Rehoboam

In preparation for our study of the minor prophets, we are investigating the socio-economic, spiritual and political conditions that existed in the history of Israel during the period of the prophets. We know that Israel was permitted to leave (actually they were run out of the country by Pharaoh – Exodus 12:29-32) following the tenth plague, spent 40 years in the desert, and finally entered the Promised Land in about 1406 BC. After a period of alternating righteous obedience and apostasy, the Jews demanded a king to be set before them in about 1043 BC (1 Samuel 8:1-18; cf. Deuteronomy 17:14-20). The first three kings, Saul, David and Solomon reigned for about 112 years until finally Solomon died and his son Rehoboam ascended to the throne.

Rehoboam was the son of Solomon who ascended the throne of Judah following the death of his father (1 Kings 11:43) when he was 41 years old. The book of Kings tells us that Solomon had placed a heavy burden on the people and that the people sent a delegation, led by Jeroboam, to Rehoboam asking for some relief (1 Kings 12:4). After consulting with both his elders (those who counseled his father Solomon) and his young friends, Rehoboam refused to lighten the burden on the people and continued in the ways of his father (1 Kings 12:13-14).

As a result, a minor insurrection occurred in which the taskmaster over the laborers was killed and Rehoboam escaped with his life back to Jerusalem. Ultimately, the northern tribes seceded from the kingdom and set Jeroboam up as king. Although Rehoboam assembled an army of 180,000 men to march against Jeroboam, the prophet Shemaiah advised against war and Rehoboam relented.

Rehoboam reigned as king for 17 years (1 Kings 14:21) building great and fortified cities in the way of his father (2 Chronicles 11:5-12). During his reign, he led the people in sin; worshipping Asherah on the high places, employing male cult prostitutes and all the other abominations of the Canaanite nations who had lived in the land before them (1 Kings 14:22-24). Like Solomon, he too had multiple wives and concubines; 78 in all with whom he had 28 sons and 60 daughters (2 Chronicles 11:21).

In his fifth year (c. 925 BC) Shishak, king of Egypt came against Jerusalem because of his sin (2 Chronicles 12:5) and Rehoboam paid tribute to him in the way of the temple treasures and Solomon's wealth.

Recommended Pre-Reading for the Minor Prophets

In order to set the stage for our study of the Minor Prophets, it will be beneficial to understand the socio-economic, spiritual and political conditions extant at the time of the prophets' ministries. This includes not only the so-called minor prophets, but also the ministries of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel as well.

Below, you will find a daily reading calendar (complete with hyperlinks to the ESV Bible online) that will take you through the historical record of the Divided Kingdom as told in the two books of Kings in two weeks.

Sunday, March 16, 2008 1 Kings 12:1-14:18
Monday, March 17, 2008 1 Kings 14:19-16:28
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 1 Kings 16:29-18:46
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 1 Kings 19:1-21:16
Thursday, March 20, 2008 1 Kings 21:17-2 Kings 1:18
Friday, March 21, 2008 2 Kings 2:1-4:17
Saturday, March 22, 2008 2 Kings 4:18-6:23
Sunday, March 23, 2008 2 Kings 6:24-9:13
Monday, March 24, 2008 2 Kings 9:14-11:20
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 2 Kings 11:21-15:7
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 2 Kings 15:8-17:23
Thursday, March 27, 2008 2 Kings 17:24-19:19
Friday, March 28, 2008 2 Kings 19:20-22:20
Saturday, March 29, 2008 2 Kings 23:1-25:30

For additional reading, you may want to reference the parallel passages in the Chronicles, or perhaps you would be interested in reading the chapters on the period of the divided kingdom through the return from Babylon in the following:

Kaiser, Walter C. Jr. A History of Israel From the Bronze Age Through the Jewish Wars.

Merrill, Eugene H. Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel.

Bright, John. A History of Israel.

Introduction to the Minor Prophets

This week we begin a session on the twelve "minor prophets." This title originated sometime in the 4th Century A.D. and refers not to the message of these men, but of the length of their prophecies. Altogether, the minor prophets contain 67 chapters. Thus, when compared to the 66 chapters of Isaiah, the 52 chapters found in Jeremiah and Ezekiel's 48 chapters, the compilation of the twelve minor prophets is of similar length. In fact, the Hebrew Bible was the first to combine these dozen prophecies into a single volume and refers to it simply as the book of the "Twelve Prophets."

