Wayne Palmer

In the Book of 2 Samuel, we get to witness David’s rise to power and his rule as king of God’s people. In David’s kingship, we are reminded of our heavenly King Jesus, who is ruling and reigning over us today.

After forty years of wandering in the desert, God speaks to His people through the prophet Moses. The Israelites had been waiting to enter the Promised Land since it was promised to Abraham hundreds of years before, and that promise was about to be realized—but first, God wanted to remind His people of His covenant and what they should observe as His people.

Rumors swirled around the Ancient Church as some teachers professed that Jesus was never going to come back. The early Christians’ hope was being dampened—could this be true? Could the hope that they clung to so tightly be false?

Peter wrote this letter to Christians in Asia Minor to directly address these false claims and reassure the Church that Christ’s promises hold true.

We continue our journey through the Bible with another minor prophet—Malachi. The Book of Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, but it still occurs about 430 years before the birth of Christ.

The coming of John the Baptist is predicted in Malachi 3:1, a forerunner of Christ who will “prepare the way.” This is an excellent book of the Bible to read in December during Advent since it is the closest canonical book of the Old Testament before the birth of Christ. Pay close attention to the prophecies that refer to Christ, and spend extra time meditating on these verses!

Habakkuk is one of the minor prophet books of the Bible we traditionally gloss over—it’s only three chapters long, and its prophecies are mostly God responding to Habakkuk’s questions about the impending judgment on Judah.

This book, however, speaks greatly of God’s compassion in the midst of waiting. God is just, and He will avenge sins. But we can also be sure of His grace because of the work of Jesus Christ!

First Timothy, one of the Pauline Epistles, is written to a young pastor named Timothy. It is the first of two letters written to him from his mentor in ministry, Paul.

Luther noted that 1 Timothy “provide[s] a model to all bishops of what they are to teach and how they are to rule Christendom in the various stations of life, so that it may not be necessary for them to rule Christians according to their own human opinions” (Luther’s Works, vol. 35, p. 388). Today, we trust that all pastors—young and experienced alike—teach and preach the Word of God faithfully.

Overview

The Book of Amos is a series of prophecies by the prophet Amos, who predicted the fall of Judah by the invading Assyrians. He warned the Israelites that destruction was impending, and he described God as angry, crouching, and focused like a lion stalking the sinful, carefree nations.

Overview

The Book of Ezekiel follows the prophet Ezekiel and his message to the Israelites about the destruction of Judah and his prediction about the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. After confronting the Israelites with their sin, God promises restoration to His people.

Overview

The Book of 1 Thessalonians calls believers to live in the Gospel and fulfill their calling in the joy of the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds the Thessalonians of Christ’s return—a tricky passage to interpret—but also reminds them to simply follow Christ’s example while they await His coming.

Imagine having the world at your fingertips. God gave it all to young King Solomon when He gave him a wise and discerning heart. Like the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable, Solomon squandered God’s generous gift in wild living. Here in his Book of Ecclesiastes, he reports on his discoveries about a life of self-indulgence lived apart from God.