God is gathering all Jerusalem’s hoped-for lovers into an invading army. They will attack from the north in huge numbers, well-organized and well-armed. They will execute God’s judgment on Oholibah for her abandonment of God’s law. She will drink the same cup of horror an …
A simple contrast is made between the ability and inability to keep quiet (v. 23). A fool is prone to blurt forth all that he knows (which may not be much) while a wise man is careful to practice silence in the presence of others. Next we see a contrast between diligence an …
Joshua summoned a second great assembly at Shechem to confirm Israel’s covenant relationship with God. Shechem was a few miles northwest of Shiloh (v. 1). This was where God first promised Canaan to Abraham (Gen. 12:6-7), where Jacob built an altar and buried his family’s idols …
Many Jews falsely believed that the Messiah’ origins would be unknown. The crowds believed that Jesus was only a Galilean carpenter from Nazareth. Since they “knew†His origins, they reasoned He could not be the Messiah. Jesus, however, was more than a Galilean; He was born of …
God’s blessing of Judah with leadership over the Israelites was contrary to natural order. It was pure grace for those tribes. These tribes of Judah settled east of the Jordan: …
Last time, we read that Jesus and John the Baptist were doing separate baptismal ministries (vv. 21-24). During that time a debate erupted between their disciples over which of them had the greater purifying ability (v. 25). It seems that John’s disciples were jealous of Jesus and …
In this passage we find several reasons why the Jews rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah. For many years they had known the Old Testament prophecies and had practiced the Law which pointed them to Christ (Galatians 3:24). A few accepted Him, but the majority refused Him. The …
Gomer broke Hosea’s heart but because if it she made it possible for him to give the world a picture of the “divine lover.†He promised His love in the repeated “I will†statements to the Jewish people. “I will allure†(v. 14). God doesn’t …
Christian love has both a positive and negative aspect. “Cease to do evil; learn to do well” (Isaiah 1:16-17). Every Christian knows John 3:16 but how many of us pay attention to I John 3:16? Christ left an example for us as He willingly laid down His life for us (v. 16 …
Do you realize there are many teachers who use the Bible who can and do lead sincere people astray. Maybe you have even heard someone say, “It makes no difference what you believe, just as long as you believe something.†Paul certainly would …