Listening and responding is vital in a relationship with God. As we see from this passage, God is no respecter of age or position when it comes to communication. He can and may work through anyone he chooses. Most of us would have expected God to speak to the older statesman, E …
Sometime later the armies of Israel and the Philistines faced each other across the Valley of Elah (vv. 1-2), a wide valley approximately 15 miles southwest of Jerusalem (v. 3). The two armies decided on a contest of champions to determine victory. The Philistines chose Goliath, a nine-foot …
The writer warns in this passage against diverse and strange teachings which are linked with food restrictions and external religious demands. Apparently some were teaching that keeping the Old Testament ceremonial laws and rituals (such as eating certain foods) was important to …
The prophet seems to place himself in the future “day of the Lord” and from that position looks back to the present locust plague. With this dual crises in mind Joel wrote to warn his nation and at the same time encourage her to a holy walk. The trumpet of alarm …
This psalm might have been written when David was cornered by Saul in the wilderness. He could easily have thought that even God had abandoned him. However, he soon learned otherwise as in the providence of God, Israel was invaded, Saul had to give his attention to that attack, and he was …
Festus was in a difficult position. He knew that Paul was innocent. Festus could have set Paul free with a promise to stay away from Jerusalem and Judea in the future. He could have given him a military escort to the boarder. But Paul had appealed to Caesar, and so Festus had to write a report …
Chapter four is a description of Solomon and his bride’s wedding night. As onlookers, we might feel a bit embarrassed as we read this intensively private and intimate exchange of their love. Verses 1-7 describe the maiden’s physical charms and verses 8-16 describe her character. …
These verses describe a great drought upon the land (vv. 1-2). One of the covenant curses God threatened to send on the disobedient nation was a drought (Deut. 28:22-24). In a land where rainfall is marginal, a drought can have far-reaching effects. As a consequence of the people …
Two of the issues Paul deals with in this chapter are women praying and prophesying, and instructions regarding the Lord’s Supper. The topic of head coverings (vv. 4-7) is not one of the fundamentals of the faith but deals with the matter of obedience. One pastor said, “This may not …
On the fifth day God created all the sea creature and all the sky creatures. every living creature. God made all kinds of fish and water animals and every kind of bird and fowl (vv.20-23). Again, He brought them forth according to His plan. The waters did not produce the marine life but at …