Video - Romans chapter 4

 

Audio script
4/Romans, Chapter Four.

Romans Chapter 4

1. 4:1-8 Abraham pardoned (justified) by faith

 

4/1, ABRAHAM PARDONED (JUSTIFIED BY FAITH). Abraham believed in God and he was forgiven his sins. It was not his works but his faith which caused forgiveness.

Abraham (person) believed (connected lines) in God (triangle) and was forgiven (hands raised).

 

2. 4:9-12 Circumcised and uncircumcised

 

4/2, CIRCUMCISED AND UNCIRCUMCISED. Abraham was uncircumcised when he was pardoned. Both the circumcised and uncircumcised can be pardoned.

Jews (circle with line) can be circumcised (knife) and forgiven (hands raised).

 

3. 4:13-17 The promise

 

4/3.THE PROMISE. God promised Sarah, Abraham’s wife, would have a son, Isaac, in her old age because of his faith and not because he obeyed the mosaic law.

Sarah (woman) would have a son, (baby) because of Abraham’s (circle with line) faith (connected lines).

 

4. 4:18-22 Abraham’s faith

 

4/4 ABRAHAM’S FAITH. Despite his and Sarah’s old age, Abraham believed in God who promised him a son. Thus Isaac was born. This strong faith caused him to righteous.

Abraham’s (circle/line) faith (connected lines) resulted in the birth of Isaac (baby) and his righteousness (raised hands).

 

5. 4:23-25 Our faith

 

4/5, OUR FAITH. Abraham’s faith, (circle/line) who believed in the impossible (cross) helps us to understand our faith in God who did the almost impossible by raising Jesus from the dead (triangle/cross).

 

Link to Romans Chapter 4 notes:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r3JT2xRxkEYkVdTfgd-Ed88o8Pm5E4YX/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100932535101609714655&rtpof=true&sd=true

Video - Romans chapter 3

 

Audio script
3/Romans, Chapter Three.

Romans Chapter 3

                                        

1. 3:1-4 God is faithful

 

3/1, GOD IS FAITHFUL. There is some advantage in being a Jew. God is always faithful even though the Jew is sometimes unfaithful.

God (triangle) is faithful (two connected lines) even though the Jew (circle with one line) is unfaithful (two separate lines).

 

2. 3:5-8 God’s fidelity

3/2, GOD’S FIDELITY. Human evil brings out God’s uprightness and fidelity. Yet God is just in punishing human evil. Don’t do evil that good may come from it.

God (triangle) judges (balance) and punishes (hammer) evil (square with x).

 

3. 3:9-20 Sinfulness of all human beings

 

3/3, SINFULNESS OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS. All Jews and Gentiles are sinners as shown by the texts in v.11-18. No one will be saved by obeying the mosaic law.

Gentiles (zero) and Jews (circle with line) are sinners (square and x) will not be saved (line through man) by the mosaic law (two tablets).

 

4. 3:21-25 Saved (justified) by faith in Jesus

 

3/4, SAVED (JUSTIFIED) BY FAITH IN JESUS. God freely declares the guilty innocent and makes them so when they believe (faith) in Jesus.

The saved (hands raised) believes (connected lines) in Jesus (triangle and cross).

 

5. 3:27-31 Aspects of justification

 

3/5, ASPECTS OF JUSTIFICATION. A) No boasting before God. B) As there is one God so we must treat Jews and Gentiles the same. C) Torah law, i. Code of commands; ii. The total revelation of the Old Testament.

There is no boasting (line through man); Jew (zero) and Jew (zero with line) are equal.

Link to Romans Chapter 3 notes:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jxPIk1_BIdkmVW8N1k9fZojE6iLXjeYb/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100932535101609714655&rtpof=true&sd=true

Video - Romans chapter 2

 

Audio script
2/Romans, Chapter Two.

Romans Chapter 2

1. 2:1-4 God's just judgment

2/1, GOD’S JUST JUDGMENT. God will punish the pagan for doing evil and also, the Jew who does evil and criticizes the pagan.

