concerning the sons of Ammon  Jeremiah 49:17 "Edom will become an object of horror;  Jeremiah 49:23  Concerning Damascus.  Jeremiah 49:34  That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,

NOTE: Elam is western Iran.  Ammon, Edom and Moab are part of modern day Jordan.

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Book name:  Lamentations (OT-25)

Author and date:  Jeremiah, 586 - 585 BC

Key topics: mourning for Jerusalem.

Chapters, Verses and words: 5 chapters; 154 verses; 3,415 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Lamentations 1:1 How lonely sits the city That was full of people! She has become like a widow Who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces Has become a forced laborer! 2  She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her Among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies. 3  Judah has gone into exile under affliction And under harsh servitude; She dwells among the nations, But she has found no rest; All her pursuers have overtaken her In the midst of distress. 4  The roads of Zion are in mourning Because no one comes to the appointed feasts. All her gates are desolate; Her priests are groaning, Her virgins are afflicted, And she herself is bitter. 5  Her adversaries have become her masters, Her enemies prosper; For the Lord has caused her grief Because of the multitude of her transgressions; Her little ones have gone away As captives before the adversary.

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Book name:  Ezekiel (OT-26)

Author and date:  Ezekiel, 592 - 570 BC

Key topics: The watchman on the wall - Ezekiel 33, the prophecy of Israel returning to the land, enduring the tribulation and entering the 1,000 millennial kingdom with Jesus Christ - see Ezekiel 36 ff.

Chapters, Verses and words: 48 chapters; 1,273 verses; 39.407 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Ezekiel foretells Israel in the land after many years. Ezekiel 1:1  (597 BC) Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. Ezekiel 1:2  (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile, Ezekiel 1:3  the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.)  From chapter 36 on Ezekiel foretells the regathering of Israel into the land and then the Spirit of God being poured into them... attacks from the North recorded in Ezekiel 38 and 39 - which is likely the beginning of the Tribulation, the time of Jacob's Distress (Jeremiah 30:7) and will lead to the last 7 year period mentioned in Daniel's 70 week prophecy, when Jesus returns and establishes a 1,000 year Kingdom with Israel on the planet before there is a new heaven and a new earth.

Ezekiel 33:7-9  "Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. 8  When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand.  9  But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.

Ezekiel 36:6-12, 22-24  Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys," Thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My wrath because you have endured the insults of the nations.' 7  Therefore thus says the Lord God, 'I have sworn that surely the nations which are around you will themselves endure their insults.  8  But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come.  9  For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown.  10  I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be rebuilt.  11  I will multiply on you man and beast; and they will increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly and will treat you better than at the first. Thus you will know that I am the Lord.  12  Yes, I will cause men--My people Israel--to walk on you and possess you, so that you will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children.'  22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.  23  I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord," declares the Lord God, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.  24  For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.

Ezekiel 38:1-8  And the word of the Lord came to me saying,  2 "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him  3 and say, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.  4  I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords;  5  Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;  6  Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops--many peoples with you.  7 "Be prepared, and prepare yourself, you and all your companies that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.  8  After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.

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Book name:  Daniel (OT-27)

Author and date:  Daniel, 537 BC

Key topics: Daniel's integration into the Babylonian court and God allowing him to explain Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the statue depicting the great kingdoms of the world in Daniel 2.  Daniel records the rescue of Daniel's 3 friends from the fiery furnace. Daniel chapter 9 through 12 provides an overview of prophecy that was fulfilled very accurately, describing not only the rise of the Medio-Persian empire, but also the Greeks, and then the Romans.  Daniel's prophecy of the 70 weeks in 9:24-27 was mostly fulfilled as Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, leaving one more period of 7 years that is described in the Revelation.   Jesus validated Daniel as a prophet and confirmed that the abomination of desolation was yet future.

Chapters, Verses and words: 12 chapters; 357 verses; 11,606 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

NOTE: Daniel 2:4b to Daniel 7:28 it is written in Aramaic, the language of the Babylonians.

The book of Daniel is an amazing prophetic book that gives an overview of the all of the great kingdoms of mankind:  Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome...  with an latter day return of the Roman empire led by an anti-christ, which will be destroyed, along with all the others, by Jesus:  Daniel 2:45 - Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold...   and the future of the Jews... the prophet reveals the times and the epochs... What's both interesting and unusual is that from Daniel 2:4b to Daniel 7:28 it is written in Aramaic, the language of the Babylonians, indicating that this prophecy was meant for Gentiles as well as Jews, and could be part of the reason why the wise men showed up for the birth of Jesus.  The precision of Daniel's prophecy concerning the time between the Babylonian exile and the appearance of the Messiah is often challenged by critics, along with the names of some of the leaders, but archeology and literature have both validated the dating and accuracy of the book of Daniel.  Those that dismiss the prophecies of Daniel will never understand the timing of the appearance of the Messiah as foretold in Daniel 9, nor will they understand the Revelation, an expansion of the last period of sevens described in Daniel 9:24-27.  Even the Hebrew Bible (the Mikrah) places the book of Daniel as the 35th book, a much lower level of importance compared to most of the other prophets, versus 27th book in the Christian Old Testament.

Daniel 2:19-22 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; 20 Daniel said, "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. 21 "It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. 22 "It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.

Daniel - PROPHETIC OVERVIEW OF TIME - the key to Revelation

Kingdoms of the earth:

Babylon - head of gold (Ch 2) / Lion (Ch 7)  (605 BC - Nebuchadnezzar)

Medo-Persian - arms and breast of silver (Ch 2) / Bear (Ch 7) / Two horned Ram (Ch 8) (539 BC Cyrus)

Greece - belly and thighs of bronze (Ch 2) / Leopard (Ch 7) / He goat (little horn) (Ch 8) (331 BC Alexander the Great)

Rome - legs of iron (Ch 2) / Dreadful beast (Ch 7) (146 BC)

AD 33 - Christ’s coming -- gap (church age)  -- Rapture of the church, then the Great tribulation... revived Roman empire in the last days - the feet and 10 toes of iron and clay (Ch 2) / 10 horns (Ch 7)

the stone cut without hands - Christ (Ch 2) / ancient of days (Ch 7)

Daniel 9:24-27  Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.  25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.  27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

NOTE: Darius the Mede was most likely “Gubaru - the governor of Babylon and the region beyond the river”.  (See Nabonidus Chronicle, 539 BC.)  Appointed by Cyrus, king of Babylon.  Daniel 6 - see “Darius the Mede”, John C. Whitcomb, Jr. Th.D. 1979 pg 24. (Professor of Old Testament, Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN)

The Prophecy of the 70 Weeks      (the calculations)

Daniel 9 is intended to predict the day on which Jesus would be officially presented as Israel’s Messiah (“until Messiah the Prince,” Daniel 9:25), aka, Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the donkey.  Based on the details in the Gospels, this would have been the 10th of Nisan in whatever year it might have been.

Two reasons why it had to be Nisan 10, one, that was that the day the Torah specified to select the Passover Lamb, and two, the Gospels clearly present the events of what we refer to as Palm Sunday as Sunday, and that the Passover as being on the Wednesday afternoon, or the beginning of Thursday evening according to the Jewish day (Genesis 1:5).  That would be the 14th of Nisan as clearly defined in Leviticus 23, with the Feast of Unleavened Bread on the 15th of Nisan, a  Friday, and a Sabbath.  As was Saturday the 16th of Nisan, which was the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Calculating the year based on an inaccurate Gregorian calendar has frustrated these details and led some to adhere to tradition rather than reconcile with the Torah and the Gospels.  Very likely it was 32 AD, but we can not be certain.  We can accept that the predictions of prophecy were fulfilled for the coming of the Messiah, and also for other events such as the various captivities and events related to Leviticus 26.

The calculation:  Formula Factors:  length of the year used in prophetic calculations =  360-day years 30 day months were used to record the length of the Flood (Gen. 7:11; 7:24; 8:3-4). 30 day months are used for the 70th Week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27= time, times, 1/2 time, or 3 1/2 years according to Daniel. 7:25 & 12:7 & Rev. 12:14, which in turn = 1260 days in Rev. 12:6. In Rev. 11:3 the 1260 days is shown to be 42 months in verse 2 and in Rev. 13:5)

Therefore, it may be calculated this way:

69 “weeks (sevens)” of years = 69 X 7 = 483 Years.

360 Jewish Prophetic Days ( 30-day, or Lunar, months).

Years as 365 Modern Calendar days are to 483 Years.

Thus, 360 x ? = 173,880 = 476.38 Years

The Roman calendar system (Gregorian) jumps from 1 BC to 1 AD, with no “0” in between.  The other HUGE problem is the Gregorian calendar was changed making a direct comparison of our calendar to the Jewish calendar nearly impossible.

Nisan 10, according to the Gospel record, was on a SUNDAY the year Jesus was crucified.  That's why it's referred to as Palm Sunday.  Some seem to attempt to reconcile Daniel's prophecy not with the Triumphal entry, but making the assumption that Jesus was crucified on Friday, and therefore attempt to find the day for the 14th of Nisan on a Friday, rather than the Thursday the Torah and the Gospel define (Leviticus 23).  The idea of a Friday crucifixion was based on a lack of understanding of the Sabbath days according to the Torah.

The sequence of events from the Torah are:  10th of Nisan - select Lamb for Passover; 14th of Nisan - Passover meal;  15th of Nisan - Feast of Unleavened Bread (a SABBATH), and then according to Leviticus 23, the Feast of First Fruits, which was on a SUNDAY, Nisan 17 (first day of the week according to the Gospel) and following the Sabbath according to the command (Leviticus 23).

Because of Genesis 1:5, the Passover meal would have taken place on "our" Wednesday evening and the crucifixion and burial on Thursday, as Friday was a High Sabbath for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Saturday the 16th of Nisan was the regular Sabbath, with Jesus rising before dawn on the 17th of Nisan, fulfilling literally Matthew 12:40 - Three days and three nights!  Additional information on this time line is provided in this book in the section covering the Gospels.

Two resources for further study of these details are: An Analysis of the 70 weeks (one of several found on line) and The Coming Prince by Sir Robert Anderson (also found elsewhere on the web in html or pdf form)

Ezra 1:1-3 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also [put it] in writing, saying,  2 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 'Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. (NASB)

Nehemiah 2:1-8 established the starting date of the calculations. The latest archaeological and near east calendar system data sets that date at Nisan 1, or March 5th, 444 B.C. Deducting the 476.38 years from that date, keeping in mind that there is no “0” year, and figuring in a 365.24219879 Leap-Year number to be precise, you arrive at March 30th, 32 A.D. This would bring you to Luke 19:35-44 where in the crucifixion week Jesus fulfills the Zechariah 9:9 prophecy presenting Himself officially to Israel as their Messiah. He is accepted by the faithful as the “King” in Luke 19:38, but rejected by official Israel in verse 39. As a result, in verse 44 He rebukes them “because you did not recognize THE TIME (69th Week) of your visitation.” Jesus then goes on to fulfill the rest of Daniel 9:26, and is “cut off” for our Salvation.

