Rather than talking about vast enemy armies that threaten God’s people, the story of Ruth speaks about something smaller: a family almost dying out but, instead, being revived. While it includes two larger themes-God’s creation being destroyed and His people being under threat-Ruth also tells of the great controversy on a personal level, where it … Continue reading –>
The battle lines between good and evil are blurred in the story of Samson. His life starts in impressive fashion with an announcement from the Angel of the LORD that he is to be a Nazarite from birth. The Angel instructs Samson’s parents how to prepare for their special baby. The mother is told not … Continue reading –>
Read Judges 6:1. What is happening here? See Judges 6:10. After Deborah, the land enjoyed peace for the next 40 years, but soon they were back in the hands of oppressors. This time it was the Midianites, who, with their allies, would enter Israel and destroy all the newly planted crops and steal the livestock … Continue reading –>
The story of Deborah adds interesting details to the great- controversy theme. Here we see the people of God suffering oppression and facing impossible odds. This parallels what we observed in Revelation 12, with the incredibly unfair contest between a seven-headed dragon and a newborn baby (see Tuesday’s study, week 1) . The main characters … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Judges 4, Judges 6, Judges 14, Hebrews 11:32, 1 Sam. 2:12-25, 1 Sam. 8:1-7. Memory Text: “And Hannah prayed and said: ‘My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation’” (1 Samuel 2:1, KJV) . … Continue reading –>
No question, as these stories show, life on this earth, amid the great controversy, doesn’t always play out as we might have wanted. For instance, Adam and Eve would not have scripted, as they held their newborns in their arms, that one would kill the other. Zipporah, when she married Moses, certainly didn’t have the … Continue reading –>
Just as Jacob deserved a lot worse from his brother Esau after the way he treated him, we see something similar in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Here, again, we see brother hating brother because of one being shown favor over the other (Gen. 37:3-4). The tunic of many colors was not just … Continue reading –>
The struggle between God’s purposes and individual rebellion makes further progress in the story of Jacob and Esau. It was customary in antiquity for the firstborn son to receive the father’s blessing (the birthright) before the death of the father. This included most of the family’s wealth; so, the eldest son became responsible for the … Continue reading –>
While Abraham (first called Abram) is known for his faithfulness, his life experiences are more about God’s faithfulness to him. Twice God has assured Abraham that he would have a son. He first told him when Abraham was about 75 years old (Gen. 12:2 & Gen. 12:4) , then about ten years later (Gen. 13:16) … Continue reading –>
Read Genesis 6:1-13. In what ways do we see the great controversy between good and evil expressed here, only now even more intensely than before? In the Flood we see a partial reversal of the special acts of Creation; many of those things that God had separated are now brought back together. The waters above … Continue reading –>
