Command the Raven

From Koinonia House

ISAIAH AND CYRUS THE GREAT

“Hereupon the Persians who had been left for the purpose at Babylon by the, river-side, entered the stream, which had now sunk so as to reach about midway up a man’s thigh, and thus got into the town.” - Herodotus

In 539 BC, Cyrus son of Cambyses took Babylon without a struggle. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Cyrus diverted the course of the Euphrates river, making the river level drop and giving the invading forces the ability to enter into the city that night through the river bed. Nobody noticed them coming in, and the city gates that opened up onto the river were not closed; the Persians were able to just walk into town. Within a year, Cyrus declared that all the Jews captive in Babylon were free to return home to Jerusalem, as described in Ezra 1 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
.

These two events - the taking of Babylon the Great without a battle and the magnanimous freeing of the Jews soon after - are both remarkable historical events in themselves. What makes them even more notable is the fact that God told about them in Isaiah 44:26-45 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
:1, 13, appointing Cyrus by name 100 years before this son of Cambyses was born.

The Book of Isaiah is one of the most greatly admired and beloved books of the Bible. The New Testament writers quote Isaiah more than all the other Old Testament prophets combined. From a literary point of view, the writing of Isaiah is superb, full of parallelism and euphony; scholars savor Isaiah’s obvious attention to the literary art of his writing.

Beyond his writing skill, Isaiah’s book is filled with prophecies about Judah and the surrounding lands. It also contains a host of very important Messianic prophecies (7:14-16; 9:1-7; 11:1-16; 32:1ff; 42:1-7; 50:5-8; 52:13-15; 61:1-3; 65:17), even describing in detail Jesus’ crucifixion 700 years before it happened.

In Isaiah 44 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
and 45, God not only describes the ease with which Cyrus would enter the city with the “two leaved gates” (gates that were not even shut against the invaders!) but also notes that He would “loose the loins of kings” before Cyrus – a euphemism regarding the fear these kings would feel and the mess in their pants they’d make as a result. As a matter of fact, about the time Cyrus’ men were entering the city, King Belshazzar, co-regent with his father Nabonidus, was being interrupted in his feast. A hand began to write on the wall to tell Belshazzar that his time was up. Daniel 5:6 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
puts in not-so-delicate terms how greatly the fear of this sight affected Belshazzar, saying, “his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.” Who says God isn’t detailed!

In circles of modern liberal criticism, though, it has become popular to dismiss the idea, held for some 2500 years, that Isaiah son of Amoz wrote the entire book credited to his name. Old Testament scholars have found it fashionable to argue that there were at least two “Isaiahs”, perhaps even three or more. These critics argue that it makes no sense for God to have foretold events that would not have taken place during the life of the prophet. They attempt to argue that the character of God in Isaiah 1-39 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
is far fiercer than the gentle God of Isaiah 40-66 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
, that the language is different in the two sections, and that there are two different views of the Messiah between the first part of Isaiah and that written by the alleged Deutero-Isaiah. Ultimately, they do not believe that Isaiah could have written about Cyrus the Great in 700 BC. They cannot believe that the precise information in that prophecy could have been penned 150 years before it came to pass.

These criticisms can sound scholarly on the surface, but they depend far less on evidence than on a bias against predictive prophecy. While these scholars may believe that a bias against the supernatural - and the power of God to speak through His prophets centuries in advance - is scientific in this modern world, the truth is, it’s still a bias. It’s still just their opinion based on a humanistic worldview.

Honest scholarship strongly supports the historical view that Isaiah ben Amoz wrote the entire book with his name on it.

Historically, Isaiah has always been recognized as the author of all 66 chapters.

• The Septuagint: When the Septuagint was translated in the 3rd century BC, merely two centuries after Deutero-Isaiah was supposed to have been written, there was no indication that the book had more than one author.
• The New Testament: The New Testament writers treat the entire book of Isaiah as one book belonging to one author and quote him more than all the other prophets combined. In fact, in John 12:37-41 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
  , John quotes from Isaiah chapter 53 and chapter 6 back to back, giving Isaiah credit for both sections.
• The Dead Sea Scrolls: An entire copy of the book of Isaiah was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. There is no separation between Chapters 1-39 and 40-66. In fact, chapter 40 starts on the last line of the same column that ends chapter 39. As Oswald Allis notes, “Obviously the scribe was not conscious of the alleged fact that an important change of situation, involving an entire change of authorship, begins with chapter 40.”

