Acts 1

Theme of chapter: Before ascending Jesus gives the apostles some final instructions about the Holy Ghost who was to come. After Jesus' ascends, Peter pipes up about getting a new 12th apostle, not being led by the Holy Spirit. They throw lots and Matthias wins out and becomes the 12th apostle. It could be argued that Paul is the real 12th apostle chosen by the Holy Spirit.

Most important verse: Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Most prominent word: bishoprick (office of responsibility; place of leadership)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is risen and at the right hand of the Father. He sent the Holy Spirit into the world to draw people unto him.

Command to obey: be cleansed and renewed by the Holy Spirit daily by prayer and study of the bible.

Promise to claim: there is no power in the new nature, but there is power in the indwelling Holy Spirit.

New truth learned: The verse mentioned above deals with the great commission for believers. To take the word of God to; "Jerusalem" meaning your home town. "Judaea" meaning your neighborhood. "Samaria" meaning the wrong side of town, places you wouldn't go to. "uttermost part of the Earth" meaning ultimately taking the gospel to the whole world.

Ruth 4

Theme of chapter: Boaz calls a quick meeting between the elders and the closer kinsman. Once the other kinsman discovers he has to marry Ruth he backs out, to Boaz's joy. He redeems her and marries her.

Most important verse: Ruth 4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

Most prominent word: redeem (avenger; deliverer)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is our redeemer bought by his blood shed on the cross

Command to obey: cling to the only hope you have of salvation, that hope is Christ

Promise to claim: works nor the law will get you to heaven.

New truth learned: Boaz's and Ruth's offspring was Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.

Ruth 3

Theme of chapter: Naomi instructs Ruth to go to Boaz and tell him that he is a kinsman and should redeem her. She does, and Boaz who is in love with her agrees, only there is a closer kinsman who gets first dibs that must allow it.

Most important verse: Ruth 3:3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

Most prominent word: kinsman (redeem; deliver; provides justice on behalf of a relative)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is our kinsman and redeemer.

Command to obey: come to Christ for redemption today.

Promise to claim: Jesus Christ is our salvation; but one route to the Father and that's through the Son.

New truth learned: the above verse is a description of salvation. 'Wash thyself' points to Christ washing our sins away. 'Anoint thee' points to the anointing of the holy spirit upon the believer to direct him. 'put thy raiment upon thee' points to the believer being clothed in the righteousness of Christ to be made acceptable to the Father. 'Go down to the floor' Points to baptism and declaration of salvation

Ruth 2

Theme of chapter: Ruth, staying with Naomi and being poor, had to go and glean the corners of the fields at harvest time, as that is what is left to the poor. He caught the owner of the fields eye, Boaz, who then gave her special treatment as he was fond of her.

Most important verse: Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Most prominent word: glean (to gather; to pickup; )

Teaching about Christ: Christ rewards faithfulness

Command to obey: be faithful in all you do; in your job, family, everything.

Promise to claim: work is good in God's eyes, from the rich all the way down to the poor.

New truth learned: God has a welfare program. The workers of the harvest were to leave the edges of the field untouched, so the poor could come and gather those. This required even the poor to work for their keep, a check wasn't just mailed to them requiring nothing on their part, the way it is today. there was no entitlement, you had to get off your duff and get it.

Ruth 1

Theme of chapter: Naomi has a husband and two sons. They go out of the promised land to Moab to live with the idol worshipers. Naomi's husband dies and so does her two sons. Only Naomi and the two daughter's in law are left, Ruth and Orpah. Orpah goes back to Moab, but Ruth wants to stay with Naomi and go back to Judah with her.

Most important verse: Ruth 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

Most prominent word: Naomi (my joy), Mara(bitter)

Teaching about Christ: Being out of the will of God is a dangerous place.

Command to obey: do not worship any other Gods.

Promise to claim: a child of God is always taken out behind the woodshed in the far country and forgiven/comforted at home.

New truth learned: Ruth had a great love for her mother-in-law and didn't want to leave her, even though her husband had died. She went on with Ruth back to Judah. This shows Naomi had gone out of the will of God. Her family gone up out of the promised land to a land where they practice idol worship. Many sorrows fell upon her, and she packed her stuff up and went back to God.