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The Minor Prophets the OT books 28 through 39.

Book name:  Hosea (OT-28)

Author and date:  Hosea, 710 BC

Key topics: Pre-exilic prophet to Israel.

Chapters, Verses and words: 14 chapters; 197 verses; 5,175 words

Details for Study/Discussion:   Prophesied during the time of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel.  Contemporary with Isaiah. Was told to marry a prostitute to illustrate the unfaithfulness of Israel.

Hosea 1:1-2  The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.  2  When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord."

Hosea 14:9  Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.

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Book name:  Joel (OT-29)

Author and date:  Joel, 835 BC

Key topics:  The day of the Lord.

Chapters, Verses and words: 3 chapters; 73 verses; 2,034 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Joel 2:1-2 Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; Surely it is near, 2  A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it To the years of many generations.

Joel 3:1-2  "For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,  2  I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land.

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Book name:  Amos (OT-30)

Author and date:  Amos, 755 BC

Key topics: Prophesised during the reigns of Kings Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in the north.  A pre-exilic prophet in the north.

Chapters, Verses and words: 9 chapters; 146 verses; 4,217 words

Details for Study/Discussion: Amos 9:14-15 "Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 "I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them," Says the Lord your God.

Amos 9:14-15 "Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit.  15 "I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them," Says the Lord your God.

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Book name:  Obadiah (OT-31)

Author and date:  Obadiah, 840 or 586 BC

Key topics: The shortest book in the Bible.  Prophecy against Edom and Esau.

Chapters, Verses and words: 1 chapter; 21 verses; 670 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Obadiah 1:1  The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom-...  Obadiah 1:10 "Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever.  Obadiah 1:18 "Then the house of Jacob will be a fire And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, So that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau," For the Lord has spoken.

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Book name:  Jonah (OT-32)

Author and date:  Jonah, 760 BC

Key topics:  A fish story.  Jonah was a prophet in Israel during Jeroboam II  (2 Kings 14:25), a pre-exilic prophet with a message to Nineveh.

Chapters, Verses and words: 4 chapters; 48 verses; 1,321 words

Details for Study/Discussion: Jonah refused to go to warn Nineveh, the Assyrians were not a nice people, and Jonah did not want God to spare them.  Jonah finally warned them, they repented, and Jonah pouted, and was rebuked.  Later, Nahum picks up the story of Nineveh and their ultimate destruction.

Jonah 3:5  Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.

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Book name:  Micah (OT-33)

Author and date:  Micah, 700 BC

Key topics:  Micah 1:1  The word of the Lord which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 2  Hear, O peoples, all of you; Listen, O earth and all it contains, And let the Lord God be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple. 3  For behold, the Lord is coming forth from His place. He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. 4  The mountains will melt under Him And the valleys will be split, Like wax before the fire, Like water poured down a steep place. 5  All this is for the rebellion of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel.

Chapters, Verses and words: 7 chapters; 105 verses; 3,153 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Micah 5:2 "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."

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Book name:  Nahum (OT-34)

Author and date:  Nahum, 663 - 612 BC

Key topics: Nineveh's destruction - after Jonah's visit.

Chapters, Verses and words: 3 chapters; 47 verses; 1,285 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Nahum 1:1  The oracle of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. 2  A jealous and avenging God is the Lord; The Lord is avenging and wrathful. The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies. 3  The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.

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Book name:  Habakkuk (OT-35)

Author and date:  Habakkuk, 607 BC

Key topics:  Lived during the Babylonian period, a contemporary of Jeremiah, a pre-exilic prophet from Judah.

Chapters, Verses and words: 3 chapters; 56 verses; 1,476 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Habakkuk 2:4 "Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith. (nas)

Habakkuk 2:4 "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith. (nkjv)

Habakkuk 2:4  Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (kjv)

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Book name:  Zephaniah (OT-36)

Author and date:  Zephaniah, 625 BC

Key topics: Wrote during the Babylonian period, likely from Jerusalem (Zephaniah 1:4; 10, 11), pre-exilic, during the reign of Josiah (640-609 BC), king of Judah, and was of royal descent, a descendant of King Hezekiah.  Zephaniah was contemporary with Jeremiah and Nahum.

Chapters, Verses and words: 3 chapters; 53 verses; 1,617 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Zep 1:7  Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near, For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests.

Zep 1:8 "Then it will come about on the day of the Lord's sacrifice That I will punish the princes, the king's sons And all who clothe themselves with foreign garments.

Zep 1:14  Near is the great day of the Lord, Near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the Lord! In it the warrior cries out bitterly.

Zep 1:18  Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the Lord's wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Zep 2:2  Before the decree takes effect-- The day passes like the chaff-- Before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you, Before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you.

Zep 2:3  Seek the Lord, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the Lord's anger.

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Book name:  Haggai (OT-37)

Author and date:  Haggai, 520 BC

Key topics: Haggai ministered in the 2nd year of Darius (Darius I - Hystaspes - King of Medo-Persia) 520 BC, he was a contemporary of Ezra and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1-11; 6:14), and was a post-exilic prophet from Judah.  The foundation of the temple was laid in April or may 536 BC (Ezra 3:8-13), but it was another 16 years before work continued, and was restarted around 520 BC and completed in March 516 BC. Zechariah 1:12; 7:15 imply that this marked the end of a special 70 year captivity for the city of Jerusalem and the temple, i.e. 586-516 BC.

Chapters, Verses and words: 2 chapters; 38 verses; 1,131 words

Details for Study/Discussion: Haggai 2:6  For thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7  I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory, 'says the Lord of hosts. 8 'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,' declares the Lord of hosts. 9 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts, 'and in this place I will give peace,' declares the Lord of hosts."

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Book name:  Zechariah (OT-38)

Author and date:  Zechariah, 520 - 518 BC

Key topics:  The realization of who Jesus Christ is to the children of Israel, the fulfillment of Zechariah 12 will be a turning point in prophecy and will likely take place during the time of Jacob's distress (Jeremiah 30:7).  Zechariah describes the Messiah in several ways, as a branch (Zech. 3:8), servant (Zech. 3:8), shepherd (Zech. 9:16; 11:11), a smitten shepherd (Zech. 13:7), as entering Jerusalem on a colt (Zech. 9:9), betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12,13), and returning to the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:3-8).

Chapters, Verses and words: 14 chapters; 211 verses; 6,444 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Zechariah 1:1  8th month (Bul) 2nd year of Darius (520 BC)

Zechariah 1:8 - myrtle trees - red, sorrel and white horses, cf. Revelation 6:2 - white - conquer Revelation 6:4 - red - removed peace; Revelation 6:5 - black - famine; Revelation 6:8 - ashen - death

Zechariah 1:12 - seventy years - exiled - Jeremiah 29:10

Zechariah 3:1 - Joshua - the LXX uses the Greek word for Jesus.

Cyrus of Persia took Babylon in 539 BC; (Cyrus reigned from 555-529 BC); Cambyses II (529-522 BC); Darius I (522-486 BC)

Joshua, son of Jehozadak, ca. 515-490 BC, after the restoration of the Temple, was the first person chosen to be the High Priest for the reconstruction of the Jewish Temple after the Babylonian Captivity (See Zechariah 6:9-14).

The House of Nathan?  See: Zechariah 12:12 below, then Luke 3:31 (genealogy of Mary) and 2 Samuel 5:14 (the sons of David born in Jerusalem).

Zechariah 12:1  The burden of the word of the Lord concerning Israel. Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him,

Zechariah 12:2 "Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.

Zechariah 12:3  It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.

Zechariah 12:4  In that day," declares the Lord, "I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

Zechariah 12:5  Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, 'A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through the Lord of hosts, their God.'

Zechariah 12:6 "In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:7  The Lord also will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be magnified above Judah.

Zechariah 12:8  In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them.

Zechariah 12:9  And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Zechariah 12:10 "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

Zechariah 12:11  In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

Zechariah 12:12  The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves;

Zechariah 12:13 the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves;

Zechariah 12:14 all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves.

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Book name:  Malachi (OT-39)

Author and date:  Malachi, 450 - 400 BC

Key topics: The last of the prophets, around 433 BC, a contemporary of Nehemiah, and a post-exilic prophet to Judah.

Chapters, Verses and words: 4 chapters; 55 verses; 1,782 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Mal 3:1 "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the Lord of hosts. 2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.  (Compare with Matthew 17:10-12 a partial fulfillment by John the Baptist, and Luke 1:17)

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Chapter Five: GOSPELS - Matthew to Acts (5 books)

5) GOSPELS - The 4 Gospels & Acts -http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#gospels

BOOKS:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts

KEY VERSE:  John 8:58  Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am. (NASB)

DETAILS ABOUT THE GOSPELS:

Matthew, Mark and Luke  are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels, sharing similar stories and details, often complementing the others.  For example:

Jesus' background:  Matthew 1:1 - 4:11;  Mark 1:1-13;  Luke 1:1 - 4:13

Jesus teaches in Galilee:  Matthew 4:12 - 9:17;  Mark  1:14 - 3:19;  Luke 4:14 - 7:10

Jesus' Sermon:  Matthew 5:1- 7:27 -- Luke 6:20-49

Jesus' Prophetic Mission:  Matthew 9:18- 12:50;  Mark 3:19-35;  Luke 7:11-50

Jesus Uses Parables:  Matthew 12:46- 13:52;  Mark 3:31 - 4:34;  Luke 8:1-21

Who is Jesus?:  Matthew 13:53- 18:25;  Mark 4:35 - 9:50;  Luke 8:22 - 9:50

Jesus Journeys to Judea:  Matthew 19:1- 20:34;  Mark 10:1-52;  Luke 9:51 - 19:27

Jesus at Jerusalem:  Matthew 21:1 - 25:46;  Mark 11:1 - 13:37;  Luke 19:28 - 21:38

Jesus' last days:  Matthew 26:1 - 27:66;  Mark 14:1 - 15:47;  Luke 22:1 - 23:56

Resurrection reports:  Matthew 28:1-20;  Mark 16:1-8 (9-20);  Luke 24:1-53

The Olivet Discourse:  Matthew 24;  Mark 13;  Luke 21

Twenty-Three Old Testament Prophecies fulfilled by Jesus:

(from Meredith’s Book of Bible Lists, 1980          - pg. 124 ff. isbn 0-87123-023-2)

1)  Psalm 16:10 - Acts 2:24  God raised Jesus up

2)  Psalm 22:18 - Matthew 27:35  they parted his garments, casting lots

3)  Psalm 34:20 - John 19:30-36  his bones were not broken

4)  Psalm 41:9 - John 13:18-30  eating bread

5)  Psalm 68:18 - Ephesians 4:7  gifts for men

6)  Psalm 69:4 - John 15:24, 25  hate me without cause

7)  Psalm 69:21 - John 19:28, 29  vinegar

8)  Psalm 78:2  - Matt 13:34, 35 parables

9)  Isaiah 6:9  - Matt 13:13, 14 parables

10)  Isaiah 6:10 - John 12:39-41  lest they hear and understand...

