“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
“Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth…” John 1:45.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
“…It is the work of every one to whom the message of warning has come, to lift up Jesus, to present Him to the world as revealed in types, as shadowed in symbols, as manifested in the revelations of the prophets, as unveiled in the…
“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.” Psalm 51:2, 3
“Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart.” Psalm 119:2.
And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark 10:52
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My…
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” Ephesians 4:15.
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” 2 Corinthians 9:6.
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16.
“Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.” Jeremiah 7:23.
The early Christian church battled many headwinds, including the pagan religions that controlled the masses. To this point, Paul urged the saints of Ephesus to embrace a simple and direct faith in Christ. His message was in stark contrast to the fearmongering gods of the day, gods who decreed predetermined futures for their subjects, regardless of their…
Scripture: Ephesians 1:9-10 How can the message of Ephesians be summarized? From prison, Paul sets forth a vision of God’s Christ-centered plan for the fullness of time and the church’s role in it.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:3 What does it mean to you that through Christ’s atoning sacrifice you are forgiven and redeemed? What if you feel that you are unworthy of it? (Hint: you are unworthy; that’s the whole point of the cross.)
Scripture: Ephesians 1:19-20 Why is it important always to thank God in prayer for what you have to be thankful for?
Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-5 Who hasn’t experienced just how corrupted our own nature is, even after we have given ourselves to Jesus? What should this teach us about how important it is that we cling to Him every moment of our lives?
Scripture: Ephesians 2:13-14 How might your church play a positive role in actualizing the unifying work Christ already has accomplished on the cross? How might you participate in that work?
Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21 How can we learn to trust God and His ways amid what can be very trying circumstances?
Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12 Paul’s picture of a healthy, unified body helps us understand God’s goal for us: to be parts of a fruitful church united in Christ.
Scripture: Ephesians 4:22-24 Think about the power of your words. How can you use them to be uplifting, encouraging, and faith-building?
Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-17 What are some of the “empty words” that in our day and age we need to be wary of? What strategies might believers today employ to “discern what is pleasing to the Lord”
Scripture: Ephesians 5:25-27 Paul cites the example of Jesus to both wives and husbands. What can you learn from Jesus about loving those in your own family circle?
Scripture: Ephesians 6:9 Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ
Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-11 What should Paul's warning that we fight not against flesh and blood but against supernatural enemies teach us about where our only hope of victory is?
Scripture: Ephesians 6:16-17 In what ways can we, as a corporate body, work together in the great controversy, in order to help each other in our struggles against evil, in whatever form it comes?
Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10 What important truths embedded in Ephesians should continue to shape our lives as believers?
We love our time together to pray, think, share, and discuss. But we long to go beyond this and actually do something for and with those around us. We want to make a difference in our communities and around the world. We want the work to be finished, and we want Jesus to return. This quarter’s Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide is designed to focus…
Scripture: Genesis 3:9 What are ways that you experience God’s presence in your life?
Scripture: Matthew 28:19 God has chosen to manifest Himself to us in such a way that we can understand His nature and purpose.
Scripture: Acts 1:8 How would you define the word “mission” as you apply it to your own life? In what ways could you, daily, express mission in your attitude and behavior? How can you be more mission minded in your day-by-day tasks?
Scripture: John 13:34-35 How can praying for others in need help us grow spiritually and experience more the reality of God’s love for sinners?
Scripture: Isaiah 6:8 Winning souls is hard, too hard for humans to do on their own. How can we learn, instead, to let God win souls, but through us and our life and witness?
Scripture: Luke 24:44 What are some of the experiences you have had with the reality of God and His love? Why are these times so precious to you, and how do they motivate you to reach out to others with the good news?
How can we learn to distinguish between working for salvation, which is a fatal mistake, and revealing in our lives the salvation that we already have in Jesus?
Scripture: Matthew 25:40 Whatever the situation, we are called to be God’s helpers for all people in need, regardless of their background. Whatever the needs are, we must be ready to do what we can to help. This is a central part of what…
Scripture: Matthew 16:26 Why must we be careful of the trap of thinking that because “we have the truth”, then the knowledge of this truth alone is enough to save us? How many souls will be lost who had more than enough knowledge, even…
Scripture: Acts 17:24 What bridges and points of contact can you think of that would open opportunities for deeper conversation with others with whom you come in contact?
