Bible Studies, Inspired by Faith and Science

When did Isaiah make the famous prophecy about a virgin being with child? What place did Isaiah use to represent Hell? Who did Isaiah heal with figs? When did the sun go backwards ten degrees? Whose army disappeared overnight? Which king was in charge when Hilkiah found the book of law? Which king restored temple worship to its original form? Why do Kings and Chronicles tell the same stories? Why might chapters in Isaiah not be in the right order?   When did worship become centered on the Temple? Isaiah’s writings start under King Ahaz and would have been collected after his death to form the “book” we know. They include a mix of prophecies, essays and historical accounts, not necessarily in chronological order, and combined with Kings and Chronicles, they tell a story consistent with other historical sources. Isaiah’s most famous Christian prophecy comes in the time of Ahaz when God promises an enemy will fail dur...

When was Judah ruled by a queen? Did kingly succession always proceed in an orderly manner in King David’s house? Was Baal ever worshiped in Jerusalem? What are the first known collection boxes in church? Did Israel ever conquer Judah? What sickness did Uzziah suffer from? Who invented machines of war in the Old Testament? Who redesigned the Temple at Jerusalem? Who lived in Israel after it was conquered? How did the Babylonians discover When the newly anointed Jehu kills King Jehoram of Israel in Jezreel, Jehoram's ally King Ahaziah of Judah flees. Shot in the back, Ahaziah dies at Megiddo. His mother Athaliah, daughter of Jezebel, tries to kill all the heirs and take Judah's throne but Ahaziah’s sister saves the youngest son, Joash. Six years later Jehoida the priest commands the army to make 7-year-old Joash king of Judah. Athaliah is killed (2 Chron 23, 24), the temple is repaired, Baal worship (encouraged ...

My Old Testament Bible studies stopped with the split between Israel and Judah. The royal families continue to intermarry, and the faith continues to be diluted by foreign beliefs. In both countries, God is worshiped on the high places while true priests and prophets preach and teach. Both royal courts are served by God's prophets. The Temple at Jerusalem contains multiple altars and is the center of Judahite worship, but Israel maintains a similar culture and symbolism in the bull statues at its boundaries. Judah and Israel straddle major trade routes and are both subject to frequent invasion as the Syrian empire rises.  So... continuing the tale... What happened to the king of Damascus? Whatever happened to Jezebel? What had a bow and arrow to do with Israel and Syria? Whose court included the prophet Jonah? Where did the prophet Amos come from? Does the Old Testament God only love His own people? Does killing God’s enemies in the Old T...

This isn't really a Bible study post, but I've just completed a journey through the Bible in 25-word segments on my writing blog. Click here to find out more. And Merry Christmas !

How did the golden shields in Solomon's temple turn into bronze? How is the mother of Abijam related to his father? Where did the Ethiopians do during Asa’s reign? What illness did King Asa have? What did Asa do with the remaining temple gold? How did it affect Jehoshaphat? Who were Micaiah and Zedekaiah? What happened to the relationship with Edom under Jehoram, Jehoshophat’s son? Who caused the deaths of a king of Israel and a king of Judah, both at the same time? What was Jehu famous for?  Rehoboam retains only the southern part of Israel, called Judah for the predominant tribe, after the country splits. Although he’s said to have lost ten tribes, in fact the land belongs to Judah, Simeon and Benjamin, and there are still Levites living there. It also contains Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple, and the Temple treasures, but Shishak of Egypt attacks and steals the gold, so Rehoboam makes fake treasures from bronze. Rehoboam’s son Ab...

Which half of David and Solomon’s kingdom did Elijah and Elisha live in? How did Samaria become the capital of Israel? Who was Ahab? What did Jezebel do? Which prophet raised someone from the dead? Who spoke with a still small voice? How did Naboth lose his vineyard? What were Elishas’ first three miracles? Who was Naaman? Which three kings fought against Moab? Omri, king of the northern kingdom of Israel by conquest, buys a hill and builds a city (hills were good, defensible places for cities) called Samaria, which then becomes the capital of Israel. Omri’s son Ahab marries the Zidonian princess Jezebel and institutes Baal worship, possibly even child sacrifice, among the Jews of Israel (1 Kings 16). Under Jezebel’s authority, Jewish prophets are slaughtered but Obadiah hides some away (1 Kings 18). Meanwhile Elijah prophesies a drought then hides by a brook where ravens feed him, afterwards staying with a widow in Zarephath where o...

1. Why did the kingdoms of Judah and Israel split? 2. Did either, both or neither kingdom follow God? 3. Did either, both or neither kingdom maintain the lines of priests and Levites? 4. Why are the stories of the kings different in Kings and in Chronicles? 5. What is the significance of Jeroboam’s golden calves, and how do they relate to oxen? 6. Who was killed by a lion? 7. What’s the connection between King Nadab and the next king Baasha? 8. What happened to Jeroboam’s family under Baasha, and Baasha’s (Elah’s) under Zimri? 9. How did Zimri die? 10. Who were Tibni and Omri and why is Omri famous? The second half of 1 Kings, together with 2 Kings (2 books since they wouldn’t fit in one scroll) tells the story of God’s people from the time of Solomon to the captivity in Babylon. The two books of Chronicles tell the (much longer) story from Genesis to the return from exile. The books are probably compiled and written from combinations of the same and different source materia...