Unbelief

Zacharias is Unable to Speak

When told he would have a son, Zacharias doubted the angel’s word. From his human perspective, his doubts were understandable, but with God anything is possible. Zacharias had doubts that he and Elisabeth could have a child since both of them were old (v. 18). This good man, th …

Devastation of Jerusalem

God would deliver Jerusalem from the Assyrians, but He would not deliver them from Babylon. The sin of unbelief would cause Judah to decline and to be brought into captivity in Babylon. The expression “Valley of Vision” likely refers to Jerusalem (v. 1). In Isaiah’s day, Jerusalem was a …

Failure of The Wilderness Wanders

The Israelites failed to enter the Promised Land because they did not believe in God’s protection, and they did not believe that God would help them conquer the giants in the land. The writer in this passage is warning the people of the danger of unbelief: This danger demands im …

Jesus Appears on the Road to Emmaus

As this scene opens we find two men walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, which was about eight miles northwest of Jerusalem (vv. 13-17). These men were disciples (not apostles), and one of them was named Cleopas (v. 18). As they walked they were discussing the events of the pa …

A Reluctance to Believe

It has become hard for some to put faith in anything or anyone. Institutions have promised so much, and they have let us down. We have had faith in government and government has let us down. We have trusted people and people have let us down. It is easy to lose confidence in peo …