Return to the Word of God: The Commonality in Judah's Revivals
There were five revival periods during the times of the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel. These were all identified by a return to the Word of God. They began with a return to the Word of God; revival followed which eventuated in a great moral reformation: (1) Asa—2 Chronicles 14–16 ; (2) Jehoshaphat—2 Chronicles 17–20 ; (3) Joash—2 Chronicles 23–24 ; (4) Hezekiah—2 Chronicles 29–32 ; (5) Josiah—2 Chronicles 34–35 . These periods were the only occasions of blessing in the dark era of the divided kingdoms.
J. Vernon McGee
Making the Midweek Service Significant
Dallas Theological Seminary. (1954; 2002).
Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 111 (111:247).
From the Theological Journals Library
Text Selection: Freedom or Verse-by-Verse
From John Piper, commenting on how a pastor (or teaching church leader) must think about text selection. This was written in the first months of his pastorate at Bethlehem Baptist. It's a very good balance that gives some insight into how Piper has sought to "teach the whole counsel of God":
Two principles have to be balanced out. One is that we
preserve the freedom of the Holy Spirit to interrupt and alter our
plans. We must not be so locked into a verse-by-verse exposition of
this book that he cannot hit us with another text from time to time
that we may need to hear even more. That is the principle of freedom.
The other principle to keep in balance with it is the principle of
discipline. Preachers are sinners who, like all sinners, tend to preach
what they like and avoid what they don’t like. So we must find a way
not to be so selective. Luke tells us in Acts 20:26f. what Paul said to
the Ephesians when he left and what I want to be able to say to you
when my work here is done: “I testify to you this day that I am
innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from
declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” A preacher cannot say that,
if he rides one or two hobbyhorses while avoiding other teachings of
Scripture. One of the best ways to fulfill the principle of discipline
is to preach through a book of the Bible.
These two principles, freedom and discipline, are in tension because
it is not always easy to tell whether a desire to interrupt a series
comes from the Spirit or from a fear of the next text. But there is no
escape from this tension and so all I can promise is that I will do my
best under God to listen to the prompting of the Spirit and to declare
the whole counsel of God.
John Piper
The Aim of Dr. Luke
Sermon from November 9, 1980
HT: Unashamed Workman
Keywords: preaching
Quote: Have Communion With God in the Doctrine You Contend For
Wise advise from John Owen on how we are to approach the controversy that may be necessarily involved in contending for the truth of the gospel, having communion with the God of whom the doctrine refers
[More important than all is] a diligent endeavor to have the power of the truths professed and contended for abiding upon our hearts, that we may not contend for notions, but that we have a practical acquaintance within our own souls. When the heart is cast indeed into the mould of the doctrine that the mind embraceth—when the evidence and necessity of the truth abides in us—when not the sense of the words only is in our heads, but the sense of the thing abides in our hearts—when we have communion with God in the doctrine we contend for—then shall we be garrisoned by the grace of God against all the assaults of men.
John Owen
Cited by John Piper
The Future of Justification (from Desiring God or free pdf copy)
p. 28
Keywords: controversy
Quote: Zeal AND Informed Obedience
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 14-15, when after God had struck down Uzzah for touching the ark, David realized that they had not been transporting it and worshipping God rightly, D.A. Carson writes
Here is a profound lesson. At one level, doubtless God approves childlike praise and enthusiastic zeal. But he expects those with authority among his people to know what his Word says and obey it. No amount of enthusiasm and zeal can ever hope to make up for this lack. Zeal that is heading in the wrong direction never reaches the goal. It must either be redirected in the direction staked out in God's Word, or however enthusiastic, it is still wrong-headed and misdirected. There is no substitute for faith working itself out in informed obedience.
D.A. Carson
For the Love of God, Vol 1 (
digital from Logos)
November 20
Quote: Admiring Self For That Which Has Been Given
"What a monster of pride is man! How full of that
cursed venom, is human nature! We cannot receive any
grace or blessing from the Lord--but corrupt nature is
prone to be proud of it--and to boast in it! No one is
exempt from this. I appeal to your hearts. I refer to
your experience. When your heart has been enlarged
in prayer; when your soul has been carried out in
humblings, meltings, longings, aspirings, etc.; when
you have heard the Word with warm affections and
heavenly joy; when your tongue has with sweetness
and liberty, talked of Christ to others; when your hand
has been stretched forth to do any good work; now in
all these--have you not found pride very busy? Have
not you been ready to stroke yourself with pleasure,
and to reflect with delight: "Well, now the Lord loves
me indeed! Surely He loves me better--now that I
find myself so holy--and feel myself so heavenly!"
But where is our precious Jesus all this while? We have
looked at ourselves--until we have lost sight of Him!
We have been admiring our vile selves for our
graces--instead of being in raptures with Christ, who
is altogether lovely, in whom all fullness of grace
dwells, and out of whose fullness we receive grace
upon grace!"
William Mason
The One Thing Needed to Make Poor Sinners Rich and Miserable Sinners Happy (amazon)
History Has a Purpose
On 1 Chronicles:
History is not accidental and without purpose...Of course, we can speak of history having purpose only if it has a purposer - a creator, director, and sovereign...That purposing ruler is not you or me; it is the Lord God Almighty, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is not simply one among many gods; he is the one true God. His plans and purposes will be carried out, and he will use the mighty kings of Assyria or Babylon for his ends.
Mark Dever
Message of the Old Testament
p. 344
Keywords: history,sovereignty