Judges 21

Theme of chapter: The aftermath of the war leaves Israel sorrowful for Benjamin, that there be a tribe cutoff. They swore they wouldn't give Benjamin any of their daughters to marry. This leads to more treachery as Benjamin is encouraged to take the women of Shiloh.

Most important verse: Judges 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Most prominent word: Benjamin (son of the right hand)

Teaching about Christ: Without Christ, there is wickedness

Command to obey: seek the Lord, and avoid the coming judgement

Promise to claim: unrepentant sin will be dealt with

New truth learned: The people of Israel were in a bad state at the close of this book of the bible. They have sinned, compromised, and everything else. It is a very low point, and shows how bad it can get when God is removed the scene.

Judges 20

Theme of chapter: And now we visit the third stage of a country's decline. Political Anarchy as the people of Israel go up against their own tribe Benjamin for the awful thing they did to th e Levite's concubine.

Most important verse: Judges 20:13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel.

Most prominent word: hearken (to hear; listen; obey)

Teaching about Christ: Christ hears the cries of the repentant sinner

Command to obey: obey the law of the land; government is to punish lawlessness

Promise to claim: unrepentant sin will be judged; the wages of sin is death

New truth learned: Israel is thrown into chaos as the tribe of Benjamin will no longer adhere to moral law and come up against the rest of Israel. This all began with religious apostasy. It starts in the church, spreads to the home, and then ultimately dismantles government.

Judges 19

Theme of chapter: Religious apostasy was visited in the last chapter, and moral awfulness is visited here.

Most important verse: Judges 19:29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

Most prominent word: concubine (a female consort generally with lower status and fewer rights than a wife, with the function of giving social status or pleasure to the husband)

Teaching about Christ: Without Christ, man is desperately wicked.

Command to obey: seek God and flee from the temptations of the flesh.

Promise to claim: man left alone, there is no depth to the wickedness of his heart.

New truth learned: A Levite having a concubine, and then chopping her up into pieces. I think they've hit rock bottom in moral awfulness here.

Judges 18

Theme of chapter: The tribe of Dan now joins the idol worship act, goes down to Micah to spy out some land. Takes Micah's idols and goes to war conquering some land and setting up these idols.

Most important verse: Judges 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

Most prominent word: ephod (garment of a priest)

Teaching about Christ: there is only one true God, Jesus Christ

Command to obey: Don't worship idols (people, money, possessions)

Promise to claim: unrepentant sin will be judged.

New truth learned: 3 descriptions of apostasy in the church.

1. compromise

2. confusion

3. corruption

Jonathon, the grandson of Moses, of all people became a priest for these idols of Dan, until they went into captivity. Spells out, just because your parents or kin folks are Christians that doesn't make you a Christian

Judges 17

Theme of chapter: Story of Micah a little rich kid momma's boy of the bible. He wasn't disciplined after stealing from his mom. His mom congratulated him instead for bringing the money back. Micah goes on to make idol's from the money that was stolen, that his mom gave him to do. I don't think she will win mother of the year. Micah still goes on to hire a preacher thinking that will bring him salvation.

Chapter illustrates a nation in decline perhaps near where our country is today.

Most important verse: Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Most prominent word: sojourn (to dwell as a stranger)

Teaching about Christ: there is no salvation in works, just the blood of Christ

Command to obey: discipline your children, that is love.

Promise to claim: there is only one right and one wrong, and that is God's right and wrong not mans.

New truth learned: there are 3 stages of the destruction of a country

1. religious apostacy

2. moral awfulness

3. political anarchy

Judges 16

Theme of chapter: Samson is done in by a woman, Delilah. She gets him to tell her the source of his strength, his hair. She gets his hair cut-off, and the Philistines come in a pop his eyeballs out and is imprisoned. He spends much time in repentance imprisoned, he asks God for one more time of strength, whereby he pushes the pillars of the place they were in, the place comes down and thousands of Philistines and him are killed.

