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…
Twice in today’s Bible reading* we see people making vows to God. The first is a judge named Jephthah. Although human sacrifice was strictly forbidden to God’s people he made a vow that if God would deliver the Ammonites to him, he promised to sacrifice the first person that went through the doorway when he…
Today’s Bible reading* is a familiar passage to many of us who have been around church for a while. Gideon, with his small army of three hundred unarmed men, defeated the Midianites. Why do I say that Gideon’s army was unarmed? Look at Judges 7:20. The three companies blew their ram’s horns and shattered their…
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…
In today’s Bible reading* Joshua challenges God’s covenant people to keep the covenant, to never turn away from God, to reject the gods of the other nations, and to worship the Lord. The people replied, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.” (Joshua 24:24 CSB) Now, this might sound like yet another mere verbal…
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…
