Promises MadePromises Kept

Tonight, we look at Promises Made

The Point of the Bible is Jesus

Old Testament makes promises about Christ

New Testament keeps promises about Christ

John tells us that Jesus is the word

Colossians tells us that Christ is God and all things are held together by him and through him

“A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him. The husband is not so stupid as to prefer his wife’s letters to her voice, or her photographs to herself. He simply loves them because of her. So, too, we love the Bible because of Christ. It is his portrait. It is his love-letter.”

John Stott,

OT = 39 Books

First 5 make up the Pentateuch / Law (Genesis to Deuteronomy)

Next 12 (Joshua to Esther) are called the Histories

Last 17 Books are called the Prophecies (Isaiah to Malachi)

These 17 form the narrative from Creation to the Jews return to Jerusalem after being exiled in Babylon -- from the beginning to about 400 years before Christ

Genesis = describes how the world began, the first humans, the fall

The Histories

Peace in the garden is devastated with sin, and God initiates his plan of redeeming it all again through Abraham and his descendants

The Histories

Exodus = history of God's people from the death of Joseph in Egypt, through the escape from slavery

led by Moses, the tabernacle being established in the wilderness and the law being delivered

The Histories

Leviticus = a digest version of the laws given to God's people in the desert.

Numbers = Travel to the promised land

Lev: = Highlights the problem of sin and how sinful humans approach a holy God. More about God's holiness, not rules to follow

Num: = marked with many acts of unfaithfulness and God's preserving faithfulness to his loved, yet rebellious creation

The Histories

Deuteronomy = Second Giving of the law, at the end of their 40 years,

Joshua = describes the conquest of the promised land and the appointment of the 12 tribes

God gives the law again, to those who didn't die off. Repeated as they enter the promised land

The Histories

Judges = 14 judges ruled over Israel after Joshua's death

"in those days, Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit" — Judg. 21:25

JUDGE — the People continued to revert to lawlessness "in those days, Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit" Judg. 21:25

The Histories

Ruth = during time of Judges, announces the preparation of the coming King David

1 & 2 Samuel = the last Judge

1 & 2 Samuel = a false start king Saul, and the first real king David

The Histories

1 & 2 Kings = reign of David's son Solomon

1 & 2 Chronicles = a summation of everything from Adam to the exile

1 & 2 Kings = his fall, and the kingdom's division into northern and southern rule. Immorality and idolatry rack the kingdom and all falls apart1 & 2 Chronicles = Focus on David, Solomon, the role of the temple, and the kings leading to exile

The Histories

Ezra = return of the Jews and the rebuilding of the temple

Nehemiah = rebuilding of the walls

Esther = last book of history, story of God's providence

Last three are written in Exile and at the Return of ExileNehemiah = a partial fulfillment of God's promised restoration Esther = deliverance of Jews inside the Persian Empire late in the exile

The Writings

Job = righteous man tried by God and God proving HE is everything

Psalms = poetic prayers and praise, confession, and lament

Proverbs = practical wisdom of life from Solomon

More personal experiences of God's people, Wisdom, Poetry, Worship

Job = we don't know when it was written.... probably during Genesis,

The Writings

Ecclesiastes = Soloman recounts his quest for wisdom and life

Song of Solomon = love songs between a groom and his bride

Ecclesiastes = in every corner, only coming up short and yelling to all who will listen that God is all that matters

Song of Solomon = Lets us in on the importance of loving relationships

The Prophets

Isaiah = prophet from Judah

Jeremiah = prophecies during the siege of Jerusalem and then a few afterwards

God's commentary on Israel's disobedience

Isaiah = prophet from Judah..... first 39 chapters are condemnations leading up to captivity, the last 67 are pointing to a future restoration

The Prophets

Lamentations = Jeremiah's grief over Jerusalem's fall and destruction

Ezekiel = Prophet in Babylon during exile

Daniel = story of a Jewish captive and how God used him in that place

Ezekiel = Prophet in Babylon during exile. warned Judah of coming judgement, then when taken, moved to God's promised judgement on the nations and the restoration of God's people

The Minor Prophets

Hosea = prophet to Northern Kingdom, Israel

Joel = Preached about coming judgement, and that blessing follows judgement if there is repentance

Hosea = during same time as Isaiah did to the south, spoke of Israel's unfaithfulness, with his unfaithful wife being the example of how God's people have been unfaithful to him

The Minor Prophets

Amos = predicted judgement and restoration, again while Isaiah was in the south

Obadiah = judgement against Edom, Judah's neighbor also promised restoration

The Minor Prophets

Jonah = called to Ninevah to spread God to pagans

Micah = spoke to both Israel and Judah concerning judgement and deliverance

Johan = refused, got swallowed, prayed, repented, and obeyed

The Minor Prophets

Hahum = spoke out against Ninevah about a coming judgement for turning away from God

Habakkuk = reminds God's people that in spite of living in an evil time, they can trust God and his promised restoration

The Minor Prophets

Zephaniah = spoke on the promised judgement, called them to repent, and he promised future blessing

The Minor Prophets

Haggai = prodded the people to get on the rebuilding the temple and reminded them that God was for them

After the Return to Jerusalem

The Minor Prophets

Zechariah = two months after Haggai, relays a series of wild dreams that attacked their lazy faith

Malachai = also attacked their lethargic faith and spoke of the promised messiah

After the Return to Jerusalem

The OT picture of God is not condemnation

Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, & strength -- Deut. 6:5

Love your neighbor as yourself -- Lev. 19:34

Love your enemies -- Prov. 24:17 & 25:21

He is the same God we find in the NT

Holy, Just, unwavering in his commitment to punish sin, and in all things LOVE, even towards ENEMIES

Holiness

Justice

Mercy

Grace

Love

The Point of Life

“To glorify God and to enjoy him forever”

You Have to Know him, in order to glorify and enjoy Him.

Westminster Catechism

You will always feel lost, You will always be left empty, you will never be satisfied

He is everything...... through it all, He is our treasure