Scripture: Matthew 15:28 What is the difference between faith and belief? Why might people who have the correct belief be found void of faith when Christ returns?
Scripture: Isaiah 49:6 In its own unique way, this story shows how God’s people, even in foreign environments, can witness for truth. What are some of the challenges to your faith that you face in your own culture? How do you respond to…
Scripture: 2 Peter 3:11-12 In this quarter’s final lesson, we will see that Revelation is a missionary book focused on a missionary God who is calling us to be a missionary church.
The Psalms: Where God and People Meet Heart to Heart
Scripture: Luke 24:44-45 The Psalms are inspired prayers and praises of Israel, and so in the Psalms the voice is that of God intermingled with that of His people.
Scripture: Luke 11:1 This week we will look at the role the Psalms played in helping God’s people traverse their life journey and grow in their relationship with God.
Scripture: Psalm 34:17 God has both the perfect knowledge of us and of our circumstances, and also the means to help us. Therefore, His promises of help and deliverance are not shallow platitudes but firm assurances.
Scripture: Psalm 34:17 We should remember that the proper response to the Lord’s nearness consists in a life of faith in Him, and of obedience to His commandments.
Scripture: Psalm 137:4 As we already have seen, the psalmists acknowledge God’s sovereign rule and power, as well as His righteous judgments.
Scripture: Psalm 12:5 The Lord is longsuffering and holds His wrath in His great forbearance, not wanting anyone to perish but to repent and change their ways (2 Pet. 3:9–15).
Scripture: Psalm 57:9-10 God’s people take comfort in the fact that the Lord is faithful to His covenant.
Scripture: Psalm 90:12 Wisdom for righteous living is gained through the dynamics of life with God amid temptations and challenges.
Scripture: Psalm 118:22-23 In all the Psalms, through the psalmists’ laments, thanksgivings, praises, and cries for justice and deliverance, we can hear the echoes of Christ’s prayer for the salvation of the world.
Scripture: Psalm 78:3-4 Each generation of God’s people plays a small but significant part in the grand historical unfolding of God’s sovereign purposes in the great controversy.
Scripture: Psalm 84:2 The blessings of Zion overflow to the ends of the earth because the Lord’s person and grace exceed the boundaries of any holy place. Zion is the joy of all the earth (Ps. 48:2), affirming that the whole earth…
Scripture: Psalm 104:33 The Lord’s people are identified with the righteous, who worship the Lord and whose hope is in Him and in His love.
Scripture: Psalm 27:14 If there is a final word that we can draw from the Psalms, it should be “wait on the Lord.” Waiting on the Lord is not an idle and desperate biding of one’s time. Instead, waiting on the Lord is an act full of…
If asked, “What central theme runs through all the Bible?” how would you respond? Jesus? The plan of salvation? The cross? Yes to all three, of course! But these three important topics unfold against an even more all-encompassing theme: the great controversy. This theme pervades the Bible, from the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation.
Scripture: Revelation 12:7-8 If God is so good, why is the world so bad? How can a God of love allow so much evil to exist? Why do bad things happen to good people? In this week’s lesson, we will explore the age-long conflict between…
Scripture: Isaiah 41:10 We will study Satan’s twofold strategy both to deceive and destroy God’s people. What the evil one fails to accomplish through persecution, he hopes to achieve through compromise. God is never caught by surprise,…
Scripture: John 12:35 Yet even in life’s most difficult times, God was continually with His people. They found Jesus, “the way, the truth and the life” and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they stood firm, even in the face of…
Scripture: John 3:14-15 This week we will look at some biblical principles that motivated the Waldenses and later Reformers, such as Huss and Jerome, to stay faithful to the Lord no matter what—even at the threat of death from the same…
Scripture: Psalm 119:11 In this week’s study, with examples from the Reformation, we will explore how the life-changing teachings of Scripture provide the basis for genuine purpose and true meaning in life. *Study this week’s lesson,…
Scripture: Isaiah 40:8 This week, we explore one of the most vicious attacks on the Scriptures and the Christian faith. *Study this week’s lesson, based on chapters 12-17 of The Great Controversy.
