Thursday, December 31, 2015

Ecclesiastes 11: Known And Unknown

As Ecclesiastes enters its home stretch, Solomon offers several final observations about things that we should know, and matters that we cannot know.

Ecclesiastes 10: The Field Guide To Fools

As a wise man, Solomon apparently found himself perturbed by fools.  In Ecclesiastes, he has much advice to give on how to identify, and thus avoid, fools.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Ecclesiastes 9: Fatalism (Or Que Sera, Sera)

It's hard to disagree with Solomon's wisdom and his honest observations of life.  It's also hard to dispute the notion that reading Ecclesiastes is something of a downer.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Ecclesiastes 8: Value Or Vanity?

As Solomon continues searching through various activities and life experiences in his quest for wisdom and understanding, he frequently issues one of two verdicts: either something is considered to be a good worth pursuing or else it is deemed a worthless vanity.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Psalm 100: All The Right Notes

Psalm 100 is a very compact psalm (only 5 verses long) yet still manages to hit all the right notes as a song of praise and thanksgiving.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Ecclesiastes 7: The Limits Of Experience

Solomon is known for being wise, of course.  What comes through in Ecclesiastes 7 is that he is also very experienced.  Many of his sayings are distilled from the years he has spent observing life.  As he remarks, "In my vain life I have seen everything..." (vs. 15).

Ecclesiastes 6: Evil Under The Sun

I wonder if Solomon was talking about himself in Ecclesiastes 6?  Tradition tells us that Ecclesiastes is the product of his old age, whereas Proverbs was written in his middle age and the Song of Solomon in his youth.  If this is the case, then perhaps we have here the observations of a man frustrated about his impending mortality and the inevitability of his leave-taking of the world.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Ecclesiastes 5: How Much Is Enough?

"The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain.  This also is vanity" (vs. 10).

Monday, December 21, 2015

Ecclesiastes 4: What Is Better?

Part of wisdom's benefit comes from the insight it gives us into which state of affairs may be better for us.  Whenever we get a chance to make choices regarding our situation, we do well to do so with wisdom.  In Ecclesiastes 4, Solomon offers his opinion on several matters about what is better.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Psalm 99: Mighty King

Twin themes emerge from Psalm 99: God is king, and He is mighty.  The psalm even begins, "The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!  He sits enthroned among the cherubim; let the earth quake!"  From there, we continue to hear both of God's great and awesome name, as well as His royal reign over His people Israel.  Both acts of power and justice are recounted as emblematic of the Lord's nature.  The psalm concludes with the imperative, "Extol the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy" (vs. 9).

Friday, December 18, 2015

Ecclesiastes 3: Timeless Words

In many of the funeral services I conduct, I incorporate Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 as a frame for talking about the life of the deceased.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Ecclesiastes 1: A Depressing State Of Affairs

Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books in the Bible.  It's so...dark.

Proverbs 31: Of Moms And Wives

It is perhaps fitting that a book dedicated to wisdom ends with advice from a mother and an ode to a wife.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Proverbs 30: The Prayer Of Goldilocks

Proverbs 30 is ascribed to Agur, son of Jakeh.  Who was Agur?  After researching it, I discovered that there are many theories, from Agur being a nomadic wise man who lived between Israel and Babylon to the name merely being a code word for Solomon.  Basically, however, nobody has any real evidence so it all remains speculation!  Whoever he is, however, Agur does have some very interesting insights to share!

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Friday, December 11, 2015

Proverbs 28: Crime Does Not Pay

With all the teachings against wickedness and foolishness we find in Proverbs, you may wonder why anyone would ever choose to go down that path.  There are so many warnings against evil, why do people still sin?  Proverbs says that even though the wicked may prosper for a time, they will find out that, in the end, crime does not pay.

Proverbs 27: What Does The Future Hold?

At several points in the Book of Proverbs, you can hear a hint of the New Testament coming through.  There's a great example of this connection between the Testaments in chapter 27.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Proverbs 26: A Proverb For All Seasons

It is one thing to revere the proverbs and look upon them as the revealed Word of God.  It is another to deploy them properly in the right context.  After all, "a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver" (25:11).

Proverbs 25: Solomon's Similes

Beginning in chapter 25, we see a subtle shift in the tone and format of the proverbs.  The chapter begins, "These are other proverbs of Solomon that the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah copied" (vs. 1).  Compiled by a later king, these recorded words of Solomon have a slightly different feel than what went before.  For instance, we find a lot of similes.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Proverbs 24: The Thread Of Wisdom

Running all through the tapestry that is the Book of Proverbs is one thread: the consistent call to a life of wisdom!

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Proverbs 23: Not-So-Common Sense

Many of the proverbs reinforce the common sense things that we already know - or, at least, the common sense things that we should know.

Proverbs 22: Proverbial Proverbs

Proverbs has added many treasured sayings and expressions to our culture.  A couple of them make appearances in chapter 22.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Proverbs 21: Women Trouble

How different do you think the Proverbs would be if they had been composed by women?

Proverbs 20: Some Things About Kings

In addition to being a book of teachings and instruction about life and commerce, Proverbs also includes many lessons about those who, like Solomon, hold the responsibilities of royal rule.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Psalm 97: What Does Glory Look Like?

We hear a lot about God's "glory" in the Bible, especially in the Psalms.  But just what do we mean by that?  What does glory look like?

Friday, December 4, 2015

Proverbs 19: Poor Treatment

Proverbs wrestles with the treatment of the poor and addresses the poor treatment that those living in poverty often receive.

Proverbs 18: The Power Of The Tongue

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (vs. 21).  Solomon's proverbs reveal an abiding interest in the power of speech to bring about good or cause harm.

Proverbs 17: Mama Didn't Raise No Fool?

One of Solomon's themes in Proverbs is the relationship between parents and their children.  When the children are wise and good, the household is happy.  But parents that raise a fool will find themselves filled with heartache and misery.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Proverbs 16: The God Behind The Curtain

Ever heard the expression, "There is a God, and you're not Him?"  While not officially one of Solomon's proverbs, that saying does complement one of themes in his book.  Many proverbs indicate that, although we often presume that we are the ones in charge, God has actually reserved for Himself the ability to call the shots.  We call this concept "sovereignty."

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Proverbs 15: The Limits Of Prosperity

"Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it.  Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it" (vs. 16-17).

Proverbs 14: Observations

Some of the proverbs are "didactic"; that is, Solomon is attempting to teach a moral lesson or instruct us how to act ethically.  Others, however, are more in line with philosophical observations about life.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Proverbs 13: Binary World

My son Daniel is currently in his junior year at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.  One of the campus features is a long "binary" sidewalk made up of 1s and 0s.  It actually spells out a message if you know the code.  In a binary language, everything is reduced to one of two possible states: off or on, yes or no, 1 or 0, black or white.  The proverbs of Solomon reveal that he often viewed the world in such binary terms, divided between the righteous and the wicked.

Proverbs 12: Prerequisite For Proverbs

Solomon's book of proverbs is filled with lots of good advice - but what good does any of it do if we don't approach it with a teachable spirit?

Proverbs 11: God's Economy

There are dozens of proverbs to be found in chapter 11, but I'd like to focus on two verses that stood out to me: "Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.  A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives water will get water" (vs. 24-25).

Monday, November 30, 2015

Proverbs 10: Life's Little Instruction Book

"When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech" (vs. 19).  With that in mind, I'll keep this short!

Friday, November 27, 2015

Proverbs 9: The Difference

Proverbs 9 contains some fascinating parallels between wisdom and foolishness.  How can you determine which is which?  And, more importantly, how can you tell if you are wise or foolish?  Solomon gives us the test to find the difference!

Proverbs 8: Sophia Calling

You probably already know that Solomon takes wisdom quite seriously and honors it very, very highly.  His devotion comes through loud and clear in this chapter's praise of wisdom and its declarations of what has been accomplished through it.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Proverbs 7: Take It From Solomon

It doesn't take long reading through the Proverbs to find that Solomon maintains a particular interest in discouraging adultery among his audience.

Proverbs 6: Playing Nice With Others

Solomon gives some very practical advice to his audience about how to behave in such a way so as to thrive spiritually and socially.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Proverbs 5: Staying True

"Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.
Should your streams be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets?
Let them be for yourself alone, and not for sharing with strangers.
Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth" (vs. 15-18).

Proverbs 4: David's Legacy

Should Proverbs 4:3-4 be taken literally?  If so, and if this book was indeed composed by Solomon, we have a picture of the young prince in his childhood being taught by his father King David to choose the path of wisdom.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Proverbs 3: Trust And Obey

One of the central keys to wisdom is revealed in verses 5 and 6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 2: You Get What You Seek

Proverbs 2 invites the listener to choose carefully what he will pursue in life.  Like Jesus' promise that those who seek find and those who ask receive, this chapter indicates that we will indeed get what we look for.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Proverbs 1: The Beginning Of Knowledge

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction" (vs. 7).

Psalm 96: What Makes God So Special?

It would have been interesting to live in a polytheistic world.  In the Old Testament, Israel was surrounded by pagan nations that worshiped other gods.  I'm sure that - just like Christians get challenged about the veracity of our beliefs today - Israel found itself questioned about their commitment to the Lord above anything else.  I believe Psalm 96 can be read as a response to this challenge of faith.

Friday, November 20, 2015

The Song Of Solomon 8: The Power Of Love

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.  It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame.  Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned" (vs. 6-7).

The Song Of Solomon 7: Love Is All Around

Now back into the love song between lover and beloved, we see chapter 7 consisting of two parts where they sing to one another.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

The Song Of Solomon 6: Where Did Our Love Go?

"Where has your lover gone, most beautiful of women?  Which way did your lover turn, that we may look for him with you?" (vs. 1)

The Song Of Solomon 5: Lost In Love

Chapter 5 of the Song of Solomon describes a "missed connection" between lover and beloved, one that leads to the beloved's profession of deep feelings for the lover to the daughters of Jerusalem.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Song Of Solomon 4: The Look Of Love

The fourth chapter of the Song of Solomon contains evocative similes and metaphors that the king employed to woo his beloved, mostly describing her attractive looks and physical features.  (Warning: some of these expressions may no longer be considered complimentary in the 21st century!)

The Song Of Solomon 3: Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places

Chapter 3 seems to consist of two parts: a search for the lover by the beloved, and an image of Solomon's royal wedding procession.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

The Song Of Solomon 2: You Can't Hurry Love

"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires" (vs. 7).

Monday, November 16, 2015

The Song Of Solomon 1: Just An Old-Fashioned Love Song

The Song of Solomon, also known as the Song of Songs, is one of the more controversial books in the Bible.  The debate over its inclusion centered around its passionate tone and sexual imagery that is presumed to be more in keeping with romantic entanglements between humans than it is our relationship with the Lord.

