respect ⁽²⁹⁾

Jeremiah 30:12–22; John 12:36–43; Psalm 105:1-11 (read online ⧉) The people of Israel were in turmoil. Their kings changed allegiances to the bigger powers on the world stage. They were in the middle of two warring empires. They were devastated by war and taxes. Today's…

2 Kings 17:34–41, Psalm 27 (read online ⧉) This passage in 2 Kings is a little odd. To make sense in English, fear is not used in a manner consistent with the Hebrew. In the opening (v34) and closing (v41) verses, fear is actually a…

1 Kings 10:23–24, Isaiah 60:1–6, Micah 4:1–5, Matthew 2:1–12, Revelation 21:22–24 (read online ⧉) People approaching another country’s king with respect, almost as a pilgrimage, was not uncommon. We read the passages and often are lacking the context that kingdoms would often send delegations to…

Genesis 37:3–11, 1 Samuel 16:1–13, 1 Samuel 17:12–29, Proverbs 14:30 Unrighteous jealousy is very much a human feeling. Joseph’s brothers were, without question, jealous of Joseph. Their father was—in many respects—the initiator of their jealousy, for he treated Joseph differently than them. He even had…

1 Samuel 2:12–17, 1 Samuel 2:22–36, Matthew 10:16–23, Ephesians 6:10–20 Who or what are the dark powers that Paul talks about in Ephesians? Perhaps they are the family members that oppose believers. Perhaps they are the family members the “dress up” in righteous clothing and…