In this week’s teaching, we’ll start with two books from Solomon. Then we’ll read the first 11 (out of 66) chapters from Isaiah, the first of the Prophetic books.
First, Ecclesiastes was written by an old, depressed, lonely, wealthy, morally compromised king. It’s about regret, and it feels that way. Second, Song of Solomon, on the other hand, was written by a young, passionate, married, soon-to-be-extraordinarily-wealthy, morally strong king. It’s about love and sensuality, and it feels that way. These are the end of the Poetry (Wisdom) books.
It’s essential to note that the first two books are Solomon talking to God. So, while they are a truthful and accurate expression of what Solomon was feeling, they’re not necessarily true from God’s standpoint. This is especially true of Ecclesiastes.
Isaiah, on the other hand, is God speaking directly to his people through the prophet, so it can and must be seen through that lens.
It’s a fascinating week of reading, with a lot of different perspectives, which is why this week’s teaching goes a little longer than usual to help you take on this amazing section of the Bible.
The Bible Reading Coach podcast is designed to help anyone read through the Bible in a year. In 10-15 minutes each Friday, I’ll introduce you to the passage for the following week, including:
- What it’s about
- How to deal with challenging passages
- How the original readers saw it
- How it applies today
- And much more
After listening, take the next week to read the passage on your own. This time you’ll have a clearer understanding of it.
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Credits
Producer
Veronica Beaver | Veronica@KarlVaters.com
Music composed and performed by
Jack Wilkins | JackWilkinsMusic.com
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Solomon Joy | Joyetic.com
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Author
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Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of four books on church leadership. His fifth book, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next, releases on April 2, 2024.
He also hosts a bi-weekly podcast,The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry. Episodes feature in-depth interviews about the topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.
Karl has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience. He and his wife, Shelley have three children and two grandkids.