Author: Ash Clarkson

In Nehemiah 12, the completed walls of Jerusalem are dedicated, accompanied by worship and giving. This passage, which sees an external object purified for…

Scripture does not view cities as inherently evil things, but places where people and resources can pool together for mutual support and benefit. God…

In Nehemiah 10, God’s People put their renewed spiritual commitment down in writing. As was common in the Bible and in their times, they…

The prayer of Nehemiah 9 comes at the end of the first celebration of the Feast of Booths in many years. After finding joy…

As they read through the Scriptures, “they found it written in the Law that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the people of…

For the believer, our joy and strength is found in the Lord. God’s unchanging goodness and mercy to us, expressed through his Word, demonstrated…

Passages like Nehemiah 8:1-8 demonstrate this principle of expository teaching. Ezra the Scribe, who led an earlier return of Jews from exile, is called…

No wonder they would be called upon to repopulate Jerusalem. It was not just time for the town planners to rejoice, but for all…

The right character was important because what was most needed was not walls (though they were needed and important) but right hearts which sought…

The conspiracy against Nehemiah’s character was designed to demonise him in the face of the authorities. Sadly, Satan and enemies of God’s Church try…

Twelve years later, many of those under Nehemiah’s governance still faced the same hard scrabble to live. While Nehemiah could have enjoyed the benefits…

For the Jewish population of Nehemiah’s day, money misery was very real. Most lived close to starvation, one bad event away from disaster. Many…

Nehemiah’s citizens were faced with attack by the devil, and were forced to defend themselves from what was a spiritual attack (with physical consequences).…

Nehemiah’s building project certainly caught the devil’s attention. Here God’s People were rebuilding the walls to protect God’s temple, and Satan couldn’t have that!…

Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem was followed by careful, and quiet, planning. It was only when Nehemiah had his plan ready that he explained the…

Nehemiah’s actions show how his experience of God’s good hand caused him to trust God more. Even so, Nehemiah knew the world he lived…

In Chapter 1 we were introduced to Nehemiah as a man of prayer. Confronted by the defenceless state of Jerusalem, Nehemiah turned to the…

The book of Nehemiah introduces us to the man, and his personal character. But most importantly, it introduces us to a man of prayer.…

Read Ezra 10:18-44 Any parent or adult who has supervised children knows that the time that is most fearful is when they go suddenly,…

That repentance brought the same from many of God’s People who observed him, and were convicted by the Holy Spirit to do the same.…

We need to understand the point of the laws, and what they meant for the Jewish people and for us today in the light…

Ezra’s example is one we can follow as well as we walk through our own seasons of change. As believers, we know that for…

Ezra was returning to Jerusalem to bring about further reform of the worship and rule of God's People there. He went as a man…

This list also gives us a cultural check. In our culture, youth is idolised. Everyone wants to look young. Sometimes it feels like everything…

Ezra was a man who was placed in the blessed position. Ezra wanted to return to Jerusalem to reform worship and life there. Thankfully,…

Nearly sixty years pass between the end of chapter 6 and the beginning of chapter 7. At the end of chapter 6, a group…

Jesus’ birth is not just a story of presents and angels singing in the sky, it is the arrival of the Messiah, God’s signal…

While Christmas typically takes us to the wonderful passages of Isaiah 7 and 9, the coming Messiah was prophesied throughout Isaiah and the whole…

The returned exiles had finally restored and rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem, and in March 516 BC celebrated its completion. In April, they celebrated…

Today we do not have a physical temple at a central location, but God’s temple is his church. Wherever his church meets to worship…

Just the same today, God can move the hearts of bureaucrats and leaders to complete his will. While that may mean opposition decreed for…

Opposition is an ongoing reality. We have been warned. But Jesus is with us. We have been encouraged. The eyes of God watch over…

The point of this passage is that the devil is always opposing God’s work. Whether it was in the days of Cain and Abel,…

We see Satan’s opposition and discouragement agenda play out with the returnees from exile to Judah. While things had started mostly well, with the…

The returnees from exile were also starting something new, rebuilding what had been destroyed and ruined. For them, it was a time of excitement…

For the Israelites who returned to the ruins of the Promised Land, you might think that rebuilding homes, building businesses, planting crops, and repairing…

Ezra 2 is all about God keeping his promises. Yes, it is a long list of names. But they were the faces that went…

Things had gone terribly wrong for God’s People in the Old Testament. They had lost their independence, been taken into exile, the temple destroyed.…

Paul’s letter closes with an encouragement of final blessings to the Thessalonian congregation. To prove that his letter, containing many blessings and also some…

Sadly some in the Thessalonian church were not pulling their weight, and relying on others for their welfare. Paul had strong words for those…

Paul’s letter encourages the Thessalonian church to pray with confidence. Despite Paul’s exciting life, and the ups and downs the Thessalonians faced, Paul was…

