Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Kings and Chronicles

You might call this the "history section". Follows right after the book of Joshua in the Bible. Yes, there is a lot of history in the book of Joshua and after Chronicles, but nevertheless...
Remember, this is just one mans notes.  Hope it is a help to someone.

Judges

1. Judah, Caleb, Simeon battle the Canaanites and Perezites but did not drive them all out.  Slew ten thousand at Bezek.  Captures Adonibezek and cut off his thumbs and big toes as he had done to 70 other kings before.
2. An angel of the Lord rebukes Israel.  Note Judges 1&2 similar with Genesis 1 & 2 in that they mention things that seem out of order, Joshua already died when mentioned in Judges 2.  See Joshua 24:29
3. The Lord leaves nations among Israel as a test and they fail.  The Lords anger is hot. Ehud kills Elgon the fat king of Moab
4. Deborah judges Israel
5. Deborah and Barak sing praises to the Lord
6. Gideon visited by an angel of the Lord
7. The Lord chooses 300 men for Gideon
8. Gideon and the Midianites, Israel turns away from the Lord again 
9. Wickedness of Abimelech and Shecham
10. Israel sins, the Ammonites oppress them
11. Jephthah makes a vow he regrets
12. Jephthah vs Ephraim, some trying to say shippoleth or sibboleth
13. Angel comes to wife of Manoah, Samson born.
14. Samson kills a lion, gets a wife.  Gives a riddle
15. Samson slays 1000 with the jawbone of an ass
16. Samson and Delilah.  Slew more in death than life
17. Micah.  No king now, but every man does that which was right in his own eyes.
18. Children of Dan come unto Micah take his things and his priest and setup graven images.
19. A Levite gives up his concubine to wicked men, then gives the parts unto all of Israel
20. Children of Israel vs Benjamen
21. Israel helps Benjamen take wives of Shiloh 

Ruth 

1. Naomi returns to Jerusalem with Ruth
2. Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz
3. Ruth goes back to see Boaz
4. Boaz and Ruth marry, from which later come Obed, Jesse and David

I Samuel

1. Birth of Samuel, mother lends him to the Lord 
2. Hannah praises the Lord. Man of God comes to Eli the priest telling him his sons would die and the Lord would raise up a faithful priest.
3. Samuel did not yet know the Lord, yet he was ministering unto the Lord under Eli. The Lord tells him he will judge the house of Eli.
4. Eli's sons killed, ark captured by Philistines, Eli dies
5. Philistines set the ark next to their god.  The Lord destroys some of the Philistines, gives emerods to others.
6. The Philistines return the ark
7. Israel repents, Philistines defeated, lands returned to Israel
8. Samuel grew old and his two sons Joel and Abiah turned away and perverted judgement.  The people ask for a king.
9. Saul goes out seeking his fathers asses seeing a seer and finds Samuel.
10. Saul becomes king. God save the king
11. Saul and Israel defeat the Ammonites
12. Samuel warns all Israel what they have done asking for a king. He prays for thunder and rain.  For their sake they are warned not to rebel.
13. Saul is impatient waiting for Samuel.
14. Johnathan battles the Philistines.  Eats honey
15. Samuel commands Saul to slay Amalek utterly, but Saul spares and sin would his undoing as king.
16. The Lord tells Samuel He would appoint another king from among the sons of Jesse.  This would be David.
17. David and Goliath
18. Saul is jealous of David, but realizes the Lord is with David and not him.
19. Johnathan convinces Saul not to kill David, but Saul soon tries again.  David goes to see Samuel.
20. Johnathan makes a covenant with David
21. David goes to see Ahimilech the priest. Doeg the Edomite.
22. David escapes to the cave Adullam. Saul has Ahimilech and the other priests killed.
23. David flees Keilah into the wilderness of Ziph with Saul seeking him.
24. Saul pursues David again.  David and his men are hiding in a cave when Saul and his men come in.  David could have killed Saul, but spares him.  Saul repents.
25. David comes to Nabal, of the house of Caleb and a son of Belial. His wife Abigail keeps David from wiping out Nabal after he had refused to help David. Abigail becomes David's wife.
26. Saul tries to pursue David again but David sneaks into the camp at night and takes his spear and water bottle.  Saul repents.
27. David dwells in Gath with Achish (Philistine ruler).  Invades the Gershurites and Gezerites.  Achish believes David is hated by all Israel.
28. Philistines gather to war against Israel. Saul seeks a woman with a familiar spirit who brought up Samuel and he tells Saul that he will be defeated.
29. At the request of Achish, David returns to the land of the Philistines, and asks to take part in the battle against Israel. 
30. David returns to Ziklag to find it burned. He asks the Lord if he should pursue, rescues his wives, wipes out the rest but 400. David distributes the spoil.
31. Israel flees from the Philistines, Saul and his sons die.

