After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, the first activity of the returnees to Jerusalem was to rebuild the altar of burnt offering: “And they set up the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening burnt offerings” (Ezra 3:3). This fact is remarkable…
In their carnal mindset, the Corinthians had caused factions and divisions in the local church in Corinth. Characterized by envy and strife, they had misused some servants in the Lord’s work for their own purposes. Some made Paul, others Apollos or Cephas (Peter), and the very devout even made the Lord Jesus Himself their party…
Question: In Matthew 27:52, 53, it is said that when the Lord Jesus died on the cross, many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and that after His resurrection, those who had been raised went into the holy city and appeared to many there. How is the fact of the resurrection…
The 53rd chapter of the prophet Isaiah paints a striking picture of our Lord as the suffering servant who was despised and forsaken by men and who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Peter reminds us that the prophets spoke not only of the glories of the Messiah in His kingdom but…
“Coincidence” – a term that you would not expect to find in the Bible. When reading this incident, one gets the impression that the Holy Spirit is practically writing “from a human perspective”: it really does seem to be a coincidence that Ruth gleaned in Boaz’s field out of all the fields of Bethlehem. Ruth…
The servant carries out the master’s will. The servant doesn’t tell the master what to do. The servant does not choose which tasks to perform for the master, nor does the servant suggest days or times when it would be convenient to serve the master. The servant’s function is to follow instructions. The master, on…
In the first eight verses of Revelation, we have some introductory thoughts, before John sees the vision of the Lord’s judicial glory and the future. In these verses, 7 titles of the Lord Jesus are given to us. When John begins to mention the titles of the Lord Jesus in verse 5, it immediately…
The minor prophets worked in the divided kingdom of Israel, mainly in the two-tribe kingdom of Judah but also partly in the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Both kingdoms fell one after the other as a result of God’s judgment: they were conquered, and their populations were taken abroad. Later, parts of the tribes of…
There are those who feel that they must be constantly laboring for the Lord in order to meet God’s high standards. Jesus gave a clear picture of what our relationship to Him ought to be like. He is the vine, the source of our life. We are the branches, the place where fruit is produced….
As a Christian you are obliged to view your actions in light of how they will affect other Christians. You will discover God’s will for your life when you consider His activity in the lives of others. This goes contrary to worldly thinking. The world encourages you to live your own life, taking care of…
An unimaginable scene: Jairus, whose heart is full of anguish for his daughter’s life as he pleads with the Lord to come to his home, has just received the news that she has died. The situation is so hopeless that he is told that Jesus’ help is no longer needed. The Lord sees how the…
The chapters 23 and 24 of the Book of Joshua give us the record of the final address of an aged servant of the Lord just before he leaves this scene. It’s a touching appeal addressed to God’s earthly people of old and is, at the same time, a challenge to all of us who…
What can we learn from the brooding prophet Habakkuk? What do the “mysterious” visions of Zechariah mean? Does a man like Obadiah have a message for us when he announces judgment on Edom? – The so-called minor prophets offer a wide, interesting but also difficult range of topics. For this reason, we would like to…
The last section of Hebrews 11, which gives us examples of the practical life of faith, contains three very motivating lists. 1. Hebrews 11:32: The author lists some people from the Old Testament who we might not necessarily have included in the hall of fame of heroes of faith: Gideon is characterized more by fear…
The Lord Jesus and His disciples spent several years of their lives together. The disciples were not always able to follow the Lord Jesus not only outwardly but also “inwardly” and to have real, understanding fellowship with Him. Often, their participation in His life and His suffering seems to be only external; sometimes, it is…
“I could have saved myself the trouble. Completely in vain!” The Christian watched sadly as a woman handled the tract he had just handed her. She said in horror: “Completely worthless to me,” and threw it away in disgust. There it lay, in the dirt of the street. Dejected, the distributor went home. But had…
In this impressive promise from God to Elijah we could emphasize different aspects, and we would certainly like to emphasize the ravens. We marvel at the sovereignty and omnipotence of God, who uses what we see as unsuitable instruments to provide for His servant. This required faith on Elijah’s part. Could his faith be based…
Our world promotes dissatisfaction with our lives. We are constantly bombarded with newer and better things that will make our lives more complete if only we would obtain them! If we listen to the world, we will always be comparing the lifestyles and possessions of others with our own, and we will always be dissatisfied….
The Christian life is a pilgrimage. At times the road is difficult, and we get lonely. Sometimes we may become discouraged and consider abandoning the journey. It is at such times that God will place a friend alongside us. One of God’s most precious gifts to us is friends who encourage us and lovingly challenge…
Although it was motivated by a desire to mock the accused who had been before him and to antagonize His accusers, Pilate’s designation of the Lord Jesus as the King of the Jews (John 19:19) was accurate, as the Lord Himself had confirmed earlier (Luke 23:3; see also Matt. 2:2). He was of the royal…