Promises MadePromises Kept
Tonight, we look at Promises Made
The Point of the Bible is Jesus
Old Testament makes promises about Christ
New Testament keeps promises about Christ
John tells us that Jesus is the word
Colossians tells us that Christ is God and all things are held together by him and through him
“A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him. The husband is not so stupid as to prefer his wife’s letters to her voice, or her photographs to herself. He simply loves them because of her. So, too, we love the Bible because of Christ. It is his portrait. It is his love-letter.”
John Stott,
OT = 39 Books
First 5 make up the Pentateuch / Law (Genesis to Deuteronomy)
Next 12 (Joshua to Esther) are called the Histories
Last 17 Books are called the Prophecies (Isaiah to Malachi)
These 17 form the narrative from Creation to the Jews return to Jerusalem after being exiled in Babylon -- from the beginning to about 400 years before Christ
Genesis = describes how the world began, the first humans, the fall
The Histories
Peace in the garden is devastated with sin, and God initiates his plan of redeeming it all again through Abraham and his descendants
The Histories
Exodus = history of God's people from the death of Joseph in Egypt, through the escape from slavery
led by Moses, the tabernacle being established in the wilderness and the law being delivered
The Histories
Leviticus = a digest version of the laws given to God's people in the desert.
Numbers = Travel to the promised land
Lev: = Highlights the problem of sin and how sinful humans approach a holy God. More about God's holiness, not rules to follow
Num: = marked with many acts of unfaithfulness and God's preserving faithfulness to his loved, yet rebellious creation
The Histories
Deuteronomy = Second Giving of the law, at the end of their 40 years,
Joshua = describes the conquest of the promised land and the appointment of the 12 tribes
God gives the law again, to those who didn't die off. Repeated as they enter the promised land
The Histories
Judges = 14 judges ruled over Israel after Joshua's death
"in those days, Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit" — Judg. 21:25
JUDGE — the People continued to revert to lawlessness "in those days, Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit" Judg. 21:25
The Histories
Ruth = during time of Judges, announces the preparation of the coming King David
1 & 2 Samuel = the last Judge
1 & 2 Samuel = a false start king Saul, and the first real king David
The Histories
1 & 2 Kings = reign of David's son Solomon
1 & 2 Chronicles = a summation of everything from Adam to the exile
1 & 2 Kings = his fall, and the kingdom's division into northern and southern rule. Immorality and idolatry rack the kingdom and all falls apart1 & 2 Chronicles = Focus on David, Solomon, the role of the temple, and the kings leading to exile
The Histories
Ezra = return of the Jews and the rebuilding of the temple
Nehemiah = rebuilding of the walls
Esther = last book of history, story of God's providence
Last three are written in Exile and at the Return of ExileNehemiah = a partial fulfillment of God's promised restoration Esther = deliverance of Jews inside the Persian Empire late in the exile
The Writings
Job = righteous man tried by God and God proving HE is everything
Psalms = poetic prayers and praise, confession, and lament
Proverbs = practical wisdom of life from Solomon
More personal experiences of God's people, Wisdom, Poetry, Worship
Job = we don't know when it was written.... probably during Genesis,
The Writings
Ecclesiastes = Soloman recounts his quest for wisdom and life
Song of Solomon = love songs between a groom and his bride
Ecclesiastes = in every corner, only coming up short and yelling to all who will listen that God is all that matters
Song of Solomon = Lets us in on the importance of loving relationships
The Prophets
Isaiah = prophet from Judah
Jeremiah = prophecies during the siege of Jerusalem and then a few afterwards
God's commentary on Israel's disobedience
Isaiah = prophet from Judah..... first 39 chapters are condemnations leading up to captivity, the last 67 are pointing to a future restoration
The Prophets
Lamentations = Jeremiah's grief over Jerusalem's fall and destruction
Ezekiel = Prophet in Babylon during exile
Daniel = story of a Jewish captive and how God used him in that place
Ezekiel = Prophet in Babylon during exile. warned Judah of coming judgement, then when taken, moved to God's promised judgement on the nations and the restoration of God's people
The Minor Prophets
Hosea = prophet to Northern Kingdom, Israel
Joel = Preached about coming judgement, and that blessing follows judgement if there is repentance
Hosea = during same time as Isaiah did to the south, spoke of Israel's unfaithfulness, with his unfaithful wife being the example of how God's people have been unfaithful to him
The Minor Prophets
Amos = predicted judgement and restoration, again while Isaiah was in the south
Obadiah = judgement against Edom, Judah's neighbor also promised restoration
The Minor Prophets
Jonah = called to Ninevah to spread God to pagans
Micah = spoke to both Israel and Judah concerning judgement and deliverance
Johan = refused, got swallowed, prayed, repented, and obeyed
The Minor Prophets
Hahum = spoke out against Ninevah about a coming judgement for turning away from God
Habakkuk = reminds God's people that in spite of living in an evil time, they can trust God and his promised restoration
The Minor Prophets
Zephaniah = spoke on the promised judgement, called them to repent, and he promised future blessing
The Minor Prophets
Haggai = prodded the people to get on the rebuilding the temple and reminded them that God was for them
After the Return to Jerusalem
The Minor Prophets
Zechariah = two months after Haggai, relays a series of wild dreams that attacked their lazy faith
Malachai = also attacked their lethargic faith and spoke of the promised messiah
After the Return to Jerusalem
The OT picture of God is not condemnation
Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, & strength -- Deut. 6:5
Love your neighbor as yourself -- Lev. 19:34
Love your enemies -- Prov. 24:17 & 25:21
He is the same God we find in the NT
Holy, Just, unwavering in his commitment to punish sin, and in all things LOVE, even towards ENEMIES
Holiness
Justice
Mercy
Grace
Love
The Point of Life
“To glorify God and to enjoy him forever”
You Have to Know him, in order to glorify and enjoy Him.
Westminster Catechism
You will always feel lost, You will always be left empty, you will never be satisfied
He is everything...... through it all, He is our treasure