Of the twelve, three were prophets of Israel, the Northern Kingdom, sent with specific messages to that kingdom and in the case of Jonah, to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire which ultimately conquered Israel. Six of the books are from prophets of Judah with three ministering prior to the Assyrian captivity of Israel and three just before the Babylonian captivity of Judah. The final three prophets were post-exilic prophets; contemporary with Ezra and Nehemiah.

The following table lists each of the twelve prophets in their biblical order along with the dates of their ministries, their target audience, the problems they sought to highlight and the primary message they carried from God. It is not certain why the minor prophets are placed in their specific sequence in the scriptures; being neither alphabetical, chronological, lengthwise, or by their target audience.




The twelve separate books of the minor prophets of the Christian canon, have been retained as Scripture through the Church age and correspond exactly with the order of the single-volume "Book of the Twelve" found in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Hebrew Bible, this book is on a single scroll which includes all twelve of these, the final books of the Old Testament, perhaps because their combined size would be similar to that of Isaiah.

Within the Hebrew canon, the Book of the Twelve is located in the second division known as "The Prophets" and follows immediately behind Ezekiel. The Christian canon maintained the minor prophets in the same order as found in the Hebrew Bible; namely Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. The Septuagint (LXX; the Greek translation of the Old Testament), however, orders the books slightly differently: Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.


HOSEA

Hosea was a prophet of the kingdom of Judah who God used to teach the nation about the consequences of unfaithfulness. He was instructed by God to marry a prostitute as an example of the relationship between Israel and Yahweh. Like the major prophets, Hosea introduces his prophetic statements with the phrase "the word of the Lord came," "the Lord said," or "listen to the word of the Lord."

The messages of the book of Hosea must have been delivered from approximately 755 to 712 B.C., and were likely compiled into a single volume near the end of his ministry. It has been suggested that the book was compiled prior to the Assyrian Captivity of 722 B.C. since there is no mention of that judgment having come to pass.


JOEL

The subject of Joel's prophecy is the "great and awesome" day of the Lord. In this, many of his prophecies take us to the future tribulation period. Throughout the book, Joel introduces his prophecy with "the word of the Lord," "the Lord has spoken," "I am the Lord your God," or a similar phrase that is clearly a reference to the specific and direct word of Yahweh. Joel is often quoted by other biblical writers; the most famous being Peter's quote in Acts 2:17-21 of Joel 2:

"And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls." (Joel 2:28-32)

Joel concludes with great hope for the restoration of Israel:

"Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations. Their bloodguilt, which I have not pardoned, I will pardon." The LORD dwells in Zion! (Joel 3:20-21)

The prophecy of Joel has been dated everywhere from the 9th Century B.C. to the 4th Century B.C., with portions dated as late as 200 B.C. However, the internal evidence points to the reign of Joash while the high priest Jehoida ruled. Gleason Archer notes the following:

1. The type of government implied by these prophetic utterances best accords with a regency. According to 2 Kings 11:4, the facts fit the context of the book.
2. There is distinct evidence of borrowing, as between Amos and Joel. Phrases such as "the mountains will drip with sweet wine" occur in both Joel 3:18 and Amos 9:13.
3. The list of Judah's enemies focuses on the Phonecians, Philistines, Egyptians and Edomites, not the Babylonians or the Assyrians.

Thus, Joel should be dated to near the end of the 9th Century B.C., perhaps in the period from 825 to 811 B.C.


AMOS

Although not a "professional prophet," Amos spoke of the Lord coming against injustice and defending the oppressed. Like other prophets, Amos introduces his words with a reference to "the word of the Lord." For example, in Amos 2:16 he ends with the phrase "declares the LORD." Other examples may be found in Amos 1:3; 3:1; 7:1 and 8:1. The main prophetic promise is found in Chapter 9:

"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name," declares the LORD, who will do these things. "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God. (Amos 9:11-15)

It is clear from the text of the book that Amos prophesied during the reign of Amaziah, King of Judah:

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying: "'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.'" (Amos 7:10-11)

It is certain that Amaziah reigned from 796 to 767 B.C. However, Amos gives us another clue in his very first sentence. The prophecy was "two years before the earthquake" during the reign of Uzziah which was remembered for years. Uzziah was king of Judah from 792 to 740 B.C., but was struck with leprosy and forced to live outside the palace for the remainder of his life (2 Kings 15:5). His son Jotham became co-regent from 750 to 740 B.C. It could be argued from this data that the earthquake would have been prior to the co-regency of Jotham, thus Amos would have been written no later than perhaps 752 B.C. Yet parts of the book were written during the reign of Amaziah. Thus, Amos should be dated between 768 and 755 B.C.


