Philippians 2 – Paul’s opening in Philippians 2 follows a delicate and precise structure. He opens with “Therefore” and unfortunately the breakup of these chapters forces us to lose part of the context if we don’t go …
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Philippians 1 – He who began a good work… Paul qualifies the promise of God completing a good work with a specific view. He says “in view of your participation in the Gospel from the first day …
Ephesians 6 – It all begins with Psalm 82:1. God presides in the heavenly council; in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision: Psalms 82:1 GNB That word gods is translated from the Hebrew word …
Ephesians 5 – For this reason, it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” I’ve researched this phrase, and it must have been familiar to those he was writing to. …
Ephesians 4 – And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building …
Ephesians 3 – It’s one of my favorite prayers in Scripture. Ephesians 3:14-21. Once you really see and experience how much Jesus loves you, everything will begin to change. The love of Christ is wide enough to …
Ephesians 2 – Many of us today live under the illusion that we simply can’t change. Hidden deep under a “that’s just the way I am” attitude is a deadliest of all sins – human pride. It’s …
Ephesians 1 – The readers of this letter in Paul’s day would have received a rolled up scroll that required unrolling before reading. It was important to quickly see who the writer was and what the letter …
Galatians 6 – The problem in the Galatian church was two-fold. As we’ve already outlined, the Jewish Christians were loading laws on top of grace. However, this was causing a huge divide in the church. Here in …
Galatians 5 – The fruit of keeping the law is exposed here in Galatians 5. According to Paul, the devotion to the law was leading to a cold, empty legalism. They were “biting and devouring one another.” …
Galatians 4 – I admit that sometimes I get so caught up in my own wants and needs that I miss the bigger picture. We all tend to gravitate toward a “me first” attitude even if we …
Galatians 3 – Correction is tough. Nobody wants to be corrected. It can be humiliating and degrading. Furthermore, the person who is doing the correcting usually comes across as arrogant or “holier than thou.” Anytime we are …
Galatians 2 – As we read in Chapter 1 of Galatians, Paul’s message that he was delivering to the Gentiles came straight from God. In so many words, he was establishing that he was not the apostles’ …
Galatians 1 – Just like we see today in the political sphere, Paul was battling against two extreme views within the Christian movement. There were the Judaizers who were local Christians (Gentiles) that had succumbed to the …
Exodus 40 – The glory of God came down and dwelled in the constructed tent. Previously, when God came near to the people, they were terrified. Now, they are overjoyed at His presence. They have been obedient …
Exodus 39 – At the end of the chapter, Scripture tells us that everything God had commanded, the children of Israel completed. The construction went without a hitch. We see no evidence of an argument or distraction. …
Exodus 38 – The values are given here for the exact weight of the gold, silver and bronze used in construction. The GoldCommentators differ in their opinion of just how much gold was actually used. The weight …
Exodus 37 – Let’s take a moment to briefly summarize what makes this chapter so fruitful. We have the Holy Spirit, working among the people, filling them with gifts to craft together the elements that God had …
Exodus 36 – Can you believe it? I don’t recall very many stories in the Bible where a cheerful giver was giving so much that they had to be restrained. Exodus 36:3-5 NASB They received from Moses …
Exodus 35 – Think upon the skills that were required of a master craftsman. Obviously, the person would be gifted in craftsmanship, but according to Scripture, that trait is not enough. Craftsmanship alone has a tendency to …
Exodus 34 – The term glory is not really an accurate depiction of what Moses asked for and received from God. We tend to associate the word “glory” with majestic light. A lot of times it has …
Exodus 32 – The first question I asked when reading this chapter was – what caused this? We read in the very first verse that it was because of a delay. How many times have we allowed …
Exodus 31 – At the end of the chapter, God reminds Israel of the third sign of their covenant – the Sabbath. Overall, these signs were established as a reminder of the great provision of God, and …
Exodus 30 – The ability to come before God is an opportunity, not a right. Aaron was given the duty of burning sweet incense at morning and at twilight on this smaller altar. To us it may …