God, (triangle) will punish (hammer) the pagan (zero) and Jew, (zero and line.)

 2. 2:5-11 Our actions are important

2/2, OUR ACTIONS ARE IMPORTANT. On the day of judgment all will be judged by their works.  Those who do evil will be punished. Those who do good will be rewarded.

On judgment day (balance) the evil (hammer and square with an x) will be punished and the good rewarded (crown and square with four lines).

 

3. 2:12-16 The interior law

2/3, THE INTERIOR LAW. Pagans not having the mosaic law will be judged by the natural law in their hearts. Doing the law is what is important.

The pagan (zero) will be judged (balance), by the natural law (square in the heart).

 

4. 2:17-24 The Mosaic Law

2/4,THE MOSAIC LAW. The Jew is blessed having the mosaic law and teaching it to others. Yet, he does not fully obey it.

The Jew (zero with line) has the mosaic law (two tablets) but does not keep it (line through two tablets).

 

5. 2:25-29 Circumcision

2/5, CIRCUMCISION. Then uncircumcised pagan who keeps the law is better than the circumcised Jew who does not keep the law. True circumcision is of the heart.

The pagan (zero) who keeps the law (two tablets) is better than the Jew (zero with line) who disobeys the law (crossed two tablets).

Link to Romans Chapter 2 notes:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aT1pq2dwTWLg34svI7NgoGiarE92bQ-U/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100932535101609714655&rtpof=true&sd=true

Video People of the Bible (29) Maccabees

 

29.        MACCABEES 

The Syrian kings forced the Jews to abandon their religion in favour of the Greek religion. Some Jews known as the Maccabees revolted and formed an independent state.

 

THE JEWISH TEMPLE. The Syrian king, Antiochus IV, thought that the Jews in Jerusalem were revolting against him. He entered the city and killed many Jews and many were sold into slavery. He desecrated the temple by handling the sacred vessels and stealing money. God permitted this to happen because of the sins of the people. God would eventually restore the temple to its former glory.

 

JUDAS MACCABEUS. Judas was the Jewish leader who revolted against the Syrians. He would enter towns at night and enlist faithful Jews to join him in the fight against the enemy. He would attack at night setting towns on fire and captured strategic positions. His fame began to spread as he gained one victory after another. Judas always prepared his men for battle by praying and encouraging them to trust in God.

 

PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. Judas and his forces captured Jerusalem and the temple. In December of 165 B.C. he rebuilt the altar of the temple and restored the Jewish worship. This event, known as the feast of lights or Hanukkah in Hebrew, is celebrated yearly around Christmas time.

 

The Syrian kings forced the Jews to give up their religion to follow the Greek religion. The Maccabees revolted which resulted in the Maccabean wars. Because of their victories over the Syrian forces, the Jews were able to achieve a century of independence.

Video People of the Bible (28) Daniel

 

28.        DANIEL 

In the book of Daniel, which was written 165 years before the birth of Jesus, Daniel was the main character. It was written by an unknown author during a bitter persecution to comfort the Jewish people.

 

DANIEL. Four Jewish youth were to be trained for three years and then serve the Babylonian king. They were to eat food from the king's table. Daniel requested they not eat that food fearing it may have been offered to pagan gods. He asked that they only eat vegetables and drink water. The officer in charge at first refused this request fearing the youth might become sick. Daniel persuaded him which resulted in that the four Jewish youth turned out stronger than the other youth in training.

 

DANIEL IN THE LIONS DEN. Daniel's enemies persuaded the king to sign a decree that anyone who prayed to their god within thirty days would be thrown into the lions den. When Daniel was found praying to his God, the king reluctantly ordered Daniel to be thrown to the lions. To the king's great joy, Daniel was found unharmed the following morning. The king punished Daniel's enemies by throwing them to the lions. Daniel was a faithful Jew.

 

THE VISION OF THE SON OF MAN. Daniel had a vision of four beasts arising from the sea. An angel explained that these beasts represented four successive empires. Then a figure with a human rather than a beastly form appeared who was called the son of man. The angel explained that this heavenly figure symbolised the people of Israel. Instead of a temporary kingdom, they would be given an everlasting kingdom. Jesus used this image of the son of man to describe himself.

