Bible Studies, Inspired by Faith and Science

This week our Bible study moves on to look at the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. I guess, at last, we're looking at "minor prophets," but they had some major things to say at a time when major things were happening. They seem to have had some major things to say about the future too. (44) Haggai and Zechariah issue a call to rebuild The Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem and tried to rebuild the Temple. The foundations were laid ( Ezra 3:10-11) but work stopped around 535BC and didn’t restart until around 520BC. 1.        Read Ezra 3:10-11, 4:24-5:1 Have you ever started something for God then encountered a long unproductive pause? 2.        Read Haggai 1:1-4 How do we know whether it’s time to wait or time to work? 3.        Read Haggai 1:6 How well does this describe modern Western society? 4.        Read Haggai 1:7-8 How important is it to have...

I'm enjoying reading familiar verses from Isaiah in a different light. Sometimes we're so sure are own interpretations are the only possible ones, and so we divide when we really ought to unite. But it's not new--it's human, and the Bible story tells the wonder of when human meets divine--real world, real people, and real God! (43)Deutero-Isaiah and the Return Nbonidus and Belshazzar were coregents over Babylon. The citizens were tired of Nabonidus’ long absence and refusal to worship. They were also tired of Belshazzar’s excess, so when Cyrus marched in (550BC), the Babylonians greeted him with celebrations in the street. Meanwhile the Israelites were still the downtrodden poor. How might they have viewed regime change? In the light of last week’s study, what or who might have influenced their views? Jewish tradition keeps the book of Isaiah as one volume, but splits the authorship into Isaiah and Deutero-Isaiah—a second prophet speaking at the end of the exil...