Exodus 29 – From the beginning we get a glimpse of God’s design for sacrifice. Consecration. This word was translated ‘hallow’ and meant distinct, holy, and set aside for God’s purposes. Most of us probably think of …
Exodus 28 – “You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: Exodus 28:33 NASB You may ask, why …
Exodus 27 – “You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. Exodus 27:20 NASB Light is the essence of God. …
Exodus 26 – “You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37 “You shall make five pillars of …
Exodus 25 – The ark, and later the tabernacle, would be constructed from the wood of the acacia tree. It was a hard-grained wood that was a natural insect repellent and dark orange in color. Because of …
Exodus 24 – What does the manifestation of God look like? For Moses and these others, they received a small glimpse of His glory. The description, as in Revelation as well, hardly does it justice. In fact, …
Exodus 23 – “You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. Exodus 23:1 NASB “Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill …
Exodus 22 – I am most struck by verses 22 and 25 in this chapter. God has, from the beginning, always had special feelings toward the orphaned, the widowed, and the poor. If anyone wanted to set …
Exodus 21 – God, through His law, established some basic truths that the people were to follow. It’s interesting how things are viewed somewhat differently today. During a less civilized time, and without the indwelling Holy Spirit …
Exodus 20 – The 10 Commandments illustrate the vertical and horizontal obedience that God desired for humanity. Jesus came to fulfill and (in many ways) raise the standard of the law. Mount Sinai was a particular summit …
Exodus 19 – When I read how the people trembled with fear at the thunder and lightning, I think about the lion from the Wizard of Oz and how terrified he was. I also wonder if we …
Exodus 18 – The advice Jethro gave to Moses has been used in countless illustrations regarding delegation and leadership. The practicality of his advice is a step toward the ultimate goal – individual accountability. Teaching people the …
Exodus 17 – The team was assembled and ready to go! Joshua would lead the army into battle. This is the first we’ve heard of Joshua but, of course, it wouldn’t be the last. His training here …
Exodus 16 – I’ve had the opportunity over the years to witness many young people and adults get confronted with the Gospel and respond to the call. In most of those situations, the moment their hearts are …
Exodus 15 – The structure of this song can be broken up into four sections with a one-line closing declaration. The first stanza briefly mentions the powerful victory of the Lord. Stanza two mocks the enemy’s failed …
Exodus 14 – Like the Canaanites, ancient Israel thought of the sea as an uncontrollable beast. At creation the Lord hovered over the waters of chaos. At the flood, the raging waters engulfed the sinful generation that …
Exodus 13 – The way God led was definitely the “road less traveled.” The people did not go directly toward Canaan. There were traditionally three main routes from Egypt to Asia. The most …
Exodus 12 – The Passover is a powerful event in both Jewish tradition as well as Christianity. One major difference, obviously, is that the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah. It’s tradition when the Jews celebrate the …
Exodus 10 – In verse 3, Moses asks Pharaoh how long he will go before humbling himself. This seems to be a contrast to the many verses thus far which have outlined God’s hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. …
Exodus 9 – Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail. Exodus 9:26 NASB There are many instances of this same theme in Scripture. Here in Exodus, it reminds …
Exodus 8 – Pharaoh was so hardened that even when the supernatural evidence was directly before him, he refused to acknowledge it. Notice that God not only sends Moses and Aaron to testify to His power, but …
Exodus 7 – The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was something God had reminded Moses of time and time again. We read it in Exodus 4, Exodus 7, and twice in Exodus 14. The hardening of the heart …
Exodus 6 – Leap of faith. Failure. Encouragement. Repeat. This pretty much sums up the journey of Moses. Likewise, it may sum up our spiritual lives. God not only reminds Moses of His promises, but He gives …
Exodus 5 – This is just the beginning of Moses’ journey and, understandably, he’s ready to give up. We often feel like this. God calls us to something, and we try and follow through the best of …
Exodus 4 – Moses was uncertain about serving God, and his fears represent the same struggles many of us have today. God was asking for Moses to go all in, and his hesitancy can be categorized into …
