Lesson:  Facts about our Faith

II Timothy 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."


The Bible (from Koine Greek , ta biblia “the books”—a paper or scrool) a collections of sacred texts or scriptures that was  Christians considered to be a product of divine inspiration and a record of the relationship between God and humans. The word Bible means a collection of writings or library of books. II Timothy 2:15 “Righty divide His word.

II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

• The Bible is the inspired word of God
• The Holy spirit, intervened and influenced the words, message and collation of the Bible
• The Bible is also the infallible word of God and incable of error in matters of faith and practice
• The Bible represents the inerrant word of God, without error in any aspect, historical, factual and theologically
• The Word was spoken by God and written in its perfect form by humans.
• The bible is the biblia sacra “holy book”.
• Protestant churches focus on the idea of solo scriptura, or scripture alone.

-The Bible is the best-selling book of all time with an estimated total sales of over 5 billion copies.  Annually around 100 million bibles are sold.

The Septuagint , or the LXX, is a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures and some related texts into Koine Greek, began in the late 3rd century BCE and completed by 132 BCE, originally in Alexandria, but in time it was completed elsewhere as well.
​
The oldest extant copy of a complete Bible is an early 4th –century parchment book preserved in the Vertical Library, and it is known as the Codex Vaticanus.

• The bible consists of 66 distinct books; 39 in Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. When the books of the Bible were originally written, they did not contain chapters or verse references.  The bible was divided into chapters and verses to help us find Scriptures more quickly and easily.  It is much easier to find “John chapter 3, verse 16” than it is to find “for God so loved the world….”
• The Bible was first divided into chapters around 1250 by a Dominical by the name of Hugo de Sancto Caro, who became  Cardinal. Cardinal suggested  preparing a concordance to the Scriptures – the Vulgate or Latin Bible.
• Chapters division commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. Langton put the modern chapter division into place in around A.D. 1227.  The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern.
• The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Mordecai Nathan in A.D. 1448, Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, was the first to divided the New Testament into standard numbered verses, in 1555.
• The Geneva Bible from the sixteenth century was the first Bible to include both chapter and verse divisions for both Old and New Testaments.
• The bible includes 1, 189 chapters 979 in the Old Testament, 260 in the New Testament;  Apocrypha not included.
• The shortest verse of  the Bible is John 11:35, Jesus wept. The longest verse of the Bible is Ester 8:9.
• Five books consist of only one chapter (Obadiah, Philemon, 2nd John, 3rd John, Jude)
• The book of Psalms has the most chapters – 150.

 
Major Division of the Old Testament
 
The Pentateuch  - five scroll-cases,  (Commonly the first five books of the Bible) – The Hebrew –speaking Jewish community referred to these five books as “The Law,” “Torah,” or “The Law of Moses.” Torah – means “teaching” or “instruction.”

• Genesis (Beresheeth Heb) (the first 11 chapters of Genesis provide accounts of the creation (or ordering) of the world and the history of God’s early relationship with humanity. The remaining 39 chapters of Genesis provide an account of God’s covenant with the Biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (also called Israel) and Jacob’s children, the “Children of Israel,” mainly Joseph.
• Exodus - Shemot
• Leviticus - Vayikra
• Numbers - Bamidbar
• Deuteronomy - Devarim

History (Describing how the obedience or disobedience of God’s people is directly tied to the blessing and curses of the covenant).  In the Hebrew arrangement , Joshua, Judges, and he books of Samuel and Kings form a group of books called “the Former Prophets” due to the prophetic view from which they’re written. Neviim , Hebrew for Prophets. Former prophets are the books, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. Begin immediately after the death of Moses with the divine appointment of Joshua as his successor, who then leads the people of Israel into the Promised Land, and end with the releases from imprisonment of the last king of Judah. The latter prophets are dividing into two groups the “major” prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and the Twelve “Minor prophets.”

• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth - Ruth
• 1st and 2nd Samuel
• 1st and 2nd Kings
• 1st and 2nd Chronicle – Divrei ha-Yamim
• Ezra - Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Ester - Ester

Poetry or  Wisdom Writings (The fear of the Lord) which is the beginning of wisdom

• Job - lyyobh
• Psalms  (Tehillim Heb)( consist of five divisions: 1 Psalm 1-41, Book 2 of Psalms 42-72, Book 3 of Psalms 73-89, Book 4 of Psalms 90-106, and Book 5 of Psalms 107-150)
• Proverbs - Mishlei
• Ecclesiastes - Qoheleth
• Song of Salomon – Shir Hashshirim

Major Prophets (These Books were declared “major” because of the amount of text and not because they were considered more important than the “minor” prophetic books.) the Old Testament prophet tended to be revealed during times of crises. God used the prophets to provide direction and wisdom during times of crisis. They were also used by God to remind the people of their covenantal promises. Prophecy in the bible is part of God’s self-revelation, by which we come to know God through what He has done in the past and what He plans to do in the future.

• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations - Eikhan
• Ezekiel
• Daniel - Daniel

Minor Prophets  (part of the “classical prophecy” era of the Old Testament. The classical prophecy era began in the eighth century during the reign of Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. These prophets addressed both he king and the people and became social-spiritual commentators for the Jewish people.)

