Israel – Page 7 – The Nexus

Digging in Deeper: Isaiah 30:26

April 18, 2018April 17, 2018Leave a comment

“Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Have you experienced the “blow” of the Lord? Israel was a stubborn group. They had the Law from Moses and an overwhelming amount of evidence to support the wisdom of following that particular path as the only way to life and flourishing, but still, they constantly looked at the nations around them with envy in their hearts. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Genesis 33:4

March 30, 2018March 29, 2018Leave a comment

“But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

One of the interesting things about this story is that while it appears that Esau forgives Jacob, the rest of the history of the relationship between the descendants of the brothers (the nations of Israel and Edom) reveals that it either didn’t really take, was only skin deep, or more likely that the two had already passed enough bitterness toward each other along to their children that the well was poisoned. Israel and Edom were bitter enemies and the latter was usually the aggressor. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Malachi 1:8

March 2, 2018March 1, 2018Leave a comment

“When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Malachi was the last prophet of the people of Israel until John the Baptist arrived on the scene to introduce people to Jesus some 400 years later. In other words, he was the last word the people had from God for 400 years. Ancient though he may be, his words could have been written yesterday they are so relevant to issues we are still facing today. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Ezekiel 9:9

January 17, 2018January 15, 2018Leave a comment

“Then he said to me, ‘The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For they say, “The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see.”‘” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Ezekiel was prophesying during a hard season in the life of the people of Israel. The good and faithful King Josiah had instituted incredible moral and spiritual reforms among the people. But after his death, the people went right back to the paganism they had pursued before him. This proved to be the final straw. God sent Babylon to enact His judgment against the people. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Isaiah 45:4-6

October 20, 2017October 18, 2017Leave a comment

“For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

These verses and the few on either side comprise God’s message from Isaiah to the Persian Emperor, Cyrus the Great. It is a remarkable bit of Scripture for two reasons. Read the rest…