Psalm 95: A Joyful Noise

Have you ever been filled with an overwhelming sense of worship for the Lord?  Have you ever felt like you could just about burst with praise to God?  If so, perhaps you can relate to the emotions of the psalmist who composed Psalm 95!

Friday, November 13, 2015

I Kings 11: Solomon's Downfall

Everyone has their favorite imponderables about the Bible, questions such as "How could people live so long back in the times of the patriarchs?" or "What were Jesus' growing up years like?"  Mine is - "How could the story of Solomon end so tragically when he had been given so much wisdom and had so much going for him?"

Thursday, November 12, 2015

I Kings 10: Wisdom Pays Off

That wisdom thing is really working out well for Solomon.

I Kings 9: Israel's Emergence

During the reign of Solomon, Israel begins to emerge as a regional power.  Up until this time, they had been preoccupied with local threats - pacifying Canaan, the challenge of the Philistines, conquering Jerusalem from the Jebusites, etc.  Now they are established as the rulers of the land, subjugating the other people groups (vs. 20-21) and forming alliances by treaty and marriage with other major powers such as Tyre and Egypt.  Still, this new prestige and prosperity comes with a familiar warning: as long as the people adhere to their covenant with the Lord, He will bless them (vs. 4-5).  But if they turn their back to God, He will turn His back to them (vs. 6-7)!

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

I Kings 8: The Purpose Of The Temple

Israel knew that God does not require a house to live in.  In fact, even the physical universe itself cannot contain Him (vs. 27)!  So why did Solomon and the nation go the trouble of building such an elaborate and costly structure as the Temple?

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

I Kings 7: Inside The Temple

After describing the palace that Solomon built for himself in verses 1-12, I Kings 7 goes on to give us more details about the Temple, such as its furnishings and finishing touches.  A bronzeworker from Tyre named Hiram came and worked on such pieces as the two pillars of bronze, a large "sea", stands, basins and more.  The Temple wasn't just a monument or museum; it was a functioning place of corporate worship for Israel. For more information and to see some visual representations of what Solomon's Temple may have looked like, check out:
 http://www.bible-archaeology.info/temple_of_solomon.htm

Monday, November 9, 2015

I Kings 6: From Tabernacle To Temple

What a glorious wonder Solomon's Temple must have been to behold in the ancient world!  To quote John Hammond from Jurassic Park, the king "spared no expense" in its construction.

I Kings 5: Cedars Of Lebanon

With King Solomon firmly established on the throne, it's time to begin getting serious about the major building project of his reign: the Temple!

Psalm 94: God Of Vengeance?

Psalm 94 contains some language and imagery that is decidedly non-politically correct by today's cultural standards.  "O Lord, you God of vengeance" (vs. 1)  "Give to the proud what they deserve!" (vs. 2)  "The Lord our God will wipe them out" (vs. 23).  How are we to understand and accept these passages while also maintaining the Bible's overall teaching of a God of grace and mercy?

Friday, November 6, 2015

I Kings 4: The Golden Age Of Israel

Everyone likes to reminisce about "the good ol' days."  In Israel's case, the era of Solomon's reign is fondly remembered as the golden age of national history.

I Kings 3: Asked And Answered

If you have heard nothing else about Solomon, you probably know that he is regarded as extremely wise, or the wisest man who ever lived, according to the Bible.  I Kings 3 gives us the background as to how that reputation came about.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

I Kings 2: Settling Scores

I Kings 2 brings us the death of David and the transition to King Solomon.  He encourages his son to be strong and courageous and faithful to the Lord.  In the last recorded words we have of David, he instructs Solomon to take care of some unfinished business and settle some old scores (vs. 5-9).

I Kings 1: Adonijah Vs. Solomon

Turning from the books of Samuel to those of Kings reveals that we are nearing the end of David's life.  He is now old and cold, and a beautiful young woman named Abishag is brought in to keep him warm.  As David clings to life, a battle for succession to his throne ensues between his sons Adonijah and Solomon.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

II Samuel 24: A Senseless Census

Just when you thought David might be in line for a happy ending, we have one more tale of woe concerning an occasion when he chose his own will rather than the Lord's.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

II Samuel 23: Never Underestimate The Power Of An Individual

David is one of the central figures in the Bible. In fact, he serves as an archetype (the original pattern, model, or prototype) of the promised Messiah. It is hard to overstate his influence in scripture and subsequent history. Likewise, we must also understand that David didn't accomplish everything he did alone. In addition to the Lord, David had significant help from other key individuals, who are credited in II Samuel 23.

Psalm 93: Twice and Thrice Is Nice

Psalm 93 is brief (only 5 verses) but employs the device of repetition to drive its points home.

II Samuel 22: Cross Referenced

It isn't too often that the Bible repeats itself verbatim, but we find that in II Samuel 22.  It is a duplicate of Psalm 18!

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

II Samuel 20: Putting Down A Rebellion

With the kingdom still in turmoil after lurching from David to Absalom and back to David, a "scoundrel" named Sheba takes advantage of the situation to promote a rebellion among the tribes of Israel against Judah's leadership.

II Samuel 19: The Return Of The King

After the death of Absalom, the kingdom reverts to David.  II Samuel 19 describes the return of the king to power.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

II Samuel 18: Absalom's Hang Up

In a book full of notable death scenes, Absalom's end is one of the more interesting.  During the forest battle with David's forces in the land of Ephraim, Absalom (remember that amazing hair? II Samuel 14:26) gets his head caught in the branches of an oak tree, while the mule that he was riding kept going.  As he struggled there, suspended from the tree, it might have been a comical scene, except that Joab comes along and plunges three spears into him.  With such dispatch, the rebellion is put down and David's life (and kingdom) are saved.

II Samuel 17: Lion On The Lam

"It's the good advice that you just didn't take." (Alanis Morissette, Ironic)  Absalom himself could have written that line after he rejected the suggestions of Ahitophel, choosing instead to follow the secretly malicious plans of Hushai.

Monday, October 26, 2015

II Samuel 16: Placing Their Bets

With the kingdom in upheaval and the future of the monarchy uncertain, those around David and Absalom make their calculations and place their bets on who to support: the deposed king or the crafty usurper.

II Samuel 15: Absalom: An Ingratiating Ingrate

David's reign takes another tragic turn in II Samuel 15 when a coup is plotted against him by none other than his son, the attractive and popular Absalom.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Psalm 92: The Short Run Vs. The Long Term

Psalm 92 makes a case that there are basically two kinds of people in the world: the righteous and the unrighteous.  Both may seem to flourish (vs. 7 and 13).  But this apparent equality in their condition is deceptive.  The "wicked sprout like grass" but are actually doomed to destruction forever (vs. 7).  Eventually the enemies of the Lord shall perish and be scattered (vs. 9).  The righteous, on the other hand, "flourish like a palm tree" and "grow like a cedar" (vs. 12).  They continue to produce good fruit even in old age.  Psalm 92 counsels us to consider the difference between the short run (but temporary) success of the wicked and the long term fruitfulness of the righteous.  After all, what would you rather your spirit be like: grass or trees?

Friday, October 23, 2015

II Samuel 14: Bring Him Home

I may have found a new favorite Old Testament verse!  "We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up.  But God will not take away a life; he will devise plans so as not to keep an outcast banished forever from his presence" (vs. 14).  Doesn't that just have GOSPEL written all over it?

Thursday, October 22, 2015

II Samuel 13: Rape And Murder

Just as Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world through the Fall, so, too, has David introduced sin into his family through his actions against Uriah, and it begins tearing them apart.  Chapter 13 skips ahead a few years, telling us that "some time passed" (vs. 1).

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

II Samuel 12: Speaking Truth To Power

How would you like Nathan's job?  Called to be a prophet of the Lord, his assignment is to go to King David and confront him about his sins of adultery and murder.  There is no one more powerful than David, who has already killed men to keep his sins secret and cover his tracks.  Yet Nathan went in obedience to the Lord (vs. 1).

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

II Samuel 11: Covering His Tracks

II Samuel 11 may be my least favorite chapter of the Bible.  It is certainly one of the saddest, describing the most vile and despicable things that David did in life.  Our hero plays the part of a villain. Through these sinful events, David tragically sows the seeds of the destruction of his family.

II Samuel 10: It Doesn't Pay To Go Against Israel

The Ammonites make a major miscalculation in how they treat King David, and end up dragging another nation (the Arameans) down with them.

Monday, October 19, 2015

II Samuel 9: Mephibosheth

The word comes down that the new king is looking to find any surviving heirs of the previous king.  There can be only one conclusion as to reason for the search: the new king must want to execute any rivals in order to strengthen his grip on the throne!

II Samuel 8: Winning A Name For Himself

Everything is going David's way.  As this chapter testifies, "The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went" (vs. 14).  Those pacified by David and his forces include the Philistines (vs. 1), the Moabites (vs. 2), the Zobahites (vs. 3-4), the Arameans (vs. 5-6), and the Edomites (vs. 13-14).  It's a good day to be a Jew!

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Psalm 91: Protection Or Presumption?

Psalm 91 contains some of the most beautiful images and comforting promises to be found in the entire Bible.  Is it any surprise, then, that Satan would twist something so glorious for his own ends?

Friday, October 16, 2015

II Samuel 7: Who's Building Who A House?

An inspiration strikes David one day that leads to God establishing an everlasting covenant with him.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

II Samuel 6: Going To Extremes

II Samuel 6 is all about the Ark of the Covenant, and the effect that it has on David and his people.

II Samuel 5: Glory Days

The victories are coming fast and furious for David in II Samuel 5.  Three big events happened during this season of his life that could be called his "glory days."

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

II Samuel 4: Killing The Messenger

Even in the ancient world, news traveled fast.  When it did, messengers hoped to be rewarded for good news, and to be able to escape with their lives if the report was bad.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

II Samuel 3: Palace Intrigue

A shifting of Abner's loyalties from Ishbaal to David helps put into motion the machinery by which David will become king over all Israel, yet also ends up costing Abner his life at the hands of Joab.

Monday, October 12, 2015

II Samuel 2: The Interlude Of Ishbaal

After the death of Saul, David did not become king over Israel immediately.  The first thing that happened is that David felt led of the Lord to move his forces from the Philistine city of Ziklag to Hebron in Judah.  While Judah quickly anointed David as their king, Saul's son Ishbaal reigned over the other tribes of Israel for another two years (vs. 10).

Sunday, October 11, 2015

II Samuel 1: How The Mighty Have Fallen!

