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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 ...
Jeremiah 3
Jeremiah 3 - Married people, how would you feel if your spouse wanted to share their love equally with another? Would you be fine with that? God challenges the people to consider their ways. They have left ...
Jeremiah 2
Jeremiah 2 - "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13 NASB This is what ...
Jeremiah 1
Jeremiah 1 - When my wife and I first moved into our house, we immediately fell in love with the fenced in backyard. Though it was small, it was a nice escape from the hustle and bustle ...
2 Chronicles 36
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 ...
2 Chronicles 35
2 Chronicles 35 - Armchair Quarterback (noun) a person who offers advice or an opinion on something in which they have no expertise or involvement How many people do you know who have lots of great ideas ...
2 Chronicles 32
2 Chronicles 32 - There are times in my spiritual walk when I simply want to take a break. Although I know God is calling me forward, I would rather just check out and do my own ...
2 Chronicles 31
2 Chronicles 31 - What we notice about the kings of the past two books (1 & 2 Chronicles) is that their actions are described in detail. Generally speaking, the kings either followed the Lord and backed ...
2 Chronicles 30
2 Chronicles 30 - Hezekiah wanted to do the right thing. He believed that Israel and Judah should come back together in order to celebrate the Passover. He knew God's promises extended to all 12 tribes which ...
2 Chronicles 29
2 Chronicles 29 - In the first month... There were many decisions that needed attention when coming into power as a king. Certainly, there would have been personal decisions, political decisions, military decisions and economic decisions. There ...
2 Chronicles 26
2 Chronicles 26 - It may not seem like a big deal to us, but in that time, it was not a king's role to enter into the temple. This was a duty assigned to the priests. ...
2 Chronicles 25
2 Chronicles 25 - Amaziah is another example of someone who followed the Lord nominally but did not fully commit his heart. He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. ...
2 Chronicles 24
2 Chronicles 24 - But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. 2 Chronicles 24:17 NASB In other words, after Jehoiada died, ...
2 Chronicles 23
2 Chronicles 23 - The drama surrounding this messianic promise is an interesting story. The offspring of David's line had officially been reduced to one man - Joash. Had he died, or been killed, there would be ...
2 Chronicles 22
2 Chronicles 22 - The family tree of Jehoshaphat and Ahab can get overwhelming. If you are reading and getting confused, there is a great family tree of this chapter at the link below. 2 Chronicles 22 ...
2 Chronicles 21
2 Chronicles 21 - There is a simple question with a simple answer. What's the cost? When you look at the way you are living your life, what is it costing you? For Jehoram, the life he ...
2 Chronicles 20
2 Chronicles 20 - Did God command his people to go into battle singing? I read this over and over to make sure I wasn’t missing something. As far as I can tell, we don’t read they ...
2 Chronicles 19
2 Chronicles 19 - Jehoshaphat was a spiritual leader. Other than David or Solomon, he restored the nation to a deeper spiritual commitment than any king of Judah or Israel. One of his strategies in doing this ...
2 Chronicles 17
2 Chronicles 17 - Leadership has a trickle-down effect. Judah or Israel had not seen a king like Jehoshaphat since David. In fact, many scholars say that Jehoshaphat approached the wealth and status of King Solomon but ...
2 Chronicles 16
2 Chronicles 16 - There is so much in this chapter that is personal and meaningful for me. As someone who has struggled with unexplained health issues, it seems that every day is a battle. The temptation ...
2 Chronicles 15
2 Chronicles 15 - Several years ago my wife was trying to get me onboard with adoption. Shamefully, I was hesitant. It just wasn't the direction or the plan I thought would unfold. For months, she would ...
2 Chronicles 13
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 12
2 Chronicles 12 - Rehoboam did what was evil, because he did not determine in his heart to seek the LORD ...
2 Chronicles 11
2 Chronicles 11 - I hate to be pessimistic, but here in Chapter 11, we have bad going to worse. Rehoboam (Solomon's son) was now the king of the southern tribes of Judah. Jeroboam (Solomon's former official) ...
2 Chronicles 10
2 Chronicles 10 - It seems like this whole situation began to unravel in such a short period of time. If we go back in history, however, we see that is not the case. This struggle to ...
2 Chronicles 8
2 Chronicles 8 - Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God. Psalms 20:7 NASB "Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall ...
2 Chronicles 6
2 Chronicles 6 - "But can you, O God, really live on earth among men and women? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built ...
2 Chronicles 5
2 Chronicles 5 - There are moments when God shows up in a mighty way and we are simply called to step back. This was one of those moments. in unison when the trumpeters and the singers ...
2 Chronicles 4
2 Chronicles 4 - Then he made the ten golden lampstands in the way prescribed for them and he set them in the temple, five on the right side and five on the left. 2 Chronicles 4:7 ...
2 Chronicles 2
2 Chronicles 2 - Solomon knew the dwelling place for God would not do Him justice. He makes this statement in verse 6... Yet no one can really build a temple for God, because even all the ...
2 Chronicles 1
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 29
1 Chronicles 29 - 1 Chronicles 29:25 GNB The LORD made the whole nation stand in awe of Solomon, and he made him more glorious than any other king that had ruled Israel. If you read my ...
1 Chronicles 28
1 Chronicles 28 - Loyalty of heart. I once had a pastor give me advice on how to preach a sermon. His main point was, speak to the mind and speak to the heart. Truth and grace ...
1 Chronicles 26
1 Chronicles 26 - The house of God in verse 20 referred to a place where treasuries and gifts would be stored. Part of these would be items used for worship but others would be the spoils ...
1 Chronicles 23
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 20
1 Chronicles 20 - "In the spring of the year..." Great military conquests were routinely conducted in the springtime. Most often, it would be late spring, when the rains had subsided and the dry warmth of summer ...
1 Chronicles 18
1 Chronicles 18 - So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 1 Chronicles 18:14 ESV After reviewing all of David's mighty conquests, the text pivots and reflects on ...
1 Chronicles 17
1 Chronicles 17 - I am drawn to David's actions over the second half of this chapter. As I read, I found myself wondering, "Do I do that?" After petitioning the Lord about building a temple, it ...
1 Chronicles 16
1 Chronicles 16 - For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. 1 Chronicles 16:25 ESV This statement is not admitting there are other gods but ...
1 Chronicles 15
1 Chronicles 15 - Chapter 16 ends with an interesting and dramatic detail. And as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of ...