Scripture: Isaiah 25:9 In this week’s lesson we will examine why the second coming of Christ has filled the hearts of believers with joy through the centuries and how we can be ready for that great event. *Study this week’s lesson,…
Scripture: Hebrews 8:1-2 This week we explore Christ’s ministry in heaven. *Study this week’s lesson, based on chapters 22–24 and 28 of The Great Controve
Scripture: Revelation 12:17 The aim of this lesson is to show the link between the sanctuary, God’s law, the Sabbath, and the coming crisis over the mark of the beast. We will also explore the relevance of the Sabbath to an end-time…
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 The aim of this lesson is to show that our only safeguard against Satan’s last-day delusions is a personal relationship with Christ and a solid grounding in the teachings of the Bible. This includes its…
Scripture: John 17:17 Lesson: 11 The aim of this week’s lesson is to reveal the coming conflict over worship. This week’s study emphasizes Jesus’ strength to take us through earth’s final conflict. *Study this week’s lesson, based on…
Scripture: Proverbs 23:23 The aim of this week’s lesson is to reveal what the prophetic Word says about the closing events and discover a new Christ’s strength to take us through earth’s final conflict and get us home. *Study this…
Scripture: Revelation 21:3-4 In this quarter’s final lesson, we will see Christ’s steadfast love during the most exciting time in the history of the universe and His complete and total triumph in the great controversy between good and…
This quarter we will explore the story of Jesus through the book of Mark. It is a most remarkable story, told in a terse, fast-moving style with little commentary from the Gospel writer himself. He simply tells the story and then lets the words, the deeds, the actions, speak for themselves regarding the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth.
This week's first step will be to learn about Mark as reported in Scripture, to see his early failure and eventual recovery. Then the study will turn to the opening section of Mark with a look forward to where the story is headed and a…
Scripture: Mark 1:17 The Gospel of Mark recounts the calling of four disciples and describes a Sabbath in Capernaum and what followed. This “Sabbath with Jesus” at the beginning of Mark gives the reader a sense of who Jesus is. In the…
The Gospel writer uses a technique that is called “Sandwich Stories.” This narrative pattern appears at least six times in Mark. In each case some important aspect of the nature of Jesus and His role as Messiah, or the nature of…
Scripture: Mark 4:24-25 For many years scholars have argued over the meaning and interpretation of Jesus’ parables: How to interpret them, what they mean, why Jesus used them, what kind of lessons they were intended to reveal, and how…
The main goal of Mark's Chapter 5 dramatic stories is to let the reader see who Jesus is. He is the One able to calm a storm, heal a demoniac, heal a woman who simply touches His clothes, raise a dead girl, preach in His home town, send…
Scripture: Mark 7:15 This week’s study is Mark 7 and the first half of Mark 8. At the beginning of Mark 7, Jesus stirs up controversy by His rejection of religious tradition. However, He does it in a way that is strikingly supportive of…
Scripture: Mark 8:34 In the last part of Mark 8 through the end of Mark 10, Jesus focuses on teaching His disciples about His journey. In these chapters, He will give predictions about the cross. These will be followed by special…
Scripture: Mark 10:45 This week covers Mark 10, completing the special section in which Jesus teaches His disciples in preparation for the cross. About half of the chapter deals with the disciples themselves, and the rest with issues…
Scripture: Mark 11:25 Lesson: 9 In this week’s lesson, when Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, He has a series of six controversies with the religious leaders. The religious leaders come to confront, confound, and defeat Jesus, but they never…
Scripture: Mark 13:26-27 This week’s lesson starts with a very brief story at the end of Mark 12, where Jesus makes a profound statement about a small act by a widow. The main portion of this week’s lesson, however, deals with Mark 13, a…
Scripture: Mark 14:36 This week’s lesson focuses on Mark 14, beginning with the fifth Sandwich Story, which interlinks two opposite actions in relation to Jesus. This is followed by the Last Supper, followed by His struggle in…
Mark 15 is the heart of the Passion Narrative. It presents the trial of Jesus, His condemnation, the mockery by the soldiers, His crucifixion, and then His death and burial. The events in this chapter are presented in stark, crisp detail,…
Scripture: Mark 16:6 The crucifixion of Jesus proved the death knell to the hopes and faith of His disciples. It was a dark weekend for them as they not only grappled with their Master’s death but feared for their own lives, as well…
This quarter we will be studying another finely crafted masterpiece. This work is not the result of a brush on canvas, a precisely framed photograph, or a skillfully woven carpet. Rather, it is the Word of God as artfully expressed in the Gospel of John. Words have meaning within their contexts. For anyone to understand what Scripture intends to say, it…
Scripture: John 20:30-31 Why did John write his Gospel? Did he wish to emphasize Jesus’ miracles? Or to emphasize some specific teachings of Jesus? What was the reason for writing what he did? This week we’re going to look in John at…
Scripture: John 11:25-26 This week’s lesson looks at three of Jesus’ greatest signs of His divinity. What is striking is that in every case some people did not believe the miracle or perceive its significance. For some it was a time of…
Scripture: John 1:1 This week’s lesson will begin with the Prologue (John 1:1–18) and summarize its major themes. These themes will then be looked at in other places in John’s Gospel, as well.