Internally, Isaiah offers extensive evidence of one author:

• Isaiah’s Hebrew: Throughout all 66 chapters, Isaiah uses pure Hebrew. Unlike Ezra and Nehemiah, which use terminology adopted from Babylon, Isaiah’s Hebrew is free from the vocabulary that the Jews gained during the exile.
• Jerusalem and the land: The destruction and future healing of Jerusalem are described in chapters 1-39, and Jerusalem is described as still standing in chapters 40-66, demonstrating distant prophecy in the first part of Isaiah and an early date for the end of Isaiah. For instance, in 3:8, Isaiah speaks of Jerusalem as already fallen and destroyed in the context of a prophecy about the future. In 6:11-13, which all agree is a passage by Isaiah son of Amoz, God describes the future destruction of the land followed by the return of the remnant. On the other hand, passages like 40:9 and 62:6 treat Jerusalem and the cities of Judah as still standing, as they were before the Babylonian invasion.
• Topography: The description of the topography in Isaiah 40-66 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
  is the rocky mountainous land of Judah and not the flat alluvial Fertile Crescent. For instance, 57:5-6 describes the “clifts of the rocks” and the smooth stones of the streams.
• Themes: Certain themes and terminology are repeated throughout the book. The “highway” theme comes up repeatedly (11:16; 19:23; 35:8; 40:3; 62:10). Isaiah refers to God as “Lord of hosts” repeatedly throughout the entire book.  “The Holy One of Israel” is Isaiah’s distinctive name for God used 12 times in chapters 1-39 and 14 times in chapters 40-66. The phrase is only used six other times in the Bible outside of Isaiah.
• The significance of idolatry: Idolatry was a major problem in Judah before the exile, but the post-exilic writers Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, Nehemiah and Malachi do not mention idolatry even while discussing the nation’s other sins. Yet, in the latter end of his book, Isaiah continues to speak strongly against idolatry (41:29; 44:9-20; 57:4ff; 65:2-7), indicating an early authorship.
• The by-line: Only Isaiah, son of Amoz, is named as the author throughout the book of Isaiah, at the beginnings of chapters 2, 7, 13, 20, 38, and 39. No other author is mentioned at all. Even when Ezra and Nehemiah were bound together, those two books did not get confused and lumped together under Ezra. Yet, “Deutero-Isaiah” was allegedly lost to history. Chapters 40-66 contain some of the highest quality literature in all of written history, yet we are expected to believe that this writer went mysteriously unrecognized until he was “discovered” by recent scholarship.

As Gleason Archer Jr. declared, “There is not a shred of internal evidence to support the theory of a Second Isaiah, apart from a philosophical prejudice against the possibility of predictive prophecy.”

Isaiah is an amazing book, filled with the power and passion of God. In it He declares, “I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” (Isaiah 46:9-10 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
).

Related Links:

• The Book of Isaiah: Authorship Analysis - Scribd.com
• The ACU Commentary and the Unity of the Book of Isaiah - ChristianCourier.com
• Case For the Unity of Isaiah - BiblicalResources.com
• Why We Know The Bible Is Inspired Of God - The Baptist Pillar
• Cyrus Captures Babylon Account in 539 B.C. - Bible-History.com
• Isaiah Commentary Online - Koinonia House
• How Many Isaiahs? - Koinonia House

Ezekiel 34:28 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)

And they shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the earth devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid [in the day of the Messiah’s reign.] [The Amplified Bible].

Once when Jesus visited the synagogue in Nazareth [Luke 4 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
: 16-21], He was handed the roll of the book of Isaiah to read aloud.

He deliberately turned to Isaiah 61 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
, which tells what His coming to the world would mean, all eleven verses of it.

But He read only a few lines of the chapter, stopping in the midst of a sentence and said, “Today has this Scripture been fulfilled in your ears.”

He had just read of His coming to preach the Gospel, to proclaim release to the captives [of Satan], to give sight to the blind, to set at liberty the bruised, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

But He had to stop there, for the rest of the chapter could not be fulfilled until His second coming, of which it tells.

The chapter before us, Ezekiel 34 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
, verses 24-31 is telling of the same Messianic reign, of which so many Scriptures speak, and for which Jesus definitely promised to return to earth [Matt. 25:31-34 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
; Matt. 24:30 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
; Rev. 1:7, 8 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
. Cf Luke 1:32, 33 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
; Acts 1:10, 11 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
].
- The Amplified Bible: page 971

From Koinonia House Archives January 2008

EXAMINING EZEKIEL -

It is difficult to understand the caldron of the Middle East without first studying the remarkable prophecies found in the book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel was among the captives with King Jehoiachin in the second of three deportations under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He mentions Daniel three times, who had been in Babylon nine years before Ezekiel arrived. Ezekiel ministered, as did Jeremiah, to a nation experiencing judgment for their sins. In his captivity he lived at the River Chebar, which was the great ship canal branching off from the Euphrates above Babylon and turning through Nippur to the Tigris. This was the primary settlement location of the Jewish captives.

Ezekiel was born in approximately 627 B.C. and lived in a time of moral decline, distress and uprooting. His messages were not well received at first, but did ultimately result in the nation being purged of idolatrous practices. He was married and owned his home. His wife died during his ministry, and he was forbidden to mourn her.

We also learn that God intended his life to be a series of signs to Israel; therefore, he does all kinds of strange things. He shuts himself up in his home. He binds himself. He is struck dumb. In a formal ritual, he was to lie on his right and his left sides for a total of 430 days. He ate bread that was prepared in an unclean manner. He shaved his head and beard, which was considered a shame in his particular calling.