Loyal to Saul to the end, David is grief-stricken when he hears of the death of the king and the prince.  He composes a lamentation to be sung in their memory, and commands that it be taught to the people of Israel.  It contains an expression which has since become famous: How the mighty have fallen!  Here it refers to the champions of Israel, Saul and Jonathan, killed in battle upon Mount Gilboa.  David is especially overwrought by the death of his intimate friend, Jonathan.  When an Amalekite tries to take credit for killing Saul, perhaps expecting a reward from David for this service, the son of Jesse instead orders the man himself killed for daring to strike down the Lord's anointed.  The death of Saul and his family is not a cause for celebration for David, but a reason to grieve deeply, in addition to mourning the overall loss of Israel's battle with the Philistines.

Psalm 90: God Is Timeless; We Are Temporary

Psalm 90 is ascribed to Moses, who knew a thing or two about the Lord.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

I Samuel 28: Small Medium At Large

Do you believe in psychics and seances?  The Bible contains fairly clear(*) teaching on this subject: there is indeed a reality to such things, but God's people are not permitted to avail themselves of them.

I Samuel 27: The Enemy Of My Enemy

It is ironic that David feels the safest place for him to go is Gath - the hometown of the Philistine champion Goliath that David killed back in chapter 17!

Monday, October 5, 2015

I Samuel 26: Spearing Saul - Or Sparing Him?

I Samuel 26 may sound awfully familiar if you've been reading this book from start to finish.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

I Samuel 25: Leave It To The Lord

David learned an important spiritual lesson in I Samuel 25.  Rather than taking vengeance ourselves for injuries and insults we suffer, we should leave it to the Lord.

Psalm 89: Making Sense Of God's Silence

The Psalms frequently question, "How long, O Lord?" (vs. 46)  It is a plea that rises up from a discouraged and beaten-down heart, lifted up to a God that is not understood, Whose silence and inaction are inexplicable.

Friday, October 2, 2015

I Samuel 24: Saul In David's Hands

What would you do if God put your worst enemy into your hands?

I Samuel 23: Saul The Pursuer

As you read the Psalms, you will find many written by David when he was on the run from Saul (Psalm 54 may have been composed during the events of this chapter.)  Saul's pursuit of David never resulted in the young man's capture, but it did unleash the heart of David in worship and prayer to God for deliverance, a treasure of writings that we can still enjoy millennia later.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

I Samuel 22: You Dirty Doeg!

One of the villains in the Old Testament is Doeg the Edomite who ratted out David to Saul and then killed the priests of the Lord at Saul's bidding.

I Samuel 21: On The Run!

In chapter 21, David is scrambling to figure out how to live a life on the lam.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

I Samuel 20: Keep Your Friends Close But Your Enemies Closer

Saul is starting to become seriously unhinged.  What was at first envy and jealousy of his junior associate David has blossomed into full-fledged paranoia.  He wants David dead.  David is aware that Saul is out to get him, but Jonathan doesn't see the evil in his father.  Jonathan and David make a pact - a covenant - to watch out for each other.

I Samuel 19: Getting By With A Little Help From His Friends

It's a good thing that David had so many friendships and relationships to draw upon - he relied numerous times upon the good will of others to save his life from Saul's murderous rage!

I Samuel 18: Everybody Loves David

David had high - but not quite unanimous - approval ratings.  In fact, it seems like the only who didn't love David was King Saul.

Monday, September 28, 2015

I Samuel 17: The Battle Belongs To The Lord

I Samuel 17 is a classic David-and-Goliath story.  In fact, it is THE David and Goliath story!

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Psalm 88: A Cry For Help

The psalmist of Psalm 88 sounds like he has led a very difficult life.  From his youth, he has been close to death (vs. 15) and even now, he is counted among the dying (vs. 4).  His friends consider him helpless and hopeless.  Rather than seeing light, he feels darkness all around him.  He even blames God for this!  Yet that doesn't stop him from turning to the Lord and calling out in prayer to God both day  (vs. 13) and night (vs. 1).  He is asking God to deliver him and preserve his life.  Even though very little has gone right for him in life, he is looking in the right place now as he cries out to God for help.  Have you ever been like this psalmist and called out to the Lord for help from the depths of your spirit?

Thursday, September 24, 2015

I Samuel 16: The Rise Of David

God was being completely serious when said He was rejecting Saul as king.  Samuel the prophet is thus given a new assignment: Anoint the next king of Israel.

I Samuel 15: The Fall Of Saul

Which do you think God prefers?  Generous sacrificial giving or faithful obedience to His commands?

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

I Samuel 14: Jonathan's Eating Gets Him In Trouble

In the midst of a fierce battle with the Philistines, Saul makes a rash oath.  He calls out, "Cursed be anyone who eats food before it is evening and I have been avenged on my enemies" (vs. 24).  Saul issued this oath probably thinking that it would inspire his men to fight hard and diligently.  Yet little did he know the problems he would cause himself with that statement!

I Samuel 13: Saul's Presumption

Ever wonder why the Bible talks so much about King David and relatively little about King Saul?  Saul made some mistakes along the way that led to his rejection by God from the kingship.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

I Samuel 12: The End Of One Age - And The Dawn Of Another

Samuel is widely regarded as a transitional figure.  He is the last in a long line of Judges that ruled over the Hebrews from the time of the Conquest, and he is the anointer of the first King(s) of Israel as the nation sets up a new governmental system of a monarchy.  I Samuel 12 is his valedictory address where he takes his leave of public life, giving the people a final speech filled with history lessons, warnings, and encouragements to follow the Lord.

I Samuel 11: ...And There Was Much Rejoicing

Saul's kingship gets off to a great start in I Samuel 11.  The Israelites had wanted a king, after all, to unite them and help organize their defenses against enemies.  Saul does precisely this in compelling fashion.

Monday, September 21, 2015

I Samuel 10: Long Live The King!

At first blush, Saul appears to be a rather reluctant king.  When talking with his uncle, he doesn't say anything about Samuel's anointing of him to be king (vs. 16), and when all Israel gathers for the choosing of the king by lot, Saul hides himself among the baggage (vs. 22).

I Samuel 9: Tall Saul And The King Thing

Now that God has decided to let Israel have a king, the issue becomes: who will that be?  Who will Samuel anoint?  I Samuel 9 provides the answer to that question.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Psalm 87: Born On Zion's Hill

Psalm 87 may be short (only 7 verses), but it packs a powerful punch for those who love Jerusalem.  We see credit given to God for Zion's founding (vs. 1), and His special affection for this city above all others (vs. 2).  Of particular note in this psalm is the value ascribed to those who trace their beginning to Jerusalem.  Whether a person's birth (vs. 5-6) or the spring of their song and dance (vs. 7), Zion's hill is a source of great blessings!

Thursday, September 17, 2015

I Samuel 8: Be Careful What You Wish For!

I Samuel 8 opens with the very real possibility of history repeating itself.  The previous generation saw Eli and his two corrupt sons lead to the downfall of Israel.  Now Samuel is old and his two sons are also not the man their father is.  They are taking bribes and perverting justice.  Will Samuel repeat the neglectful mistakes of Eli?

I Samuel 7: Who Fights Your Battles?

Leave it to the Philistines to attack Israel during worship!  (As a pastor, I personally find that to be a very low blow.)  Fortunately, their military tactic failed and they ended up routed before God rather than victorious over His people - and all of it was thanks to the help of the Lord!

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

I Samuel 6: The Ark Goes Home

After seven months of reaping only disaster from their capture of the Ark, the Philistines are apparently ready to wash their hands of the whole thing.  They hatch a plan to put the Ark on a cart, along with a guilt offering of five gold mice and five gold tumors.  The cart is to be guided by two dairy cows who had never before been yoked and who are missing their calves penned up back home.  The Philistines watch in amazement as the cows promptly set out to return the Ark to Israel.  The Philistines realize that, rather than standing in opposition to God and bearing the heavy cost of a plague of tumors, they are farther ahead to let the Ark return to their enemies.  In this chapter, the Ark makes its journey home from Philistia to the Israelite towns of Beth-shemesh and Kiriath-jearim.

I Samuel 5: God vs. Dagon

I love the veiled message of I Samuel 5!  Even when His people are defeated militarily, God is greater than any of the false gods of the surrounding nations.  Here the Philistines are rejoicing at their great victory of the previous chapter in defeating the Israelites and capturing their "god" (i.e. the Ark of the Covenant).  But what happens next shows that the Lord is well able to defend Himself and guard His name.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

I Samuel 4: Ichabod

When you hear the name "Ichabod," chances are you think of a tale about a headless horseman and Sleepy Hollow.  The name originally appears in the Bible, however, and is rooted in a story about one of the greatest disasters to ever befall Israel.

I Samuel 3: Eli's Sin Of Omission

I Samuel 3 is usually remembered for its charming account of the midnight calling of the young prophet Samuel - but it also conveys a stark warning of the dangers of tolerated sin.

Monday, September 14, 2015

I Samuel 2: Shades Of Jesus Christ!

The unifying link between the Testaments and, indeed, within the entire Bible is the Person of Jesus Christ.  What the Old Testament longingly looks forward to is realized in the advent of our Savior.  I Samuel 2 is a prime example of an ordinary chapter buried in the historical books of the Bible that contains several prescient reference to the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I Samuel 1: A Special Child

There are several characteristics that made Samuel a special child, one who was to have a strong influence and leadership role over the nation of Israel.

Psalm 86: Finding Theology In The Psalms

How do we know what we know about God?  Christians believe in the Bible as our source and authority regarding matters of faith.  But it is important to keep in mind that the Bible is composed of many different types of literature, called genres, which all have their own strengths and limitations when it comes to teaching us about God.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Ruth 4: Ruth Finds A Husband

The Book of Ruth takes us from a posture of gloom, grief, and bitterness in the first chapter to a celebration of new life and hope for the future in the last.  It is most certainly a beautiful story of redemption!

Ruth 3: Something More Than Friendship

Ruth 3 escalates the relationship between Boaz and Ruth.  Whereas formerly the older gentleman was charitably looking out for a young widow who was a foreigner to his country, he is now surreptitiously approached by her at night on the threshing floor with deeper intentions.

Ruth 2: Ruth Finds A Friend

Sometimes coincidences are exactly that: mere coincidences.  At other times, however, coincidences reveal the hand of God working behind the scenes.

Ruth 1: When The Going Gets Tough

The first chapter of Ruth is bleak.  It tells the story of a woman who is forced to migrate to another nation due to a famine in her home country.  Over the next decade, she loses her husband to death, followed by her two sons.  All she has left is her foreign daughters-in-law.  It's no wonder that she changes her name from Naomi (meaning, "my joy" and "pleasant") to Mara (meaning "bitter").

