Bible teacher Michael Brent helps listeners observe and interpret the Word of God. His present series addresses the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) with an emphasis on the sermon’s thought and structure. Search for previous series on the Pentateuch, Isaiah, John, Acts and Romans here at podbean or by accessing these series individually at the observetheword.com website or on various podcasting platforms such as itunes, spotify and youtube.
Episodes
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Matthew 5:33-48 Kingdom Commandments 2
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
Sunday Feb 25, 2024
In Matthew 5:33-48, we continue with the second half of Jesus' kingdom commandments. He calls us deeper in and further out, establishing an incredibly high moral standard for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. At this point, we are finally ready to go back and understand the blessings Jesus announced at the beginning of his sermon.
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
Matthew 5:17-32 Kingdom Commandments 1
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
In Matthew 5:17-32, we address the first half of kingdom commandments indicated by Jesus formula, "You have heard it said...but I say to you..." What does it look like to be salt and light for the kingdom of heaven? Jesus is going to tell us. And the standard he sets is going to be very high indeed.
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Matthew 5:1-16 Kingdom Values
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
Wednesday Nov 29, 2023
In Matthew 5:1-16, Jesus begins the sermon on the mount with a two part introduction. First, he communicates a series of virtues God affirms by rewarding. And second, he exhorts his disciples to be salt and light in society, presumably by living out the virtues that God values. But what does it look like, really, to live out the virtues? In the end, Jesus raises more questions than answers, and that is intentional.
Thursday Nov 09, 2023
Matthew 3-4 Gospel of the Kingdom
Thursday Nov 09, 2023
Thursday Nov 09, 2023
In Matthew 3-4, we continue to follow Matthew as he sets up the context for the sermon on the mount. Who is this Jesus? What has he come to do? What is his connection to the Old Covenant? What does he mean that the kingdom of heaven is near? What is this gospel of the kingdom that Jesus proclaims?
Friday Oct 27, 2023
Matthew 1-2 Origin of the King
Friday Oct 27, 2023
Friday Oct 27, 2023
We begin our Sermon on the Mount series with a two-part overview of Matthew 1-4 to set up our context. Who is this Jesus? What has he come to do? What is his connection to the Old Covenant? That's what Matthew has in mind to tell us, starting with the origin of the king in chapters 1 and 2.
Saturday Jul 22, 2023
Isaiah 66:18-24 A Sign Among the Nations
Saturday Jul 22, 2023
Saturday Jul 22, 2023
In Isaiah 66:18-24, the end of Isaiah speaks of the end of this age. God sets a sign among his people. And he sends survivors out to the ends of the earth. They raise the sign as a standard. It is time to gather in the nations, time for every knee to bow and every tongue confess that the Holy One of Israel, He is God.
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Isaiah 65:17-66:17 New Heavens and New Earth
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
In Isaiah 65:17-66:17, God's response to the watcher's lament reaches a climax with the promise of a recreation. God will create the heavens and earth anew as an eternal dwelling place for his chosen ones. Who are the chosen ones? Who are these servants of God that dwell with him forever?
Friday Jun 02, 2023
Isaiah 63:7-65:16 Lament and Response
Friday Jun 02, 2023
Friday Jun 02, 2023
In Isaiah 63:7-65:16, we move from the triumphant vision of glorious Zion to the struggle of holding onto the promise of that glorious future in the painful present. A human watcher cries out to God in a theological rich lament. God challenges the watcher to accept a more accurate perspective of what he is doing.
Thursday May 18, 2023
Isaiah 61:10-63:6 Four Songs of the Conqueror
Thursday May 18, 2023
Thursday May 18, 2023
In Isaiah 61:10-63:6, we encounter two further songs of a mysterious figure committed to the establishment of an ideal society for God's people. In the first song he comes dressed as a groom for a wedding. In the second song he comes dressed as a champion for battle.
Thursday May 04, 2023
Isaiah 61:1-9 The Favorable Year of the Lord
Thursday May 04, 2023
Thursday May 04, 2023
In Isaiah 61:1-9 God pours out his Spirit, anointing a chosen servant to proclaim good news to the afflicted. That good news transforms God's people. 700 years later Jesus stood up in a synagogue, read the first two verses of this passage, sat down and declared, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Monday Apr 17, 2023
Isaiah 60 The Coming Glory
Monday Apr 17, 2023
Monday Apr 17, 2023
In Isaiah 60, the glory of God shines out from Zion as a glorious city on a hill. Many peoples respond to that light bringing gifts of tribute to the Holy One of Israel, tribute including frankincense and gold. How does this vision of Zion relate to the church? Is this our mission to build a city of light on earth?
