There is something inside of each of us that longs for justice. When your family or community is impacted by an atrocity, there is an innate wiring to every person that desires to those responsible be punished. Where does this come from and what should we do with this?  Our desire for justice comes as a result of our...

The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was the rhythm and practice of the people of God for many generations. It brought about reminders of the authority of God and the sin of the people. God used these sacrifices as temporary atonement for sin and a foreshadowing of the permanent sacrifice of Jesus that was to come.  Some Old...

Gilgal was a place the Israelites knew well. It was the first place their ancestors set foot in the promised land; the place where they built a memorial of 12 stones after crossing the Jordan with the ark of the covenant; a place that they looked back on and remembered the power, greatness, and provision of God. Gilgal wasn’t...

It can happen to any of us: We look at our circumstances, forecast a coming trial or opportunity, and act accordingly—only to find out that the situation doesn’t play out quite like we expected.  This is precisely what happened in 1 Samuel 8–10. The people of Israel, while assessing their circumstances, discerned that Samuel’s days were numbered. They recognized...

What comes to mind when you think about sin? Consider your emotions—does the thought of sin make you sad? Angry? Indifferent? To fully understand the beauty of salvation and the power of grace, you must take sin seriously.  Consider what our sin says about God. Sin says God may be powerful, but not enough to deserve ultimate authority in...

The ark of the covenant was a physical reminder of God’s tangible presence with His people. Rather than treat the ark with reverence, they treated the ark as a sort of good luck charm. In our Bible story today, we see what happened when the ark was taken from the people of Israel.   Except in times of war or...