11)  Isaiah 7:14 - Matthew 1:18-25  Virgin Birth

12)  Isaiah 9:1-2 - Matthew 12:14-21  Zebulun and Naphtali - The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light

13)  Isaiah 42:1-3 - Matthew 12:14-21  behold my servant

14)  Isaiah 53:1  - John 12:37.38  Who hath believed our report?

15)  Isaiah 53:4 - Matthew 8:16,17  he hath carried our sorrows

16)  Isaiah 53:12 - Mark 15:27,28  Numbered with transgressors

17)  Isaiah 61:1,2 - Luke 4:16-21  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…

18)  Hosea 11:1 - Matthew 2:13-15  called my son out of Egypt

19)  Micah 5:2 - Matthew 2:1, 5, 6  But thou Bethlehem Ephratah…

20)  Zechariah 6:12 - Matthew 2:23  Nazareth

21)  Zechariah 9:9 - Matthew 21:1-11 and riding upon an ass… triumphal entry into Jerusalem

22) Zech 11:12,13 - Matt 27:3-10 30 pieces of silver

23) Zech 12:10 - John 19:34, 37  They shall look upon me whom they have pierced

Mat(thew), Mar(k), Luk(e), Jn(John), Act(s)

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0930_40_Matthew_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0958_41_Mark_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0974_42_Luke_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0998_43_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1019_44_Acts_01_nas.html

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Book name:  Matthew (NT-1) (Book 40/66)

Author and date:  Matthew, 60's AD

Key topics: Matthew - Jesus the King  - "The Kingdom of Heaven" is stated 33 times:

Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 5:3; 5:10; 5:19; 5:20; 7:21; 8:11; 10:7; 11:11; 11:12; 13:11; 13:24; 13:31; 13:33; 13:44; 13:45; 13:47; 13:52; 16:19; 18:1; 18:3; 18:4; 18:23; 19:12; 19:14; 19:23; 20:1; 22:2; 23:13; 25:1.

Matthew 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38  Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39  For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"

Chapters, Verses and words:  28 chapters; 1,071 verses; 23,684 words

Details for Study/Discussion: Matthew - Jesus the King

Detailed and orderly format, emphasis on the Kingdom, intended for Jewish believers

“inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  Matt 25:34

Jesus describes the end of the age in the "Olivet Discourse" in Matthew 24.  The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:18-20  And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Matthew is unique to the other Gospels in that he records:

1) The dream of Joseph that explained God's work through Mary. (Mat 1:20-24)

2) The visit of the magi, "Mat 2:11  After coming into the house they saw the Child..." - NOTE: not an infant, and not in a manger! (Mat 2:1-12).  The gifts presented were for a priest, a prophet and a King!

3) The flight to Egypt (Mat 2:13-15) - fulfilled: Hosea 11:1 ...And out of Egypt I called My son.

4) The slaughter of infants by Herod (Mat 2:16) - fulfilled: Jeremiah 31:15 Thus says the Lord, "A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more."

5) The dream of Pilate's wife (Mat 27:19) warning Pilate not to have anything to do with Jesus.

6) The death of Judas (Mat 27:3-10) - fulfilled: Zechariah 11:12-13  I said to them, "If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!" So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. 13  Then the Lord said to me, "Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord.

7) Resurrection of the saints at the crucifixion (Matt 27:52)

8) Bribing of the guards (Matt 28:12-15)

9) The Great Commission: Teach and Baptize (Mat 28:18-20)

PARABLES in Matthew: Tares (12:20-24, 36-43); Hidden Treasure (13:44); Pearl (13:45,46); Dragnet (13:47); Merciless servant (18:23-35); Laborer in vineyard (SPEAKS OF LABOR RELATIONS and against the behaviors of UNIONS and/or SOCIALISM) Mat 20:11-16  When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12  saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.' 13  But he answered and said to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14  Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?'(20:1-16); Two sons (21:28-32); Marriage of the King's son (22:1-3); The talents (25:14-30).

Miracles in Matthew: Two blind men (9:27-31); Dumb demonic (9:32,33); coin in the mouth of a fish to pay taxes (17:24-27).

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Book name:  Mark (NT-2) (Book 41/66)

Author and date:  Mark, 50's AD

Key topics: Mark - Jesus the Servant - very action oriented, immediately occurs 40 times:  Mark 1:10; 1:12; 1:18; 1:20; 1:21; 1:28; 1:29; 1:30; 1:42; 1:43; 2:8; 2:12; 3:6; 4:5; 4:15; 4:16; 4:17; 4:29; 5:2; 5:29; 5:30; 5:42; 6:25; 6:27; 6:45; 6:50; 6:54; 7:25; 8:10; 9:15; 9:20; 9:24; 10:52; 11:2; 11:3; 14:43; 14:45; 14:72; 15:1.

Chapters, Verses and words: 16 chapters; 678 verses; 15,171 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  There is no introduction, genealogy or Sermon on the Mount in Mark.  Jesus describes the end of the age in the "Olivet Discourse" in Mark 13.

Mark 10:45  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

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Book name:  Luke (NT-3) (Book 42/66)

Author and date:  Luke, 60 AD

Key topics:  Luke was a doctor and a companion of Paul (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18, 27:1-28:16 - believed because of the use of 1st person instead of 3rd person plural).  Dr. Luke dedicated both Luke and the book of Acts to Theophilus. His work is systematic and provides details that show a thorough research and analysis.  61 events and incidents are unique to the book of Luke.  Luke also associates the Gospel narrative to secular history.  Luke carefully noted details about the birth of Christ that line up specifically with the Torah and provide insight as to the time line of Jesus birth, movement to Jerusalem at the temple for dedication, the family's return to Nazareth after the dedication, to the meeting of the magi in Nazareth, the departure to Egypt and the return.  What is key to note is that Luke makes it clear that Jesus' family made it the Passover EVERY year, that means that the flight to Egypt was less than a year: Luke 2:39-41  When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. 40  The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. 41  Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.  In addition, NOTE that Dr. Luke clearly says that everything was done according to the LAW, that would include all the purifications after the birth as defined in Leviticus 12:2-4.

Chapters, Verses and words: 24 chapters; 1,151 verses; 25,944words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Luke  - Jesus the Son of Man - of the seed of Woman!

Luke 24:44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you,

that all things which are written about Me in

the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms

must be fulfilled.”

Luke 24:45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,

47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

THE detailed timeline of the birth of Christ from Luke:

1)  Birth of Christ - circa 5 BC. (likely in the Fall based on the shepherds being in the fields)

2)  Shepherd's visit - before circumcision - they were close to Bethlehem Luke 2:8-18

3)  Circumcision  - 8th day Leviticus 12:2-3  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

4)  Purification time - Leviticus 12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled."  7 days + 33 days = 40 days

5)  Temple Dedication - around the 40th day - in Jerusalem - at the TEMPLE, Luke2:20ff

6)  Left for Nazareth - Luke 2:39  When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.

7)  In Matthew 2:11-23 we saw that Jesus was a child in a house, and then when they fled to Egypt, they returned to Nazareth and must have done so within a year based on Luke 2:41.  This was necessary for Jesus to completely fulfill the Law of Moses.  One must combine the details across the Gospels to fully understand the precision of God's fulfillment.

The genealogy of Jesus follows his lineage through Mary, take special note of Luke 3:31 "son of Nathan", that is also found in Zechariah 12, "the house of Nathan", a son of David born in Jerusalem.  As Luke's emphasis is on Jesus, the Son of Man, it makes sense that he would follow the line of the SEED of WOMAN - Genesis 3:15, the long anticipated MESSIAH!  Whereas the lineage of Jesus in Matthew records the royal lineage and rights through Joseph, his adopted father.  HOWEVER, because of the failure of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, King of Judah, as recorded in Jeremiah 22:30 God declared that no man of his descendants would sit on the throne of David!  And again in Jeremiah 36:30  Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, "He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David... Jer 24:1  After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,  Jer 28:4  I am also going to bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon.  However, there is no mention of a King being placed over Judah after the exile.  Matthew 1:11-12   Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12  After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.  So, the lineage of Joseph provided the royal rights to the THRONE of DAVID, and Matthew's gospel theme of Jesus the King, fits well, but because of the Lord's command recorded by Jeremiah, none of the direct descendants of Jehoiakim would sit on the throne of David.

So the genealogy of Mary fulfils at least TWO CRITICAL prophetic elements:  1) the SEED OF WOMAN in Jesus - Genesis 3:15 and 2) the curse of Jehoiakim.  As Jesus was not a direct descendent of Joseph. God's Word is specific and complete.  Details like this matter and weave all the books of the Bible together carefully.  Chronicles, Kings, Jeremiah, Luke, Matthew and Genesis, and likely more books, all from the record of his birth and the line of the kings, and prophecies concerning Israel in the tribulation (Zechariah 12).

Jesus describes the end of the age in the "Olivet Discourse" in Luke 21.  Dr. Luke emphasizes the manhood of Jesus, people oriented narrative and develops characters.

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The following charts show the days of the Passover week as the relate to the Gospels and to the Torah.  The chart shows Western Time and Jewish days (Genesis 1:5) for the days.  The baseline starts with Nisan 10, a Sunday, being Palm Sunday, with Thursday the 14th being the Passover and following according to Leviticus 23.  Matthew 12:40 is essential to understand as well, 3 days and 3 nights, reversing the normal pattern of Genesis 1:5, evening and morning on day.

This first chart shows THURSDAY - the 14th of Nisan, the Passover, not a Sabbath, and shows that this would have been started on our Wednesday evening:

This second chart shows FRIDAY - the 15th of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

According to Leviticus 23, FRIDAY the 15th of Nisan was a High Sabbath, and the reason Jesus was placed in the tomb before sundown on THURSDAY, Nisan 14.  This was also necessary for Jesus to fulfill Matthew 12:40 - 3 DAYS and 3 NIGHTS in the grave.  He rose before DAY on Sunday Nisan the 17th, the Feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23).

 

This third chart shows SATURDAY - the 16th of Nisan, the SABBATH according to the commandment (Exodus 20 and Leviticus 23), and SUNDAY, the 17th of Nisan - the Feast of First Fruits:

According to Leviticus 23, Saturday the 16th of Nisan would be a regular Sabbath, and the reason the Mary's were not able to attend to Jesus in the tomb until Sunday morning, after the Sabbath days.  This was also necessary for Jesus to fulfill Matthew 12:40 - 3 DAYS and 3 NIGHTS in the grave.  He rose before dawn, or DAY,  on Sunday Nisan the 17th, the Feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23).

