Acts 15
God chose
Acts 15:7-9 (KJV), “7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
James spoke the prophecy of Amos that anyone can be saved
Acts 15:7-9 (KJV), “7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
Amos 9:11-12 (KJV), “11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this.”
Sexual immorality will NOT enter the kingdom of God
Acts 15:20 (KJV), “But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.”
1 Corinthians 6:9 (KJV), “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.”
Galatians 5:19 (KJV), “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness.”
Ephesians 5:3 (KJV), “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.”
Colossians 3:5 (KJV), “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (KJV), “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.”
Paul emphasizes in a letter ‘to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia’ (Acts 15:23)
Acts 15:24 (KJV), “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment.”
Paul and Barnabas go their separate ways
Acts 15:39-40 (KJV), “39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.”
1 Timothy 1
1 Timothy 1:2 (KJV), “Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.”
There is a lot of false doctrine among believers
1 Timothy 1:3 (KJV), “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine.”
The law is for the ungodly
1 Timothy 1:8-11 (KJV), “8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”
Paul states that no one is too horrible and cannot be saved
1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV), “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
Job 34 Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice Wise words
Proverbs 20
Isaiah 56 Salvation for the Gentiles
Isaiah 56:7-8 (KJV), “7 … for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 8 The Lord God, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.”
Isaiah 56:9-12 Israel’s Irresponsible Leaders
Acts 14
The wonderous works or Paul and Barnabas not accepted
Acts 14:12 (KJV), “And they called Barnabas, Jupiter [Latin]; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.”
Acts 14:12 (NKJV), “And Barnabas they called [a]Zeus [Gr], and Paul, [b]Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.”
In Greek mythology, Hermes (the Romans knew him as Mercury), the son of Zeus and Maia, was the messenger of the gods and the mediator between the realm of the dead and the kingdom of the living.
Stoning, Escape to Derbe
Acts 14:19 (KJV), “And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.”
The kingdom of God is here on earth
Acts 14:22 (KJV), “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
The kingdom is here and everywhere. The kingdom of God comes to life whenever people of faith gather and call for God’s help. The kingdom of God is near if only we call out to the God who already reigns over us.
2 Thessalonians 3
Warning Against Idleness
2 Thessalonians 3:6 (KJV), “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”
You can reprimand a person who does not follow Christ thoroughly
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (KJV), “14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
ADMON’ISH, verb transitive – 1. To warn or notify of a fault; to reprove with mildness.
Job 33 Elihu Contradicts Job
God’s Words are beyond our comprehension
Job 33:12-14 (KJV), “12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. 13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. 14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.”
Proverbs 17
Isaiah 55
As we had much of Christ in the 53rd chapter, and much of the church of Christ in the 54th chapter, so in this chapter we have much of the covenant of grace made with us in Christ.
A free and gracious invitation to all to come and take the benefit of gospel grace
Isaiah 55:1 (KJV), “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
Pressing arguments to enforce this invitation
Isaiah 55:2-4 (KJV), “2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.”
A promise of the success of this invitation among the Gentiles
Isaiah 55:5 (KJV), “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.”
God’s ways are much higher than ours
Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV), “8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Once God says it, it will be accomplished
Isaiah 55:11 (KJV), “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
That the promises of God shall all have their full accomplishment in due time, and not one iota or tittle of them shall fail.
Acts 13
Barnabas and Saul called to duty
Acts 13:2 (KJV), “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”
Paul preaching to the Jews in the Synagogue in Antioch
Isaiah 11:1 (KJV), “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.”
Psalm 132:11 (KJV), “The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.”
Matthew 1:21 (KJV), “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
Acts 13:33 (KJV), “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”
Psalm 2:7 (KJV), “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”
Isaiah 55:3 Z(KJV), “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”
Psalm 16:10 (KJV), “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Habakkuk 1:5 (KJV), “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you.”
Isaiah 42:6 (KJV), “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.”
Isaiah 49:6 (KJV), “And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”
2 Thessalonians 2
Don’t be deceived if someone tells you that the day had come
2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV), “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there comes a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”
Daniel 7:25 (KJV), “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
Daniel 11:36 (KJV), “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.”
2 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV), “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
Why does the NKJV capitalize the enemy?
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 (KJV), “7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: ”
2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 (NKJV), “ 7 For the [a]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only [b]He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”
Paul declares the hard truth about the unbelievers
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (KJV), “9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Again, you are chosen by God
2 Thessalonians 2:13 (KJV), “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.”
Job 32 Elihu Contradicts Job’s Friends
Job 32:4 (KJV), “Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.”