God’s goodness to us is the outpouring of his covenant love, his love which saves us. It is a love which is always shown…

In the face of a terrible coming evil, and the restrained foretaste of it already lashing their lives even then, it could be tempting…

Reading of a great apostasy immediately preceding Christ’s return can place us in the same mental place as feeling outmatched by trouble or temptation.…

Paul’s teaching on the Man of Lawlessness, otherwise known as the Antichrist, is exactly the type of teaching where this error can occur. But…

While time will reveal who Paul was speaking about, we are left with plenty that explains the Antichrist’s purposes. And while we might disagree…

The Thessalonian church were worried that they had been left behind in a sense as well. Except it was a far greater concern than…

Jesus’ return will be the final victory and glorification of Jesus by everyone, everywhere. Nobody will be able to deny Jesus that victorious moment,…

We cannot shy away from what the Bible teaches, even when it makes us uneasy. Hell is a terrible reality. The eternal punishment of…

Read 2 Thessalonians 1:5-8 “Judge not!” may be the most popular incomplete and incorrect quotation of Scripture by modern Westerners today. Our culture does…

What then would Paul consider a successful church? Thankfully we have an answer in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian Church. Paul’s idea of…

Paul’s previous sentences encouraged the Thessalonian Christians in their responsibilities toward God, by living to please God and not quench the work of the…

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 Parents spend a lot of time explaining how children should behave, especially towards other people. Towards their friends and classmates.…

After encouraging the Thessalonian congregation to love and support their leaders, Paul turned to the way in which individuals in the congregation, and the…

After encouraging us to look forward to Christ’s return with the knowledge that we are no longer under God’s wrath, Paul’s letter to the…

God calls us to vigilance and discipline against the sinful temptations in the world, as we await Christ’s return. We are to build each…

We too are children of the light. Being children of the light means being delivered from God’s judgement, and having the sure hope of…

From encouraging the Thessalonians to take heart that, whether dead or alive, Christians would rise from the dead or the earth to join Christ…

In this passage, Paul certainly does address the end times – specifically the return of Christ. But he does so with a purpose in…

Because showing love for one another is a vitally important part of being a Christian. For each other, as fellow adopted brothers and sisters…

The Thessalonian church, like ours today, was called to God’s standard of holiness. As people come to faith in Christ, or grow up in…

Three miracles, three pictures of how that terrible Friday is Good Friday for us. Darkness showing Jesus’ suffering God’s judgement in our place. A…

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, we come across another of Paul’s powerful prayers. It reveals Paul’s view on the power of God,…

While we long for, and pray for, God to grow our churches and make new converts and disciples, the truth is that biblical faithfulness…

Paul’s ministry did not preach a Christianity where trusting in Jesus solves all your problems, but where trusting in Jesus solves your biggest problem…

The word of God was proclaimed by men. It was written by men too, inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:15-16). It did…

In verses seven and eight, Paul described himself as being like a spiritual mother to the Thessalonian church, taking care of them, and showing…

Previously in this letter to the church at Thessalonica, Paul had emphasised how word of their imitation of him had reached his ears and…

What was important about that affliction was not so much the presence of it, but how they reacted. They did not grumble and complain…

Paul’s life certainly had its ups and downs, but Paul also recognised the need to give thanks for the good things God gave. One…

The letter to Thessalonica was a letter that was primarily from Paul, but also written on behalf of his fellow labourers in the Gospel,…

As we reflect, and look forward, let’s remember to also thank God for another year of salvation, and look forward to another year of…

David cried out to God, interceding on Israel’s behalf, asking that he and his house would be punished, not Israel. God answered David’s cries…

David’s silly census brought about judgement on Israel, itself because of the way Israel had in some way acted. But despite the terrible punishment…

David’s census was sinful, yet the reason is unclear to us. Do we need to know? Israel had clearly sinned and provoked God’s anger…

Just as David had his warriors in his day, Christ has his now. We too are called to serve our covenant king with faithfulness…

King David’s song in 2 Samuel 22 concludes by pointing us back to the supremacy of God’s Kingdom over all others. It is God…

God’s ways are perfect, and he keeps his promises (v.31). In him, David sang, his servants can put their trust. God is, for those…

The mighty and dramatic nature of God’s intervention in David’s life is indicated by the very first verse, where David’s song is addressed to…

But the Philistines kept rolling out their giants, so once again the same theme was replayed. A six finger and six toed giant whose…

While we may turn off the news, we should not turn away from these grisly passages. They remind us that covenant breaking brings a…

The end of chapter 19 ended with a face-off and fierce words between Judah and the northern tribes over who would lead David home…

Absalom was dead and the rebellion all but over, but David still needed to heal over the wounds. While he could paper over cracks…

David as king was more than a father, he was a symbol. The Davidic king demonstrated God’s provision of godly leadership to his people,…

