Church of Christ Colorado Springs

09/08/2026

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS
The verb form of the word for "lamentations" means "to cry aloud". The word refers to the mourning process in which the mourner gives vent to his sorrow by verbal expression of anguish. The book consist of five funeral poems, written in the cadence of a funeral dirge, believed to have been written by Jeremiah, earning for him the distinction of being "the weeping prophet." The first four poems follow an acrostic pattern (i.e., each verse begins with a word whose first letter corresponds consecutively with the Hebrew alphabet). The third poem devotes three verses to each letter. The fifth poem is a final prayer.

LAMENTATIONS OUTLINE
1 Jerusalem’s Devastated Condition
2 Review of Jerusalem’s Babylonian Assault and God’s craft
3 Jeremiah’s Sorrow and the God of Comfort
4. Description of the Siege
5. Jeremiah’s Prayer of Confession and Petetion for the People

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS (CENTRAL THEME) Lamentations bewails the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 B.C. The five poems form an intense expression of sorrow over the calamity that has befallen the nation. It pleads for a better day when the people will be turned back to God and their lives and circumstances renewed. By application, the book spotlights the proper attitude toward disbedience, resulting punishment, and devastation, and hope for rectification and mercy. Even in the midst of life's calamities, "because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail" (3:22) Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019

09/08/2026

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL
Ezekiel, whose name means "God strengthens," was the son of a priest. He was taken from his home in Jerusalem and exiled with more than 10,000 other Jews in the second deportation by Nebuchadnezzar (597B.C.) - eleven years before the final destruction of Jerusalem. He settled in his own home in the little village of Tell-Abib on the banks of Nebuchadnezzar's royal canal - the river Chebar. Five years into the captivity (592 B.C.), he was called by God to be a prophet - apparently at the age of 30 (1:1). He lost his wife five years later (24:16 - 18). His prophetic labors lasted for 22 years and overlapped the work of Jeremiah (who remained in Palestine to address those Jews who had not yet been deported) and the worked of Daniel (who was in his early years in Babylon). Habakkuk and Zephaniah were also contemporaries.

EZEKIEL OUTLINE
1-32 Prophecies of Condemnation, Judgement, and Doom
1 - 3 Ezekiel’s commission
4 - 24 Judgement against Judah
25 - 32 Judgement against pages neighbors - Ammon, Moab, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, Egypt
33 - 48 Prophecies of Future Hope, Salvation, and Restoration
33 - 39 Redemption/restoration of Israel
40 - 48 Reconstruction of the Temple

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL (CENTRAL THEME) Since a portion of God's people were now in captivity, and the rest were soon to come, Ezekiel's preaching was designed to identify the cause of the captivity - sin- and to offer God's future blessing. The first half of the book (chs. 1-24) predates the final destruction of 586 B.C. and warns of the certainty of coming judgment on God's people. After including the surrounding nations in the deserved punishment (chs. 25-32), the final chapters (33-48) predict restoration and forgiveness for a repentant remnant. The primary way in which judgment and restoration are underscored is by emphasizing the sovereignty of God. His control and initiative over the Universe are reiterated over and over in the expression (used over 65 times) - "Then they will know that I am the Lord". Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019.

09/01/2026

08/20/2026

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH
Often called "the weeping prophet," Jeremiah's preaching career lasted more than 40 years through five Judean kings. He endured mistreatment including opposition, beatings, imprisonment, and abduction. Commanded by God to refrain from marriage, Jeremiah was around 20 years old when he began his ministry during the reign of Josiah. After Josiah's death, hardships commenced. Under Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, Jeremiah suffered cruel opposition. When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem in 586 B.C., Jeremiah was freed and permitted to remain in Jerusalem, only to be abducted by renegade Jews and taken to Egypt. Yet, even there, he continued to fulfill his prophetic responsibilities in accordance with devine commission. Though his work required the delivery of stern messages of warning and threats of judgment, Jeremiah was actually a sensitive and sympathetic man. Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019

JEREMIAH OUTLINE
1 Call and Commission of Jeremiah
2-45 Pronouncements Against Judah
46-51 Pronouncements Against the Nations
52 HistoricalAppendix: Babylonian Captivity Fulfilled

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH (Central Theme)
The primary purpose of Jeremiah was to announce the judgement of god upon apostate Judah. The kings and the people needed to be warned repeatedly of the certain outcomes their persistent rebellion against God. Babylonian captivity was the just and inevitable result of national disobedience, which would last 70 years (25:11-12). Yet even in the midst of depressing warnings and scathing rebukes, Jeremiah provided glimpse of hope, restoration, forgiveness, and future blessings.

