2 Chronicles 36 – The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; 16 but they continually …
Ezra
34 posts
2 Chronicles 13 – After reading this chapter, I am reminded of a common situation we have all encountered. It’s that moment when someone is telling the truth, but not giving you the full story. When a …
2 Chronicles 1 – Solomon commanded the people to go to a high place of worship at Gibeon. This was the location of the tabernacle. It is the same tabernacle that the children of Israel built after …
1 Chronicles 25 – Attention musicians! Does the name Asaph mean anything to you? Anyone….anyone…..Bueller? Although it might not mean anything to us, the name Asaph was as familar as Bach or Beethoven in ancient Israel. In …
1 Chronicles 23 – David appoints Solomon king, then numbers the Levites for their special work. He made arrangements to ensure that the worship of the true and living God would continue long beyond his life. These …
1 Chronicles 10 – The Philistines Who were the Philistines? They were sea-faring people who immigrated from the island of Crete. According to archeology digs, it is speculated that the Philistines were heavy drinkers with heavy weapons. …
1 Chronicles 3 – Why the detailed genealogies? In order to affirm God’s plan for Christ to come from Adam, David, and Abraham. These names are the historical proof of the fulfilled promises of God. Of course, …
1 Chronicles 2 – This chapter begins with the lineage of Jacob through his 12 sons. However, it really focuses upon Judah for most of the chapter. “Judah heads the tribal genealogies and receives more extensive treatment …
1 Chronicles 1 – It was a bittersweet time for Israel. The Jews had just returned from 70 years of captivity but their situation was significantly different from when they left. There was no king and little …
Isaiah 45 – Exodus 33:20 NASB But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” He is the unseen God, and for good reason. If we would look at Him, …
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 …
Ezra 10 – A powerful victory is found here in Chapter 10 with humility and repentance. In fact, the whole event takes place after Ezra’s intense act of grief. Notice that what spoke to the people in …
Ezra 9 – This chapter is a perfect example of why context is so important when reading Scripture. The Israelites have already been through the humiliation and anguish and being exiled. The reason for this exile, very …
Ezra 7 – There is an old tradition that claims that Ezra had the law memorized and only needed to call upon his mind to write or interpret it. The law was important for these people because …
Ezra 6 – The people trusted God they were delivered from the threat to their temple. God knew exactly where the scroll was, and He allowed Darius to endorse it. But that’s not all. God went above …
Ezra 4 – “It is what it is.” We hear this phrase spoken all the time. In some cases, it’s definitely true. In others, however, it almost seems like a rationalization. We all do it. Most times …
Ezra 3 – Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid …
Ezra 2 – Why was genealogy so important to the Jews? We see this many times in Scripture and often it’s hard to make it through the list because we don’t know or understand the history. To …
Ezra 1 – It is fascinating to consider the faith of Cyrus, King of Persia. Was he a believer in the one true God? The passage here mentions that “the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus …
Matthew 24 – There is a break between verses 2 and 3 that separate the thoughts of Jesus. He starts by describing the ransacking of Jerusalem which eventually happened in 70 AD. Legend has it that future …
2 Kings 25 – It’s definitely fitting that the fate of Israel was determined at Jericho. “It seems ironic that here, at the very spot where Israel first set foot on the Promised Land, the last of …
2 Kings 24 – This is such a tough time for Judah. Jeremiah had been prophesying about Babylonian captivity for quite some time. This was the voice of God. Josiah, in the previous chapter, had found God’s …
Esther 1 – At this point in Israel’s history, Ezra has just returned from the exile to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The Persian Empire is firmly in control and its territory extends from India to Ethiopia …
Nehemiah 11 – Nehemiah came up with a brilliant solution to repopulate Jerusalem with God’s people. Of all the people in the outer suburbs, 10% were to be “donated” to the city of Jerusalem. To be in …
Nehemiah 9 – Nehemiah 9 describes a scene of revival. God was working collectively and personally to bring about reflection, ownership, repentance, and obedience. There is something to be said about reflecting on our history with God. …
Nehemiah 8 – Why is it important to read and hear the Word of God? The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in …
Nehemiah 7 – After the walls had been built, Nehemiah continued to beef up security to ward off the hostile enemies. It was normal to open the gates at sunrise, however, Nehemiah determined they should wait until …
Nehemiah 1 – Back in the minor prophets, we learned that very few Jewish people left Babylon to return to their own land when they were granted permission. Out of approximately 2.5 million Jews, only about 50,000 …
Malachi 1 – Malachi’s ministry would have overlapped with Nehemiah. The temple had been rebuilt (v. 13), and there was a presiding governor over the nation (v. 8), but the people were struggling with the same sins …
Haggai 1 – We just finished studying Zephaniah who warned of God’s future judgment on Judah, and as predicted, they were carried off to captivity by Babylon. That bondage lasted 70 years until Babylon was conquered by …
Psalm 136 – Mercy, kindness, lovingkindness, goodness, and favor. This is the translation for the Greek word checed which appears in every verse of this psalm. The application for today is simple. Recount the ways in which …
Mark 13 – No one knows the day or hour. This is a familiar passage, yet, there is one question that I’ve always wondered. If Jesus was both God and man, then why didn’t He know the …