Showing results for "The Cosmos" in Bibles & Bible Study

When God created the world, he brought perfect order out of what was “without form and void.” But with human rebellion against God leading to God’s curse, disorder was introduced into creation―disorder that we still see all around us today. Tracing the chaos to cosmos theme from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, pastor-scholar Sidney Greidanus reveals how God is restoring his creation through Jesus Christ, who has already begun to shine light into the darkness and will one day return to bring peace, order, and restoration once and for all.

In this audio compilation of the Book of Jeremiah, the narrator tells the story of the prophet Jeremiah. These chapters of the Bible are broken into biographical, prose, and poetic strands - and have a heavy focus on the events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem during a forty-year period. Here we focus on Jeremiah as the prophet who, from his young age to his grown years, delivers the word of God to the people of Israel at the most volatile and troubling times of their lives.

The Book of Psalms is a collection of 150 poems that were written by various sages, kings, and prophets throughout Jewish history. The book was compiled after the exiled Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. About half of them, 73 to be exact, are attributed to King David. Each of these poems is expertly and strategically placed in the book and go as far back as the creation of man.

The two Books of Kings, originally a single book, is the tenth of the Hebrew Bible or the eleventh and twelfth books of the Christian Old Testament. It concludes the Deuteronomistic history, a history of Israel also comprising the books of Joshua and Judges and the Book of Samuel, which biblical commentators believe was written to provide a theological explanation for the destruction of the Kingdom of Judah by Babylon in c. 586 BCE and a foundation for a return from exile.

The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible and describes the Exodus, which includes the Israelites' deliverance from slavery in Egypt through the hand of Yahweh, the revelations at biblical Mount Sinai, and the subsequent "divine indwelling" of God with Israel.

The Book of Ezekiel narrates the story of Ezekiel, who was a priest in Israel after the Babylonian capture of the land. At about the time when he would have been appointed as a prophet, he has a vision of God's manifestation. He is instructed to warn the Israelites to follow their covenant with God. The Israelites by this time had begun to worship other gods and idols. This had spawned social ills of all kinds. So Ezekiel begins to spread the word that unless the Israelites repent and obey God, another attack would follow on Israel and the temple would be destroyed.

While it is not known when or where exactly The Book of Chronicles was written, it is speculated that it was written around 537 BC. The second Book of Chronicles details the reign of King Solomon, who was the son of King David. He ruled over Jerusalem as a just and prosperous king. Solomon built the temple as instructed by his father. After a 40-year rule, King Solomon died and thus began the reign of his son, Rehoboam. During the rule of King Rehoboam, the key tribes of Jews in Jerusalem rebelled against him, resulting in the division of the kingdom, except the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

The Book of Isaiah was written by Isaiah (the son of Amoz), who served as prophet between 740 - 701 BC. This was a critical period in the history of Israel when corruption was rampant. The Jews were breaking God’s covenant and engaging in idolatry. Isaiah mentions Israel as falling to corruption. He says that there is hope for the people of Israel if they repent and mend their ways. In his dream, Isaiah saw God, who told him to preach to the people to remember and obey Him. He foretells of the fall of Israel and the exile of the Jews if they persist in their corrupt ways.

The Book of Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, is Judaism's account of the creation of the world and the origins of the Jewish people. It is divisible into two parts, the primeval history (chapters 1–11) and the ancestral history (chapters 12–50).

We do not know when the Book of Ezra was written or by whom. Parts of it were written in the first-person narrative. Also, it was written in both Hebrew and Aramaic (the language used by Persians). It narrates the story of the return of exiled Jews from Babylon back to Jerusalem ordered by King Cyrus, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, who is appointed governor. Upon his return, he builds an altar and starts to build a temple. His team’s efforts are cut short as the descendants of the Jews who were not exiled to Babylon lodge a complaint with King Cyrus

The Book of Daniel is a series of stories and visions. It is divided into three sections. It begins with an overview followed by stories about Daniel and his three friends who belong to the royal family of David. After being captured by the Babylonians, they are chosen to serve in their royal court, where they are instructed to adapt to their culture and food. They refuse to violate God’s law and are ordered to be burned alive in a furnace. The fire does not kill them.