This is the ultimate end of all those who seek to overturn God’s Anointed One. The self-appointment which seizes the throne of our own…

In the closing verses of 2 Samuel 17, we read of Supporters who stuck by David in his hour of need. We also see…

While the big picture parts are clear, the broad sweep of God’s sovereignty and his working out of events is often unclear. But if…

With David gone, David’s supporters would no longer have a focus or a purpose in resisting Absalom’s reign, and the conflict would be over…

Ahithophel was a betrayer of God’s Anointed King, King David. But he was also at the same time doing God’ bidding, fulfilling the very…

David’s exodus from Jerusalem brought him encouragement from faithful servants, but also encounters with manipulators and a man who took delight in David’s apparent…

When Absalom rebelled, David took the wise course and left Jerusalem. But his faith in God shone through in his actions, and was encouraged…

In chapter 14 we saw the return of Absalom from exile, and the return of Absalom into official public approval (whatever David may have…

In the second half of chapter 14 of 2 Samuel we see the continued “putting right” of relations between King David and his brother-murderer…

There is nothing new about being swayed by worldly wisdom. Often it calls to us with its call on our feelings over the call…

Sin begets sin, because we are all “like father, like son” as this passage shows. Thank God that we are forgiven through Jesus, his…

There are some parts of Scripture that when you read it, it reminds you that this is not written as a feel-good manual. David’s…

But for believers in Christ, God’s People, there is hope beyond the grave. A hope that comes from grace. A comfort for us in…

David thought he had got away with his sin. Swept it under the rug. Tidied things up nicely. No public harm, no public foul.…

The story of 2 Samuel plays a little like that piano with a broken key. We have seen things largely go from strength to…

There are lots of sayings and idioms which are wise to live by. Do to others as you wish done to you. Those who…

David’s house may have triumphed over Saul’s, but that didn’t mean that every descendant of Saul had to be erased from history. David also…

After God’s promises to David described in chapter 7, Second Samuel describes the advance of David’s kingdom as God started to fulfil, in a…

Yet despite all the good God had done, he was not done yet. All of God’s goodness to date was a “small thing” and…

Our passage this week brings us to the Davidic Covenant. This covenant proclaims God’s goodness and mercy to David and his House. To David…

God’s response to David’s desire may seem odd. After all, what David wanted for God seemed reasonable and right; Nathan thought so. But it…

Our worship of God must be reverent and follow the instructions God has given us. It should also not be joyless. It should not…

We must respect God’s commands. We must act as God requires us to act, especially when it comes to serving him. Especially when God…

Opposition from the great powers of this world cannot stop God. Time is no barrier to God fulfilling his promises. It may take longer…

Injustice also occurs in our day. Christ's church faces oppression and injustice the world over. We might face prejudice for our beliefs. Some face…

Success in a sinful world can often come at a brutal cost. Financial gain through ruining another financially. Promotions and power through destroying or…

After Saul’s death, Abner attempted to seize power through conquering King David’s kingdom by force. He failed. A period of Civil War followed, where…

Chapter 2 of 2 Samuel shows an example of the failure of force to prevent God’s Plan advancing through David’s kingship. While David’s anointing…

Our society likes big things and big bangs. One hundred day plans. Transformational change. Slow and steady might win the race in the past,…

David knew grief well, and knew that it sometimes needs expressing. While he and his men had emotionally grieved the death of Saul, Jonathan,…

The first scene of 2 Samuel introduces us to David’s learning of King Saul’s death through the arrival of a grifter, bearing Saul’s kingly…

When God promises, God acts. The deed follows the word which announces it. As Christmas quickly approaches, we remember again God’s fulfilment of the…

God had his own plans and wisdom that were greater than Abraham’s. The inheritor of God’s covenant promises to Abraham would come through Abraham…

While David had successfully rescued his wives and children from captivity, and even spread the bounty of victory around, the Philistines and Israel under…

But unlike recent situations which had led to a ransacked Ziklag, “David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” (v.6). How is not exactly…

The author of Samuel appeared to be setting up a final grudge match between David and Saul, lined up against each other. David, forced…

For some, this “Dark Night of the Soul” or “Divine Despair” is the road by which unbelievers come to Christ. For many unbelievers though,…

Even the best of us follow our heart. David certainly did. Despite all the external evidence of God’s provision for David, the internal strain…

David’s act, or inaction, to spare King Saul’s life rather than spear Saul, was a great act of faith. David had been hounded and…

Our passage begins with momentous news that passes as a footnote: the death of Samuel (v.1). The prominent character of the early part of…

We must wait on God’s timing for taking on responsibilities, or seeing injustices answered. In 1 Samuel 24, David understood that fact. Leaving aside…

Sometimes God sends encouragement just at the right time. A shot in the arm, so to speak, before we face another trouble. Words of…

