Upon completion of the temple, Solomon had all the elders of Israel and the tribal leaders assemble at Jerusalem for a great ceremonial occasion. He put in its storage rooms everything the Lord had dedicated to the Lord (v. 1). The ark of the covenant was to be brought from its temporary tent in …
Jesus was taken to the home of Annas, the former high priest who was father-in-law to Caiaphas, the current high priest (v. 57) (John 18:13). From there he was taken to Caiaphas’ house. The Sanhedrin were hastily assembled. They already had the verdict (guilty), but they wanted to go …
The Psalmist asks three troubling questions (vv. 9-11) in faith, for he remembers that God is his Rock, his protector, and foundation. He cannot help but hope in Him in the middle of difficult circumstances. This passage suggests some sort of betrayal, most likely involving …
There was a temple of Jupiter near by and the priest of the temple came quickly bringing oxen and wreaths of flowers. They were ready to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas and worship them (v. 13). When these missionaries realized that the people had not heard the Gospel, but …
Freedom and flexibility are the characteristics of a Christian under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can only lead us as we are sensitive to His leading. After visiting the churches he had founded, Paul tried to enter new territory for the Lord. He tried to …
If we are honest, most of us know what depression is. It affects us in at least four ways:It overwhelms our spirit – “I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed” (v. 3).It robs us of our sleep – ‘Thou holdest mine eyes waking” (v. 4).It seals our lips – “ …
The book closes by speaking of the king’s power; but more importantly extols the leadership abilities of Mordecai who was once a hated Jew in the Persian Empire (vv. 1-3). He was promoted by Ahasuerus and loved by the Jews (v. 3). Mordecai did not only act frequently on his own b …
The Lord appeared to Solomon and assured Him that his work on the temple and its dedication pleased Him (v. 11?‘12) (details are given on the actual construction in I Kings 7:1?‘12). Obedience was the key to God’s Blessing. God encouraged Solomon by His promise that if …
Pottery making was a familiar sight throughout the ancient Holy Land. Therefore, it was quite natural for Jeremiah to use this symbol to gain a hearing for his preaching and to reinforce his message. The parable of the marred vessel (chapter 18) demonstrates God’s sovereign …
Herod the Great ruled all of Palestine as a Roman King. When he died in 4 B.C. his kingdom was divided into three parts of which Archelaus was given Judea and Samaria. He was a failure and in 6 A.D. the Romans stepped in and made Cyrenius governor with direct rule. This placed th …