Today’s Bible reading* ends with a very sad epitaph for Saul, Israel’s first king. You may remember a few days ago when we looked at the people’s demands that Samuel give them a king so they could be like all of the surrounding nations. You may also remember a few days later when we read…
Today’s Bible reading* is a collection of songs from the book of Psalms asking for God’s protection and rescue. The book of Psalms itself is a collection of songs, mostly by David. The word Psalm means to pluck, so David wrote these songs to be accompanied by a harp or lyre. The Psalms vary in…
We begin to read about the prophet Samuel in today’s Bible reading*. Samuel was a very special man in the life of Israel. We learn today that he was a miracle baby to his mother who was barren until his birth. His mother Hannah dedicated him to God as a child and he was raised…
For most of us who have been around church for very long, we’re familiar with the story of the strongman Samson. His story is part of today’s Bible reading*. As I pointed out yesterday, Samson’s mother took a Nazarite Vow for herself and her yet-to-be-born son. The Nazarite Vow (Numbers 6) required total abstinence from…
One of the most common mental images of a Biblical woman is that of Proverbs 31. Proverbs 31 describes a woman who takes care of her husband and family while also earning a living in the marketplace. In today’s Bible reading* we see another picture of a Biblical woman. Deborah and Jael are mentioned in…
Today’s Bible reading* assures us that God is true to His promises. So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side according to all he had sworn to their ancestors. None of…