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Judges 21: Problem Solved!

You really have to give the Israelites credit.  They had unwittingly placed themselves in a real bind but were able to find a creative way out of their dilemma.

Judges 20: Tribe Vs. Tribes

When the rest of Israel hears about the atrocity that happened at Gibeah in Benjamin, they are enraged.  They gather in mass at Mizpah to plan their response.

Judges 19: An Israelite Horror Story

Shades of Sodom!  The story recounted in Judges 19 is enough to shock even the most jaded cynic.  Certainly, the depths to which Israel has sunk means that something has gone very, very wrong in the Promised Land.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Judges 18: From Personal Religion To Tribal Faith

Micah's little household god operation didn't stay little for long.  As it turns out, the tribe of Dan caught wind of his personal religion and, when they felt it was worth something to them, took it for their own and made it the center of their tribal faith!

Judges 17: Personal Religion

Judges 17 demonstrates the growing religious corruption taking place as the nation continues its slide away from the Law of Moses.  As time passes from the Exodus and the Conquest, the Israelites forget the lessons and laws against idolatry.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Psalm 85: What God's Love Looks Like

Psalm 85 is a very descriptive psalm.  The psalmist is yearning for the restoration of Israel: for God's forgiveness and mercy to be poured out upon the nation.  What will that look like when it happens?  We receive a beautiful picture of God's love in the last four verses:  "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.  Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps."  If you, too, are yearning for God's love, may Psalm 85 encourage you with its radiant description of that reality!

Friday, September 4, 2015

Judges 16: Samson's End

After seeing Samson's poor track record with women, it is no surprise that his undoing came through the treachery of a woman.

Judges 15: Samson > 1000 Men

Samson has a reputation for being "the strongest man who ever lived."  While that claim is not expressly stated in the Bible, stories like the ones we find in Judges 15 can help us believe it!

Judges 14: Happily Never After

I've officiated some rough weddings in my time, but none of them compares to the disaster of Samson's nuptials with the Philistine woman from Timnah!

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Judges 13: Birth Announcements

How often in scripture do we see a holy figure announcing the glad tidings of an imminent birth?

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Judges 12: Ephraim vs. Gilead

As foreseen in the time of Joshua, the Israelite tribes divided by the Jordan River are susceptible to grave misunderstandings between them and sometimes fall into a civil war.  Such is the case in Judges 12 when Ephraim goes to war against Gilead.  This episode also became the source for a term that is used to describe the sorting out of whether one truly belongs in a group of people.

Judges 11: But I Thought The Lord Didn't Require Human Sacrifice!

What are we to make of the strange, tragic tale of Jephthah and his daughter, who he apparently offered up as a burnt offering to the Lord?

Judges 10: More Judges - And Judgment!

And the cycle goes on.  Israel continues to receive deliverance through judges, yet then turn their back on the Lord after they are rescued.  In this chapter, God reveals that He is beginning to get a little tired of their continual faithlessness.

Judges 9: The First King Of Israel?

You may know that Saul is traditionally viewed as the first monarch of Israel.  However, Judges 9 tells the story of Gideon's son Abimelech who held a brief tenure as "king" during the time of the Judges.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Psalm 84: Want To Be Happy?

Want to be happy?  (And I'm not talking about one of the seven dwarfs here!)  Psalm 84 contains valuable advice and wisdom for those pursuing happiness in life.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Judges 6: Mighty Warrior?

Gideon is someone you may be able to relate to.  Called by God to do something great (and scary!), Gideon is unsure and nervous.  Yet God is able to use Gideon's weakness to showcase His strength!

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Judges 5: Preserved In Song

Have you ever learned anything through music?  Maybe the "alphabet song" or the "nifty fifty" United States?  How about "The Star-Spangled Banner" and its imagery of the Battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812?  Songs have a unique way of impressing their lyrics upon us and embedding themselves in our memory.  We may come to learn something better when it taps into our sense of hearing and rhythm.

Judges 4: Women To The Rescue!

While much of the Bible consists of the stories of men and their exploits, there are passages to be found that extol that contributions that women have made.  Judges 4 is one such chapter, highlighting the surprising work of Deborah and Jael.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Judges 3: T.M.I.!

You've heard the expression "TMI", haven't you?  Too Much Information?  We have a little TMI going on in Judges 3!

Judges 2: Cycles

"Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord would be moved to pity by their groaning because of those who persecuted and oppressed them.  But whenever the judge died, they would relapse and behave worse than their ancestors, following other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them.  They would not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways" (vs. 18-19).

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Judges 1: A Mixed Bag

As the torch is passed to a new generation and the settling of the Promised Land continues, Judges 1 shows us that the results are "a mixed bag."  Judah, along with Simeon, appears to be the most successful in acquiring most of their territory - but it wasn't a complete victory, either.  Judah could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain (vs. 19.)  The other tribes fell into a wary co-existence with the people that had been living in the land, in many cases putting them to forced labor - but keeping them within their borders.  Despite the repeated warnings that the non-Israelites would become a snare for them, Israel permitted them to remain.  The tribe of Dan seemed to have the worst time of it.  They were pushed back by the Amorites into the hill country.  The stage is now set for what will follow in the Book of Judges.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Joshua 24: Generational Choices

On the wall of my living room hangs a large plaque which reads, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  The inspiration for that saying comes directly from this chapter of holy scripture.

Joshua 23: God Keeps His Word

As the end of his life draws near, Joshua calls a final assembly of Israel and shares both good news and bad news with them.  The good news is that God keeps His word.  The bad news is that God keeps His word.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Psalm 83: Get 'Em, God!

There are usually two different requests that a psalmist may make of the Lord.  Sometimes the psalmist seeks God's protection and blessing; sometimes he asks God to smite his enemies.  Psalm 83 is definitely a case of the latter.  

Friday, August 14, 2015

Joshua 22: Parting Of The Ways

It is time for farewells and a parting of the ways.  The occasion has arrived in Joshua 22 for those tribes that had settled east of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh) to return home.  Canaan having been pacified and divided among the other tribes, these easterners had now fulfilled their vow to fight for Israel and were free to return to the region known as Gilead.  Along the way, however, a major misunderstanding threatened to bring war between the tribes!

Joshua 21: Leave It To Levites

After hashing out the allotment of the land to the tribes and then establishing which towns would serve as "cities of refuge," there is one other detail needing Joshua's attention: the Levites!

Joshua 20: The Beauty Of Refuge

As soon as the land is divided up - and even before the Levites are given their towns - the Lord reminds Joshua of the law concerning cities of refuge.

Joshua 19: Journey's End

For the remaining six tribes, the long journey from slavery in Egypt through the Exodus, the Red Sea, Mount Sinai, 40 years in the wilderness, the crossing of the Jordan, and the conquest of Canaan comes to its completion here in Joshua 19 when they finally receive their inheritance.  Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and Dan (and, for good measure, Joshua, too!) all find out what territory will be theirs.  It has been about 46 years in the making, but a nation is home at last.

Joshua 18: Lots For Lots

I grew up in the country, but lived near a little neighborhood that was referred to as "the allotment."  I didn't really understand the literal definition of that word.  I just realized that if you lived in "the allotment," it meant you had close neighbors!

Joshua 17: The Squeaky Wheel

It never fails.  Whenever something has to be distributed, cries of "Unfair!" are sure to be heard.  In the case of the dispensation of the Promised Land, the tribe of Joseph decides to lodge a complaint about their inheritance.

Joshua 16: Boundary Lines

You may think that this section of Joshua does not make for the most scintillating reading.  Old place names and boundary markers sound like rather dry and dusty stuff.  Yet try to imagine this in a contemporary context.  If someone were to come to you and ask where your property lines are, I would imagine you'd be able to tell them!  Even today, boundary disputes are issues that can lead to conflict and skirmishes and wars (see Russia/Ukraine, North Korea/South Korea, China/Taiwan, the porous southern border of the United States, etc.)  Boundary lines are always a relevant issue, even more so for the Ancient Near East where land is a central focus of life and God has staked the Promised Land to Israel.  The people needed to know where the boundaries for their tribe lay, and they devoted a lot of time and attention to such matters (as we still do today.)

Joshua 15: Judah = South

Joshua 15 deals with the land allotment given to the largest tribe, Judah.  Judah receives the southernmost extension of the Promised Land.  It includes the city of the Jebusites, unconquered for now (vs. 63).  The city will eventually fall to David and become Jerusalem.  Later on, when a civil war will divide the tribes, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin will form the southern kingdom known as Judah, later called Judea in the New Testament era.

Joshua 14: The Other Spy

"Twelve men went to spy out Canaan, ten were bad and two were good."  Do you remember hearing that old Sunday School tune?  One of the "good" spies was, of course, Joshua who is now leading the people in Moses' stead.  The other spy who was "good" is a man named Caleb.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Joshua 13: Promises Kept

Back in the 1990s when I was first starting out in ministry, there was a national movement among men called "Promise Keepers" which held stadium rallies and produced discipleship material.  This organization encouraged men to be "promise keepers" in their homes, churches and communities.  Our model in this was God, who has always been the ultimate "Promise Keeper."  When we hear such famous phrases as the "Promised Land," we must remember that this wasn't like some empty campaign promise.  It was actually a sacred promise made and realized.  The keeping of this promise is what the large section of Joshua 13-21 tells us about.

Psalm 82: A Bit Of A Mystery

Psalm 82 has always been a bit of a puzzler for me.  While brief, it is a little difficult to understand just what is going on.

Joshua 12: Recap

Joshua 12 presents a recap of the territories and leaders that were overthrown by the Israelites, first under Moses and then under Joshua.  This is part of their national history, just as American students might learn the names of Bunker Hill, Gettysburg or Normandy.  In a war for their very survival, Israel emerged victorious and displaced the nations that had been living in the land.  You might say that the "visiting team" won!  And they didn't win just once - they won 31 times over and firmly established their presence in the land.  Their descendants are still there today, over 30 centuries later.  Certainly some would consider the nation of Israel and its staying power in the face of overwhelming odds through the millennia to be proof of God's activity in human history and his special interest in the Jews.  I know I would.

Joshua 11: Justifying Genocide?


Some people are troubled by the idea of the sun and moon standing still in Joshua 10.  Others are even more troubled by God's command to wipe out entire cities like we find in Joshua 11, among other places.  What are we to make of the Bible's apparent justification of genocide?

Monday, August 10, 2015

Joshua 10: The Longest Day?

I know many people who complain about having a long day: the student taking her final examinations, the doctor performing a series of difficult surgeries, the pastor with a day loaded full of services, sessions, meetings and classes.  None of them have anything on the longest day ever that the Israelites had back in Joshua 10!

