Several years ago the Ladies Sunday School Class began to study the History of the Jews. We started in the Book of GENESIS, when God made His covenant with Abraham to make of his descendants a great nation. We studied the Old Testament Patriarchs and followed the Nation of Israel into Egyptian 400 years of bondage.
In the Book of EXODUS, we saw God send Moses to deliver Israel from slavery, and lead them to the Promised Land. But when they got there, the people were afraid to enter in, and because they did not trust God, they wandered in the desert for 40 years. We learned about the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, and in LEVITICUS, NUMBERS AND DEUTERONOMY, we studied about the Law God gave to Moses on Mt. Sanai. We studied the sacrifices, and what they meant, and about the duties of the Priests and how how the people were to live.
In the books of JOSHUA and JUDGES, we studied about DEBORAH, GIDEON AND SAMSON....but the people were not satisfied, and they began to clamor for a king, so in the books SAMUEL, KINGS AND CHRONICLES, we studied the strengths and failures of KINGS SAUL, DAVID AND SOLOMON.
After that, the Nation was divided, and spent the next 90 years fighting. During that time, the kings of both nations "did evil in the sight of God". They lead the people into idolatry and pagan practices. There were only a few good kings who tried to serve God and lead to people back to Him. We learned about the kings, and the prophets who warned Israel that judgment would come unless they repented.. But their message fell on deaf ears, for the people chose to worship idols and live like their pagan neighbors. Here is where we studied the prophets ELIJAH, ELISHA, ISAIAH, AMOS, JONAH, HOSEA, and JOEL.
God's judgment did come, just as the prophets had said. The 10 tribes of the Northern Kingdom, Israel fell to the Assyrians, and those who survived were scattered, never to return. About 100 years later, the Southern Kingdom, Judah was taken by King Nebuchadnezzar and exiled into Babylonian Captivity for the next 70 years. Here we studied about JEREMIAH who pleaded with the people to surrender. We studied about the statue in DANIEL...about the Persian, Greek and Roman domination, and how it parallels with REVELATION concerning the 'LAST DAYS".
We studIied about the return of the Jews. The first group returned with ZERRUBABEL, who led them in rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem.
The second group returned with EZRA, who desired to teach them the laws and re-establish temple worship that had been neglected so many years.
The third group returned with NEHEMIAH, and went to work rebuilding the walls around the city.
We have studied the 400 silent years...the 'DARK YEARS' between the Old and New Testament, and about the Maccabean Revolt, and the evil SENNACHERIB.
It has taken a long time, but now we are on "the last mile" of our journey through the Old Testament, and when we are finished, we will have studied every book, verse by verse, except for the BOOKS OF POETRY. It has been a fascinating study, and one thing for sure we have learned: People are the same today as they were 4000 years ago! THERE ARE NEW SINS! We make the same mistakes over and over. But just as God was willing to forgive and bless His Chosen People, He is still willing and able to do the same for His Children today. 'IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS". 1 Jn. 1:9
We invite you to come and study with us as we dig deep into the Word of God, and search the scriptures, and strive to learn more about His will for our lives.
Teacher: Carleen Page
Email: carleenpage@bellsouth.net
Women's Prayer Time: Sunday, 4:45 PM.
Sunday School: 9:30 AM.
This page was last updated: November 28, 2009
