Lamentations 5
Lamentations 5 - We don't often think in terms of the comprehensive suffering that Judah endured during exile. It was not just that their enemies came and put them in chains. They struggled immensely. Their sin cost ...
Lamentations 4
Lamentations 4 - With graphic detail, Jeremiah describes all the ways in which his people suffered during the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem. Those who survived the siege lived under horrific suffering. It was so bad, that women ...
Lamentations 3
Lamentations 3 - The first 20 verses of Lamentations 3 recall the conditions that God has allowed to take place which has brought immense grief to Jeremiah's heart. He is a great lion waiting to ambush. He ...
Lamentations 2
Lamentations 2 - In the second chapter of Lamentations, God expresses His hatred for sin. It's important for us to remember that although God hates sin, it does not cloud His compassion for us. However, when we ...
Lamentations 1
Lamentations 1 - The mere existence of the book of Lamentations shows us that God takes seriously our need as humans to process and grieve. "In this world, you will have trouble... " Jesus promised. Trouble comes ...
Leviticus 27
Leviticus 27 - The New International Commentary (Old Testament) gives a clear summary of this chapter... The custom of making vows and tithing is simply assumed in the NT (see Ac 18:18; Act 21:23; Mat 23:23) as ...
Leviticus 26
Leviticus 26 - First off, this is a crazy awesome chapter that raises many significant questions. In the most direct and straightforward language that He can use, God lays out the future possibilities for His people. These ...
Leviticus 25
Leviticus 25 - After 7 cycles of the sabbatical years came the 50th, or, Year of Jubilee. It was a release from debt and bondage. All slaves were released, all captives were set free, all debts were ...
Leviticus 24
Leviticus 24 - When I read the "eye for an eye" passage, I immediately think of the Sermon on the Mount. "You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR ...
Leviticus 23
Leviticus 23 - There are several of these celebrations that were brought into modern-day by Christianity. Passover = Good Friday. Unleavened Bread = Easter. And finally, the Festival of the Weeks = Pentecost. Most of us know ...
Leviticus 22
Leviticus 22 - As do many of the chapters in Leviticus, there is a background painted in order to better understand the NT teachings. An emphasis is continually placed on holiness. This was achieved by the law ...
Leviticus 21
Leviticus 21 - This chapter primarily deals with the holiness of the religious leaders. We read that higher standards were expected from them as opposed to ordinary citizens. The New International Commentary - OT provides a good ...
Leviticus 20
Leviticus 20 - In Chapter 18, we read that the laws of the OT are still applicable in the NT and beyond. Here in Chapter 20, we get a glimpse of the punishment for those who disobey ...
Leviticus 19
Leviticus 19 - We read some strange laws in this chapter that are not easily understood by our culture. Skeptics love to point out the bizarre laws found in Leviticus and accuse Christians of not following them. ...
Leviticus 18
Leviticus 18 - We see consistency in the NT with all of these laws found in Leviticus 18. Incest, idolatry, adultery, and homosexuality are addressed. Jesus actually raises the bar on many of these laws from the ...
Leviticus 17
Leviticus 17 - The people of Israel must no longer be unfaithful to the LORD by killing their animals in the fields as sacrifices to the goat demons. The people of Israel must keep this regulation for ...
Leviticus 16
Leviticus 16 - The goat chosen for Azazel shall be presented alive to the LORD and sent off into the desert to Azazel, in order to take away the sins of the people. Leviticus 16:10 GNB It's ...
Leviticus 15
Leviticus 15 - The verses here in Leviticus 15 are not directly discussed in the NT but they are alluded to. Many of us remember the story of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. ...
Leviticus 14
Leviticus 14 - The book of Leviticus deals with holiness in terms of wholeness. It was extremely important for the priests of the OT to have knowledge in what is considered "clean" and "unclean." This allowed them ...
Leviticus 13
Leviticus 13 - "The symptoms that led to a verdict of uncleanness were as follows. The “skin disease” had to be long and lasting. It had to be old (Lev 13:11) or last at least a week ...