 

The book of Daniel was written to comfort and encourage the Jews suffering in a persecution. Daniel and his three friends were always faithful to their Jewish religion.

Video People of the Bible (27) Nehemiah

 

27.        NEHEMIAH 

Nehemiah, the governor of Jerusalem, rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and introduced necessary administrative reforms after the Jews returned from their Babylonian captivity.

 

THE MISSION OF NEHEMIAH. Nehemiah, who held an important post in the Persian court, received sad news about the condition of the Jews who returned to Jerusalem after their captivity in Babylon. He asked the Persian king for and was granted permission to return to help the people in Jerusalem. The king wrote letters to his governors to grant him safe passage and permitted him to use lumber from the king's forest for construction work in that city.

 

DECISION TO BUILD THE CITY WALL. During the night, Nehemiah, along with a few of his servants, secretly inspected the battered wall of Jerusalem in order to formulate a plan for the reconstruction work. When he informed the leaders and the people of his plan, they were very happy. They began the work with great enthusiasm. However, there were some who opposed this work.

 

EZRA READS THE LAW. The people gathered in Jerusalem and Ezra brought out the book of the law of Moses. He stood on a wooden platform surrounded by men as he read the law. As he read in Hebrew, a language that most of the people did not understand, the Levites explained the law in Aramaic, the language the people understood. The people wept at hearing the law, but Ezra told them not to do so as that day was a holy day. After hearing the law, the people celebrated with great joy.

 

Nehemiah received permission from the Persian king to return to Jerusalem to help the people who had returned there after their captivity in Babylon. He rebuilt the wall of the city. Ezra read the law of Moses to the people in the city.

Video People of the Bible (26) Ezra

 

26.        EZRA 

Ezra was a priest who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem around the year 428 before the birth of Jesus. He was also a leader and very interested in the study of the religious law of Israel.

 

THE RETURN OF THE EXILES. The Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon 539 years before the birth of Jesus. He decreed that all the Jews who wished to return to Jerusalem could do so. He also permitted them to rebuild the temple. Those who returned were the priests and their helpers, the Levites, those necessary for the temple service, and the family leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

 

THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. The Jews were discouraged in their first attempt to build the temple by their neighbors, the Samaritans. After a lapse of 18 years, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the people to resume rebuilding the temple. The work resumed in 520 B.C. A new problem occurred when they began the work. The Persian officials wanted to know who gave the permission to rebuild the temple. Though they permitted the work to continue pending consultation with the king, they were unaware of the permission originally given to the Jews by King Cyrus.

 

THE MISSION OF EZRA. Ezra was given permission by the Persian King to return to Jerusalem along with the other Jews.  He was concerned about the religious situation of the people. He was to bring gifts collected in Babylon for the support of the temple. The king promised additional support if needed and exempted temple personnel from taxes and forced labor. Ezra was to appoint judges with full authority to enforce the religious law.

 

The Jews were forced to live in Babylon for fifty years until King Cyrus conquered Babylon in 593 B.C. and permitted them to return to their homeland. The priest Ezra also returned and improved the religious condition of the people.

Video People of the Bible (25) Prophet of the exile / Second Isaiah

 

25.        PROPHET OF THE EXILE/SECOND ISAIAH 

Second Isaiah, who lived 150 years after Isaiah of Jerusalem, began writing chapters 40 to 56 around 540 years before the birth of Jesus. Very little is known about his life.

 

THE PROPHET OF COMFORT. The Hebrews were living in captivity in Babylon. The prophet was told by God to give comfort to the exiles who had suffered for a long time. There would be a new road in the desert for them to return to Jerusalem. The people were reminded that God remains forever while men come and go. The prophet was to tell the people that God was like a shepherd who would care of his people like a shepherd cares for his flock.