While God was clearly protecting David, David was aware that Saul was actively seeking his life. As David hid in the wilderness of Ziph,…

Life offers up difficult situations where we are unsure of what to do. We may struggle with questions of relationships, jobs, where to live,…

Just as the Devil seeks to destroy the Church today, so too in the past he has sought to try and snuff out God’s…

With Saul’s murderous intent clear, David had desperately fled Saul’s immediate reach. He had acquired food and weapons, and fled outside of King Saul’s…

In Chapter 20, David knew that his time in Saul’s presence had come to an end. Saul wanted David dead. He recognised a rival…

In 1 Samuel 20, David faced the prospect that he was an enemy of Israel’s king. At the same time, while driven by fear,…

In 1 Samuel 19, Saul’s envy came to a head. Multiple times, he sought to kill David, or have him killed. But in all…

We often think that God’s goodness must mean miraculous intervention, as sometimes happened in the Old Testament or the Gospels. Yet just as often,…

After God’s victory of Goliath, through the hands of his faithful servant David, David’s star rose to shine brightly in Israel’s skies. His feat…

The emphasis on David’s weakness, and the lack of emphasis on the actual battle, shows the emphasis should go on God, not David. Not…

There is a clear contrast here between the secular, worldly way of Saul, and the way of David. Saul sought to mould David into…

The David and Goliath story is not about us defeating our enemies. It is about God defeating his enemies, looking forward to Jesus defeating…

Sometimes it is hard to see in the moment why certain events happen in life. Certain doors open, others seemingly slam shut in our…

David's anointing shows that the leadership qualities we look to when choosing leaders, whether in politics or business, or even sometimes the Church, are…

This passage shows us that true repentance for sin is not based on words or formulae, but sorrow and a move of the heart.…

There seems a popular idea today, if people acknowledge God's existence, that God will weigh our good and bad deeds on a scale and…

1 Samuel 14 ends with an interesting verdict on Saul’s reign. Despite Saul’s blatant folly and his lack of faithfulness to God and God’s…

In the previous verses we saw how God saved Israel through the faith of Saul’s son, Jonathan, who trusted God to use him if…

Jonathan’s example demonstrates to us that we do not need to have all the answers before we step out in faith. Perhaps like me…

In this passage, Saul demonstrated his unsuitability as King over Israel. While Saul started out in tentative obedience to God’s commands, his unlawful sacrifice…

God’s goodness and his graciousness are presented to us in the Bible, which shows us how God has been faithful to his people, even…

Saul had been proclaimed king, but everyone went back home to their day jobs and carried on as if nothing had changed. In this…

Samuel had rebuked Israel for seeking a king previously, and once again took up the opportunity. Samuel reminded Israel that it was God who…

Israel in Samuel’s day were also looking for their own type of king, not the divine leadership which God provided. They wanted a king…

The reality of kingship, and of government in general, is the focus of 1 Samuel 8. Israel sinfully wanted a king just like the…

In 1 Samuel 8, a leadership crisis arose as Samuel grew old and his sons showed themselves unsuitable. So Israel sought a king, as…

It is a terrible thing to experience God’s displeasure and judgement. And yet, despite our sinfulness and our deserving of punishment, God graciously shows…

In 1 Samuel 6 we see examples of the unbelieving world and God’s covenant people both offending God. The Philistines, suffering God’s judgement, sent…

It seems like the Church of Christ is on the back foot in the West today. Many treat the Church, Christians, and God’s standard…

In the beginning verses of chapter 4, God’s People took the Ark into battle with the Philistines as a talisman to trap God into…

Lots of people in life, whether they admit it or not, are practical atheists. But when bad times come, they are quick to pick…

God calls us to repentance and faith, and some to particular lives of ministry for his people. While we may not receive a vision…

Contrasts are effective because they are so clear. While we are tempted to view life in shades of grey, obedience to God does not…

In chapter 2 of 1 Samuel we encounter Hannah’s song of thanks. Hannah’s song is not centred entirely on self, but rather centred on…

Hannah’s despair led her to prayer, and led her to offer back the child she asked from God were he to grant her wish.…

Sometimes life is not fair. You have many things that people think should make you happy, but not the one thing you desire. The…

Christmas is a time when we reflect on God’s goodness to us in sending Jesus, our redeemer, to dwell with us. Jesus, though our…

Life is not always black and white. We live in a world where through naivety or bad advice, we sometimes find ourselves in morally…

In Ruth 2, God starts to show Naomi his covenant love and goodness through that same covenant love shown to Ruth. A series of…

When bad things happen, there are three ways as professing Christians we can react. Firstly, we can abandon the faith and go to some…

Sometimes a simple decision sets off a chain of events in our lives which can lead to disaster. This is especially the case with…

The final chapter of Judges shows a situation where nobody in Israel comes out smelling like roses. After nearly destroying one tribe of Israel…