Joshua 9: Masquerade

The Israelites are not the only ones who know how to pull the wool over the eyes of their enemies!

Joshua 8: If At First You Don't Succeed...

With the sin of Achan dealt with, God reveals to Joshua that the city of Ai will now fall to the Israelites on their second attempt, because the Lord is once again on their side.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Joshua 6: Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho

God's military strategy is unlike any other.  The battle plan calls for marching, blowing trumpets, and shouting.  Yet it worked.

Joshua 5: Homecoming

Three interesting things happen in Joshua 5 to move the people closer to their goal of being established in Canaan as the Lord's covenant people.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Joshua 4: Jordan-Henge

In a preliterate society, it would be challenging to find a way to preserve information for future generations.  To mark the significance of the Israelites entering the Promised Land in a miraculous way, the Lord instructs Joshua to set up twelve stones from the Jordan River at Gilgal.  (Gilgal literally means "circle of standing stones.")  These stones are meant to bear testimony for coming ages.  "When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord.  When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.  So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever" (vs. 6-7).  Joshua relays this word from the Lord to the Israelites in verses 21 and 22.  The stones thus became an enduring witness to God's power and faithfulness.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Joshua 3: Israel On The Move!

The time has come at last!  Israel sets out from Shittim and makes camp on the banks of the Jordan.  Now they are finally ready to receive their inheritance.  With Joshua in command and the priests going on before carrying the Ark, God has yet one more miracle up his sleeve.  When the priests get their feet wet in the Jordan, the river stops flowing upstream so that the nation may walk over on dry land (vs. 14-17).  The people all pass by the Ark in the middle of the dried-up Jordan, giving them a sure sign that the Lord is with them.

Joshua 2: When Your Reputation Precedes You

I have always maintained that the Bible is not a book that anyone would think to sit down and write.  There are too many twists and surprises which give it a stamp of authenticity.  So it is with the ironic tale of Rahab, the heroine prostitute!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Joshua 1: Strong And Courageous

Transitions can be tricky.  Whether it's the quadrennial Inauguration Day in the United States where one leader of the free world is succeeding another, or whether a company, church or team is simply receiving a new CEO, pastor or coach, people watch the smoothness of the hand-off for clues to the future success of the organization.  Fortunately, everyone seemed to understand and support Joshua as he took on the incredibly challenging role of the leader of Israel, following Moses and charged to take the people into battle across the Jordan.

Monday, August 3, 2015

Deuteronomy 34: The End Of Moses?

Moses occupies a central place in the pantheon of biblical heroes, and is indisputably one of the main characters within Judaism.  His scriptural epitaph reads, "Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.  He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel" (vs. 10-12).  Moses certainly left an impression, along with awfully big sandals for Joshua to fill.

Deuteronomy 33: Last Words

Moses' last public words are recounted in Deuteronomy 33.  Rather than angry invective about the people's conduct or dire warnings about their future, his valediction is sincere, benevolent and full of hope.  In my mind's eye, I picture Moses preparing to ascend Mount Nebo on what he knows will be his final journey.  As he leaves, he pauses before the elders of the tribes of Israel and offers a warm blessing upon (almost) each one.

Psalm 80: Life In The Vine

The Old and the New Testaments are both rich in the use of metaphor and parable.  Vines and vineyards appear frequently in these figures of speech.  Psalm 80 features an extended metaphor of Israel as God's vine.

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Deuteronomy 32: Swan Song

From Wikipedia: "The swan song is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement."  The idea is that swans sing their most beautiful song in the moments leading up to their death.  Moses' exhortation to Israel in Deuteronomy 32 qualifies in every respect as his swan song.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Deuteronomy 31: Moses, Songwriter

You know him as a Law-Giver.  You've heard him referred to as a Prophet.  But did you know that Mr. "I-drew-him-from-the-water" is also a smashing Songwriter?

Deuteronomy 30: Choose Life!

For several chapters, Moses has been delivering some bleak news to the people.  The Israelites are going to go into the future (and the Promised Land) without him, and they face a stark choice between blessings and curses.  Moses has been doing his best to lay it all out for them impartially and dispassionately.  But now, at the end of his matter-of-fact speech that has included prophecies of cannibalism and national exile, Moses makes his feelings and concerns quite clear: he comes down squarely and decisively on the side of life.

Deuteronomy 29: One Way Or Another

The message of Deuteronomy 29 is that God will make Israel a sign to the nations - one way or another.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Deuteronomy 28: Blessings Or Curses

Deuteronomy 28 is the stuff of dreams...and nightmares.

Deuteronomy 27: Oddly Specific?

Sometimes when you read the Bible, it is striking to hear some of the specific details that made it in!  We know, for instance, that someone in the Corinthian church was in a sexual relationship with his father's wife (I Corinthians 5:1).  We read about the fat of Eglon who, when he was stabbed, covered over the knife (Judges 3:22).  And we learn that Satan and Michael had an argument about Moses' body (Jude 9).  Such details add a lot of color to the Bible and make us wonder about the specifics of what was going on back then.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Deuteronomy 26: The Least Of These

There are many places in Deuteronomy where we notice seeming contrasts between the Covenants.  The God of wrath in the Old Testament becomes the Lord of mercy in the New.  Yet Deuteronomy 26 reminds us that there are also many linking fibers between the two Testaments, not least of which is God's manifest concern for those disenfranchised by society.

Deuteronomy 25: No Hitting Below The Belt!

Deuteronomy 25 continues an exposition on fairness.  You might call this section a tutorial on keeping things clean, or no hitting below the belt!

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Deuteronomy 24: Social Justice

If you've ever been in charge of others - such as being a teacher, a pastor, a policeman or a parent - you know how difficult it can be to keep the peace and get people to treat each other fairly.  Deuteronomy 24 contains God's words for various social situations and how to keep things just.

Deuteronomy 23: Life In The Bronze Age

The Bible is the timeless Word of God written to all ages and all peoples; each book also represents a specific word to a specific people at a specific time in history.  As the Israelites wait on the verge of the Promised Land, God has special instructions for them in accordance with their bronze age understanding of such things as hygiene and economics.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Psalm 79: The View From The Ditch

You may have heard that the good thing about hitting rock bottom is that there is nowhere to go but up.  Sometimes, like the case with the Prodigal Son, it takes landing in the gutter to get us to come to our senses and realize that we need to look up.  The view from the ditch is often that of God!

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Deuteronomy 22: Responsibility

Many of the laws in Deuteronomy 22 detail the responsibilities of various parties.  Whether you are a neighbor, a hunter, a married person or a homeowner, you incur certain responsibilities with your role.

Deuteronomy 21: Making The Most Of A Bad Situation

One objection that nonChristians sometimes raise to the God of the Bible has to do with His laws that they find offensive.  For instance, Deuteronomy 21 addresses such scenarios as the taking of captive women as spoils of war and that of having multiple wives, one loved and one disliked.  Because the Bible talks about what to do in situations like these, it would be easy to assume that God somehow benignly approves of and endorses this kind of behavior.  But there may be more here than meets the eye!

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Deuteronomy 20: God And War

A chapter like Deuteronomy 20 can be difficult to reconcile with our New Testament faith.  What about Jesus' ethics such as, "Love your enemies?"  Why does God not only green light the killing of others, but even commands it in the case of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites?  The wiping out of entire nations smacks of genocide.  What gives?

Deuteronomy 19: Principles Of Justice

In a world without police and prisons, it must have been quite a challenge to maintain order and provide justice.  For instance, without a criminal court system in place, what prevents a person from taking the law o the jungle (revenge and retribution) into their own hands?  Especially in the case of an accidental death such as manslaughter, how can one who may have unintentionally killed another be protected from vengeance?

Deuteronomy 18: A New Prophet?

Deuteronomy 18 contains a message about good religion, bad religion, and a coming religious figure.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Deuteronomy 17: Spiritual Safeguards

Moses knows that his time is coming to a close and he will soon be passing from the scene.  In Deuteronomy 17, he attempts to erect procedural safeguards to ensure that the Israelite nation stays strong and spiritually healthy in their relationship with God.

Deuteronomy 16: What Holidays Teach Us

Tradition can be a two-edged sword.  Many younger people dislike tradition because it sometimes feels binding and arbitrary.  When tradition interferes with our plans, it's easy to become resentful.  However, tradition can also serve as an effective cultural teacher.  Some traditions, like the regular practice of holidays, leave a powerful societal memory that is transferred from one generation to the next.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Deuteronomy 15: A Generous God Wants Generous People

The fifteenth chapter of Deuteronomy reveals God's passionate concern for the poor - and includes His command that the Israelites help the poor: "Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, 'Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land'" (vs. 11).

Deuteronomy 14: Distinctives

God wants His people to be set apart, special, distinct from those around them.  Moses says to the Israelites, "You are children of the Lord your God...For you are a people holy to the Lord your God" (vs. 1-2).  Deuteronomy 14 lists several of the ways that Israel is to be different.

Deuteronomy 13: Zero Tolerance

Barry Goldwater once famously said, "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice."  Deuteronomy 13 might be summarized as saying, "Extremism in the rooting out of idolatry is no vice."

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Psalm 78: Faithful God, Faithless Israel

If you wanted to summarize the books of Exodus and Numbers, you could do worse than to read through Psalm 78!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Deuteronomy 12: The Singularity

Something that may surprise Christians about the Old Testament Law is its emphasis on there being only ONE appropriate place to offer sacrifices and offerings to God.  Especially in Protestantism, we are familiar with many congregations and church buildings in which it is possible to serve God and present gifts.  In Judaism, however, there is only one acceptable location - "the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes as his habitation to put his name there" (vs. 4).  To offer a burnt offering or sacrifice "just anywhere" or at one of the "high places" was a serious sin.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Deuteronomy 11: The Carrot And The Stick

There are two paths laid before Israel, and the choice is a stark one: "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn from the way that I am commanding you today, to follow other gods that you have not known" (vs. 26-28).

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Deuteronomy 10: Why Is It So Hard To Obey?

Have you ever realized just what a predicament our stubborn inclination to sin continually lands us in?  It's not enough that death entered the world through an initial act of rebellion that ushered in the Fall.  That was just the first in a long, virtually unbroken line of disobedience of God's laws.  And we know that sin always leads to great misery and dismay in the world.  Why, then, do we keep on sinning?  Why is it so hard to obey?  I'm not sure of the answer to this question, but I do know that obedience is highly valued by God.

Deuteronomy 9: "It's Not You, It's Me"

As Moses continues to recite the history lessons of the past 40 years, he is intent on driving home a message: It is not due to the Israelites' righteousness or holiness that God has favored them, it is because God honors His covenant and keeps His promises.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Deuteronomy 8: The Curse Of Blessing!

