“I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel’” (Amos 7:14-15, NIV). Amos was quite open in admitting his lack of qualifications … Continue reading –>
Despite God’s clearly detailed plan for the Israelite nation, the Israelite people rarely lived up to their calling. Not many generations after they were established in the land, they asked Samuel, the prophet and judge, to appoint a king to lead their nation, “such as all the other nations have” (1 Sam. 8:5, NIV). Read 1 Samuel … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Sam. 8:10-18, Amos 5:10-15, Micah 6:8, Gen. 19:1-13, Ezek. 16:49, Isa. 1:15-23. Memory Text: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, NKJV). The Old Testament prophets are among the most interesting … Continue reading –>
Missionary SUV By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission Parking at home in the U.S. state of Maryland, Joe Marcellino saw a trail of oil winding up the street from his Isuzu Trooper SUV. “Oh-oh”, he said to his wife, Susan. “Things aren’t good”. Joe, a 33-year-old IT manager at the Seventh-day Adventist world church headquarters in … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Last Years of David”, pages 746-755, in Patriarchs and Prophets; C. S. Lewis, “Judgment’ in the Psalms”, pages 15-22, in Reflections on the Psalms. “The psalms of David pass through the whole range of experience, from the depths of conscious guilt and self-condemnation to the loftiest faith and the most … Continue reading –>
As a collection of wisdom sayings, the book of Proverbs touches on a diverse range of topics and life experiences. Among these are reflections on poverty, riches, contentment, justice, and injustice—and sometimes from differing angles. Life is not always simple and straightforward, and Proverbs alerts us to the different circumstances and choices that influence how … Continue reading –>
As we near the end of the book of Psalms, the exclamations of praise seem to grow in crescendo after crescendo. The final five psalms begin with the simple and direct command to “Praise the LORD!” but the first of these—Psalm 146—has a particular focus on God’s concern for the poor and oppressed as a … Continue reading –>
Read Psalm 101:1-8. Though written for leaders, what important counsel can we take from it for ourselves, whatever our position in life? Psalm 101:1-8 is a text for leaders. It is thought that these verses were composed by David in the early days of his reign as king of Israel. They may even have been … Continue reading –>
Read Ps. 82:1-8. What is the message here to us? Despite the ordering and rules of society that God gave to them, at various times in their history the Israelite nation failed to live up to this plan. They too easily became like the nations around them, living by a pattern of injustice and oppression. … Continue reading –>
As we have already noted, God sees and hears people who are in distress and trouble. Most often in the Psalms we hear those cries from people who have trusted in God but are not seeing justice done. The affirmations of the goodness, justice, and power of God can seem overwhelmed by the injustice and … Continue reading –>
