With a tent peg and a hammer, a nomadic woman named Jael killed one of Israel’s most feared enemies, Sisera. He commanded the powerful army and chariot corps of Hazor, a city in northern Galilee. His army ruthlessly oppressed northern Israel for twenty years until an Israelite leader named Deborah organized a militia to fight back.
Continue reading A LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT (JAEL)
The bible confronts a husband and wife with the lifelong challenge of patterning their relationship after the relationship between Jesus and the church. Certain assumptions follow.
Continue reading HOW IS MARRIAGE LIKE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE CHURCH?
For good reasons, some of which are associated with the universal male tendency toward sexual conquest. In general, the heart of a man will roam, while the heart of a woman seeks a home. Male sexual energy persists past female menopause, causing men to seek younger partners-or at least to be vulnerable to the temptation of doing so. The male by nature has no long-term investment in pregnancy; he may inseminate regularly with no time lost for childbirth. How are these biological appetites to be curbed, directed, focused?
Continue reading WHY ARE HUSBANDS SINGLED OUT AS THE PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING A MARRIAGE STRONG?
If we could interview Michal-the daughter of Saul and first wife of David-what might she say about her crazy, complicated life?
We could have to ask about her experience of being “a royal.” the youngest of King Saul’s five children (read 1 Sam 14:49). No doubt the could regulate us with jaw-dropping stories of wealth and privilege.
Continue reading WOMEN OF THE BIBLE (MICHAL “A CRAZY, COMPLICATED LIFE”)
1.But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (TITUS 2:1-15 “PROMOTE RIGHT TEACHING”)
Chapter 15 and 16 of Isaiah contain the prophet’s declaration of God’s judgment against the Moabites, enemies of the Israelites. The Lord would humiliate these people. Isaiah declared, by making them bald and cutting off their beards.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS AND CURIOSITIES (HAIRLESS MOABITES)
Walled cities of Bible times had guards posted on the walls to warn of approaching danger (2 Sam 18:26). These words of Solomon’s bride showed that armed guards also policed the area inside the walls, particularly at night.
Continue reading BIBLE CUSTOMS & CURIOSITIES (POLICING THE STREETS)
Cloth covering. 1. Women’s veils Rebekah veiled herself before meeting Isaac (Gen 24:65). Her veil was perhaps the sign that she was a marriageable maiden. Tamar used her veil to conceal her identity from Judah (Gen 38:14,19). Another Hebrew term renders “veil” at Isa 3:23. Here veils are but one of the items of finery the elite women of Jerusalem would lose in the coming siege. The same Hebrew term in rendered “shawl” (NASB), “cloak” (HCSB, NIV, REB), and “mantle” (KJV, NRSV) at Song 5:7. There, removal of the shawl was part of a
Continue reading DEFINITION OF DAY (VEIL)
The Hebrew word adon is used more than 300 times in the OT to refer to human masters or as a term of respect for someone of equal rank and status. Adon is used of the owner of slaves (Gen 24:14,27;39:2,7, rendered “master”), and of a husband as lord of the wife (Gen 18:12).
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (HUMAN AS LORD/LORD PT2)