Judges 21
In Judges 21, the Israelites mourned the desolation of the tribe of Benjamin and sought the Lord's guidance (Judges 21:1-4). They recalled their vow to punish those who did not join the war
Judges 18
In Judges 18, the Danite tribe was looking for land to settle in and sent five men to scout the territory. They arrived at Micah’s house in Ephraim and met the young Levite who was serving as his priest ...
Judges 16
In Judges 16, Samson visits Gaza and sleeps with a prostitute. The Philistines plan to ambush him, but Samson escapes by tearing out the city gates and carrying them to the top of a mountain ...
Judges 14
In Judges 14, Samson saw a Philistine woman in Timnah and demanded his parents arrange the marriage, despite their objections. They did not realize this was part of God's plan to confront the ...
Judges 13
In Judges 13, the Israelites did evil in God's sight yet again. God allowed the Philistines to oppress them for 40 years. An angel appeared to the barren wife of Manoah, a man from the tribe of Dan, and told her
Judges 12
In Judges 12, the Ephraimites confronted Jephthah angrily for not calling them to battle, threatening to burn his house (Judges 12:1). Jephthah responded that he had called for their help, but they did not come ...
Judges 10
In Judges 10, Tola from the tribe of Issachar led Israel for 23 years and was buried at Shamir. Jair from Gilead then led Israel for 22 years, having 30 sons who each rode a donkey and controlled 30 cities in ...
Judges 9
In Judges 9, Gideon's son Abimelech persuades the people of Shechem to make him king by arguing that it's better to be ruled by one man than by all of Gideon's seventy sons. With money from the temple of ...
Judges 8
In Judges 8, Gideon was criticized by the men of Ephraim for not including them in the battle against Midian, but he appeased them by highlighting their own victories. As he and his 300 men pursued the ...
Judges 7
In Judges 7, Gideon gathers his troops near the spring of Harod to face the Midianites. However, God instructs him to reduce the number of soldiers so that Israel will not boast in their own strength ...
Judges 6
In Judges 6, the Israelites once again sinned against the Lord and were oppressed by the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites, along with the Amalekites and other desert tribes devastated Israel's crops ...
Judges 4
Judges 4 recounts how Israel once again turned from the Lord after Ehud’s death. In response, God allowed King Jabin of Canaan to oppress them for 20 years through his commander, Sisera, who led an army equipped ...
Judges 3
Judges 3 describes how the Lord left certain nations in Canaan to test Israel. These foreign nations would help determine Israel's faithfulness to His commands. Despite this, the Israelites intermarried with the surrounding nations and adopted their ...
Judges 1
In Judges 1, we pick up on the journey after Joshua's death. Verse 1 states that the Israelites sought guidance from the Lord on who should lead the fight against the Canaanites. God designated Judah, who ...
Joshua 23
Joshua 23 - Joshua gives the people lots of encouragement but also many warnings. He knows that if they are obedient, the Lord will fight for them, but if they are not, He will fight against them. ...
Joshua 21
Joshua 21 - This statement of God's promises is such an encouragement. Let's take a look back and review some of these great promises. The Promise of LandGenesis 12:7 The LORD appeared ...
Joshua 17
Joshua 17 - Essentially, what is happening over this chapter is that the other half of Manasseh's tribe is being assigned their portion of their inheritance. It just so happens that Zelophehad had no sons or heirs, ...
Joshua 16
Joshua 16 - The sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance. Joshua 16:4 This made up a good chunk of the land. Again, this point has already been discussed extensively, but a big takeaway from ...
Joshua 15
Joshua 15 - Joshua 15 details the land allocation for the tribe of Judah, highlighting Caleb's victories in Hebron and the challenges of expelling the Jebusites from Jerusalem. It includes specific geographic boundaries and lists numerous cities within the region. ...
Joshua 11
Joshua 11 - Let's set the backdrop. Joshua has just led Israel in defeating the cities in the south. News travels fast. The northern kings are becoming restless at the dominance of Israel. Specifically, Jabin of Hazor. ...
Joshua 8
Joshua 8 - Joshua 7 left a bad taste in our mouths. After discovering the sin that had caused Israel to be defeated at Ai, Joshua was left to pick up the pieces. ...
Joshua 7
Joshua 7 - Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. James 1:15 NASB This is a sad story after such a joyful victory for Israel. ...
Joshua 2
Joshua 2 - It would not be an easy task to get a view of Jericho. Spies were sent by Joshua and through the sovereignty of the Lord, they were able to find help from Rahab. Though ...
Joshua 1
Joshua 1 - The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years due to a lack of faith and a misunderstanding of their identity in the Lord. As Deuteronomy closes with Moses' death ...
Deuteronomy 33
Deuteronomy 33 - Moses gives his final blessings to the tribes of Israel. I was drawn to the guidance given to the Levites. About the tribe of Levi he said: "You, LORD, reveal your will by the ...
Ezekiel 20
Ezekiel 20 - For a good part of my adult life, I chased after the hopes and dreams of man. I had my eyes set on the material pleasures and the finite comforts of this world. God's ...
Ezekiel 15
Ezekiel 15 - The grapevine was of utmost importance to the agriculture of ancient Israel. Coming off the heels of Chapter 14 (which was about false prophets), it's interesting to consider that Jesus makes a direct correlation ...
Ezekiel 13
Ezekiel 13 - Wow! What a relevant topic! For years, false prophets have been stirring up dissension in order to dismantle what God is building among His people. To make a clear point, God compares a false ...
