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Galatians 5:16-23 teaches that at any moment we are either walking by the Holy Spirit or according to the sin nature. Walking by the Spirit, enjoying fellowship with God, walking in the light are virtually synonymous. During these times, the Holy Spirit is working in us to illuminate our minds to the truth of Scripture and to challenge us to apply what we learn. But when we sin, we begin to live based on the sin nature. Our works do not count for eternity. The only way to recover is to confess (admit, acknowledge) our sin to God the Father and we are instantly forgiven, cleansed, and recover our spiritual walk (1 John 1:9). Please make sure you are walking by the Spirit before you begin your Bible study, so it will be spiritually profitable.

1st and 2nd Samuel (2015)

1st and 2nd Samuel (2015)

February 2015 - November 2020

The quote from the title slide is from the words of a young David in 1 Samuel 17:37, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine”, that we derive the central theme for this study of 1st and 2nd Samuel, THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’s.

We all face overwhelming circumstances in our life and the only thing that can give us strength to overcome those horrific circumstances is a realization that it is not by our might or power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the only way that we can overcome and address the challenges that we have in life.

One scholar has praised the writing of Samuel: “It is no exaggeration to say that the author of Samuel produced what is still the best book ever written in the Hebrew language.”

In this series we will cover an array of significant biblical teachings on everything from how to face and surmount the giants in our lives, to biblical worship and praise, to the divine viewpoint of politics and leadership, to the importance of the Davidic Covenant and Messianic prophecies, and so much more. An understanding of these key teachings in Samuel is foundational to the rest of the Old Testament, the arrival and mission of the Messiah, the gospel, and many passages in the New Testament. Every believer should have a thorough understanding of the material covered in this series.

Note: Classes in this series are arranged with the most recent class appearing first.

Video DVDs of these lessons can be ordered here and here.

To view all video Bible studies in the 1st and 2nd Samuel series, click here (Vimeo) or here (YouTube).

To listen to this series as a podcast, copy and paste the following URL into your podcast software.
www.deanbibleministries.org/podcasts/2015-12samuel.xml
 
Tue, Aug 07, 2018
Passage: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16 & Genesis 2-3
Duration: 1 hr 7 mins 20 secs
Is there a connection between the Garden of Eden and Israel’s later places of worship? Listen to this lesson to see that the furnishings and articles of the Tabernacle and the Temple reflect God’s original design in the Garden. Learn which two trees hold particular significance and hear how pagan religions corrupted these by worshipping the trees rather than the Creator. See which tree the Menorah represents and what the Tablets of Law in the Ark of the Covenant reflect. See how easy it is to allow our corporate worship to lose its purity as we try to make people feel at home in the church.
Tue, Aug 14, 2018
Passage: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16 & Genesis 2-3
Duration: 1 hr 3 mins 42 secs
Imagine what it was like in the Garden of Eden when God came to fellowship with Adam and Eve every day. Listen to this lesson to see that today we are to worship God by trusting and praising Him daily. Find out what sanctuary means and how it differs in the Church Age. See Satan’s actions in the Garden as he inhabits the serpent. Compare Jesus’ handling of Satan when tempted by him with Eve’s lack of knowledge of the Word of God. After they sinned see how Adam and Eve reacted and how God provided the solution to their problem.
Tue, Aug 21, 2018
Passage: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16 & Genesis 4
Duration: 1 hr 8 mins 36 secs
A long as we’re expressing reverence for God in our own way, does it matter how we worship? Listen to this lesson to learn that from the beginning God revealed how we were to worship on His terms and not on our own. Find out what was wrong with Cain’s offering but right about Abel’s. See what “fat” signifies. Learn the importance of names in the Bible and what it means to call on the name of God.
Tue, Aug 28, 2018
Passage: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16 & Genesis 14
Duration: 1 hr 7 mins 16 secs
Why did God punish mankind with a universal flood in the days of Noah? Listen to this lesson to learn about bizarre occurrences among the fallen angels that involved infiltration of the human race. Find out what proclaiming the name of the Lord means and how Abraham praised God for His attributes of grace and mercy. See that when we worship we should recall who God is, what He has done for us, and how we can have a relationship with Him.
Tue, Sep 04, 2018
Passage: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16 & Genesis 14
Duration: 1 hr 8 mins 14 secs

