March 3, 2020. Welcome back to the New Year, New Creation series where we are exploring the biblical picture of the Christian hope and ultimate destiny. If you have missed part 1, part 2 or part 3 of this series, I encourage you to go back through and read them as they present the main…
Tag: restoration
New Year, New Creation Pt. 3: Resurrection
February 14, 2020. Welcome back to the New Year, New Creation series. Although this is not the final post I have planned, I do think this one is the most important in terms of theology as it is about the central tenet of the Christian faith. So, if you don’t read any other posts in…
New Year, New Creation Pt. 2: God cares about creation.
January 26, 2020 Welcome back to the New Year, New Creation series where we are exploring the biblical picture of the age to come. If you missed part 1 of the series, click here! Today we are going to set a little more of the Old Testament (and New) context for the relationship God has…
Zephaniah 1-3: Judgment and restoration.
November 27, 2015. Daily Reading: Zephaniah 1-3. Background: Zephaniah’s ministry was during the reign of King Josiah in Jerusalem which lasted from 641-610 B.C. This date would make Zephaniah a contemporary of Jeremiah and probably a very influential prophet for King Josiah’s religious reform. Zephaniah’s message is a oracle of judgment against Judah and the…
Psalm 126-128: Blessings.
November 24, 2015. Note I am switching today’s and tomorrow’s reading because of time constraints. Thank you for understanding. _________________________________________________ Daily Reading: Psalm 126-128. Background: Psalm 123-125. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 126 Restoration: Another psalm in the series of the songs of ascents (see psalm 120), this song was likely written after the end of the…
James 4-5: Drawing near to God.
November 8, 2015. Daily Reading: James 4-5. Background: James 1-3. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 4 Drawing near to God: In this chapter James deals with the ever present threat of worldliness, offering practical wisdom to fight against the desires of the flesh. Notice how James doesn’t lay the blame on worldliness, however, but rather on…
Micah 1-7: Judgment and restoration.
November 6, 2015. Daily Reading: Micah 1-7. Background: The book of Micah is the sixth of the twelve minor prophets in Hebrew scripture and contains the word of the Lord delivered through the prophet Micah in the 8th century BC. A contemporary of Isaiah, Amos and Hosea, Miach’s ministry spanned from approximately 737–696 BC in the land…
Amos 5-9: Woe to those who are at ease in Zion.
October 16, 2015. Daily Reading: Amos 5-9. Background: Amos 1-4. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 5 1. Seek the Lord and live: Though the Lord is in the middle of rebuke and Amos’ message has been one of destruction, an ever present characteristic of God is found here as He offers reconciliation to His people. Though…
Leviticus 25-27: Jubilee, warning and vows.
August 31, 2015. Daily Reading: Leviticus 25-27. Background: Leviticus 22-24. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 25 The Sabbath year and the year of Jubilee: This chapter details two years in which the children of Israel were to neither sow their fields or prune their vineyards. The first was the Sabbath year, which occurred every seventh year,…
Ezekiel 31-36: Prophecies against the nations, and Israel’s renewal.
August 14, 2015. Daily Reading: Ezekiel 31-36. Background: Ezekiel 25-30. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 31 Prophecy against Pharaoh: In this chapter, the word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel to give to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, on the things that will happen to him. Though the prophecy is directed towards Pharaoh, the oracle uses the…
Psalm 78-80: Learning from the past and pleading for deliverance.
July 8, 2015. Daily Reading: Psalm 78-80. Background: Psalm 75-77. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 78 Learning from the past: Psalm 78, of Asaph, is a psalm of remembrance and teaching of things that had transpired throughout Israel’s history that they should look to an learn from. History was often passed down through oral tradition, and…
Jeremiah 32-36: Problems in Judah.
May 15, 2015. Daily Reading: Jeremiah 32-36. Background: Jeremiah 27-31. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 32 Jeremiah buys a field: As we begin this chapter, we find Jeremiah imprisoned by the court guard because of the negative prophecies he has made against Judah and King Zedekiah. Though the word was from the Lord, the king and the…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 