This diagram shows all of the 3 previous ones connected.

see:  http://bibletech.net/TOOLS/Thursday/ for additional diagrams showing this timeline.

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Book name:  John (NT-4) (Book 43/66)

Author and date:  John, 85-90 AD

Key topics:  John - Jesus the Son of God.  John uses the word believe 98 times.  The book of John omits genealogies, the birth account, childhood of Jesus, the temptation of Jesus, the Transfiguration, the ascension and the great commission.

Chapters, Verses and words: 21 chapters; 879 verses; 19,099 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Theological truths are tied to the Old Testament in John's gospel.  Most notable was Jesus' declaration in John 8:58, that directly ties Exodus 3:14, "I AM" to Jesus - the result was the leaders wanted to stone him for declaring Himself to be God!

In the book of John Jesus makes seven "I am" statements:  (these declarations are made at key times and often tied directly to appointed times or significant events, all pointing to His diety.)

1) I am the Bread of Life - John 6:35

2) I am the Light of the World - John 8:12

3) Before Abraham was, I AM - John 8:58 (cf to Exodus 3:14!)

4) I am the Good Shepherd - John 10:11

5) I am the Resurrection and the Life - John 11:25

6) I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life - John 14:6

7) I am the True Vine - John 15:1

1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1:2  He was in the beginning with God.

1:3  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

1:4  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

1:5  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

1:11  He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

1:12  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

1:13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

1:14  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

1:17  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

14:1  "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

14:6  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

14:26  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

14:27  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

15:12  "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

15:26  "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,

20:30-31  Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;  31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

John 21:25  And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

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Book name:  Acts (NT-5) (Book 44/66)

Author and date: Luke, 61 AD

Key topics:  Addressed to Theophilus. Acts records the transition of events among believers to the early church.  Acts 1:1-5  The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3  To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4  Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Chapters, Verses and words: 28 chapters; 1,007 verses; 24,250 words

Details for Study/Discussion: Key events:

Ascension of Jesus - Acts 1:9-11  And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10  And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11  They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."  (note: this is likely a reference to the calling up, the rapture or departure, as the visible return of Jesus is described in the Revelation and other Old Testament prophecies differently.  The angel was speaking to the disciples, believers in Christ, not the world.)

Prophetic replacement of Judas - Acts 1:15-26 - resulting in Matthias being added, in fulfilment of Psalm 109:8 (as stated by Peter in Acts 1:20).

Pentecost (the 4th Appointed time from Leviticus 23:15-22, fulfilled by Jesus and the church) - Acts 2 - fulfilling part of Joel 2:28-32  "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. 29 "Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.  NOT YET FULFILLED:  30 "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. 31 "The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the Lord has said, Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls. (Many prophecies have partial fulfilments separated by time, or even double fulfilments.)

Peter and John - their proclamations about Jesus, miracles and arrests - Acts 3-5

Acts 4:11-12 "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 12  "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."

The church in Jerusalem - Acts 3-8:3 - In Acts 4 over 5,000 believers were added to the church.

The martyrdom of Stephen - Acts 6:8-7:60.

The growth and spread of the Gospel to Samaria and Judea - Acts 8:4-12

Acts 8:4  Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5  Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.

The witness of Philip to the Ethiopian Eunuch - Acts 8:26-40.

Saul - Acts 9-10:31

Peter - Acts 9:32-11:18

Antioch - where they were first called Christians - Acts 11:19-30

To the uttermost parts of the world - Acts 13-28.

Persecution under Nero began in 64AD - 70AD Jerusalem was sacked.  Acts ends with Paul’s arrival in Rome.  Paul died somewhere between 64 and 67 AD.  Important to note that no mention of  the destruction of the Temple is found in the NT writings; evidence for pre-70 AD authorship.

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Chapter Six: PAUL - Romans to Philemon (13 books)

6) PAUL - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#paul

BOOKS:  Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st & 2nd Thessalonians, 1st & 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon

KEY VERSE:  1 Timothy 2:7  For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (NASB)

Rom(ans), 1Co(rinthians), 2Co(rinthians), Gal(atians), Eph(eshians), Phi(lippians), Col(ossians), 1Th(essalonians), 2Th(essalonians), 1Ti(mothy), 2Ti(mothy), Tit(us), Phm(Philemon)

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1047_45_Romans_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1063_46_1_Corinthians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1079_47_2_Corinthians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1092_48_Galatians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1098_49_Ephesians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1104_50_Philippians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1108_51_Colossians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1112_52_1_Thessalonians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1118_53_2_Thessalonians_02_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1120_54_1_Timothy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1126_55_2_Timothy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1130_56_Titus_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1133_57_Philemon_01_nas.html

Book name:  Romans (NT - 6) (45/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 58 AD

Key topics:  An airtight case against mankind - we are ALL sinners, no matter how good you think you might be.  God is not finished with Israel, has brought them back into their land as foretold by Ezekiel (36ff) and by Paul in Romans 9, 10 and 11.

Romans has been used as a base for evangelism with a Tract called "The Roman Road":

Verses used:  Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9-10; Romans 10:13 (John 3:16-17); Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:1

1. The Human Problem:  Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and Romans 6:23

“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;” (Romans 3:10)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23)

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a)

“…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b)

2. Humanity’s Hope in Christ:  Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

3. The Sinner’s Response:  Romans 10:9-10 and Romans 10:13 “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)  “For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” (Romans 10:13)  see also John 3:16-17

4. The Result of Salvation:  Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.;  Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

Chapters, Verses and words:  16 chapters; 33 verses;  9,447 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Romans 1:14-32  I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.  15  So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.  16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."  18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,  19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.  20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  21  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  22  Professing to be wise, they became fools,  23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.  24  Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.  25  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  26  For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,  27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.  28  And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,  29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,  30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,  31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;  32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Romans 2:11-12  For there is no partiality with God. 12  For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;

Rom 3:10-12  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;  11  THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;  12  ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

JUSTIFIED BY FAITH:  3:21-5:21

Rom 5:1-5  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  3  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;  4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;  5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 7:24-25  Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?  25  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Romans 8:5-10  For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  6  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,  7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,  8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  9  However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.  10  If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

WHAT ABOUT THE JEWS?  ISRAEL? - Rejecting Israel or claiming they aren't true Jews is sinful arrogance and subject to judgment.  The temporary blindness of Israel allowed us Gentiles to be grafted into the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David through Jesus Christ.  God will restore and rescue Israel.  The end times are all about ISRAEL and the return of their King, their Messiah, Jesus Christ, to rescue them, with the church following behind as the Bride of Christ.  Jesus will reign for 1,000 years with the children of Israel in their land, tabernacling with Jesus.

Romans 11:1-21  I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He?  May it never be!  For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.  2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in [the passage about] Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?  3 "Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, they have torn down Thine altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.“  4 But what is the divine response to him? "I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.“  5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to [God's] gracious choice.  6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.  7 What then? That which Israel is seeking for, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;  8 just as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, Eyes to see not and ears to hear not, Down to this very day.“  9 And David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.  10 "Let their eyes be darkened to see not, And bend their backs forever.“  11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation [has come] to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.  12 Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!  13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,  14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.  15 For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world, what will[ their] acceptance be but life from the dead?  16 And if the first piece [of dough] be holy, the lump is also; and if the root be holy, the branches are too.  17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,  18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, [remember that] it is not you who supports the root, but the root [supports] you.  19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.“  20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;  21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.  (NASB)

Romans 12:2, 9-18, 21  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  9  Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.  10  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;  11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,  13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.  14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  15  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  16  Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.  17  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  18  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Book name:  1 Corinthians (NT-7) (46/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 56 AD

Key topics:  Paul was addressing issues of sin at Corinth, that it was permitted in the fellowship, and that they were unable to assess spiritual things, still living in the flesh, living by their own wisdom, ignoring sin.  Paul admonishes them to remove the wicked man from their midst.  1 Corinthians 5:1  It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife.

Chapters, Verses and words:  15 chapters; 427 verses; 9,489 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

1 Corinthians 1:18-20,22-25  For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  19  For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." :20  Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ... 22  For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;  23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,  24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16  But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.  15  But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.  16  For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians  3:2-3  I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,  3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

1 Corinthians  10:13  No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 13:4-10, 13  Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,  5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;  7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  8  Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  9  For we know in part and we prophesy in part;  10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.  13  But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 14:33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.  (KJV:  1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (kjv) )

1 Corinthians 15:1  Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,  2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  3  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  6  After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;  7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;  8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.  9  For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Corinthians 15:33  Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."  34  Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

1 Corinthians 15:45  So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  46  However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.  47  The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:50-57  Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  51  Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,  52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  53  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54  But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.  55  O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"  56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;  57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Book name: 2 Corinthians (NT-8) (47/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 57 AD

Key topics:  Written from Ephesus dealing with the carnality of believers.

Chapters, Verses and words:  13 chapters; 257 verses; 6,092 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

2 Corinthians  3:14  But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.  15  But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;  16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

2 Corinthians 4:3-5  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,  4  in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5  For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord

2 Corinthians 5:7  for we walk by faith, not by sight--

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,  4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  5 [We are] destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and [we are] taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, (NASB)

2 Corinthians 11:13-15  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  14  No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  15  Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

2 Corinthians 13:11  Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

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TRANSLATIONS MATTER:  When there is an obvious and blatant translation error of the Bible, one should avoid that version.  Based on the example below and other cases, it is recommended that one avoid the New International Version, as it is untrustworthy.

INCORRECT TRANSLATION of the word "flesh" in the NIV:  2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. ... (NIV)

CORRECT TRANSLATION:  found in literal, word-for-word translations and in the Greek:

2 Corinthians 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,  (nasb)

2 Corinthians 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. (nkjv)

2 Corinthians 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (kjv)

2 Corinthians 10:3  Denn ob wir wohl im Fleisch wandeln, so streiten wir doch nicht fleischlicherweise.(dhs - German - Fleisch is meat, or flesh.)

2 Corinthians 10:3  ν σαρκ γρ περιπατοντες ο κατ σάρκα στρατευόμεθα  - (Greek)

The NIV incorrectly translates the word "flesh" (sarx) to "world", this alters the entire meaning of the passage, it implies that it's not our sinful flesh, but the "world".

Words translate, ideas do not.

It is best to use a literal, word-for-word, in context, translation.  Translating ideas is not accurate and can be very subjective, especially in cases where the passage might be difficult to understand.  It is better to study what the meaning of a word might be in context than be misled by a translator who might be following a tradition or a worldly viewpoint.  The NIV is the same translation used for the gender neutral versions as well.  There are better options available for those with limited reading skills or with English as a second language, and that would be the Living Bible by Ken Taylor, but the NASB and NKJV are not that difficult to read as compared to the long enduring KJV.