OBADIAH

Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament. Nonetheless, the inspiration is attested both internally and by quotes in both Jeremiah and Amos. He begins with the phrase "thus says the LORD," and ends verse 18 with "for the LORD has spoken." The entire book is written to denounce Edom for her treatment of Israel.

The book of Obadiah, although the shortest of the Old Testament prophetic writings, has proven to be one of the most difficult to date. Most scholars tend to attempt the dating of the book by verses 11-14 which read:

On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor look down on them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble. (Obadiah 11-14)

Proponents of an early date claim this passage is in reference to the invasion of Jerusalem by the Philistines and Arabs during the reign of Jehoram between 848 and 841 B.C. Those who support a late date believe that this passage refers to the Babylonian attacks on Jerusalem between 605 and 586 B.C. If, as conservative scholarship has maintained for years, Obadiah was contemporary with Jehoram, the date of his book must have been from 848 to 841 B.C., or some time shortly thereafter.


JONAH

Jonah is that well-known prophet who, when sent to Nineveh to proclaim their sin and to demand repentance, ran the other way – away from God. Three of its four chapters has a reference to "the word of the LORD," "the LORD said," or "God said." Reference may be made to Jonah 1:1; 3:1, 4:4; 4:6; 4:9 and 4:10. It is clear from God's message that the mercy God had on Nineveh was fully in keeping with His revealed attributes shown elsewhere in the Scriptures.

Jonah is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25 and alluded to in Nahum and Zephaniah; however, the most credible external evidence for the inspiration of the book is from Jesus himself:

He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here." (Matthew 12:39-41)

"For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation." (Luke 11:30)

Because Jonah was sent to proclaim the word of God to Nineveh, the book must have been written well before the Assyrian conquest of Israel. Jonah is made reference to in 2 Kings 14:25 during the reign of Jereboam II who was king of Israel from 793 to 752 B.C. Jonah is generally dated from 788 to 774 B.C.


MICAH

Micah was a prophet from the late 8th Century B.C. Like the other prophets, Micah often refers to "the word of the Lord" or a similar phrase. See, for example, Micah 1:2; 2:3; 3:5; 4:6; 5:2; 5:10 and 6:3. The priests, in telling Herod where the Messiah was to be born quoted Micah:

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." (Micah 5:2)

Jesus, too, quoted from Micah when he commissioned His disciples in Matthew 10:35-36:

For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the members of his own household. (Micah 7:6)

Micah may be dated to the middle of the 8th Century B.C. based upon the first verse in the book:

The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. (Micah 1:1)

Jotham became king of Judah in about 750 B.C. and Hezekiah reigned until 686 B.C. It is not realistic to claim that Micah's ministry covered the entire 64-year period of these kings, but some overlap between Jotham and Hezekiah, with the bulk of his ministry during the reign of Ahaz from 735 to 715 B.C. Thus, Micah may be dated to the period from 734 to 700 B.C.


NAHUM

Nineveh, the foundation of which was laid by Nimrod, was the last capital of the Assyrian empire. Under the rule of Sennacherib, Assyria was one of the great enemies in Israel's history. Nineveh was located near modern-day Mosul in Iraq, on the east bank of the Tigris River.

In 705 B.C., Sennacherib established Nineveh as the capital of the Assyrian empire. He built a wall around Nineveh that was 40 to 50 feet high. It extended along the Tigris River and around the inner city. The wall had 15 main gates. Each of the gates was guarded by stone bull statues. Both inside and outside the walls, Sennacherib created parks, a botanical garden and a zoo. He built a water-system containing the oldest aqueduct in history and the largest palace of its time.

In 612 B.C., Nabopolassar, the king of Babylon, united the Babylonian army with an army of Medes and Scythians and attacked, looted and destroyed Nineveh as predicted by the prophet Nahum, marking the end of the Assyrian empire and prepared the way for the Neo-Babylonian empire.