Scripture: John 3:3 Lesson: 4 This week begins with the powerful witness of John the Baptist. Other witnesses come on the stage as well: Andrew and Simon Peter, Philip and Nathaniel, and a most unexpected witness, the Pharisee…
Scripture: John 4:42 Lesson: 5 At the time of Christ, this animosity continued. The Jews avoided Samaria as much as possible. Though commerce may have gone on, other interaction was taboo. The Jews would not borrow from Samaritans or…
Scripture: John 12:32 This week’s lesson looks at some of those who witnessed and testified about Jesus. In each of these incidents, some aspects of who Jesus really is are revealed, and together they create a deeper vision of Jesus, the…
Scripture: John 20:29 Throughout his Gospel, John has a diversity of people—people with different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences—all testifying to who Jesus was. Who were some of these people, and why did they testify as they did…
Scripture: John 5:36 Lesson: 8 This week we will look at more ways John revealed Jesus as the Messiah, and also, we will look at why some people still continued to reject Him—despite all the powerful reasons affirming Him as the Christ.…
Scripture: John 14:6 Lesson: 9 This week continues with the revelation of God as given us in John. We will also more fully explore the flip side of things, in which, despite the powerful evidence for Jesus as the Messiah, some rejected…
Scripture: John 1:18 Lesson: 10 This week’s lesson will begin with the purpose of the farewell discourse and its introduction with the significant episode of Jesus’ washing His disciples’ feet. Then it will turn to the “I AM” statement…
Scripture: John 14:26 Lesson: 11 This week’s lesson looks at how the Gospel of John presents the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but now within the context of the farewell discourse (John 13–17).
Scripture: John 18:37 Lesson: 12 The four Gospels present the death of Jesus in different ways. But John presents the cross as the enthronement of Jesus, particularly tied to the idea of the hour, which is referred to numerous times…
Scripture: John 5:39 Lesson: 13 In this, our last week in John, we will look at some of this Gospel’s key points, which can help us move beyond the mere head knowledge of Jesus to, instead, knowing Him better and more closely abiding in…
God is love. So says 1 John 4:8 and 16. The entirety of the Bible testifies to this fact. The Christian faith is centered around God’s character of love. Love is at the core of who God is, at the core of everything that we believe, and should be at the core of everything we do. Accordingly, the way we understand love affects the entirety of our faith and…
Scripture: Hosea 14:4 Lesson: 1 God not only asks us, “Do you love Me,” but God Himself loves each person, and does so freely. Indeed, He freely loves you and me and every other person more than we could possibly imagine.
Scripture: John 14:23 Lesson: 2 Some might think that they are unlovable, or that God might love everyone else, but not them. Yet, the Bible consistently proclaims that every single person is loved by God. There is no one whom He does…
Scripture: Zephaniah 3:17 Lesson: 3 Hard as it is for us to imagine, God considers each person of incalculable value, which is why He rejoices over the salvation of even one soul.
Scripture: Isaiah 49:15 Lesson: 4 How can we model our lives after the life of Christ, focusing on the felt needs of others, and, thus, not merely preaching God’s love but showing it in tangible ways?
Scripture: Psalm 78:38 Lesson: 5 Though God’s compassion is often celebrated, many find the idea of His wrath disturbing. If God is love, they think He should never express wrath. That notion, however, is false. His wrath arises…
Scripture: Jeremiah 9:24 Lesson: 6 Throughout Scripture, love and justice go together. True love requires justice, and true justice can be governed by and meted only out in love.
