Before Jesus tells this parable, He is teaching a large crowd about hypocrisy, fear of man, and the need for eternal perspective. In Luke 12:1, the crowd is described as being so large that they "trampled one another." Jesus had just warned about covetousness,...
The setting for Elijah's showdown is laid out in 1 Kings 17–18. Israel is deep into apostasy under the rule of King Ahab and his Sidonian wife, Jezebel, who promoted the worship of Baal and Asherah. 1 Kings 16:33 says, "And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did...
The book of Amos opens simply: "The words of Amos, who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake." (Amos...
The first mention of Nimrod is found in Genesis 10:8-9, in the genealogy of Noah’s descendants after the Flood. The Scripture says, "Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said,...
The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was a pivotal moment in history, both in fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecies and as a turning point for the Jewish people. In Matthew 24:2, Jesus, looking at the temple, said, "Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall...
Throughout Scripture, God reveals His relationship to His people using the imagery of marriage. In the New Testament, the specific title "Bride of Christ" is given to the Church, the called-out body of born-again believers from Pentecost until the Rapture. Paul...
The great mystery of the Incarnation begins with the miracle of the virgin birth. Jesus Christ was not conceived by man, but by the Holy Spirit. As it was prophesied, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah...
In the days when Israel had no king, the people did what was right in their own eyes. The nation drifted in cycles of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance. God would raise judges to rescue His people, not because they deserved it, but because He is merciful....
When Jesus entered Capernaum, He was met not by a disciple or a priest, but by a soldier (a Roman centurion). A man of discipline and earthly authority, but also of compassion and deep faith. His servant was suffering, and this commander crossed cultural and...
The Manifestation of the Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:7–11 The Apostle Paul begins this section by writing, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:7). This verse is the key to understanding...
