“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:9 Keeper – “It’s his problem.” “I can’t be responsible for everything!” “He’s just got to grow up.” Have you ever heard yourself saying something like this? In a world system that emphasizes the individual, we often defer involvement, feeling as though the best we can do is make…
“And it shall come to pass that whoever shall call on the name YHWH shall be saved; . . “ Joel 2:32 Saved – Have you ever heard this verse in an evangelistic crusade?If you knew that the Hebrew verb didn’t mean “saved” from eternal damnation, would you be surprised?Would it drive you back to…
and Hevel became a keeper of sheep, but Qayin became a tiller of the ground. Genesis 4:2 Keeper/Tiller – Do you think we will ever be finished with Genesis? Each time we look there is more to see. Take this apparently innocuous verse. It doesn’t seem to have much theological importance, does it? But maybe…
Those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron; Psalm 107:10 Shadow of Death – The seventeen occurrences of the Hebrew word salmawet are found only in five books of the Bible: Job, Psalms, Isaiah (once), Jeremiah (twice) and Amos (once). Clearly the word is at home in…
He satisfies the thirsty soul and He fills the hungry soul with good. Psalm 107:9 With Good – Did you expect that? Wouldn’t we expect the psalmist to say, “He fills the hungry soul with food?” After all, isn’t this verse about what we need to survive? The Hebrew mi le-tov is literally “He satisfies…
you therefore who teach another, do you not teach yourself? Romans 2:21 You – Do you know what a “straw man” is? Sure you do. It isn’t the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. It’s a fictitious person in an argument; someone that embodies the views of the opponent so we are able to conduct…
and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: Galatians 1:2 Churches – When you read the Bible, do you pay attention to the proper context, culture and historical circumstances behind the text? Or do you read the Bible as if it was written for you yesterday? This is not a…
and He said to them, “Follow me, . . .” Matthew 4:19 Follow – Although this passage about fishers of men is used frequently, it contains a few gems that aren’t usually uncovered. A closer look reveals God’s evangelism games. First, the Greek verb used here is really two words, deute opiso. Literally, this means…
For in the day of evil He hides me in His booth; in the covering of His tent He hides me; Psalm 27:5 Booth – The Hebrew word, sok, is the basic word behind the Feast of Sukkoth. This is the feast of the harvest, celebrated in the Fall, the fifteenth day of the seventh…
For in the day of evil He hides me in His booth; in the covering of His tent He hides me; Psalm 27:5 Hides – Have you ever wanted to run and hide? When you were a child, it was a game. Now it’s real. Sometimes the world just comes unleashed, shows up at your…
