As we read through the writings of the prophet Isaiah, we are repeatedly confronted with declarations and examples of the sovereignty of God, of his incontestable and absolutely total control over everything in creation. Yet, of all of God’s glorious attributes, this is undoubtedly one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented....
Many inspiring sermons have been preached on Isaiah chapter 6, most concluding with a call to respond like Isaiah did: “Here I am! Send me.” Yet, these types of sermons fail to explain the nature of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry, that he was to “make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and...
In the very first month of the first year of his reign reign, Hezekiah began a series of sweeping reforms, repairing the temple and seeking to bring unfaithful Judah back to her faithful God: “For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord...
The conclusion to the book of Jonah presents us with two responses to the grace. On the one hand, Nineveh, a pagan Gentile city, turns to God in repentance upon hearing of impending judgment (unlike Israel or Judah at that time, who continued doing evil in God’s sight), and God graciously spares them....
The story of Naaman, in 2 Kings 5, is a profound illustration of one of the most penetrating questions posed by Jesus: “for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Many...
Most sermons based on the life of Old Testament characters typically revolve around all of the ways that we can learn to be just like them. In the case of Elijah, the focus is always on his faith, his powerful prayers, his extraordinary miracles, his power and anointing, etc., and...
As we concluded the book of Proverbs in our daily, chronological readings of the Bible, we then came upon one of the most tragic sections of the Old Testament: “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the...
Many people attempt to use the book of Proverbs as a kind of instruction manual for how to achieve health, wealth, and prosperity: if they simply adhere to the principles and rules laid out in Proverbs, then God must owe them the associated rewards of riches and blessing. However, there is...
The temple was a special sign of God’s presence among His people, of God’s covenant promise to dwell with them and be their God . Yet, in Solomon’s prayer of dedication upon its completion, he poses a profound question in view of the transcendence and holiness of their eternal God: “But will God indeed...