Posts

Week 11: Judges 14- 1 Samuel 11

-
Image
  Reflection: This week, we journey through three significant books—Judges, Ruth, and 1 Samuel—that reveal the ongoing tension between human failure and God’s faithful promises. Judges ends on a somber note, declaring, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). This highlights the moral and spiritual chaos of the time, where the people repeatedly turned from God’s ways. In contrast, the book of Ruth provides a more hopeful glimpse amidst this apostasy. During the same period of the judges, Elimelech, in a moment of faithlessness, leaves the land of Promise to seek refuge in Moab—an enemy nation. Worse still, his sons marry Moabite women in direct violation of God's command (Deut. 23:3-6). Yet, even in their disobedience, God remains faithful to His covenant. From Ruth, a Moabite widow, comes a son named Obed, who would be the grandfather of David, Israel’s great king. This royal line, established through God’s providence...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 10: Joshua 15-Judges 13

-
Image
Reflection: The bookends of Joshua reveal the theme of God's glory being magnified through the obedience of His people. In the opening chapters, Israel enters the promised land and experiences victory, not by military might but by trusting in the word of the Lord and following His commands. The conclusion of Joshua sees the people renewing their covenant with God, pledging to serve Him alone. However, much like Adam and Eve who failed to maintain their state in the garden, Israel too falters. The book of Judges quickly reveals Israel's failure to fully conquer the land as commanded and their rapid descent into doing what was "right in their own eyes" after Joshua’s death. Joshua 15-18: The Allotment of the Land. Matthew Henry once said of this part of Joshua, “We are not to skip over these chapters of hard names as useless and not to be regarded; for where God has a mouth to speak and a hand to write we should find an ear to hear and an eye to read; and God will give ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 9: Deuteronomy 27-Joshua 14

-
Image
  Reflection: Deuteronomy concludes with Moses’ final exhortation, urging the Israelites to "Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life" (32:46-47a). As they prepare to enter the Promised Land, a steadfast devotion to the Lord and His commands is to shape their lives and actions. As we transition into the book of Joshua, the narrative shifts into a new chapter for God’s people in the land, and the central question remains: Will the people of God remain faithful and obedient to all that the Lord has commanded? This question calls us to reflect on our own faithfulness and commitment to God’s Word as we live in the fullness of His promises through Christ. Deuteronomy 27-29: Curses and Blessings. Moses sets before the Israelites the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience, symbolized by the two mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 8: Deuteronomy 4-26

-
Image
  Reflection: Moses’ sermons in Deuteronomy do more than simply restate the law and the covenant stipulations. They also serve to expound upon the Ten Commandments, offering deeper insight into each one. Below is a chart that shows how the chapters in Deuteronomy correspond to each of the Ten Commandments, helping us understand how the principles laid out in the law are further applied and explained throughout Moses's final addresses to the people. Source: God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment , pg 128 Deuteronomy 4-7: God Alone. John Calvin once noted that our hearts are "idol factories," constantly prone to replacing God with lesser things. As the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land, their greatest danger wasn’t external threats like famine, disease, or foreign enemies—it was the internal temptation to worship idols. Moses reminds the people that God is "a jealous God" (4:24) and that the miracles and signs they witnessed were meant to revea...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 7: Numbers 17-Deuteronomy 3

-
Image
  Reflection: When the people of Israel leave Egypt, they number around 600,000 ( Ex 12:37 ). At the opening of the book of Numbers, we read of the first census (Num 1). The total numbered 603,550. A second census is conducted after the rebellious first had passed away and that total was fewer than the first, 601,730. It is interesting that between the Exodus and the second census, we read of rebellion and the death of many Israelites. However, after the second census, there are no records of any Israelites dying. The people even go to war against the five kings of Midian with only 12,000 and, yet, when they "counted the men of war...not a man [was] missing" ( Num 31:49 ). What a beautiful picture of how God will bring all of His people to the promised land of rest, not one will be lost. Numbers 17-20: Buds, Provision, and Breaking Rocks. The Lord demonstrates His ability to provide despite the grumbling of the people. The people realize their predicament and anxiously cry ...
Post a Comment
Read more