Throughout the book, his main theme was the sovereignty and glory of God. This is good for us, because we can get so focused on God’s grace that we tend to forget there is also a governing role of God, and that His glory requires justice.

Ezekiel was very direct. He carefully vindicated God’s justice throughout the book, although he deals more in symbol and allegory that any other Old Testament prophet. He is probably the greatest mystic of the Old Testament. He was well suited for the calling God gave him, which included a remarkable vision of God’s Throne in Chapter 1. This dramatic vision of God never left him. It is not just introduced in the first chapter, it is referenced all the way through.

The Prophet of the Regathering

The famed vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones in Chapters 36 and 37 is unquestionably the monumental Biblical fulfillment of the 20th century. Beginning in the last half of the 19th century, the regathering that climaxed in the establishment of the State of Israel is one of the most irrefutable evidences that we are on threshold of God’s climax for the nations mentioned throughout the Bible - and remarkably detailed in the writings of Ezekiel.

The final chapters, 40-48, climax with a remarkably detailed description of the Millennial Temple to be rebuilt. Ezekiel was uniquely qualified for this role due to his priestly background. He was the son of Buzi, who was also a priest. It is interesting that even though he never served as a priest, he apparently so influenced later worship that today he is called by some, “The Father of Judaism.” From Numbers 4:3 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
we know that Kohathites had to be 30 years old before they could begin service as priests. When Ezekiel became 30, however, he was deported, in approximately the eightieth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. The Temple which Ezekiel describes has never yet been built. Most scholars regard it as the details for the Temple which will be established during the Millennium on Planet Earth.

Between the regathering of the nation in Chapters 36 and 37, and the Millennium Temple described in Chapters 40-48, there is a climactic event that intervenes. The invasion of Gog and Magog, described in Chapters 38 and 39, are among the most famous prophetic passages in the Bible. For a variety of reasons, the identity of “Magog” as the people of Russia seems well established.

Have you ever studied this incredible book carefully? See our verse-by-verse Commentary on the Book of Ezekiel, click on the link below to learn more.

Related Links:

• Ezekiel - Verse-by-Verse Study - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
• Ezekiel - CD-Rom - Over 22 Hours of In-Depth Teaching!
• The Mystery Of Babylon: An Alternate View - DVD - Koinonia House

From Koinonia House Archives January 2008

THE CORINTHIAN LETTERS
One of the most strategic locations in the Roman world was the isthmus of Corinth. This narrow neck of land between the Corinthian Gulf and the Saronic Gulf guaranteed its continued commercial prosperity. The transit across this isthmus avoided the long, risky voyage around the rocky, storm-tossed capes at the south of the Peloponnesus. It was literally the crossroad of the world where the north-south trade routes intersected the east-west traffic. It thus became one of the most dominant cultural centers of its day: materially prosperous, intellectually alert, and morally corrupt. Even in the pagan world the city was known for its moral corruption. “Corinth” came to imply licentiousness; korinthiazesthai, “Corinthianize,” meant to live in debauchery. It was Hollywood, Las Vegas, and New York all rolled into one.

It is no wonder then that the letters to the church at Corinth embody so many of the concerns that plague us today. It is also impressive to discover how many basic Christian issues are addressed in these two (remaining) letters Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: the “foolishness” of God contrasted with the “wisdom” of man, the distinction between salvation and rewards, problems of church discipline, resorting to lawsuits, marriage and divorce, Christian liberty, the Lord’s Supper, and the troublesome issues concerning speaking in tongues.

The Spiritual Gifts

The most thorough treatment of the controversial issue of the spiritual gifts is the focus of Chapters 12 to 14. [Remember: the chapters were not divided up until the 13th century; the verses not until the 16th.] The gifts are, indeed, also for today, but are as diverse as there are ministries. The Spirit divides them as He will (1 Corinthians 12 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
): there are a diversity of gifts, but one spirit; there are a diversity of members, but one body; there is a diversity of service, but one church. Despite an excessive focus by some, the gift of tongues is not the most important: Paul indicates that the greatest of the gifts is prophecy (1 Corinthians 14 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
): it most edifies the church; it most convinces outsiders; and yet, its use should be orderly. Furthermore, an entire chapter on “a more excellent way” is wedged between these two pivotal chapters on spiritual gifts: 1 Corinthians 13 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
! The gifts are valueless without love: this most famous of all chapters emphasizes the utter necessity of love, the moral excellency of love, and the abiding supremacy of love.

Fabulous stuff, indeed! Although there is yet another chapter that Paul seems to insist is the most important chapter in the Bible! It deals with a subject without which we have nothing! The Resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
. This chapter opens with the precise definition of the Gospel. It is surprising to many to discover what, in fact, the Gospel actually is. It is even more astonishing to discover that it is not preached in most pulpits in America! Paul makes no mention of Jesus’ teaching: many will acknowledge His profound instruction. Paul makes no mention of His example: many will extol aspects of His personal life. Paul makes no mention of His miracles: many will even acknowledge that He did miracles. None of these things are the Gospel. This profound chapter then reveals the seven transitions which are destined for the believer!