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Book name:  Galatians (NT-9) (48/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 49 or 55 AD

Key topics:  Galatians 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. - Judaizing - legalistic error (mix law & faith)

Chapters, Verses and words:  6 chapters; 149 verses; 3,098 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Galatians 1:8-9  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  9  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  21  I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

Galatians 3:6-14  Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.  7  Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.  8  The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." 9  So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.  10  For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." 11  Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." 12  However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." 13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:22-28  But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23  But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24  Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.  25  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  26  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  27  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:1, 13-26  It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.  13  For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  14  For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 15  But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.  16  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  17  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  19  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  :20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,  21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  24  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  25  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  26  Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6:1-2  Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.  2  Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

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Book name:  Ephesians (NT-10) (49/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 61 AD

Key topics: from Ephesians 1:4-13 ...He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,  ... predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, ...we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace  He made known to us the mystery of His will...you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise...

Chapters, Verses and words:  6 chapters; 155 verses; 3,039 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Ephesians 1:13  In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 4:4-7, 14, 15, 17, 18  There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;  5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7  But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.   14  As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;  15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,  17  So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,  18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

Ephesians 4:26-32  BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,  27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.  28  He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.  29  Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.  30  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  31  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  32  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Ephesians 5:15-33  Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,  16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.  17  So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  18  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,  19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;  20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;  21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.  22  Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  23  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.  24  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,  26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.  28  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;  29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,  30 because we are members of His body.  31  FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.  32  This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.  33  Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 6:10-18  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  11  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  13  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  14  Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,  15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;  16  in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17  And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  18  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints...

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Book name:  Philippians (NT-11) (50/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 61 AD

Key topics:  Philippians 1:21 - For  me to live is Christ

Chapters, Verses and words:  4 chapters; 104 verses; 2,002 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Philippians 2:3-11  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;  4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  5  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,  6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,  10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:14  Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

Phi 3:18  For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,

Philippians 3:18-21  For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,  19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.  20  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Philippians 4:4-8  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!  5  Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.  6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  8  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

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Book name:  Colossians (NT-12) (51/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 61 AD

Key topics: Colossians 1:13,14  For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,  14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Chapters, Verses and words:  4 chapters; 95 verses; 1,998 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Colossians 1:15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  16  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.  17  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  18  He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.  19  For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,  20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.  21  And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,  22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

Colossians 2:6  Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,  7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.  8  See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.  9  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,  10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

Colossians 2:20-23  If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,  21 "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"  22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?  23  These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

Colossians 3:12-24  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.  14  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  15  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.  16  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  17  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  18  Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  19  Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20  Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.  21  Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.  22  Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  23  Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,  24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Colossians 4:6  Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

Colossians 4:14  Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.

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Book name:  1 Thessalonians (NT-13) (52/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 51 AD

Key topics:  The Lord Returns for Believers, see: 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 2 Thessalonians 2

Chapters, Verses and words:  5 chapters; 89 verses; 1,857 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

1 Thessalonians 4:3  For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;  4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,  5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;  6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.  7  For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.  8  So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope..  14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.  15  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  17  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-4  Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.  2  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.  3  While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  4  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;

1 Thessalonians 5:8  But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.  9  For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:14-24  We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  15  See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.  16  Rejoice always;  17 pray without ceasing;  18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  19  Do not quench the Spirit;  20 do not despise prophetic utterances.  21  But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;  22 abstain from every form of evil.  23  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  24  Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

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Book name:  2 Thessalonians (NT-14) (53/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 51 AD

Key topics:  - written at Corinth shortly after departing Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-10; 18:1)  The Lord Returns for Believers, see: 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4

Chapters, Verses and words:  3 chapters; 47 verses; 1,042 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  *- the apostasia - ποστασία - there is a definite article, a single event, not a gradual falling away from faith, the word can mean apostasy as many English translations transliterate it, but it can also mean DEPARTURE, or to leave a physical location, and not just a position or belief.

In 2 Thessalonians 3 the context relates to the restrainer, the Holy Spirit, who will be removed, and since believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and NOT subject to the wrath of God, believers will also be removed, raptured, taken up, departing to meet Jesus in the clouds as described in Acts 1:9-11, and in 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17.

2 Thessalonians 2:2-12  that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy * comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,  4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.  5  Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  6  And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.  7  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.  8  Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;  9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,  10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.  11  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,  12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-16  For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you,  8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;  9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.  10  For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.  11  For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.  12  Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.  13  But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.  14  If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame.  15  Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.  16  Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

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Book name:  1 Timothy (NT-15) (54/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 63 AD

Key topics:  Paul's instruction to Timothy concerning church order and leadership.

Chapters, Verses and words:  6 chapters; 113 verses; 2,269 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

1 Timothy 2:1-2  First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,  2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

1 Timothy 2:8-15  Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.  9  Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,  10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.  11  A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.  12  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.  13  For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.  14  And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.  15  But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

1 Timothy 3:2  An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,  3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.  4  He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God? ),  6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.  7  And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.  8  Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,  9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.  10  These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.  11  Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.  12  Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.  13  For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 4:1  But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

1 Timothy 4:13  Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.

1 Timothy 6:6-12  But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.  7  For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.  8  If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.  9  But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.  10  For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  11  But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.  12  Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

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Book name:  2 Timothy (NT-16) (55/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 63 AD

Key topics: Paul's instruction to Timothy concerning church order and leadership.

Chapters, Verses and words:  4 chapters; 83 verses; 1,703 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

2 Timothy 2:4-7  No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.  5  Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.  6  The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.  7  Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

2 Timothy 2:14-16  Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.  15  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.  16  But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,

2 Timothy 2:22-26  Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.  23  But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.  24  The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,  25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,  26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 3:1-7 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  2  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,  3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,  4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.  6  For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,  7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,  4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

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Book name:  Titus (NT-17) (56/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 65 AD

Key topics:  Titus, a Gentile convert at the church in Crete.

Chapters, Verses and words:  3 chapters; 46 verses; 921 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Titus 1:7-9  For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,  8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,  9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

Titus 1:15 -16  To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.  16  They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

Titus 3:1-7, 9  Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,  2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.  3  For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.  4  But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,  5  He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,  6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 9  But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

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Book name:  Philemon (NT-18) (57/66)

Author and date:  Paul, 61 AD

Key topics:  Philemon, from Colossae had a slave, Onesimus, who ran away and met Paul and was converted.

Chapters, Verses and words:  1 chapters; 25 verses; 445 words

Details for Study/Discussion:  Paul makes an appeal to Philemon on Onesimus' behalf.

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Chapter Seven:  LETTERS - Hebrews to Jude (8 books)

7) LETTERS - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#letters

BOOKS:  Heb(rews), Jam(es), 1Pe(ter), 2Pe(ter), 1Jo(hn), 2Jo(hn), 3Jo(hn), Jud(e)

KEY VERSE:  Hebrews 1:1-2  God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (NASB)

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1134_58_Hebrews_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1147_59_James_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1152_60_1_Peter_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1157_61_2_Peter_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1160_62_1_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1165_63_2_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1166_64_3_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1167_65_Jude_nas.html

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Book name:  Hebrews (NT-19) (58/66)

Author and date:  Uncertain (possibly Paul), 64-68 AD

Key topics:  The writer of Hebrews is warning believers not to return to Judaism, but to understand the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ.

Chapters, Verses and words:  13 chapters; 303 verses; 6,913 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Hebrews 1:1  God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,  2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  13  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.  14  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  15  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  16  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 6:20 - 7:12 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.  7:1  For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,  2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.  3  Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.  4  Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.  5  And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.  6  But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.  7  But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8  In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.  9  And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes,  10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.  11  Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?  12  For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

Hebrews 9:27, 28  And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,  28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Hebrews 10:23-27  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;  24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,  25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.  26  For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,  27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  2  For by it the men of old gained approval.  3  By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  :2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

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Book name:  James (NT-20) (59/66)

Author and date:  James, 45-50 AD

Key topics: Practical Christian living - external view - James head of the 1st Christian Church:  Acts 12:17; 15:13-29; 21:17-18, one of  the earliest book, 45 - 50 AD, 2:14-26 does not contradict Paul’s teachings, rather complements it from the practical/external view - Martin Luther did not like this book.

* - 4 James:-son of Zebedee (apostle) Matt 10:1 -son of Alphaeus Matt 10:3 -half brother of Jesus (author of James) Matt 13:55 -father of Judas (Luke 6:16)

Chapters, Verses and words:  5 chapters; 108 verses; 2,309 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

James 1:13-16  Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  14  But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.  15  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.  16  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

James 3:17-18  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  18  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 4:1-4  What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?  2  You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.  3  You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.  4  You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

James 4:7-8  Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  8  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:13-17  Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."  14  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  15  Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."  16  But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.  17  Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

James 5:16-20  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.  17  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.  18  Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.  19  My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,  20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

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Book name:  1 Peter (NT-21) (60/66)

Author and date:  Peter, 63 AD

Key topics:  Peter and Andrew were brothers, and fishermen.  This book involves suffering.

Chapters, Verses and words:  5 chapters; 105 verses; 2,482 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

1 Peter 2:9-21  But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.  11  Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.  12  Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.  13  Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,  14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.  15  For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.  16  Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.  17  Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.  18  Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.  19  For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.  20  For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.  21  For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,

1 Peter 5:6  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,  7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.  8  Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  9  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

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Book name:  2 Peter (NT-22) (61/66)

Author and date:  Peter, 66 AD

Key topics:

Chapters, Verses and words:  3 chapters; 61 verses; 1,559 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

2 Peter 1:20  But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,  21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

2 Peter 3:2-13  that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.  3  Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,  4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." 5  For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,  6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.  7  But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.  8  But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.  9  The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.  10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.  11  Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,  12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!  13  But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

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Book name:  1 John (NT-23) (62/66)

Author and date:  John, 90 AD

Key topics:  Written to address the denial of sin.  John warns of mysticism that denies the reality of sin, and Gnosticism that denied the incarnation of Jesus.

Chapters, Verses and words:  5 chapters; 105 verses; 2,523 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

1 John 1:1  What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life -- 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us -- 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.  4  These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

1 John 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;  7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.  8  If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.  9  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

1 John 2:15-18  Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  17  The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.  18  Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.

1John 3:1-11  See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  2  Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  3  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.  4  Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.  5  You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.  6  No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.  7  Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;  8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.  9  No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  10  By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.  11  For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

1 John 3:18-24  Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.  19  We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.  21  Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;  22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.  23  This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.  24  The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

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Book name:  2 John (NT-24) (63/66)

Author and date:  John, 90 AD

Key topics:  John warns of false teachers and unsound doctrine.

Chapters, Verses and words:  1 chapter; 13 verses; 303 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

2 John 1:6-11  And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.  7  For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.  8  Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.  9  Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.  10  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;  11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

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Book name:  3 John (NT-25) (64/66)

Author and date:  John, 90 AD

Key topics:  John warns of improper behavior.