Leviticus 12
Leviticus 12 - After bearing a child, a woman was considered contagiously unclean for one to two weeks. One day 8, when a boy would be circumcised, the childbearing mother was no longer contagious but still had ...
Leviticus 11
Leviticus 11 - In Leviticus 11, God outlines both the clean and unclean animals. A general rule which was given to Israel was that clean animals would "chew the curd" but also have a completely divided hoof. ...
Leviticus 10
Leviticus 10 - By the end of Leviticus 9, everything seems to be going great... until we turn the page to Leviticus 10. Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his fire pan, put live coals in ...
Leviticus 9
Leviticus 9 - All of these offerings can get confusing! There is a cool resource I stumbled upon that makes it easy for visual learners to comprehend complex chapters like this one. It's called Doodle Through the ...
Leviticus 8
Leviticus 8 - The comprehensive and infectious consequences of sin have no limit. Why did Aaron and his family need to be consecrated? Because they needed to be ceremonially set apart in order to be a priest ...
Leviticus 7
Leviticus 7 - If any of it is eaten on the third day, God will not accept your offering. The offering will not be counted to your credit but will be considered unclean, and whoever eats it ...
Leviticus 6
Leviticus 6 - In Leviticus 6, we get a picture of the reparation offering. There were many offenses that constituted having to make such an offering and they fell under two main categories. Trespassing against God Withholding ...
Leviticus 5
Leviticus 5 - In Leviticus 5, there are some deep theological principles that begin to come to life. We've heard it said that our body is the temple of God. Here in the OT, we get a ...
Leviticus 4
Leviticus 4 - While the peace offering in Leviticus 3 was optional, the sin offering was mandatory. The sin offering, or, purification offering, had many layers which will span Leviticus 4 and 5. The reason for the ...
Leviticus 3
Leviticus 3 - In Leviticus 1, we explored the burnt offering. In Leviticus 2, it was the grain offering. Now, in Leviticus 3, we come to the peace offering. If you remember, the burnt offering required only ...
Leviticus 2
Leviticus 2 - The grain or cereal offering of the OT symbolized man's work for God. The offering would be brought to the priest and would symbolize man's willingness to keep the law. But, the grain offering ...
Leviticus 1
Leviticus 1 - The book of Leviticus picks up right where Exodus left off. The opening verse begins with "Then the Lord called to Moses..." 'Then' signals us to look back at the end of Exodus which ...
Revelation 22
Revelation 22 - Tree of Life The final chapter of the Bible bookends the story that God started in the Garden of Eden. There, we saw a glimpse of the plan He had for mankind which was ...
Revelation 21
Revelation 21 - There is a lot of crossover between what Isaiah writes in chapter 65 and the 21st chapter of Revelation. "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will ...
Revelation 20
Revelation 20 - If someone comes up and asks you, "How do you interpret Revelation?" most likely, they are referring to Revelation 20:1-10. The question of pre or postmillennialism is the first order of business. It simply answers ...
Revelation 19
Revelation 19 - After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are ...
Revelation 18
Revelation 18 - Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. Romans 12:19 NASB Paul's words ring true ...
Revelation 17
Revelation 17 - We have already reiterated it over many chapters, but Rome stood proudly as a pagan symbol against Christ and His church. Here in Revelation 17, she is personified as a notorious prostitute. She represents ...
Revelation 16
Revelation 16 - The continuity of the seals and the trumpets is broken up with the bowls as they move seamlessly through all seven with no interlude between the 6th and 7th as we have traditionally seen. ...
Revelation 15
Revelation 15 - The divine judgment which was revealed by the seals and proclaimed by the trumpets will now be poured out by the seven bowls. From a literary standpoint, the seventh seal was unleashed by the ...
Revelation 14
Revelation 14 - First question I asked myself... who is Babylon? John, again, is writing symbolically here. Literal Babylon was a mere fraction of what it had been in years past. But, the wording certainly plays into ...
