Jesus opens this passage with an illustration, one that every listener would have understood. Thieves and robbers attempt to enter the sheepfold by climbing over the wall. A sheepfold normally consisted of four walls of stone, with one door and no roof. The fold is Israel (v. 16), and …
This ninth plague of darkness came quickly without warning to Pharaoh. God just tells Moses to stretch out his hand toward Heaven and there would be darkness all over the land (v. 21). It was so dark in Egypt that the darkness could be felt while the land of Goshen ha …
Isn’t it strange after forty years or more of Jeremiah’s ministry of highest integrity, they dared to say, “You are telling a lie. God didn’t send you” (vv. 1-2). They justified it by blaming someone else. “Baruch did it” (v. 3). The fles …
It was night time (Mk. 4:35) so you can imagine the eerie scene. At the legion of demons’ request Jesus allowed them to enter into a herd of two thousand hogs coming down the mountain nearby (vv. 11-12). Immediately these swine ran into the lake and drowned (v. 13). The men …
At times God must discipline us to help us. This is similar to a loving parent disciplining his child. The disciplining is not very enjoyable to the child, but it is essential to teach him right from wrong. The Bible says that “no chastening seems to be joyful for the presen …
Evangelist and Bible teacher Wendell Calder entitles this book “Praise from Prison.†One of the biggest robbers of joy in the Christian life is circumstances. In this passage Paul stresses the fact that there are no accidents with God. His confinement was doing …
Nothing can compare to God. His power and presence are awesome and when He speaks we need to listen (vv. 1-4), in spite of the fact that His greatness is beyond human comprehension (v. 5). There is even the demonstration of God’s power in the snow and frost (v. 6). Workers …
In Isaiah’s day, Israel had become perplexed by God’s indifference toward them. They had prayed and even fasted and yet God seemed to ignore them (v. 1). They even appeared eager to know God and His ways. They attended worship services faithfully (v. 2a). They participated in …
This chapter of Deuteronomy provides the central theme of Deuteronomy. It sets a pattern that helps us relate the Word of God to our daily lives. (vv. 1-5). Furthermore, Moses explains that the key to teaching your children to love God and to follow Him is that you must make God a part of …
The counterpart to cleansing (chapter 5) is consecration (chapter 6). Priestly, Levitical service was the exclusive privilege of those who belonged to the tribe of Levi but the Lord here instituted a provision whereby any man or woman of Israel who wished could take a vow before …