A simple way to study a book of the Bible is to make note of repeated words or phrases; this is often the easiest way to identify the theme of a book! In Malachi, that phrase is “but you say”, which appears frequently in just four chapters. Why does the prophet use this phrase so often, and what does it signify for the modern reader?
(Preaching on the return from exile. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 31, 2025.)
The return from exile involved a lot of rebuilding; the temple in the book of Ezra, the wall in the book of Nehemiah, and generally they would have had to rebuild homes, farms, roads, etc. But perhaps the most important rebuilding was the people’s relationship with God’s word. How did Nehemiah help restore Israel’s knowledge of the law, and how should his efforts apply to us?
(Preaching on the return. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 24, 2025.)
Zechariah, like most of the post-exilic prophets, urged Israel to return and repent by reminding them exactly why they had been sent into exile in the first place. What can we learn about God’s desire for repentance by considering how God dealt with people in times past?
(Preaching on the return from exile. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 17, 2025.)
Israel’s return from exile was a long process of rebuilding and restoring what had been lost, starting with the temple in the book of Ezra. But beyond rebuilding the physical buildings and towns, Israel needed to restore their relationship and obedience to God, a task that Ezra was well suited for. What can we learn from the process of returning and rebuilding in Ezra?
(Preaching on the return. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 17, 2025.)
The return from Babylonian exile was not a single event, but rather a process that took place over the course of a century, during which time the temple and walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt. I hope this timeline can help you situate the last part of the Old Testament story in its context.
The vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37 epitomizes one of the main themes of the Bible: God’s power to bring life from death, through his Spirit. Using Ezekiel 37 as a launching point, how does this power of God manifest in his promises through Jesus and his apostles?
(Preaching through Ezekiel and the exile. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 10, 2025.)
The book of Ezekiel has a lot to say about how the failure of Israel’s leaders led Israel into destruction. The book still has much to teach modern readers about the importance of righteous leadership today.
(Preaching on the exile of Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on August 3, 2025.)
The stories of Daniel and Esther take place outside of Israel, a hundred years apart. What can we learn from God’s people as they continued to live faithfully in the midst of ungodly people?
(Preaching on the exile of Israel. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on July 27, 2025.)
The exilic writing of the Old Testament is some of the most powerfully applicable Old Testament Scripture to the modern reader. I am excited to arrive at them in our journey through the story of the Bible this year.
The Babylonian exile is one of the most complicated narrative backdrops in the Old Testament, spanning many prophetic and historical books in Scripture. Understanding the scope of the exile and the return will inform our reading of dozens of Old Testament books, and help us gain a better understanding of the story of God’s people through history.
(Preaching on the exile to Babylon. This sermon was preached at the Dewey Church of Christ on July 20, 2025.)
Watts in the Word 