Revelation 13
Revelation 13 - The First Beast At the end of Revelation 12, we read of Satan's rage. He sets out to destroy the people of God. Now, in Revelation 13, we are introduced to the two henchmen ...
Revelation 12
Revelation 12 - The Woman It is out of Israel that the Messiah will come, therefore, it makes sense that the woman would represent not only Israel but also the Messianic community. We can marry these two ...
Revelation 11
Revelation 11 - I think a major issue with Revelation 11 is the fact that it relies heavily on Revelation 10 for continuity. It is best to read on and view chapters 10 and 11 as one ...
Revelation 10
Revelation 10 - This vision differs from the others for the simple fact that John is engaged in the action firsthand. The angel that appears before John is hidden in a cloud and his legs were pillars ...
Revelation 9
Revelation 9 - The 5th Trumpet The 5th trumpet releases a key to open the abyss. Many scholars believe this is the same abyss that the demons begged Jesus not to throw them in. It may be ...
Revelation 8
Revelation 8 - Continuing on the theme from Chapter 7, John either heard or saw something with every seal that was opened. Here in Revelation 8, the seventh seal is broken and he hears and sees nothing ...
Revelation 7
Revelation 7 - God’s primary motive in our hearts has always been this: transformation. I think it's important to understand Revelation in terms of the overall picture instead of as individual narratives. We see a great transformation ...
Revelation 6
Revelation 6 - I grew up in Berne, Indiana which sits directly on top of the continental divide. If you are not familiar with the continental divide, it is an area of raised terrain that ...
Revelation 5
Revelation 5 - The Scroll In ancient times, the Romans would seal their wills seven times. Each wax seal usually contained an engraved emblem and sealed the letter for security or to designate ownership. Marriage contracts, leases, ...
Revelation 4
Revelation 4 - The Throne We just recently studied the book of Ezekiel and Leviticus which have some strong ties to the language here in Revelation. Before God's throne, John sees brilliant and vivid imagery that is ...
Revelation 3
Revelation 3 - Lukewarm I remember several years ago going to a music festival in Kentucky called Ichthus. It was basically a camping trip with live Christian music playing at all times across multiple stages. Now, I'm ...
Revelation 2
Revelation 2 - Although these letters are addressed to specific congregations in the first century, I believe they are representative of all churches that will exist throughout history. No matter what church you attend, it is likely ...
Revelation 1
Revelation 1 - The comparison game. We all do it. When life throws us unpredictable storms, (and especially when we wrestle with why God would allow such things) we feel sorry for ourselves. We ask ourselves questions ...
Jeremiah 52
Jeremiah 52 - The final chapter of Jeremiah gives a summary of the events which have occurred, giving us some additional details as to what took place. The thing that strikes me the most in reading this ...
Jeremiah 51
Jeremiah 51 - As I look over the book of Jeremiah and see now how the final judgment of Babylon is going down, it's pretty amazing to think about all that Jeremiah has been through. God has ...
Jeremiah 50
Jeremiah 50 - “Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name.” Jeremiah 50:34 As the book of Jeremiah winds down with just a few chapters left, God speaks of the judgment against Babylon. It’s ...
Jeremiah 49
Jeremiah 49 - Next up - The Ammonites. The people are different but the message is the same. It's pride again. These people have ignored God and His commands and they've decided that they want to serve ...
Jeremiah 48
Jeremiah 48 - Moab can trace its ancestry all the way back to Lot. Historically, Israel and Moab experienced times of peace and hostility but there was little love lost between these two nations. Moab seemed to play both sides of the fence. Often, they were a thorn in the side of God’s people. ...
Jeremiah 47
Jeremiah 47 - The sword of the Lord now comes against the Philistines just as he came against the Egyptians in the previous chapter. In the grand scheme of what has happened here, it is a stunning ...
