Biblical Theology
A verse-by-verse exposition of Moses’ inspired account of history from creation to Israel’s wilderness wanderings. Rich typology and prophecies hidden in these books are clearly explained. In Genesis we have in germ seed all that is later developed in the Bible: the ruin of man through sin, redemption by blood and faith in God’s plan of salvation, communion, divine direction, and the ultimate plan for man. The latest archaeological data relevant to each locale or period of history are also covered. The class does not include a study of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25-40), as this material is presented in Tabernacle (B540).
A detailed study of the laws of God in the light of New Testament revelation. Humorously called the “spinach” of the Old Testament, Leviticus packs great spiritual power. It is only distasteful to those who fail to see the wealth of life-giving spiritual nourishment veiled in the typology of priestly ordinances and holy festivals. Students feast on the spiritual relevance presented in this class! Particular emphasis is placed upon the priesthood and each of the five types of offerings (burnt, meal, peace, sin, and trespass) and upon the feasts (Passover, Pentecost, Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles). The study of Deuteronomy familiarizes the student with the nature of God’s old covenant laws, His promised blessings and cursings as a consequence of obedience and disobedience, and the history of Moses and Israel immediately before the succession of Joshua and the crossing of Jordan into the promised land.
Teaches the student the vital facts of Israel’s history from the days of Joshua (c. 1400 B.C.) to the time of the Babylonian captivity (c. 600 B.C.). The instructor points out practical lessons for today’s ministers as he successively spotlights the leading men who appear in the books from Joshua to Esther. The ministries of Joshua, the thirteen judges, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Ezra, and Nehemiah are analyzed; together with the careers of Saul, David, Solomon, and the kings of both Judah and Israel. Although the class is historically based, a substantial portion of the curriculum consists of identifying and explaining many of the typological pictures of Christ, the church, and current religious trends contained in this colorful section of Scripture.
This verse-by-verse study of this grandest of all prophetic books will convince anyone that the book of Isaiah can be accurately described as the ‘ ‘Gospel of the Old Testament. “Even the prophet Isaiah’s name means “the salvation of Jehovah. “The book abounds in phrases such as: wells of salvation, joy of salvation, walls of salvation, helmet of salvation, arm of salvation, garments of salvation, and many more. The coming of Christ, His crucifixion. His second coming, and His millennial reign are all here. The prophet also tells of the burdens upon Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Damascus, Egypt, Edom, Arabia, and Tyre. Virtually every lecture is packed with spiritual truths, revelations, and insights into the future of the church, Israel, and the nations of earth.
A detailed study of the prophecies and life of Jeremiah, Judah’s last pre-exilic prophet. The student gains useful tools for his own ministry as he learns how the prophet struggled with a stubborn people, drawing valuable lessons from the large cast of characters who crossed the prophet’s path during his forty-year ministry in Judah. The class features outstanding insights into many details, such as the political machinations of Judah with its neighboring nations; the prediction of God’s New Covenant; the true meaning of “the time of Jacob’s trouble”; the corruption, decline, overthrow, and subsequent mourning over Jerusalem; and the great prophecies of Judah’s captivity by Babylonia and the eventual reuniting and restoration of the divided kingdom.
In this thrilling exposition of the twelve minor prophets the student learns that these books contain some of the most outstanding prophecies found anywhere in the Scriptures. Specifically, he can expect to hear a detailed exegesis of the following prophecies: Micah foretelling Christ’s birth in Bethlehem; Hosea telling of his flight into Egypt; Zechariah prophesying of Christ’s triumphal entry, crucifixion, and second advent; Joel prophesying of Pentecost, the latter rain, and the battle of Armageddon; and Zephaniah foretelling of restoration and the millennium. Very interesting are the eight visions of Zechariah: the red horses, the four horns and four smiths, the man with a measuring line, the high priest, the lamp, the flying roll, the woman with wings carrying meal, and the four chariots. The class provides a veritable storehouse of historical facts, along with spiritual insights regarding the many personal, social, and religious parallels between our day and theirs.
