Goliath in the Bible: Why David’s Victory Matters
Goliath is one of the best-known people in the Bible, but I think we miss 1 Samuel 17 if we turn it into a…
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Did God Create the World in Six Literal Days?
Genesis 1 is often treated as though its plainest claim is the hardest one to accept. I find it helpful to begin with the…
The Tower of Babel: What Happened and Why God Scattered the People
The builders at Babel tell us why they acted: they wanted a city centered on their own name, and they believed it would keep…
Ephesians 1:4: Chosen Before the Foundation of the World
What does Paul mean when he says that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world? Ephesians 1:4 is often treated…
David and Bathsheba: Sin, Repentance, and Lasting Consequences
When I read the account of David and Bathsheba, I am struck by how quickly one hidden sin spread into the lives of so…
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife: Why He Ran From Temptation
Why did Joseph run when Potiphar’s wife grabbed his garment, and what can his choice teach us about temptation? Genesis 39 does not present…
Why Did the Leaders Want to Kill Lazarus?
Why would the chief priests want to kill a man whom Jesus had just raised from the dead? John gives the reason plainly: Lazarus’s…
The Keys of the Kingdom: What Did Jesus Mean?
The “keys of the kingdom” can sound mysterious, and I have often wondered how easily the phrase can be pulled away from the conversation…
Count It All Joy: What James Really Means
How can James tell hurting believers to “count it all joy” when a trial may include sickness, betrayal, persecution, or deep loss? He is…
The Christmas Star: What Guided the Magi to Jesus?
What was the star that led the Magi to Jesus? Matthew tells us exactly what it did, but he never explains what kind of…
Jephthah in the Bible: Faith, Vows, and Tragedy
How should we understand Jephthah? Scripture will not let us call him simply a hero or a villain. God used him to deliver Israel,…
The Parable of the Mustard Seed: What Does It Mean?
What was Jesus showing us when He compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed? The same seed appears in sayings about faith,…