Jeremiah 46
Jeremiah 46 - Just as God promised, He outlines some of the details that will take place as Babylon prepares to destroy Egypt. It is proof of His justice and his power, as well as His grace ...
Jeremiah 45
Jeremiah 45 - This is a flashback to the 4th year of Jehoiakim so it's not happening here alongside the destruction of Jerusalem. However, it was placed here, probably to be a timely reminder that God is ...
Jeremiah 44
Jeremiah 44 - Once again the people of Judah have hardened their hearts to God. It's unreal. To be honest, this is such a hard chapter to read because Jeremiah stands here confronting them as a prophet ...
Jeremiah 43
Jeremiah 43 - What we see here in chapter 43 is just the usual for Jeremiah. Once again, after all that has happened, the men of Judah decide he is a liar and they will not obey ...
Jeremiah 42
Jeremiah 42 - Bias. We all have it. There is a lot to be said in this chapter about predetermined thoughts. Johanan wants to flee to Egypt, but he seeks counsel from Jeremiah first. They ask for ...
Jeremiah 41
Jeremiah 41 - The scene here in chapter 41 is reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster action movie. The nation is already mourning the total destruction of Jerusalem, and with a dramatic twist, the body count continues to ...
Jeremiah 40
Jeremiah 40 - We find Jeremiah here being permitted to go and live anywhere he wants. It was a great reward for him, and evidence of the favor of God. This pagan officer has surely witnessed a ...
Jeremiah 39
Jeremiah 39 - After 2 ½ years of the people watching and wondering when the Babylonian army would penetrate their city, it finally happened. Jerusalem was taken captive. King Zedekiah, who had been told by Jeremiah to surrender, did the opposite ...
Jeremiah 38
Jeremiah 38 - The brutality against Jeremiah is taken a step further. Led by officials, they inquired with the king for permission to do what they had planned. Zedekiah gave the approval to cast him into a cistern where there was no water. His body sunk deep into the mud ...
Jeremiah 37
Jeremiah 37 - If you have been following along in Jeremiah you may be confused at how the chapters skip around. I know I am...
Jeremiah 36
Jeremiah 36 - Anyone could argue that God knew what was going to happen to these people. He knew their hardened hearts. He knew for certain that the King would do what he did ...
Jeremiah 35
Jeremiah 35 - What excuses are we giving for our lack of faithfulness to Jesus? Where are we settling for a lukewarm relationship with him similar to those who are around us? The message here was to ...
Jeremiah 34
Jeremiah 34 - Every 7 years slaves were to be released. This had been an ordinance God had established hundreds of years before. As the people’s hearts became hardened, they failed to follow this law. They were ...
Jeremiah 33
Jeremiah 33 - There’s a saying, “When you least expect it, expect it.” In essence, this is what God states to Jeremiah as he’s still under arrest, confined in the courtyard of the palace guard. God continues ...
Jeremiah 32
Jeremiah 32 - This chapter essentially reiterates the destruction we've known will come upon Jerusalem and the peace and prosperity God has promised on the horizon...after the exile. Jeremiah is told to go purchase land. This is ...
Jeremiah 31
Jeremiah 31 - There is a lot going on in this chapter, and it can seem kind of confusing. I want to focus on the very interesting but highly controversial verse 15. Thus says the LORD: "A ...
Jeremiah 30
Jeremiah 30 - God works in mysterious ways. It's cliche but truth for this chapter. He is flexing his muscles once again and showing that His plan cannot be thwarted - even by our rebellious sin. There ...
Jeremiah 29
Jeremiah 29 - Context is everything. One of the most misused and misunderstood verses in all the Bible is found here in Jeremiah 29. 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, ...
Jeremiah 28
Jeremiah 28 - We get to see the incredible discernment of Jeremiah here in this chapter. He is challenged by Hananiah, a false prophet, and publicly humiliated when the yoke is taken from his neck and shattered ...
