Intro to video 1

The book of Psalms is the largest collection of poetry in the Bible. In this video we’ll explore the design shape and main themes of this marvelous book, which was crafted to be read from beginning to end. The Psalms are an invitation to a literary temple where you can meet with God and hear the entire biblical storyline retold in poetic form.

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Discuss

1. What is the book of Psalms NOT (a random collection of poems to pick through out of order)

2. What’s the connection between the book of Psalms and the Temple? (they are a virtual Temple - the Psalms were an important way for the people of Israel to meet God, sing and enjoy his presence after the Temple was destroyed)

3. Let’s think about the structure of the Psalms:

   • Psalm 1 and 2 serve as an introduction - what themes do they introduce? (Torah, Messiah, Temple, Kingdom of God)

4. How many sections are there? (5)

   • What do the first two sections focus on? (David and his family)

   • What does the third section focus on? (exile and downfall of David’s line)

   • What do the final two sections focus on? (hope of God’s Kingdom on the other side of exile)

5. Now we know all this, how could it change how we read the Psalms?

Intro to video 2

It’s the apocalypse! But what exactly does that mean? The Bible is filled with dreams and visions about human history coming to a climax, and they’re usually packed with intense imagery and strange symbols. In this video, we’ll explore the meaning of the word “apocalypse” in the Bible, and we’ll learn some basic steps for reading this literature with more wisdom and insight.

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Discuss

1. What does apocalypse mean? (Revelation)

2. Symbolism is key in apocalyptic literature… but how can we understand what the symbols mean? (By reading the rest of the Bible! The images develop themes found elsewhere in Biblical design patterns)

3. What is the purpose of apocalyptic literature? (to give a heavenly and eternal perspective on what is going on around us)