Get the November–December 2011 Back Issue of Bible Study Magazine for $3.95. That’s 20% off the newsstand price of $4.95!
Bible Study Magazine is a brand new print magazine (not an e-magazine) published by Lexham Press. Six times a year, Bible Study Magazine delivers tools and methods for Bible study, as well as insights from respected teachers, professors, historians, and archeologists.
Read pastor profiles, author interviews, and stories of individuals whose thoughtful engagement with Scripture has shaped their thinking and defined their ministries. Bible Study Magazine reveals the impact of God’s Word on their lives and the power of Scripture in yours.
We have a limited supply of back issues for the November–December 2011 issue of Bible Study Magazine. Get your copy while you still can!
Born into an environment marked by racial segregation and social disparity, Dr. Tony Evans saw the need for something more in his community—something that could not be provided by the government. He looked to the “hands-on-church” for help. “The Church is the best social service delivery system in the country. It is the largest social institution and has the greatest potential volunteer force. It also has a standard to judge right and wrong—the Bible.”
When studying the Bible, it’s tempting to favor the New Testament—it feels comfortable, the application isn’t such a stretch, and it’s where we find Jesus’ redemptive work. In contrast, the stories of the Old Testament can easily confuse or intimidate us. As modern readers, we don’t understand the genres, the ancient Near Eastern culture, or the ancients’ worldview. But we can’t escape the connection. The New Testament stories we’re familiar with draw on Old Testament concepts, narratives, and prophecies. Understanding pivotal Old Testament events can help us see where each piece fits. Here are the events of the Old Testament in twenty minutes.
Storytelling is part of the fabric of Asian society, says Athena Gorospe. So it is no surprise that the tapestry of Old Testament stories resonates well in her native Philippines. Themes of strong family ties and reverence for the land are particularly relevant to Filipino society, where “the family is very influential.” The importance of hospitality stressed throughout the Bible is familiar too—“Filipinos would give you their bedrooms while they sleep in the living room.”
Toward the end of his career, King David conducted a census, which turned out to be a bad idea (2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21). Censuses in the Old Testament were associated with preparation for war (Numbers 26:2; 31:49), but David had not been commanded to go to war and thus suffered the consequences for pride and self-reliance. What is not clear in these passages is who suggested it. Did God incite David to number Israel, or did Satan? We can resolve this issue by using a concordance and a Bible dictionary.