“Who knows, God may turn and relent, and turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.” Jonah 3:9 NASB Who knows? – Nineveh is a problem. Not because it was an evil city that needed to be eradicated. Not because Jonah resisted announcing God’s intention. No, Nineveh is a problem because of…
This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: Psalm 102:18 NASB To come – The psalms were written thousands of years ago. They reflect a political kingdom culture, a Semitic people, a nomadic cult; in a word, a world totally unlike ours. Yet we read them today…
You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance. Psalm 66:12 NASB Place of abundance – What do you really want out of life? Peace? Prosperity? Security? Companionship? Love? What will you really get? Oh, that one’s easy. Death. All the rest is sort of up…
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 NASB Who made – Yesterday we discovered that God’s sovereign choice to create anything at all implies His ultimate concern and involvement with creation, and as such, creation is the continual unfolding of the purposes…
He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name. Psalm 111:9 NASB Forever – How long is forever? Ah, that might seem like a strange question, but the term lʿôlām doesn’t always mean what we think of as forever. Note two explanations: Forever does not always mean…
You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5 NASB Behind and before– What does it feel like to have God’s hand heavy upon you? Does it feel comfortable? Gracious? Or do you feel as if you can’t move? Pressed? Coerced? Curbed? In this verse, the emphasis comes first, and in this…
“Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” Jonah 3:9 NASB Who knows– This tiny phrase, uttered by the king of Nineveh, contains the full depth of the world’s desperation. mî yôdea—who knows? Zornberg summarizes the implications for humanity: “In a world where God hides His face,…
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NASB Causes – “God is the God of the entire cosmos; God has to do with every creature, and every creature has to do with God, whether they recognize it…
Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the]Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat. 2 Chronicles 20:1 NASB Now it came about – Once again we encounter our neon sign. Vayhi—and it came about. It signals that the apparently accidental occurrence has…
“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NASB Know – Why don’t we dig a little deeper here? Let’s take a bit longer today to examine most of this verse. It starts…
