One of the most powerful passages in this week’s reading is found in Ezekiel 18. God speaks to His people who feel trapped by the sins of their fathers, weighed down by the patterns of the past, and He declares something that is important for us to focus on. “The…
“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand…” – Jeremiah 18:6 NIV Growing up, my best friend’s grandpa was a potter. I remember watching him shape clay on a wheel for the first time. The clay started out as a formless lump, spinning fast…
Isaiah 38 What do you do when you get news that changes everything? In Isaiah 38, King Hezekiah receives the worst diagnosis imaginable: “You’re going to die.” And not someday—soon. But in the middle of the fear, Hezekiah does something simple and bold: he prays. None of us are immune…
This week we’ve been reading further in the book of Isaiah. The author, being the prophet Isaiah himself, focuses his writings on one central theme, God himself. As we read Isaiah 25, Isaiah explains that God is the ultimate victor. He is the one who brings salvation. He will swallow…
This week, we read through the book of Amos. Amos, though only nine chapters long, packs a powerful prophetic punch. This Old Testament book delivers a sobering message to the people of Israel during a time of economic prosperity and spiritual complacency. Amos is unique among the prophets—he wasn’t a…
Written by: Jake Withrow “After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 12:1 After the kingdom of Israel split into two. The southern kingdom, Judah, quickly abandoned God. They set up altars…
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; Ecclesiastes 3:12 ESV When most people think of Ecclesiastes 3, they immediately go to the “a time for everything” passage. These first few verses remind us that there are seasons…
In 1 Kings 6, we step into one of the most significant building projects in history: the construction of Solomon’s temple. This chapter marks the fulfillment of a promise God made to David—that his son would build a house for the Lord. After four years on the throne, Solomon begins…
Year of the Bible: Week 23 As we begin in Proverbs, considered the book of wisdom, it is important to read the book not as God's law or prophetic speaking from God. The wisdom it teaches is an accumulation of knowledge received from God written by mainly King Solomon. King…
In 1 Kings 2, King David is near the end of his life. As he prepares to die, he gives a final charge to his son Solomon, who will take his place as king. David doesn’t give Solomon a long list of political advice—instead, he starts with a simple but…