Nov 29, 2020
Growing up in a rural area of northern Israel in Nazareth, Mary came from a family with no great social influence. Like most young women of her time, she would have been happy to marry a man she loved, start a family, and please God by being the wife and mother she was called to be. While not special by cultural...
Nov 22, 2020
Once Gideon gathered the Israelite army of 32,000, God sent 22,000 scared men home then reduced the 10,000 men that were left to 300 by drinking at a stream (Judg. 7:2-7). Knowing they will get slaughtered by the massive Midianite army, Gideon is apprehensive about his calling from God. Not only are his men overmatched...
Nov 15, 2020
Because of disobedience, the nation of Israel had fallen into serving their enemies, the Midianites. When God was ready to rescue, He raised up a rescuer and asked Gideon to start by tearing down the local cultic altars owned by his father (Judg. 6:25). Seeing that God had protected him on a small scale, Gideon...
Nov 8, 2020
Because of disobedience, the Israelites became ruled by their enemies (c. 1150 B.C.). The Angel/messenger of the LORD (possibly pre-incarnate Jesus) sits under a tree owned by Gideon’s father and finds Gideon threshing wheat in a wine press as he feared Midianites would steal his crops. The Angel calls Gideon (Heb....
Nov 1, 2020
The city of Sodom, along with the entire region, had fallen under the control of a confederation of four rulers from Babylon. After paying a tribute for 12 years, in the 13th year they refuse, and the four kings marched out to bring them under control. Upon arriving, they defeat the rebels and plunder Sodom and the...