Scripture: Revelation 21:4 Lesson: 7 Perhaps the greatest problem facing Christianity is the problem of evil—how to reconcile the fact that God is perfectly good and loving, with the fact of evil in this world. In briefest terms, if God…
Scripture: Jeremiah 2:24 Lesson: 8 The God of the Bible could not be more different from these demonic forces. Yahweh is perfectly good and His character changeless. And it is only because of God’s constant goodness that we can have any…
Scripture: Genesis 3:15 Lesson: 9 The theme of a cosmic conflict, in which the kingdom of God is opposed by the devil and his angels, is not one that we can neglect without missing a great deal of what the biblical narratives are about.…
Scripture: 1 John 3:8 Lesson: 10 For the cosmic conflict to occur, God must allow the enemy some freedom and power within certain parameters, though the details are unknown to us. Even God's angels operate within these "rules of…
Scripture: John 18:37 Lesson: 11 Many struggle with the question: If God is good, why is there so much suffering? Where is He in the midst of pain? The cosmic conflict helps shed light on this crucial issue, yet many questions remain.…
Scripture: 1 John 4:20 Lesson: 12 Part of loving one another is sharing a concern for the well-being of those around us. When others are afflicted by poverty, oppression, or any kind of injustice, we should be concerned. When others are…
Scripture: Romans 13:8 Lesson: 13 God’s law is not a set of abstract principles but commands and instructions intended for our flourishing. God’s law is, in its totality, an expression of love as God Himself expresses it.
During the First Gulf War (1991), a well-known Protestant writer and speaker was convinced that the book of Revelation predicted this conflict. His argument was based on the fact that some of the helicopters in the war looked like the locusts depicted in Revelation 9. “And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a…
Scripture: Jeremiah 9:24 Lesson: 1 Why does Bible prophecy cause so much confusion—even among Christians? Some avoid it altogether, thinking it's too complicated or divisive. But that wasn’t always the case. For centuries, believers…
Scripture: John 1:29 Lesson: 2 This week, we are going to study a handful of big concepts at the core of Revelation. There are many, and so we will choose a few to illustrate the all-important point that understanding the ancient…
Scripture: Revelation 19:9 Lesson: 3 This week we will explore different ways the Word of God talks about marriages, good and bad. We can then draw lessons from these examples to understand better how God relates to His people, even…
Scripture: Daniel 7:14 Lesson: 4 In this lesson, we will explore humanity’s long and often tragic journey of self-government through the lens of Scripture. From the table of nations in Genesis to the hopeful vision in Revelation, this…
Scripture: Psalms 46:10 Lesson: 5 This week, we will continue looking at the problems caused by the Fall and the desire for human government as opposed to God’s governance. These truths are powerfully revealed in the book of Daniel,…
Scripture: Revelation 5:9 Lesson: 6 This week we will look at some of the themes of sacrifice that inform our understanding of Jesus, the slain Lamb, the clear protagonist of the throne room scene. He is accepted as worthy, where no one…
Scripture: Isaiah 6:8 Lesson: 7 This week, we move further into the vision of the throne room and consider how the human race relates to a holy God and how the sacrifice of Christ restores us and brings us close to the throne. God plans…
Scripture: Revelation 14:1 Lesson: 8 The book of Psalms offers rich spiritual insights that deepen our understanding of Revelation, especially chapter 14. This inspired poetry reflects the human journey with God and highlights themes of…
Scripture: Psalms 67:3-4 Lesson: 9 The Psalms also deal with these issues in great depth, exploring nearly every possible human emotion—from dark despondency to unbridled joy. We see Israel preparing for battle against the forces of…
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 Lesson: 10 Over the next couple of weeks, we will be searching through a number of key stories in order to see what they might have to say about events such as the Second Coming, the investigative…
Scripture: Esther 5:2 Lesson: 11 In prophecy, a woman is a powerful symbol for God’s church, shedding much light on how God regards His people. Let’s look at the biblical accounts of these two women, whose life circumstances have been…
Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7 Lesson: 12 Over and over, Jesus said things like “Do not fear,” and “Why do your thoughts trouble you?” It is important to remember that the focus of prophecy is Christ, and, as such, we must be able to find the…
Scripture: Jonah 1:9 Lesson: 13 At the same time we must remember one thing for all these stories that appear to foreshadow last-day events: we must be careful to look at broad themes and allusions and not try to parse every detail to…
Discover the epic story of Exodus—God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt, the plagues, the Red Sea crossing, and the covenant at Sinai. This guide explores themes of freedom, faith, and divine presence, from Moses’ call to the building of the Tabernacle, offering timeless lessons for today’s journey with God.