• Hosea - Hoshea
• Amos - Amos
• Joel-Yoel
• Obadiah - Ovadyah
• Jonah - yonah
• Micah - Mikhan
• Nahum - Nahum
• Habakkuk - Havakuk
• Zephaniah - Tsefanya
• Zechariah - Zekharyah
• Malachi - Malakhi

 
New Testament
Gospels (Gospel by four so called by Eusebius) or (Synoptic Gospels)

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

History

• Acts

Letters of Paul (Epistles)

• Romans
• 1st  and 2nd Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1st and 2nd Thessalonians
• 1st and 2nd Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

General letters

• Hebrews
• James
• 1st and 2nd Peter
• 1st  2nd and 3rd John
• Jude

Prophecy

• Revelation

 
Pastoral Epistles (All three are letters from an old man at the close of his ministry who is concerned for his successors in the pastorate. As such, the letters concern the things that would be crucial for the young pastors to understand—church organization and discipline, including such matters as the appointment of elders and deacons, the opposition of rebellious members or false teachers, and the maintenance of doctrinal purity.)

• 1st and 2nd Timothy
• Titus

Prison Epistles (The Prison Epistles refer to four letters in the New Testament written by the apostle Paul during his time under house arrest in Rome between approximately 60—62 AD. The first three of these epistles were written to specific local groups of Christians in the cities for which the books were named. Ephesians was written to the believers at Ephesus and covers areas of doctrine (chapters 1—3) and application (chapters 4—6). Of great importance is this letter's emphasis on salvation by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), church unity (Ephesians 4), and spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18).

• Ephesians,
• Philippians,
• Colossians,
• and Philemon.

 
What did Thomas Jefferson believe?
The Jefferson Bible, or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth as it is formally titled, was a book constructed by Thomas Jefferson in the latter years of his life by cutting and pasting with a razor and glue numerous sections from the New Testament as extractions of the doctrine of Jesus. Jefferson's condensed composition is especially notable for its exclusion of all miracles by Jesus and most mentions of the supernatural, including sections of the four gospels which contain the Resurrection and most other miracles, and passages indicating Jesus were divine. Jefferson cut and pasted his arrangement of selected verses from the King James Version[8] of the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in chronological order, putting together excerpts from one text to those of another in order to create a single narrative.
 
 
 
 
This Bible Study Was Written And Taught By Rev. Jesse Adams (M.Div.), Senior Pastor of Oak Level Baptist Church in N.C.

Sunday School Lesson
Kings of Judah: Rehoboam The Arrogant
 
2 Chronicles 10-12 (KJV)
10 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?
10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.
17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
11 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
 
 
23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.
12 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.
2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,
3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.
5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lord is righteous.
7 And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.
11 And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.
13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

2 Chronicles begins with the successful building of the Temple. It was filled now with all the marvelous items for God such as golden vessels, altars of brass, bronze basins, pillars, and was dedicated to God by Solomon. The glory of God so filled the temple after Solomon’s prayer that the priests could not even enter….
 
I sure would love to see the glory of God fill the church so strongly that we couldn’t enter the sanctuary without allowing Him to first cleanse our hearts. I pray that His conviction would be so heavy in the service today that we would be convicted of our unclean thoughts, acts, and deeds. The presence and glory of God is missing in His houses across the world today.
 
 
At the same time the temple was built, a palace for Solomon was built as well. In all it took 13 years to complete all the construction that Solomon had ordered.
 
We see in 2 Chronicles 7 that God makes a covenant with Solomon and the His people:
 
2 Chronicles 7:11-22 (KJV)
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
 
 
God had already blessed Solomon with great wisdom, wealth, and material things.
However, Solomon also married many foreign women, which was confusing considering his dedication to God at the time, however 2 Chronicles 8:11 shows his early intentions to be faithful in the beginning to God:

2 Chronicles 8:11 (KJV)
11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the Lord hath come.”

Eventually, these outside influences and pressures from these many spouses would prove to be to much of an influence for Solomon.
Solomon began to turn to idols and we see that God became angry at him as he turned to idolatry away from god.

• God raised up adversaries in the kingdom to divide it. However, due to the promises made to his father David, God would not tear it apart during Solomon’s lifetime. Thank God that He always keeps his promises!

Let’s look at 1 Kings 11:1-14
11 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:
2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lordhis God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon……..
 
11 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.
14 And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.
 
Solomon and Rehoboam then try to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt
 
 
 
Now Let Us Flash Back To 2 Chronicles 10:1-19
 
What Is Significant About Jeroboam’s Rise To Power?

1. We should always keep in mind, that if we rebel against God in disobedience and loyalty, he has a loyal man on standby, ready to take our place to do his Kingdom work
2. Jeroboam’s demands for the people were not extensive and showed some degree of loyalty, however Rehoboam’s response was unacceptable. Notice how humbly Jeroboam approached the situation, not even mentioning the prophecy regarding his soon coming reign.

 
Rehoboam’s Rejection Of The Elders Advice Sheds Some Light On His Character.

