Last week, Hosea criticized Israel (the 10 northern tribes) because they had abandoned Yahweh, the true God.  He smacked them with God’s Law and said they were no longer the people of God.  But then, applying the Gospel Word, He wrote that God planted (“jezreeled”) those who are His.  Hosea now continues to bring God’s […]

Last week, we learned how God rescued the Israelites time after time.  He brought them through the waters of the “Reed Sea” (which may be the today’s Red Sea), turned rancid water into sweet, drinking water, and fed them with manna and quail.  Yet, they still grumbled. Water from the Rock Read Exodus 17:1-4 –          […]

Hosea is the first book of the 12 Minor Prophets in the Old Testament, often called “The Twelve.”  The Old Testament Apocrypha book of Sirach says this about the Minor Prophets: “May the bones of the twelve prophets revive from where they lie, for they encouraged the people of Jacob and rescued them with steadfast […]

Last week, we finished with the Israelites hemmed in by the sea on one side, with Pharaoh and his army on the other.  Moses then told the Israelites not to fear, for the LORD would fight for them. God Saves the Israelites Read Exodus 14:15-22 –          What does God do to rescue the Israelites?   […]

In the last lesson, we learned how Jonathan was killed and how Simon then became ruler of Judea.  We also read a section praising Simon, for Simon had achieved true independence for Judea.  1st Maccabees now delves into what was taking place diplomatically when Simon was ruler of Judea.   Alliances with Rome and Sparta […]

The Lord, Yahweh, gave Moses instructions about Passover within the context of the tenth plague.  In that plague, the firstborn male would die, if the doorpost of the house was not covered by the blood of the sacrifice.  After such an event where the firstborn males are spared, God then commands that they are to […]

Moses has continued to confront Pharaoh, yet Pharaoh has refused to let Israel go, even after nine plagues.  Although Pharaoh had agreed to let the Hebrews go to worship Yahweh in the wilderness, with certain stipulations, he always recanted when the plague was no more.   The Passover God instituted this Passover festival to carry […]

Last week, we learned that Trypho, a general trying to seize the Seleucid throne, had slaughtered 1,000 of Jonathan’s men and Jonathan also.  However, 1 Maccabees left the specifics of Jonathan’s death unstated.  It’s now in Chapter 13 where the rewind button is pressed to tell us the specifics surrounding Jonathan’s death.   Trypho’s Double […]