In the last lesson, we learned how Jonathan was killed and how Simon then became ruler of Judea. We also read a section praising Simon, for Simon had achieved true independence for Judea. 1st Maccabees now delves into what was taking place diplomatically when Simon was ruler of Judea. Alliances with Rome and Sparta […]
Matthew 6:24-34: Remember the Lilies
September 8, 2013 by
If the first man, Adam, brought sin, chaos, and death into the world and passed it on to all his descendants, then why isn’t the world in complete chaos all the time? Why are their respites of grace, where people show kindness, where deer calmly drink water from the brook, and where cats and dogs […]
Exodus, Lesson 8: Going Through the Water
September 7, 2013 by
The Lord, Yahweh, gave Moses instructions about Passover within the context of the tenth plague. In that plague, the firstborn male would die, if the doorpost of the house was not covered by the blood of the sacrifice. After such an event where the firstborn males are spared, God then commands that they are to […]
Luke 10:25-37: Who’s the Good Samaritan?
August 25, 2013 by
We want to skip directly to the end, don’t we? We hear Jesus’ words to the lawyer, “Go and do the same,” and we assume that Jesus is speaking them to us. But is Jesus doing that? Are you seeking what the lawyer was seeking, the one who approached Jesus? For Jesus’ words, “Go and […]
Exodus, Lesson 7: The Tenth Plague and Passover
August 23, 2013 by
Moses has continued to confront Pharaoh, yet Pharaoh has refused to let Israel go, even after nine plagues. Although Pharaoh had agreed to let the Hebrews go to worship Yahweh in the wilderness, with certain stipulations, he always recanted when the plague was no more. The Passover God instituted this Passover festival to carry […]
1st Maccabees, Lesson 13: Free, Free at Last!
August 22, 2013 by
Last week, we learned that Trypho, a general trying to seize the Seleucid throne, had slaughtered 1,000 of Jonathan’s men and Jonathan also. However, 1 Maccabees left the specifics of Jonathan’s death unstated. It’s now in Chapter 13 where the rewind button is pressed to tell us the specifics surrounding Jonathan’s death. Trypho’s Double […]
Understanding Alzheimer’s
August 21, 2013 by
This is our pastor’s article for our September newsletter. Our fall into sin has dealt us all a cruel fate. Sin has not only affected us, but its aftershocks have sown the seeds of decay into all creation. One of our dogs is Samson. He’s 21 years old, hard of hearing, nearly blind, has […]
Mark 7:31-37: Deaf and Mute No More
August 20, 2013 by
The ears and tongue always go together. After all, they’re both the organs of language. If the ears don’t work, especially when you’re young and learning a language, then the tongue doesn’t work so well either. When you’re older, if the small bones inside your ear start to become stiff, no longer moving the sound […]
Exodus, Lesson 6: The Plagues Continue: Plagues 6-9
August 17, 2013 by
Last week we saw Moses and Aaron finally confront Moses as God had commanded. After the first few plagues, Pharaoh began to relent and promised to allow God’s people to go into the wilderness to worship Him. However, Pharaoh continued to put stipulations on what he would allow and further hardened His heart as God […]
1st Maccabees, Lesson 12: Struggles and the Death of a Leader
August 14, 2013 by
Trying to save costs in running the Empire and keep an army personally loyal to him, Demetrius made much of his army redundant. This backfired in a way he did not expect. Jonathan came to his aid and slaughtered many in Antioch to keep him in power. However, Demetrius did not show loyalty or gratitude […]