Most important verse: Judges 16:20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

Most prominent word: Delilah (tease)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is our power and strength

Command to obey: resist the temptations of the flesh. they'll do you in. the flesh is weak but God is strong. meditate on, and read the word daily (chew the cud)

Promise to claim: a mans strength is not in himself or material things, it is in Christ

New truth learned: Samson's hair really wasn't his strength. He was strong when God was with him, and was very weak when God was not with him. When his hair was cut off God departed from him. That was disobedience as God said that his hair would not be cut, and that would be a badge that he was a Nazarite unto God.

Judges 15

Theme of chapter: Samson comes home to find that his wife had been given to another by her father. In anger he burns their fields. In retaliation the Philistines kill his wife and her father and go after Samson. Tribe of Judah tie him up and deliver him to the Philistines. Samson breaks the chords that bind him, and kills a thousand of them using the jaw bone of an ass.

Most important verse: Judges 15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

Most prominent word: Shocks(stacks of corn) Ramathlehi(hill of Lehi)

Teaching about Christ: If Christ be with you, who can stand against you.

Command to obey: don't fret over your obstacles, but have faith in the deliverer

Promise to claim: what is impossible to men, is possible with God.

New truth learned: Samson, with the Lord power upon him, does an amazing thing. He kills a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. I'm curious of how that went down. After he kills the first 500 or so, I would've been out of there. Samsons wife, who earlier try to avoid being burned alive and her house burned betrayed her husband by telling the Philistines his riddle. Now her sin has come back to roost and she is burned alive by the Philistines anyway as payback for Samson burning their fields.

Judges 14

Theme of chapter: Samson gets a wife. He's very childlike and presents a riddle to 30 men and wagers clothes on it. They couldn't guess it but get his wife to spill the beans about it. He loses and goes out and kills 30 men to pay off his debt.

Most important verse: Judges 14:19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

Most prominent word: Timnath (lot; portion)

Teaching about Christ: the Lord is all the power any man needs.

Command to obey: do not be led by your eyes. don't go after every whim of your fancy.

Promise to claim: your parents have wisdom and should be seeked.

New truth learned: Samson is very childlike and immature. He gets his parents to talk to the girl he likes for him, he gives riddles, and in a tantrum slaughters 30 people after losing. When the Lord is with him though, he is invincible.

Judges 13

Theme of chapter: Manoah's wife was barren. The Lord came to her and told her should would bear a son. She couldn't drink wine or eat any unclean thing. She was to give birth to Samson who would be dedicated to God until he died. He would begin to free the people of Israel from their current oppression.

Most important verse: Judges 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

Most prominent word: Samson (strong; little one of Shemesh)

Teaching about Christ: Christ can use anyone who has faith.

Command to obey: your body is the Lords temple, treat it that way.

Promise to claim: the Lord uses the meek.

New truth learned: Samson's birth was miraculous as his mother was barren. He was predestined to be dedicated to the Lord's service.

Judges 12

Theme of chapter: Jephthah defeats Ammon. The tribe of Ephraim was jealous and put to shame that Jephthah hadn't included them in on the battle. They threaten him, and Jephthah wars with Ephraim and defeats them.

Most important verse: Judges 12:3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

Most prominent word: shibboleth (head of grain; branches; channel) a word the Ephraimites could now pronounce correctly. Jephthah used it as a test and killed the people when they couldn't pronounce it correctly.

Teaching about Christ: Christ uses the weak to confound the world.

Command to obey: do not be jealous or covet.

Promise to claim: God can use you.

New truth learned: The people of Israel are fighting amongst themselves now, showing further weakness in the tribes. The Judges are full of faults, but God continues to raise them up and use them for his purposes.

Judges 11

Theme of chapter: Jephthah the bastard son of Gilead is raised up here to fight for Israel. He defeats the enemy, but makes a hasty promise to the Lord and sticks to it. His daughter, his only child will not marry and will be dedicated to the Lord.

Most important verse: Judges 11:30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,

31Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

Most prominent word: harlot (to be sexually immoral; )

Teaching about Christ: The Lord can use anyone, despite their background or upbringing.