 

THE SALVATION OF THE PEOPLE. How wonderful is the person who brings good news of peace and salvation to the people in Jerusalem. All will see that God is their savior. The people can begin departing Babylon for Jerusalem. There is no need to go in haste as when the people fled from Egypt as God is leading and protecting them. The people can bring with them the sacred temple vessels stolen by Babylon during the exile.

 

THE MISSION OF THE PROPHET. God has given the prophet a mission. He must bring good news to the lowly, heal the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to captives, and release of prisoners. God will bless the people by rebuilding the country and give them an everlasting covenant. The people will rejoice having received blessings from God.

 

The prophet was told to comfort the people who had suffered in exile. The people would return from captivity to their city, Jerusalem, where they would live a happy life.

Video People of the Bible (24) Ezekiel

 

24.        EZEKIEL 

Ezekiel was a prophet in Babylon around 593 years before the birth of Jesus. He preached for about twenty years.

 

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. One problem encountered by Ezekiel was that innocent people had to suffer. The people said that they were victims of a situation inherited from their fathers. It was this mood that Ezekiel sought to correct. To be sure, his generation was caught in a fateful situation; but he insisted that individuals should not respond by giving up saying, "What's the use? God is not fair." He emphasised that each person is responsible for his own destiny. He is not the puppet of heredity, environment, or historical reasons. He must answer to God alone and for no one else.

 

THE GOOD SHEPHERDS. In the year 586 before the birth of Jesus, Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon. In his message of hope to the people, he used the image of a shepherd and his flock. There were the false shepherds, the leaders of the people, who cared for themselves rather than the people. God is the good shepherd who goes out to seek the sheep who are lost, crippled, or strayed in order to return them to their own pasture. He would also provide a good shepherd like David.

 

A NEW COVENANT. With the fall of Jerusalem, the other nations believed that God was powerless to save Israel. God would show the nations that they were wrong by restoring Israel. This act would lead Israel to repentance for Israel's heart must be changed from the sin of idolatry. God would give the people a new heart and a new spirit. Then Israel would have the will to obey God and would repent of its former evil ways.

 

Before the fall of Jerusalem, 586 years before the birth of Jesus, Ezekiel's message was one of doom. After the fall, his message was one of hope. He taught that each person was responsible for his own sins.

Video People of the Bible (23) Jeremiah

 

23.        JEREMIAH

Jeremiah was born about 650 years before the birth of Jesus near Jerusalem. He was a prophet who preached for about forty years.

 

THE CALL OF JEREMIAH. God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, but he objected to the call saying he was too young for this task. God told him not to fear as he would be with him. Jeremiah prophesied that there would be an invasion of Judah which would come from the north. The reason for the impending disaster was because the country had committed the sin of idolatry. This message made him very unpopular, but he continued to preach.

 

JEREMIAH VISITS THE POTTER. Jeremiah saw a potter at work and noticed the resemblance between God and the potter. As the potter shaped and reshaped the clay, so God who made Israel could make and remake it. If the nation would not cooperate with him, he would bring about its collapse and remake it. Jeremiah told the people they must change their ways and obey God. They refused to reform and continued to follow their own way.

 

THE NEW COVENANT. The old covenant was made between God and Moses on Mount Sinai. Jeremiah spoke of a new covenant made by God with his people. This new covenant would differ from the old. It would last forever, and it would be written in the heart and not on tablets of stone.  This prophesy was fulfilled only through the work of Jesus.

 

Jeremiah was called by God to deliver a difficult message which made him very unpopular with the people. He spoke against the temple and preached the new covenant that God would make with his people.

 

Video People of the Bible (22) Isaiah II

 

22.  ISAIAH/2 

Isaiah has three major sections generally called First, Second, and Third Isaiah. They span from 724 to at least 500 years before the birth of Jesus.

 

MANY WILL SUFFER. The people would suffer because of their sins. The people who steal land, which was given by God to his people, will find their homes empty and their fields unproductive. Those who drink wine and disobey God would be sent into exile. Those who acquit the guilty of bribes and deprive the innocent of justice would be punished. All those people have rejected the instruction of God.