II Samuel

1. An Amelikite tells David, Saul and Johnathan are dead.  David commands the Amalekite be killed and the children of Judah be taught the use of the bow. Today, David would tell the people of Judah to teach their children the use of the AR-15
2. The Lord tells David to go up to Hebron of Judah. David anointed king. Fight between Saul's followers and Davids.
3. War between house of Saul and house of David. Abner is killed
5. David becomes king over Israel also.  The Jebusites resist David. David has more concubines and wives and sons. The Lord tells David to battle the Philistines but wait for a sound from the mulberry trees.
6. Uzzah touches the ark when the oxen stumbles and the Lord smote him dead. David's wife Michal rebukes him.
7. The Lord tells Nathan the prohpet to ask David why he has not built a house for the Lord and that his.  David had rest round about (see also I Kings 5)
8. David smites the Philistines, puts garrisons in Syria. Davids sons were rulers.
9. David asks if there be any of the house of Saul that he may show kindness. .  He restores all of Sauls land to Mephibosheth, son of Johnathan, son of Saul. Eats at Davids table.
10. Mistrust and war with children of Ammon and Syrians, after David offered kindness.
11. David sins with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah
12. The Lord sends Nathan unto David and he repents. Nathan tells David his wives will be taken from him and be given unto his neighbor. The child w/Bathsheba dies. David tells others that he can not bring the child back, but he will go to him one day. They have another, Solomon and the Lord loved him. Joab fights against Rabbah.
13. Amnon sins with his sister Tamar, who suggest they should be married first. Absalom kills Amnon. Evil is coming upon the house as David just as Nathan prophesied (see 12:11)
14. The Lord finds ways to bring people back unto him. Absolom returns, tries to get Joabs attention, but has to set his field on fire. Absolom finally sees David.
15. The treachery of Absolom against David. David goes up mount olivet.
16. Men from the house os Saul come out to curse and throw stones at David but David does not punish them. Davids counselor, Ahithaphel told Absolam to take all of Davids concubines. It was so just as Nathan had prophesied.
17. Ahithophel conspires with Absolom
18. The armies of David and Absolom meet. David commands that Absoloam be treated lightly, but Absolom hit a tree, then Joab cast darts into him. David mourns.
19. David tries to make peace and retstore order
20. A man named Sheba and a man of Belial, concinves Israel to depart from David but Judah remains faithful. Joab kills Amasa.
21. A famine in the land. David asks the Lord why and the answer was because what Saul had done to the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites ask David for 7 of Sauls sons and David agrees. Battle with the Philistines, brother of Goalith killed.
22. David praises the Lord with son. Says he has not wickedly departed from God.
23. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
24. David tells Joab to number the people.  There are 800K men of Israel, 500K in Judah. David repents, asks the Lord to take away his iniquity. The Lord comes to the prophet Gad, gives David 3 choices. The Lord tells the angel it is enough. David saw the angel. David buys a threshing floor to build an altar.

I Kings

1. David is old. Adonijah proclaims himself king, but Davd gives kingdom to Solomon, son of Bathsheba. 
2. Adonijah convinces Bathsheba to ask king Solomon for Abishag for a wife
3. Solomon made friends with Pharaoh, returns with his daughter.  Prays for understanding.  The Lord tells him in a dream he will get wisdom and riches.
4. Solomon had peace on all sides. God gave him great wisdom.
5. Solomon asks Hiram of Tyre to cut cedar and temple construction begins.
6. The temple finished, size of an average house?
7. Solomon brings Hiram to make a number of things of brass for the temple, then brings in many things David dedicated.
8. The ark is brought into the temple, which contained only the two tablets of stone given to Moses. Soomon prays
9. The Lord speaks to Solomon. A promiseand warning for his people and their children to keep the statues of the Lord. Of the people that Israel had not utterly destroyed (Amorites, Hittites etc), Solomon made servants.
10. Queen of Sheba pays a visit to Solomon. Gave him 120 talents of gold (12000 lbs?) In one year Solomon brings in 666 talents of gold
11. Solomons many wives that turned his heart away unto other gods. The Lord tells Solomon he will take his kingdom away. God stirs up adversaries to Solomon. Jereboam, Hadad, Rezon, Ahijah.  The Lord will divide the kingdom. Solomon dies. Jereboam to get 10 parts.
12. Rehoboam flees to Jerusalem. Then Jereboam becomes king over ISrael. The kingdom is divided - Israel & Judah. King Jereboam has 2 golden calfs made.
13. A man of God from Judah, cried against the altar in Bethel and that a child will be born unto the house of David named Josiah. Jeroboam's hand dries up. The man of God disobeys and is killed by a lion.
14. Abijah, son of Jeroam fell sick. His mother is sent to ask Ahijah about him. The Lord was to cut off Jeroboam. Nabab takes over after Jeroboam. The Lord will smite Israel because of Jeroboam.There were sodomites in the land of Judah and Judah did evil. Shishack king of Egypt came against Jerusalem and took away treasures. War between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Rehoboam dies and his son Abijam reigned.
15. Abijam walked in all the sins of his father. He dies and Asa his son reigns and does that was was right in the eys of the Lord, takes away the sodomites and idols out of the land. Asa also removed his own mother from being queen because she had made a grove. Asa did not destroy the high places however. Baasha, son of Ahijah replaces Nabab as king of Israel.  Baasha does evil
16. Jehu, son of Hanani preaches against Baasha. Elah his son is next to rule.  Zimri, captain of Baasha conspired against Baasha. Killed him and all his kin. Israel is divided against itself, half follow Omri, the other follow Tibni.  Omri wins and reigns over Israel. He does evil. Ahab his son takes over. Ahab also does evil, served Baal.
17. Elijah the Tishbite, it will not rain until he gives the word. Elijah prays to revive a womans child.
18. Sore famine in Samaria. Ahab called Obidiah, the governor of his house, meets Elijah. Ahab gathers all the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel. Eliha vs the prophets of Baal. The rain returns.
19. Ahabs wife, Jezebel is angry at Elijah wh then goes on the Beersheba of Judah. Elijah is nourished by an angel. God tells Elijah to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu king over Israel and Elisha to be prophet. There are 7000 left that have not yet bent the knee to Baal.
20. Israel slew the Syrians, though they were outnumbered. A man of the sons of prophets tells another to smite him, but he refused. The man that refused to obey the prophet was killed by a lion. The prophet rebukes Ahab for letting Banhadad (king of Syria) go free.
21. Jezebel has Naboth killed to get his vineyard to please Ahab. The Lord sent Elijah to tell Ahab that the place where dogs licked Naboth's blood, there also will dogs lick his blood. Ahab humbles himself. The Lord tells Elijah that since Ahab has humbled himself that he will bring evil in his son's days instead of his.
22. Jehoshophat king of Judah comes to see the king of Israel. The prophet Micaiah prophesies against the king of Israel. Both kings go into battle against Rmoth-Gilead. Kig Ahab is killed. Dogs lick his blood from the chariot just as Elijah had prophesied. Ahaziah is now king of Israel. Jehoshophat removes sodomites from Judah. Peace between Judah and Israel.