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
Isaiah 59 The Conqueror Comes
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
Wednesday Mar 29, 2023
In Isaiah 59, the prophet first condemns the wickedness of his society and then includes himself in with all the rest as he confesses, "our sins testify against us...we know our iniquities." Seeing no man to intercede, the Lord arms himself to bring justice and salvation. But who is this divine conqueror who comes to redeem Zion?
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Isaiah 58 A True Fast – Desiring God and Loving People
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Monday Mar 20, 2023
In Isaiah 58, the prophet calls out religious hypocrisy. As the paganism of chapter 57 represents the progressive idolatry of the left, the human-centered religiosity of chapter 58 represents the conservative idolatry of the right. In this lesson we raise our third big picture interpretation question, "How does the gospel of Jesus Christ help me interpret this text?"
Friday Jan 20, 2023
Isaiah 56:9-57:21 Two Parties in Judah
Friday Jan 20, 2023
Friday Jan 20, 2023
In Isaiah 56:9-57:21, we shift from the ideal of God's people depicted in 56:1-8 to the actual reality of God's people. This gives us an opportunity to ask the critical interpretive question, "Who is Isaiah's primary audience?" Who were the people of God he was talking to and what were they like?
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Isaiah 56:1-8 World People, Sabbath People, Praying People
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
In Isaiah 56:1-8, we introduce the Book of the Conqueror, chapters 56-66, asking a critical interpretive question, overviewing this book's structure, and considering in its first 8 verses the inclusion of eunuchs and foreigners into covenant community with God.
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Isaiah 54:1-55:13 Respond to the Servant’s Triumph
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
Tuesday Nov 22, 2022
In Isaiah 54 and 55, we are exhorted by the prophet to respond to the astounding work of the servant described in Isaiah 53. Shout! Cry aloud! Come! Seek! The table of grace has been set. You have been invited. Enter into the everlasting covenant of peace.
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Isaiah 53 Interpretations of the Fourth Servant Song
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
The fourth servant song in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 provides an incredible example of Old Testament prophecy about Jesus Christ. In this episode, we consider how critical historians have interpreted this text, how Jewish scholars have interpreted this text, and how New Testament writers have interpreted this text.
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 The Fourth Servant Song
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
In Isaiah 52:13-53:12, we arrive at the heart of the Book of the Servant. The fourth servant song proclaims the long awaited "how" of spiritual deliverance. How does our holy God justly forgive sinful people?
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Isaiah 50:4-52:12 The Third Servant Song
Friday Oct 14, 2022
Friday Oct 14, 2022
In Isaiah 50:4-52:12, the third servant song provides a model of faithful resilience. Isaiah exhorts Israel to listen, wake up and walk with God according to that model.
Thursday Oct 06, 2022
Isaiah 49:1-50:3 The Second Servant Song
Thursday Oct 06, 2022
Thursday Oct 06, 2022
In Isaiah 49:1-50:30, Isaiah begins the final section in the Book of the Servant with the second of four servant songs. God's servant is a select arrow, hidden in the Lord's quiver, to be aimed, drawn and released at the appropriate time, not only to restore Israel, but as a light for the nations that God's salvation might reach to the ends of the earth.
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Isaiah 48:1-22 Israel Delivered
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
Thursday Sep 29, 2022
In Isaiah 48:1-22, Isaiah completes his description of Babylon's fall and Israel's deliverance. God perseveres in faithfulness to his chosen people, but a dark chord is struck in the joyful song of rescue. A great deliverance from the external oppressor Babylon does not solve the internal problem of the human heart.
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Isaiah 47:1-15 Babylon Conquered
Monday Sep 26, 2022
Monday Sep 26, 2022
In Isaiah 47:1-15, Isaiah looks ahead to the fulfillment of the Cyrus prophecy with the fall of Babylon. Isaiah's vision looks beyond the specific, historic fall of Babylon to a spiritual reality that runs through human history from the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 to John's depiction in Revelation 18.
Thursday Sep 15, 2022
Isaiah 46:1-13 God’s Plan for Obstinate Israel 2
Thursday Sep 15, 2022
Thursday Sep 15, 2022
In Isaiah 46:1-13, Isaiah concludes his description of Israel's obstinacy in regard to God's plan to use Cyrus. But first we continue our consideration of how Isaiah 45 influenced Paul's letter to the Romans in regard to the three themes of questioning God's plan, the righteousness of God, and the salvation of all Israel.