Relevance to Today

As the “worldly church,” Corinth certainly becomes increasingly relevant to us in our own day of materialism, moral decay, and church controversies. Paul unflinchingly addresses many of the tensions which entangle all of us, and the careful study of the Corinthian letters is guaranteed to impact each of us in our own walk and fellowships. The placement of these letters - immediately following the definitive Book of Romans - seems conspicuously appropriate, and richly rewarding, to the diligent student of God’s Word!
Related Links:
• I & II Corinthians - MP3 Download - Verse-by-Verse Study
• The Joy of Teaching God’s Word - Free Online Guide!
• Spiritual Disciplines 101 - MP3 Download - By Dan Stolebarger
• The Spiritual Gifts - MP3 Download - Topical Bible Study
• A More Excellent Way Audio Series - MP3 Download - Chuck and Nancy’s Story
- From Koinonia House News Letter

From Koinonia House Archives February 2008

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT -
The Sermon on the Mount is the manifesto of our King and the platform of the Prince of Peace. And it’s the Law! It goes vastly beyond the Law of Moses. It is the Ten Commandments amplified and expanded. It raises the Law to the nth degree. As the Law of the Kingdom, it is the highest ethical teaching in the Bible. It will be the Law of this world during the Millennium, and then it will find full fruition. Christ will reign on earth in person and will enforce every word of it. The Sermon on the Mount will finally prevail when He whose right it is to rule shall come.

The Sermon on the Mount is the longest discourse recorded in Scripture and it was addressed to believers! (This would be a source of condemnation to the unsaved.) Don’t let the familiarity of this passage lure you into thinking that you have mastered it; it is tough ground and one of the most misunderstood portions of Scripture.

The Beatitudes

The word beatitude is not found in your Bible. It simply means “blessing” and comes from the Latin word for “blessed.” Note that these verses deal with attitudes - what we think in our hearts, and our outlook on life. “Beatitudes” are the attitudes that ought to be in our lives if we are true Christians. These first 16 verses of Matthew 5 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
describe the true Christian and deal with character. The rest of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
, and 7) deals with the conduct that grows out of character. Character always comes before conduct, because what we are determines what we do. There is a definite progression in these verses. They show how the person begins with his or her own sense of sin and finally becomes a child of God and the results that then follow:
• “Poor in spirit” (v. 3): This is our attitude toward ourselves, in which we feel our need and admit it.
• “Mourn” (v. 4): This is our attitude toward sin, a true sorrow for sin.
• “Meek” (v. 5): This is our attitude toward others; we are teachable; we do not defend ourselves when we are wrong.
• “Hunger and thirst” (v. 6): Here, our attitude toward God is expressed; we receive His righteousness by faith because we ask for it.
• “Merciful” (v. 7): We have a forgiving spirit and love others.
• “Pure in heart” (v. 8): We keep our lives and motives clean. Holiness is happiness to us - there are no substitutes.
• “Peacemakers” (v. 9): We should bring peace, between people and God, and between those who are at odds with each other.
• “Persecuted” (v. 10): All who live godly lives will suffer persecution.

It’s interesting that there are eight beatitudes listed; the number eight in Scripture usually represents a new beginning. (The unwritten 9th Beatitude: “Blessed are the flexible, for they will not be broken.”) The rest of the Sermon on the Mount shows the results of the new life in the believer:

Salt of the Earth

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. - Matthew 5:13 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)

Salt was used as a preservative; it preserves materials from corruption. Salt also creates thirst and introduces flavor. Salt speaks of inward character that influences a decaying world. Our task is to keep our lives pure that we might ‘’salt” this earth and hold back corruption so that the Gospel can get out.

Light of the World

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. - Matthew 5:14, 16 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)

Light speaks of the outward testimony of good works that points to God. Our good works must accompany our dedicated lives as we let our lights shine.

The Higher Righteousness

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven… For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:19 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
a, 20

What a blow to the Jew! He knew the extremes that the professional Law-keepers resorted to! What was to become of them? This is the key point of the passage. You cannot break the commandments and get away with it. But you cannot keep them in your own strength either. The only way you can keep them is to come to Jesus Christ for salvation, power, and strength. The commandments are not a way of salvation but a means to show you the way to salvation - through the acceptance of the work of Jesus Christ.

Pharisaical Error

The scribes and Pharisees were not insincere: they tried to adhere to the keeping of the Law. Although misguided, they were zealous and sincere. Anyone that tries to reconcile himself to God by his works, his rules, or his legalism is pharisaical. Is there any other way to heaven other than by Jesus Christ? If there is, Jesus’ own prayers were not answered - in Gethsemane, Jesus pleaded with the Father three times for an alternative.

Which “Commandments”?

