Understanding the Old Testament – serie

Amongst Israel's enemies at the time recorded in the book of Judges were the peoples of Mesopotamia, Moab, Canaan, Midian and Philistia. Each had a bad influence on Israel in a distinct way; each seemed unbeatable; and yet each was capable of being defeated. This book is for Christians who desire to live for Christ, and know they have the power of the Holy Spirit for this very purpose, and yet somehow always find themselves defeated. The author identifies five enemies of the Christian: the World, the Flesh, the Devil, Earthly Things and Carnal Religion. Taking each as illustrated by a particular enemy of Israel, he examines the nature of their opposition and shows how the Christian can overcome each one. A practical guide to 'How to Overcome'.

John Thomas Mawson (1871-1943) was an outstanding evangelist, teacher and author. He edited and contributed to "Scripture Truth" magazine from its inception in 1909 until 1943 (initially sharing the editorship with H D R Jameson, until the latter's death in 1912). The content of some of his books was originally delivered in series of talks to Christians, young and old, and his writings have a pleasant conversational style about them which makes them easy to follow. His comment on the story of Elisha as "enlightening to the mind and delightful to the heart" describes well his own written ministry. This book considers the life of Elisha, a remarkable prophet: of all the men who served God in Old Testament days, he stands out as the prophet of grace, and in that he was a foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ in His present place on the throne of grace in heaven, the Administrator of the grace of God to men. Only a shadow, and not the very image of Him, and as the shadow is nothing and the Substance is everything, so Elisha is nothing, except as his thrilling story does pictorially set before us the all-sufficient grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.And that is something, and well worthy of our study, for who can do without the Saviour and His grace? The procession of needy folk with their burdens and ills and problems and sorrows pass before Elisha in its pages. We watch them as they come and go, and recognise our own spiritual needs portrayed in them; but as Elisha was the man for them all, so is his great Antitype the Man for us. It is of Him the author writes, joyfully, thankfully, and with a full assurance. The author uses scenes from Elisha's experience to meditate on the later, and perfect, life of Jesus Christ, as he develops his theme of "the secret of spiritual victory, peace and joy".

Hamilton Smith (1862-1943), born in Barnes, Surrey, the son of a sea captain, was employed in the office of his uncle's building firm, where he was later joined by his cousin F B Hole. By 1901, married and living in Sutton, Surrey, with his wife and young family, he had retired from the building trade and entered full-time upon the task of building up the church of God. Later in life, he moved to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, his wife Rachel's home county. His personal ministry was delivered in the United Kingdom, but his written ministry continues to be read worldwide. Along with H P Barker, A J Pollock, J T Mawson and F B Hole he frequently contributed articles to "Scripture Truth" magazine, which often provided the basis for books later published by the Central Bible Truth Depot. Hamilton Smith's written expositions of the Scriptures are brief, clear and very much to the point. This volume is one of a series of Old Testament character studies for which he is probably best known. It traces the major events of the life of Elijah, with all the highs and lows in his work as a prophet. He knew only too well the inadequacies of his own humanity.But Elijah knew the living God, was conscious of His presence, and was aware that prayer brought him into contact with the greatest power in the universe. By experience, he comes to understand that the God of creation, power and judgment, is supremely the God of grace. At each step, the author presents clear, practical lessons for Christians today as they too seek to present God's word with authority to an indifferent or antgonistic world.

Frank Binford Hole (1874-1964), evangelist, teacher and author, for many years edited and contributed to two periodicals: "Edification" and later "Scripture Truth". Between 1959 and 1961 he wrote a series of articles for "Scripture Truth" in which he worked systematically, chapter by chapter, through the books of the Old Testament prophets of the Exile: Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.Today, in the twenty-first century, they provide as valuable an aid to the application of scriptural principles to Old Testament interpretation as when they were first written. In his clear pithy style, the writer examines these prophecies concerning Jesus Christ and God's past and future plans for Israel. Difficulties in interpretation are not avoided, nor the need to examine the practical response which understanding truth requires from Christians today."To say that an outstanding feature of the present time is the almost universal spirit of unrest is to utter merely a platitude. The thing is so obtrusive as to be patent even to a frivolous mind. Clashing of interests, conflict, upheaval and unrest are no new things in the earth. When, since the entrance of sin, did they not exist? Admitting this, however, we venture to affirm that the present epidemic of unrest and upheaval has assumed such proportions that it may justly be termed the leading feature of the age: and further, with the Bible as our guide, to anticipate that it will increase yet more.It is practically universal in its extent. ... The unrest today is touching every department of human thought and activity. It never did this before. Today violent changes are marked in all directions. Men's minds are working with almost superhuman energy in the manufacture of new ideas and theories: social, political, and theological.What does it all mean? That is the question which surely must be uppermost in the mind of every sober observer. For the Christian, who bows to the Word of God, and accepts the light it sheds, there is no difficulty in discovering the answer. Human histories give us at the best imperfect details of a few of the happenings of time; the Bible alone reveals to us the golden thread of Divine purpose, running through all history. Let us attempt to discern this by the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, and so obtain the Divine answer."