 

 THIE SONG OF THE VINEYARD. Isaiah compared the people to a vineyard. The owner, God, had a vineyard that is Judah. He took great care of it, cleared the stones, spaded it, and planted the best vines. He built a watchtower and a wine press. Finally, he expected to harvest a crop of delicious grapes. The opposite happened. The grapes were sour and not fit to make good wine. The people of Judah were like sour grapes and did not live as God commanded. The result would be the destruction of the vineyard, that is the destruction of Judah.

 

THE COMING OF A VIRTUOUS KING. Isaiah saw the coming of a new Davidic King who would possess all the virtues of an ideal king. He would possess wisdom, understanding, strength, and fear of the Lord. He would judge the poor with justice and deal fairly for those affected. He would destroy the ruthless and the wicked. There would be peace and true religion practiced in Jerusalem and throughout the whole world.

 

Isaiah taught that those who oppressed the poor, became drunk, disobeyed God, and changed wrong to right would all suffer. There would come a virtuous king who would rule with justice, destroy the wicked, and bring peace to the world.

Video People of the Bible (21) Isaiah I

 

21. ISAIAH/1 

Isaiah preached for forty years in the southern kingdom, Judah, 740 years before the birth of Jesus. He preached a message of disaster which was rejected by the leaders and people.

 

THE CALL OF ISAIAH. God called Isaiah to be his prophet. He was to proclaim a message of disaster, to speak a message that would fall on deaf ears, and a message which would reveal more clearly the disobedience of the people. Despite the destruction which would befall the nation, Isaiah believed that a small group would survive the disaster.

 

AGAINST FALSE WORSHIP. The unfaithful leaders were encouraged to listen to God's word. God was not pleased with the sacrifices made by the people in the temple. Those who disobeyed the basic laws of God were unfit to engage in worship. The basic laws of God were to help those who had been treated unjustly, to care for orphans, and to be kind to widows. God was willing to forgive their sins. If the people were willing to obey God, they would be blessed; but if they refused to obey, they would be punished.

 

FUTURE PEACE.  The time will come when Jerusalem would become the center of the world. All the nations would go there to receive God's instructions on how to live according to God's laws. The people would live in peace. "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. One nation will not raise their sword against another, nor shall they train for war." All this would happen if the people obeyed God's instructions.

 

God called Isaiah to be his prophet. He was to deliver a message of disaster which the people would reject. However, God would bring peace if the people obeyed his law.

Video People of the Bible (20) Micah

 

20.  MICAH 

Micah preached for twenty years, 720 years before the birth of Jesus. He spoke for the poor farmers who suffered at the hands of the powerful landlords.

 

AGAINST THE RICH. Micah said that the rich businessmen lay awake at night planning how to get richer at the expense of the poor. Their cleverness enabled them to deprive the "little man" of his few possessions. Land was the fundamental form of wealth in the ancient world. Micah saw that the day would come when the comfortable life of the rich would be ended by foreign invaders and their wealth would be taken away.

 

AGAINST FALSE PROPHETS. Micah said that the prophets had led the people astray. They prophesied based on the offerings they received from the people. The prophets declared there would be peace only when they were fed and would declare there would be war if they were not fed. The prophets were corrupt. Micah, on the other hand, had the power of God to prophesies the truth.

 

TRUE RELIGION. God summoned his people to hear his complaints against them. God recalled how he freed the Hebrews from slavery while they lived in Egypt.  He sent Moses to serve as their leader when travelling in the desert for 40 years. God said that true religion consisted of three things: A) Justice which meant to know and carry out one’s duty. B) Kindness which meant to be loyal to God and man.  C) Humility toward God which meant to obey God.

 

Micah spoke for the poor farmers. He spoke against the rich who oppressed the poor and against the false prophets who led the people astray. True religion was to be just, kind, and obey God.

Video People of the Bible (19) Hosea

 

19.        HOSEA 

Hosea was a prophet who lived about 745 years before the birth of Jesus. His belief was that Israel was not faithful to God.