Since Nahum refers to the fall of Thebes as a past event (Nahum 3:8 ff) the book must be dated later than 661 B.C. However, as prophecy, it must be dated prior to the fall of Nineveh to Nebuchadnezzar in 612 B.C. Thus, Nahum has historically been dated from 650 to 620 B.C.


HABAKKUK

Habakkuk is described as the "choir director" in Habakkuk 3:19, yet this is about all we know of him. He notes in the opening verse that this is an "oracle" which he saw and then moves to a pair of questions and answers; the questions from the prophet and the answers from God. See Habakkuk 2:2. His questions are centered around the wickedness of Judah; wondering how that wickedness can go unpunished. In response to God's answer, he asks why God would choose an evil nation such as Babylon to chastise Judah. God's answer is simple and direct:

Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

Habakkuk appears to have ministered during the reign of Jehoiakim from 609 to 598 B.C., although a slightly earlier date is possible. The Babylonians are mentioned as a formidable foe and this would not have been the case prior to around 620 to 610 BC:

"Look at the nations and watch; and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor." (Habakkuk 1:5-7)

As a prophecy against Judah, the fulfillment of which came with the conquest of Jerusalem, the book must have been written prior to 605 B.C., or perhaps as late as 597 B.C. Historically, Habakkuk has been dated to 620 to 609 B.C.


ZEPHANIAH

Zephaniah speaks of the future tribulation that will fall on the earth:

"The great day of the LORD is near; near and coming quickly. Listen! The cry on the day of the LORD will be bitter, the shouting of the warrior there. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers. I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like filth. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD's wrath. In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth." (Zephaniah 1:14-18)

Clearly Zephaniah refers to the inspiration of the Spirit when he introduces passages with "the word of the Lord" and similar phrases. For example, Zephaniah 1:1; 3:8; 3:15 and 3:17. The strong words of Zephaniah are similar to those found in Revelation.

Zephaniah himself dates his prophecy to the days of Josiah who reigned from 640 to 609 B.C. It is likely that his prophecy was a contributing factor to the reforms under Josiah and therefore, the book is to be dated from 636 to 623 B.C.


HAGGAI

Haggai worked to encourage the exiles in rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple following their return from Babylon. Haggai attests to inspiration in such verses as Haggai 1:2; 1:3; 1:5; 1:7; 1:9; 2:1, 2:4; 2:6 and 2:10 where he refers to "word of the LORD," "declares the LORD " or other similar phrase. It is clear from the book itself that Haggai was seen as a prophet:

Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.. (Haggai 1:12)

The four messages of Haggai are dated within the text itself. The first message in late August or early September 520 BC:

In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. . . (Haggai 1:1)

The second oracle was given less than two months later:

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai. . . (Haggai 2:1)

Haggai's third message was brought near year-end:

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai. . . (Haggai 2:10)

as was the fourth message:

The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month. . . (Haggai 2:20)

Thus the prophecies of Haggai may be clearly dated to 520 or 519 B.C., all within six months of one another.


ZECHARIAH

Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai who, like Haggai provided encouragement to Zerubbabel. Many verses such as Zechariah 1:1; 1:3; 1:6; 1:9 and 1:12 speak of "the word of the LORD." This type of statement is found in every chapter of the book, providing repeated attestation of the inspiration of Zechariah. Zechariah prophesies the new Jerusalem, the overthrow of nations and the Messiah:

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

This prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday:

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." (Matthew 21:1-3)

The book of Zechariah begins by dating the first of his prophecies to 520 B.C., the same year as the prophetic statements of Haggai. His last dated prophecy given in chapter 7 was given in 518 B.C.; however, later chapters give an indication of much later prophecy:

I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword. . . (Zechariah 9:13)

Since it was not until around 490 B.C. that the Medo-Persian empire began a westward expansion toward Greece and was decisively repelled in a humiliation defeat at Marathon. It was at this time that Greece began to emerge as a world power, in a see-saw battle over control of the Aegean Sea for decades. Thus the reference to Greece in chapter 9 would seem to date the later prophecies of Zechariah to the early 5th Century B.C. Thus, Zechariah may be dated from 520 to 490 B.C.


