The reading for this week will deal with Israel in exile.  While there are still some who remain in Jerusalem, the main shift of the Scriptures has been on those who are living in exile in Babylon.  Particularly we see this in Ezekiel, whose ministry was directly to God’s people living in exile.  Because they were dark days for God’s people, both those left in Jerusalem and those in exile...  Read More

The reading for this week will deal with Israel in exile.  While there are still some who remain in Jerusalem, the main shift of the Scriptures has been on those who are living in exile in Babylon.  Particularly we see this in Ezekiel, whose ministry was directly to God’s people living in exile.  Because they were dark days for God’s people, both those left in Jerusalem and those in exile, there is a recurring theme of hope that we will be looking at this week.  Read More

Jeremiah 23:33-24:10; 29:1-31:14.  “Spoiled due to lack of Discipline”          “Spoiled children are more tolerated in homes than spoiled food.”         I read this quote and thought of the illustration in chapter 24 of the two baskets.  One is filled with good figs, and the other is filled with spoiled figs that could not be eaten.  God then explains what each basket of figs is representing.  Th...  Read More

2 Kings 24:5-9; 2 Chronicles 36:6-9; Jeremiah 22:24-23:32; 49:1-33.  “Judging the Shepherds”          “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness” (James 3:1).         James knew there was nothing wrong with aspiring to teach but he was fully aware of an additional responsibility that came with the...  Read More

Jeremiah 16, 18, 35.  “Turning Clay”          I remember my first experiences at the potter’s wheel.  It wasn’t safe to be anywhere near me.  With the centrifugal force of the wheel, a chunk of clay can fly a long way.  Of course, even if something did stay on the wheel it didn’t mean it was going to look good.  Some of the things I first turned were too thick, and others too thin, and some were s...  Read More

Jeremiah 12-15.  “Clean Linen”          Jeremiah, being a priest, was familiar with linen as it was the material of which the priests’ garments were made.  The belt was worn close to the skin.  The linen belt was to be representative of an intimate relationship between God and Judah (13:11).         But then Jeremiah is instructed to bury it, then come back after a long time and recover it.  By th...  Read More

Jeremiah 8:4-11:23.  “A Broken Heart”          “Do not be afraid of showing your affection.  Be warm and tender, thoughtful and affectionate.  Men are more helped by sympathy, than by service; love is more than money, and a kind word will give more pleasure than a present.” - John Lubbock (1834-1913)         The illustration today is that of a broken heart (8:18).  We know what that depicts.  It’s...  Read More

Jeremiah 7:1-8:3; Daniel 2-3.  “Idols and Images”          The image of Daniel two is that of a statue with various layers representing various world empires.  However, a rock representing God’s kingdom crushed the entire statue.  King Nebuchadnezzar concludes that if his portion of the image in the dream was the head of gold which represented a limited time period then why not make an entire stat...  Read More

As a pastor I have often been reminded of the power and effectiveness of a fitting illustration.  As a student I am reminded of this principle time and again.  My capacity to learn, retain and understand things increases with illustrations.  As you read Scripture it is very apparent that God is aware of that tendency in us.  He is always using illustrations and word pictures, or just simply showin...  Read More

As a pastor I have often been reminded of the power and effectiveness of a fitting illustration.  As a student I am reminded of this principle time and again.  My capacity to learn, retain and understand things increases with illustrations.  As you read Scripture it is very apparent that God is aware of that tendency in us.  He is always using illustrations and word pictures, or just simply showing us how to do something.  For example; Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (Mark 1:17)            The reading passages this week will each focus on a specific illustration, object lesson or visual aid.    Read More

Jeremiah 25:15-38; 36; 45-46.  “The Purpose of His Wrath”          “…The cup of anger from the LORD…” (Jer. 25:17)         If we were to make a list of what brings about God’s wrath what would it contain?  In our reading up to this point here are some of the items we have read that have brought about His wrath: Apostasy (2 Chr. 34:24-25), Sympathy with evil (Lev. 10:1-6), Unfaithfulness (Josh. 22:...  Read More

2 Kings 23:31-24:4; 2 Chronicles 36:1-5; Jeremiah 22:1-23; 25:1-14; 26:1-24. “It’s in the Application”          Jeremiah 26 elaborates on the evil of King Jehoiakim and the nation at that time.  The prophet Jeremiah does exactly as God asks of him and stands before the leaders announcing the judgment of God if they do not change.  For their wickedness God was to destroy the temple at Shiloh.  But...  Read More

2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chronicles 35:20-27; Jeremiah 47-48; Zephaniah 2:8-3:20.  “My Decision”          Zephaniah’s prophetic message contains words of warning and judgment for Judah if they don’t repent and humble themselves before God.  It also contains words of judgment against the enemies of Judah.  By the end of the book a powerful message of hope becomes very clear.  God is watching out for His...  Read More

