Latest Commentaries

Joshua 11:1-5 records how the king of Hazor heard about Israel's victory in the south. He builds a massive coalition with the northern Canaanite armies to fight against her.

1 Corinthians 15:5-8 shows that after resurrecting to life, Jesus appeared to and interacted with Peter and the other 12 apostles, as well as five hundred other believers (most of whom are still alive as of Paul's writing of this letter), and His brother James, then to many others who had followed Him. Lastly Jesus appeared to Paul, who was persecuting the church, trying to destroy all believers in Jesus. But Paul, seeing Jesus, believed, and became a preacher of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14 addresses a false teaching in the Corinthian church. Paul has established the foundational importance of their faith, of the existence of the Corinthian church, being founded on belief that Jesus rose from the dead. That being the case, why then is there a false teaching circulating the Corinthian church that claims that believers will not also rise from the dead in the future, as promised? If there is no resurrection of the dead, as the false teachers claim, then Jesus was not raised from the dead. If Jesus was not raised and is still dead, then Paul has preached nonsense to no purpose. Which means the Corinthians' faith and church assembly is pointless.

1 Corinthians 15:9-11 records Paul's self-reflection on how God's grace saved him. He did not deserve to be called to be an apostle of God. He had persecuted the church, intending to kill all believers in Jesus. Jesus appeared to him and He reversed the course of his life. Paul believed in Jesus, an enemy of Christ no longer. It was God's favor and compassion on Paul that saved him. So Paul works as hard as he can, or rather, God's grace works through Paul, so that he can serve God and do the works God has called him to; namely, to preach the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 reiterates the gospel message, the most important and central belief that Paul and the Corinthians share. Jesus is the Messiah, He died for the sins of humankind, His dead body was buried, and then God raised Him back to life. All of this was prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures. God promised that these things would happen, and now they have. This faith in Jesus's death and resurrection is what we build our lives on.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 urges the Corinthians to remember the gospel message Paul taught to them. They believed it, they are Paul's brothers and sisters in Christ, but they need to also live it out daily to be saved from the power of sin. We have believed in Christ to no useful end in our daily lives if we don't also live out our faith, living in God's power apart from sin's power.

1 Chronicles 4:1-10 illustrates the deep lineage of Judah and emphasize that a heartfelt appeal to God, like Jabez's prayer, can culminate in divine blessing.

Isaiah 40:9-11 calls Jerusalem to boldly announce that God is coming with power to rule and reward. Yet He will also care tenderly for His people like a shepherd who gathers lambs in His arms and gently leads the weak.

Isaiah 40:6-8 contrasts the frailty of humanity with the eternal existence of God's word. People and their glory fade like grass and flowers, but what God has spoken stands forever. All that God promises will come to pass.

Isaiah 40:3-5 announces that a way must be prepared for the LORD, with every obstacle removed before His coming. This prophesies John the Baptizer, who prepared the way for Jesus. God proclaims that when He appears, His glory will be revealed for all humanity to see, fulfilling His spoken promise. This looks forward to Jesus.

Isaiah 40:1-2 announces comfort for Jerusalem because her time of discipline is ending and her guilt has been paid for. Her time of servitude in payment for her violation of the covenant will conclude. God commands His messengers to speak tenderly to His people and proclaim that restoration is coming.

1 Chronicles 3:10-24 outlines the unbroken Davidic line from Solomon through the Babylonian exile and into the returned community, showcasing God's enduring faithfulness to His covenant people.

2 Chronicles 3:1-9 shows David's growing family in Hebron and Jerusalem, revealing both God's faithfulness and humankind's propensity for conflict, yet through it all God preserves the line through which the Messiah will come.

Peter’s Confession: In Caesarea Philippi, Jesus initiates an important conversation with His disciples. He questions them about the Son of Man and His identity. In response, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ.

Job 40:15-24 details the Behemoth, an animal that lives by the river. God uses the Behemoth to illustrate to Job that even a fellow creature is more powerful than Job. Behemoth eats grass like a cow, and yet he is so strong his tail is like a cedar tree and his bones are like metal. He is the mightiest of creatures. He lays about in the swamps and does not mind if the river floods near him. Nothing frightens him. No man can capture him or put a leash on him.

Job 40:6-14 contains God’s continued chastisement of Job. The LORD tells Job to prepare himself for more instruction. He makes Job an offer; if Job can teach God, or justify himself, then God will praise him. If Job can give himself majesty, if he can humble the proud and stop all evildoing on earth, then God will acknowledge Job’s equality with God. But, of course, Job is a mere man. He cannot do any of this.

Job 40:1-5: God invites Job to speak, to show Him what knowledge or action He lacks. Job answers appropriately, “I can’t talk back to you. I’m nothing. I’ll be quiet.”

Ezekiel 37:26-28 shows that God will make a covenant of peace with His people which will last forever. He will dwell among His people forever. His people will prosper and grow. The whole world will know that God dwells with Israel. This prophecy points forward to when Jesus, the Son of God and heir of David, will rule the earth from Jerusalem in perfect righteous.

Ezekiel 37:24-25 shows God’s promise to establish a Davidic king who will rule over all of Israel when they have been restored to their land. They will live there forever and their Davidic king will be their king forever. They will never be removed from the land again.

Ezekiel 37:20-23 demonstrates God's promise to bring the scattered Jewish people back to the Promised Land. The people of Israel in the northern kingdom were exiled after Assyria conquered them. The people of Judah in the southern kingdom were exiled after Babylon conquered them. But God explains that He will make them one nation in the land again, with one king. In that time, they will no longer worship idols, but will be delivered from sin and cleansed of sin by God. They will be His people.