 

HOSEA'S UNFAITHFUL WIFE. Hosea married Gomer who bore him three children. She was an unfaithful wife just as Israel was unfaithful to God.  The bond between God and Israel was broken because the Israelites deserted God for the false worship of Baal, the local deity. The people believed that this deity produced a bountiful harvest, but it was God who produced the grain, wine, and the olive trees.

 

GENERAL CORRUPTION. There was corruption in the whole of society. They were not faithful in keeping the agreement of worshiping only the true God. There was no kindness as shown by God's love for his unfaithful people. There was no knowledge as the people did not understand God's great love and forgiveness for his people. This failure between God and his people resulted in moral chaos. There was no obeying of the Ten Commandments.

 

GOD'S FAITHFUL LOVE. God continued to love his unfaithful people. They must repent and return to God and turn away from the worship of the false deity, Baal. They must confess their sins of international intrigue and idolatry. If Israel would do these things, God would absolve the people and reverse the sin which caused disasters. There would be good health instead of sickness, there would be love instead of wrath, and there would be fruitfulness instead of decreasing fertility.

 

Hosea married an unfaithful wife. This marriage symbolised God's relationship with Israel. Though the loving God was rejected by Israel, God continues to love his people.

Video People of the Bible (18) Amos

 

18.        AMOS 

Amos, a shepherd who lived near Jerusalem, lived about 750 years before the coming of Jesus. He preached at the religious center of Bethel, which was 14miles north of Jerusalem, during the prosperous reign of King Jeroboam II.

 

THE SITUATION AT THAT TIME. Amos went to Bethel which was the northern religious center.  There he delivered a strong message against the rich as the poor and the innocent had their rights taken away by unjust lawsuits and economic deals. The poor were sold for a pair of sandals or for a few pieces of silver. The Israelites worshiped at pagan shrines. They lived a rich lifestyle by taxing the poor.

 

THE PREACHING OF AMOS. Amos predicted punishment against the shrine of Bethel with the destruction of its altar. The winter and summer homes of the rich would be destroyed. The rich women, who were compared to cows, would suffer a great deal. The Israelites would be led captive to Assyria.

 

THE REJECTION OF AMOS. Amaziah, the priest at the royal shrine of Bethel, reported to King Jeroboam II that Amos was a traitor and demanded that Amos leave Bethel and return to Judah his own country. Amos answered that he was not a prophet nor a member of one of the prophetic orders. God called him when he was watching his flock. He refused to stop preaching and predicted an imminent disaster. God's people would be exiled to an unclean land because the people there worshipped an idol as their god.

 

Amos was called by God to preach at Bethel, the northern religious center. He spoke against the unjust businessmen who stole from the poor. He foretold the suffering and destruction that would befall the northern kingdom.

Video People of the Bible (17) Elisha

 

17.        ELISHA 

Elisha was a prophet in Israel for about twenty years, 850 years before the birth of Jesus. Stories were told against the political events which took place in Israel in that time.

 

THE CALL OF ELISHA. Elisha was a farmer who was working in the field plowing with twelve yoke of oxen when the prophet Elijah came to him and threw his mantle over him. This meant that Elijah had authority over Elisha. Elisha slaughtered the oxen, cooked a meal, and gave it to the people to eat. After saying goodbye to his parents, he followed Elijah as his helper.

 

THE WIDOW'S OIL. A poor widow was in great debt and would have to sell her two sons as slaves as payment for the debt. She asked Elisha for help as all that she had was a jug of oil. He told her to gather as many containers as possible. She was then told to pour the little oil she had into the containers. After all the containers were full of oil, the prophet told her to sell the oil. She sold the oil and had enough money not only to pay her debt but also for her and her two sons to live on.

 

NAAMAN IS HEALED. Naaman was a leper and also the Syrian army commander who was told that the prophet Elisha could cure him. He travelled to Israel to seek Elisha's cure. He objected when told by the prophet to bathe seven times in the Jordan River. He was finally persuaded to do what the prophet told him, and he was cured. Naaman returned to his own country believing in the God of Israel.

 

Elisha was a farmer called by Elijah to become a prophet. He made the water pure to drink, helped a widow save her two sons, and cured Naaman of his leprosy. He helped the people in many ways.