1 Peter (Program #24) – The Elders’ Shepherding and Its Reward (1)

Peter, we all know was one of the original disciples of the Lord Jesus.   He also became an apostle and was very much used by the Lord to bring the church into being in both the Jewish world and the gentile world.  But in addition, he was the elder in Jerusalem.  It was on this basis that he wrote personally to all the elders in various churches in chapter 5 of his first epistle.  His words of exhortation surely were helpful in instructing the elders of various matters concerning how to govern the church.  But if you consider his own life and experience, they are also words of tremendous inspiration as well.

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Zechariah (Program #1) – An Introductory Word

During the days of the degradation of the house of Israel, God’s word was primarily limited to his overcomers, the prophets, such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. But as the people’s hearts began to turn back to the Lord, other prophets were still needed to bear Jehovah’s testimony and to release His speaking for His people in that age to accomplish His purpose and plan. Among these prophets were Haggai and Zechariah who shared in the captivity of Israel in Babylon but who were raised up by the Lord to accompany His people back to Judah and to encourage and exhort them to go back and rebuild the temple of Jehovah within Jerusalem.

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1 Peter (Program #23) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (11)

1 Peter 4:17 say “For it is time for the judgment to begin from the house of God.”  If first from us, what would be the end of those who disobey the gospel of God?  The judgment spoken of in this verse surely cannot be the judgment for eternal perdition reserved for those who disobey the gospel.  What then does the judgment of the believers spoken of in the New Testament refer to?  We will explore this and the big topic of God’s depositional judgment in our life study of 1 Peter.

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Haggai (Program #1) – The Building of the House of Jehovah in Relation to Israel’s Welfare and Messiah’s Coming

Some of the most penetrating words in all of Scriptures are found in the Old Testament Prophet, Haggai. They are penetrating because they have immediate relevant to every believer. And they touch us in some of the most carefully guarded places in our hearts.

“Is it time for you yourself to dwell in your paneled-up houses?” he writes, “while this house,” God’s House “lies waste?..Consider your ways, you sown much but you bring in little, you eat but there is no satisfaction.”

Haggai was a prophet raised up by the Lord to accompany His people on their return to Judah and Jerusalem following the 70 long years of captivity in Babylon. And when they returned they faced the temple, God’s house in ruin and in desperate need of rebuilding. But they like so many of us today have become completely preoccupied and engrossed with their own needs and situations. And the result as imply by Haggai probing questions is that, in spit of all of their effort and dedication without God’s hand of blessing in their lives, they and we would never be satisfied regardless of how much material wealth or possession we acquired. These are questions that must be asked again and again among God’s people.

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1 Peter (Program #22) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (10)

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we have received as part of our full salvation, an escape from the eternal perdition that awaits the disobedient and rebellious.  But many believers mistakenly take this to mean that Christians face no manner of judgment at all from the righteous  and holy God.  Regardless of how popular such a thought might be, the Bible does just not support it.  Take for example Peter’s word in his first epistle in chapter 4.  In verse 12 he says “Beloved do not think that the fiery ordeal among you coming to you for a trial, is strange.”  Then in verse 17 he adds “For it is time for the judgment to begin from the house of God;”  These verses made very clear that our righteous and loving Father does judge, discipline and purify His children will never putting our eternal destiny in jeopardy.

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Zephaniah(Program #1) – Jehovah’s Judgment and Salvation

Zephaniah 3:14-15 “Give a ringing shout, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Jehovah has taken away your judgments; He has turned aside your enemy. The King of Israel, Jehovah, is in the midst of you; You will not see evil again.”

Zephaniah speaks of Christ been the king of Israel, in her midst, in the restoration, which is coming. So that time in the future will be a great salvation to Israel. But for the last two thousands years, His salvation has mostly been to the Gentiles. How is this fit into the central thought in the book of Zephaniah?

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1 Peter (Program #21) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (9)

The Old Testament record is one that includes many accounts of God’s judgment.  He not only judge rebellious and evil persons but even cities were condemned and judged by God.  Today many people believe that the time of God’s  judging has passed and that is New Testament believers we need to have no fear of God.  But this kind of thinking reflects not only an inadequate understanding of the truth of the Scripture but also a totally inaccurate one  as well.  In fact God is still judging.  But what is striking to know and most often overlooked in this age of comforting words is that His judgment in this age begins with His own household.

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Habakkuk (Program #2) – Christ as the Linking Factor in Micah, Jonah, and Habakkuk and the Bible as the Divine Revelation Given by God’s Speaking Through Man

Not very many Christians today are familiar with the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. Today we are on one of those Old Testament Minor Prophets, Habakkuk. Apparently the books of Micah, Jonah and Habakkuk are separate and not link together by anything. However, when if we get into the intrinsic contents of these three books, we will see that there is a linking factor, and that this linking factor is Christ.

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1 Peter (Program #20) -Christian Life and Its Sufferings (8)

1 Peter 4:1-2 say “Since Christ therefore has suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same mind (because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin), no longer to live the rest of the time in the flesh in the lusts of men, but in the will of God.“

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Habakkuk (Program #1) – The Introductory Word and the First and the Second Dialogues Between the Prophet and Jehovah

Habakkuk is one of the twelve Minor Prophets in the Old Testament. And the central thought of Habakkuk is this : the righteous God will judge both the evil Israel and the violent Chaldeans, and only the righteous one shall live by his faith that all the earth may know the glory of Jehovah and be silent before Jehovah who is in His Holy Temple. And that His seekers may sing to Him in prayer, in lauding, and in trusting in Him.

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