Playlist: Bethel (topic)
The Bethel Stone
Sermon by Kim MyersThe Stone of Scone (Stone of Destiny or Bethel Stone) affirms God's Davidic covenant that his offspring would occupy the throne of David perpetually.
Amos (Part Nine)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAncient Israel regarded Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba as a sacred shrines, but were not becoming spiritually transformed as a result of pilgrimages.
Amos (Part Ten)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughGod requires a higher standard of righteous behavior from those who have consciously made a covenant with Him and are acquainted with His Law.
Amos 5 and the Feast of Tabernacles
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIf we go to the Feast with the goal of physically enjoying, we may lose out on both the spiritual and physical benefits. 'Going through the motions' defiles it.
Amos (Part One)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAmos gives a series of dire warnings, beginning with Israel's enemies, but concluding with a blistering indictment on Israel herself for her hypocrisy.
Amos (Part Eight)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAmos severely chides Israel for exalting symbolism over substance, superstitiously trusting in locations where significant historical events occurred.
Amos 5 and the Feast
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Just because we keep God's feasts does not necessarily mean we are in sync with God's Law or intent. The Israelites kept the feasts in a carnal manner.
Take Heed and Remember the Less Fortunate
Sermon by Kim MyersWhen a nation loses its morals, people feel free to take advantage of one another, especially the poor. God hates seeing the poor oppressed.
Amos (Part Eleven)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughAncient Israel had at the core of its religion an obsession to please the self at the expense of justice and the best interests of the disadvantaged.
Hosea's Prophecy (Part Six)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsModern Israel is repeating the same sins as ancient Israel. God's metaphors of the promiscuous wife, stubborn heifer, and rebellious child all apply to America.
Prayer and Seeking God
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughRather than having an apathetic relationship toward God, we must ardently, earnestly, and fervently seek God in order to imitate His behavior in our lives.
Amos (Part Thirteen)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughThe people to whom Amos writes have the mistaken assumption that because they have made the covenant with God, they can bask in a kind of divine favoritism.
The Doctrine of Israel (Part Four): God's Indictment
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughEven though Jacob's offspring have had a special relationship with God, their carnal nature led them to test God's patience, growing more corrupt than even Sodom.
What You Feel vs. What You Believe
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFeelings and emotions may throw our faith off course. Our moods are mercurial and we must control them with daily prayer and Bible study.
Hosea's Prophecy (Part Three)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsModern Israel has a form of religion, but it is empty and unsatisfying because it refuses to obey God and substitutes the traditions of man in its place.
Amos (Part Seven)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughGod, through His prophets, warns that He will chasten His people with increasing severity until they repent and begin to reflect His characteristics.
Amos (Part Five)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughModern Israel cannot see the connection between its own faithlessness to the covenant and the violence of society that mirrors her spiritual condition.
Elisha, the Young Men, and the She-Bears
Sermonette by Ted E. BowlingSome Bible commentaries call Elisha short-tempered for causing two female bears to maul 42 youths for making fun of him. There is more to the story.
Do You Have a Golden Calf?
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mike FordAbijah had three good years but was suddenly cut off because he didn't remove the idols. One act of faith is only something to build on, not a cause to rest.
Maintaining Good Health (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughWhile drunkenness and gluttony show self-centeredness and lack of discipline, often leading to poverty and ill health, moderation is the way to glorify God.
Going On to Perfection
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughEven though everything we need in this quest has been given to us, our spiritual growth depends on believing in the promises of receiving the divine nature.
Deception, Idolatry and the Feast of Tabernacles
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJeroboam, pragmatic and fearful, established a more convenient idolatrous festival to prevent his people from keeping the real Feast of Tabernacles in Judah.
We Can Make It!
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)This is the time to make the most of what we have experienced, establishing our spiritual priorities, and reflecting deeply on why we gave ourselves to God.
Why We Tithe (Part 1)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughTithing both precedes and transcends the covenant, having a deep spiritual significance far beyond the letter of the law: learning to give as God gives.
The Sin of Self-Deception
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn our relationship with God, we must emphasize principle over pragmatism. If we are led into deception, it is because our carnal nature wanted it that way.
Josiah
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughJosiah may have been the most righteous of Judah's kings, having fewer foibles than David, but having equivalent leadership skills and a love of God's law.
Character Matters
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughUnlike America's presidents, in God's kingdom only those who have God's approval, those who have developed iron-clad character, will be qualified to rule.
Eden, The Garden, and The Two Trees (Part Three)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJesus' crucifixion took place outside the camp of Israel, just outside the border of the Garden of Eden, the general area where the Miphkad Altar stood.
Eden, The Garden, and the Two Trees (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe real cradle of civilization is not Mesopotamia, but Jerusalem, where God started His physical creation and where He will bring it to spiritual fruition.
The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeThe identical actions of the Lord and the Angel of the Lord show they are the same Being. The God known by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses was Jesus Christ.
The Providence of God (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod uses calamities as part of His creative process. Like Jacob, who initially succumbed to weak faith and fear, we must repent of our loss of devotion to God.
Abraham (Part Five)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughWe learn from Abraham's experience to trust God even when we have incomplete information. When we attempt to take the expedient way out, we will run into trouble.