Righteousness – Page 18

Digging in Deeper: Joshua 7:1

July 13, 2018July 12, 2018Leave a comment

“But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

The story of Achan is an interesting and sad one. The people were coming off a major victory. Their first stop on their tour through the land of Canaan had ended with them sacking a significant military outpost in the city of Jericho. The city was famous for its incredibly high and thick walls. The walls were so massive that archaeologists today can see in the various layers of rubble around the city where this battle took place. So, the people are high on a sweet victory, but then things take a turn for the sour. What happened? Read the rest…

Morning Musing: Judges 21:6-7

July 13, 2018July 12, 2018Leave a comment

“And the people of Israel had compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, ‘One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?'” (ESV – Read the chapter)

You would think that here at the end of the book we would get some kind of a happy ending. And as this chapter starts, it looks like we might. The people collectively realize what they have done in nearly completely eliminating the tribe of Benjamin by civil war. They also consider the gravity of having sworn an oath to the Lord together that they would not give their daughters as wives to the surviving men, thereby guaranteeing their eventually disappearance. It leaves the reader finally cheering a bit: “Here, now they will finally turn back to the Lord and get back on the right track.” But, that’s not the kind of book this is. Read the rest…

Morning Musing: Revelation 22:12 Part 2

May 14, 2018May 16, 2018Leave a comment

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Friday morning I started a conversation with you about two important things that we’ve got to understand in what Jesus says here. The first thing is that we are going to be judged someday and so need to be living like it now. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Joshua 7:7, 10

May 11, 2018May 7, 2018Leave a comment

“And Joshua said, ‘Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we have been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! . . .The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?'” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Joshua was devastated and dismayed. He had put his entire being on the line before the people that God was leading them to occupy this land and drive out its inhabitants entirely. They had crossed the Jordan on dry ground. They had conquered Jericho with its impregnable walls. There was nothing that could stand in their way for the Lord was obviously with them. And then they got beat by Ai. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Psalm 34:19

May 9, 2018May 11, 2018Leave a comment

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Isn’t this a nice verse of deliverance? God delivers us from all of our afflictions. What great comfort this offers us when we are low. God won’t leave you on the ground when you are down. That could almost go on a bumper sticker. My take? If that’s how you are reacting to this verse, you might want to take a second look…and this time, take a minute to actually read it. Read the rest…