08/02/2026

The Month of August Bible Reading

07/29/2026

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SONG OF SOLOMON
The Hebrew title is taken from the first verse which uses the Hebrew superlative “song of songs”, meaning the ultimate song or the best song of all. Our English versions accentuate the latter portion of the first verse which identifies the author, and so title the book “Song of Solomon.”The book has also been referred to as “Canticles” which is Latin for “songs”. Of the 1,005 songs that Solomon wrote (1 Kings 4:32), this one is apparently the greatest. Not only did he author it, the song is a lyric poem in dialogue form referring to his own courtship and marriage. Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019

SONG OF SOLOMON OUTLINE
1-3 Romance, Courting, and Wedding Processions
4-5:1 Honeymoon
5-6 Marital Strife and Reconciliation
7-8 The Marriage Strengthens and Matures
Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press's Inc., copyright

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SONG OF SOLOMON (CENTRAL THEME)
God created male and female at the beginning (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4) and intended that they should marry and bond together in a permanent marital relationship (Genesis 2:24; Matthew19:5-6; Ephesian 5:31). Living a life of devotion to God may be undertaken in the context of the happiness and joy available through the male/female arrangement (i.e., courtship, marriage, the sexual relationship, and the gradual growth and deepening of married love). In a day when divorce is rampant, the marriage relationship has been cheapened, and extra-marital sexual relationships is commonplace, this book is extremely relevant and deserves to be heard.

07/24/2026

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES
The name is Greek for ”preacher” ( a form of ekklesia = assembly). The Hebrew term Qoheleth, means ”one who speaks at an assembly.” Solomon is undoubtedly the author (1:1). The book certainly reflects his life in its allusion to wisdom (1:16), wealth (2:7-8), fame (2:9), and accomplishments (2:4-6). Cf. 1 Kings 4:21ff. Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019

ECCLESIASTES OUTLINE
1 The vanity of the world’s natural processes and pursuit of understanding
2. The vanity of indulgence, human achievement, acquisition, and materialism
3 God’s orchestration of existence for human activity
4 The vanity of human oppression, toil, and politics
5 The vanity of careless worship, and misused wealth
6 The vanity of riches
7-11:8. Wise insight in the midst of life’s vanity (mini-realities amid life’s incongruities)
11:9-12:7. Onset of ole age when the vigor of youth passes
12:8-14. Conclusion: life’s vanity can only be handled by devoting oneself to God

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ECCLESIATES (CENTRAL THEME) Using recurring proverbial expressions (i.e., "under the sun," "vanity of vanities; all is vanity," "grasping after the wind"), Solomon depicts life as meaningless, confused, frustrating, and depressing - if lived apart from God. On the other hand, though life will still be characterized by inexplicable circumstances and puzzling uncertainties, when approached in light of God's will, life has meaning and can be successfully negotiated with an adequate measure of satisfaction, contentment, and enjoyment (2:24; 3:13, 22; 5:18-20). Living life in obedience to God is the only viable approach to life (2:26; 3:12; 5:7; 7:18; 8:12; 12:13). After all, everyone will face God's assessment of their conduct (12:14). Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019.

07/14/2026

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
A “proverb”(root meaning = “comparison”) in Hebrew usage is a moralistic pronouncement about everyday life. Proverbs are pithy bits of advice that give insight into existence and reality. Proverbs very practically point down the pathway to successful living. They cut through the facade and complexities that we humans so typically conjure up in our lives by pinpointing how to live a godly life in preparation for eternity. Solomon wrote the entire book except the last two chapters ( which were authored by the unidentifiable figures Agur and King Lemuel). This collection of proverbs, which inspiration has chosen to preserve, must have been among the thousands written by Solomon (1 Kings 4:32). Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019

PROVERBS OUTLINE
1-9 The cruciality of Wisdom
10-24 Proverbs (375) that stress righteous living and discourage wicked living
25-29 Proverbs of Solomon (extracted by Hezekiah’s men) pertaining to human relationship
30 Agur’s words of wisdom and numerical sayings
31 Lemuel’s mother’s advice for kings and a description of the capable women
Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press's Inc., copyright

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PROVERBS (CENTRAL THEME) Rather than being a disconnected hodgepodge of unrelated maxims, Proverbs constitutes a distillation of wisdom gleaned from the Law of God. Wisdom is the general subject matter of the book, but the central theme is stated in 1:7 - " the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (cf. 9:10; 15:33). In other words, the starting point for life and the real essence of wisdom is fear of God (alluded to 21 times). True living cannot commence without first a genuine respect for God. A healthy fear of the Lord entails a reverence for God that includes obedience and submission to His will (Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Ecclesiastes 12:13). A person's life cannot even "get off the ground" until an humble respect for God and His will is in place. Once the prerequisite of genuine regard for God is intact, the individual is in a position to hear God and to begin the process of assimilating God's wisdom as it relates to a variety of factors: pride/humility, wealth/poverty, sin, folly, goodness, use of the tongue, vengeance, strife, gluttony, justice, love, lust, laziness, death, friends, the family, etc. See also these expressions: "fear of the Lord" - 1:7,29; 2:5; 8:13; 9:10; 10:27; 14:26,27; 15:16,33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4; 23:17 "fears the Lord" - 14:2, 16, 26; 28:14; 31:30 "fear the Lord" - 3:7; 24:21. Defending the Faith Study Bible by Apologetics Press, Inc, copyright 2019.

07/04/2026

THE MONTH OF JULY MONTHLY BIBLE READING

06/01/2026

The Month of June Monthly Bible Reading Calendar