It is not clear who wrote the Book of Proverbs or when it was written. However, we know that a part of it was written by King Solomon, who was the son of King David of Israel. This book is considered a set of instructions with which to tune the compass of one’s moral life. It is written in a poetic form using vivid imagery and begins with an emphasis on the quest to acquire wisdom. The first part of the book is about a father’s advice to his son. The central message of this advice pertains to seek virtue, integrity, and generosity, as only then can one achieve success and peace.

It is not known who wrote the Book of Job or when it was written. It is written poetically and is considered wisdom literature. The book starts with a dialogue between God and Satan. God first brings up Job and how noble and pious he is, then Satan contends that it is so because of the wealth and comfort which God has bestowed upon him. God allows Satan to inflict suffering upon Job. As a consequence, Job loses all his wealth, his children die, and he contracts disease.

The Book of Micah is a series of warnings to the people of Israel on God's behalf. At the beginning of the book, he addresses them that they have garnered wealth and power through theft and greed. He goes on to say that even their leaders and prophets were offering God’s protection to the people if they could afford to pay them. He relates how God has withdrawn His protection. Further in the book, he expands upon the accusations by saying that the Israelites favor the wealthy, bend the laws after collecting bribes, and steal the land of poor people.

After the return of the exiled Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem, prophets Zechariah and Haggai motivated the people to rebuild the temple. The people asked Zechariah when the temple would be rebuilt. Zechariah turns to the people and tells them to be true to their covenant with God, do good deeds, and not be like their ancestors; the people agree. Zechariah then has a series of 8 dreams. These visions translate to God fulfilling His promise by establishing His kingdom in Jerusalem that will be pure.

In the Book of Hosea, God talks to the Israelites through the Prophet Hosea. He was married to a woman named Gomer, who was unfaithful to him, and they had children together. Despite her infidelity, God tells Hosea to get her back. He obeys God. It also tells of God's relationship with Israel where God is like a faithful husband. The book tells about the favors that God bestowed upon Israel and how they broke their covenant with Him. But despite that, God was faithful to them because He is loving and compassionate.

The Book of Amos is a collection of sermons, poems, and calling Israel's wealthy to propagate justice and compassion among the poor. The poor were being marginalized, sold into debt slavery, and the justice system did not protect them. He warned the corrupt against God's judgment. Then God says that He chose Israel amongst everyone else and that He will punish them for their transgressions. Amos addresses these individuals and says that they go to the temples to pray and offer sacrifice, but it is all a sham for they neglect the poor and deny them justice.

The Book of Joel narrates the story of the Prophet Joel. The book starts with him telling the people that a locust invasion has wreaked havoc on the land. He asked the priests and people to ask forgiveness from God and prayed. He then goes on to describe a day in the future when the locusts will attack again. This time, he describes the locusts in a way that seems like God will send them as He would his army. He again tells the people to ask for forgiveness.

In this audio compilation of the Book of Lamentations, the narrator offers a collection of poetic laments of the Destruction of Jerusalem. Here, we focus on how the collection is partly a traditional "city lament" mourning the desertion of the city by God, its destruction, and the ultimate return of the divinity, and partly a funeral dirge in which the bereaved bewails and addresses the dead.

While we do not know when the Book of Esther written, or who wrote it, the events that unfold in it suggest that it was written approximately 100 years after the exile of Jews from Jerusalem. In this Book, there is no mention of God, and it is believed that that is done because the author wanted to make God present and active through His work. Around 484 BC, King Ahasuerus ordered a 180-day celebration as a show of his wealth and power. On the last day of the celebration, he ordered his wife, Queen Vashti, to appear and demonstrate her beauty, but she refused.