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, …
peace
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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 …
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 …
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 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 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 – 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 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 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 – 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 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 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 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 …
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 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 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 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 …
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 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 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 …
1 Chronicles 22 – Though David served Israel in many ways, his primary role was as a military leader. He was considered a man of war. Before a nation can build a palace or temple, they must …
1 Chronicles 21 – To David’s credit, he takes responsibility for the error in judgment. He even asks God to spare His people and instead punish him and his family. Anytime sin separated the people from God, …
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, …
Isaiah 63 – At the beginning of Isaiah 63, we find a familiar theme in Scripture. There is someone with blood-stained clothes who is robed in splendor and striding forward in the greatness of strength. This can …
Isaiah 49 – His words were like a sharp arrow ready to pierce the heart. Israel would be his servant and he would be their master. But something was wrong. Their response was rejection! Though he came …
Isaiah 37 – Much of what Isaiah has written leading up to this point has been about the rebellion of God’s people. They were living like they really didn’t trust the Lord, and continually went back to …
Isaiah 32 – Isaiah’s description of a true king is exactly what we all desire. He is righteous, just, and a source of protection and support. This king would contrast many other kings that ruled in ancient …
Isaiah 26 – Disease. Affliction. Poverty. The kingdom of man wrestles with the birth pains of this world. The city of God, however, is strong and unwavering. “Go into your houses, my people, and shut the door …
Isaiah 20 – Let’s first set the stage. Coming on the heels of Isaiah 19 and the oracle concerning Egypt, we now see the unfolding of God’s judgment. King Sargon of Assyria orders his commander to invade …
Isaiah 2 – The first five verses of this chapter relate to the future Messiah and hint at the admission of the Gentiles to that kingdom. From there, the prophecies take a dramatic twist as they describe …
Colossians 3 – Ironically, the ethics listed here in Colossians 3 are not foreign to the Jewish law. No one who grew up learning the law of Moses would scoff at the morality prescribed here by Paul. …
Philippians 4 – As I introduced in my commentary on Philippians 1, we read in Chapter 4 that this church was the only one to form a contractual friendship with Paul. There was an active relationship of …
Ephesians 6 – It all begins with Psalm 82:1. God presides in the heavenly council; in the assembly of the gods he gives his decision: Psalms 82:1 GNB That word gods is translated from the Hebrew word …
Ephesians 4 – And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building …
Exodus 24 – What does the manifestation of God look like? For Moses and these others, they received a small glimpse of His glory. The description, as in Revelation as well, hardly does it justice. In fact, …
Exodus 14 – Like the Canaanites, ancient Israel thought of the sea as an uncontrollable beast. At creation the Lord hovered over the waters of chaos. At the flood, the raging waters engulfed the sinful generation that …
Judges 13 – There are many instances in the Old Testament where scholars attribute a being from heaven as being Jesus Christ. This is one of those times. The ‘angel of the Lord’ comes to give instructions …
Judges 6 – Early Christian theologian and Greek scholar, Origen, makes some fascinating prophetic connections to the weak faith-testing by Gideon and the response by God. The passage I am referencing is Judges 6:36-40. Judges 6:36-40 HCSB …
Judges 4 – It’s such a strange story with so many characters. First, I think it’s important to break down the roles and relationships. Barak and Deborah are working on the front-lines to defeat Sisera and his …
1 Thessalonians 5 – I want to follow up on what I wrote yesterday from 1 Thessalonians 4 with some similar thoughts here in Chapter 5. In the previous chapter, Paul encourages believers to not fear death, …