II Kings

1. Ahaziah injured, sends messengers to ask of Baal-Zebub if he will recover. The Lord tells Elihah that Ahaziah will die.
2. Elisha recieves and double portion of Elijahs spirit. Elijah taken up in a chariot of fire and whirlwind. Elisha heals a bad spring of water. On his way to Bethel some children mocked him. He curses them and a she bear tare them.
3. Jehoram did eveil, but not like his parents, for he put away the images of Baal.
4. King of Israel (Ahab), Jehoshophat king of Judah and king of Edom go to see Elisha.  He tells them to dig ditches which will be filled with water and the moabites will be delivered into their hands.
5. Naaman the leper is made clean because a young Israli maid told the kings wife about the Lord. Slisha has him to go wash 7 times in the river Jordan. Elisha's servant run after Naaman to recieve money. Get gets leprosy instead
6. Elisha makes an iron axe head float. Syria wars with Israel. Elisha warns the king of Israel. Elisha is sought by the Syrian king but Elisha tells the young men with him that there are more with him that with them (Syria). Chariots and horses of fire. Famine in Samaria
7. Measure of flour for a shekel, two measures of barley for a shekel. Four peerous men go to the Syrian camp to find it deserted. They ate and drank. One of the kings men asked Elisha mockingly how the food would come, would later be killed.
8 Elisha tells the woman whos son had been restored to go away from the famine. She returns after 7 years, the king restores her land. Clisha comes to Damascus. Hazael is sent by Ben-hadad king of Syria to ask if he would recover. The Lord showed Elisha that Hazael would recover, but Ben-hadad would die. Hazael would be king and do terrible things to Israel.
9. Elisha sends a young prophet to anoint Jehu as king. Jehu kills Joram(Jehoram), has him cast into the field of Naboth. Jehu kills Ahaziah also. Jezebel eaten by dogs just as Elijah had prohesied.
10. Jehu has all the remaining sons of Ahab beheaded, then lures all the followers of Baal into one place, makes sure there are none that follow the Lord, then his men slew them all.
11. Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah now reins in Israel, tries to kill off the heirs of Joram. Joash is saved from death. Joash is protected by Jehoiada the priest. After Joash is crowned, Jehoida commands that Athalia be killed. House of Baal destroyed. Joash was only 7 years old. 
12. Joash commanded the Lords house to be repaired. King of Syria, Hazael is set to take Jerusalem. Instead of fighting, Joash buys off king Hazael. Joash is later killed ina conspiracy of his servants.
13.Jehoahaz son of Jehubegins to reign over Israel and does evil in the sight of the Lord. Israel delivered to the Syrians. Jehoahaz besought the Lord. Jehoash his son begins to reign, does evil also. After Jehoash comes Jereboam as king. Elisha dies. A dead man is revived when he touches the bones of Elisha.
14. Amaziah begins to reign in Judah at age 25 and did good like Joash, but the high places were not taken away. Has the murderers of hsi father put to death but not their children, siting Moses. Israel invates Judah. Amaziah dies. Jeroboam now rules Israel. Azariah rules Judah. Jereboam dies, now comes Zachariah.
15. Azariah also called Uzziah began to reign in Jsrusalem. Does right. Jotham hsi son takes over judah, while Zachariah rules in Israel. Zachariah did evil, killed by Shalum, who took over Israel. Shallum killed by Menallem who also had the pregnant womens bellies of Tirzah ripped up. Menallem dies, Pekahiah takes over Israel. Pekah kills him and now reigns Israel. Then Hoshea reigns. Now Jotham,son ofUssiah reigns in Judah. Jotham dies and Ahaz reigns in Judah.
16. Ahaz of Juda did evil. Bribes the Assyrians to help fight Syria. Ahaz dies. Hezekiah now reigns in Judah.
17. Assyria attacks Israel and carries them away. The nations that came into occupy feared the Lord and their gods even to this day.
18. Hezekiah of Judah did right and trusted in the Lord.   None like him came after. Senacherib king of Assyria comes against Judah. Rabshakeh tells the Jews not to listen to Hezekia. Even though the father of Hezekiah was the wicked king Ahaz, his mother was Abi who was the daughter of Zachariah. Nowhere else is she mentioned, but it could very well be her who taught Hezekiah to fear the Lord.
19. Hezekiah's servants come to Israel who tells them not to be afraid, that the Lord will send a blast upon the Assyrians. The angel of the Lord smote the Assyrians.
20. Hezekiah sick, prays to the Lord. The Lord hears him, tells Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that he will heal and get an extra 15 years and will deliver Jerusalem out of the Assyrians hand, for the Lord.
Isaiah asks the Lord to make a sun dial go backards 10 degrees as a sign. Hezekia shows all his treasures to the king of Babylon's son. Isaiah tells him the Lord has said all he has will be taken. After Hezekiah, Manasseh reigns. Hezekiah says in vs 19 regarding his sons that will be taken away and made eunuchs that at least he will have peace in his days.
21. Manasseh did evil. Prophesy against Jerusalem. Manasseh dies, now Amon reigns and does evil also and killed by his servants. Josiah now reigns in Judah.
22. Josiah does right. Hudah the prophetess tells the kings servants he will not see all the evil that will come on Jerusalem. Josiah make s a covenant before all Judah, has all the things of Baal destroyed and the houses of the Sodomites destroyed and the Idolatrous priests put down.
23. Josiah continues taking down the things that were wicked including the hosues of the sodomites. Comes to a sepulchre of a man of God (see I Kings 13) and a prophet and leaves them alone. He slew all the priests of the high places. Tells the people to keep the passover. josiah dies, now Jehoahaz has his son reigns and does evil. King of Egypt takes Jehoahaz replaces him with Eliakim (Jehoakim)
24. Jehoakim becomes a servant of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The Lord sent many against Jehoiakim. He dies and now Jehoichin his son reigns and does evil. All of Jerusalem take to Babylon. Mattaniah(Zedekiah) king now
25. Babylon comes again against Jerusalem. Famine, Zedekiah's eyes put out and his sons kiled. The Lords house burns. The priests Seraiah and Zephaniah killed. Some that remained fled to Egypt.