"It's a blessing...and a curse," as Adrian Monk used to say on Monk.  Something similar could be said of God's warning about blessings in Deuteronomy 8 - that they could actually become a curse for the people!

Deuteronomy 7: Why Destroy?

In Deuteronomy 7, the Lord again calls for the utter destruction of Israel's enemies.  His people are commanded to thoroughly wipe out the other nations living in the Promised Land and leave no trace.  Why?  Does God just really hate non-Jews?

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Deuteronomy 6: Absorbing, Integrating, Transmitting

Deuteronomy 6 (a very famous chapter of scripture) focuses on the importance of absorbing the faith into our hearts and integrating it into our lives so that it may be transmitted to the next generation.

Deuteronomy 5: Jealous God?

Occasionally you will encounter non-Christians (and even some Christians) who express misgivings about the nature of the God of the Bible.  "What kind of repugnant character is this?" they ask.  "He freely admits that He is a jealous God, and that He punishes children for the sins of their parents!  How is that fair?  How is that good?"  As always, I believe an honest question deserves an honest answer.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Deuteronomy 4: The Israel Project

We have been seeing in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible, sometimes also called the Torah) how the Jews are a people of destiny.  God ordained that they were to be chosen for a special mission, a purpose that would extend to the whole world.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Psalm 77: Why We Study The Bible

"I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember your wonders of old.  I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds" (vs. 11-12).

Friday, July 10, 2015

Deuteronomy 3: The View From Pisgah

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
Moses?  No, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Deuteronomy 2: Am I Right About The Amorites?

As Moses continues to recount the travels and travails of Israel in Deuteronomy 2, he mentions their encounters with other nations and people-groups along the way.

Deuteronomy 1: Recapitulation

The word "Deuteronomy" literally means "the second law."  It is a repetition of the law that was previously given in the prior books, stated again for the Israelites now about to finally go in and take possession of the Promised Land.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Numbers 36: Kissing Cousins

Well, the Bible may occasionally surprise us.  Such is the case with Numbers 36 where the answer to a nettlesome real estate problem is found by commanding women to marry their cousins!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Numbers 35: Special Cities

Included within the borders of Israel are to be 48 special cities, designated as possessions for the Levites, who are a tribe without a land inheritance.

Numbers 34: Borders

Numbers 34 anticipates the day when the Israelites will enter into their inheritance of the Promised Land.  The boundaries of their possession have been set by God.  He speaks, through Moses, and tells the people where their southern, northern, eastern and western borders will be set.  Also, representatives from each tribe are designated for the allotment that will occur for each group under Eleazar and Joshua.  The pieces are in place - now the baton is being handed off to the next generation who will go in and claim their land.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Psalm 76: God's Home

Psalm 76 is an expression of praise to the Lord - all the while noting that God has chosen to dwell among Israel.  We hear these specific geographic references to God in this psalm: "In Judah" (vs. 1), "in Israel" (vs. 1), "in Salem" [Jerusalem] (vs. 2), "in Zion" (vs. 2), and "of Jacob" (vs. 6).  Again and again, the psalmist drives home the point that the Jews enjoy a special relationship with the God of the universe - a fact that other kings and nobles ought to keep in mind!

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Numbers 33: A Look Back And A Look Ahead

Here's a trivia question for you: How long did Moses lead the Israelites in the wilderness?  The answer is about six months.  The remainder of the time he was just as lost as the rest of them!

Numbers 32: Compromise

Some people think that compromise is great; others think that it is virtually a dirty word!  While I never endorse moral compromise, strategic compromise can be wise.  Moses discovered this in Numbers 32.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Numbers 31: Ethnic Cleansing

Numbers 31 is only one among several disturbing accounts of genocide (euphemistically "ethnic cleansing") that we will encounter in the Bible.  God commands Moses to unleash the armies of Israel upon the nation of Midian - and wipe them out completely.

Numbers 30: The Head Of The House

Numbers 30 describes what happens when a person utters a vow to the Lord: in general, he or she must keep it.  This is true for men, divorced women, and widowed women.  There is, however, a "safety net" provision in the case of daughters/wives who make a vow that their fathers/husbands disagree with.

Numbers 29: Countdown!

Numbers 29 concludes the instructions given to the people concerning daily offerings and occasional special sacrifices at the Tabernacle.  Of particular note is the eight day celebration during the Festival of the Booths.  One can't help but notice the countdown implicit in the scheduled offerings prescribed for each day of the festival:

Numbers 28: Guidelines For Giving

How do I know what to give?  As a pastor, I have heard this question asked many times.  Sometimes it comes from a sincere heart, searching to know an appropriate amount to give to the Lord.  At other times, however, the question is more cynical, carrying a mercenary motive, looking for the most affordable gift possible.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Numbers 27: Succession

Numbers 27 tells two different stories, yet both follow the theme of succession. 

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Numbers 26: Census, Part Two

The time for the next generation has come.  God gives a new order to Moses and Eleazer the priest - take a census of the men of fighting age among the tribes of Israel.  If this sounds familiar, it's because God gave the same order in Numbers 1.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Psalm 75: The Cup Of Judgment

The psalmist (Asaph) of Psalm 75 sings of the reality of God's coming judgment.  "At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity" (vs. 2).  A consistent theme between the Old and New Testaments is that God stands as the Judge of humanity.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Numbers 25: Balaam's Advice?

Balaam went home in Numbers 24, unable to bring himself to curse Israel.  But the events of Numbers 25 and following indicate that Balaam may have known the key to cause spiritual destruction to Israel, by causing them to sin from within.  It is also suggested that he gave this dark advice to Balak.

Numbers 24: The Oracle Of The Man Whose Eye Is Clear

Numbers 24 presents old prophecies fulfilled - and new prophecies issued!

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Numbers 23: What Am I Paying You For?

With the seer Balaam having finally arrived, Balak, king of Moab, is ready to have him do what he was hired to do: Curse Israel!

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Numbers 22: Who's In Charge?

Numbers 22 presents a couple of riddles.  Why did God become angry at Balaam in verse 22 when He had given him permission to go in verse 20?  Is it even possible that donkeys can talk?  And why isn't Balaam more surprised when his beast of burden strikes up a conversation with him in verse 28?

Numbers 21: Snakes On A Plain

In Numbers 21, we come across the strange story of the bronze serpent that Moses was directed to make and put on a pole for the Israelites.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Numbers 20: Even Moses Had Bad Days

Sometimes we tend to glorify our heroes, especially Bible characters and heroes of the faith.  "If only we could experience close communion with God like that, we'd never have any problems," we delude ourselves.  Whether you're talking about Paul, Peter, David, or even Moses, all of them experienced troubled times that pushed them to their limits.

Numbers 19: Before There Was Red Bull...

...there was red heifer!

Psalm 74: Spiritual Wounds - And Healing

I serve a church that came to worship one Sunday morning about 10 years ago to discover that someone had defaced their building and vandalized their property.  The spiritual wounds that it left were very real and deep, even though the physical clean-up quickly returned the church to its previous condition.  People were left feeling damaged and at a loss to understand why they were victimized in this way.  How much more painful and grief-stricken must the Israelites have been following the destruction of the Temple and the defeat of Jerusalem by a godless army?

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Numbers 18: Tithe Of Tithes

Numbers 18 reviews and describes the relationship between the house of Aaron and the rest of the tribe of Levi, and between the tribe of Levi and the rest of the nation of Israel.  There are some noteworthy parallels here in these relationships.  As Aaron's family is to the Levites, so the Levites are to the nation.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Numbers 17: This Bud's For You!

The short chapter of Number 17 describes God's response to Korah's rebellion.  In a proactive move, He instructs the heads of each tribe to offer a staff before Him overnight in the Tabernacle, along with a staff presented by Aaron (vs. 2-4).  In this way, God promises, He will make a distinction among them and show that He has specifically chosen Aaron and his family to serve Him as priests.  The next morning, a wondrous change has come over Aaron's staff - it has sprouted leaves, produced blossoms and even borne almonds!  Aaron's miraculous staff is to be kept in the Ark of the Covenant as a witness to future generations of God's choice (vs. 10).

Numbers 16: God Will Take Care Of You

Every pastor hears from people who profess to be afraid to come to church lest lightning strike or the building collapse.  Perhaps a dim memory of hearing about the bloody events of Numbers 16 prompts those fears!

Numbers 15: Sticks and Stones

What is the penalty for gathering sticks on the Sabbath?  Stoning!

Numbers 14: Timing Is Everything

The Israelites just can't get it right.  At first, they reject the advice of Caleb to go and take the land, choosing instead to pine for Egypt and consider returning to their lives of slavery.  They even talk of stoning Joshua and Caleb!  Then, after stirring up God's wrath against them for their faithlessness, they try to go and take the Promised Land in their own strength without His help.  The result is a slaughter.

Numbers 13: Minority Report

"Twelve men went to spy out Canaan, ten were bad and two were good.
What do you think they saw in Canaan?  Ten were bad and two were good.
Some saw giants, big and tall.  Some saw grapes in clusters fall.
Some saw God was in it all.  Ten were bad and two were good."

Monday, June 15, 2015

Numbers 12: Smackdown!

The Bible has a lot to say about pride and humility.  Humility is deeply cherished, and revealed to be one of the chief characteristics of Jesus Christ.  The Old Testament tells us that Moses was more humble than anyone on the face of the earth (vs. 3).  Pride, on the other hand, is repeatedly discouraged in scripture, even depicted as the sin that led to Satan's undoing.  Pride goeth before a fall - like the smackdown that happens to Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12!

Numbers 11: "Good Ol' Egypt!"

Have you ever noticed the phenomenon that people sometimes remember things vastly different than they actually were?  Maybe it is recalling how winters of yesteryear were harsher and rougher - or perhaps how they didn't have a care in the world when they were younger, while you know in fact that they did.  The Israelites reach a point in Numbers 11 where they actually begin to pine for their days of slavery in Egypt, remembering how they had tasty morsels to eat, like cucumbers and leeks and onions.  "We didn't know how nice we had it in slavery.  Oh, if only we were back in good ol' Egypt!" they cry out (vs. 4-5).

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Psalm 73: Near Miss

The psalmist confesses a very relatable problem: he has become envious of the wicked, even to the point of considering throwing his lot in with them.  "But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.  For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (vs. 2-3).

Friday, June 12, 2015

Numbers 10: On The Move

The time has come for setting out on the great adventure of claiming the Promised Land and the inheritance that the Lord has prepared for His people!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Numbers 9: Following God

Obedience cannot be underestimated when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.  Numbers 9 makes this clear in two different examples of what it means to precisely follow God's instructions.