Frank Binford Hole (1874-1964), evangelist, teacher, author, editor and publisher, played a significant role, during the first half of the twentieth century, in the dissemination of dispensational Bible teaching popularised by such as John Nelson Darby and William Kelly in the late nineteenth century. Whether speaking or writing, he was noted for his clarity of expression and apt illustrations. For many years he edited and contributed to two periodicals: "Edification" and later "Scripture Truth." Between 1956 and 1958 he wrote a series of articles in which he worked systematically, chapter by chapter, through the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament. For the first time they have now been brought together in book form. Today, in the twenty-first century, they provide as valuable an aid to the application of scriptural principles to Old Testament interpretation as when they were first written. In his clear pithy style, the writer examines Isaiah's prophecies concerning Jesus Christ, and God's past and future plans for Israel. Difficulties in interpretation are not avoided, nor the need to examine the practical response which understanding truth requires from Christians today.

Yves-Yannick Ford was born in 1969 and spent his childhood in Buckinghamshire, UK. His parents and grandparents taught him the importance and value of the Bible as the Word of God, and it was through reading and re-reading the Epistle to the Romans that Yannick found settled peace and assurance of salvation as a young man. He studied biochemistry and works as a scientist in Kent, UK, where he lives with his wife and four children. He is keen for others to read the Bible and experience its life-changing power too, since it is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12), and God uses His Word to cause us to be born again (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23). This is one of the purposes of the commentary on Job - to show how, all through the Bible, there is one message of salvation, and how we can enter into a relationship of peace and joy with God through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. A second objective is to show how the lessons that Job learned can teach us not to rely on ourselves, but to trust in the Lord Jesus who has not only forgiven our sins, but has also dealt with our sinful nature and gives us the power to live a life that is pleasing to Him.The author takes up the points made by Job and his friends in their long series of speeches, and shows how these can be understood in the light of the Bible as a whole.

John Thomas Mawson (1871-1943) was an outstanding evangelist, teacher and author. He edited and contributed to "Scripture Truth" magazine from its inception in 1909 until 1943 (initially sharing the editorship with H D R Jameson, until the latter's death in 1912). The content of some of his books was originally delivered in series of talks to Christians, young and old, and his writings have a pleasant conversational style about them which makes them easy to follow. His comment on the story of Elisha as "enlightening to the mind and delightful to the heart" describes well his own written ministry. This book considers the life of Elisha, a remarkable prophet: of all the men who served God in Old Testament days, he stands out as the prophet of grace, and in that he was a foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ in His present place on the throne of grace in heaven, the Administrator of the grace of God to men. Only a shadow, and not the very image of Him, and as the shadow is nothing and the Substance is everything, so Elisha is nothing, except as his thrilling story does pictorially set before us the all-sufficient grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.And that is something, and well worthy of our study, for who can do without the Saviour and His grace? The procession of needy folk with their burdens and ills and problems and sorrows pass before Elisha in its pages. We watch them as they come and go, and recognise our own spiritual needs portrayed in them; but as Elisha was the man for them all, so is his great Antitype the Man for us. It is of Him the author writes, joyfully, thankfully, and with a full assurance. The author uses scenes from Elisha's experience to meditate on the later, and perfect, life of Jesus Christ, as he develops his theme of "the secret of spiritual victory, peace and joy".

Hamilton Smith (1862-1943), born in Barnes, Surrey, the son of a sea captain, was employed in the office of his uncle's building firm, where he was later joined by his cousin F B Hole. By 1901, married and living in Sutton, Surrey, with his wife and young family, he had retired from the building trade and entered full-time upon the task of building up the church of God. Later in life, he moved to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, his wife Rachel's home county. His personal ministry was delivered in the United Kingdom, but his written ministry continues to be read worldwide. Along with H P Barker, A J Pollock, J T Mawson and F B Hole he frequently contributed articles to "Scripture Truth" magazine, which often provided the basis for books later published by the Central Bible Truth Depot. Hamilton Smith's written expositions of the Scriptures are brief, clear and very much to the point. This volume is one of a series of Old Testament character studies for which he is probably best known. It examines the history of Elisha, the man of God. Like a heavenly stranger he passes on his way morally apart from all, while in grace the servant of all, accessible alike to rich and poor.He is found in every condition of life; he comes into contact with every class; he moves at times within the land of Israel, and at times he passes beyond its bounds. But, wherever he is, in whatever circumstances he is found, with whoever he comes into contact, his sole business is to make known the grace of God. Sometimes he is mocked; sometimes ignored and forgotten; at times men plot to take his life; but in spite of all opposition he pursues his service of love. He allows nothing in his ways and manner of life that is inconsistent with his ministry of grace. He refuses riches and gifts, content to be poor that others may be enriched. Thus in many ways he foreshadows Christ, who lived among us full of grace and truth; who became poor that we might be rich; who endured the contradiction of sinners, and who, at last, gave up His life that grace might reign through righteousness. But Elisha is also the pattern for every believer in Christ, teaching us at all times to be the exponents, in a needy world, of the grace of God that has reached us in our degradation in order to have us with and like the Man Christ Jesus in heaven.

The story of Nehemiah is one of purpose, pluck, practicality, perspiration, preparation, praise and purification, permeated with prayer. Piloted by the Word of God, he leads the project to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, proving the purpose and power of God for His people. As the story unfolds, the author presents practical lessons for Christians today.