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 …
throne
148 posts
Leviticus 14 – The book of Leviticus deals with holiness in terms of wholeness. It was extremely important for the priests of the OT to have knowledge in what is considered “clean” and “unclean.” This allowed them …
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 – 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 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 – 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 – 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 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 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 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 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 …
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 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 – 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 …
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 33 – Sometimes it has to hurt in order to draw genuine Godly repentance. It’s not a concept we like to think about, but it is true. Though Manasseh’s acts were heinous and evil, God …
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 – 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 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 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 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 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 3 – The effort and detail Solomon and his people put into the newly constructed temple was simply amazing. They went all out. God is in the details. This is true. It’s also a fact …
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 …
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 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 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 5 – For many fell, because the war was of God. And they lived in their place until the exile. 1 Chronicles 5:22 ESV The people cried out to God and He heard them. He …
Isaiah 53 – The opening verse grabs my attention. “Who has believed our message?” It’s a rhetorical question but one that was referenced twice in the New Testament. But though He had performed so many signs before …
Isaiah 40 – The theme of chapters 7-39 focuses directly on the punishment of God. It’s easy to read this chapter and become discouraged. We must remember that God’s heart was not to needlessly punish his people …
Isaiah 14 – There are some deep theological principles at work in this chapter. There is also some controversy as to the correct translation of the phrase, “Oh Lucifer, Son of the morning” in verse 12. Many …
Isaiah 7 – War has broken out and Jerusalem is under attack. Amazingly, God shows King Ahaz mercy by commanding him to stay calm and courageous, even though he was a terribly immoral king. The Lord sends …
Isaiah 6 – The first 5 chapters of Isaiah outline his prophecies, but do not establish his calling. In chapter 6 we read the details of God’s calling for Isaiah. In many ways, Isaiah filled a role …
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. …
Exodus 30 – The ability to come before God is an opportunity, not a right. Aaron was given the duty of burning sweet incense at morning and at twilight on this smaller altar. To us it may …
Exodus 28 – “You shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: Exodus 28:33 NASB You may ask, why …
Exodus 27 – “You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually. Exodus 27:20 NASB Light is the essence of God. …
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 20 – The 10 Commandments illustrate the vertical and horizontal obedience that God desired for humanity. Jesus came to fulfill and (in many ways) raise the standard of the law. Mount Sinai was a particular summit …
Judges 18 – I recently heard of an episode that Dr. Phil did about a religious cult. What began as a typical 60’s communal-type gathering became a den of alleged sexual molestation, prostitution and extreme physical abuse that …
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 34 – Elihu uses some quotes from Job to reiterate that God can do no wrong. Specifically, he uses the words from Job found in Chapter 27. As God lives, who has deprived me of justice, …
Job 19 – The most magnificent phrase in this chapter shines in verses 25-26. It is so surprising and unexpected. Job has lamented for many chapters now, and wished death upon himself. In this chapter, he concludes …
Job 6 – Here are some points we can draw from Job’s response in chapter 6: Job is under tremendous stress. On top of his physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain, he is also dealing with ignorant …
Matthew 27 – Although we are typically hard on the Pharisees in Scripture, there were a few who sincerely had a heart change through Jesus’ ministry. Joseph of Arimathea was one of these men. Mark and Luke …
Matthew 23 – Jesus uses a lot of phrases of that time period to describe what the Pharisees were like. In this scathing rebuke, it’s important to understand what He was talking about so we can relate …
Matthew 20 – Our plans and God’s plans never really pan out the same. He gives us the main idea, but the details are usually mysterious and unexpected. God is not predictable. You can’t put Him in …
Proverbs 16 – “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 HCSB This passage hit me so hard. The heart of man is always up to something. We like things our …
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 …
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 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 31 – Let’s do a quick recap. In desperation, Saul traveled to see a witch who brought back Samuel from the dead and predicted Saul’s death the next day. Today is the next day. Also …