Are you impressed with someone who is willing to stand up for what they believe no matter the cost? Listen to this lesson to learn that it’s the content of what we believe that makes it meaningful, not just standing up for it. See the importance of teaching children the gospel. Learn when Abraham proclaimed the name of the Lord and gained many people on his side. Find out the difference between positional and experiential righteousness.

During this class Dr. Dean mentioned a blog by Scott Aniol. You can view it here.

Tue, Sep 11, 2018
Passage: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16 & Genesis 14
Duration: 1 hr 11 mins 32 secs
Soft music, dim candle lighting, and fog machines. Is that what we need in order to worship God? Listen to this lesson to learn that worship must come from our mental attitude and be an appreciation for God as the Creator of the universe and the provider of all we have. See the elements of Abraham’s worship which included ritual, the giving of thanks, and burial. Learn about Melchizedec and what it means when the Bible says Abraham offered tithes to him. Find out that as we come to learn more about God’s greatness we can understand more fully our own sinfulness.
Tue, Sep 18, 2018
Passage: Genesis 28:10-22
Duration: 1 hr 9 mins 5 secs
Are there things we can do that will help enrich our worship of God? Listen to this lesson to learn what some of the mature believers in the past did in this area of their lives. Hear eight important things Abraham learned about God that will give us confidence in God’s goodness as we worship Him. Find out that biblical accounts of people who came into the presence of God resulted in fear and awe over His majesty. As believers when we face adversity we can remember an incident in Jacob’s life to learn that God has promised to be with us always.
Tue, Sep 25, 2018
Passage: Exodus 3 & Exodus 5
Duration: 1 hr 4 mins 30 secs
Why have governments of the world throughout the ages feared Jews and Christians? Listen to this lesson to hear that who we worship becomes our ultimate authority. Hear about Moses’ and Aaron’s challenge to Egypt’s Pharaoh when they requested that the Israelites be allowed to worship in the wilderness. See how Daniel’s insistence on praying to God got him in trouble with the authorities. Find out what the name God said He should be called showed that He is a God who hears our prayers and intervenes in human history.
Tue, Oct 09, 2018
Passage: Exodus 5 & Exodus 19-24
Duration: 1 hr 6 mins 50 secs
What do you think of when you hear the word “holy”? Someone who is “saint-like” and perfect? Listen to this lesson to learn that holy means to be set apart and that God is set apart from all His creation and unique in His holiness. Find out why we are not able to make ourselves holy and the meaning of sanctification, starting with the necessity for cleansing. Hear about the nation of Israel and their purpose to be kings and priests. As we learn that we in the Church Age are called to be holy so we can serve God, find out how to fulfill this requirement in a way that brings glory to God and not to ourselves.
Tue, Oct 16, 2018
Passage: Exodus 5 & Exodus 19-24
Duration: 1 hr 8 mins 5 secs

Go back in time and imagine you are one of the Israelites traveling to the land God has promised. Moses, your leader, tells you to prepare yourself to be in the presence of God. Picture a smoky cloud over a quaking mountain and actually hearing the voice of God. What would your reaction be? Awe? Fear? Reverence? Listen to this lesson to learn about these events and their significance as the people were being chosen to be a kingdom of priests to proclaim God’s message to the world. Learn what sanctification meant then and the importance of being set apart to serve God in our own lives. Find out what the opposite of holy is and how we can prepare ourselves to worship God.

Dr. Dean referenced several books during his discussion on universities, including: The Book That Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization by Vishal Mangalwadi, How Christianity Changed the World by Alvin Schmidt, How the West Was Won by Rodney Stark, and The Rise of Universities by Charles Homer Haskins.