The Book of Revelation paints astonishing pictures. However, the images are not the actual realities they represent. For example, chapter 6 presents the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The first horseman is a picture of the gospel riding through history and to victory. Compare Psalm [...]

Judges accentuates the need of the people for a king. Ruth promises the coming of the king. The Books of Samuel record his actual arrival. First Samuel begins with the birth of the prophet Samuel (c. 1140), the last of Israel's judges. In 1 Samuel [...]

Labor Day is a good time to talk about work. God commands work. God said to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [...]

The Book of Judges recounts a downward spiral. “The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD” (Judges 2:11). “So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel” (Judges 2:14). “But when the people of Israel cried out to [...]

Moses is dead (Deut. 34:5; Josh. 1:2). Joshua is the new leader of God's people (Deut. 31:23; Josh. 1:1-9). He leads the people across the Jordon as on dry ground (Josh. 3:17). As a result, "the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel" [...]

The key text of Deuteronomy is clear. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command [...]

The Book of Numbers has five sections outlining three encampments and two travelogues. First, in Numbers 1:1-10:10, Israel prepares for travel. Second, Numbers 10:11-12:16 records the travel from Sinai to the area of Kadesh-Barnea. “Now in the second year, in the second month, on the [...]

Exodus ends, “In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month” (Exod. 40:17). Leviticus continues the story of God’s people settled at the foot of Mt. Sinai with the little word and. “And the LORD called Moses . . [...]

At the end of Genesis, the sons of Israel are in Egypt, and Joseph dies. At the beginning of Exodus, the sons of Israel “increased greatly” (Exod. 1:6). A new king arose over Egypt “who did not know Joseph” (Exod. 1:8). Slavery followed. “They set [...]

Genesis has three main divisions. Genesis 1-11 begins with creation and takes us up to the time of Abraham. Genesis 12-36 zooms in on the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Finally, slowing down to a snail’s pace, Genesis 37-50 give us what we call [...]