Wednesday Aug 31, 2022
Isaiah 45:9-25 God’s Plan for Obstinate Israel 1
Wednesday Aug 31, 2022
Wednesday Aug 31, 2022
In Isaiah 45:9-25, Israel pushes back against God's plan to raise up Cyrus, a Gentile Messiah. God responds with a rebuke and an affirmation that Israel will still play a central role in the formation of a world wide people. We will see significant connection between Isaiah 45 and Paul's letter to the Romans.
Tuesday Aug 23, 2022
Isaiah 44:24-45:8 The Cyrus Prophecy and Historical Background
Tuesday Aug 23, 2022
Tuesday Aug 23, 2022
In Isaiah 44:24-45:8, we consider the historical background and meaning of one of the most specific and unlikely prophecies of Scripture that a king named Cyrus would deliver the Jewish exiles from Babylon.
Thursday Aug 11, 2022
Isaiah 43:22-44:23 Forgiveness of Sins
Thursday Aug 11, 2022
Thursday Aug 11, 2022
In Isaiah 43:22-44:23, we address the second half of our second major section in the Book of the Servant - the Redemption of Israel. The people of God need spiritual redemption from their own sin nature. Only God can meet our deepest needs. Pagan idol-gods, both ancient and modern, are empty fictions of our own design.
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Isaiah 42:18-43:21 Release from Bondage
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
Wednesday Aug 03, 2022
In Isaiah 42:18-43:21, we address the first half of our second major section in the Book of the Servant - the Redemption of Israel. Israel is going to need national redemption from exile in Babylon. God is going to do this. God's people are to give witness.
Sunday Jun 05, 2022
Isaiah 41:21-42:17 Consolation of the Gentiles
Sunday Jun 05, 2022
Sunday Jun 05, 2022
In Isaiah 41:21-42:17, Isaiah offers consolation for the Gentiles by exposing the idol-gods of the nations, prophesying God's remedy in a future servant, and responding with a new song. Isaiah's description of an ideal servant in 42:1-4 constitutes our first of four servant songs in the Book of the Servant.
Friday May 20, 2022
Isaiah 41:1-20 Three Pictures of Consolation
Friday May 20, 2022
Friday May 20, 2022
In Isaiah 41:1-20, Isaiah concludes the initial consolation of Israel, with a powerful, compact description of God as sovereign over world events and with three descriptive pictures of the transformation he will bring about when Israel's exile is complete.
Thursday May 05, 2022
Isaiah 40:12-31 The Creator God – The Ground of Comfort
Thursday May 05, 2022
Thursday May 05, 2022
In Isaiah 40:12-31 Isaiah extols the character of the Creator God as the ground of the hope proclaimed in 40:1-11. We can find comfort in the hope of God's glory, word and arm when we see God as he truly is.
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
Isaiah 40:1-11 The Consolation of Zion
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
In Isaiah 40:1-11 God calls for heralds to proclaim his word of comfort for Israel. That word is provided by three voices, each adding to the message of consolation. Before getting into the text, we first introduce the Book of the Servant, chapters 40-55, by addressing Isaiah's development of the Messiah and righteousness themes.
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Isaiah 38-39 Hezekiah’s Fateful Choice
Friday Apr 15, 2022
Friday Apr 15, 2022
In Isaiah 38-39 Isaiah creates a bridge between the Book of the King and the Book of the Servant with a reminder that even good human kings do not persevere in faithfulness.
Tuesday Mar 29, 2022
Isaiah 36-37 Lord of History
Tuesday Mar 29, 2022
Tuesday Mar 29, 2022
In Isaiah 36-37 Isaiah reminds Judah that God truly is the Lord of History through the example of Sennacherib's inability to capture Jerusalem.
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
Isaiah 36-39 Historical Background
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
In this lesson we consider historical sources of Sennacherib's invasion of Judah to help us better interpret the narrative in Isaiah 36-39.
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Isaiah 31-35 The Stability of Your Times
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
In Isaiah 31-35, we complete the six woes that rebuke Judah for turning away from God in troubled times to find help in Egypt. Isaiah continues to call his listeners back to God our King who is the source of stability in present times and our sure hope for the future.
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Isaiah 30 Security Not Found in Human Alliances
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
In Isaiah 30, Isaiah begins and ends with the human perspective of Judah's alliance with Egypt and the looming invasion by Assyria. In the middle of the chapter, he gives us two divine perspectives, calling Judah's leaders to turn back to God and trust him to be their security.
