Recent Commentaries

This chapter records the first battle in the Bible. It was between four powerful kings of the East and five Jordanian kings (vv. 1-2). The battle took place at the intersection of the Mediterranean ?“ Mesopotamian caravan route (running East to West) and a highway running south to Sodom and …

Jesus explains to Peter how Satan wanted to crush he and the other disciples like grains of wheat (v. 31). He hoped to find only chaff and blow it away. However, Jesus assured Peter that He had been praying for him; and his faith, although it would falter, would not be de …

Paul traveled to Arabia after his conversion. When he returned to Damascus, he faced opposition, escaped from his enemies, and made a brief visit to Jerusalem. Paul might have skipped this next part if his own personal safety was his main concern. Instead, he told how he had returned to …

The substance of the prophet’s vision now returns to a description of parts of the temple area and regulations concerning the temple’s future use. At the very heart of the temple was its altar; the prophet first describes the altar, and then indicates the procedures by whic …

This Psalm was thought to have been written when David took flight from his own palace to hide himself from his rebellious son Absalom. The historical background for this can be found in 2 Samuel 15-17. David felt that he was in the minority. There may have been as many as 10,000 …

The beginning of chapter 14 refers to the preservation of the 144,000 during the Tribulation. Moving into chapters 14 and 15 we see various details of what is happening in heaven and on the earth just before the bowl judgements in chapter 16…

Notice verse 22 where it says that Paul was going to Jerusalem “bound in the spirit” (small “s”). This may indicate that this was not a Holy Spirit compulsion, but he was doing it by his own self-will. Some Bible scholars, such as Donald Grey Barnhouse and Joh …

Covenants in Old Testament times were sealed with blood, much like we would sign our name to a contract today. “The blood of thy covenant” (v. 11) may refer to the sacrifices of the mosaic covenant (Ex. 24:8), but could relate back to the Abrahamic covenant which was …

As the Lord took hold of Ezekiel and showed him unusual and symbolic visions, it was his responsibility to relay God’s word to the people to whom he ministered-and this was surely no easy task! Some scholars believe the “image of jealousy” related to the Adon …

Jeremiah responded to the news of the Babylonian invasion by crying out in anguish. His heart pounded and he could not keep silent as he thought of the approaching battle and the disaster it would bring Judah (vv. 19-21). He concluded that the people of Judah were fools and had n …