The Lord employed wisdom and understanding when he made the heavens and the earth (v. 19). When the time came for him to flood the world, he employed knowledge known only to himself, so also with the complex weather patterns like rain and dew (v. 20). Our earthly scientist can …
This passage uses a similar tactic but to a different end. Paul does paint two pictures for us “ one “before†Christ (vv. 1-3) and one “after†(vv. 4-7). He then brings it all together (vv. 8-10) and tells us what the goal of this comparison is. Int …
Life was not easy for the Jewish remnant that returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. Their neighbors were often hostile, the Persian officials were not always cooperative, and the economic situation was difficult. This psalm may have been written by one of the Levites to remind …
In this passage we find the word “rest†mentioned nine times (vv. 1-11). God has provided a “rest†and that “rest†can still be known today. The reference to Jesus also involves Joshua of the Old Testament (v. 8). The two words, Joshua and Jesu …
Paul prays for the Colossians (v. 9). He had never met the Colossians but he wanted them to know what he is faithfully praying for them. It has to do with the knowledge of God’s will and a life lived in accordance with that will. Paul now states four ways that we can pleas …
When the disciples returned with food they were amazed to find Jesus conversing with a Samaritan woman (v. 27). Their return apparently ended the conversation between Jesus and the woman. All evidence indicates she was beginning to drink of the Living Water (v. 25). The woman left her …
For centuries people have talked about a fountain of youth. The fountain of youth was only a dream, but the wellspring of life is reality (v. 22). The choice is yours. You can be encouraged by God’s wisdom, or you can be dragged down by the weight of your own foolishness. The wor …
Forty years of rest and the next generation of Hebrews had once more forgotten God and reverted to an easygoing religion that threatened to do away with Israel’s trust in God (v. 1). To punish His people, God sent in warlike tribes from the desert (vv. 2-3). These Bedouins and shepherds who …
While sacrificial offerings were to be made in a specific place the butchering and eating of meat for regular sustenance could be done anywhere (vv. 15-28). The only restriction (except for unclean foods) was the prohibition on eating blood. This rule was stressed in verse 15 and repeated …
The theme of this passage is getting our priorities sorted out correctly. Once we have objectives we want to accomplish we must identify the priorities for reaching them.There are five basic contrasts relating to priorities in the first fourteen verses of this c …