Ezekiel 11
Ezekiel 11 - Although it was written thousands of years ago, Ezekiel 11 has a lot of application for our current society. God said to me, "Mortal man, these men make evil plans and give bad advice ...
Ezekiel 10
Ezekiel 10 - Think for a moment about the devastation caused by sin. This was not just a "mistake" or "moral failure." No matter how much we dress up the sins of the people, the severity of ...
Ezekiel 8
Ezekiel 8 - The people thought that because the temple was located in Jerusalem, their shameful acts of sin were covered. They really believed that the temple guaranteed their security. In reality, their acts had caused God ...
Ezekiel 4
Ezekiel 4 - Just as Isaiah was asked to walk naked and barefoot for 3 years, Ezekiel is asked to portray the coming judgment on His people. Ironically, we see this type of teaching style used in ...
Ezekiel 3
Ezekiel 3 - First, let's paint a backdrop of what Ezekiel is dealing with here. The people of Israel have continually rejected the Word and the prophets. They are stubborn and obstinant (Eze 3:7). They, like us, ...
Ezekiel 2
Ezekiel 2 - It is intriguing to consider that God's Spirit entered Ezekiel in order to empower him to complete the task. This was not always the case in the OT as God sovereignly chose those individuals ...
Acts 25
Acts 25 - The reason Paul was able to appeal to Caesar and the higher court was because he was rightfully a Roman citizen. The tricky part, as I understand it, was that the Jews wanted to ...
Acts 24
Acts 24 - Paul now finds himself in limbo and at the mercy of the political system. He continues to plead his case, as well as preach the Word in all situations. The sad part of this ...
Acts 23
Acts 23 - "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 "But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the ...
Acts 22
Acts 22 - Paul never wastes an opportunity to talk about the Gospel. Whether he's imprisoned, being beaten, being interrogated, or just passing through a town; he was diligent to look for these opportunities. What helped him ...
Acts 21
Acts 21 - This was a tough chapter for me. We read that the voice of the Holy Spirit is speaking through these believers and giving warnings to Paul of what he will face in Jerusalem. Yet, ...
Acts 20
Acts 20 - In a bittersweet scene, Paul lays it all on the line for the leaders of Ephesus as he departs for Jerusalem. He knows they will not see each other again, but he is confident ...
Acts 19
Acts 19 - Paul in Ephesus is a great reminder for our churches today. From his investment, we know that Ephesus was just the start of Christianity in Asia Minor. The churches in Revelation were all born ...
Acts 18
Acts 18 - Corinth had a bad reputation for being a city chock full of immorality. It was known as the hub for Aphrodite (fertility goddess) worship. It was also known for having a major temple dedicated ...
Acts 17
Acts 17 - It's interesting to ponder how each person responds to the Gospel differently. Some, who we think will understand, (the Jews in Paul's case) end up being the most hostile and resistant. Others, however, are ...
Acts 16
Acts 16 - I want to focus on a somewhat bizarre section of this chapter – the end. It struck me that Paul, after being told he and Silas have been released from jail, demanded that the ...
Acts 15
Acts 15 - The first question we want to know is, who was right and who was wrong between Paul and Barnabas? I feel that when we approach it from that angle we really miss Luke’s point. ...
Acts 13
Acts 13 - Paul and Barnabas visit multiple synagogues and work there way across the island of Cyprus from east to west. When they reached Paphos, they encounter a snag. A Jewish false prophet by the name ...
Acts 11
Acts 11 - Unfortunately, the attitude that Peter experiences here in Acts 11 is all too common in our church culture today. People these days want to know, what is your background, what church did you grow ...
Acts 10
Acts 10 - Many people like to ask the question, can you be saved if you are a genuine seeker and have responded to God but have not yet heard the Gospel? Cornelius was described as a ...
Acts 8
Acts 8 - It's an awesome thing when the Holy Spirit begins to transform lives and show himself in amazing and unpredictable ways. The early church was on fire and the gasoline that was fueling it was ...
Acts 7
Acts 7 - I can vividly remember the old seat belt PSA that was shown on TV all the time when I was a kid. Vince and Larry, the Crash Test Dummies, would facetiously admit that they ...
Acts 6
Acts 6 - We really have two storylines going on here. We have a great leadership move and a great Holy Spirit move both packed into one chapter. The beginning of Stephen is a great story, and ...
Acts 5
Acts 5 - The early church faced persecution from both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. After hearing the testimony of Peter, they were ready to kill these men just like they had Jesus. But wisdom prevailed. But ...
Acts 4
Acts 4 - As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and ...
Acts 3
Acts 3 - The miraculous signs and wonders led to opportunities to authenticate the message of the Gospel. Peter did not hesitate to give the glory back to God. In fact, he literally asked the people why ...
Acts 2
Acts 2 - At the end of Acts 2, we read the three essentials that contributed to a fruitful body. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread ...
Acts 1
Acts 1 - At the end of Chapter 1, the apostles have just witnessed the ascension of Jesus and are waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. So, the question I found myself asking is, how do we ...
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 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 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 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 ...
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 ...
Jeremiah 6
Jeremiah 6 - A few years ago, I discovered that the agitator in our washing machine was not turning like it was supposed to. After disassembling the whole thing, I discovered that the bolt had worn down ...
Jeremiah 5
Jeremiah 5 - The people of Israel and Judah have betrayed me completely. I, the LORD, have spoken." 12 The LORD's people have denied him and have said, "He won't really do anything. We won't have hard ...
Jeremiah 4
Jeremiah 4 - Judah’s lovers have become her murderers. And you, O desolate one, what will you do? Although you dress in scarlet, Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold, Although you enlarge your eyes with ...