Let’s quickly look at a couple of different points from today’s reading. These are things that cause some people to wonder what Paul meant, so I hope I can clear them up for you. Let’s first tackle the parts where Paul says he is expressing his opinion. Does that mean that we can discount what…
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Not a great first king for Israel, this Abimelech fellow. Notice that there had not been a great outcry from Israel to have a king, but Abimelech steps up and pretty much insinuates himself into the position. And remember, he is one of seventy-two sons of Gideon, otherwise known as Jerubbaal, and after taking the…
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Solomon’s teaching on adultery is especially timely in today’s pornography soaked world. Remember, Jesus said that if you even look at a woman with lust in your heart, you have committed adultery with her. So don’t think that you’re ok in this department just because you haven’t had an actual, physical adulterous affair. Let’s be…
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You’ve heard it before, right? Someone is doing something that is patently wrong, and when they’re called on it, they drag out the “Judge not that ye be not judged” line. Or someone fails to take a stand on an immoral issue or person because they think it’s not up to them to judge. Well,…
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My goodness but some of these Israelites could be so petty! Did you notice? The beginning of this chapter picks up just after Gideon’s victory over the Midianites, and the men of the tribe of Ephraim took him to task for not including them in the fight. Never mind that Gideon was following God’s instructions…
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As I said last week, the book of Proverbs was written by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. I remind you of that because of what he wrote in verse five of chapter 3: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Here’s a guy who…
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Such rich teaching from Paul today. But of course, that is what we expect from him, isn’t it? As I see it, there were three main themes in chapters 2 and 3. 1) Spiritual immaturity vs. spiritual maturity 2) Man’s intellect vs Spiritual revelation 3) Elevating specific preachers vs Honoring the God who called them…
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As I read this chapter today, I wondered about the interpretation of the Midianite’s dream by his friend. What explanation was there for a round loaf of bread knocking down a tent being representative of the defeat of the Midianite’s army by Israel? So I did some further reading. It turns out that in the…
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I think a little background is called for as we begin the book of Proverbs. I hope you don’t mind if I go back to the basics for just a minute or two. The Bible can be divided into sections or categories. In the OT these categories are Law, History, Poetry, Major Prophets and Minor…
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In this chapter, Paul tells us that even in the very early church, some division had crept in. Which confirms once again the verse from Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” As a race, people don’t really change….
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