Chapters, Verses and words:  1 chapter; 14 verses; 613 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

3 John 1:3-4  For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth.  4  I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

3 John 1:11  Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

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Book name:  Jude (NT-26) (65/66)

Author and date:  Jude, 70 - 80 AD

Key topics:  Jude, the servant of Jesus and the brother of James, in other words, Jude is likely a brother of Jesus (Matt 13:55, Mark 6:3), an unbeliever prior to the resurrection (John 7:5).  He was present in the upper room (Acts 1:14) and active in missions after Pentecost (1 Corinthians 9:5)

Chapters, Verses and words:  1 chapter; 25 verses; 299 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

Jud 1:5  Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.  6  And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,  7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.  8  Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.  9  But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10  But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.

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Chapter Eight: The REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST (1 book)

8) THE REVELATION - http://bibletech.net/STUDY/index.html#revelation

Book name: REVELATION (NT-27 - 66th book)

Author and date:  the Apostle John - 90's AD

Key topics: Warning to the churches, the time of Jacob's Distress (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:24-27), the Judgment of the earth, and the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings, Lord of lords, and riding behind Him the Saints of faith clothed in white.

Chapters, Verses and words:  22 chapters; 404 verses; 12,000 words

Details for Study/Discussion:

KEY VERSE:  Revelation 19:10b  For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (NASB - New American Standard Bible ©)

Rev(elation)

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1168_66_Revelation_01_nas.html

Apocalypse (apokalupsis) - a writing prophesying a cataclysm in which evil forces are destroyed.

Revelation - written from Patmos by the Apostle John.

A Brief Travel Guide for the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ:

Pastor Rick Crawford, Bridge Christian Fellowship, Oak Harbor, WA  January 2019

Revelation 1:19 Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

Rev 1 = "the things you have seen": JESUS Glorified

Rev 2-3 = "the things which are": Letters to the CHURCH, in and through the Church Age

Rev 4-22 = "the things which will take place after these things"

Rev 4-5 = prologue to the Tribulation

Rev 6 = The Tribulation begins; first 3.5 years

Rev 7 = 1st Parenthetical Section; overlays Ch 6;

Rev 8-9 = The Great Tribulation; second 3.5 years

TRUMPET Judgments; "the Wrath of God"

Rev 10-15 = 2nd Parenthetical Section

(Rev 10 = The Sweet & Bitter Book)

(Rev 11 = The Two Witnesses - during the 1st 3.5 years)

(Rev 12:1-6 = Panorama of Israel into the 2nd 3.5 years)

(Rev 13 = Antichrist and the False Prophet)

(Rev 14-15 = Heavenly Scenes and Declarations)

Rev 16 = BOWL Judgments;

Rev 17-18 = Fall of Religious/Commercial Babylon;

Rev 19 = Marriage of the Lamb & Glorious Return of Christ

Rev 20 = Promised Millennial Kingdom & Throne Judgment;

Rev 21-22 = New Heaven, Earth, Jerusalem.

SHIFTING SCENES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Rev 1-3 ~ on earth;  Rev 4-5 ~ in heaven;

Rev 1-8 ~ on earth;  Rev 6:9-11 ~ heaven;

Rev 6:12-17 ~ earth;  Rev 7-8:6 ~ heaven;

Rev 8:7-11:14 ~ earth;  Rev 11:15-12:4 ~ heaven;

Rev 12:5-14:20 ~ earth; Rev 15 ~ heaven;

Rev 16-18 ~ earth;  Rev 19:1-10 ~ heaven;

Rev 19:11-20:10 ~ earth; Rev 20:11-15 ~ heaven;

Rev 21-22 ~ New Heaven, New Earth, New Jerusalem.

BIBLICAL PARALLELS (Between the Teachings & Revelation of JESUS CHRIST)

The 7 Kingdom Parables & the 7 Letters to the Church

Mt 13:1-23, the Sower and the Soils > Rev 2:1-7, Ephesus

Mt 13:24-30, the Tares in the Wheat > Rev 2:8-11, Smyrna

Mt 13:31-32, the Mustard Seed  > Rev 2:12-17, Pergamos

Mt 13:33-34, the Leaven   > Rev 2:18-29, Thyatira

Mt 13:44, the Hidden Treasure  > Rev 3:1-6, Sardis

Mt 13:45-46, the Costly Pearl  > Rev 3:7-13, Philadelphia

Mt 13:47-52, the Dragnet  > Rev 3:14-22, Laodicea

The Olivet Discourse & 1st 3.5 Years of the Tribulation:

Matthew 24:1-14    Revelation 6-7

False Christs (Matt 24:4-5) > White Horse Rider/Antichrist (Rev 6:1-2)

Wars/rumors of war (Mat 24:6-7a)  > Red Horse Rider/War (Rev 6:3-4)

Famine (Mat 24:7b) > Black Horse Rider/Famine (Rev 6:5-6)

Plagues, Pestilence (Mat 24:7b)  > Pale Horse Riders(s)/Death/Hades(Rev 6:7-8)

Martyrdom (Mat 24:9-10)   > Martyrs under the Altar (Rev 6:9-11)

(Not explicitly shared on Olivet)> Terrors, heaven & earth (Rev 6:12-17)

Global Reach of the Gospel (Mat 24:14)> Ministry of the 144,000 (Rev 7:1-17)

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CALCULATING THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION

Daniel 9:24-27 > Seventy Shabuim ("Sevens") for ISRAEL (490 years)

490 years = 173,880 days. Using the Jewish Lunar calendar at 360 days/yr, and adjusting for leap years, the first 483 years (69 "7's") were fulfilled, precisely.

Decree of Artaxerxes (Daniel 9:25a) to rebuild Jerusalem: 7 "7's" = 49 years

Another 62 "7's" = 434 years, bringing us to 10 Nisan, which may have been April 2, or more likely the 6th, 32 AD ~ or near that date on the Gregorian calendar, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkeys' colt (See Zechariah 9:9)  (Jewish date: NISAN 10 - 3792 - no matter we know it was Sunday, the day AFTER the Sabbath, and the day the Lamb was selected for the Passover on the 14th of Nisan.)

The Gregorian calendar is in error, an April 2 that is Sunday would be 30 AD, and others have calculated this to 33 AD.  WE KNOW ONE THING - PALM SUNDAY was a SUNDAY, because it was after the Sabbath, and it had to be the 10th of Nisan as that was the day the Jews selected the Passover Lamb.  That also lines up the High Sabbath the day before the Saturday Sabbath according to the command, allowing for an EXACT FULFILMENT OF Matthew 12:40.

Messiah is "cut-off" & God's Prophetic "Clock" Stopped.

Because this prophecy relates to Israel; when Israel rejected Messiah, the prophecy went on hold.

The first 483 of 490 years was fulfilled precisely;

that leaves "seven" ~ (7 years) left to fulfill the prophecy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rev 11:2-3 > 42 months = 1260 days = the first 3.5 years

(Jesus called "the Tribulation", Matthew 24:9)

Rev 12:6 > 1260 days; Rev 12:14 > "a time, times, and half a time" = the 2nd 3.5 years

(Jesus called, "the Great Tribulation", Mt 24:21) 3.5+3.5=7

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The seven letters to the churches provide warnings and encouragement to specific early churches, but some perceive a double fulfillment in that these letters to these churches also may represent the church throughout history.

Chapters 2 and 3 - The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse (the possible prophetic/historistic periods of the church age):

Ephesus - Revelation 2:1-7 - the Apostles - 30-100 AD

Smyrna - Revelation 2:8-11 - Persecution - 100-300 AD

Pergamos - Revelation 2:12-17 - Pollution - 300-500 AD

Thyatira - Revelation 2:19-29 - Catholicism - 500-1400 AD

Sardis - Revelation 3:1-6 - Reformation - 1400-1700 AD

Philadelphia - Revelation 3:7-13 - Evangelization - 1700-1900 AD

Laodicea - Revelation 3:14-22 - Apostasy - 1900 AD- present

Chapters 4 and 5 - John CALLED up to HEAVEN

John's vision of Heaven (4 - 5) - that the church is not mentioned after chapter 3, this calling up of John parallels the concepts associated with the rapture or departure of the church.  From this point on in the Revelation the church is not mentioned.  The next time we see the church is following Jesus as He returns to rescue Israel and establish His 1,000 year Kingdom on earth.

Chapters 6 -22 - the judgments, the return of Jesus, the 1,000 year reign and the new heaven and earth:

seven seals (6 - 7)

seven trumpets (8 - 11)

signs of the end (12 - 14)

seven vials (15 - 16)

judgment of Babylon (17 - 19)

triumph of Christ (19 - 22)

New Heaven & Earth (21)

Points to consider and discuss:

WHO are the two witnesses:  cf Hebrews 9:27 - Enoch and Elijah?  Or Moses and Elijah?  Or ??

Israelites protected during Exodus, Noah protected during flood, Jonah protected, Israel protected during the tribulation.

Christians not subject to God’s Wrath - combined with no mention of the church after chapter 3 suggests that the church is not in the tribulation, as it is the time of Jacob's troubles and the last week of Daniel's 70 weeks.

Revelation - last week of “years” (Daniel 9:24-27)

1,260 days - 3.5 years (specific details) - very specific, and based on the Jewish calendar.

Time of God’s wrath/ Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)

Restrainer removed (I Thessalonians 4 and 2 Thessalonians 2)

No mention of church after Rev 3:20

The church is either Martyred or raptured, but not present in the tribulation.

The tribulation focuses on Israel and the Jewish people, 12,000 from the 12 tribes - 144,000 witnesses.

Zechariah 12 declares that Israel will realize the Messiah is Jesus.

Testimony of saints not the same as Stephen, et. al.

Revelation 20  The Thousand Year Reign

20:1 Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He seized the dragon - the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan - and tied him up for a thousand years. 20:3 The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)

20:4 Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.  I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.  20:5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.)  This is the first resurrection. 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

(pg 16 - Studies in Revelation - Hoyt - example of historicist view) does this make sense in light of Daniel 9:24-27 and Israel’s return to the land?

Who is the woman? - Israel (Genesis 37:9)

Who is the dragon? - Satan (Revelation 12:9)

Who is the lamb? - Jesus (Revelation 17:14)

Who is Michael? - Archangel - the prince of the people of Israel. (Daniel 12:1, Jude 1:9)

Rev 12:1  And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

Rev 12:2  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Rev 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Rev 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Rev 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

Rev 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Rev 12:15  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

Rev 12:16  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

Rev 12:17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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APPENDIX A: Hermeneutics and Study Tools

The art and science of interpretation is known as “hermeneutics”.  The “historical-grammatical” approach to interpretation examines the writing in the historical and geographical context it was written, considering who wrote it and to whom, when it was written, what were the circumstances or reason for the writing, why did it need to be said or recorded, and how was it presented.  We must remain aware that we are handling God’s Word, and must do it correctly and wisely or we could make grave doctrinal errors that lead people away from the truth.