What are “these commandments” being referred to in Matthew 5:19 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
? The ones we find in the remainder of Matthew 5 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
and continuing in Chapters 6 and 7. Jesus will emphasize “my words” (Cf. Mt 7:24-27). His call was to obedience (Jn 14:15, 21, 23 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
; 1 Jn 5:3 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
). Does the Christian need to “keep the Law”? The fact of the matter is that the Law is still a standard: it reveals to me that I cannot measure up to God’s standard. This drives me to the cross of Christ. The only way I can fulfill the Law is by accepting the only One who could fulfill it - Jesus Christ.

Jesus Fulfilled the Law

Jesus became our sacrifice and shed His own sinless blood on our behalf. He offered Himself once for all for the sins of all mankind (Hebrews 7:27, 9 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
:12, 26, 28, 10:10, 1 Peter 3:18 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
). Everything was fulfilled just before Jesus’ death on the cross when He uttered His last words: “It is finished!” (John 19:30 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
) tetelestai = “paid in full.” The second way He fulfilled the Law is that He taught and commanded what God’s will is under the New Covenant for those who would enter the Kingdom of God. He gave us a new set of rules. Paul called those rules Christ’s Law. Some of those were the same as God gave in the Old Testament Law. Many were changed, but most of Old Testament Law was not included at all in Christ’s Law. “For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Rom 10:4 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
).” New Testament believers are not under the Law; Jesus abolished the Law through His sacrifice on the cross.

The Purpose of the Law
• “Through the Law we become conscious of sin.” (Rom 3:20 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
)
• “The Law was added so that the trespass might increase.” (Rom 5:20 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
)
• “It was added because of transgressions until the Seed [the Lord Jesus Christ] to whom the promise referred had come.” (Gal 3:19 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
)
• “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal 3:24 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
)
• “Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law.” (Gal 3:25 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
)

Paul was the writer who most discussed the question of the Old Testament Law and its applicability to the New Testament Christian. He was in a unique position to do so, having been a Pharisee who had been taught by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
), an esteemed teacher of the Law. The Law said, ”You shalt not kill [murder]” (Ex 20:13 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
); but Jesus said, ”Don’t be angry with others.” Anger is like murder in the heart and it can lead to evil words and actual murder. And while actual adultery is far worse than inward lustful fantasies, the inner desires can quickly lead to this forbidden sin (Ex 20:14 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
). We must deal ruthlessly with ourselves and not encourage the imagination to ”feed on” these sins. The eyes and the hands (seeing and touching) must be kept under control.

Religious Practice

In Matthew Chapter 5, the King speaks of the righteousness His subjects must possess. It must be a righteousness to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and that comes only through trust in Christ. Matthew Chapter 6 deals with the external part of religion: the righteousness that the subjects of the kingdom are to practice. The internal motive, of course, is the important thing in what you do for God. Chapter 7 deals with judging others, prayer, and the “Golden Rule.”

The Law of Christ

Jesus did not set aside the Law of Moses, He fulfilled it! He takes the Law of Moses, interprets it in the extreme, and in an absolute sense. And then He absolutely fulfills it! Remember that your salvation does not accrue because of your ability to fulfill Matthew 5, 6 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
, and 7, but because Jesus did - and you can appropriate His achievement to your benefit. Do it now, in the privacy of your own will.
Related Links:
• The Manifesto of our King - DVD - Special Offer!
• The Manifesto of our King - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
- From Koinonia House News Letter

Of all the writings of antiquity, the Pentateuch is the most remarkable.

The various subjects it embraces makes it a necessity in the understanding of God’s plan for man.

It is the foundation of divine revelation to man.

Its explanation of the origin of all things, its codes of laws, geography, chronology, history, and religion prove it to be a divine work worthy of careful study and acceptance by the whole human race.

The Pentateuch is generally called ‘The Law of Moses’, but is really ‘The Law of God’.
Supposing Moses to be the sole author and originator of the civil and religious system, and the many revelations of God regarding His creative and redemptive work would be counting him immortal, for a mere human could not have invented such a work.

1 - Zend-Avesta, by Zoroaster, about 1200 B.C., the sacred book of the Medes and Persians to revive the ancient Magain religion.
2 - The Four Vedas, the four sacred books of the Hindoos, or the ‘Institutes of Menu: written by Menu, son of Brahma and containing the code of civil and religious laws of the Indians, written about 1100 B.C.
3 - Five Kings, the sacred book of the Chinese, written by Confucius about 1100 B.C.
4 - The Pitikes of the Buddhists, written by Gotama, founder of Buddhism about 600 B.C.
5 - The Koran, written by Mohammed about 600 A.D.
6 - The Eddas of Scandinavia, two religious codes containing mythology and traditions, written about 1100 or 1200 A.D.

All of these were written about 500 to 2,400 years after Moses, and some are partly made up of quotations from the Old and New Testaments, the Talmud, which is a Jewish Commentary of the O.T., and the Gospel of Barnabas.

Others contain the best sayings of wise men within the race producing such a work, certain ethical, political, and moral aspirations of those people, besides old traditions, mythological and fantastic tales of gods, their wars etc.