Judges 20 shows the response of Israel to the appalling events of the previous chapter in Gibeah. The nation largely united to judge and…

We live in a terrible, sinful world. Sad and terrible things happen to people because of the sinful, callous, and selfish desires of other…

There is a Golden Age Fallacy; the idea that there was a time in our past better than now. Partly it is driven by…

The Church is often closest to victory in God when it appears closest to defeat. The Gospel advanced like wildfire in the Roman Empire,…

Sometimes in life, a person and the events that occur to them ends up being a picture of a group they belong to. In…

Judges 15 continues the story of conflict between Samson and the Philistines. However, this conflict is driven not by ideology or devotion to God,…

In Judges 14, we are introduced to three people or groups with secrets and agendas. Samson has an agenda and secrets. The Philistines have…

Samson, the final judge in the Book of Judges, grew up knowing he had a special destiny. In Judges 13, God’s dramatic power to…

People like to gather power and wealth because it makes them notable, but in the end most will just become a passing mention at…

statement is. Likewise, prejudice against those different to us is an ever present truth in this fallen world. In this passage, we see the…

e all say or do foolish things, or make stupid promises. Sometimes we wish we had stopped rebelling against God earlier, or paid more…

In our second look at Jephthah’s role as a Judge over Israel, we see the importance of history in the conflict between Israel and…

How often in life do we reject the help or advice of someone until it is past time that we need it? As a…

In Judges 10, we are exposed to the further decline of Israel’s attitude to God, and their increased apostasy. In the face of stricter…

Book of Judges is not like your standard history book. While it covers the high and low points of the Judges period of Israel’s…

God does not always strike with lightning or fire and brimstone. Sometimes, God judges through decline and self-destruction. Sometimes, God uses evil to destroy…

Our National Anthem asks God (somewhat ironically perhaps, due to our pagan nature) to defend New Zealand. It includes a request to guard our…

It is hard to stay strong. Harder still when you were never particularly strong to begin with, and when those around you are weak.…

Why do people seek status and security? Usually, because it places you in a position of strength. With status, you can influence others for…

There is truth to the saying that your greatest strength can also be your greatest weakness. In the areas you are most confident, pride…

or invading other countries who have something you would like. Weakness is not a virtue, or a place from which victory is expected. Those…

The Christian walk can feel like a constant conflict between strength and weakness. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we step out in faith and…

groups. Whether they are an ideology, a practice, or a physical object, idols are very precious to us. When they are shown to be…

Gideon in his weakness, commissions Gideon with a promise, and assures Gideon with a sign. Gideon realises the heights of God’s holiness and the…

You would think that after God’s mighty act of salvation, we would stay on the straight and narrow. Sadly, this is not what happens.…

Singing praises to God was important throughout history, and in Judges 5 we see another song which sings praises to God for who he…

Judges in Chapter 4 God further demonstrates his use of unusual means to save his people; two women. Where the men are weak, fearful,…

, what he did, and what effect it had on Israel. He only rates a one verse mention. But he is still important, because…

Judges 3 contains a story which holds plenty of comical relief, along with an element of personal gorishness which surprises and shocks our sensibilities.…

In Judges there are exciting salvation stories, and boring ones. The first example, that of God’s saving Israel through Othniel, falls into the boring…

Jesus’ death and resurrection is the hinge of history. It is the point all of history builds towards, and it is the point of…

children will. After Joshua died, that is what happened to Israel. They forgot God. They did not follow him. They failed. This passage emphasises…

In the first chapter of Judges, we have seen sin and disobedience in Israel’s life. Despite God’s command to drive out the pagan nations…

While in the south of Israel the military campaigns were largely successful, because they followed God’s leadership, the north of Israel was not as…

The Book of Judges chronicles the leadership of Israel after Joshua’s death, showing how when they sought to rule themselves, they descended into immorality,…

One year to the day after God led the Israelites out of Egypt, God instructed Moses to “erect the tabernacle of the tent of…

If quality assurance is something that’s essential for a mere road, then it should not surprise us that the dwelling-place of God with his…

Holy Place? By a Forgiving Outfit. An outfit which demonstrated the forgiveness he received, the forgiveness he sought on behalf of his people, and…

The outside of God’s House was also carefully landscaped to reveal what is important to God and teach Israel what they needed to know…

In the previous chapter, we saw how the Israelites began constructing the tabernacle which was God’s dwelling-place with them on earth, pointing to the…

We remember that Jesus is the better temple. Where the tabernacle was layers of beautiful fabric, and the temples were made of timber and…

In Exodus 36:8-38 we see a rather more successful building project get underway. The Israelites built the Tabernacle where God would dwell with them.…

ommissioning Oholiab and Bezalel to commence the construction task. We see God’s anointing and their commissioning for their role, and the generous freewill giving…

