Relevant Reflections to Let God's Word Back Into Your Hands and Heart
God’s actions against Judah were not a laughing matter but serious business. The Sovereign LORD does not move in any way by accident. These messages were for Ezekiel to share with foreign nations. How did they respond to the LORD’s actions? Continue reading “Ezekiel 25:1-17 – Watch Out!”
The first section in 1st Chronicles will deal with many genealogies. How fascinating that we have such detail about people who lived so long ago. We often rush past such lists, but this time take time to cherish the information that has forever been recorded. How far back can you trace your own family?
As we get deeper into 1st Chronicles, we’ll begin to see a parallel history to what we see in other books of the bible (1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2nd Kings). Because the author of Chronicles did not write those other books, we can’t expect the two histories to be the same. Look instead for the meaning of each passage letting the Holy Spirit guide you.
Continue reading “1 Chronicles 1:1-54 – Don’t Get Stuck”Obadiah speaks to the reasons Edom is facing their judgment. They sinned for their evil behavior against their own relatives. This passage leaves no doubt “why” calamity would fall on Edom. The Edomites brought it on themselves for more than one reason.
There is so much emphasis on “you should not have” in this reading. We often kick ourselves after doing something we realize later was a mistake. Don’t we say, “I should have known better.” The Edomites won’t get a chance to say that since they will all be destroyed. All they have is the advance warning which sets the expectation for what is coming in motion.
Continue reading “Obadiah 10-14 – You Should Not Have…”Welcome to Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament. Its message is about oppression and betrayal, from both vantage points. We’ll also see examples of being the “innocent bystander” in perilous times. It’s thought that Obadiah would have written this prophecy sometime after the Babylonian conquest, but it is not clearly stated.
Obadiah’s message reveals God’s dramatic response to anyone who would harm his precious children. Edom was one of those nations, located southwest of the Dead Sea. The Edomite people were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. Remember the story about the birth right in Genesis 27? We see time and again in the Old Testament references to the hostilities and struggles Edom had with God’s people, Israel.
Continue reading “Obadiah 1-9 – Edom’s Judgment”
