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Obadiah 1:1 meaningOctober 10, 2022
The prophet Obadiah receives God’s revelation in a vision. In this message, God announces the defeat of Edom and calls the nations to arise to fight against her.
Acts 7:51-60 meaningOctober 10, 2022
Stephen concludes his sermon by turning his focus on the Sanhedrin. They are just like the sinful Israelites who kept rejecting their deliverers, rejecting the will of God, and worshipping idols instead. Stephen compares them to the Israelites from the past who killed the prophets for prophesying about the Messiah. And when Jesus the Messiah came, they killed him too. The Sanhedrin proves Stephen's point and stones him to death. He has a vision of Heaven, and asks God to forgive the men stoning him. A young pharisee named Saul is present for this episode and approves of the execution. This is Luke's first introduction of the man who will become the Apostle Paul.
Acts 7:44-50 meaningOctober 10, 2022
Stephen changes subjects to the Temple, because he has been accused of being an enemy of the Temple. He describes the history of the tabernacle, designed by God to reflect Heaven, which eventually became the Temple in Jerusalem. But Stephen points out that God is not contained to the Temple. God is God; His throne is Heaven. He is above all things. He made all things. The man-made Temple is not the point. It's our hearts He desires.
Acts 7:35-43 meaningOctober 10, 2022
Moses, who was rejected by his people, returned to Egypt as a deliverer. He performed wonders and signs to show God's power in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness. He prophesied that God would send a second prophet like him, which was Jesus. Moses received the Law from God on Mt. Sinai, while the Hebrews made a golden calf to worship down in the camp. This was the pattern of Israel. God sent them a savior, they rejected the savior, and worshipped false gods.
Acts 7:17-34 meaningOctober 10, 2022
Stephen continues his sermon recounting the history of his people. The time of the Hebrews' bondage had come. A Pharaoh rose to power and feared these people, so he enslaved them. Moses, a Hebrew raised in the Egyptian court, tried to help the Hebrews when he saw an Egyptian abusing them. He killed the Egyptian in defense of the Hebrews. But the Hebrews rejected Moses, so he fled east to Midian and started a family there. God appeared to Moses in the form of an angel standing in a burning thorn bush. God reveals Himself as the God of the patriarchs of the Hebrews: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The time has come to rescue the Hebrews from their slavery in Egypt.
Acts 7:9-15 meaningOctober 10, 2022
Stephen teaches how Joseph, the son of Jacob, was sold into slavery by his brothers. Joseph rose to power in Egypt, stored food for a coming famine, and was able to help his family who had rejected him. Jacob and his household moved to Egypt to be with Joseph.
Acts 7:1-8 meaningOctober 10, 2022
The Sanhedrin asks Stephen if he is an enemy against the Temple and Moses. He begins his defense by teaching the history of Israel to the Jewish leaders. God appeared to Abraham and told him to go to a land which He would give him. God told Abraham that before his descendants would inherit the land, they would be enslaved for 400 years. As commanded, Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Amos 8:11-14 meaningOctober 7, 2022
Amos predicts a widespread famine and drought that will plague the nation Israel. It will not be a famine of food or thirst for water, but rather a starvation for hearing the words of the LORD.
Amos 8:7-10 meaningOctober 7, 2022
Amos now warns the Israelite merchants and businessmen of God's impending judgment, which will result in widespread lamentation. Israel's joyous festivals and songs will be replaced by mourning, and there will be sorrow, grief, and pain as when a family mourns for an only son.
Amos 8:4-6 meaningOctober 7, 2022
Amos addresses Israel's lack of concern for the poor. He specifically directs his message to the Israelite merchants who cheat in the marketplace by using dishonest scales in their commercial transactions while hypocritically retaining an outward façade of devotion to the Suzerain God.
Amos 8:1-3 meaningOctober 7, 2022
In his fourth vision, Amos sees a basket of summer fruit, the ripening of which suggests that its end has come. Since the words for "summer fruit" and "end" sound similar, the LORD uses wordplay or a pun to declare to Amos that the end has come to His covenant people dwelling in the land while in violation of His covenant, and that He will spare them no longer.
Amos 7:14-17 meaningOctober 6, 2022
Amos responds to Amaziah the priest by telling him that he is not a professional prophet. Instead, he is a herdsman and a grower of sycamore figs who is called by the LORD to proclaim a prophetic message. Amos proceeds to predict judgment on Amaziah and his family, and on the nation Israel.
Amos 7:10-13 meaningOctober 6, 2022
The priest Amaziah hears Amos’s visions and tries to intimidate him into leaving Israel. He asks Amos to return to Judah and cease prophesying in Bethel because Bethel is a sanctuary of the king.
Amos 7:7-9 meaningOctober 6, 2022
Amos also envisions a plumb line that the LORD sets amid Israel to determine their level of devotion to Him. Israel fails the test, so God will destroy their religious structures.
Amos 7:4-6 meaningOctober 6, 2022
In his second vision, Amos sees an all-consuming fire that evaporates the waters of the deep sea. The prospects of this devouring fire prompt the prophet to intercede again on Israel's behalf to ask God to stop the judgment. God listens to Amos and relents concerning this judgment as well.
Amos 7:1-3 meaningOctober 6, 2022
Amos sees a swarm of locusts devouring all the vegetation of the land. He intercedes on behalf of the descendants of Jacob, and God changes His plan to destroy Israel’s vegetation.
Amos 6:12-14 meaningOctober 5, 2022
Amos asks two rhetorical questions to expose Israel's perversion of justice. Since the Israelites pervert justice and boast of their military victories, Amos says that the LORD will raise up a nation to afflict them and erase their military exploits.
Amos 6:9-11 meaningOctober 5, 2022
Amos illustrates how the LORD's judgment on Samaria will decimate the population. Even if ten people gather in one house for safety, they will not escape judgment. Then if one relative comes to carry the dead bodies to burn them, he will be so afraid that if he finds a survivor hiding in the house, he will urge him not to mention the name of the LORD, lest the LORD becomes angry and takes further actions.
Amos 6:8 meaningOctober 5, 2022
Through the oracle of Amos, the LORD swears by Himself that He will deliver up the city of Samaria and all it contains because He detests the arrogance of Jacob and detests his citadels.
Amos 6:4-7 meaningOctober 5, 2022
Amos warns the preeminent leaders of Israel of the impending judgment and provides a detailed description of their luxurious lifestyle and their self-indulgence. Since these notable leaders enjoy their riches and disregard God's covenantal laws, their luxury will be short-lived because God will send them into exile at the head of the exiles.
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