Eccl.5
How should we approach God?
5:1,2 "...Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few..."
5:7 "...For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather, fear God..."
Loving anything but God doesn't bring ultimate satisfaction.
5:10 "...He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity..."
5:18-20 "...Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart..."
It's all a gift from God - enjoy it and recognize the giver!
Eccl.6
6:3 "...If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, "Better the miscarriage than he,..." What is a proper burial?
Eccl.7
A good name? 7:1 "...A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth..."
Sorrow or Laughter? 7:24 "...It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure..." Which takes us closer to reality?
7:9 "...Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools..."
7:12 "...For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors..."
7:14 "...In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider— God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him..." All of life is part of the journey on which God leads us.
7:16-18 "...Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them..." Balance?
7:21 "...Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you..." Don't hang on every word spoken - some are careless.
7:29 "...Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices..." We have corrupted our way.
Eccl.8
8:8 "...No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it..."
8:11 "...Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil..." Importance of speedy justice. Our country is especially lax in this regard.
Eccl.9
9:1-3 Is there only one fate for both the righteous and the wicked? All die, and eventually are resurrected to judgment.
9:11 "...I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all..." Does chance overtake all?
9:18 "...Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good..." ONE sinner destroys much good!
Eccl.10
10:2 "...A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left..." Is this a political statement.
Eccl.11
Life is opportunity, but carries unknowns.
11:9 "...Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things..."
Eccl.12
12:12 "...But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body..." Much study is weariness of the flesh.
12:13,14 "...The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil..."
SONG OF SOLOMON
Is this an allegory of God's love for Israel (or the Church)?
Is this a "made for TV" literal story of romance, sex, and love?
SS.1
Mutual adoration.
1:15 How beautiful
1:16 How handsome
SS.2
Memories of courtship
2:7 "...I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you do not arouse or awaken my love Until she pleases." Also repeated in 3:5,8:4
2:15 Little foxes ruin the vine
These two ideas are my main take away from this book.
1. Be careful about arousal (our world loves stimulation)
2. Little things bring down the big plans God has for you.
SS.3
Memories of engagement
SS.4
Solomon's mush
SS.5
Bride's mush
SS.6
Mutual mush
SS.7
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..." Were big noses the rage back then?
ISAIAH
Prophets - God's mouthpiece to both people and leaders.
Confront cultures with God's reality.
740-681 - roughly 60 years of prophesy.
During reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hoshea, Hezekiah, Manasseh
First 39 chapters - denunciations and pronouncements.
Last 27 chapters - consolation and hope.
Do you recognize the numbers 39 and 27? Is this a Bible within the Bible?
Isa.1
1:3 "...An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand..."
1:4 "...Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him..."
1:5 "...Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick And the whole heart is faint..."
1:10-15 God is burdened by His people:
12 - trampling His courts.
13 - worthless offerings.
15 - God will not listen.
1:16-17 What God really wants:
16 - cease to do evil.
17 - learn to do good. (Not innate)
Justice who? All
What was the problem with the sacrifices? [heartless actions without lives conforming to God's intentions]
Does this still happen? [quick to claim the blood of Jesus, but not so quick to be transformed by the renewing of minds]
1:18-20 Choice to be clean or to be? [devoured] Is Christianity being devoured by culture?
1:23 People look out for their own interests, not others'
Isa.2
2:1-4 Promise of God's reign from Mt. Zion
4 - Never again war. Has this happened yet?
2:5-11 The land has been corrupted, but...
11 - "...The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day..." When?
2:12-21 There will be a day of reckoning when:
18 - idols completely vanish.
19 - the earth trembles.
21 - men flee from the terror (see the 6th seal in Rev.6:12-17)
Isa.3
Predictions of:
5 - youth not respecting elders.
6 - families at odds.
9 - displaying sin, not concealing it.
12 - confused leaders confusing people.
3:13-15 Leaders will be judged. Historical or to come? [both]
Isa.4
Those protected by God's grace are but a remnant.
Isa.5
5:1-7 The vineyard of the Lord
2 - expected good grapes, but produce was worthless.
5,6 - will be trampled, and laid waste.
5:9 "...In my ears the Lord of hosts has sworn, "Surely, many houses shall become desolate, Even great and fine ones, without occupants..." Does this sound like current events?
5:13 "...Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst..." What leads to exile?
5:20,21 "...Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!..." Do we care what God thinks?
5:25 Who gets burned by God's anger? [His people]
Isa.6
Isaiah gets a peek into the throne room of God, like John did in Revelation.
6:3 The Seraphim are proclaiming:
- Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts.
- The whole earth is full of His glory.
Do we have eyes for either?
6:6-13 Isaiah is commissioned to proclaim God's truth to a people with dull ears and dim eyes.
Isa.7
Jerusalem is attacked.
7:3 Isaiah's son's name is? Shearjashub (a remnant will return)
7:8,9 Prediction of Ephraim's destruction by Assyria (remember the golden calves of Jeroboam were placed in both Ephraim and Dan)
7:10-16 Prediction of invading kings doom and birth of Immanuel, the Christ.
Isa.8
8:3 Another son is born, and named Maher-shalal-hash-baz (quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil)
8:4 Damascus and Samaria are to fall.
8:12 "...You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it..."
** Don't give fearful attention to the bad, but reverent devotion to the Holy God.
Isa.9
9:1-7 Quoted in Matthew
2 - "...The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them..."
6 - "...For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace..."
7 - "...There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this..."
What accomplished these foretold events? [God's zeal]
What will accomplish the events of the 2nd coming?
9:8-12 God's anger leads Him to raise up adversaries against? [His people].
9:13-21 The people still don't turn back to Him or seek Him
16 - The leaders aren't fulfilling their responsibilities.
Isa.10
10:1-4 There is a destiny for those who act unjustly, who deprive the needy, the poor, the widows, and the orphans.
10:5-19 God isn't too pleased with the instrument He used to punish His people. Assyria demonstrates:
12 - arrogance, pomp, and haughtiness
16 - God sends? [a wasting disease]
10:20-34 The remnant will return
20 - The remnant won't rely on world powers, but on the Lord.
22 - Only a small remnant of the original vast numbers.
25 - The tide will turn.
Isa.11
11:1-5 "...Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist..."
11:6-9 Series of events leading up to:
9 - "...For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea..." How is this different from a destroyed earth?
11:12 "...And He will lift up a standard for the nations And assemble the banished ones of Israel, And will gather the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth..." What does it mean to lift up a standard?
Isa.12
12:2 "...Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation..."
12:4 "...And in that day you will say, "Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted."
Isa.13
Chapter 10 was declaring judgment against Assyria.
Now we move on to judgment against Babylon.
13:6 "...Wail, for the day of the Lord is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty..."
13:11 "...Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless..."
13:17 Who will God use to punish Babylon? The Medes. (remember that the return to Jerusalem was sanctioned by rulers of the Medes/Persians empire).
Isa.14
14:12-14 Frequently thought of as referring to Satan
The rest of the chapter talks of judgment on Babylon, Assyria, and Philistia
Isa.15,16
Moab's devastation
16:6 "...We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; His idle boasts are false..."
Notice the similarity of all these nations? All were destined to destruction because of? [arrogance and pride] America?
Isa.17
Damascus, the capitol of Aram, is going down as well.
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