In Exodus 35, the narrative shifts from Moses receiving instructions from God on how to live in a way that pleases God (especially after…

Moses’ shining face reflected God’s glory to all of God’s People. But his glory caused fear for Israel when they gazed on Moses’ face.…

After seeing God’s glory, Moses was able to renew the covenant relationship with God. In this second chance, God makes quite clear yet again…

In the first nine verses of chapter 34, Moses encounters God’s glory in a way he never had before. We see the preparations for…

God’s declaration that he would not go to the Promised Land with his people, because their sinful nature might result in their destruction, led…

The Golden Calf incident resulted in a confrontation between God and the people over their grievous sin. It resulted in consequences for Israel. In…

put sin to death, and acknowledge that sin has consequences. Thankfully, God has placed the worst of those consequences on Christ, not on us.

o far in Exodus 32 we have seen the Israelites create and worship and idol, and Moses intercede on their behalf before God up…

Something was rotten at Mount Sinai. After forty days of waiting for Moses to reappear, the hard hearts of Israel had led them into…

Sin is impatience, disobedience, distrust, and corruption of the good. And we all do it. We might laugh at the absurdity of a people…

week to rest and worship God? Not surprisingly, bombarded with the world’s desire for constant go-go-go, we are tempted to view a faithful interpretation…

God blesses many of us with artistic ability, as one means in our lives by which we can glorify God. In Exodus, God calls…

While the priests were symbolically justified by the altar sacrifices, they still had to be cleansed to come into God’s presence. Also, they and…

The census was a useful tool in centuries past as well. In this passage, we see an example of a census taken of Israel’s…

While God does not have a literal nose and sense of smell like us, he does enjoy the fragrant smells of prayer lifted up…

In our passage this week we see the ongoing requirements that continued the ordination process, and were repeated whenever there was a new High…

Standing as their representatives before God, and serving in holy places, the priests needed to be properly ordained. In this passage we see the…

Throughout chapter 28 of Exodus, God has instructed Moses on the proper clothing fit for those serving in his house. In these final verses,…

How do we know God’s Will? Do we consult with a couple of people then go with our gut? Roll dice? Allow circumstances to…

Up until now the instructions given to Moses have focused on the construction of the tabernacle, its contents, and the surrounds. But houses do…

The area surrounding God’s tabernacle, his palace amongst his people, also made clear that you were not entering any ordinary household. The expansive, walled…

If God was going to dwell with his people, he needed a residence “fit for a king”. And so in Exodus 26, instructions are…

God gave Moses instructions for the construction of a lampstand for the tent. After all, it is difficult to serve God in the Tent…

Moses receives instructions to build a table, which will belong in the outer room of God’s tent. This table serves as the home for…

In the first verses of chapter 25, God instructed the people to provide materials for the building of God’s Tabernacle, his dwelling place with…

After freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and entering into a covenant relationship with them at Sinai, God begins to explain to Moses…

In this passage, the covenant ratification ceremony is completed by Israel’s representatives enjoying fellowship with God. Then, following their return down the mountain, Moses…

God had provided an historical context for their relationship, expressed his terms, and highlighted the benefits and curses of obedience (or not). All that…

Sometimes the Christian walk feels like a slog. You feel like you never get anywhere. Enemies without, and your own attitude and actions within,…

Not many of us are called to the mission field or the pastorate, but all of us are called to put God first. In…

True Justice and Mercy were goals of the Israelite system of justice as well. Both Justice and Mercy reflect God’s character, and should radiate…

True social justice is about protecting a just social order, based on a sacred order. God’s laws given to Israel were focused on precisely…

Because theft is a perpetual problem, in addition to laws which punished harm against people and sought to protect their essential dignity, the Law…

While some societies could be very cruel, God’s laws were not. In this passage, God addresses a variety of crimes of different severity, and…

In this section of Exodus, we are seeing practical advice from God on how to live in the ordinary. While some of it is…

After the people appointed Moses as their intermediary, God spoke to the people through Moses to remind them to worship him only. They had…

When Israel gathered at Sinai to hear God’s Law, they came to God’s presence, demonstrated to them by a booming voice, thunder and lightning,…

In this spirit of consumerism and desiring what others have that we do not, the Tenth Commandment hits like a hammer. Instead of sinfully…

We all lie, deceive, gossip and slander, and fail to stand up for the truth. The Ninth Commandment condemns us. Deceitful words destroy trust…

Since ultimately everything belongs to God and he dishes it out as he wills, God requires us to respect his division of material goods.…

While the world may not care about marital faithfulness, God does. The Seventh Commandment forbids all types of marital unfaithfulness, pointing to the ideal…

The Sixth Commandment does not just forbid murder, but all forms of unlawful killing. More than that, it forbids the attitude of hate which…

Whether we are facing a new year in these “unprecedented times,” or a new year in “precedented times”, it is still important to look…

