you got a little booklet in front of you says the story, the Bible story. I forgot that Lifeway makes these and prints these books. I ordered one for each of y'all. And I want to say thank you for making it this far.
Yeah. Congratulations, y'all making me the Old Testament 10
weeks right?
That was a big read.
Ya know, Nehemiah got started got to me a little bit. It's just one little chapter. So, I wanted to your first page your handout is the full outline from the Old Testament. There's only three more C's for the New Testament. So we've asked you guys to practice several times, telling this part of the story memorize the seas if you need to whatever you need to do to tell the story but I thought I knew tonight a couple of things. I knew I would be full from the three the three plates that I participate and I still want to go back for some coconut stuff. Oh my gosh, I went with the banana pudding. I had to stay loyal to banana pudding. But I'm kind of wish wishing I got both but so I knew that my brain was going to be slow. So I thought I could try to go through the scenes with you. And I would love to do that. I'm going to post the video of the interlude chapter this week. Because we're not going to discuss it much during spring break. But I'm gonna let Hayes
on the app if people want to jump on if you have questions and dialogue
on the app. Yeah, the time between the Testaments is super important because it just seemed when you get into math that you're like Wait, what happened? You know it's up they left them and so but Danny Hayes starts the video I'm gonna post going through the whole story with these seeds right here. So I'll let you listen to him. jot some more notes down. Always encouraging you find someone that you can practice telling the story with. And if you need to use notes, you can if you need to type it up you can because you can't read your writing like me, but I thought it would be appropriate because I like what President Vaughn does pray Ben was my professor at Washtenaw. Then he went down to Florida for a little bit. Now he's at Baylor, where I also graduated from doing the D minute Baylor Prime Minister he's a great guy, great teacher, good friend. He put this together and I printed this the first week and gave it to you but now you have it in booklet form the kid around with you so you can whenever you're needing some extra reading. You can get off your phone and read this but it's good to read. It's also good to hear. So follow along with me and or take notes on your first sheet if you would like to do that. And Thank
you Sheila because I didn't even ask her and she did it.
The role Oh yeah. So Kristen gave you the role that
Kristen put up there. She knew not to put it over here. I didn't even think to ask you. So thank you. Yes.
So that's perfect. That's perfect. Yes. So here, here the Bible story from Genesis to Revelation. The story of the Bible begins with God. In the beginning God created the universe. God is not a part of the universe as a mere power. He is a separate and independent Creator, who deliberately created everything that exist. Being an expression of God's own beauty, love and relational character creation belongs to God. Everything in creation therefore, from the smallest and seemingly most insignificant to God's crowning work, the human being finds its meaning, identity and reason for existence and the relationship between the Creator and His creation. To express his love God decided to give. God decided to give to creation expression of His own image the human being. He created the human being as man and woman and gave them managerial power over the rest of the creation of creation. They were to live in a close and loving relationship with the Creator and conduct their lives and expression of that relationship. Human beings, however, decided that they could live on their own without God. This decision destroyed the intimacy of their relationship with the Creator and in that, as their relationship deteriorated, the image of God faded, and humans lost the true quality of their humanity. Outside of God's presence, human beings experience the results of that destroyed fellowship with God. Blessing had been exchanged for curse envy, pain of evil, even to the point of murder became commonplace. Humans prove that the goodness of their love that came from the presence of God or annihilated by their own desire to put themselves first sin, which in its essence is rebellions, rebellion of humans. against God and become the governing quality of humankind. Evil grew and covered the earth, God was forgotten. The neverending grace of God, however, would not let it go will not let go of his crowning work or the creation rather than withdrawing God establish a new covenant relationship with humankind. A man named Abraham who is now considered the father of faith, because of his unwavering trust in God received a promise that his numerous descendants will be blessed. In fact, blessing would come to the whole earth through them, because of this covenant promise given to Abraham all the people the Earth would have the opportunity to experience the blessing of God's presence once again. The promise to Abraham was a unilateral promise that is, it was a promise from God with no condition placed on humans. It was an expression of pure grace, God placed it solely upon himself to establish the relationship with the rebellious Creek creatures he originally had created in His own image. And this way, the Abrahamic Covenant became the basis for the salvation of human beings. Again and again. In spite of the repeated attempts by humans to destroy their relationship with the Creator. God remembered his covenant with Abraham and opened the door for humans to find their way back into his presence. At first it looked as if God's promise was empty. Abraham was without children. But in Abraham's old age, God grant him a son of promise, Isaac, who in turn became the father of Jacob, Jacob, who God later renamed Israel had 12 sons whose names would later give rise to the names of Israel's 12 tribes. God had created for Himself a people called Israel. This people also called the Hebrews, or to be recognized and characterized by their trust in the one God, the Creator of heaven and earth. famine came upon the land, the family of Jacob went to Egypt to find food. In Egypt, the people of Israel increased in number and as time passed, the