Recent Commentaries

God regards all the skills of His people, not just those with theological or ministerial abilities. Our tendency is to regard only those who are upfront and in leadership roles. God gave Bezalel and Oholiab Spirit-filled abilities in artistic craftsmanship (vv. 1-5). In other wor …

This passage of scripture now returns to the history of Israel. The heir apparent to Israel’s throne, Abijah, had died in childhood. Therefore, his brother Nadab ascended to the throne. His reign lasted for less than two years (vv. 25-32). He continued the policies begun by his …

The chief captain did not want to have to explain to his superior the assassination of a Roman citizen in his charge. Taking no chances, he summoned two-hundred foot soldiers, seventy cavalry, and another two hundred spearmen to see that Paul had a safe exodus from Jerusalem (v. 23). God …

When an Israelite king took office, he was both crowned and anointed. The coronation was the political act of recognizing the new king as ruler of the people. The anointing was the religious act of making the king God’s representative to the people.As this chapter opens, we find …

Lazarus probably died about the same time the messenger arrived to tell Jesus about his sickness (v. 17). Since Palestine is a warm climate and decomposition sets in quickly, a person was usually buried the same day he died. Therefore, Lazarus had been placed in a tomb. Since Bethany was …

King Neco led his Army from Egypt to Carchemish on the Euphrates River and Josiah met his troops there (v. 20). Neco sent a message to Josiah that he was not attacking him but that God had told him to quickly attack my enemy (v. 21). He said that God is on my side, so if you try …

“Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting Gods will done on earth,” wrote Robert Law. Some people hope that they will receive eternal life. John says that we can know we have it (v. 13). Our certainty is based on God’s pr …

In this passage three characteristics of Jesus are clear: We see the realism of Jesus (vv. 31-32). He foresaw what would inevitably happen and yet he went on.We see the confidence of Jesus (v. 32). “After I have been raised,” he says, “I will go before you into Gal …

The message of salvation appealed to slaves and many of them became believers. Paul told the slaves to maintain an attitude of respect as a testimony to their unbelieving masters (vv. 1-2). If a master is a Christian, they should give even better respect to him. The danger was that a Christian …

The letter to Smyrna, the shortest of the seven letters, was written to Christians being persecuted not only by pagan Gentiles but also by hostile Jews and by Satan himself. Smyrna, a large city, rebuilt by Alexander the Great, was wealthy and famous…