Jeremiah 27
Jeremiah 27 - It is fascinating to me to see the way that God is handling wayward Judah in these chapters. Back in Chapter 21 of Jeremiah, we saw the Lord first introduce this idea of submission ...
Jeremiah 26
Jeremiah 26 - Jeremiah is threatened with death. My first takeaway from reading this was just how similar it is to Jesus' encounter with the religious leaders who heard his truth and immediately wanted to kill him. ...
Jeremiah 25
Jeremiah 25 - The warnings of God to the people were constant. Most of these chapters seem to say the same thing over and over again. It’s easy to skim past and overlook it as it often ...
Jeremiah 24
Jeremiah 24 - Captivity has now set in and Jeremiah is once again given a message as to the fate of his people. Essentially, the vision is two baskets of figs - one good and one bad. ...
Jeremiah 23
Jeremiah 23 - In this chapter, we see God really target the people in positions of leadership among the Jews. As you look back at the history of Israel, when a good and righteous king was on ...
Jeremiah 22
Jeremiah 22 - God has a message and it will be delivered. It may not come the way we expected. It may not come at the time we thought it would. It may even come from someone ...
Jeremiah 21
Jeremiah 21 - It has finally happened. Babylon is bearing down on Judah and God is allowing it to happen. He has warned them over so many chapters of this coming doom if they did not repent ...
Jeremiah 20
Jeremiah 20 - Are you overwhelmed by Jesus right now? Yes, it's a convicting question, but it reveals so much. Jeremiah was consumed by the Lord and from that relationship would come the conviction to lead others. ...
Jeremiah 19
Jeremiah 19 - What happens when we flirt with sin? For whatever reason, our society has divided sin into many different levels and categories. Though Jesus taught that a sin in the heart is equal to a ...
Jeremiah 18
Jeremiah 18 - How insane is it to think that a piece of clay has any say in what the potter is doing? Yet, many pieces of clay today insult the Potter by protesting against His hands. ...
Jeremiah 17
Jeremiah 17 - Does the Bible encourage us to "follow our heart?" What we find in chapter 17 of Jeremiah is such a sharp contrast between the destiny of a man who follows his heart and the ...
Jeremiah 16
Jeremiah 16 - The loneliness of Jeremiah sets in as once again he looks around and sees what others have that he has been restrained from. On top of this, he is to deliver a bold message ...
Jeremiah 15
Jeremiah 15 - The insecurities of Jeremiah are starting to show. He's really stuck between a rock and hard place. He knows he needs to continue to obey God, but it's costing him so much with his ...
Jeremiah 14
Jeremiah 14 - So the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for the welfare of this people." Jeremiah 14:11 NASB Don't pray for these people. What??? If you read the blog a few weeks ago you ...
Jeremiah 13
Jeremiah 13 - Burdens for people can be so heavy. When we sense that the ways of Jesus are not a priority in someone’s life, there is heartache and sorrow. God brings our attention to His heart ...
Jeremiah 12
Jeremiah 12 - We have all been in a situation like this before. We cry out to God over something we just can't take anymore. Jeremiah has had it. He's calling out the hypocrites and asking God ...
Jeremiah 11
Jeremiah 11 - The people of Judah and Jerusalem were not helpless. They continually chose their sin over God. The point being made in this chapter is that God's justice is inevitable if sin becomes natural and ...
Jeremiah 10
Jeremiah 10 - Let's face it; we love idols. Consumerism is drilled into us at an early age. Most of what we use our money to buy has planned obsolescence meaning the product is limited and we ...
Jeremiah 9
Jeremiah 9 - Have you ever been torn between sorrow and anger? On one hand, we are incensed at the lack of spiritual depth in others' lives. On the other hand, we grieve for the turmoil and ...
Jeremiah 8
Jeremiah 8 - I love the Good News Bible translation of this chapter. The LORD told me to say to his people, "When someone falls down, doesn't he get back up? If someone misses the road, doesn't ...
Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah 7 - A lot of people act like the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament is simply not the same being. Although they may call Him God, they live as ...