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 …
marriage
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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. …
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 – 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 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, …
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 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 …
Isaiah 57 – And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.” Isaiah 57:14 NASB Remove every stumbling block! If this phrase sounds familiar …
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 …
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 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 …
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 …
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, …
Matthew 26 – Judas Iscariot is an interesting person to study. There are so many questions that center around his existence and ministry alongside Jesus. First, we must realize that even before Satan entered him, Judas had …
Matthew 19 – The topic of divorce was a hot-button issue back in Jesus’ time, and it remains the same today. Back then, it was the issue that ultimately landed John the Baptist in prison shortly before …
Proverbs 31 – Proverbs 31 is a famous chapter describing a virtuous woman of God. Many of us have heard the phrase “Proverbs 31 woman.” As this chapter has become more popular within Christian circles, I have …
Proverbs 17 – As I read this chapter, I see a theme of relational conflict. “Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.” Proverbs 17:1 HCSB “Whoever conceals an offense promotes …
Proverbs 5 – Upon an initial read of this chapter, it seems as if Solomon is painting a negative picture of women in general. But when we consider the instruction within the context of Solomon’s life, we …
1 Peter 3 – It’s in this chapter that Peter makes a strange statement about Jesus going to hell after his death and preaching to the evil spirits there. “For Christ also suffered for sins once for …
Titus 1 – Parenting is not an easy task. It involves incredible commitment, unyielding problem-solving, and loads of diapers. Parenting exposes so many of your own flaws as you begin to see the quality level of your …
2 Samuel 7 – We live in a society of bare minimums. What’s the least I can pay and still buy that? What’s the least I can spend and still earn rewards? What’s the least I can …
1 Samuel 20 – Saul has become a volcanic madman. David is struggling with trust and discernment. Jonathan is caught in the middle. The first day of the month was the New Moon festival which was celebrated …
1 Samuel 19 – Saul has tried everything by this point. He will not be satisfied until David is dead. Saul plotted. God protected. David escaped. Through all of this, Saul never changed. He believed he was …
1 Samuel 18 – “Saul has slain his thousands,And David his ten thousands.” The wording here says that “all cities in Israel” had women who danced and sang to this tune. It was literally a Billboard Top …
2 Kings 11 – The history can get pretty confusing when the stories switch back and forth from the northern kingdom to the southern kingdom. In addition, there are details outlined in the book of Chronicles that …
1 Kings 16 – As we see many other places in Scripture, the sins of Jeroboam had a lasting effect on his family line. It was a brutal time for Israel. King Ahab would rise to capture …
1 Kings 11 – When Solomon was old, his wives seduced him to follow other gods. He was not completely devoted to Yahweh his God, as his father David had been. 1 Kings 11:4 HCSB How many …
1 Kings 2 – After the peaceful resolution in chapter 1, we are now back to the chaos of David’s family lineage. As David lies on his deathbed, he gives Solomon a list of action steps to …
Genesis 41 – Joseph began as a shepherd of animals and become a shepherd of men. He, like Jesus, was loved by his father but despised by his brothers. He, like Jesus, was prophesied to receive authority …
Genesis 30 – Jacob married sisters… just think about that. Rachel had her husband’s love but could not produce sons. Leah could produce sons but did not have her husband’s love. It was a recipe for disaster. …
Genesis 29 – Jacob is here in Genesis 29 doing “Jacob-like stuff.” Like a smooth-talking used car salesman, he approaches these shepherds as if they were his long lost buddies from college. His reference to it being …
Genesis 24 – Consider the picture we get of Christ’s relationship with the church from Isaac and Rebekah… Just like Rebekah was chosen before marriage, believers in the body are part of God’s chosen people. Just like …
Genesis 9 – Noah was unique in the sense that his life spanned two different worlds. He saw the corruption of the world before the flood and, unfortunately, he witnessed the corruption after as well. Overall, Noah’s …
Malachi 2 – God starts with the priests and then works His way down to marriage and divorce in this heavy-handed chapter. Rather than speak to the details, I want to look at the bigger picture. We …
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 …
Amos 2 – Amos 1 and 2 are really meant to be read and analyzed together as they are a review of the judgements from God. In Amos 2, however, we see God turn his attention away …