MALACHI

Malachi was the last of the prophets to speak before the coming of Israel's Messiah. He begins with an "oracle" and continues with several references such as "says the Lord." See for example, Malachi 1:6; 3:1 and 4:1. Malachi is quoted in Matthew, Mark, Luke and Romans.

The internal evidence of the book points to prophecies from the second half of the 5th Century B.C. This evidence includes the following:

1. The Temple had been completed and the Temple sacrifices had been restored.
2. A Persian governor was ruling over the people at the time.
3. The sins denounced by Malachi were the same as previously corrected by Nehemiah.

Thus it is reasonable to date Malachi to 436 to 415 B.C.

The Great White Throne Judgment

In a previous post, The Judgment Seat of Christ, I identified a question that had been asked regarding the judgment of men. The passages put forth for discussion were 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. These each speak of judgment but the verses from the Corinthian letters are addressed to the Church while the section from Ecclesiastes is not. Therefore, these three passages (while all speaking of judgment), must be considered within different contexts. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiasties: Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

The question, then, is "Does Solomon speak of all men?" I believe he does, but all men do not have to be judged at the same time, and I believe that the Church will be judged long before unbelievers. According to the book of Revelation, the resurrection and judgment of the unbelievers will take place following the judgment of Satan at the close of the Millennium.

And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15, NASB)

From this passage it is certain that there is both a resurrection and a judgment. The question is who are "the dead" and why are they "judged . . . according to their deeds?" In The Judgment Seat of Christ, we saw that believers stand before the judgment seat of Christ. But at this particular judgment, all the unbelievers of all time stand before the Great White Throne. These are very different terms for very different judgments. Unlike believers who have salvation based on their free acceptance of the shed blood of Christ, unbelievers are doomed to eternity in the lake of fire because of their rejection of this same salvation offered by God to all mankind.

These people will be condemned for their rejection of the grace freely offered them. Acts 4:12 declares that there is no forgiveness apart from Christ. Scripture is clear that Christ died for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16, 1 John 2:2) and the fact of rejection of God's grace is the basis for their condemnation. Even those who did not hear the gospel will be condemned because they did not respond to the revelation of God in the natural world (Romans 1:18-20).

But, not all unbelievers will receive the same punishment. It is at the Great White Throne of Revelation 20 that the unbelieving dead will individually receive their just sentence; "judged . . . according to their deeds."

So, we can see that ultimately all men are judged according to their works; however, the judgments, either at the Judgment Seat of Christ or the Great White Throne, are not to determine whether someone will "get into heaven" or not, but rather to determine what that individual's eternal reward or punishment may be.

Your Bible Study Toolbox

Once you've selected a translation and a study bible, you can begin to read and study your new Bible. But soon, you'll find that the study bible is lacking in some feature you wish you had; or, while you were selecting your study bible you saw a feature in another bible that you think would be beneficial. So do you go buy another study bible? Probably not. Almost all the features of a good study bible can be found in single volume books dedicated to such things.

For instance, if the introductory matter for each book seems lacking, you can find this in a good Bible Handbook. If your concordance seems to be limited in the number of entries or verses for each entry, that is typical of the condensed information that would be found in the appendix of your study bible. Maps seem to be small and limited; look to a good atlas. The list goes on and on and on some more.

So what types of books are the most helpful? It depends on what your interests in study are. I relate well to where things are geographically. After two trips to Israel, I have a sense for the lay of the land, so putting things in place geographically helps me to visualize what I'm studying. I also have an interest in the history and archaeology of the land as well as exegetical commentaries. But that's me. Where are your interests and needs?

In my last post, So What About Study Bibles?, I pointed you to a handy guide at Zondervan for some pointers on choosing a study Bible. If you dig deeper on this site, they also have suggestions for building a core library and for expanding your library. I'm not certain that I would make a distinction between the two, but rather would point you to the types of references that meet your needs. One thing I have found is that if you are studying your bible and think, "I wish there was a reference on . . ." there probably is.

So what are the different types of references?

Bible Handbook – Bible handbooks provide background notes regarding each book of the Bible, the author, date and place of writing, purpose of the book and its intended audience, outline, commentary and illustrations.

Concordance – A concordance lists common words found in the Bible and lists verses where the word is found. Concordances come in a variety of versions: concise, compact, complete, unabridged and exhaustive; and are version specific. With the number of bible search engines such as Search God's Word, Bible Gateway and others, access to the world-wide web almost makes concordances obsolete.