The sacred books of pagans reveal many erroneous and superstitious ideas which could only be the product of the human mind. Their profitable sayings may have helped in the social life of some in the past; nevertheless, there is very little in them to elevate or inspire to righteousness and nothing to bring one a correct understanding of the true and living God.

How different are the Pentateuch and the other sections of the Bible which glow with truth like the sun compared to a candle!

In the Pentateuch God is supreme and the only King; the priest is His servant, even being prevented by the law from having earthly inheritance or secular power; the ruler of Israel is the vice-gerent of God, obligated to rule according to His laws which are not to be changed, added to, or taken from.

Despotism and priestcraft revealed in other so-called sacred writings would be impossible where the laws of the Pentateuch are obeyed. Its rites and ceremonies are dignified, impressive, and free from the mysteries, divination, witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment, omens and cruel, licentious practices which make pagan rites and abomination to God.

The ceremonies of the Pentateuch point out the holiness of God, the sinfulness of man, the necessity of an atonement and the moral state to which the Creator has promised to raise fallen man.

The punishments of the 5 Books are just and the rewards such as to inspire love of God and consecration to the highest good of all.
- Dake Annotated Reference Bible: page 235

From Koinonia House Archives February 2008

HOW MANY ISAIAHS?
My early zeal for studying the Scripture was dampened many years ago as I encountered what is often called “textual criticism.” I was surprised to learn that it was naive and unlearned to regard the Book of Isaiah as actually written by the prophet Isaiah, as was commonly thought.
With its 66 chapters, Isaiah is the longest prophetic book of the Old Testament. Most scholars agree that the book falls naturally into two major sections, Chapters 1-39 and Chapters 40-66.

The first section has a distinctive style which changes noticeably in the final section. It is easy to remember since it parallels the Bible itself, with 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. (But don’t make too much of this; the chapter divisions, as we know them, were added in the 13th century.)
The Deutero-Isaiah Theory

The “textual critics” have insisted that the Book of Isaiah is a compilation of two different writers, each calling himself Isaiah but writing at different times. This “Deutero-Isaiah” theory is surprisingly prevalent in many modern (”liberal”) commentaries. (There are some that even advocate a three-Isaiah theory.)

The first section of the book deals with God’s approaching judgment on the nation of Judah. In some of the most striking passages in all the Bible, the prophet announces that God will punish His people because of their sin, rebellion, and worship of false gods. While this section includes many references to the coming Messiah, including His virgin birth and his rule on the throne of David, the style of this section is distinctive and certainly fits the subject matter.

The last section, in contrast to the first, is noticeably different. It emphasizes the Messianic expectation and an ultimate comfort for God’s people. (Most of Handel’s Messiah was drawn from this section of the Book of Isaiah.) The heart of his stunning prophecy occurs in Chapter 53, as Isaiah presents the role of the coming Messiah in its highest point. Some call this passage the “Holy of Holies” of the Old Testament. The Servant’s suffering and death and the redemptive nature of His mission are clearly foretold. Although mankind deserved God’s judgment because “we have turned, every one, to his own way,” God sent His Servant to take away our sins. According to Isaiah, it is through His suffering that we are reconciled with God, since “the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
It is principally on the basis of the stylistic changes between the two sections that critics have developed the Deutero-Isaiah theory. Those who assign Chapters 40-66 to a “Second Isaiah” point out that the two major sections of the book seem to be set in different times. Chapters 1-39 clearly belong to the eighth century b.c., a turbulent period in the history of Judah.

But Isaiah 40-66 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
, according to these scholars, seems to be addressed to the citizens of Judah who were being held as captives in Babylon about two centuries after Isaiah lived and prophesied. These scholars also point to the differences in tone, language, and style between the two major sections as proof that the book was written by two different authors.

The Traditional View
There are, however, conservative scholars who insist the entire book was written by the famous prophet Isaiah who ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah for 40 years, from about 740-700 b.c. They point out that the two sections of the book have many similarities, although they are dramatically different in tone and theme. Many phrases and ideas that are peculiar to Isaiah appear in both sections of the book.
A good example of this is Isaiah’s unique reference to God as “the Holy One of Israel.” The appearance of these words and phrases can be used to argue just as convincingly that the book was written by a single author.
In the second section of his book, Isaiah looked into the future and predicted the years of the Captivity and the return of the Covenant People to their homeland after the Captivity ended. If the prophet could predict the coming of the Messiah over 700 years before that happened, he could certainly foresee this major event in the future of the nation of Judah.
The style of each section deliberately matches its subject matter.

The Valley of Doubt
Doubts about the authorship and authenticity of any book in the Bible can have tragic consequences for those who are attempting to take the Bible seriously. As I look back on my own spiritual journey, I recall the many years that these views introduced a subtle doubt in my mind and hampered my real growth in the Word.
Is there a way to resolve this without getting drawn into the distressing debates and arrogant displays among erudite scholars and “textual critics”? Indeed, there is. I only wish I had discovered it earlier in my own travels through God’s wondrous Word.