Job 38 – After all of Job’s questions, and his friends weighing in, God answers their questions with some questions of His own. Do they sound familiar? We see the same pattern in the New Testament when …
Job 37 – We experience and come to know God through Scripture. Another place we come to know Him is through His creation. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and …
Job 30 – Which is more agonizing for Job – the suffering he is currently enduring or the exasperation of God’s silence? Which is more agonizing for you? Now I am about to die; there is no …
Job 29 – What does it mean to reflect on the former times? We’ve all heard people talk about the “good old days.” Many of us have gone back to a time in our lives when things …
Job 28 – Whatever time period Job was written, it’s clear that the author was familiar with mining expeditions. The mining of silver, gold, iron, and copper were vital for the success of civilized nations. Historically, many …
Job 24 – Job continues on his theme of questioning why the wicked get away with so much. To the theology his friends have adopted, it makes no sense for Job to question this if he is …
Job 22 – When we do not pay attention to the needs before us, true care can turn to condemnation. This is what summarizes Eliphaz’s words to Job. He has a mold of what he understands to …
Job 21 – Job thoroughly rejects the doctrine of retribution and he draws from common knowledge to do so. Throughout these chapters, Job’s friends have questioned him, and he has responded. Up until this point, he hasn’t …
Job 7 – Job now turns his attention to God. He is fully convinced that he will die soon, and the only option he has is to convince God not to prolong his suffering, but to speed …
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 10 – So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of …
Joshua 9 – Israel made a huge blunder by not going to God with this decision. We see this so many times, especially in the Old Testament. A leader rushes into a decision without consulting with God, …
Matthew 21 – During the Passover festival, scores of Jews came from all over Israel and the Roman Empire to worship and celebrate. Since many traveled long distances, it was cumbersome to carry with them their animal …
Matthew 8 – Jesus marveled. It’s a strong phrase. What was it like for Jesus to marvel? What did it take? It was definitely a rare event. The only other time we read that Jesus marveled is …
Matthew 2 – Remarkably, the calendar we all depend on was originally created around Jesus’ birth. Medieval creators tried to set Jesus’s birth at A.D. 1 in order to properly date events, however, they were slightly off. …
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 15 – “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.” Proverbs 15:3 HCSB This is a soothing reminder to all of us who are surprised by what happens in the world …
Proverbs 6 – Satisfaction comes when we do what we ought to do. Taking care of our responsibilities and prioritizing those responsibilities in light of God’s Word brings purpose. Proverbs 6 encourages us to take our cues …
2 Samuel 24 – This account of a census is a puzzling chapter. We wonder today, what could be wrong with taking a census? It seems pretty harmless to us. In the ancient world, a man had …
2 Samuel 20 – Concubines, intestines, and a severed head being thrown over a wall! This chapter is not for the faint of heart. Coming off the heels of a civil war, David is drawn back in. …
2 Samuel 19 – It’s an awkward moment when the rebels realize their rebellion has failed and the king they opposed is still in authority. Some of those who supported Absalom double down on their opinion that …
2 Samuel 16 – The reason why we read several chapters back about the grace David extended to Saul’s family is because here in 2 Samuel 16, we read of how Saul’s family wants to kick David …
2 Samuel 12 – Sin often causes innocent people to perish. This is because sin cannot be overlooked. Though David was forgiven for his sin, there was still a cost to pay. In this case, the consequences …
2 Samuel 9 – David had made a promise to Jonathan, and David was a man of his word. So as he was reflecting back on Saul’s family, David remembered his oath of friendship to Jonathan and …
2 Samuel 8 – In many ways, David is presented as the “anti-Saul” even though at times, their behavior does not seem all that different. Thus far in Samuel, we’ve witnessed several questionable decisions by David. Here …
2 Samuel 3 – In 2 Samuel 3, we find two men making a deal in order to see their enemy defeated. Abner, being personally offended by Ishbosheth, makes a deal to join David. David, wanting to …
1 Samuel 22 – There’s no doubt that David felt completely isolated. Living in a cave, he was completely humiliated. It’s hard to imagine how he managed to get through this time. But God was at work. …
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 …
1 Samuel 13 – Here in 1 Samuel 13, we see the battle between the Philistines and the Israelites begin when Jonathan decides to attack a Philistine garrison. Up until this point, the Israelites were at peace …