Numbers 8: Family Business

In the modern era, we are accustomed to people having the freedom of economic self-determination: American children may grow up to pursue whatever career they desire.  It strikes us as almost a basic human right.  The situation was very different in ancient Israel where the family you were born into fixed your occupational destiny and limited the universe of your opportunities.

Numbers 7: Special Offerings

Numbers 7 gives us additional information about something that happened on the day the Tabernacle was set up and consecrated.  Leaders of each of the twelve tribes of Israel provided special offerings for use in the ongoing work of the Tabernacle.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Numbers 6: Vow Of The Nazirites

If a man wanted to make a special vow and dedication of himself to the Lord for a designated purpose and set amount of time, he could take upon himself what was known as a Nazirite vow.

Numbers 5: A Test For Infidelity

Modern paternity tests did not exist in Bible times, but jealousy and suspicion on the part of husbands about their wives was around even back then.  Included within the Law was a special ceremony that could be undergone by a woman accused of unfaithfulness by her husband.  It involved a trial by ordeal of bitter water.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Numbers 4: Division Of Labor

Chapter 4 of the Book of Numbers details who is to do what concerning the moving of the Tabernacle.  God assigned a division of labor so that each clan within the tribe of Levi would be responsible for a certain segment of the work.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Numbers 3: Substitution

"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'I hereby accept the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn that open the womb among the Israelites.  The Levites shall be mine'" (vs. 12).

Psalm 72: Long Live The King!

What should we desire for an earthly ruler?  What should we look for in a leader?  Psalm 72 gives us a verbal picture of a good reign.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Numbers 2: Like A Mighty Army

Numbers 2 describes the organization of the Israelite camp.  In the center is the Tabernacle with the attending tribe of Levi.  This is a physical demonstration of the spiritual truth that God is with them, in their very midst.  On the eastern side, the leading edge of the camp that would set out first, are the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, with a total of 186,400.  Setting out next would be the southern emcampment, the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, totaling 151,450.  After the Levites and the Tabernacle, the western camps would set out, specifically Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, numbering 108,100.  The rear guard is brought up by the tribes camped on the north, with Dan, Asher, and Naphtali totaling 157,600.  This was God's designated structure for the nation's move to the Promised Land.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Numbers 1: Coming To Their Census

Numbers is a book that certainly earns its name!  There are many numbers mentioned even in the first chapter of this book when the Israelites take their first census, thirteen months after the Exodus.  (Taking a census was only permissible when God ordered it.)  Here are some noteworthy observations from Israel's first census:

Leviticus 27: Rules For Vows

Chapter 27 wraps up Leviticus with a schedule of equivalencies for various vows that may be taken.  These were not required vows, like the sacrificial offerings mentioned earlier in the book, but "votive," or freewill gifts to the Lord.  The valuations mentioned are the financial worth that is to be ascribed, be it a person or animal or property.  Vows and oaths should not be taken rashly or cavalierly, as they were considered binding.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Leviticus 26: Two Paths

As the Book of Leviticus begins to draw to a close, the Lord offers the Israelites two paths: obedience to His commands - or disobedience.  Both roads have their own consequences.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Leviticus 25: This Land Is God's Land

"The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants" (vs. 23).

Leviticus 24: Death For Blasphemy

Blasphemy is defined as "speaking sacrilegiously against God or sacred things."  While in the United States, we have freedom of speech, the Old Testament commands death by stoning for the sin of blasphemy (vs. 16).  How do Christians understand the seriousness of blasphemy while also living in a free society?

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Psalm 71: Age to Age

Psalm 71 tells the story of an older man (now in trouble) who reflects on his lifelong relationship with the Lord.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Leviticus 23: Holidays

In Leviticus 23, the Lord directed Moses to establish appointed festivals for the Israelites.  These were to be holy convocations in which the Jewish people came together to remember their heritage and celebrate their covenant with God.  Observant Jews continue to celebrate these occasions.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Leviticus 22: The Costliness Of Sacrifice

"You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable on your behalf" (vs. 20).

Leviticus 21: Special Rules For Priests

Just as Israel was to be set apart and different from all the other nations around them, so, too, were their priests to be held to an even higher standard.  Leviticus 21 details some of the special rules that the priests were to follow in order to be holy enough to serve God.

Leviticus 20: God vs. Molech

If you think following God's rules is tough, be thankful that your god is not Molech!  (And be especially thankful that your parents' god wasn't!)

Leviticus 19: Rules Or Relationship?

Leviticus is full of rules, and this is especially clear in Leviticus 19.  Various laws are given (some re-given) concerning sacrificial offerings, sowing and harvesting, garment-making, sabbaths (twice in this chapter alone), eating blood, honesty in business practices, witchcraft, and tattoos, among other areas.  Why all the rules?  I thought this was a covenant relationship?

Leviticus 18: The Call To Be Different

I have observed two impulses within Christianity: the urge to be just like everyone else so that we are not viewed as "strange", "bizarre", or "old-fashioned", and the desire to be set apart in a way that differentiates us from non-believers.

Leviticus 17: Blood = Life

"For the life of every creature - its blood is its life...for the life of every creature is its blood" (vs. 14).

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Psalm 70: When You're In A Hurry

I noticed several interesting things about this short psalm.

Leviticus 16: Yom Kippur

"The Day of Atonement" is the holiest day of the year for Jews.  It is known as Yom Kippur.  Taking place in September or October (it moves because it is based on a lunar calendar), the day is a very solemn observance with fasting and worship.  The mood is much like the Good Friday experience for Christians, but even more somber.  It is based on the procedures laid out in Leviticus 16.

Leviticus 15: Next To Godliness?

The proverb, "Cleanliness is next to godliness," is often quoted by concerned mothers, but it is actually not in the Bible.  Readers of Leviticus 15, however, could be excused for believing that it is with the emphasis placed on "clean" and "unclean" dimensions of one's physical health.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Leviticus 14: The Joy Of Restoration

Leprosy was such a serious condition in the ancient world that exile from the community was a necessary prescription  to ensure its containment.  That is why a diagnosis of leprosy was so devastating.  It often meant the end of a individual's social connections and relationships.  When a person was healed, imagine how exhilarating it would be for them to re-join the community!

Monday, May 18, 2015

Leviticus 13: Department Of Public Health

The life of an Old Testament priest wasn't all burnt offerings and incense!  They were also responsible to monitor and determine such public health issues as leprosy and mildew.

Leviticus 12: The Original Maternity Leave

The Old Testament law touches upon all the major aspects of life.  Leviticus 12 explains what is supposed to happen after childbirth.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Leviticus 11: Distinctions

In ancient Israel, the law codified which animals were clean - and which were unclean.

Leviticus 10: Strange Fire

Some lessons are painful.  For Aaron and his family, a priestly transgression - following hard upon the heels of their ordination - cost the lives of his two oldest sons, Nadab and Abihu.  What happened?

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Psalm 69: A Prayer From Quicksand

I confess to getting a little claustrophobic whenever I read Psalm 69.  The psalmist's images include the sensations of falling into a pit, being dragged down into mire, and drowning.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Leviticus 9: The First Official Sacrifices

Firsts are always attention-getters.  The first time a baseball player gets called up for a major league game (i.e. "the show").  The first time a young person gets to take the car out after they get their driver's license.  The first time a child steps on the school bus for his first day of school.  The first time a lawyer argues a case in court.  The first time a young adult leaves home.

Leviticus 8: Why Not Moses?

Leviticus 8 describes the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests for the nation of Israel.  Moses follows the procedure for ordination as previously laid out in Exodus 29.  Interestingly, Moses (not a priest) is the one who sprinkles the anointing oil, offers the sacrifices, and applies the blood.  He is unordained, but he leads the first ordination.  This made me wonder: why was Aaron and his line chosen to be priests - and not Moses?  Wasn't Moses the one in charge, the man who spoke with God as one speaks with a friend?  Why not Moses?

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Leviticus 7: A Portion For The Priests

Out of all the creatures in the world, God made humankind to be in special relationship with Him, being created in His image.
Out of all the human nations in history, God chose Israel to be a people in a special covenant relationship with Him.
Out of the twelve tribes of Israel, God selected the Levites to serve Him in a special role of devotion.
Out of the tribe of Levi, God ordained Aaron and his descendants as the ones to function as priests. 

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Leviticus 6: Repairing Relationships

One key to understanding the system of law and sacrifice in Leviticus is that it is designed to repair relationships - between the people and God as well as among the people themselves.

Leviticus 5: Unintentional Sins?

I used to work with a pastor whose definition of sin was: "An intentional violation of a known law of God."  Anything that didn't fit within that tight framework was not considered a sin.  However, what we find in the sacrificial system of Leviticus describes something out-of-bounds by that definition - unintentional sins.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Leviticus 4: Different Stokes For Different Folks

Leviticus 4 details the procedure for sin offerings - when an individual or group errs unintentionally and breaks a commandment of God.  While a sacrifice is always required for such an act, the prescribed offering differs depending upon who sinned unintentionally.

Leviticus 3: Types Of Sacrifices

You may have picked up by now that there are several different kinds of sacrifices described in the opening chapters of Leviticus.  Here are the five types and what they signify:

Monday, May 11, 2015

Leviticus 2: The Ingredients Of An Offering

Leviticus 2 discusses a second kind of offering - not an animal from the flock or herd, but agricultural produce from the field.  Just as Cain and Abel offered two different kinds of sacrifices in Genesis 4 (though one was accepted and one was not), so were these offerings still presented to the Lord in Aaron's day.  This chapter of Leviticus describes the ingredients of an acceptable offering of grain.

Leviticus 1: Burnt Offerings

Overhead:
"My wife thinks I'm a god."
"Really?  Why do you say that?"
"She serves me three burnt offerings every day!"

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Psalm 68: In Praise Of God

Psalm 68 is a love letter.  It contains the psalmist's unbridled enthusiasm and admiration for the God of Israel.   Whether reflecting on the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery (vs. 7) or the conquest of Jerusalem (vs. 17), God's might is on display.  God's compassion, too, is praised as the "father of orphans and protector of widows" (vs. 5).  In the view of the psalmist, God's goodness and greatness is cause for worldwide worship and devotion (vs. 32).  Surely, our awesome God is worthy of praise!

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Exodus 40: "As The Lord Had Commanded Moses"

Whichever translation of the Bible you are reading, you will probably see a phrase pop up again and again in this section of the book of Exodus.  In the NRSV, it is rendered, "As the Lord had commanded Moses."  (In the NIV, it's "as the Lord had commanded him.")  One of the key points about the construction of the Tabernacle is that the people faithfully followed God's instructions to the letter.

