“As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk.” 1 Samuel 1:13 As the Book of 1st Samuel opens, we are introduced to Samuel’s Dad, Elkanah. We’re told he has 2 wives, Hannah and Peninnah (Peninnah has children […]
“Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land.” Ruth 1:1a Today’s reading brings me to the Book of Ruth, and this Verse is how it begins. It is truly an Amazing Story! From this famine, to Ruth’s encounter with Boaz, God’s Hand of Providence
“But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel.” Judges 20:13b This is the last story in the Book of Judges and one cannot read it without shaking the head in disbelief. An entire tribe refuses to turn over individuals guilty of gang rape and murder.
“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6 This is the Theme Verse of Judges. It is repeated in 21:25 and alluded to several times throughout the Book. As I’ve stated in earlier writings, Judges is a collection of Sad and Sordid
“Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines.” Judges 14:1 Today’s Verse begins the sad and sorry tale of Samson, a man God chose to rule His People, but one of questionable character and virtue. He grew up during a time one could call
Our Daily Bread: Volume Ten This is the tenth of the Our Daily Bread Hymns series. As the Cover says, it is “Instrumental music to enhance your quiet moments with God”. I have uploaded this CD to YouTube and put it in a Playlist (see link below) so you can listen to the entire Album.
“Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.” Judges 10:14 As the Book of Judges continues, a pattern begins to develop that we see in our reading today. God raises up a Judge that keeps the People of God faithful to their
“Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”” Judges 6:13a So far in Judges, we’ve seen the Low and High Tides of Israel’s Faith. At Low Tide, Israel becomes Idolatrous, an Enemy conquers and takes over, and then Israel suffers under
“They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.” Judges 3:4 In Yesterday’s Reading, we saw Israel’s Disobedience; they did not drive out the Nations of Canaan as God had commanded! God in His Wisdom knew that these Nations
“but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots.” Judges 1:19b Sandwiched between Deuteronomy and 1st Samuel is the very Interesting Book of Judges. Like Dickens “Tale of Two Cities”, it too could have begun with – “it was the best of times, it was the worst of