Scripture: Exodus 2:23-25 Lesson: 1 The book of Exodus is a powerful reminder that God sees, hears, and acts on behalf of the suffering. Its stories of deliverance speak to anyone who feels forgotten, oppressed, or burdened by life’s…
Scripture: Exodus 3:7-8 Lesson: 2 When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, He wasn’t just showing a miracle—He was calling Moses to a new purpose. At first, Moses hesitated, unsure about such a radical change. Like him, we often…
Scripture: Exodus 5:1-2 Lesson: 3 Many believers think that when one decides to follow God, he or she will experience only happiness, prosperity, and success. That’s not necessarily the case, however, as the Bible itself often shows.…
Scripture: Exodus 9:35 Lesson: 4 Pharaoh does not want to let God’s people go. The Scriptures never explicitly explain why Pharaoh was so reluctant, despite the military threat that the Egyptians feared the Hebrews could pose (see Exod.…
The tenth and last plague is about to fall. The last warning is given; the final decision must be made. It’s truly a matter of life or death. Not only the life of an individual, but the prosperity of families and the entire nation is at…
The Exodus is the most dramatic and glorious experience of God’s people in the Old Testament. This event is the divine model of how God defeated the Hebrews’ enemies and brought the Israelites victoriously into the Promised Land. It’s…
After leaving Egypt, Israel was on an unknown journey to the Promised Land. The people faced a demanding and long trek, and they needed to learn a multitude of new lessons. The Lord would lead and care for them; and, yes, He desired to…
Where did God lead Israel after He had liberated them from Egypt? To the Promised Land—where else? However geographically correct, that answer is theologically wrong. God Himself answers it: “ ‘ “You yourselves have seen what I did to…
God desired His people to be different from the surrounding nations. He wanted them established as a devoted community of faith who would live under His leadership and authority. Everyone would be subject to His law. Judges were to be…
As their God, Creator, and Redeemer, the Lord desired to be with His people and to dwell in their midst. He created us to be in close fellowship with Him. Yet, if meaningful relationships with other people can be built only with time and…
Moses had been absent from the camp of Israel for only 40 days and what happened? God’s people had turned away from Him and worshiped a human-made idol, the golden calf. After so many mighty signs, experiences, and miracles, how could…
The principal task of God’s people in the Old Testament (as well as for us today) was to live in close relationship with the Lord; to worship and serve Him; and, also, to present the right picture of God to others (Deut. 4:5–8). The…
No synopsis
Second Chances: The Book of Joshua This series explores the transition from Moses to Joshua and Israel’s entry into the Promised Land. More than a story of conquest, it highlights God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises and the call to trust Him fully. Through victories and challenges, Joshua’s example reminds us that strength and courage…
The book of Joshua is about new possibilities. Moses, who had dominated 40 years of Israel’s history, belonged in the past. The Exodus from Egypt and the wanderings in the wilderness, tragically marked by rebellion and stubbornness, had…
Israel has a second chance of entering the Promised Land, and Joshua takes this mission seriously. Expectations run high, but the last time Israel was at the border and had the same task, it resulted in an abysmal failure. This week, we…
As human beings, we are prone to forget things that are not constantly in our sight. We forget to return phone calls, respond to emails, water the plants, send birthday wishes, and so forth. The list could go on. Forgetting about our…
How can we understand that God’s chosen people carried out such practices in Old Testament times? How is it possible to reconcile the image of a “warlike” God with His character of love (for example, Exod. 34:6, Ps. 86:15, Ps. 103:8, Ps.…
Last week, we saw that God Himself is involved in a conflict that is far greater than any war or battle fought in human history, a battle that permeates every aspect of our lives. We saw, too, that the events of both biblical and secular…
No synopsis
This week we are going to look at some key moments during Israel's presence in the Promised Land, when Israel rededicated themselves to the Lord, sometimes in the face of impending danger. Joshua took the seemingly irrational decision to…
This week, we will take a deeper look into the personal examples of two giants of faith in the book of Joshua: Caleb and Joshua. What is it that made them stand out in their generation and play a key role in the life of God’s people…
Joshua 13–21 contains long lists of geographical boundary markers that delineate portions of land allocated to the tribes of Israel. For the modern reader, these lists might seem irrelevant, but they are based on a theological…
No synopsis
No synopsis
No synopsis
No synopsis