Exodus 3 – God shows His character to Moses by both coming down to him and promising to be present with him. We read the details in verses 8 and 12. “So I have come down to …
Exodus 2 – He was given the name of Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter because she “drew him out of the water.” It Hebrew his name means “one who draws out.” This would be a common theme in …
Exodus 1 – The bitter labor that was given to Israel actually made them multiply and grow. In the future, when the Passover celebration would be established, the bitter herbs would come to represent the bitterness of …
Judges 21 – They said, “Why, O LORD, God of Israel, has this come about in Israel, so that one tribe should be missing today in Israel?” Judges 21:3 NASB The irony surrounding this prayer is both …
Judges 20 – The story we read from the Levite priest in Judges 20 is not the same story we read in the previous chapter. Here, the priest states that it was “the men of Gibeah” who …
Judges 19 – This is a terrible story, to say the least. In fact, you will be hard-pressed to find a more shocking chapter in the Bible. In a horrifying scene of events, we get a picture …
Judges 18 – I recently heard of an episode that Dr. Phil did about a religious cult. What began as a typical 60’s communal-type gathering became a den of alleged sexual molestation, prostitution and extreme physical abuse that …
Judges 17 – If you have been following along in Judges, then you know that Israel’s decline has been building. Chapters 2-16 are the meat and potatoes of this book, describing the foreign threats to Israel, the …
Judges 16 – Samson was a man of extremes. As quickly as the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him, He also just as quickly left Him (Jdg 13:16; Jdg 14:4; Jdg 16:20). There was little stability …
Judges 15 – What can we learn from flawed leaders? It’s tough to navigate through the book of Judges, and Samson’s story specifically, because the concepts seem so foreign to us. The stories are puzzling. Why would …
Judges 14 – Samson’s story is a difficult one to nail down. On one hand, we see him as an impulsive, selfish brute. On the other, it seems that he was used by God to lure in …
Judges 13 – There are many instances in the Old Testament where scholars attribute a being from heaven as being Jesus Christ. This is one of those times. The ‘angel of the Lord’ comes to give instructions …
Judges 12 – As Jephthah’s reign comes to an end, we can reflect back on how he led and judged Israel. As is the case with every other judge, he had his high points and low points. …
Judges 11 – I’m not one to shy away from controversial passages, so why not tackle the elephant in the room, right? After reading this, it seems that Jephthah made a bone-headed vow and followed through with …
Judges 10 – Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, Jdg 3:7 The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the …
Judges 9 – So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon. Judges 8:28 NASB …
Judges 8 – The first question I asked after reading this chapter was, what in the world is an ephod? The golden ephod Gideon made would have been similar to a breastplate. It was a replica of …
Judges 7 – The foreshadowing of Christ and the church. As Gideon gathered his 300 river-lapping men, he prepared to go to battle. It’s a strange way to choose soldiers, isn’t it? Was there a reason behind …
Judges 6 – Early Christian theologian and Greek scholar, Origen, makes some fascinating prophetic connections to the weak faith-testing by Gideon and the response by God. The passage I am referencing is Judges 6:36-40. Judges 6:36-40 HCSB …
Judges 5 – On the surface, it may appear that this is just a song or poem highlighting past events. However, when digging deep into the style and meaning, this chapter becomes highly complex and even controversial. …
Judges 4 – It’s such a strange story with so many characters. First, I think it’s important to break down the roles and relationships. Barak and Deborah are working on the front-lines to defeat Sisera and his …
Judges 3 – The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. Judges 3:7 NASB Now the sons of …
Judges 2 – Let’s take a look with fresh eyes at the scene that’s unfolding. The moral and spiritual roller coaster of Israel continues on even after all they have seen and done through Joshua. God lifted …
Judges 1 – Judges is a fitting name for a book that highlights the leaders God gave to Israel to protect and deliver them from their enemies. If you remember the commentary we did on the preceding …
2 Thessalonians 3 – In his final letter, Paul encourages the believers of the Thessalonian church to remain true and steadfast to the authentic faith they were taught. Evidently, some in the church were doing nothing while …