Egyptian rulers called Pharaohs worried that the Israelites would become too powerful. To counter this threat, the pharaohs enslaved the descendants of Jacob for approximately 400 years the faithful among the people cried to God for help in their misery. And these dark days and Egyptian princess fell in love with one of the Israelite babies named Moses. She took them as her son and raised him as an Egyptian Prince. When he came of age, Moses realized his Hebrew heritage he left Egypt to live in the desert, remembering His covenant with Abraham God called Moses in the desert, and charged him with the task of liberating his people from their bondage in Egypt. Moses refused argue that he didn't even know the name of Israel's God. At a burning bush God revealed Himself to Moses as Yaqui the I am the one who is always present with his people. Moses returned to Egypt imploring Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go, But Pharaoh would not listen. Plagues sent by God and obey the land but Pharaoh still did not listen. Even when God gave him his last warning. Pharaoh's heart and mind remained unmoved. God warned that he would send an Angel of Death to visit every household in Egypt and kill the firstborn of all the families and less Pharaoh released Israel from slavery, and allowed them to leave Egypt to worship God in the desert. To avoid death among the families of Israel. God told his people to make a meal in haste. Each family were to take the blood of a lamb and smear it on the doorframe, let an angel of death know that it was to pass over their home. God would save His people by the blood of the Lamb. After this final plague Egypt let Israel go, even hurried them along Israel left and came to the Sea of Reeds. By this time the Egyptians regretted their decision to release their slaves and they sent out armies to take them back. The Hebrews found themselves caught between the water and the addiction army. They were trapped. The only way to escape through the water and impossible was the only way to escape was through the water and impossible situation. God kept His promise to Abraham, however, and open the waters for his people to cross to the other side of the sea. The Egyptians close behind drown in the bottom of the sea when God closed the waters as soon as Israel had passed through. God had rescued his people. God created for them an exodus away out of slavery. They were now on their way to land God had promised them. They were free to follow Him and live in His presence. He would guide them to the desert by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire during the night.
A new situation have become a reality for Israel, Yahweh in the midst of his people. The holy creator, God lived among humans. He dwelt among them in the tabernacle, a portable tent designed for worship, the celebration of God's presence. How were people to live in this new situation? What guidelines should govern this new relationship? God called Moses Moses to a mountaintop and gave him a set of 10 Golden Rules Israel. These regulations called the 10 commandments became the foundation for the new bilateral covenant called the Mosaic Covenant. It was bilateral because the man's were put on both parties in the relationship Yahweh promised he would be their God, they would be His people and He would dwell in their midst. They were keep the law as expressed in the commandments beyond the 10 commandments. Other rules and regulations were written down to define how the Israelites should live and worship God in their midst as a legal covenant the Mosaic Covenant required man's obedience at its central feature. This was different from the Abrahamic covenant which had God's faithfulness to His promises its central feature. As usual, God kept His end of the agreement. He led the people to the edge of the land promised to Abraham Canaan, but when they arrived, they were afraid to take possession. of the land. This lack of trust in God sent them back into the desert to wander for 40 years. Only after that faithless generation had died off the dock way again, lead them to enter the Promised Land. After Moses death, Joshua became the leader of the people, you lead them to victory after victory until they took possession. of the land God had promised them following Joshua's death in the Promised Land a series of judges became leaders of the Israelites, men and women such as Gideon, Deborah and Sampson let Israel's armies and pass judgment on the people. This is sometimes considered the Dark Age of Hebrew history. Not only did the Israelites stop worshipping God, but several of the judges were active in worshiping idols. It was a dark day for the relationship between God and His people. But as before God put it into the misery of Israel. The time of the judges due to and in his Israel demanded a human king. They wanted to be like the other nations during the reign of their second king, King David, the Abrahamic covenant with His promise of ln blessing and peace for Israel came close to a complete fulfillment. David was Yes what jaquise answer to the desk destitution, caused by the period of judges. He was a man after God's own heart shepherd boy, whose greatest desire was to please God under David the kingdom grew to a Heather headrow Heather to unfunded can't say that word unknown size and greatness. God made Jerusalem the capital of Israel and sought to build Yaqui a temple. This task, however, fell in his son Solomon. Nevertheless, God was pleased with David's desire to build a temple for you always presence among us people. So extended the covenant promise to David God promised to make David's name great grant and eternal place for his people and establish a permanent dynasty in the Davidic line. This Davidic Covenant like the Abrahamic Covenant was a unilateral covenant with no conditions placed on humans for its fulfillment. It forms the basis for Israel's hope is later expressed by the prophets and most climatically understood in the genealogies of Jesus. Solomon who followed his father, David is king became world renowned for his wisdom and incredible wealth out of this well he built Yahweh a temple in Jerusalem. Upon its completion. The Bible explains how God filled the temple with its presence, however, follow him and disobeyed God and did not have the heart of his father, Solomon sin led to the split of the kingdom after his death. 