Christmas reminds us that God does act to save and deliver his people, even when times seem desperate. While the initial context of Isaiah…

The Fifth Commandment serves as a bridge between the first four commandments, which deal with obligations to God, and the last five commandments, which…

In the Fourth Commandment, the importance of rest and worship is highlighted. God positively reminds us to set aside work and to rest -…

While we tend to think the Third Commandment forbids using God’s names as an expletive, the commandment covers more than that. It reminds us…

God is not local, and certainly cannot be controlled. He is not to be worshiped as we desire, but instead in the way he…

Idols are much broader than just (literal) religious figures, they are anything which takes the place of God as the highest priority in our…

The Ten Commandments are laws, yes, but they are so much more. They reveal the standard of morality God requires, and they reveal how…

God, the Israelites’ divine King, was coming to visit his people at Sinai. They needed to prepare themselves for his arrival, getting spiritually ready…

In this passage, God’s people arrive at Mount Sinai, where God will arrive in all his divine glory. There, the God who chose them…

Life is fleeting, all is "vanity" says the author of Ecclesiastes. But this is not an excuse to sit back and do nothing. Ash…

In Exodus, God is acting through Moses and Aaron to free his people from slavery in Egypt. In this passage, Moses and Aaron return…

In our last devotion, we saw God remind Moses of his nature as a promise-keeping God. In Exodus 7:1-7, God reconfirms to Moses his…

In Exodus 6, we are reminded of how God is trustworthy. God keeps his promises. Responding to the cries of Moses and the Israelites…

Moses’ return to Egypt had gone better than he anticipated, as the Elders and God’s people accepted his message and calling. But Pharaoh had…

In Exodus 4:18-31, we see Moses’ faithful response to God’s call in his return to Egypt to rescue God’s people. But before Moses can…

Despite the powerful signs God gave Moses to perform, he still shows extreme reluctance to return to Egypt. In Exodus 4:1-17, we see God…

Exodus 3 records the Call of Moses by God, as God appears to Moses at Mount Sinai at the Burning Bush. There Moses encounters…

In Exodus Chapter 2 we see God's deliverance, of us through Jesus Christ, foreshadowed in the beginning of God’s delivery of his people from…

The exploitation and enslavement of people, or opposition to progress and blessing, seems to occur quite often to God’s people. As God blesses his…

The beginning of the book of Exodus makes it very clear that God’s redemptive plan is continuing, and that Exodus continues that story. It…

Psalm 41 describes God’s attitude. God loves the poor, and he loves the righteous who love the poor. This psalm, the last in “Book…

Psalm 40 speaks very personally of the support that David received from God in his life. The first part of the psalm rejoices in…

In Psalm 39, King David, perhaps approaching older age, reflects on how short life is. Acknowledging his silent suffering, David speaks out in prayer,…

Psalm 38 is a song of lament for the suffering caused by sin. The psalmist, David, suffers under God’s discipline for his sins, affecting…

We live in a time in the Western World where it appears that the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. The vulnerable and oppressed…

The Bible teaches that fear of God is the true source of wisdom. In Psalm 36, King David picks up this theme and merges…

Psalm 35 once again cries out in lament at the unjust evils visited on God’s people. But it also encourages us to give thanks…

In Psalm 34. David encourages us to see God’s goodness to his people, and respond accordingly by blessing God, fearing God, and trusting God…

Psalm 33 calls us to praise God, our help and shield. As we celebrate Christmas this year, Psalm 33 reminds us to praise God…

Psalm 32 speaks of the free and rich grace of God to forgive us of our sin. The psalm speaks of the blessing of…

Psalm 31 expresses some of the meaning behind being truly, fully, reliant on God. Psalm 31, which again raises themes of lament and thanksgiving…

Psalm 30 is a song of thanksgiving for healing from illness. It separates neatly into two stanzas (or verses, if you will). The first…

Psalm 29 asserts that only God is truly powerful and reigns, using themes from the surrounding pagan nations and ascribing them not to their…

In Psalm 28 we read of a king crying out on behalf of his people for justice against enemies from within their own people.…

Psalm 27 expresses David’s confidence in God to deliver him from opposition. David expresses confidence in God, confidence in God’s presence in the sanctuary,…

Psalm 26 appears to be one of those songs sung as worshippers entered the Temple. In it, the psalmist declares their desire to worship…

Psalm 25 focuses on the importance of teaching, of learning to follow God’s ways. It is an acrostic psalm in Hebrew, focusing on a…

Psalm 24, a “temple entry” psalm, talks of the standard needed to meet the King of Glory. It teaches us that Christ as our…

David’s Psalm 23 is so appealing because we connect with the imagery of a shepherd taking care of his flock, even those of us…

The first part of Psalm 22 spoke of the suffering which Christ experienced on the Cross for our sins, from his perspective (as expressed…

