Amos was no prophet or son of a prophet (Amos 7:14) until he was called by God. Then the shepherd and farmer became the country prophet. His mission was to carry a message of judgment and prophecy to Israel, the northern tribe. He served God faithfully and provides valuable insights for our modern lives today.
The book of Joel is a prophecy in the backdrop of a terrible locust storm that ravaged the land. The prophet Joel uses this natural disaster to discuss the Lord's judgment on sin. In this lesson, we highlight themes of natural disaster, judgment, repentance and eventual hope for those who turn to the Lord.
Hosea is a fascinating story about a prophet who literally embodied what Israel's unfaithfulness to God was like. In marrying Gomer, who would become a harlot, and in buying her back, the message is this is what our sin looks like to God and this is what God is willing to do for sinners. It's a powerful message that is foreshowing the Gospel of Christ.
Daniel is a book about dreams and prophecies. But at the heart of the story we find how God’s people must always stand up and stand out for what they believe no matter the circumstances. This lesson focuses on the events of chapter three and the three young men who stayed cool under fire.
Ezekiel was a priest and prophet taken away into Babylonian captivity. After witnessing a great vision of God's presence removed from the temple, Ezekiel brings the prophecy of God's destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Yet, even with this destruction and despair, there is still hope that is envisioned in the valley of dry bones where God brings Israel's hopes back to life.
Lamentations is a short book of five poems arranged around the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. We might say Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, laments the destruction of Jerusalem from A to Z. In these five poems, we learn some things about God and some things about ourselves.
In our One Book series we examine the book of Jeremiah. After giving a brief outline and overview, we take a look at the life of Jeremiah as a prophet and we learn we have a lot in common with him.
After a brief overview and explanation that Isaiah is the gospel in miniature form, we focus on the encounter that Isaiah has with God in Isaiah 6:1-9. This encounter changed him and it should change us!
As we continue our "One Book" series, Song of Solomon present a story about a man and woman who are in love. While the content of this book is sometimes difficult to study in mixed company, ultimately, it is the story of the meeting, marriage and struggle involved in the marriage relationship. From this story, we learn three key things that keep our marriages healthy.
"What's the meaning of life?" Not long after man inhabited this globe humans began to ask that question. The book of Ecclesiastes expected that question and gives us answers. In this lesson we examine how life must never be lived "apart from God" and we look at three practical ways to deal with the frustrations that are common to life (key passages: Ecc. 3:1-15, Ecc. 12:13-14)
