The Jewish feast of Purim which includes the giving and receiving of sweet desert cakes comes from the last couple chapters of Esther. Cliff Sowa, ATP wraps up our study with a look at the implications of the turn of events in our story that led to the Jewish nation remaining until this day.
Category: Old Testament
Esther 6 – 7
Esther took a stand pleading for the lives of her people. She thought of others, as opposed to Haman who sought to exalt himself and lost his life on the very instrument he designed to execute others.
Esther 3-5
Antisemitism is nothing new in the history of the Jews. Cliff Sowa, ATP shares the hatred of Haman toward the Jews based on one man’s refusal to bow to him. Haman conspired to destroy the Jews while Esther agreed to risk it all to help the Jews. The struggle begins around a private banquet…
Esther 1 – 2
Cliff Sowa, ATP introduces the story of Esther with some background history and context before exploring the first two chapters. Esther’s example shows us the importance of preparation, obedience and faithfulness especially when not knowing the future. Image courtesy of Sight and Sound Theaters
Lamentations 5
Jeremiah wraps up the book with a prayer for help from the Lord. He is forever faithful, we are often faith-less and rebellious and reap what we sow. Only God can turn it around, pray for repentance!
Lamentations 4
As a consuming fire the Lord’s judgment fell on Jerusalem because the leaders and the people rejected the Lord and worshiped the gods of the surrounding nations… god’s that have influenced our nation today and added to it’s downfall. Pastor Carl calls out for repentance and shares from the National Gathering for Prayer & Repentance…
Lamentations 3:33-66
Cliff Sowa walks us through the second half of chapter 3 as Jeremiah points out that God does not take pleasure in judgment. Is not the Lord faithful and merciful? Let’s avail ourselves as a nation of His mercies by repenting and turning back to Him!
Lamentations 3:1-32
Jeremiah not only mourns the judgment upon Jerusalem, but he feels the affects. As ministers of the Gospel often we experience affects of the result of sin and God’s judgment on the world. We feel like we have been abandoned. However Jeremiah reminds himself and us that by the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed….
Lamentations 2
God takes Jerusalem to the “woodshed” to punish them for their disobedience after decades of ignoring the warnings from the prophet Jeremiah. Cliff Sowa takes us through this difficult chapter.
Lamentations 1
Cliff Sowa begins a study of Lamentations, a collection of poem mourning the destruction of Jerusalem by the prophet Jeremiah.