1 Samuel 24 – David retreats with his men to the caves of the Wilderness of En Gedi. This was a strategic move and a very good one on David’s part. The canyon of En Gedi is …
1 Samuel 21 – David has lost so much. He has gone from the beloved and admired son-in-law of King Saul to the forsaken fugitive, alone and rejected. We don’t know exactly why he would choose to …
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 9 – Saul had everything going for him. He came from a family of prominence and wealth. His father was most likely a feudal lord – a landowner and a leader in times of war. …
1 Timothy 2 – As a child, I would sometimes hear my parents say, “As long as you are under this roof, you will live by our guidelines.” Every parent must choose how they will govern their …
Romans 11 – To me, the most interesting part of Romans 11 starts in verse 25. After outlining the difference again between works and grace, and the stumbling that Israel has had over the years, Paul writes …
Romans 9 – Paul now shifts his focus to the Israelites specifically. His heart is so heavy for his brothers and sisters. Although they had knowledge of God, they had not truly humbled themselves to him. He …
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 21 – This chapter is filled to the brim with the evil of Manasseh. He would be remembered as the king who led his people back into the darkness of which they hadn’t seen since …
2 Kings 18 – A major theme the past several chapters has begged the question – who will step up and wholeheartedly trust the Lord to defend them? We’ve seen some kings who have trusted for a …
2 Kings 14 – What I am struck by in this 14th chapter of 2 Kings is just how much of an impact a single generation can have on all the generations that follow. Take these verses, …
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 …
2 Kings 10 – When this chapter begins you get a sense that Jehu is going to be a ferocious warrior for the Lord. He eliminates Ahab’s family, doing everything the Lord has asked. He follows that …
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 3 – The verses here in 2 Kings 3 really put into perspective just how evil Ahab and Jezebel really were. Their son, Jehoram (aka Joram), is now king over Israel. We read that he …
2 Kings 1 – Same story, different chapter. After reading about all of Ahab’s disastrous choices, we now move into the reign of Ahaziah. The gist of the story is that Ahaziah has experienced a severe fall …
1 Kings 21 – When Elijah finished speaking, Ahab tore his clothes, took them off, and put on sackcloth. He refused food, slept in the sackcloth, and went about gloomy and depressed. 1 Kings 21:27 The tearing …
1 Kings 17 – Since Baal was considered the god of the sky, or “the storm god,” it would be a drought that God would use to grab the people’s attention. God was setting the scene to …
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 15 – If you are like me, you’ve read the last few chapters and been a little confused by all the names. We have two different Abijah’s and also the prophet Ahijah in chapter 14. …
1 Kings 9 – 1 Kings 9 provides some insight into the subtle turn taking place in Solomon. As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the king’s house and all that …
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 4 – This was the golden age for Israel as we read in verses 20-21… The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore; they ate and …
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 36 – The bullet points of Esau’s life were not great. God blessed him and his family, but the blessings were only material in nature. Long before, Isaac and Rebekah were concerned about Esau’s choice to …
Genesis 1 – In his book, The Good Book, author Deron Spoo gives us perspective on what we should treasure about Genesis 1. In his opinion, the primary purpose of this first chapter is to affirm that …
John 19 – One of the unique aspects of John’s Gospel is the theme of Jesus as the Lamb of God. All the way back in John 1, we read about John the Baptist declaring “Look! The …
John 18 – “While human politics is based on the premise that society must be changed in order to change people, in the politics of the Kingdom it is people who must be changed in order to …
John 17 – I cannot think of a more powerful prayer in all of Scripture. Through Jesus’ words, much is revealed. Eternal life = knowing Jesus Christ and the one true God (John 17:3) Glorification on Earth …
Esther 10 – As Chapter 10 winds down, I can’t help but reflect on the sovereignty of God. First and foremost, God had a plan. He knew exactly how this entire situation would bring glory to Himself. …
Esther 5 – This is an interesting chapter. Many commentators and scholars will be quick to point out the timing was not right for Esther to make her ask. It’s hard to know. Did God prevent Esther …
Esther 4 – “…if I perish, I perish” Don’t miss these words. Don’t gloss over them. I know maybe you have read them before when you’ve studied this story, but take a moment and let that thought …
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 …
Zechariah 14 – In Philippians, Paul urges the church to “hold onto the truth we have attained.” This means as truth is revealed to us, we must continue to move forward and not lose ground with regard …
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 …
Nahum 1 – The book of Jonah was God’s grace to Ninevah, and Nahum is His truth. God would judge Nineveh. For some, the thought of His judgment invokes imagery of an all-powerful Being looking down on …