Drawing upon a comprehensive harmonization of all four Gospels, the instructor provides each student with literally hundreds of spiritual perspectives to incorporate into his own Christian walk and ministry to others. Styled as dynamic sermons, rather than mere lectures, every session is alive with the presence and power of God. Students find themselves drawn by the Holy Spirit to a deeper dedication which results in changed lives. Several interesting and rewarding research assignments challenge the student to really dig into the Gospels and investigate Christ’s ministry for himself. This class also furnishes the student with historical knowledge of that age: the Pharisees, their popularity and over-scrupulous interpretation of the law; the Sadducees, the minority which hob-nobbed with Rome and therefore held power; the Essenes, who withdrew from society; the Haberim, the truly spiritual minority; the Am- Ha-Arets, the backslidden Jews; and the Herodians, followers of that old fox, Herod.
This overview of the book of Acts concentrates on two major themes: the history of the founding and development of the church through the ministry of the apostles (primarily Paul) and the spiritual lessons for the church today which can be gleaned from this history. Because the systematic proofs for the various doctrines referred to in this book (such as salvation, water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, the offices and ministries of church government, etc.) are presented in the doctrinal courses of our Theology department, they are not repeated here. Rather, the application of these doctrines is emphasized. The abiding principles contained in the accounts of how God’s leaders ministered in a hostile environment are related to current Christian practice and experience, including the persecution of believers, the leading of the Holy Spirit, casting out demons, the apostolic office, ecumenical councils, ordination to the ministry, and many others which are useful to the ministerial student.
The B150 series. A verse-by-verse exegesis of all fourteen Pauline epistles. As individual doctrines present themselves during the study of each book, they are discussed at that point in the class. The student finds himself engrossed in these lectures as he hears systematic expositions on every major New Testament truth. The variety of subjects comprising the curriculum of this class reflects the wealth of this portion of God’s Word. Some of the more interesting doctrines given special attention are: the unforgiveable sin, communion, responsibilities of pastors, excommunication, elders and deacons, gifts of the Spirit, the ministries of the church, the dangers of legalism and fanaticism, the coming apostasy of believers, the Antichrist, the catching up of the saints, the nature of our glorified state in heaven, the judgment of angels, and the nation of Israel in God’s plan. Every student who conscientiously applies himself while taking this course cannot help but be deeply affected by it. Not only is his own Christian life strengthened and enriched, but his heart and notebook are filled with practical principles of how to be an effective, beneficial member of the Body of Christ.
An exegetical study of the seven brief letters written by James, Peter, John, and Jude. These epistles are bursting with practical truths for the individual Christian, the local assembly, and the worldwide Body of Christ. The instructor explains these epistles so the student can understand these principles and thus apply them to his own life, being convinced not by the dogmatism of man but by their sound Scriptural basis. This course covers in depth: heresies regarding Christ’s nature, the balanced view of prosperity, how to relate to those who are excommunicated or in cults, angels who fell from heaven, backsliding (how to avoid it and how to rescue souls from it), Christ’s three-day descent into Sheol, false prophets and false teachers, Peter’s vision of the second coming, family life, healing as part of the atonement, hope, grace, love, good works, proper Christian character, anointing the sick with oil, and abiding communion with God.
This up-to-the-minute, verse-by-verse exposition of these two closely related prophetic books is one of the most popular and exciting courses in our entire Theology department. The enlightening and thoroughly studied presentations more than satisfy the craving for knowledge of end-time events so common among Christians today. Even the more difficult areas in this most challenging field of study are understood as the themes are carefully, analytically, and progressively laid out in detail for the student. Of course, all of the major prophetic themes of the book are covered in depth, thus providing a challenge to the serious student. Some of the more intriguing topics covered are: the seven church ages; the prophetic events yet to be fulfilled; the woman and her manchild and remnant; the coming world government; the name, number, and mark of the beast; the deadly wound to the beast’s seventh head; the eighth beast; the ten kings which have no kingdom as yet; the false prophet; the destruction of the harlot church; the two witnesses; the 144,000; the “little season”, the millennium; and the New Jerusalem on the new earth.
A central theme throughout the class is the personal revelation of Jesus Christ Himself, as eternal God and glorified man. In our generation, which is witnessing the closing events of the church age, a firm grasp of this knowledge is essential. Students are fed the vital facts about events in which they will participate and are also given practical truths and the timely exhortations found in these two books.