10 tribes followed Jerome, a former general under Solomon, who established the kingdom of Israel in the north, to tribes stay with Rehoboam Solomon son to establish the Kingdom of Judah in the South. These two nations picked up where the judges left off and continue the destruction of their relationship with God, even priests replacing the worship of Galloway with the worship of Baal Canaanite God. The people seem intent on breaking the Mosaic Covenant. During this time, the eighth century before Christ, Prophet spoke out from the north and the south, warning the people of their imminent judgment of God. The prophetic message proclaim God's indictment on the people. God had vile God's people had violated the covenant by their adultery, their social injustice, their religious formalism, you have broken the covenant the prophets charge you must repent. If there's no repentance, judgment will come and judgment came. The Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel and 721 BC and Babylon destroyed Judah and 586, forcing a large number of Hebrews into exile in Babylon. The people had broken their covenant, covenant total relationship with God. They now had to rely solely on the hope of restoration, which has always been part of the prophetic message. During the exile, the focus of the people had changed. Prophets such as Ezekiel like Jeremiah before him look forward to a time when God's Law no longer will be written on tablets of stone but on human hearts, a time when God's Spirit wouldn't drill every member of God's family to ensure an internal dwelling toward God's word and will. God will establish a new covenant with His people they proclaimed. Daniel, a devout young man from Judah who counseled the king of Babylon in exile saw a vision of someone like a son of man who possessed authority and would one day create an everlasting kingdom. People from all nations and all language would come to worship the Son of Man. It was a time of renewed hope. The Mosaic Covenant was shattered but the prophets were looking back to the unilateral covenant given Abraham and David, God would no longer limit his presence to a temple in Jerusalem. Zico shared a vision in which God's throne was on wheels moving in every direction in the days to come. God would move with his people, as in the days of old not just among them as with the tabernacle, but within them through His Spirit. The Glory had left the temple would be manifested through the people of the Spirit. When Persia conquered Babylon, the Persians allowed the people of Israel to return to the homeland. After seven years in exile, rebel led God's people back to the promised land to rebuild the temple. The restoration of the wall around Jerusalem and the reestablishment of the full worship of Yahweh came later on the leadership of Nehemiah and Ezra, these leaders of Israel make great efforts to bring Israel back to pre existing times, but it never happened. Yahweh did not return to fill the temple with his presence, and he had as he had done under Solomon, the nation of Israel did not become truly independent. The Mosaic covenant had been broken and it would not not be restored. The Law no longer defined the covenant relationship with God as people. It functions simply as a rigorous guideline for living. The period after the exile the so called post exhibit period function as an interim period between the judgment of the exile and the promise of the New Covenant restoration. It was a time in which God once again would be visible among his people. This new covenant with prophets like Jeremiah and Joe and others had prophesied was to be a covenant of the spirit. The people had broken the bilateral Mosaic Covenant but God remembered is covered with Abraham and with David, in the fullness of time some 400 years later, he sent his own son in the form of human, fulfill the promises of blessing the people and eternal Kingship of David's throne. The New Testament begins its story about placing the son in the lineage about David and Abraham All right, who wants to repeat that? Yeah yeah, this one's very well written. I can't talk like that. But yeah, this is like I said, this is probably been done a great job great editing to to try to get it succinct, you know, but we pick up tonight with the last part of the story. And honestly, I was I kept reading stuff and trying to deal with these post Zelich prophets, you know, and I think, you know, I almost kind of got lost in all of the, the things and all the details, you know, but uh, Daniel, so in our story for tonight, they're in exile. So basically, the prophets started prophesying like you guys judgments coming you've got to repent. There, you know, if not, it's gonna get bad but there is going to be a future. Well, that message was directed to the northern kingdom directly to the southern kingdom and eventually they do get shipped out to exile. Like last week. Well, this week it's what what did God do and say to them, and God set prophets to speak to them while they were in exile of how to live as exiles in Babylon. And then in the we have, so we have Daniel, Nehemiah, Haggai Malakal, there's also Zephaniah and a Esther that's kind of thrown in that your notes today so I know we don't have a ton of time. So that's why I kind of wanted to do this also, but what stood out to you in the readings for this week. The Bible or the chapter
sound like never read the Bible before but lamb was lost. I never knew that they actually lost it, you know that they had moved out and
yeah, yeah, well, it's like they go in and it didn't take them long. They start acting just like the Canaanites. Right? There was no distinction among them. You know, and you have them worshipping the gods of the Canaanites, you know? And so it's like, yeah, you're, you lose it. You know? Boom, you're kicked out. And so now you're in Babylon, which is interesting. I don't know if there's any insights here, but that's where Abraham was from. He was from Earth. That was one of the top three Babylonian cities. So it's like, not it's like a reset but it's a back to where, before I even called Abraham to go and promise the land to him, you know, so I think there's somewhat of a theme there. I just yeah. What else
stood out to me too, is that he kept walking. The children of Israel Don't be like, they are different. Yeah. And he's telling us that today. You know, don't be like the world be like, like me Yeah.