Job 32:6-9 (KJV), “6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. 7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. 8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.”
Proverbs 16
Predestination for the wicked
Proverbs 16:4 (KJV), “The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.”
Predestination and free will
Proverbs 16:9 (KJV), “[FW] A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the [PD]Lord directeth his steps.”
Proverbs 16:33 (KJV), “[FW] The lot is cast into the lap; [PD]but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”
Free will
Proverbs 16:16 (KJV), “How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”
Which version is correct?
Proverbs 16:20 (KJV), “He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.”
Proverbs 16:20 (KJV), “He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.”
Proverbs 16:20 (NASB), “One who pays attention to the word will find good, And blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.”
Strong’s Concordance (1697) – dabar: speech, word. Definition: speech, word. Brown-Driver-Briggs – noun masculine speech, word; II. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse. 1. of men.
Isaiah 54 A Perpetual Covenant of Peace
Isaiah 54:1 (KJV), “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.”
We are the bride of Christ
Isaiah 54:5 (KJV), “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”
Ephesians 5:22-27 (KJV), “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
And, when is the wedding?
Revelation 19:7 (KJV), “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come.”
The wrath of Noah will never occur again
Isaiah 54:9 (KJV), “For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.”
In the final days
Isaiah 54:14 (KJV), “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.”
Acts 12
James, the first martyred
Acts 12:1-3 (KJV), “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)”
An angel of the Lord freed Peter
The feast of Unleavened Bread
Sovereignty and Prayer: In Acts 12 we move from a time of famine to a time of feast and celebration. During the post-Passover celebration called the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Chag HaMatztot, the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread which begins on Erev Passover, is a week of sanctification, being especially set apart for God, to be holy as he is holy. It is a time for putting away leaven or hametz and keeping it out of lives.
Herod did not give glory to God
Acts 12:21-23 (KJV), “21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”
2 Thessalonians 1
Paul commends the church at Thessaloniki
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 (KJV), “3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; 4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.”
The day of judgement for non-believers
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (KJV), “7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”
Job 31 If I have sinned, it is justified
Proverbs 15
Think before you speak
Proverbs 15:28 (KJV), “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.”
Isaiah 53
This chapter is so replenished with the unsearchable riches of Christ that it may be called rather the gospel of the evangelist Isaiah than the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah.
We may observe here, I. The reproach of Christ’s sufferings—the meanness of his appearance, the greatness of his grief, and the prejudices which many conceived in consequences against his doctrine.
Isaiah 53:1-3 (KJV), “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
The rolling away of this reproach, and the stamping of immortal honour upon his sufferings, notwithstanding the disgrace and ignominy of them, by four considerations:
- That therein he did his Father’s will
Isaiah 53:4 (KJV), “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”
Isaiah 53:6 (KJV), “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:10 (KJV), “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”
- That thereby he made atonement for the sin of man.
Isaiah 53:5 (KJV), “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:8 (KJV), “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”
Isaiah 53:11-12 (KJV), “11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:9 (KJV), “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”
- That he bore his sufferings with an invincible and exemplary.
Isaiah 53:7 (KJV), “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
- That he should prosper in his undertaking, and his sufferings should end in his immortal honour.
Isaiah 53:10-12 (KJV), “10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
The contempt the Jews put upon the gospel of Christ. The unbelief of the Jews in our Savior’s time is expressly said to be the fulfilling of this word.
Isaiah 53:1 (KJV), “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?”
Romans 10:16 (KJV), “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”
Acts 11
God shows no partiality (cont.)
Acts 11:9 (KJV), “But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.”
Peter explained God’s grace given to the gentiles
Acts 11:16-18 (KJV), “16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
The first Christians
Acts 11:26 (KJV), “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
I Thessalonians 5 The Day of the Lord
1 Thessalonians 5:2 (KJV), “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”
The dead in Christ have risen, then the saved on the earth, then, there is no escaping
1 Thessalonians 5:3 (KJV), “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
We have escaped the tribulation
1 Thessalonians 5:4 (KJV), “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.”
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (KJV), “9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.”
Job 30 Job is mocked
Proverbs 13
Always guard your mouth
Proverbs 13:3 (KJV), “He that keepeth [guards] his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”
Love the Word of God
Proverbs 13:13 (KJV), “Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”
Isaiah 52
The coming of God’s Servant (Jesus Christ)
Isaiah 52:13-14 (KJV), “13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”
Grow in the Word of the Lord 