The Discovery in John 12 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)

What a precious chapter! It has many marvelous insights, but among the dearest to me personally are verses 37-41:
37] But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38] That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39] Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again,
40] He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
41] These things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
In this passage we first encounter a quote, in verse 38, familiar to many of you, that begins the famous chapter of Isaiah 53 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
. This would be in the section attributed to the “Second Isaiah.”

In verse 40 we have a quote from Isaiah Chapter 6 (v. 10), as verse 41 also highlights what occurs when Isaiah beholds the throne of God. This is, of course, in the first section of Isaiah.
Oh, how I am grateful for verse 39! Notice that John tells us that “that Isaiah said again” when he links the two passages and, thus, the two sections and attributes them both to “that” (same) Isaiah! If you take John seriously, and recognize the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then you need not doubt the authorship of Isaiah - both “sections.”

It is fascinating to me to notice that there is no heresy - or controversy - that hasn’t been anticipated by the Holy Spirit within the Scripture itself. If we recognize the reality that we have 66 books penned by 40 authors over thousands of years that are an integrated whole, and that every detail has been the result of careful and skillful engineering, then there is no need to stumble over the erudite skepticism and arrogance by scholarship falsely so called.
Isn’t God wonderful? If we would just learn to take Him at His Word.
Related Links:
• Isaiah - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
• John - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
• How to Study the Bible - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
- From Koinonia House News Letter

THE APOCRYPHA BOOKS
In some large family Bibles there is a section of 14 books called the Apocrypha – a group of spurious books that were rejected from our present canon of Scripture because they did not pass the tests required of inspired books;

1. They were not written or approved by a prophet

2. They were not recognized by the Jews, as inspired and a part of Scripture

3. They were not recognized or quoted by Christ and the apostles, a fact that is more striking when we realize that Paul even quoted twice from heathen poets

4. The last O.T. prophet predicted that the next messenger coming to Israel from God would be the forerunner of Christ [Mal. 3:1 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
]. Most of the Apocryphal books were written during the period between Malachi and Christ

5. Divine authority is not claimed by their authors, and by some it is virtually disowned [2 Macc. 2:23; 2 Macc. 15:38]

6. The books contain statements at variance with the Bible history

7. They are self-contradictory and, in some cases, opposed to doctrines of Scripture.

8. Josephus, who lived at the time of the apostles, did not regard the Apocryphal books as Scripture. He stated that the Old Testament Books [the ones in our present version] were the only inspired writings [see Josephus, Book 1, Section 8]

9. The Apocryphal books were not a part of the ancient versions of Scripture. They were first added after 300 A.D. The Laodicean Council in 363 A.D. rejected them as being uninspired, thus proving that by that time some were claiming inspiration for them. [They first appeared in the Vatican Version of the 4th Century. At the Council of Trent in 1546 A.D. Catholics accepted 6 of these books as inspired and added them to their modern versions of Scripture. They are: Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees]

10. Philo and others did not regard the Apocryphal books as inspired

11. There is a lack of prophetic element in them; and there is an apparent imitation of the inspired O.T. Books

12. They show too free use of the imagination, which has given rise to silly stories, and the lack of spiritual force and power
- Dake Annotated Reference Bible: page 511.

From Koinonia House Archives February 2008

THE MOST NEGLECTED BOOK
It may come as a surprise to discover that there are a number of Biblical experts who regard the Book of Leviticus as the most important book of the Bible (Dr. Samuel H. Kellogg, Dr. Albert C. Dudley, J. Vernon McGee, and others). The book of Leviticus focuses on the subject of holiness. Charles Spurgeon once said, “If I had my choice of all the blessings I can conceive of I would choose perfect conformity to the Lord Jesus, or, in one word, holiness.” True happiness begins with holiness (Hebrews 12:14 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
; Matthew 5:6 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)
).

Holiness isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Nor is it limited to “the Jews in ancient Israel.” Leviticus instructs New Testament Christians how to appreciate holiness and appropriate it into their everyday lives. We seem to want Jesus to solve our problems and carry our burdens, but we don’t want to allow Him to work in our lives and transform our character.

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:15, 16 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)

What is holiness? It is the primary emphasis in the Bible. This word occurs 87 times in Leviticus alone. The Hebrew word for “holy” used in Leviticus, qodesh, means “that which is set apart and marked off; that which is different; separateness; apartness; sacredness.” The English word “holy” comes from the Old English word halig, which means “to be whole, to be healthy.” The related word “sanctify” comes from the Latin sanctis, which means “consecrated, sacred, blameless.”

Anything that God said was holy had to be treated differently from the common things of life. The Sabbath was holy because God set it apart for His people. The priests were holy because they were set apart to minister to the Lord. Their garments were holy and could not be duplicated for common use. The tithe is holy.