Topical Bible – A topical bible is similar to a concordance, but rather than providing information by word, the information is categorized by topic.

Bible Dictionary – Bible Dictionaries provide detailed information about people, places, words, and events in the Bible. Bible dictionaries are similar to single-volume encyclopedias.

Commentary – Commentaries are single- or multi-volume works that explain the meaning of specific Bible passages. Commentaries are written for a number of different audiences and purposes from devotional to exegetical uses and everywhere in between. Commentaries will generally support the theological position of the series editor or author.

Atlas – Atlases provide information regarding the culture, climate, geography, geology, etc. for the bible lands. Typically an atlas will include interpretations of major military campaigns, emigration routes, ancient borders, timelines and archaeological information.

History and Biography – History books by ancient authors such as Josephus, Philo as well as more modern historians such as Alfred Edersheim, Walter Kaiser, Eugene Merrill, Emil Schurer and Philip Schaff provide excellent background information on the political and social climate of a specific location at a specific time. Biographies will provide information about both the life and times of specific individuals.

Theological Works – Theological texts and doctrinal books help clarify the finer points of what the Scriptures teach.

Language Guides – Yes, language. There are language helps for the novice which help explain the words of Biblical Hebrew and Koine Greek. You don't have to know the language to use the helps. An example of such a work is William Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words; another is the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible which is available in a variety of bindings and transations including the KJV, NASB and NIV. These type of references will help in understanding the reasons for the variations in English translations and the background of the original language words. Just remember, a little knowledge can be dangerous.

Software – There are several very good programs available for Bible study. Some have relatively simple capabilities such as limited bible versions and rudimentary search capabilities and others are high end, high cost tools which include hundreds of books and tools that include language studies complete with syntax and grammar. These tools are availble for PCs, Macs and PDAs (including some phones and Blackberrys).

A word of warning, though. There are a lot of reference works available. Some are worth their weight in gold while others are, to my way of thinking, not worth the paper they're written on. The old adage that "you can't judge a book by its cover" is particularly important when selecting a reference work. Do your homework; don't impulse buy; and find out what others are saying about what they use and what they don't.

So What About Study Bibles?

In my previous post, Alphabet Soup, I discussed the various translations of the Bible available and some of the considerations necessary in order to choose a bible that is right for you. I concluded that the best translation to purchase is the one that you will read and understand. But that's only part of the picture.

The next step is to determine what bells and whistles to add to the basic text. You can get everything from simple bibles with just the text to bibles that are cross-referenced, thumb-tabbed, red letter, interlinear, parallel, daily reading, devotional, chronological, study bibles with translation notes, historical data, archaeological information, biographical sketches, concordances, maps and language helps. A listing of some of the frequently used terms may be found at the Parable Christian Stores' website. Zondervan also has a nice glossary. The features and combinations available between the covers (not to mention the bindings themselves) make car shopping look easy. Taking inventory of the various bibles on my shelf, I note that some were gifts, one belonged to my grandpa, others I purchased for a particular reason or feature, some are worn out and a couple I never open.

Study bibles come in numerous versions and can be based on various theological positions and traditions. Some may be quite helpful to you and others chocked full of information that may be absolutely meaningless to you at this stage of life. In your search for a study bible, you may need to be as thoughtful and studious as in selecting a translation; maybe more so. The study notes may shape your thinking, or challenge it. I find that the more I read and study the Scriptures, the less important the study notes are for me because: 1) the notes in a study bible will generally be from a particular theological tradition filtered through a single editor or editing board, and 2) I use a variety of other sources including commentaries, language helps, bible dictionaries, topical studies, etc. Some of this is because of the extensive software library that I have, but mostly the various sources help me look at any topic from a number of theological traditions. I can then combine my current study with what I have learned and make a determination as to which perspective best aligns with the weight of Scripture. IMPORTANT NOTE HERE: The Scriptures should be the final authority in any theological discussions. Unfortunately, the Scriptures are not always so clear, thus the many differences in theological traditions such as the Catholic/Lutheran/Reformed debate on the presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper – a debate for another occasion.