Habakkuk 1-3; Zephaniah 1:1-2:7.  “Questions and Answers”          Imagine the opportunity to physically sit across from God and ask Him questions.  Many times, I’ve yearned for that kind of opportunity.  Habakkuk is describing that kind of situation, via a vision.         Habakkuk asks God if He’s even been listening to his calls for help.  Habakkuk asks God if He’s aware of all the sin and viole...  Read More

2 Kings 23:1-28; 2 Chronicles 34:29-35:19; Nahum 1-3.  “His Wrath”          “When God saw that the Ninevites from Assyria had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and didn’t carry out the destruction he had planned.”  That is a quote from the book of Jonah 100 years before Nahum, and 150 before the fall of Nineveh and Assyria.  Jonah had preached the gospel to the 120,000 who lived ...  Read More

2 Kings 22:3-20; 2 Chronicles 34:8-28; Jeremiah 5:20-6:30.  “Rewarded Repentance”          The scroll containing the Book of the Law was found in the Temple and read to King Josiah.  After hearing the words, Josiah humbled himself before God in sorrow and repentance and tore his clothing and wept.  His immediate response had a bearing on God’s response.  Josiah pleaded with the high priest to spea...  Read More

         This week’s theme has to do with the justice and wrath of God.  Charles Swindoll wrote the following;         Surely this phrase, “the wrath of God,” is greatly misunderstood.  Many, invariably think of some sort of peeved deity, a kind of cosmic, terrible-tempered Mr. Bang, who indulges in violent, uncontrolled displays of temper when human beings do not do what they ought to do.  But su...  Read More

This week’s theme has to do with the justice and wrath of God.  Charles Swindoll wrote the following;          Surely this phrase, “the wrath of God,” is greatly misunderstood.  Many, invariably think of some sort of peeved deity, a kind of cosmic, terrible-tempered Mr. Bang, who indulges in violent, uncontrolled displays of temper when human beings do not do what they ought to do.  But such a concept only reveals the limitations of our understanding.  The Bible never deals with the wrath of God that way.  According to the Scriptures, the wrath of God is God’s moral integrity.  When man refuses to yield himself to God, he creates certain conditions, not only for himself but for others as well, which God has ordained for harm.  It is God who makes evil result in sorrow, heartache, injustice, and despair.  It is God’s way of saying to man, “Now look, you must face the truth.  You were made for Me.  If you decide that you don’t want Me, then you will have to bear the consequences.”  The absence of God is destructive to human life.  That absence is God’s wrath.  And God cannot withhold it.  In His moral integrity, He insists that these things should occur as a result of our disobedience.  He sets man’s sin and His wrath in the same frame.  (Living Above the Level of Mediocrity)  Read More

2 Kings 21:1-22:2; 2 Chronicles 33:1-34:7; Jeremiah 1:1-2:22.  “How Bad is Your Past?”          How bad is your past?  Is it as ugly as Manasseh’s?  He led the nation of Judah to do more evil than even the pagan nations were guilty of.  He built pagan altars everywhere, even inside the Temple.  He worshipped everything from stars to idols.  He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and con...  Read More

2 Kings 20:20-21; 2 Chronicles 32:32-33; Isaiah 63:15-66:24. “Looking In”          “How ignorant can they be?”  I can read passages day after day that describe how people mess up, everyone from a king to a common Israelite.  Seemingly one minute they will see the hand of God in a powerful way and then two sentences later they have totally turned the wrong way.  There are two things I need to remi...  Read More

Isaiah 58:1-63:14. “The Right Time”          A sign over a clock in school read, “Time will pass.  Will you?”         Many of this week's passages have been providing us with unique perspectives on time, past and future.  Yet at the close of chapter 60 we have one of the best statements about time: “I, the LORD, will bring it all to pass at the right time.”  It’s not just the aspect of perfect ti...  Read More

Isaiah 52:13-57:21.  “Old Testament Gospel”          From 52:13 to the end of chapter 53 nearly every verse has a prophetic statement of Jesus Christ and the suffering He was to endure.  It is central to the passage from chapter 40 to the end.  The section is broken up into five stanzas of three verses each.  The passage is quoted more frequently in the New Testament than any other Old Testament p...  Read More

Isaiah 48:12-52:12. “Who’s Forsaking Who”          “Be strong and courageous! …the LORD your God will go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6).  Joshua and the Hebrews who were about to enter the Promised Land found great comfort in those words.         After floating around in the ark for a year I would imagine Noah could have wondered if God had forgotten about t...  Read More

Isaiah 44:6-48:11. “What is Your I Focused On?”          “You can always recognize an egotist by the gleam in his I.”  That “I” can get us in a lot of trouble.  The center of pride is “I”.  Ignore begins with “I”.         We can get in trouble ignoring something pride keeps us from following.  In chapter 48, verse three, God tells the people, “Time and again I warned you about what was going to h...  Read More