Without doubt Ananias is one of the forgotten heroes of the Christian Church. If it is true that the Church owes Paul’s conversion to the prayer of Stephen, it is also true that the Church owes… Paul’s spiritual growth to the brotherliness of Ananias. In this passage Ananias, one of whom nothing is …
This Psalm has often been referred to as David’s Hallelujah Chorus. It is a composition of praise by the psalmist to the God of Israel whom he loved so dearly. God wants every part of us (body, soul, and spirit) to enter a joyful relationship with Him. He seeks worshipers who will gladly give …
Chapter 24 concludes the third series of judgments on Judah. Ezekiel’s final prophecies of doom against Jerusalem came in the ninth year (of King Jehoiachin), in the 10th month on the 10th day (vv. 1-2). The king of Babylon besieged Jerusalem that very day. This was the d …
The background for this Psalm is that the city of Jerusalem was being threatened by neighboring nations, but its inhabitants were calmly trusting in God for protection. The Psalmist starts out by saying that God is both a defense and an offense for His people (v. 1). He protects t …
Nebuchadnezzar sends up another army against Jerusalem and the city is under siege. Zedekiah, who is now King, sends a hasty word to Jeremiah the prophet, asking him to intercede with God on their behalf (vv. 1-2). It appears that he sees God as some kind of a genie, ready …
Jeremiah had predicted that the furnishings still in the temple would be taken to Babylon (Jer. 27:19-22). This passage proves the truth of Jeremiah’s prophecy (vv. 17-23). The bronze pillars, the movable stands, and the other furnishings were indeed carried to Babylon. Thi …
Instead of coming to Jerusalem, with the Assyrian armies coming, the Moabites fled all the way south to strongholds in Edon, such as the city of Petra (v. 1), which was about 50 miles south of Moab’s southern border. From here the Moabites sent an appeal to the king of Judah to g …
Satan seeks to blind minds to God’s light, fortify minds against God’s truth and seduce minds from God’s love (vv. 1-6). We need to keep in mind that throughout this letter Paul is writing to a divided church, and a church that is being seduced by false teachers. These false teachers charged …
Psalm 105 covers events up to the Exodus from Egypt, and Psalm 106 covers events from the Exodus to the Babylonian captivity. Like Psalm 105 this Psalm traces the history of Israel but for a different purpose. In Psalm 105 the emphasis was on God’s grace and faithfulness. In this Psalm …
As this chapter begins it has been 37 years since Israel’s first spy mission into the promised land and 40 years since the Exodus from Egypt. While the people dwelt at Kadesh waiting for instructions to march, Miriam the prophetess died and was buried there (v. 1). The peop …