Command to obey: don't make hasty promises to God. he expects you to keep them.

Promise to claim: God's promises are rock solid.

New truth learned: Judges shows that God can use anyone for his purposes, no matter how lowly or cowardly they may be. Faith in God is all that it took for these men of Judges.

Judges 10

Theme of chapter: The cycle continues of the people of Israel turning to idols, God judging them, and them crying out to God for deliverance.

Most important verse: Judges 10:16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

Most prominent word: tribulation (trouble; distress; calamity)

Teaching about Christ: Christ forgives the repentant sinner.

Command to obey: do not worship false Gods and idols.

Promise to claim: the flesh is weak. left unto itself will sin to great depths.

New truth learned: the people of Israel just can't seem to learn their lesson. Over and over they cycle through this rebellion, judgement, repentance, salvation. The Judges that are raised up are the basest of men with no real upstanding qualities, but God uses them anyway. Much like our rulers today, the very basest of men.

Judges 9

Theme of chapter: Abimelech, one of the many sons of Gideon, kills all but one of his 70 brothers and becomes king. Eventually, the people turn against him and he is killed.

Most important verse: Judges 9:5 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

Most prominent word: Jotham(God will sow)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is our king and savior.

Command to obey: Do not covet.

Promise to claim: All unrepentant sin will be judged.

New truth learned: Gideon's sin of having multiple wives and children with these wives comes back to haunt Israel. Abimelech kills all of Gideon's sons except one to gain power, causes a civil war, and ultimately kills Abimelech. Judgement came to him and his followers.

Judges 8

Theme of chapter: Gideon and his army defeat the Midianite kings after chasing them down. The people of Israel now want him to be their king, he refuses. After Gideon dies, Israel goes right back into idol worship.

Most important verse: Judges 8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

Most prominent word: ephod (garment of a priest used for adornment and as an aid in priestly service)

Teaching about Christ: Christ did not want Israel to have a king, he was their king.

Command to obey: Repent of your sins daily.

Promise to claim: You can't hide from God, and you definitely can't hide from judgement.

New truth learned: In each of these cycles of rebellion against God, as soon as the Judge dies, the people of Israel go right back to sinning. Also, Gideon was a weak coward, and God used him, he also fathered some 70 children with many wives. It shows there's hope for all of us that God can use us, if he can use the likes of Gideon.

Judges 7

Theme of chapter: God gives Gideon and the people of Israel victory over the Midianites.

Most important verse: Judges 7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

Most prominent word: victuals (food; provisions; supplies)

Teaching about Christ: Power comes from Christ, not material things or people.

Command to obey: Trust in Christ not in people or possessions.

Promise to claim: God gets the victory not man.

New truth learned: The original number of the army with Gideon was 30,000. They widdled it down to 300 as God said that he couldn't give them the victory with 30,000 because they would think they won of their own might. The 300 with Gideon take trumpets and lamps in the middle of the night upon the hill. They shown the lamps below and sounded the trumpets. The Midianites were sent in a panic in the dark killing each other off and fleeing, as they thought a great army was upon them. The armies of Israel gathered after this and routed them. It is by God's hand there is victory not by mans.

Joshua 6

Theme of chapter: Israel falls again into sin and idolatry, resulting in judgement and oppression. They cry out to God, and God raises up Gideon a very meek and somewhat cowardly man.

Most important verse: Joshua 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

Most prominent word: Jehovahshalom (Lord is peace)

Teaching about Christ: Christ shows he has a sense of humor as he talks with Gideon. Gideon was hiding from the Midianites and Christ calls him 'mighty man of valour'.

Command to obey: do not worship idols and false Gods

Promise to claim: if the Lord is with you, nothing can stand against you.

New truth learned: God uses the least of people to confound the wise of this world. You can't get much meeker than Gideon. A poor farmer who is hiding from the enemy when God finds him and uses him. Gideon has little faith and asks for signs to prove to himself that he is speaking to the one true God.

Joshua 5

Theme of chapter: Deborah the judge and Barak rejoice in their victory.