Exodus 39: Dressed To Kill

The sight of the priests in their special garments must have been stunning.  In a world where ordinary items like clothing were very plain, imagine how much the garb of the priests must have stood out!

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Exodus 38: A Group Project

To build something like the Tabernacle requires participation from the whole community.  In this case, we see that the nation of Israel really did come together to construct God's tent to be in their midst.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Exodus 37: Sacred Objects

Bezalel gets to work in Exodus 37 constructing some of the holy furnishings for the Tabernacle.  Specifically, he is credited with building:

  • The Ark of the Covenant (vs. 1-9)
  • The Table for the Bread of the Presence (vs. 10-16)
  • The Lampstand (vs. 17-24)
  • The Altar of Incense (vs. 25-28)

He also makes the anointing oil and fragrant incense (vs. 29).

Throughout this chapter, you can see that Bezalel faithfully builds each item to the specifications laid out by God to Moses earlier in Exodus.  As it was revealed, so it is done!

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Exodus 36: The First Capital Campaign

Exodus 36 records an event that is truly noteworthy: the first capital campaign in the history of God's people was conducted - and it was so successful that the people had to be restrained from giving any more (vs. 6)!

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Psalm 67: The God For Everybody

Sometimes the Old Testament Jews could properly be accused of parochialism regarding their faith and especially God.  The scope of their vision was often that God was Israel's - and everybody else could just mind their own business.  Yet occasionally a broader picture breaks through and emerges of the Lord truly being the God for everybody, Jew and Gentile alike.  This wider vision is captured beautifully in Psalm 67.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Exodus 35: The Beginning Of "Organized Religion"

Sometimes you may hear "organized religion" get a bad rap.  "I'm spiritual alright," someone will say, "I just don't believe in 'organized religion'."  Religion (and especially organized religion) gets blamed for most of the wars throughout history, violent injustices of all sorts, racism, sexism, homophobia, and virtually any kind of evil you can think of.  If it's so bad, where did it come from?  And why does it stick around?

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Exodus 34: Glow In The Dark

Exodus 34 reinforces the notion that God wants His people to be different from all those around them.  Different!  Not the same!  This is an important word to our age when there is a growing distance between how the Bible calls us to act and what our culture teaches is appropriate.  Sometimes there may pressure applied on the people of God to become just like everybody else, but this pressure does not come from the Bible.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Exodus 33: To Go, Or Not To Go? That Is The Question!

Will He or won't He?  This seems to be the big issue of Exodus 33.  Will God go with the Israelites, or will He just send an angel along for the journey instead?  While verses 2-3 state that God cannot go with the people lest He destroy them, verse 14 indicates that God changed His mind and will indeed send His presence with them.  In the midst of all of this, we also see the depth of Moses' relationship with the Lord.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Exodus 32: Holy Cow!

Anyone who believes that people are not quick to become faithless and turn to sin needs to take a good look at Exodus 32.  Here were the Israelites fresh from their deliverance out of Egypt, saved from slavery via ten miraculous plagues, saved from death by the parting of the Red Sea, saved from hunger by the gifts of quail and manna, saved from thirst by water from a rock, and saved from their enemies by the uplifted hands of Moses.  But when Moses takes too long up on the mountain of God, the people become impatient and demand of Aaron that he make them gods like everyone else has.  Out of the fire comes a graven image, a golden calf which the Israelites worship, a direct violation of the first and second commandments.  And so God has to save them once again - this time from the corruption of their own great sin.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Exodus 31: Good Work, Bad Work

In the first half of Exodus 31, we learn that any kind of work can become a holy calling.  God points Moses in the direction of two skilled craftsmen that He has in mind to work on the construction of the Tabernacle: Bezalel and Oholiab.  There is no sacred/secular distinction here between work that God is calling them to do and physical labor.  On the other hand, the second half of chapter 31 reveals that work must be kept within the bounds of a six-day week.  Capital punishment is prescribed for those who would desecrate the Sabbath by working on it.  THAT is how serious God takes the commandment to rest on the Sabbath and keep it holy!

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Psalm 66: A Joyful Noise

You've probably heard the expression, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord."  Psalm 66 is one of those occasions where we hear this imperative.  For those of us who have difficulty singing, being told to simply make a joyful "noise" sounds very reassuring and feasible!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Exodus 30: Tabernacle Rules

Exodus 30 brings us to the end of God's instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle.  (Don't worry - you'll get to hear all of these details again when the Israelites actually build it!)  This chapter discusses the half-shekel offering required of every man for the maintenance of the tabernacle, the bronze basin for a ritual washing by Aaron and his sons whenever they approach, and the altar of incense and the special anointing oil compound that is to be used only in the Tabernacle - and nowhere else!

God is meticulous in laying down the rules and guidelines for the Tabernacle to impress upon the Israelites that these things are holy - and that God is holy.  The idea of separation in the midst of closeness (holiness in the midst of fallenness) is one of the lessons that the Tabernacle teaches.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Exodus 29: Ordination, Then And Now

Exodus 29 outlines the ordination ceremony for priests in ancient Israel.  We still ordain people for ministry today, but a lot has changed.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Exodus 28: Special Clothing

In Exodus 28, God describes the special garments that His priests shall wear in ministry before Him.  The vestments are rich in spiritual symbolism.

Exodus 27: The Bronze Altar

The blueprint for the bronze altar is given to Moses in verses 1-8.  The altar is where the burnt offerings will take place.  As such, it is a holy instrument.  As with the other parts of the Tabernacle, God commands Moses to have it constructed precisely as it is revealed to him on the mountain.  When it is finished, it will be consecrated and become a functional altar to the Lord.  It, like the other furnishings described in this part of Exodus, is completely portable, being carried by two bronze poles (vs. 6-7).  This is important as the people must be ready to pick up and move on very short notice as they follow the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.

Exodus 26: The Tabernacle

A tabernacle is literally a tent, a movable structure.  When we talk about THE Tabernacle in the Old Testament, it designates a special place of meeting between the people and God.  It is to be the symbol of God's presence in the midst of His people (the Tabernacle will be set up in the very middle of the camp.)  When Moses is to inquire of the Lord, it will be at the Tabernacle.  After all, the people cannot take Mount Sinai with them on their journey!  Instead, God gives Moses very detailed instructions on how to build a tent of meeting - and of worship.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Exodus 25: Moses' Ark

I was just a kid when "Raiders of the Lost Ark" made its debut in 1981.  I remember my first thought upon hearing of this new motion picture was that it would be all about the discovery of Noah's Ark.  Oops.  Wrong ark.

Psalm 65: The Impulse To Praise

Many people speculate on the differences between human beings and animals.  Some argue that humans are unique because we use tools, or laugh, or strategize, or are aware of our own mortality, or have a soul.  Those are all good guesses - but I would add that something else that separates people from animals is an impulse we find within ourselves to look for something greater than ourselves.  This spiritual quest that so many of us undergo is a part of what it means to be human.  We have an impulse to praise.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Exodus 24: Foreshadowing

Exodus 24 contains another one of those cryptic Old Testament passages that is illuminated by the New Testament.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Exodus 23: Beware The Snare!

"They shall not live in your land, or they will make you sin against me; for if you worship their gods, it will surely be a snare to you" (vs. 33).  For anyone whose ever wondered, "Why can't we just all get along?", Exodus 23:20-33 offers an intriguing answer.

Exodus 22: More Laws

Exodus 22 contains more detailed laws that dive into areas of fair restitution among injured parties.  The task of today's Bible reader is not necessarily direct application of these laws (I, for one, have no sheep or oxen to worry about), but to look for the deeper principles of justice that these laws rely upon.  In this fallen world, we are sure to encounter incidents where one person suffers loss through the fault (intentional or not) of another person.  Exodus 22 helped the Israelites understand when and how to assign responsibility in those cases.  Our modern day legal system should do the same - we all want fair ground rules.  This section of Exodus reveals that this concept of justice is very important to God as well.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Exodus 21: The Bible Condones WHAT?!

One of the primary avenues of attack against the Bible by its detractors has to do with the specifics of some of the Old Testament Law.  In our day and age, it can be hard to understand what the Bible commands concerning such things as slavery, marriage, and punishment.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Exodus 20: The Original Top Ten List

A lot could be said - and has been said - about the Ten Commandments.  Simply put, they form the cornerstone of the Law.  The basics of how God wants us to act toward Him and treat one another can be found here.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Exodus 19: At The Mountain

Exodus 19 looms large in our mental picture of the Israelites before their God.  Fresh out of their slavery in Egypt, they assemble at the foot of the mountain in Sinai.  This is a fulfillment of God's promise given to Moses at the burning bush all the way back in Exodus 3:12.  This is also a scene that will be referred to in the New Testament in Hebrews 12:18-21 as a contrast with the inheritance that Christians have at Mount Zion.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Friday, April 10, 2015

Exodus 18: Lessons From Jethro

Sometimes we don't think of the fact that "larger-than-life legends" in the Bible were "flesh-and-blood people", too.  Moses had a wife which means he also had in-laws.  Exodus 18 tells of a reunion Moses experienced with his father-in-law, Jethro (also known as Reuel in some places) who was a priest of Midian.  Jethro had some important lessons to impart to Moses.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Exodus 17: Lean On Me

Israel fights its first military battle in Exodus 17.  Having just come out of Egypt as a nation of slaves, they are viewed by the surrounding peoples as both a potential threat and yet vulnerable to attack.  Amalek is the first to go on the offense.  This fight reveals what all the battles will ultimately show: that they are more spiritual than physical.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Exodus 16: A Time To Sin!

How quickly can singing to the Lord turn to sinning against Him!  The troubles in chapter 16 actually started back at the end of chapter 15, immediately following the account of the victorious songs of Moses and Miriam.  The people begin grumbling - they had no water to drink.  In their thirst, they complained about Moses' leadership.  God, of course, provided for their needs as He always does.  But did they listen and learn?  Nooooo!

Monday, April 6, 2015

Exodus 15: A Time To Sing!

The first song found in the Bible is the Song of Moses in Exodus 15.  It comes at the culmination of God's deliverance of His people through the plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.  The people are now free and safe, and their hearts open up in an expression of praise and thanks to the Lord.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Exodus 14: Deliverance!

The account of the Hebrews' Exodus would be incomplete without the parting of the Red Sea described in chapter 14.  Yes, Pharaoh had finally buckled and "let the people go" after ten devastating plagues wracked his nation.  But as long as Egypt remained a strong military power while the Jews were en route to the Promised Land, their new-found freedom would always be threatened.  There remained one final miraculous act of judgment to truly accomplish the people's deliverance.