 

I Chronicles

1-9 Geneology of Adam unto the kings Amalek, grandson of Esau, grandson of Abraham.  Nimrod, randson of Ham. Ham also begot Canaan. Abraham comes from lineage of Shem. 
10. Saul and his sons killed for Saul's transgressions, kingdom turned to David
11. David with Israel slew the Jebusites and Philistines. Davids mighty men listed.
12. Early days of Davids reign and those that come to help.
13. David encourages all afar off to return and bring thar ark of God because the people had not inquired of it all the days of Saul. Uzza touches the Ark, the Lord smote him
14. David gets help from Typre to build a house. Waits for sound from mulberry trees to battle the Philistines. Maries more wives
15. David has the ark brought up with the priests singing songs.
16. David's festival of thanksgiving
17. The Lord tells Nathan the prophet that David will not build a temple, but his seed would
18. DAvid enlarges his kingdom to the Euphrates
19. Children of Ammon dont trust David, see II Sam 10, same events
20. David and his men cut the children of Ammon to pieces in every city. War with Philistins. Davids nephew.  Johnathan and Ehanan each slew a giant once of which was the brother of Goliath
21. Satan causes David to number the people, except the Levi and Benjamen. The Lord has David choose from 3 punishments. An angel of the Lord appears to David and elders
22. David buys the threshing floor of Irnan and begins to setup the Lords house, but tells Solomon the Lord told him his Son would do it.
23. Solomon made king. Families of Levites, Moses
24. Sons of Aaron.
25. The 288 musicians
26. Divisiions of porters
28. Solomon given charge to build the temple
29. David admonishes the people and Solomon

II Chronicles

1. Solomon begins reign by asking the Lord for wisdom instead of riches or long life. 
2. Solomon begins to build the temple, 1000's of men
3. Temple work begins mt Moriah. Pillars in the front were called Boaz and Jachin
4. The altar, moten sea held by oxen
5. Template work finished, glory of Lord filled it
6. Solomon dedicates the template and prays for his people (6:26, also see Jer 6:16)
7. Fire comare down and consumed the offering and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The Lord appeared to Solomon, his prayer had been heard. The Lord promised to hear and keep them - only if they follow Him.
8. Non-Israelites had to pay a tribute. Solomon marries the daughter of Pharoah.
9. Queen of Sheba visits Solomon with hard questions but all are answered. In a single year 666 talents of gold, 1 talent approx 100 lbs.  Solomon dies, Rehoboam reigns
10. Israel rebels agaisnt Rehoboam and the house of David. Rehoboam had forsook the counsel of the old men.
11. Rehoboam is set to invade Israel, but the prohet Shemaiah recieves word from the Lord to tell Rehoboam not to. Jeroboam had brought in false gods.
12. Rehoboam begins to forsake the Lord. Egypt comes against Jerusalem. Rehoboam dies.
13. Abijah, son of Rehoboam begins to reign. War between Judah and Israel. Israel and Jereboam smote by the Lord. Abijah dies.
14. Asa, son of Abijah reigns now in Juda and he was a good king. Has rest on all sides. Asa battles 1 million man army of Ethiopia
15. The prophet Obed tells Asa and the people not to forsake the Lord. Asa puts away the abominable idols from Ephraim.
16. Baasha, king of Israel comes against Asa. Asa seeks help from Syria instead of relying on the Lord. Hanan says he will have wars.
17. Asa dead, now Jehoshaphat his son reigns. More fighting with Isarel. He did right. He sent Levites into Judah to teach the law of the Lord.
18. Jehoshaphat joins with Ahab king of Israel. Ahab asks Jehoshaphat to go with him against Ramoth-Gilead. Jehoshaphat asks first to seek the Word of the Lord. Michiah the propher.  Ahab is killed.
19. Jehoshaphat returns to Jerusalem and is greeted by Jehu the seer. Jehu asks him why he should help those that hate the Lord. Jehoshaphat setup up judges and Amoriah is the chief priest.
20. Moabites, Ammorites and others come against Jehoshaphat. He feared what whas coming and sought the Lord. God causes the Moabites and Ammonites to destroy each other. Men of Judah and Jerusalem carry away the spoils.  They priase the Lord.
21. Jehoshaphat dies, his son Jehoram rules. Kills his brothers and several princes. Marries daughter of Ahab. Revolt in Edom. A writing comes to him from Elijah. He dies
22. Ahazia (also called Jehoahaz, see ch 21). Does evil, dies and his mother destroys all the roayal seed of Judah. She reigns 6 years. Jehoshabeath the kings dauther hides Joash. Ahaziah killed
23. Jehoida helps Joash claim the throne
24. Joash does right. Repairs the Lords house. The princes of Judah convince him to build idols
25. Amazaiah, son of Joash is king, does right but not with a perfect heart. Hes killed.
26. Uzziah, son of Amoziah is made king. He sought the Lord while Zecheriah was alive.
27. Jotham, son of Uzzaih is made king.He was a good king.
28. Ahaz, son of Jotham is made king, he was a bad king
29. Hezekiah, son of Ahaz becomes king of Judah. Does right, cleans and restores the temple. The thing was done suddenly.
30. Hezekiah invites all of Israel to the Lords house. Some laugh and mock, but many come.
31. The people cut down the groves and high places.
32. Assyria comes against Judah. The king and Isaiah
33. Manasseh, son of Hezekiah becomes king and was evil. Amon becomes king, then Josiah.
34. Josiah is king, does right.  Book of the law found.
35. Josiah and the people keep the passover. Fight with Egypt. Josiah wounded at Megiddo. Jeremiah lamented for Josiah
36. Jehoaz, son of Josiah is made king.Killed by king of Egypt. Jehoiakim now king and was evil. Babylon comes. Jehoachin now king.  He was evil and taken to Babylon. Zedekiah now king, also evil. Now the Lord sends the Chaldeans upon them. Temple destroyed.