Incorrect hermeneutics have lead to anti-Semitism, which leads to genocide.  One can trace the error of Martin Luther's view of Israel to the German Holocaust.  Luther blamed the Jews for the death of Christ and believed that the church replaced Israel.  This error is even more pronounced now that Israel has returned to their land.

Paul's words in Romans 11 are quite clear, "Romans 11:1 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be!"  and in "Romans 11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;".  God makes it clear, He has not replaced Israel with the Church.  He's used the Church to make Israel jealous, and to graft the Gentiles into the blessing of Abraham.  The text is clear throughout, Israel is Israel throughout the Old Testament, and Israel is again the focus of God's Word in the prophecies of Daniel and in the Revelation.

Understanding of God's plan for mankind is important.  If we do not believe God's Word is focused on Israel, and do not stand with Israel on God's Word we are subject to judgment.  God will turn the hearts of His people Israel back toward Him as promised in Ezekiel 35 to 40.  Whether the Church remains during this time, is martyred, or raptured we can not be dogmatic, either way, it's about Israel and their Messiah, Jesus Christ in the end times.  The Bible is clear in its prophetic message that God's plans will be carried out through the nation of Israel.

The laws of language dictate how we interpret a passage, but one must still know the historical setting and times.  In addition to interpreting the translated Word, we must be careful of Bible translations, that they use word-for-word translation and not attempt to translate ideas.  The reason for this is that we do not always understand what the meaning of a passage is, at least not until God has revealed it.  If we make assumptions about what God's Word means, we are attempting to replace the Holy Spirit, who Jesus sent to guide us in all things.  (John 14:26  "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.).

There are 14 literary types, or Genre, found in the Bible:

Biblical Genre

(Literary types) - (examples):

1. Apocalyptic   - Revelation

2. Biography      - Abraham, Moses, David

3. Encomium     - Psalm 19, 119

4. Exposition     - Hebrews

5. Narrative        - Genesis, Ezra, Acts

6. Oratory          - Acts 7

7. Parable           - Matthew 13:1-53

8. Pastoral          - Psalm 23

9. Poetry            - Psalms

10. Prophecy      - Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

11. Proverb         - Proverbs

12. Satire            - Ezekiel 34

13. Tragedy        - Lot, Samson, Saul

14. Wisdom Literature - Job, Ecclesiastes

We must understand the history, the culture, and the language of the people involved in the books of the Bible.  Reading the Bible should be no different than reading a novel or the newspaper.  It is based on the author’s intent and context of the message.

This study focuses ONLY on the Bible.  This study is intended to promote the careful study of the Word of God.  No commentaries, no study guides, no doctrinal statements, no side notes, no books about the Bible.  We've been told what it says for years, but let's read it for ourselves and see what it says.  Who said what when where why and how?

A Dictionary and a Strong's Concordance are recommended.  A solid and trustworthy literal word-for-word translation is recommended.  The New American Standard Bible, the New King James Version and the King James Version are the suggested translations to use.

If English is your second language, or your reading skills or time is limited, the use of the Living Bible Paraphrased is an acceptable way for you to enjoy this study.  Versions that attempt to translate the ideas of the original work often fail to do so because of the challenging nature of God's Word.  God intends for us to wrestle with His Word, to challenge us with it and make us think about it (Joshua 1:8). It is amazingly terse and packed with rich content (Proverbs 30:5, 6). Combine that, and our limited understanding of the author's time and culture and our only hope of learning the truth is with a literal, word-for-word translation using the best language tools and texts we have today.  Words translate, ideas do not.  As one reads the Bible they need to be aware of the time period it was written.  The five W's and a H are a great guide for accurate study.

READ the BIBLE verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book.

Ken (Hutch) Hutcherson (July 14, 1952 - December 18, 2013) founded Antioch Bible Church along with Mark Webster and Dwight Englund in Washington State in 1984.

Hutch's Study method was to read a book of the Bible 4x with 4 different translations before he began studying it.  No commentaries or books about the Bible, just the Bible.

Hutch read it 16 times BEFORE he studied it.   HE JUST READ THE BIBLE, and taught the Bible from the pulpit, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book!  He taught through Genesis, Exodus, Judges, Daniel, Esther, Matthew, John, Romans, Hebrews, Revelation, Acts, and others in the nearly 30 years as pastor.  Hutch made God's Word real because it is.  He made it real because he went through it verse by verse and everyone could see WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHEN, WHERE and HOW by looking at the context, or checking what other parts of the Bible said.  Concentrate and connect! The Bible is its own best commentary.  The Word was opened and the Word taught us.  We can do the same thing, open our Bibles and read them.

Thankfully other pastors in other parts of the world follow the practice of going through Bible books verse by verse.  Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel followed this method of teaching and it continues in that fellowship of churches.  God's Word is taught, not the traditions of men.  Colossians 2:8  says, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. "  Find a church that goes through the Bible verse by verse and doesn't quote contemporary authors or try to impose Church traditions onto God's Word.

Sola scriptura  (a Latin ablative, "by scripture alone"), was one of the bases for the reformation and the enlightenment of Europe.  Luther was to have said, "a simple layman armed with Scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it". Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), the 26th president, said, "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education".  Jesus said in John 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."

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WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW

WHO

Who wrote the book?

Who was the book written to?

Who was mentioned in the book?

Who were the people in power?

Who were the people that were affected by the message?

WHAT

What was the main reason the book was written?

What was the topic?

What was the "theme"?

What was going on at that time?

What style of literature is it?  (there are different genres)

WHERE

Where was the book written?  (geographical location)

What was the location that the book focused on?

Where were the people living that it was written to?

WHEN

When was the book written?

When was the message intended: past, present or future?

WHY

Why was the book written?

Why did it need to be said?

HOW

How was it written?

How was it delivered?

How did we get it?

How was it preserved?

How did the book start?

How did the book end?

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It is important to understand that the New Testament details provided require an understanding of the Old Testament, without those details from the Old Testament the New Testament will make little sense.  The Bible is precise, concise and terse.  If the answer isn't given in the immediate passage it will be given elsewhere in the Bible.  The Bible is its own best commentary.  You can find the answers to questions raised in the Bible in the Bible.

For example, in Genesis 1:5, it says:  "God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."   Think about that for a minute.  The day starts at sunset according to the Bible.

This is why the Sabbath begins on Friday evening.  It also explains Matthew 12:40.  If you look at Matthew 12:40 the day and night are reversed from Genesis 1:5.  According to the Gospel narratives Jesus was placed in the tomb before sunset on Thursday, during the day, and rose before sunrise on Sunday while it was still night.  You can map the details of the Passover week out using Leviticus 23 and Exodus.

The 3 days Jesus was in the grave are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  The 3 nights are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Yes, Sunday night, is before Sunday morning according to Genesis 1:5.  These details are confusing to our Western minds, but the Bible provides what is needed to determine that timing, it’s in Leviticus 23, Exodus and the Gospels.

There are many other details in the Gospel accounts concerning the timing of the Passover and Resurrection.  Key words and terms like "preparation day", Sabbath, day of convocation and Sabbath according to the Law are important when examining the details of a passage.

Leviticus 23:6, 7 speak of the feasts and appointed times, a careful study provides the details.

The Preparation day was for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which followed Passover.  So Passover was also the "preparation day".  Preparation was removing leaven before the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which was a day of convocation, a High Sabbath, a day of no work.

When the writer of the Gospel refers also to the Sabbath according to the Commandment, they were referring to the 7th day, Saturday.

What is also interesting about the APPOINTED TIMES of Leviticus 23 is that there are seven, with four of them in the Spring, and three in the Fall.  Jesus fulfilled four of these on the appointed day by being the Passover Lamb, taking SINS away, being the FIRST fruit of the resurrection and initiating the church at Pentecost.  It is anticipated by some that the “departure” or the rapture of the church, if there is one, might take place on the first Fall feast, the feast of trumpets.  The sixth appointed time is the day of Atonement, and might be the fulfillment of Zechariah 12, where the children of Israel realize and turn to Jesus as their Messiah.  The seventh appointed time, the feast of booths or tabernacles, is likely fulfilled during the 1,000 year reign of Christ when he “tabernacles” with the redeemed in His Kingdom.  So far four appointed times matched significant events of the Lord’s work, it’s not unlikely the last three will follow suit.  We will see.

An understanding of Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus is required to understand what was said in the Gospels. If one does not know what Leviticus 23 detailed, then the Gospel account will make no sense, and you'll try to follow the tradition of men and have Christ crucified on "good Friday" because you would understand Saturday to be the "Sabbath", when in fact there were two Sabbaths that year, and you will have a problem fitting in three days and three nights between Friday and Sunday.  Those that accept a Friday crucifixion come up with a variety of explanations to make three days and three nights of Jonah or Matthew 12:40 work, instead of just mapping things out from the Gospels in accordance with the Torah.  Palm Sunday was the 10th of Nisan, the day the Israelites selected the lamb for the Passover.  The rest of the details can be filled in from Leviticus 23 and the Passover details in Exodus, showing with some effort, the Thursday crucifixion and burial.

When you read the Bible you must let it explain the details, and you will find the answer.  But if you read it, and try to fit in "your" answer, you will miss an amazing blessing and the truth.  You must let Scripture provide the answer.  So read the Bible and follow the details, take notes.  It is clear in the details.  Then examine those details and see if it follows the traditions you know or the doctrinal statement you adhere to.  For the most part it will, but there may be a few areas where the Word appears to differ.  Far too many churches have chosen to spiritualize, allegorize or simply ignore parts of the Bible to make it fit their doctrines, history and traditions.  It's unlikely you will change their views.  If you are in a fellowship where the teachings don't match the Bible, prayerfully consider finding a good Bible-teaching church, but either way, continue reading the Bible, studying it, and trusting God's Word.  While the details matter, we also need to encourage and love one another and recognize what is critical to salvation and our faith.

On most topics and issues you'll find that what has been taught is correct, but let the Word confirm that, do not depend on the traditions of men.  Once you've found the answer, see if it is the same as what others have found.  If it is not, go back to the Word and see if you missed something, pray about it, and if the Word is clear, then question what others have said and see if they reference other verses that provide more detail, or if they were going only on what they understood from traditions or what others have said. The way a church handles Israel and prophecy is important as it impacts a number of other moral issues. If the leadership is willing to twist scripture to ignore the prophetic Word of God's chosen people Israel, then what else will they ignore, Paul's admonitions to the churches on leadership?  We need the entire counsel of God through the Word, not just the parts that fit tradition.  Churches that allegorize or spiritualize parts of the Old Testament or force those passages to relate to the church often have a number of problems and are often rather spiritually dry.  Those churches often accept the world's views on evolution, and even things like abortion and divorce.  Once you've chosen to ignore God's Word there's no limit to what you will ignore.  We have to trust the Bible, not the teachings and traditions of men, we have to study though and pray for wisdom.

