1 and 2 Samuel were originally a single book. However, when the Hebrew book Samuel was translated into Greek in the Septuagint, it took up too much space for a single scroll, so it became 1 and 2 Samuel. (The same is true for Kings and Chronicles). While Samuel and Saul occupy important roles, David is theContinue reading “God Prepares a King”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
Samson: Strong Man with a Weak Character
Samson is a messy character who meshes perfectly with the messy spirituality of the book of Judges. It’s easy to see the book of Judges as nothing more than Israel’s habitual inability to live right and God’s resulting chastisement. That’s certainly part of the story—but it’s not the only part. Why does God bother withContinue reading “Samson: Strong Man with a Weak Character”
Samson: The Fighter Still Remains
Samson’s failure to live a God-directed life ended up bringing a lot of pain into his life. His failure to respect his Nazarite commitment in reference to Delilah left him blinded and in shackles grinding grain in a Philistine prison. He had fallen a long way from the angel’s glorious announcement about his birth. ButContinue reading “Samson: The Fighter Still Remains”
A Mailbox, a Note, and a Good Neighbor
Our mailbox leads a rather solitary existence. It interacts with our mail carrier once a day, sees either Janice or me the same amount—and that’s it—except for the many vehicles that drive by. Only the vehicles don’t always drive by. One time during a rainstorm a car came off the road and ran over theContinue reading “A Mailbox, a Note, and a Good Neighbor”
Showing Up
Israel had been under their thumb of King Jabin and the Canaanites. The writer of Judges tells us they had been “cruelly oppressed” at the hands of Jabin’s military leader—a man named Sisera (4:2). God allowed this to happen to His people because they had turned their backs on Him (v. 1-2). Their suffering andContinue reading “Showing Up”
Who Do You Think You Are (Revelation)
Flannery O’Connor wrote Revelation as she lay in a hospital bed dying from complications of lupus. Most of the story takes place in a doctor’s crowded waiting room where the central character (Mrs. Turpin) is there with her husband for his doctor’s appointment. As she chats with another lady who is there with her college-aged daughter, theContinue reading “Who Do You Think You Are (Revelation)”
That’s the Story (1)
Joshua 5 tells us some important things: In these things we see Israel transitioning from a wilderness people to a nation living in the land Yahweh was giving them. As God continued to provide for them, they responded by with a heart-felt observance of His covenant commands. Things were on track for them. As GodContinue reading “That’s the Story (1)”
That’s the Story (2)
There are lots of lessons to learn from Joshua 6. Here are some of them: 1. The walls fell to servants, not lords. From beginning to end, God specified how He wanted everything to happen. Israel’s role was to carry out God’s commands. They weren’t in charge, He was. That is always the formula for victory.Continue reading “That’s the Story (2)”
Atonement
The Hebrew writer is involved in an extended discussion about the superiority of Jesus to the angels that begins in 1:4 and continues through 2:18. In 1:5-14, he quotes seven Old Testament texts to make his case. He then pauses in 2:1-4 to exhort his readers to “pay the most careful attention” to the messageContinue reading “Atonement”
New Territory
The book of Joshua reminds us of our Father’s faithfulness. Centuries before He had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob He would give their descendants the land of Canaan and that’s exactly what we see transpire in the book of Joshua. Israel crossed over the Jordan and took possession of the land—just as God had promised!Continue reading “New Territory”
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 