The Kings

Saul -> David -> Solomon, then comes the divided kingdom under Jeroboam and Rehoboam

Israel	Judah
Jeroboam Nabab Baasha(son of Ahaijah) Elah Omri Ahab Ahaziah Jehoram(brother of Ahaziah) Jehu Jehoahaz Joash(Jehoash) Jeroboam Zachariah(only 6 months) Shallum(only 1 month) Menahem Pekaniah Pekah Hoshea ======= Assyrian captivity	Rehoboam Abijam Asa Jehoshaphat Jehoram Ahaziah Athaliah Joash Amaziah Azariah(Uzziah) Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amon Josiah Jehoahaz Jehoiakim Jehoiachin Zedekiah ========= Babylonian captivity

Acts of the Apostles

An Overview

The names of the apostles – Matthew 10:2-4
1. Addressed to Theophilus,  Remembering Jesus and the beginning of His ministry.
2.  The cloven tongues, they began to speak with other tongues but men heard them in their own language.  Prophesy refers to Joel 2
3. Peter and John heal a lame man, but give God the glory and preach Jesus
4.  The Sadducee's have Peter and John put in jail, but about 5000 had heard them and many believed
5. Ananias and Sapphira die after holding back money and lied about it. The Sadducee's again throw the apostles in prison, but the Lord opens the doors.
6. The number of disciples multiplied.  Seven chosen to care for widows.  Stephen was one of the 7.  The synagogue of the Libertines had him delivered to the council.
7. Stephen gives an account from Abraham to Moses to Jesus and rebuked the council for persecuting the prophets.  He is taken out and stoned. Stephen sees Jesus STANDING on the right hand of God. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he sat down on the right hand of the Father, See Matt 26:64 and Mark 16:19
8.  The church at Jerusalem was scattered because of great persecution, except the apostles.  Simon the sorcerer, Phillip the eunuch.
9. Saul on the road to Damascus.  Barnabas testifies on behalf of Saul to the apostles.  Peter and Aeneas.  Peter and Tabitha(Dorcas).
10. Cornelius the centurion has a vision of an angel telling him to go to Peter.
11. Peter comes to Jerusalem. The Jews contended with him, he repeats what has happened.  The church sends Barnabas who is glad, and sends for Saul.  Believers first called Christians at Antioch.
12. King Herod persecutes the church. Peter loosed from prison.  Easter vs days of unleavened bread.
13. Saul and Barnabas encounter Bar-Jesus.  Saul delivers a great sermon in a synagogue.
14. Paul and Barnabas preach boldly in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.  Paul heals a lame man.  Paul stoned
15. Some from Judea were teaching circumcision.  Disagreements between Paul and John (Mark)
16. Paul meets Timothy.  Timothy circumcised to appease the Jews.  More churches established.  Paul to Macedonia.  Casts out a spirit of a woman that made the Jews a lot of money. He is beat and thrown in prison.
17.  Paul comes to Thessolinica, reasons with Jews at a synagogue for 3 sabbaths (3 weeks).  Some of the jews believed, but also a great man Greeks.
18. Paul departs to Corinth.  Tries to reason with jews about Jesus but they opposed him and blasphemed.  Paul shakes his raiment at them.  Meets Justus and Crispus.
19. Paul at Ephesus.  Some disciples re-baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Paul spoke in the synagogues for 3 months, two years in the school of Tyranus.  All in Asia heard the Word of the Lord. Some unbelieving Jews called Jesus the same way the exorcists did, but the evil spirit prevailed.  Some believed and burned their expensive sorcery books. Vagabond jews = gypsies?
20. Paul to Macedonia, then Greece.  The  jews were trying to catch him in Syria, so he goes through Macedonia. A young man falls asleep then falls from the 3rd loft, but Paul helps revive him. Paul tells the elders he is to go to Jerusalem.
21.  Who is "we"?  Most likely its Luke writing this. Phillip the evangelist who had 4 daughters who did prophesy. Those with Paul try to convince him not to go to Jerusalem. They go together.  Paul beaten, but gets the captain to let him speak to the people.
22. Paul speaks to the people and recounts his story but they say "away with him".  He avoids being scourged when its known he is a Roman citizen.
23. Paul speaks again to the people, this time mainly to a group of both Pharisees and Sadducee's.  After dissention arose, the Roman captain has him brought into the castle (police protection?)  Pauls nephew warns him of a plot, but the Romans rescue him, taking him to the governor.
24. Paul goes before Felix the governor
25. Paul brought before Festus, asks him to be judged in Jerusalem, but Paul has already made his appeal to Cesar. King Agrippa wants to hear him before he leaves.  Festus found nothing wrong.
26. Paul answers Agripp and the rest. Agrippa tells Festus that Paul should have been let go if he had not already appealed to Cesar. 
27. Paul saisl to Italy.  An angel tells him they will ship wreck but no lives will be lost. They started in Crete.  They went aground on an Island name Melita.
28.  Paul bitten by a viper, but shakes it off into the fire.  The locals first assumed Paul was a murderer, but after he didn't die from the snake bite they thought he was a god.

Patriotism In The Bible

Overview

Should Christians in America, serve in today's military?  Should a Christian serve in the military under any condition? What makes today any different than 10,20 or 100 years ago? Should a Christian help those that hate the Lord?  Is the military just like any other job one might have? Is there a line in the sand, which when crossed should prevent any Bible-believing Christian from offering their service to the country  they live in? The times we live in have some, including myself, asking these sorts of questions.

Some groups such as the Amish have argued that it's never acceptable to serve in the military or even own firearms for self defense, because they are pacifists and see the 6th of the ten commandments,  Exodus 20:13 "Thou shalt not kill." as to be taken literally. Jesus explains this in Matthew 19:18 as referring to murder or the shedding of innocent blood. All through the Old Testament we read about God telling His people to smite and in some cases utterly destroy some groups of people.  The Bible tells us in I Cor 14:33 that God is not the author of confusion.  How could God give Moses the 6th commandment, thou shall not kill, yet later on with Joshua and others, tell the children of Israel to kill and destroy these other nations?  To me it’s clear the Bible makes a distinction between killing and murder. Just so we are clear, we are not talking about objecting to military service on the basis of a view shared by the Amish, that of a pacifist.