It is hard to go against what is widely accepted, but if God's Word is clear, and it's different, you need to ask, do I truly understand this passage and have others made a mistake?  You must question your understanding in these comparisons, and then return to the Word for understanding.  It's God's Word that we should trust, not men. But make sure that your view fits into all of the Word; it should be supported elsewhere in the Bible, if not, be cautious, be wise and prayerful, and keep studying.  Stand on the Word, but make sure you understand the context and the issue it has recorded.

Remember Martin Luther's famous declaration at the Diet of Worms:  "Heir stehe ich, ich kann nicht ander, Gott hilfe mehr.  (Here I stand, I can do no other, God help me.) ".  He understood what the Bible said, that the "just shall live by faith", and stood against the entire world in his understanding of God's Word.  And as a result turned the lights on in Europe and opened Scripture up to all of us.

The Bible is full of details, glorious details presented in terse form expecting the reader to understand the Torah.  The entire Bible must be read and then one will have the answers.

Reading the Bible and not just listening to someone talk about the Bible once a week is how you will find the truth. Reading authors that talk about the Bible is not reading the Bible.

The purpose of this book is to provide a short systematic overview of scripture in a concise manner, highlighting details without preconceived ideas or based on what someone said.  A factual guide to reading the Bible in context looking at the main points in order to gather the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW of what was written.

A study of the Bible should focus on the reading and study of the Bible without commentaries, outlines, study guides, doctrinal statements, side notes, or books about the Bible.  This study will provide rough outlines of the books, but when you read the text, try to avoid the headings and outlines and notes in your Bible until you’ve read through the entire chapter first.  Those headings may not be the message of the text in context, especially when you see headings referring to the church in the Old Testament!  The church was never mentioned in the Old Testament.  There is an appendix in this book that covers the subject of interpretation.

Many of us have been told what the Bible says for years, but we need to read it for ourselves and see first hand what it says.  Who said what when where why and how, and in what setting?

A Dictionary and a Strong's Concordance are highly recommended. Look up the meaning of words, and then look up the word in the Concordance to see where else it was used in the Bible.  Sometimes it helps to look where the word may have been mentioned the first time.  If the verse listed in the Concordance seems related to the passage you are reading, look at it in context and compare.  Make a note of it and continue to concentrate on the passage you’re in.  Connect with other passages after concentrating on the context used helps one see the continuity of God’s Word. Also take note of the underlying word used in each case, whether from the Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek.  English translations do not always capture the full meaning of the original word used.  That is also why it’s important to use a translation that translates words instead of ideas, trying to assume an understanding of what the word meant to the translator.  In other words, words translate, ideas do not.

A solid and trustworthy literal word-for-word translation is highly recommended.

The New American Standard Bible, the New King James Version and the King James Version are the recommended translations to use.  Reading through the Bible in different translations over time is also recommended.

Memory verses are a wonderful tool to build your faith and spiritual walk.  Select a passage, learn it well. When you say it or think it, cite the reference, recite the passage and then cite the passage again.  This method is very helpful in sharing and also in studying, as you will know where to find the memory verse in the Bible and can share it easily.  As you master a verse, add verses to it.  Some excellent passages to work on for your spiritual walk are Ephesians 5, Galatians 5 and I Thessalonians 5.  Pick a verse or few from each and work on memorizing them… Ephesians 5:15-20; Galatians 5:13-26 - perhaps start out with verses 22 and 23, and of course 1st Thessalonians 5:14-22, starting out with verses 16 to 18.

If English is your second language, or your reading skills or time is limited, the use of the Living Bible Paraphrased by Ken Taylor is an acceptable way for you to enjoy the study of God’s Word.

However, it is best to avoid versions that attempt to translate the ideas of the original work instead of providing a word for word translation.  Translating “ideas” often fail to do so because of the challenging nature of God's Word and our limited understanding. God intends for us to wrestle with His Word, to challenge us with it and make us think about it (Joshua 1:8; Proverbs 30:5, 6; 2 Timothy 2:15).

God's Word is amazingly terse and packed with rich content (Proverbs 30:5, 6). Combine that, and our limited understanding of the author's time and culture and our only hope of learning the truth is with a literal, word-for-word translation using the best language tools and texts we have today.

Words translate, ideas do not.  We must understand that we are in a spiritual battle, our minds and hearts are part of the battleground.  When words are translated those doing the work rely on linguistic tools and resources that help define those words. While there is a chance that a translator might select a slightly different word, that’s where reading more than one WORD-for-WORD translation will help your study, as it may add depth to the meaning of the passage.  But if one attempts to translate an idea or the understanding of what is written in another language, there is much opportunity for misunderstanding or even spiritual influence.  Scholars who translate ideas introduce both their bias and also their ignorance.  We can not make the assumption that today's ideas and norms existed when these passages were written.  Translations that translate "ideas" are not trustworthy as they are based on the translator's limited understanding and the current culture and lacks objectivity and trustworthiness.

The New International Version is a translation that should be avoided; there are incorrectly translated words from Greek to English in the NIV, see the example below.  The NIV has also been used as a "gender-neutral" version, which is absurd, as God made mankind male and female and states that repeatedly in the Bible.  While there may be parts of the NIV that were translated well, and may read smoothly, seeing obvious errors has discredited this work and makes it untrustworthy as a primary source of study.  In this spiritual battle we must remember what Ephesians 6:17 says to prepare for this battle, “And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

In the example shown below, the NIV translators replaced the word “flesh” (σαρκ) - (sarx) for “world”, despite the word being very clear in the manuscripts and in most every translation and language, German provided as proof.  This would suggest a secular humanistic bias was introduced in this passage, and is evidenced elsewhere in the translation as it relates to moral issues, and texts related to Israel.  If we’re going to trust the Bible, we need to have a trustworthy translation, the NIV and others like it that take liberty with God’s Word are not suitable tools.

EXAMPLE:

2 Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:       <KJV>

2 Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,  <NASB>

2 Cor 10:3 ν σαρκ γρ περιπατοντες ο κατ σάρκα στρατευόμεθα  <Greek>

2 Cor 10:3 Denn ob wir wohl im Fleisch wandeln, so streiten wir doch nicht fleischlicherweise.<Luther 1545>

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FIRST CHAPTER OF EACH BOOK:

OLD TESTAMENT:

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0001_01_Genesis_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0051_02_Exodus_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0091_03_Leviticus_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0118_04_Numbers_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0154_05_Deuteronomy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0188_06_Joshua_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0212_07_Judges_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0233_08_Ruth_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0237_09_1_Samuel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0268_10_2_Samuel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0292_11_1_Kings_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0314_12_2_Kings_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0339_13_1_Chronicles_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0368_14_2_Chronicles_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0404_15_Ezra_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0414_16_Nehemiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0427_17_Esther_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0437_18_Job_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0479_19_Psalms_001_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0629_20_Proverbs_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0660_21_Ecclesiastes_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0672_22_Song_of_Solomon_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0680_23_Isaiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0746_24_Jeremiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0798_25_Lamentations_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0803_26_Ezekiel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0851_27_Daniel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0863_28_Hosea_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0877_29_Joel_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0880_30_Amos_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0889_31_Obadiah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0890_32_Jonah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0894_33_Micah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0901_34_Nahum_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0904_35_Habakkuk_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0907_36_Zephaniah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0910_37_Haggai_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0912_38_Zechariah_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0926_39_Malachi_1_nas.html

NEW TESTAMENT:

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0930_40_Matthew_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0958_41_Mark_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0974_42_Luke_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/0998_43_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1019_44_Acts_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1047_45_Romans_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1063_46_1_Corinthians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1079_47_2_Corinthians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1092_48_Galatians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1098_49_Ephesians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1104_50_Philippians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1108_51_Colossians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1112_52_1_Thessalonians_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1118_53_2_Thessalonians_02_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1120_54_1_Timothy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1126_55_2_Timothy_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1130_56_Titus_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1133_57_Philemon_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1134_58_Hebrews_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1147_59_James_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1152_60_1_Peter_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1157_61_2_Peter_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1160_62_1_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1165_63_2_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1166_64_3_John_01_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1167_65_Jude_nas.html

http://bibletech.net/STUDY/1168_66_Revelation_01_nas.html

THE END OF THIS BOOK

Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed the material…  john

About the Author

John Meister is a retired technical specialist and instructor, a Jack of all Trades, master of some.

Interests include Biblical prophecy, photography, kayaking (flat water), Linux, and road trips, preferably in a Diesel Jeep.

Over his career John has taught: electronics theory, design, troubleshooting and repair; microprocessors and assembly language programming; computer programming and science; systems analysis and design; operating systems (UNIX, Linux, Microsoft, etc.); shell scripting and the vi editor ; web design and HTML; technical writing and career planning; automotive maintenance and repair; and an overview of the Bible.

John has held positions in a variety of corporations and industries as a System Administrator, circuit designer, equipment engineer, technical instructor, computer lab manager, adjunct faculty, electronics technician, mechanic, salesman, photographer and technical lead.  Some of those companies were: Intel, O'Reilly Media, Boeing Electronics, Boeing Computer Services, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, ITT Tech, AT&T, Western Wireless, T-Mobile, Cingular, Merck, Intermec, City University of Seattle, Georgia Military College, Everett Community College, Prosoft, Develop Intelligence, New Horizons and other training companies nationwide.

As an O'Reilly Media author John created the LPIC-2 Certification exam study video series, released July 2016 - http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920050209.do

Education includes:

- MSTM - Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

- BSc, AA - University of Maryland

- AA - Central Texas College

- US Army Signal School - 32F/32G/31S/31T

- Western Seminary (MDiv CEd  - no degree)

- Cogswell College North (BSEE - no degree)

- Cleveland Institute of Electronics (Advanced Electronics & Troubleshooting)

Listed in: Who's Who in Science and Engineering; Who's Who in American Education; Who's Who in America; Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America; Who's Who Among Young American Professionals; and, Who's Who in the West (since 1987).

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Other books and videos by this author

Please visit your favorite ebook retailer to discover other books by John Meister:

via Smashwords

Simply Linux: Basics - ISBN 9781370361489

Full Size Jeep Buyer’s Guide ISBN 9781311884220

Linux Tackles Microsoft - ISBN 9781311566935

Practical Suggestions for Microsoft Windows - ISBN 9781310659881

Let's Use BASH on Windows 10! - ISBN 9781370047062

Mac and Jack: The Tails of Two Kitties - ISBN 9780463911365

John Meister is also published at O'Reilly Media:

The video training series for Linux System Administration is available:

Study Guide to the LPIC-2 Exams, “The Art of Linux System Administration”

Video series at:   oreilly.com product  number 0636920050209

was sold on amazon.com as the Study-Guide-LPIC-2-Exams-201

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Connect with John Meister

Hope you enjoyed reading this book!  The following are my social media coordinates:

Friend me on Facebook:  http://facebook.com/linuxmeister

Smashwords author page:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/johnmeister

Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmeister/

Visit my website:  http://JohnMeister.com and http://bibletech.net

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