Jacob’s ladder is found in Genesis 28:10-17, during a moment of solitude and uncertainty in Jacob’s life. As he fled from Esau and journeyed toward Haran, Jacob stopped to rest for the night. Using a stone for a pillow, he dreamed of “a ladder set...

Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah and reigned over Judah for 55 years, the longest of any king in Judah’s history. His reign is described in 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33. Though he began in extreme wickedness, his story ends with a remarkable example of...

The Philistines were a prominent enemy of Israel throughout much of the Old Testament. They were a seafaring people who settled along the coastal plain of Canaan and established five major city-states: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath (Joshua 13:3).The...

The parable of the Lost Coin, found in Luke 15:8–10, teaches about God’s relentless love for the lost and the joy in heaven when a sinner repents. Jesus tells this story as part of a trio of parables (including the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son) to...

Some laws in Leviticus seem irrelevant now because they were given specifically to Israel under the Old Covenant to distinguish them as a holy nation, regulate ceremonial worship, and govern civil life in a theocratic society. With the coming of Christ, many of...

John records that early in His ministry, when Jesus went up to Jerusalem for the Passover, He found corruption in the temple courts: “And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a...

The birth of Jacob’s twelve sons, recorded in Genesis 29–30 and Genesis 35:16–18, holds great significance because these sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Each son represented a foundational part of the covenant nation that God...

Saul was the first king of Israel, chosen by God in response to the people's demand for a monarch. 1 Samuel 9:2 describes him as “a choice and handsome young man” who stood taller than any of the people. Though outwardly impressive, his inner character...

Legalism is the attempt to earn favor with God or maintain righteousness through human effort, religious rituals, or strict rule-keeping. It replaces grace with works and adds man-made standards to the gospel. Legalism is not about obedience to God’s...

The people complained about adversity because they quickly grew dissatisfied with the hardships of the wilderness, forgetting God’s deliverance and provision. Instead of trusting the Lord who had brought them out of Egypt, they allowed discontent and unbelief...