Hosea 1 – Hosea and Jonah were most likely the only writing prophets who lived in the Northern Kingdom. We know this because Hosea addresses the king of Israel as “our king” in Hosea 7. Historically, Hosea …
2 Corinthians 6 – “Such persons cannot say this petition of the Lord’s prayer, ‘Lead us not into temptation.’ They plunge into it of their own accord.” Adam Clarke We have all heard the phrase “unequally yoked” …
1 Corinthians 7 – It is important to first understand that Paul is not dealing with a full theology of marriage in this chapter. He is answering specific questions the Corinthians had asked him. We know this …
1 Corinthians 1 – Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother… 1 Corinthians 1:1 NASB In Acts 18 Sosthenes was the leader of the Jewish synagogue who …
Psalm 138 – The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalms 138:8 NASB David knew and believed that the Lord was working in …
Psalm 41 – The timeless and inspired Word of God never ceases to amaze us. It has the ability to speak to the situation in context while also providing truth for generations to come. We see this …
Psalm 21 – There is a theme of kingship within this psalm. It’s likely it was originally composed for recital during the ceremony of enthronement for a king. In his commentary titled “Psalms,” James Luther Mays writes, …
Psalm 20 – Already, but not yet. What a difficult attitude to have. How do you move from crying out in prayer to trusting in God? Does that even happen in your life? It’s an interesting question. …
Mark 10 – Bartimaeus called Jesus the “son of David” which was a prophetic title. It revealed a spiritual depth of both trust and faith. He believed in the sovereign power of the Messiah. What’s interesting about …
Mark 5 – I want to make a few quick points about the demon-possessed man and then move to the woman who touched Jesus. We read several striking characteristics about this demon-possessed man. This man had been …
Deuteronomy 23 – As we’ve written many times in Deuteronomy, these laws can seem foreign to us. In some ways, they prescribe almost an ascetic type of lifestyle. Asceticism is defined as a lifestyle characterized by abstinence …
Deuteronomy 22 – Many of these laws seem outdated or inapplicable to our modern culture. Furthermore, one might say that since we are under the New Covenant we are no longer under the Old Testament law. Though …
Deuteronomy 4 – “No other nation, no matter how great, has a god who is so near when they need him as the LORD our God is to us. He answers us whenever we call for help. …
Numbers 36 – Unfortunately, the evangelical church today has become a place where people feel they cannot seek truth through difficult questions. Many churches discourage seekers from “questioning God,” and while questioning Him without faith can be …
Numbers 27 – Don’t gloss over this chapter too quickly or you will miss a moment that is very rare in our current society today. As we know, Moses was not going to be allowed to enter …
Numbers 16 – Numbers 16 is part of a much bigger picture of Moses’ leadership of Israel. This rollercoaster of leading the Israelites toward the Promised Land had many twists and turns. If we go all the …
Numbers 5 – The ceremony (Num 5:11-31) which was developed as a means to test someone suspected of adultery is very strange in our modern context. God instructed a specific way to handle these affairs because He …
Luke 15 Commentary by Brad Boyles What about the other son? What about the older “obedient” son? “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. [29] But he replied …
Song of Solomon 8 Commentary by Brad Boyles As Hank has written, this chapter is the 1 Corinthians 13 of the Old Testament. In these verses, we find four essential qualities of love. It is unstoppable and inevitable within a …
Song of Solomon 7 Commentary by Brad Boyles In today’s culture, being liberated is often defined as being free from marriage. Many today would rather scrap the old marriage and move on to something new and exciting. But in Song …
Song of Solomon 6 Commentary by Brad Boyles The theme of this chapter is most definitely reconciliation. As Hank has written, any successful marriage must involve lots of forgiveness. But there are several contextual questions I asked as I read …
Song of Solomon 5 – As with any marriage, there is miscommunication. Hurt and conflict naturally follow. It is hard to understand if verse 2 is describing a dream or a real situation. On one hand, it …
Song of Solomon 4 – If we study these chapters carefully we can see that there has been no mention of a wedding prior to chapter 3. In 3:11, (the last verse of chapter 3), we read …
Song of Solomon 3 – The beautiful pageantry described in verses 6-11 really reflects on how Solomon was viewed during his powerful reign. He was obviously known for his wisdom as well as his wealth. But, Scripture …
Song of Solomon 2 – The chapter begins as a young woman is excited by the arrival of her lover. He bounds onto the scene just as a swift deer or gazelle. He gazes at her and …
Song of Solomon 1 Commentary by Brad Boyles Just like the phrase “holy of holies” and “king of kings,” Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon) means “the loveliest of songs.” Some Jewish scholars originally interpreted this book allegorically stating that …
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 …