52 Weeks in the Word - Week 28

-

 Last week we finished the book of Proverbs.  This week we will read through the books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon and begin reading Isaiah.  There really hasn't been heavy discussion over Psalms or Proverbs, so perhaps these books will bring more interesting thoughts to ponder in conversation.  Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Isaiah all have different styles and messages.  Below I will share some interesting facts and key take aways to look for while you read this week.  However, all three books do have something that links them together: Jesus!  Jesus is the One who is constant in an ever changing world.  Times change, but Jesus does not!  Jesus is "the One who lays down His life for His bride, but also goes and pursues the lost sheep." And in Isaiah, we read that Jesus is prophesied throughout the book as our Lord and Savior. 

Looking ahead to Week 28:

The reading for Week 28 includes: Ecclesiastes 1 - Isaiah 7.

Interesting facts on Ecclesiastes:

The author of Ecclesiastes is probably Solomon, written around 935 B.C.  The Hebrew language of Ecclesiastes is very unique.  Some of the same late Hebrew words also appear in the book Song of Solomon.  Holman Bible Handbook suggests this book can leave readers a bit shocked, so, you've been warned.  The book may have a little pessimism vibe, but look at it as a more "brutally realistic."  In contrast, it can also be considered an evangelistic book!

The key themes of Ecclesiastes:

  • Trying to find meaning in life from possessions is meaningless.
  • Living your life, enjoying your work is a gift from God.
  • Connecting with God through faith and worship is how you obtain a meaningful life.
For an even better overview of Ecclesiastes, watch this video from Bible Project:


Interesting facts on Song of Solomon:

Next, we have Song of Solomon.  The full name of this book is actually titled, "The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's."  It's often just referred to as Song of Solomon, but some Bibles refer to it from Latin as Song of Songs.

The author is possibly Solomon, though some scholars also debate this as well.  It is said to be written about 935 B.C.  

Ok, the style of this book is love poetry.  No other book in the Bible, except probably Revelation, has gone through so many radical interpretations.  For some, reading this book may be a stretch, so feel free to ask questions, comment, and look into commentaries.  There are many types of interpretation for this book, including allegorical, dramatic, wedding song interpretation, and the most probable - love song interpretation.  There's 8 chapters of poems, with the woman being the main character.  The poems contain several metaphors, so a visual image as you read will not help.  I'm going to link the video below for Song of Songs.  I think it would probably help with understanding if you view it before you begin reading the book.


Interesting facts on Isaiah:

Lastly, we have the book of Isaiah.  This book was written by the prophet Isaiah during 700 - 650 B.C.  We will be reading the book of Isaiah for a couple of weeks, so I will post more information on the book next week as well.

Remember to continue to look for ways the daily reading points to Jesus!  We look forward to hearing from you all this week.  

Blessings!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

52 Weeks In The Word - Week 1

-
Image
Welcome!  We are so glad you are interested in reading through the Bible with us this year!  Our heart is that this small group will be an encouragement to you as we set out to read God's Word this year.   What We Will Do: We are using the reading plan from  52 Weeks in the Word  by Trillia J. Newbell.  If you would like a downloadable reading plan to print off, click  here .  If you have not already received your book, contact Ginger or Matt.  The book is not necessary to begin, but you will need the reading plan. Each week we will post a new blog post with a brief introduction to that week's reading that can be found right here.  You may also post comments or questions on that week's reading on this page.   We will not actually be meeting together for this group.  However, Matt and I have placed you in small groups to encourage each of you through out the year to stay focused on the goal of reading through the Bible...
Read more

52 Weeks in the Word - Week 2

-
Image
 It has been such a rich week of Bible reading!  We have been blessed by the dialog in all the groups.   Just a brief recap of the week's chat discussion: Giants mentioned in Chapter 6.  This brought up many more interesting thoughts. Creation and the beautiful gift from the Lord.  We are made in His image.  The various places where we saw examples of Christ or the Gospel, such as with Abraham and Isaac, the three men who came to Abram, and Melchisedek giving his blessing and brought bread and wine. Genealogies and many more... We want to encourage you to keep reading !  If you find yourself needing to catch up, Sundays are great days to do that since there are no extra readings for that day.  Try listening to the Bible with an online app if you find yourself needing a little extra help keeping up.  You are NOT behind, just keep going!   Another great way to be encouraged to read further is joining in with your small group chat...
Read more

52 Weeks in the Word - Week 3

-
Week 2 has come to an end.  This week we've had great discussions going in the group.  Genesis was a book that kept our attention!  It was full of wonderful takeaways, including forgiveness and redemption.   A brief recap of Week 2's discussions: Consequences of blessings and curses Early generations without Jesus or Scripture getting to Heaven Burying idols  Examples of forgiveness The fact that Joseph's brothers did not take his advice when talking with the Pharoah in Chapter 47 Woman being an equal helper to man, with a deeper meaning than the generic meaning of helper today. We even had some of these discussions in the discussion posts this week of the blog, so feel free to go back and read through the first two weeks' discussions on this blog.  We want to encourage you, if you have a question, reach out and ask.  Feel free to leave a comment here or in your small group text.  We have enjoyed digging deeper with you all this week. Looking...
Read more