Sunday Feb 27, 2022
Isaiah 29 Historical Deliverance and Spiritual Transformation
Sunday Feb 27, 2022
Sunday Feb 27, 2022
In Isaiah 29, we address the 2nd and 3rd woes of the Lord of History section, chapters 28-37. In this larger section, Isaiah reminds the people of God's deliverance during a national crisis, so that they might believe God is at work in the present and trust that God will fulfill his promises for the future.
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
Isaiah 28 A Simple Message for Halls of Power
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
Tuesday Feb 22, 2022
The move from Isaiah 27 to Isaiah 28 is a transition between major sections. In this lesson we briefly summarize 5 principles of faith from the Universal Kingdom section, chapters 13-27, and then move into the first woe of the Lord of History section, chapters 28-37. In chapter 28, employing powerful imagery (fading garlands, ripe figs, a covenant with death and a costly cornerstone), Isaiah calls the leaders of Judah back to trust in God.
Saturday Feb 12, 2022
Isaiah 24-27 The Third Cycle - Two Cities
Saturday Feb 12, 2022
Saturday Feb 12, 2022
In Isaiah 24-27, Isaiah presents a third cycle of passages that look far into the future to a final day where the city of man stands in stark contrast against the city of God and the faithful are exhorted to endure through to glory.
Thursday Feb 03, 2022
Isaiah 21-23 The Second Cycle of Oracles
Thursday Feb 03, 2022
Thursday Feb 03, 2022
In Isaiah 21-23, Isaiah continues addressing God's rule over a universal kingdom in a second cycle of oracles to the nations in which he describes the failure of self-sufficiency to meet human need through the depiction of a toppled empire and the rippling effects on smaller nations.
Saturday Jan 29, 2022
Isaiah 13-20 The First Cycle of Oracles
Saturday Jan 29, 2022
Saturday Jan 29, 2022
In Isaiah 13-20, Isaiah begins a new section addressing God's rule over a universal kingdom. This first cycle of five oracles to the nations shows God to be sovereign over all nations both in his just punishment of self-sufficient pride and in his faithful provision for a believing remnant.
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
Isaiah 9:8-12:6 The Word to Israel
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
Thursday Jan 20, 2022
In Isaiah 9:8-12:6, Isaiah proclaims a word to Israel that further develops the four themes in his word to Judah, moment of decision, judgment, remnant and glorious hope. We end with an epilogue of praise in 12:1-6.
Monday Dec 20, 2021
Isaiah 8:9-9:7 The Word to Judah II
Monday Dec 20, 2021
Monday Dec 20, 2021
In Isaiah 8:9-9:7, Isaiah moves from his prophecy of judgment on Judah to identification of a remnant and a glorious hope. The great light of glorious hope will arise in Galilee. He will be born a human child whose name is somehow also Mighty God!
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
Isaiah 7:1-8:8 The Word to Judah I
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
In Isaiah 7:1-8:8, we consider a moment of decision set before Ahaz King of Judah and a sign from God that affirms the truthfulness of His words. The sign in this case is a baby born to a virgin.
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
Isaiah 6 Vision, Call and Mission
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah experiences the vision of God that becomes the foundation for his lifelong ministry. His call and mission both follow after that vision.
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
Isaiah 5 Sin and Grace
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
In Isaiah 5, Isaiah concludes the initial diagnosis and prognosis of Judah raising the question, "What is the right response to a people who have taken for granted and abused the gracious gifts of God?"
Thursday Nov 18, 2021
Isaiah 2-4 Sin and Election
Thursday Nov 18, 2021
Thursday Nov 18, 2021
In Isaiah 2-4, Isaiah continues his diagnosis of Judah developing the idea of sin and election by moving from ideal Jerusalem to actual Jerusalem to present Jerusalem.
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
Isaiah 1:10-31 Covenant Lawsuit Prophecy
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
Wednesday Nov 10, 2021
In Isaiah 1:10-31, Isaiah performs the role of a covenant lawsuit prophet as he continues to diagnosis the spiritual condition of Judah from both a religious and social perspective.
Saturday Nov 06, 2021
Isaiah 1:2-9 Interpreting Biblical Poetry
Saturday Nov 06, 2021
Saturday Nov 06, 2021
In Isaiah 1:2-9, Isaiah diagnoses Judah's spiritual condition. We will take time during this first passage to consider three approaches to observing biblical poetry.
Wednesday Oct 27, 2021
Isaiah 1:1 Historical Context
Wednesday Oct 27, 2021
Wednesday Oct 27, 2021
Isaiah 1:1 makes a claim to authorship and historical context for the book of Isaiah. In this episode we argue the validity of that claim as an introduction to the series.