Yeah, I think it's even the next step. It's, it's like when you're in Babylon. Like, put roots there, build houses, set it up, like, have kids, like just be a part of that culture. It's almost like don't sit there just dream about how you had it. Good before how you're gonna have a good later. Don't be pouring water on your neighbor just like enjoy your time in Babylon. You know, and thrive in Babylon. So it's a really interesting theme
they are to be met every everybody got involved.
Yeah because
when me, come back again, and when we started looking at chips like what's the chips on these guys? tavas 25. Yeah, that was a lot of manual labor.
Yeah, the image I was told at one point was they had their tool in one hand, there's sort of another, you know, and it was like, stopping you from getting you even get to work and protect it. You know, it's like,
it was original hometown. Like, like where they go out. Like we're restoring the city to install
in the city and boom, you get all these people
question. Sometimes in our websites we got like this manual labor What about how are the housing where's the food? Who picks up food? We're okay animals.
Missing Yeah, so there's even more people that we know about because you know, there has to be people take the woman. Well, of course. Well, I mean, I later I mean, I think what probably when he first went, it was just him like, and I think, to me, I think Nehemiah is a really cool story because he is, he was so bold. And he said, let me do this. And the king was like, All right. So he went, and God protected him even though it was much like Noah like they were making fun of them. They're like, Oh my gosh, what are those crazy Jews doing? You know, and they're like, they're like, What? What was that one verse about? Like a donkey or what it was like some animal could squash their wall like because it was so poorly built, because because they didn't have I think they were making do with whatever Yeah, yeah. And it's I mean, it seems like they had things that survived the fire like maybe the metal the hinges, and they were reusing, but they had to go get wood and lumber like and fish. So they had to do all that. So he was very manual. And like he said, they also had to like sleep with one eye, because they didn't know if they're gonna get attacked or not. And, and then you see, like, what this one man that God spoke to, he was faithful and brave and courageous. And he went sounds again, you hear like Joshua, like they be courageous, be very strong, he went and did that. And then all these people get really excited. And they're like, we'll go build. And then this tribe was built on that well, and that you know, and again, I mean, I say that but it really is kind of like hometown like, you know, like it a little intro. I don't know if y'all ever watch that, that makeover show. But she said, it feels like there's this like energy like the towns buzzing because they this one couple started something, and now all over the town, and now it's neighboring towns and other states, and you know, all these different things. And I think that excitement, when somebody is faithful and God starts moving, and people start responding, it is a vibrate, like the city's vibrating. Like there's this excitement of all these people coming. So I mean, Nehemiah is heavy, but it's also kind of cool and exciting. And it's sad, because they're dealing with the consequences of all of their ancestors sin. And it's yucky. And we have to deal with that even today, you know, like we deal with other people's sin and it's no fun cleaning up other people's mess. We don't like clean up our own messes.
Pre exile prophets, did they go between both?
Yeah, so you could chart out generally speaking, the prophet where they were from, were they from the north or south? And who did they prophesy to the north or the south? And again, it's sometimes there's some hints in the Prophet prophetic book. Sometimes. You could, yeah, like the book of the 12. You know, what we know is the Minor Prophets. Some of those could have been more general and then they in the editing process may have made them sound like oh, this was definitely for the North. But so it's debatable, I think so. It's not like exacting but usually they hit that's kind of how they kind of categorize them. So I don't know if I had
kind of laid it out from last week. Yeah.
Yeah, there was a another chart that I did not make or give you all that that does that like who's the audience and stuff, but minor. So now I didn't do the this was more focused on time and message do you have one that does that go into? Not in the notes, but yeah, oh, yeah, that's a lot of study Bibles have those two back in 2001. If you are one another chart, I got