Psalm 22 clearly divides into two parts. In the first twenty-one verses, King David cries for help and laments his present suffering, fulfilled most…

Psalm 21 expresses the praise of God’s people for their victory in God’s strength. God provides the requested help to their king (Psalm 20),…

Psalm 20 appears to be a psalm written for singing (in prayer) before battle by God’s people. The psalm splits into prayer before battle,…

Though the distance between God and us, the creature, is so great that we could never know of the blessings found in him unless…

In the second half of Psalm 18, King David heaps more praise on God. He offers praise for what God has done for him,…

Psalm 18, a Royal Psalm of David, celebrates the deliverance of God’s people from their enemies, inspired by David’s deliverance from his enemies (1…

Psalm 17 encourages us to find refuge in God. King David wrote this psalm to express his own need for refuge, and his trust…

Read Psalm 16 Summary Many of David’s psalms were written in response to events in his life. Psalm 16 is one of the exceptions,…

Psalm 15, a hymn sung as worshipers entered the temple grounds, also addresses this question, demonstrating that it is personal character which allows us…

The Bible considers the key sign of foolishness as someone who refuses to acknowledge God and worship him. Psalm 14 expands on this idea,…

Psalm 13 expresses this tension in a believer’s life, as King David feels neglected and distanced from God. Yet this psalm also expresses the…

Psalm 12 illustrates the cry and response of the faithful when surrounded by the faithless. Written by King David, it describes a time when…

Written by King David when his life fell apart (possibly Absalom’s rebellion – 2 Samuel 15-19), this psalm expresses confidence in God when everything…

Psalm 10 presents a lament at the wicked and their evil deeds, and asks God to intervene. It probably serves as a twin to…

Psalm 9 presents a song of praise to God, the divine King who rules and judges the whole world. Written by King David, it…

Psalm 8 gives praise to God for his majesty, reminds us of our comparative smallness, yet gives thanks to God that he has granted…

David also suffered misrepresentations and false accusations. While the situation which brought about Psalm 7 is not known to us, it is clear that…

Psalm 6, an individual song of lament intended for corporate singing, is one psalm which appears to confront the suffering experienced from our sin.…

In Psalm 5, another song of individual lament by David, we see this question answered. We can cry out to God in times of…

Psalm 4 is a song written in a time of distress, possibly similar in circumstances to Psalm 3. Psalm 4 expresses confidence in God,…

In Psalm 3, the first psalm explicitly attributed to King David, we see David cry out to God for help as he flees the…

Psalm 2 encourages us to give homage to King Jesus, God’s anointed ruler. Like Psalm 1, it serves as an introduction to the wider…

Perhaps you have heard of “two ways to live” which is an evangelistic tool for helping people understand their need for Christ. We either…

In Haggai 2:20-23, God sent one final message, promising once again to bless his people and glorify his name, with Zerubabbel as the ‘seal…

We have looked at Malachi’s final confrontation with God’s people in two parts. In the first part of this oracle from God, we saw…

Malachi moves on from a discussion of showing generosity to God, his ministers, and the poor with a final confrontation. In the first part…

One way in which the faithlessness of God’s people was clear in Malachi’s day was in their giving to God, which God firmly rebukes…

In Malachi’s fifth message (Malachi 2:17-3:5), God answers their complaint of a lack of justice by promising the sending of the Messiah. The Messiah…

One place justice was absent was in the marriages of Israel. In his fourth message, Malachi takes aim at the men of Israel (chapter…

In the third message of God to his people through Malachi, the corrupt practices of the priests are brought into focus. In verses 1…

God sent the prophet Malachi to encourage God’s people to renewed trust, repentance of their sins, and promising the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah.…

God sent a prophet, Malachi (whose name means “My Messenger”) to encourage God’s people to renewed trust, repentance of their sins, and promising the…

In Haggai 2:10-19, we see God address the sinfulness of his people. He reminds them of their sinfulness through an analogy, applies that analogy…

God spoke again to his people through Haggai (2:1-9), encouraging them to remain devoted to their God. God acknowledges their present situation, announces his…

The book of Haggai opens with a call to God’s people to reshape their priorities. They should reflect on their present barrenness, return their…

For thirteen chapters, the author of Hebrews has encouraged, warned, and exhorted us to persevere in the Christian faith. Jesus fulfils all God’s promises…

Last week we read of how the author of Hebrews encouraged us to bear Christ’s reproach and go to him “outside the camp,” focusing…

Life in this world is shifty, changing, and uncertain. Society’s views can change in a generation, leaders in an instant, lives upturn in a…

The author of Hebrews has written of how Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament types and prophecies. The author has warned us multiple…

We come once again to the Christmas season, when presents are swapped, barbecues and ovens fired up, and sunscreen liberally applied. Christmas is also…