1. Jeroboam was obviously a know-it-all, however must have still found it difficult to resist peer pressure based on how easy it was for his decision to be made regarding the advice of the young advisers and friends.
2. What sticks out to me regarding this is that Rehoboam inquired two different groups of men, but never once was mentioned as to whether he inquired of God or turned to Him. How many times did God turn things around for the people of Israel and their leadership when they repented and cried out to Him?
3. Right here in the same book God tells them in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

 
Our Text Points Out That The Israelites Were Getting Exactly What They Asked For

1. The people of Israel had asked for a king “like all the other nations.”
2. Rehoboam was grasping on with dear life to a position which was slipping out of his grips because he wanted complete control. His leadership style was controlling and obsessive and the tighter he held on, the farther God’s people pulled back.
3. This scenario reminds us of the situation between Saul and David in many ways. David like Jeroboam lived away in exhile for a while and eventually like Saul, most of the kingdom was stripped from Rehoboam’s hands. God often works in similar ways and patterns, revealing to us things that will possibly happen in the future. I can think of one significant power change that happened in the fall of 2016 when the people of America began to become disheartened with the government establishment cronies. 

 
The 10 Tribes Now Rebel and Claim Loyalty To Jeroboam As King

1. Instead of giving the people what they asked for, a “lighter yoke”, he threatened them with harsher treatment. How many times do we see this same situation today and then the people have finally had enough, resulting in the overturn of that government? How much longer does our own government have here in America making life harder on us by corruption and back door deals with corporations which take our wealth, but do not provide back with income for our families? How much longer will we allow them to place heavy yokes on our backs?
2. Rehoboam even sent out a tax collector in an attempt to assert his rule by collecting the usual taxes, but they sent Rehoboam a message by killing the tax collector, this is how he got the message that he too needed to get out of dodge!
3. 10 tribes with the exception of Judah and Benjamin now side against Rehoboam. We must keep in mind though that Judah and Benjamin by themselves were a large portion of the numbers in Israel. 180k able bodied fighting men alone!
4. The Kingdom was now split in half as was previously prophesied back in 1 Kings. As Rehoboam came up with the army and began to march upon the northern kingdom, God gave word for them to stop.
5. The fact that God intervened, confirms that the split of the country in the way it happened was exactly how God willed it to happen, therefore He wanted no interference from Judah that would cause the loss of unnecessary deaths to His people. God’s will would not be overturned no matter how big the army was.

Rehoboam Strengthens And Refortifies Judah

1. Rehoboam’s focus turned from control of the remaining 10 tribes to strengthening what he had control over. Fortress cities were built and weapons stockpiled.
2. Rehoboam walked in the ways of God the first few years. Rehoboam would take advantage of the priests and Levites who were killed out of Jeroboam’s kingdom. Rehoboam did this for 3 years the Scripture tells us.
3. Not only did Rehoboam strengthen his territory, but also his family line by marrying many wives in the family line of David.

 
 
 
 
So Where Did Things Turn Around For Rehoboam?

1. Rehoboam became humbled by the reminder that He was just one leader among a world of wolves. Take any Senator in the U.S. and place him in the middle of a central American country and he is a nobody and somebody to rob. Rehoboam was humbled by the fact that He was surrounded by enemies and wasn’t as brilliant as he thought he was.
2. Rehoboam truly repented in all sincerity. Crying a few crocodile tears or apologizing while blaming someone or something else does not cut it with God. He is empathetic to our hurts, needs, desires, but expects us to be obedient. When is the last time we truly repented with full sincerity? We throw around this word like it’s something you just do, like using the restroom.
3. God revealed that He had no respect for arrogance or disobedience and surely didn’t mind disrupting the thought that He wouldn’t touch Rehoboam because of his family line.
4. Rehoboam realized that this was a pivotal moment when the Egyptians came against them. He could either live up to his family legacy or he could go down as another failed leader in the Old Testament.

 
Rehoboam’s Pride And Arrogance Had A Cost:

1. Rehoboam backslid, but he also drug “all of Israel” down with him.
2. The King of Egypt, Shishak was raised up against Judah. They had 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and a huge army. They got all the way through the boundaries that Rehoboam had set up and fortified the cities with, even to Jerusalem.
3. Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders humbled themselves and God turned Egypt back. This shows us a lesson about admitting our wrongs and keeping our own will in its place. God can crumble our man-made empires at any time. If we know we are wrong, why not admit it, repent, and move on?
4. Rehoboam’s bad decisions wound up costing his country mightily. It caused a civil war, then a war between Egypt and Judah, before finally resulting in Rehoboam’s repentance.
5. This story stands as an example of God’s mercy and grace. It is amazing to watch the lengths that God goes to in order to shape and mold His called and chosen people. Will we require Him to take drastic measures in our live to get our attention? I know it did for me. It took Jesus, the Son of God hanging on a cross to not only get the attention of the world, but to redeem us.
6. From the story of King Rehoboam we learn the importance of wise counselors and maintaining faithfulness to God. When Rehoboam went his own way, things did not go well for his kingdom. When he listened to God, Judah was strong and secure.