365 Reflections

The one hole in Job's friend's argument is presented by Job in chapter 21.  Job 21:7–9 (ESV) Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power? 8 Their offspring are established in their presence, and their descendants before their eyes. 9 Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them. All this time the friends have been accusing Job of wickedness because his suffering must be (in their opinion) due to his terrible behavior. But Job finally puts that idea down here. And it's something I'm sure we all wonder about at some point: Why does God let "them" get away with it and even bless them? Let me ask you: Have you seen the wicked prosper? Have you seen the ungodly get blessed? Have you wondered what was up?  Perhaps this above all might be the most incomprehensible aspect of suffering. You suffer as you see the wicked prosper. Now I cannot claim much suffering in my life. God has been tremendously good to me, but when I'm dow...

Hey readers! My book is finally out!  Get a copy and tell me what you think! So in the last post, I talked about the importance of praise in the midst of the battle. That's the theme of 2 Chronicles 20 as Jehoshaphat and the nation saw God fight for them. They need only to stand and see the salvation of God. Their participation would be worship. Worship can change the dynamic of your life, the atmosphere of your life. But the story of 2 Chronicles 20 is not done with the war being won. When the king and the people go into the enemy camp they are overwhelmed by the spoil of the war: 2 Chronicles 20:25 (ESV) When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. They spent three days gathering the spoil of war from their enemies. Think of how much this would have been. God not only g...

There's a battle going on. I don't know if everyone is aware of this. Watch out for that wicked tool of the enemy called apathy along with his distraction of prosperity which might lead you right into inactivity. This is the theme of Deborah's song in Judges 5. After the strange and yet decisive battle which saw three awkward people used in diverse ways to deliver Israel from the King of Hazor, we turn to a beautiful song from the Prophetess Deborah to hear her point of view. The passage that sticks out is this mild rebuke to the tribes who failed to come help: Judges 5:15–16 (ESV) the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels. Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 16 Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. Reuben was not the only tribe to stay immobile during this ...

So I'm just going to take a stab at this next passage in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 25:11–16 (ESV) “When men fight with one another and the wife of the one draws near to rescue her husband from the hand of him who is beating him and puts out her hand and seizes him by the private parts, 12 then you shall cut off her hand. Your eye shall have no pity. 13 “You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, a large and a small. 14 You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, a large and a small. 15 A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 16 For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are an abomination to the LORD your God. There is a connection in this law concerning the wife who harms the genitals of a man attacking her husband and the previous law concerning levirate marriage. The aim of the previous law was to prolong the name of the decease...

Exodus 33 is a chapter in 3 seemingly unconnected movements where God seems to be going back and forth on what He's going to do. But as with all scripture, there is more than meets the eye. The chapter opens with God offering the rebellious Israelites a gold mine of an opportunity: Exodus 33:1–3 (ESV)   The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” Do you see what God is saying? He's saying I'll give you all the blessings I promised you but I will not be with you. In other words, "Israel, you can d...

Genesis 14:17–23 (ESV)   After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord , God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ Abram makes a key decision here. After winning the war, he is blessed by the mysterious Melchizedek when he's brought brea...