Then

We could look at the lives of some of the mighty men of the Bible - from David, Gideon, Joshua, or Samson.  We could look at the period of the judges or the various kings, both before and during the division of the kingdom after Solomon.  In all these, we have men who led other  men into battle yet feared the Lord and did what was right in the sight of the Lord and there were those who turned away and did evil in the sight of the Lord.  In many cases during the times of the kings, a good king was followed by a wicked king. Even though none of them were without fault, there is an example of this sort of conflict between service to your people and obedience to God and having to choose one or the other.  Israel at the time of Ahab was split between the northern kingdom that took the name Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah under king Jehoshaphat.  Israel was gearing up for war with Syria and king Jehoshaphat decided to join with Israel. There was one man who had a problem with this decision.  Jehu the seer.  We read about this encounter in II Chronicles 19.  Jehu questioned King Jehoshaphat why he would help a wicked king like Ahab. 

Today

America today means different things to different groups of people.  The Norman Rockwell image of America of the 1950’s is nearly gone.  The US has become a land of “mingled people” as in Jeremiah 50 as he describes the Chaldeans.  Many Christians today that consider themselves very conservative can’t seem to understand why so many refuse to see it the way Fox news sees it.  America, as a people has turned its back on the Lord.  Sure, a token mention of God is made here and there, but it’s largely for show. There is still a remnant who fear Him, but they no longer have the reigns of power and their influence is on the decline. The nation is and has been for decades in the hands of a globalist, God-hating, cabal of degenerates with a lust for empire and wealth.  They will sell out our heritage to appease the bankers and the burgeoning masses of people who have come here from the far flung corners of the world and want the US to become more like the place they left.  The way the bureaucrats have chosen to do this is a gradual chipping away at the things that offend groups like muslims, hindus, jews, atheists and especially the last few years, the homos.  Any group except Christians. No, it’s Christians who must be made to bend, accommodate and tolerate, in the name of cultural sensitivity and embracing diversity.  More than one generation has grown up now that are all too willing to continue in this direction.  

The last 20 years especially, has seen an onslaught of new programs in the military that require soldiers to adhere to in the name of political correctness.  Some view the military as a distinct and independent branch of our government.  However it is the civilian leadership that has the authority to direct their actions and fund their operations.  When a young man joins the military he takes an oath to support and defend the constitution.  He also puts himself into a position unlike any job he might ever have outside the military except possibly law enforcement to some degree.  In many cases if he is doing anything other than sitting behind a desk, he could find himself putting his life in the hands of others and having responsibilities that could get many of his fellow soldiers killed if he fails. He can’t just walk out the door either if he doesn’t agree with the “management” or rather his chain of command.  If he does, he can end up in prison and/or a record that follows him for the rest of his life.  So, no being a soldier is not just another job. The whole chain of command can be compromised if trust and respect is lost.  It’s one thing to force through promotions in the name of political correctness, or boosting females into combat where they don’t belong,  it’s an entirely different level when our soldiers are asked to accommodate things that the Bible is clear about that God hates and has given over to a reprobate mind. Trust breaks down and then respect is lost.  These directives, while being ordered from the top brass, originate from civilian bureaucrats, many of whom are bought off by multinational corporations and groups openly hostile to anyone or anything that supports a biblical view of these matters.  

Many brave men have served in the US military and many have paid the ultimate price in countless wars and engagements around the world.  Many if not most Christians can not see that there would ever be a situation that would cause them not to support someone considering military service.  It’s the patriotic thing to do. Might it be that even if statues of moloch were erected on every military base, they would still  line up to enlist?  What good is the most powerful military in the world if the people turn away from God? Is the military going to prevent a country from becoming something even more opposed to God’s way? No, it’s past time for the men that do the bidding of these bureaucrats to just refuse to enlist and maybe officers to resign their commissions.  Let the king Ahabs of America fight their own wars.  

Psalms 11:3

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Psalms 146:3

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help

What then?  

We need men like Elijah and Elisha to confront the king's false prophets.  Preachers like Jeremiah and Isaiah that preached the hard truth that the self-righteous didn’t want to hear.  We need leaders like Jehoshaphat and Asa who tore down the institutions the sodomites built and tore down the high places.  Maybe then a young man that fears the Lord can enlist in the service of his country again and not feel like he is helping those who hate the Lord.

The King James Translators Preface to the Readers

Overview

This is something I had wanted to not only read, but study through for quite some time. Much can be learned about the King James Bible and it's seemingly peculiar way it reads to us today in the modern world by reading from the words of translators themselves.  The thing to understand is that the men doing the translation were not only the best and brightest Bible scholars of the day, but they also had a deep reverence for the Scriptures.  So important was it NOT to err away from the Word, that often a literal translation was made from the original Hebrew or Greek, rather than the method of "textual criticism" as it was known in areas like Alexandria, where many false doctrines started.  Though not often printed in most King James Bibles today typically in an effort to save space, we can still find the preface the translators included not only to the King, but to the reader.  They include 15 different points they address that can explain why and how they did what they did. Below each section I have put my own notes on what they have said.

This often omitted preface, can be found online here:
http://thekingsbible.com/Library/Preface
Here is a short summary and my own notes on each of these sections as I read through them. They cover a lot of ground, going back to the earliest times.

I.  The best things have been calumniated (slandered)
- They knew they were not going to please everyone
- Worthy men have been brought to an untimely death for the very things they are doing now.

II. The highest personages have been calumniated
- Constantine, while he openly professed his faith, there was some question to his sincerity, yet he was called wasteful by his peers for providing for the church.
- There is no new thing under the sun (ref. to Ecclesiastes 1:9)

III. His majesty's constancy
- King James knew full well the criticism he would get, but he was not discouraged
- Kings especially, should care for religion and to know and profess it zealously
- This is their glory before all nations (ref. I Samuel 2:30)

IV. The praise of the Holy Scriptures
- Love the Scriptures and wisdom will love thee (ref. Proverbs 4:6)
- The Scriptures is an armory of weapons for both offense and defense

V. Translation necessary
- I Corinthians 14:11 "Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me."
- Without a translation, the unlearned are like the children at Jacobs well with no bucket

VI. Translation of the Old Testament out of the Hebrew into Greek
- The Lord at first, would have His name great only in Israel, Hebrew was sufficient
- As time passed, God sent His son to be a reconciliation through faith in His blood not to the Jew only, but also to the Greek
- Ptolemy Philadelph, King of Egypt called for translating the Hebrew scriptures into Greek (eg. the Septuagint, approx 285 BC) also called the "translation of the seventy"
- The translation of "the seventy" did not satisfy the learned, especially the Jews. Hence, followed further translations of the Hebrew by Aquila, Theodotian, Symmachus
- The Apostles left the Septuagint when it left the Hebrew.
- Origen used these translations to collate what became known as the Hexapla
- These translations were not without fault.  The KJV translators would go back to the original Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

VII. Translation out of Hebrew and Greek into Latin
- The first few hundred years after Christ, LAtin was a good language for translation since to many were provinces of Rome.
- There were too man Latin translations to be all good, and were not out of the Hebrew fountain, but the Greek, so Hierome (Jerome) translated from the Hebrew.