Holiness Revealed

How did a Holy God reveal Himself and His holiness? The pagan religions were notoriously immoral and involved occultic idols, temple prostitution, and the like. God commanded His people to stay away from their altars and shrines and to refuse to learn their ways. You never call any of the heathen deities “holy.” But the “Holy One of Israel” is one of the most oft-repeated names of YHWH in Scripture (30 times in Isaiah alone). In both declaration and demonstration, YHWH made it clear to the people of Israel that He is a holy God, righteous in all His works and just in all His judgments. He also gave them a Holy Law that contained both promises and penalties, of which the Ten Commandments are the essence. It taught them right from wrong, defined things both clean and unclean, and declared the penalties of disobedience. There was no “value relativism” here! The requirements of holiness are uncompromising. Near misses don’t count. “The wages of sin is death,” and “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

God’s Predicament

God hates sin, but He loves sinners. And because He loves sinners and wants to forgive them, He provided a substitute to die in the sinner’s place. The whole sacrificial system declared to Israel that a substitutionary death would be required to die in the sinner’s place. All this was a prefiguring of a promised Savior who would lay down His life for the sins of the world. What is the “Gospel”? It is God’s proclamation of a plan of mercy to sinners. The very definition of the “Gospel” is built on these very specifications:

“That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” - 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 [show/hide]ERROR: You have exceeded your quota of 5000 requests per day. Please contact the developer of this application if you have questions. (If you're the developer and have questions about this error message, please contact Crossway.)

The death of Jesus Christ was not a tragedy; it was an achievement.

Relevance of This Book to Us Today

Leviticus is the definitive revelation of the character of God. And God has not changed. It is the revelation of the fundamental conditions of true religion. These spiritual truths still abide: there is for sinful man no citizenship in the kingdom of God apart from a High Priest and Mediator with a propitiatory sacrifice for sin. Beyond the self-offering of the worshiper of God stands the constant testimony that it is only through the shedding of blood - not his own - that man can have remission of sin. We can’t appreciate Christ as the solution until we understand the requirements which had to be met.

The Epistle to the Hebrews lays down the principles upon which we are to interpret Leviticus. The typical character of the ordinances is affirmed that the Tabernacle was an “example and shadow of the heavenly things”; the sacrifices prefigured “better sacrifices than these,” even the one offering of Him who “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself”; and, that the holy times and sabbatic seasons of the law were “a shadow of things to come.”

The Book of Leviticus cannot be “read”; it has to be studied. To learn more about this amazing book click on the link below.
Related Links:
• Leviticus - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
• Bible Study Resources - Koinonia House
- From: Koinonia House News Letter

From Koinonia House Archives March 2008

THE BANNED BOOK -
There is a book of the Bible that some have attempted to ban from public libraries because it was deemed unsuitable for children: the Book of Judges. It contains some graphic material that is so explicit as to shock many of its readers. And yet it contains some of the most colorful - yet enigmatic - characters in the entire Bible. Frankly, there are few stories anywhere that can compete for color and intrigue.

You’ll wince as you read how Ehud goes to visit the king in his summer palace and slides his dagger between the king’s fifth and sixth ribs so that the flesh closes around it and the knife cannot be withdrawn. You’ll cringe when Jael drives the tent stake through the skull of Sisera and pins him to the ground. You’ll bite your fingernails alongside Gideon as God introduces deep military cutbacks, reducing Israel’s army from 32,000 to 300 - then sends this vastly outnumbered miniature army into battle! Your heart will sink with mine when Jephthah’s daughter comes out to meet him on his return from battle, and he remembers his hasty vow to sacrifice the first person he meets to God - and then fulfills that dreadful vow. You’ll glory with Samson as he wreaks havoc among the Philistines, but wonder at his folly in allowing the Philistine temptress to worm from him the secret of his strength. You will also undoubtedly turn with revulsion from the story of the Benjamite perversion that marks perhaps the blackest chapter in Israel’s history.

Fans of historical romance, military history, soap operas, conspiracy theories, spy novels, swashbuckling adventure, or political intrigue will find it all here in the Book of Judges! But from a broader and deeper perspective, Judges is essentially the story of a deteriorating nation - and it serves as a sober warning against deterioration in our own nation, and in our own personal lives.

During this period in history Israel had no King, everyone did what was right in their own eyes, there was a neglect and disparagement of the Word of God, and Israel was in bondage to their various enemies. The people of Israel would fall into sin and idol worship; this would result in oppression by, and bondage to, their enemies. They would ultimately plea to God for help; He would raise up a deliverer; and, soon after their deliverance, they would again fall back into false worship, and cycle would repeat itself.

The world today is living in a period similar to the Book of Judges. People are “doing what is right in their own eyes.” Value relativism has replaced the rule of God’s law in our land. The Word of God is neglected - even in many of our churches. His Word is the subject of denigration and ridicule by pseudo-scholars and critics. And as a result, we too are in bondage rather than enjoying the liberty available in Christ.

The Book of Judges, spanning the time between the conquest of the Canaan and the establishment of the monarchy, is a colorful, instructive, and prophetically relevant book to study carefully. Click on the link below for a more detailed study of the book of Judges.
Related Links:
• Judges Verse-by-Verse Commentary - MP3 Download - Koinonia House
- From Koinonia House News Letter