Q3 — Prophets | Matthew, Prison Letters, Peter
Prophets | Matthew, Prison Letters, Peter
Goal: Connect the Testaments
Start drawing lines from the prophets forward, from Matthew and the letters backward, and from every passage toward Christ — so that the separate readings for each day begin to gel as one story.
New Testament: Matthew, Prison Letters, Peter
These books should help us understand the Old Testament, but they should also help us understand ourselves. Look for your place in the grand epic as you read about the kingdom in Matthew, God's eternal purposes in Ephesians, and the royal priesthood and temple of living stones in 1 Peter.
Psalms: Books Three & Four
The third book ends on a dark turn (has God renounced the Davidic covenant? 89:39). But notice how Book Four (90-106) shifts our attention from David's line of kings (cf. Ps. 2, 72, 89, etc.) to celebrating God as King (cf. Ps. 93, 95-99). This collection, placed at the climactic heart of the book, reframes Israel's hopes after the exile and prepares us for the coming Messianic twist — the son of David who is God in the flesh!
Old Testament: Prophets
Sharp language and striking imagery can pierce your heart as the prophets — spokesmen for God like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and "the Twelve" (minor prophets) — blend a message of judgment and repentance with hopeful predictions of a glorious future kingdom.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS
How do the prophets point toward Christ and his kingdom?
How do Matthew and the New Testament letters reference the Old Testament?
How does Matthew’s gospel present the kingship of Jesus?