There is no king or ruler so great that he can act in independence of God. Whether he admits it or not God is controlling him just as he controls the water in the rivers (v. 1). A good example of this was Pharaoh. We may think that nothing is wrong in the things we are doing but the Lord knows …
To “stand” implies urgency and in place (v. 14). The “girdle” holds the other parts of the armor together in the same way that truth is an integrating force of the victorious Christian’s life. The soldier’s “breastplate” protected h …
On the last day of a seven-day feast in the Shushan palace, the king was feeling happy because of so much wine and called for Vashti to appear before his drunken nobles to show her beauty and she refused (vv. 10-11). The king wanted her to wear her crown and let his people and officials …
It seems that this passage describes God’s indictment of all hypocrites, regardless of race or religion, culture, or creed. Both Jews and Gentiles are included in this discussion, but the Gentile often appears in a better light than the Jew. Verse five points out the fact that the wrath of God is …
In those days the parents arranged for a marriage, and there was several weeks between engagement and marriage. On the trip to Timnah with his parents he had killed a lion with his bare hands. Then several weeks later when he came back, perhaps to complete the marriage, he found honey in the …
This Psalm was written by David sometime after his great sin with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah (II Samuel 11:3-4). Some Bible scholars think it was about one year after this fateful event that Nathan came to David with his story about a poor man’s lamb that was stolen …
This passage dealing with women (vv. 19-33) is very similar to that dealing with men in the previous passage. It deals with the normal, natural monthly menstrual flow of women. Again, there is no implication here that there is anything morally wrong about this function. But the s …
The author knowing the depravity of the human heart and the need of continued warning gives another entire chapter against lust and immorality. He starts off by saying that the best advice is useless against strong temptation unless it is taken to heart and is translat …
Job has heard two points of the sermon from his friends: Man is sinful (Eliphaz), and God is just (Bildad). Zophar, the youngest of Job’s three friends, now finishes the sermon with the third point. God punishes sin, but He gives us less punishment than we deserve. Zophar i …
The news of Jesus performing miracles is spreading rapidly. The more He healed the more the crowds increased. People were coming from all over Palestine and even the lands beyond. The reason so many were flocking to the Lord is clear: Their curiosity had gotten the best of them a …