1 Timothy 6 – Paul bookends this letter by circling back to his thoughts from 1 Timothy 1. In that chapter, he introduced the problem Timothy was facing at Ephesus which was the deceptive doctrine of false …
1 Timothy 4 – Expect turmoil. Expect opposition. Expect deception. These are the difficult expectations Paul lays out to Timothy and the church. His choice of language is certain. He doesn’t write that some might depart, but …
Romans 5 – Romans 5 marks a transition. Paul has been formulating his theological argument around sin and justification which continues throughout the first half of this chapter. He then moves into a new theme that centers …
Romans 3 – When we study Scripture, it is important we don’t sweep through it with a predetermined mindset. There are always deeper truths to be found but sometimes we can miss it. This is especially true …
2 Kings 20 – Through all of Hezekiah’s successes, we finally come to a weakness. It is a strange chapter in which many commentators are divided with their analysis. In this story, God speaks to Hezekiah four …
2 Kings 15 – If you get bored and skim through 2 Kings 15, you will miss a very significant detail in verse 19. Pul, king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a …
2 Kings 9 – One of my favorite parts to this story is the fact that Jehu was recognized by his furious driving. Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And …
2 Kings 5 – Remember when King Ahab was shot by a “random arrow” in 1 Kings 22? Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of …
1 Kings 22 – What’s the deal with Ramoth-Gilead and why did they want it back? Ramoth was a Levitical city so it was considered important to the Jews. During King Solomon’s reign, it was a key …
1 Kings 8 – We really cannot understand the massive celebration that took place here until we look deep into the context. It seems that Solomon delayed the dedication of the temple (11 months) to take place …
1 Kings 5 – There were two key ingredients Solomon needed in order to build the temple. 1) Peace. 2) Wood. This was an amazing time for Israel as they had no threats from their enemies. “You …
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 35 – Which is more dangerous, heading to Bethel or disobeying God? We often justify disobedience with fear. We often convince ourselves that safety is more important than a total commitment to Jesus. But the truth …
Genesis 33 – There are simple but profound lessons found in this story. How many times have we stressed over a situation that ended up going much better than we had anticipated? Jacob wrestled with God the …
Genesis 32 – There are three points that really stick out to me in this chapter. Separation from the world will often allow us to become aware of God’s greater revelation. In Genesis 31, we learn that …
Genesis 8 – Mount Ararat and the Araratian plain, seen early morning from near the city of Artashat in Armenia. (Source: Wikipedia) The ark landed upon the mountains of Ararat (pictured) and the flood was finally over. …
John 4 – Jesus told him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” John 4:48 HCSB Jesus used signs and wonders as a tool to lead people into faith. Later in His ministry, …
John 3 – If we take a bird’s eye view of chapter 3, we find that John is intentional about giving us stories that refute the familiar view of Salvation in ancient times. The Path To Salvation …
Esther 7 – The time has come for Esther to speak up. It was not God’s timing earlier because many events had to unfold. Haman was lured into a trap by his own arrogance. He unknowingly constructed …
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 …
Hebrews 12 – Dear Weary Christ-Follower, Read Hebrews 12:3-17 Which is worse, the weight of sin or the discipline of Jesus? It’s an interesting question to ponder considering we often complain about our lot in life. The …
Hebrews 7 – Who was Melchizedek? You can read his full story in Genesis 14. Basically, he was a priest who came to Abraham after his defeat of Chedorlaomer and his three allies. Melchizedek gave bread and …
Hebrews 4 – The Law demanded perfection. This was the standard accomplished by Jesus. Despite our best efforts, we don’t even come close. However, we continue to live in a society built upon works. Nearly everything we …
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 …
Zechariah 12 – Zechariah’s name means “The Lord Remembers” and in this chapter, we get a striking image of God remembering His Jewish people. Theology is not the most important thing here, but it does determine what …
Zechariah 9 – Before Jesus was Savior, He was King. But He was not a king as you or I know one. Jesus ushered in a different kind of Kingdom. Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, …
Zechariah 6 – The scene here is connected, though it might not seem like it on the surface. In the Bible, divine warfare follows a pattern that was common in the Near East: War-Victory-Kingship-Building-Celebration. Zechariah 6 shows …