Daniel 1-3

There isn’t a whole lot to say about these chapters that hasn’t been said. I do feel that I have to comment on the diet Daniel and the others insist on following. I don’t think it’s a statement in favor of vegetarianism or anything like that. I believe it’s a matter of faith. They refused …

Joel

I’ll be honest. Joel is one of those books that I’m not entirely sure what to do with. It’s a prophecy a lot like every other prophecy we have on record. There’s just one thing that stands out: the promise of the Holy Spirit. Eventually, Joel promises, the Spirit will be poured out on everyone. …

Esther 6-10

I love the story of Esther. It’s very cinematic. It is, quite simply, a good story. The king is a bit of a cliche. His reactions are so extreme to everything. He either completely distances himself from any decision, simply ordering his advisors to do as they please, or he’s quite dramatic. Haman gets truly …

Esther 1-5

A couple things stood out to me reading through the first half of Esther. The first is that Mordecai is not the comforting, faithful father figure I used to think he was. Yes, he took in Esther and raised her as his own daughter when her parents died. That speaks highly of his character. He …

Nehemiah 10-11

If the word curse was explicitly used in reference to the covenant before this, I glossed right over it. I know the language of the covenant is very clearly if…then from the very beginning. God makes the consequences of breaking the covenant extremely clear. It simply isn’t possible that anyone ever entered the covenant without …

Nehemiah 7-9

The joy of the Lord is my strength. I love this verse. A group of traumatized people have returned to their ruined city. They’ve just listened to someone read out the law of God, a law they have not been following. They are devastated. Probably really scared. More than a little worried. And Ezra tells …

Nehemiah 4-6

There’s something about Nehemiah that sets it apart from the other books. I’m not entirely sure what it is, but it’s something about the style, the voice of Nehemiah. It’s written in first person. Ecclesiastes is written in first person, a few chapters in other books, but mostly it’s just the Psalms. And Nehemiah. That …