2 Thessalonians 2 – In case you haven’t grasped by now, the Thessalonians were deeply concerned with future events. It’s confirmed in Paul’s first set of letters that they were mourning death like unbelievers. Paul attempted to …
1 Thessalonians 5 – I want to follow up on what I wrote yesterday from 1 Thessalonians 4 with some similar thoughts here in Chapter 5. In the previous chapter, Paul encourages believers to not fear death, …
1 Thessalonians 4 – What do we know about the coming of the Lord? Paul gives us a clue at the end of this chapter. Verses 13-18 are controversial, and (surprise, surprise) they center around the end …
2 Thessalonians 1 – Paul knew that the Thessalonian church was enduring suffering, and he wanted to continue to encourage them in their suffering. This is what we read in verses 4-5. Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly …
1 Thessalonians 3 – Dear Thessalonica, I’m burdened for you. Love, Paul In this chapter, we get a glimpse into the heart Paul had for the people he ministered to. You have to imagine that Paul, Silas …
1 Thessalonians 2 – Paul covers a broad range of topics in this chapter. He starts with defending, and moves to loving, laboring, modeling, leading, feeding, and suffering. He also took care in leaving no doubt that …
1 Thessalonians 1 – In the opening verses of this letter, we read Paul’s words which seem to indicate he had a high regard for the church of the Thessalonians. He is assured of their calling, and …
3 John 1 – Gaius was the Greek way of writing the Roman name Caius. Believe it or not, there are many references to Caius in Scripture. In Romans 16, Paul mentions a Caius who lived in …
2 John 1 – We read in 2 John a more traditional opening as it’s a letter written to a particular individual. However, we can assume this was written to a larger group of people as it …
1 John 5 – At the time of this writing, John was battling the incredible deception that had come against the church. There were false teachers parading around true believers and teaching that when Jesus died, He …
1 John 4 – When I worked in the computer software industry, I became familiar with the latest viruses and malware that would infect our client’s computers. It seemed like every few months or so, there was …
1 John 3 – This really is an incredible chapter! It’s hard to summarize these thoughts in just a few paragraphs. I was really drawn to the first several verses that speak to believers being children of …
1 John 2 – and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 NASB Pro·pi·ti·a·tion. I’ll admit it. It’s a fun …
1 John 1 – In this first chapter, John does not identify himself as the author, nor does the writing contain the typical structure of a letter. Many have speculated that this was a written sermon. Nevertheless, …
Job 42 – Without… Without knowing answers to all of his deepest questions, Job bowed his knee in humility to the Lord. Without understanding how everything works together, he repented. It’s no coincidence this happened. While so …
Job 41 – It is the mystery of the Leviathan… No beast, terrestrial or aquatic, deserves the high character here given, though that character only considers him as unconquerably strong, ferociously cruel, and wonderfully made. Perhaps leviathan …
Job 40 – Consider Job’s humility in this chapter. Consider that he takes up none of the words with God that he had planned. The entire book culminates to this point; Job is given permission to speak …
Job 39 – Many times it’s true that our expectations of God are outmatched by His unfolding plan. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worried about certain outcomes only to be surprised when God delivers …
Job 38 – After all of Job’s questions, and his friends weighing in, God answers their questions with some questions of His own. Do they sound familiar? We see the same pattern in the New Testament when …
Job 37 – We experience and come to know God through Scripture. Another place we come to know Him is through His creation. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and …
Job 36 – God is the most patient, relentless, and loving Father we will ever encounter. Unfortunately, many people of our day have turned to the false teaching that says if everything isn’t “good” in your life …
Job 35 – This is arguably Elihu’s harshest language against Job. It is a message of condemnation with truth mixed in. I am somewhat puzzled by commentaries who defend Job in being completely righteous and not deserving …
Job 34 – Elihu uses some quotes from Job to reiterate that God can do no wrong. Specifically, he uses the words from Job found in Chapter 27. As God lives, who has deprived me of justice, …