VIII. The Translating of the Scripture into the vulgar tongues
- Even in Jerome's time, the Scriptures had been translated into several languages.

IX. The Unwillingness of Our Chief Adversaries, That The Scriptures Should Be Divulged In The Mother Tongue
- One had to get a license in writing just to use them
- It's not he that has good gold that is afraid of the touchstone, but he that has the counterfeit. A touchstone is a stone to rub gold on for testing its purity)

X. The Speeches And Reasons, Both Of Our Brethren, And Of Our Adversaries Against This Work
- Many were asking why yet another translation, asking had the church been deceived.
- They (the translators) were not wanting to handle the Word of God deceitfully

XI. A Satisfaction To Our Brethren
- A Man would rather be with his dog than a stranger whose speech is unknown.
- The conference at Hampton court was appointed to hear the complaints of the Puritans

XII. An Answer To The Imputations Of Our Adversaries
- Even the "meanest" translations contained the Word of God.  
- The Romanists(Catholics) judged them by only an example or two, referring to these earlier translations (eg. Wycliffe, Tyndale)
- They(the translators) knew they were being called herritiks
- The numerous iterations of work the translators were doing were being criticized, but this is the very thing they are charged with, that is to make a better translation
- The Catholics had themselves changed and corrected their own translations


XIII. The Purpose Of The Translators, With Their Number, Furniture, Care, etc
- They were not out to make a bad translation into a good one, but a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principal one.
- Hierome (Jerome) translated not out of the Greek, but the Hebrew even though he was fluent in Greek, yet made no mention of the Greek.
- As others such as Hierome and Augustine had said, if a new translation should be done, it should use the Hebrew for the OT and Greek for the NT as their sources.
- Origen some say was the first to write commentaries upon the Scriptures, but he overshot himself many times.
- The work has taken 7x72x2 days and then some, compared to the Septuagint 72 days.
XIV. Reasons Moving Us To Set Diversity Of Senses In The Margin, Where There Is Great Probability For Each
- Some things are certain, namely the Gospel and the things concerning salvation, but there are other things and words that are not clear. These things are those that some men will make
- The variety of translations they were using, most likely referring to the numerous Greek translations, were to profit the finding out of the Scriptures.

XV. Reasons Inducing Us Not To Stand Curiously Upon An Identity Of Phrasing
- They did not want to vary from the sense of that which they had translated before(in another passage)
- God Himself had used diverse words in His Holy Writ.
- They were leaving the wording of the Puritans and the Papists
- Their desire is that the Scripture may speak like itself, that it may be understood even of the vulgar (non-Latin)

Common Reasons For and Questions About The Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Overview:

Most who believe in a rapture of believers, will point to I Thessalonians 4:14-18 as the key passage explaining this event.  It's when this event and its sequence is considered in relation to the other events of the last days that there is disagreement. This post is to lay out some of the key points for the rapture occurring before the 7 year period known as "the tribulation" or "Daniel's 70th week" begins and then ask some questions about those points.  There could probably be twice this many listed, but here are 10 common reasons typically given on the teaching that the rapture happens before the tribulation.  What follows these 10 points are questions about these points.

1. God has not appointed us (Christians) to wrath, I Thessalonians 5:9
2. Noah was taken into the ark before the flood came, Genesis 7 and Lot was take out of Sodom before God destroyed it, Genesis 19
3. The Holy Spirit must be taken out of the way before the antichrist is revealed, II Thessalonians 2:7,8 and since believers have the Holy Spirit living inside them, they can’t remain behind either. I Cor 3:16
4. The tribulation period is a 7-year period known as Jacob’s trouble and since Jacob refers to Israel, therefore Christians are not going to be part of it. Jeremiah 30:7 
5. Believers are the bride of Christ and no man would want to let his bride get abused. Ephesians 5:25, therefore the rapture must come before the time of Jacob’s trouble.
6. Since the church is no longer mentioned after Revelation ch 3, and John is told to "come up hither" in Revelation 4:1, the rapture must come before the tribulation spoke of in chapters 5 & 6 and elsewhere that covers the period known as Daniel’s 70th week.
7. Matthew 24 is mostly talking to the nation of Israel, the rapture can be seen in verses 40,41 but the earlier part of the chapter is directed to the Jews and the nation of Israel.
8. Paul was the first to reveal the rapture, as he said he was revealing a mystery that had not been known till then. I Corinthians 15:51 and therefore the first part of Matthew 24 does not concern the rapture, but rather Israel.
9. Daniel’s 70th week, which is the time period the tribulation covers, is for Israel, not the church and Michael the archangel will stand up for Daniel’s people (the Jews).  Daniel 12:1
10. No man knows the day or the hour, Matthew 24:36 therefore Christians have to be removed before the time of the tribulation.  If we were present, we would know the day of His 2nd coming since we would witness the antichrist make the covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:24-27) and start the countdown.

Now for the questions. 

Lets consider each of the 10 points above, and see if they make sense or is there more to study and understand.

