Preaching Predictions of the

Kingdom in the Old Testament:

Applying the Holy to the Present

Guidelines for Preaching Prophetic Literature

• Select a preaching-text that is a unit.

• Do not isolate a text as a proof text.

• Consider the literary and historical context of the biblical book

– We cannot interpret Ezekiel the same way we interpret Proverbs

– Consider what is going on in history at the time of the writing

Questions to Consider• Does the choice of words

reinforce the meaning of the text?

• Is a metaphor being used to show reality in new ways? The prophets were very fond of metaphor.

• Is hyperbole be used? [an exaggerated statement] Amos used “cows of Bashan” to refer to the rich women (Amos 4:1)

Historical Considerations

• Note Dated Prophecies (for example, see Haggai and how the dates correspond to our calendar)

– August 29, 520 B.C. (1:1)– October 17 ,520 B.C. (2:1)– December 18, 520 B.C. (2:10, 20)

• Why did the author speak this way?

• What was his purpose?

Theological Considerations

• What does the text say about God?

• When was the prophecy fulfilled?

• Which prophecies are fulfilled in Christ?

• NOTE: Try to convey the mood and feelings originally provoked by the prophecy.

Note the Theme

• Was the prophecy conditional?• There are two messages:

1. The original listeners to the prophet’s message

2. The readers of the prophet’s words once they were written down

• Trace the theme through Scripture.

The Relevance of the Sermon

• Be careful about lifting prophecies from their context and imposing them on contemporary audiences

• Note the analogies between then and now. Israel was God’s covenant people; the church is now God’s covenant people. What is now required to keep the covenant?

Kingdom to Church: Connecting the Dots

(Luke 24:27)

Abraham

• God promised to Abraham, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 22:18).

• Paul writes that this “Seed” is Christ (Gal 3:16).

• Peter preached that God’s promise to Abraham is fulfilled when Jesus turns people away from sins (Acts 3:25, 26).

• The blessings we have in Christ were promised over 4,000 years ago!

1996-1821 B.C.

AbrahamDavi

d

The Promise of a Kingdom went from Abraham through

David• After 800 years, God said to David,

“And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever” (2 Sam 7:16).

• We find Abraham and David (Matt 1:2, 6; Luke 3:31, 34) in Jesus’ genealogy.

• Gabriel said that God would give Christ the throne of David and His kingdom would never end (Luke 1:32, 33).

• Christians are part of the kingdom promise!

1086-1016 B.C.

AbrahamDavi

d

Isaiah

Isaiah Foretold the Restoration of the Messiah's Kingdom

(Isa 11:1-16)1896-1716 B.C.

• Isaiah’s reference to Jesse, David’s father, continues the theme of the kingdom promise (Isa 11:12).

• Paul applied this text to his attempt to reach the Gentiles with the gospel (Rom 15:12).

• God’s prophets are connecting the dots!

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Jeremiah foretold aKing who is the Lord

(Jer 23:1-8)

• “A King shall reign and prosper” (Jer 23:5)

• His name: “The Lord our righteousness” (Jer 23:6)• Nathanael acknowledged to Jesus,

“You are the King of Israel” (John 1:49).

• “He’s My King!” Is He your King?

628 B.C.

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Daniel

530 B.C.

• God would set up a kingdom which stand forever (Dan 2:44).

• Christ must reign until He puts all enemies under His feet (1 Cor 15:24).

God’s Forever Kingdom

Outlasts All Kingdoms(Dan 2:44)

evidenceunseen.com

AbrahamDavi

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

A remnant would be placed under a

Shepherd(Ezek 34:20-31)

• Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11-14).

• Are we part of the faithful remnant?• We are handling holy things in the

present

595 B.C.

AbrahamDavi

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

784-725 B.C.

• Hosea prophesied that the children of Israel would seek the LORD their God and David their king and would fear the LORD in the latter days (Hos 3: 5).

Hosea spoke of a future king

who had been dead for 500

years! “David” reigns

through Christ!

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Amos• Amos promised the restoration of Israel

(Amos 9:11, 12).• James applied this text to the spread of

the kingdom to Gentiles (Acts 15:16, 17).

808 B.C.

Amos foretold

that Gentiles will be

included in God’s

kingdom!

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Amos

Obadiah

• The kingdom [church] can be seen by simply connecting the dots presented by the Old Testament prophets.

• We handle the holy things of God.

Obadiah prophesied a time when the kingdom shall be

the Lord’s (Obad

21)

587 B.C.

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Amos

Obadiah

Micah

• Micah announces a coming ruler, a new David, born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

• Fulfilled in Matt 2:6; still true today!

Micah announces

a new David700 B.C.

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Amos

Obadiah

Micah

Jesus

King of God’s

Kingdom

“. . . all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44).

AbrahamDavi

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Amos

Obadiah

Micah

Jesus

Peter

• Jesus built His “church;” Peter was given the keys to the kingdom (Matt 16:18, 19).

• The “church” is the “kingdom.”• It’s obvious, the church is very

important!

Keys to the

kingdom

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Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Amos

Obadiah

Micah

Jesus

Peter

• Members of the kingdom or church, are the final dots that have been throughout the Bible for over 4,000 years.

• We handle holy things in the present day.

Today

• The kingdom is part of God’s eternal purpose (Eph 3:8-13).

• We see God breaking into human history with the kingdom message for over 4,000 years.

• We handle holy things in the present!• Do not neglect the holy things of God.• Look for dots in prophecy and connect

to the kingdom of God.• Know that God’s kingdom, the church,

is an important part of your life.