One source of information that may be useful in selecting a study bible is Zondervan. According to their website, Zondervan is "the world’s leading Bible publisher;" a feat which is likely attributable in large part to their exclusive rights as the North American publisher of the NIV. I used information available from this source as part of my class on "How to Study Your Bible" a couple of years ago. The following are excerpts from Zondervan:

Study Bibles can have different emphases and purposes. For example, the Life Application Study Bible focuses more on answering practical questions, whereas the NIV Study Bible focuses on understanding the text.

Look up a few passages in both and compare the notes. You'll see very quickly how—and how much!—they differ. You may even want to consider buying both, since the two complement each other. Buying one in a different Bible translation will give you the added benefit of having two translations to work with.

Note that not all Bibles with added materials are study Bibles. Devotional Bibles contain a number of devotions in addition to the text of the Bible, but are designed for daily reading rather than for study of the text.

Further, Zondervan suggests a number of questions to consider when searching for a study bible. I think that this is a pretty good list:

ASK YOURSELF:

1. Do the notes that explain the text (usually at the bottom of the page) address the kinds of things I want to know?

2. How clear, detailed, and helpful are the introductions and outlines to each book of the Bible?

3. How many cross-references to other Scriptures are there? Are they easy to read?

4. How extensive is the dictionary? Are the definitions clear and helpful?

5. What kind of things are in the index? Are the topics in the topical Scripture index helpful for today's reader?

6. How long is the concordance? Does it list words I would want to look up?

7. How many maps are there? What quality are they? Is the index to them easy to use? Does it have charts? Do they contain relevant information? Does it have illustrations? Are they helpful, or are they simply “filler”?

8. Does it have a harmony of the gospels (a single, chronological summary of the four gospels)?

9. Do I prefer a “red-letter edition” (with the words of Jesus in red)?

I find that Zondervan's web site is helpful and fairly well-balanced. Remember though, that Zondervan is in the business of selling books and they would rather sell their's than someone else's. Other publishers' websites that may be helpful to you are Thomas Nelson and Kregel's Parable Christian Stores. The "Bible Search Assistant" from Oxford University Press is a menu-driven application to help you select a bible they publish, but you might find something of value in their user guide (please note that this link opens a .pdf file). I was unable to find helpful information at Eerdmans, Tyndale House or Moody Publishers.

So now the search for a Bible has become even more difficult than you had imagined. The simple question, "Which version should I read?" has a relatively simple answer. The question of which Bible is best has an answer that seems like a political campaign. My recommendation:

1. Pray. Ask God to guide you in your search for just the right bible. James writes, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

2. Spend some time looking at various translations and pick a couple that are easy for you to read (see Alphabet Soup).

3. Look at a variety of different bibles, even if they are not one of the versions you are interested in. You may find a feature that becomes a "must have" or you may find something you thought would be useful, but is not. Either way, keep an open mind.

a. Read the preface! There is a lot of useful information there.

b. Compare introductory comments; outlines, authorship, date and place of writing, target audience, and historical background. There is not full consensus among scholars on all of these details.

c. Look for maps, charts, timelines and other illustrations that will be beneficial to your understanding.

d. Compare notes for some passages which are familiar to you. Perhaps Psalm 23, or John 1.

e. Select a passage that you know has some widely differing opinions and read the notes. Perhaps here you choose 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 or another passage on the spiritual gift of tongues; 1 Corinthians 11:23-27 and cross references in the Gospels on the phrase "this is my body;" or Revelation 20:1-6 in regard to the "thousand years" of imprisonment of Satan. What is this particular bible's view on the seven days of creation in Genesis 1? Are they literal 24-hour days, or are they seven convenient divisions of an indefinite period of ages? What is it that John means when he writes "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world" in 1 John 2:2 (NASB)?

f. What sort of information is found in the appendices; concordance, language helps, maps, tables of weights and measures and is this information helpful?

4. Ask your friends, pastor, elders and other leaders in your church what they use and why. If you find something that you think is right for you, check it out with someone you trust.

Don't be afraid of your second choice in translations if the features of a particular study bible are just right for you. You can always get a copy of your preferred version in a simple reference bible without all the study notes.

Again, by doing your homework, visiting with the sales clerks at your local Christian book dealer, searching the internet, visiting with friends and prayer you can find a study bible that is a fit for you. It is not simply a coin toss or luck. You can make an informed choice that will effect your bible study for years to come. It is worth the extra effort to find what's right for you.