Questions on points 1, 2 & 5

It’s true that God will not pour His wrath down on believers.  However, does the entire 70th week involve God pouring out His wrath, or does God’s wrath only begin somewhere during this time period?  Tribulation seems to be what the world (and the prince of this world, the devil) does to believers, but wrath is something that God pours out on the world, starting with the 6th seal of Revelation ch 6. Between the 5th and 6th seal we read about those that have been martyred for the cause of Christ ask in Rev 6:10 “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”  Finally, the day of God’s wrath arrives and begins, in Rev 6:17. So doesn’t it seem that all of this 7 year period is not God pouring out His wrath, only part of this time period, with the first part being tribulation, followed by God's wrath?

Questions on point 3

Nowhere is the Holy Spirit mentioned.  Isn’t it a leap to say that since believers have the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, and if the Holy Spirit is taken away, then believers must be taken away and before the tribulation starts?  However, since the man of sin is revealed at what’s known as the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27) which is in the middle of this time period (Revelation 13), this idea that II Thess 2:7 referring to the Holy Spirit can’t really tell us the sequence of the rapture happening before this 7 year period even begins, can it? Just who is this “he” referring to in II Thessalonians ch 2, that is being taken out of the way?  The Bible isn’t specific in naming the he. Also, how would anyone get saved during this 7 year period if the Holy Spirit is removed?   Could this he that is being referenced in verse 7 be very closely tied to the same he that is being talked about just a few verses earlier, which concerns the antichrist.   Something or someone is preventing the antichrist from being revealed. In Revelation 13 we see an image of a beast, the rise of a world government and how one of the heads of this government gets a deadly wound.  In Revelation 17 there is more about this, when we read in verse 8 “when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” which seems to say that one of these kings is taken out of the way (killed) and yet he still is. It is this individual that becomes the beast, or rather the beast becomes him, and the beast which gets its power from the dragon, the devil. In Rev 13:4 and Rev 17:8 we see that this beast ascends out of the bottomless pit (hell). Finally, could this individual “he who now letteth will let” in II Thess 2:7 be referring to one of the kings that make up the world government, mentioned in Revelation 13 & 17, who is killed but somehow is seen to be alive but really isn't. Who, then the world wonders after him and just a few verses earlier in II Thess 2:4 he sits in the temple claiming that he is God.

Question on points 4,7 & 9

Daniel (ch 9:2) had been reading the book of Jeremiah, so he knew full well what Jeremiah had written.  The book of Daniel is very important when studying the book of Revelation. In Daniel 12, the things he was told he didn’t understand (12:8) and was told in 12:9 “for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” and it’s with the revelation given to John in the book of Revelation, that we can understand the things told to Daniel.  In the first verse (12:1), Daniel is told Michael will stand up for “thy people”, which, since Daniel was a Jew would seem to imply that, here again as in Jeremiah 30:7, this time period is only going to be for Jews. The key to me, starts at 12:2, which is the resurrection. Since we know the rapture (I Thess 4 & I Cor 15) involves the bodily resurrection of believers, this passage must be dealing with the same events. Otherwise this doesn’t make sense.   Finally, in verses 10-13 we see the same time period that was mentioned in Daniel 9, which mentions him having already read Jeremiah, and concerns this final 70th week. Daniel is told he is going to rest (die) but will stand in his lot at the end of the days, which to me is obviously referring to the resurrection at the rapture. Also, why is Daniel told in verse 12:12 that he will have to wait 1335 days? This time period seems odd but close to the same segments of this 70th week as mentioned elsewhere in Daniel 12:9 and Revelation (11:2, 12:6).  If Daniel is going to wait 1335 days, when would this period start since it’s obviously not the full 7 years? If this is only for the Jews, then why do we read in Daniel 12:1 “thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”? How does one get their name in the book? Is this not the book of life mentioned in Revelation 20:12?

Further, Paul tells us in Galatians 3:28,29 that there is no Jew nor Greek concerning salvation, and that if we put our faith and trust in Jesus, then we too are heirs to the promise given to Abraham, just like Daniel.   Otherwise, is Daniel going to be resurrected separately?

Just who is Jesus addressing in Matthew 24?  Isn’t it his closest followers? Is he addressing them as His followers or as the earthly, physical nation who will reject Him? Who are the elect mentioned in Matt 24:22,24.   Do a search on the word “elect” in the New Testament - who is being referenced? Is it the Jews, or believers, those that have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? This is clear to me that this entire passage is Jesus addressing those who are his followers and have trusted Him, not to some earthly, physical nation or a specific ethnic group.  In Mark 4, Jesus explains that the parables are given broadly to those who do not yet believe, but the parables are only actually explained to His followers and those that put their faith in Him. Finally, Paul tells us in I Cor 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Question point 6

Just because the churches mentioned earlier are no longer being addressed after ch 3, does that require they are now gone and the rapture to have occurred?

This is something that tended to sort of make sense until I really started to study Matthew 24 with Revelation 6, as they are the same events.  However, if Jesus is addressing those who are following Him in Matthew 24, this poses a problem for this idea of the church being raptured after Revelation 3 (or beginning of ch4 which John is told come up hither).  

Question on point 8

Does the use of the word mystery here in I Corinthians 15 require that the rapture, which Paul is talking about, had never been mentioned or revealed before?  It is true that God chooses not to reveal some things at a given time, but only later. Take the case of Daniel, who was told things about the last days, but instead of explaining these things, he was told to seal up the book until the end. If in fact the first part of Matthew 24 is addressing those who have believed on Jesus, then it can’t be right to say that Paul is teaching something new, for Jesus had already spoken about it.  Also, since Jesus refers to Daniel’s prophecy in Matthew 24, then the things Daniel was told surely also deal with this same event among others of the last days? See also Mark 13 and Luke 21. If we let the Bible define itself, and look elsewhere the word mystery is used, it seems clear that the meaning is not something that was not known before, but rather is something that is not easy to understand.

Question on point 10

No so sure about this one either.  Since a deal could get made in the back room of some government office somewhere, nobody would yet know when to “start the clock”.  The issues raised so far really come down to deciding who Jesus is speaking to in Matthew 24 and who is being discussed in Daniel when concerning the 70th week.  If however, Jesus is speaking to those who believe on Him, it still doesn’t allow one to know the day or the hour, because He is speaking about the things that they will see in the last days.