Ezekiel I deals with the first three of the four main movements in the book of Ezekiel: the commission of the prophet (chapters 1-3), God’s judgments on Jerusalem (chapters 4-24), and the future destinies of the nations (chapters 25-39). Interesting features include: the magnificent typology contained in Ezekiel’s visions of the four interlocked cherubim with their spinning wheels full of eyes and the man on their throned canopy; detailed explanations of the strange symbolic pantomimes enacted by the prophet, such as building a clay model of Jerusalem and besieging it, lying on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 days, binding himself, eating bread made from each kind of grain, breaking into his own house to steal his goods, and weighing and dividing the hair he shaved from his head so he could bum one-third, chop one-third with a knife, and scatter the last third in the wind. In Ezekiel, the student finds the most detailed description of the future invasion of Israel to be found anywhere in Scripture. These, along with Ezekiel’s account of Satan’s fall, the prophet’s virtual speechlessness, and his vision of the horrible deeds in the Temple, make Ezekiel one of the most colorful of all prophetic books. The instructor gives a comprehensive explanation of each of Ezekiel’s utterances, some of which are virtually unequalled by any of the other prophets
An eye opening spiritual look at the three poetic books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The study of Job is a deeply moving examination of wealthy Job and his fearsome trial of faith and endurance. Students learn that Job’s three friends portray those who operate by wrong principles in the church today: Eliphaz, by basing his theology on experience and observation; Bildad, by basing his theology on tradition; and Zophar, by basing his theology on assumption. Job’s own insights and revelations are discussed, together with the decisive expose of Job and his friends by Elihu; then, the final revelations on the matter offered by God Himself.
An inspirational and informative analysis of all 150 Psalms—73 by David, 27 by five other authors, including Moses, and 50 left anonymous—containing many profound prophecies, moral insights, and spiritual promises which are often overlooked during devotional reading. Messages regarding practical living, overcoming temptation, offering praise, expressing faith, seeking God, facing afflictions, and hosts of other subjects abound throughout this veritable storehouse of truth. This is a book not of theoretic theology, but of the practical theology of vivid human experience. One especially interesting part of the course is the detailed definitions and spiritual meanings given for each of the specialized terms found in the titles and texts of the Psalms (Alamoth, Gittith, Higgaion, Maschil, Selah, etc.). Whenever possible, the Davidic Psalms are presented in conjunction with the corresponding accounts of his life as recorded in the historical books.
An examination of the key Old Testament prophecies of events in the life of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel. These prophecies supply details about Christ that are not mentioned in the Gospels. While messianic prophecy is usually restricted to prophecies which directly refer to Christ, this course approaches the subject from a broader viewpoint. Some typological pictures of Christ are also included, being viewed as indirect prophecies of events in His life.
In addition, the instructor offers strong evidence that, in most cases, messianic prophecies find a secondary application in the church, the spiritual Body of Christ.
A short study on alleged Bible contradictions and how to harmonize them with the true teaching of scripture.
Older class by R. Barnett — An inspirational and informative analysis of all 150 Psalms—73 by David, 27 by five other authors, including Moses, and 50 left anonymous—containing many profound prophecies, moral insights, and spiritual promises which are often overlooked during devotional reading. Messages regarding practical living, overcoming temptation, offering praise, expressing faith, seeking God, facing afflictions, and hosts of other subjects abound throughout this veritable storehouse of truth. This is a book not of theoretic theology, but of the practical theology of vivid human experience. One especially interesting part of the course is the detailed definitions and spiritual meanings given for each of the specialized terms found in the titles and texts of the Psalms (Alamoth, Gittith, Higgaion, Maschil, Selah, etc.). Whenever possible, the Davidic Psalms are presented in conjunction with the corresponding accounts of his life as recorded in the historical books.
It has been reported there are some bad spots in this recording. If you need to, check the other Psalms class on this page.
This study of the history and typology of the tabernacle in the wilderness consists of a careful exegesis of the fifteen chapters in Exodus (25-40) which describe its construction, dedication, and religious service. The entire tabernacle is a typological picture of God’s plan through Christ and the church. Oft repeated numbers (1,2,4,5,6,7, 10,40, and 100), significant colors (white, red, blue, and purple), basic metals (gold, silver, and brass), and other items such as wood, stone, earth, bread, oil, water, cherubim, etc., all carry typological significance in relationship to the work of Christ on Calvary. A scale model of the tabernacle is available for examination by students.
Ezekiel's Temple is explained in detail.