Most important verse: Joshua 5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

Most prominent word: Barak (lightning)

Teaching about Christ: the preincarnate Christ curses the person or family that wouldn't help out when Israel fought against their enemy. I wouldn't want to live anywhere near these folks.

Command to obey: stand up and fight for your country when it is being attacked. don't be cowardly or go about your business' as if nothing is going on.

Promise to claim: evil and unrepentant sin will be judged

New truth learned: many of the tribes would not help out when Israel was fighting a common enemy. they were just going about their business or too cowardly to participate. Shows how weak the tribes became after Joshua died.

Judges 4

Theme of chapter: In this round, a female judge rises up, Deborah

Most important verse: Judges 4:8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. (not your bravest general in Barak)

Most prominent word: Deborah (hornet; wasp)

Teaching about Christ: Christ's hand is in every victory and every defeat

Command to obey: repent of sins against God.

Promise to claim: sometimes it takes a while, but unrepentant sin will be judged.

New truth learned: Did seem like there were any strong men around at this time, Barak certainly wasn't. A woman had to step in here and get the job done.

Judges 3

Theme of chapter: Several cycles here of falling away, crying out, and judges being raised. The judges raised in 3 such cycles were Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar.

Most important verse: Judges 3:31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Most prominent word: ox goad (cattle prod; metal tipped poker used to guide animals;)

Teaching about Christ: Christ can use ordinary men for his purposes.

Command to obey: don't see if God is on your side, make sure you are on God's side.

Promise to claim: man can't do very much, but man plus God can accomplish anything.

New truth learned: God used ordinary men to perform extraordinary feats for him. One man was risen up as a judge with the only redeeming characteristic mentioned, is that he was left handed.

Judges 2

Theme of chapter: And thus begins the cycle of Israel forsaking God and going after idols and rebelling, then God enslaves the people and brings great distress among them. They cry out, turn to God and repent. God then raises a judge to deliver them. This repeats throughout Judges.

Most important verse: Judges 2:18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

Most prominent word: judges (leaders; defenders; avenged; vindicate)

Teaching about Christ: the angel of the Lord is the preincarnate Christ who came to ask of the people of Israel why they are sinning against him, and telling them of their judgement.

Command to obey: do not stray from the will and word of God. that is a dangerous place.

Promise to claim: judgement comes always, to the unrepentant sinner.

New truth learned: people left unto themselves without God, will quickly fall into great sin. God and his Word are needed for instruction for the daily life of the pilgrim.

Judges 1

Theme of chapter: The weakness of the tribes is revealed after Joshua's death.

Most important verse: Joshua 1:2And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

3And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

Most prominent word: Kirjatharba (original name of Hebron; city of four)

Teaching about Christ: Christ's promises stand the test of time.

Command to obey: take the free gift the Lord has given.

Promise to claim: Compromising God's will leads to suffering.

New truth learned: The tribes of Israel are weak. They don't lay hold of God's promises and begin to compromise and then defeated in instances.

Joshua 24

Theme of chapter: Joshua gives Israel an old testament history lesson on all that God has done for them. Gives them one final warning to only worship God and to put away idols. Finally, he dies.

Most important verse: Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Most prominent word: hornet(discouragement)

Teaching about Christ: Christ chastises his own

Command to obey: worship the one and true God, Jesus Christ.

Promise to claim: Christ will see the faithful through to the very end.

New truth learned: The people of Israel easily strayed. Joshua tells them again how important it is to only worship the one true God, and that disobeying him will be catastrophic. You get the feeling here that his words are falling on deaf ears, at least for the next generation.

Joshua 23

Theme of chapter: Joshua is getting old, and he speaks to the leaders of Israel one last time.

Most important verse: Joshua 23: 11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

Most prominent word: cleave (keep; hold fast; cling to)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is our salvation and place of refuge

Command to obey: Love the Lord your God.

Promise to claim: You are at great peril when rebelling against God.

New truth learned: Joshua new the human condition. He warned the people of Israel, that as soon as they went after other Gods and didn't keep the word of God, that judgement would come to them and they would be vomited out of the promised land.