Judges 4:2 “So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin, a king of Canaan” (NIV). Observation: Ehud delivered Israel from its Moabite enemy. He had personally killed the Moabite king and then led the Israelite army to victory over Moab, ushering in an eighty-year...

Joshua 21:44 “The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them” (NIV). Observation: The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had been in Canaan...

Psalm 47:2, 7–9 “How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! … For God is the King of all the earth. … God reigns over the nations. … The kings of the earth belong to God” (NIV). Observation: This celebratory psalm demands universal praise to...

I Corinthians 8:12 “When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ” (NIV). Observation: In this short chapter Paul warned of problems caused when we act from our knowledge base without first bathing our actions...

Joshua 18:3 “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord has given you?” (NIV). Observation: The nation had entered the Promised Land, and it was time for the tribes to establish themselves in regions of their own. A few tribes...

1 Corinthians 7:4 “The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife” (NIV). Observation: Paul used a variety of metaphors to encourage me to be content in...

Joshua 7:1 “But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan … took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel” (NIV). Observation: The tragic story of Achan’s sin was set in the context of great victory. As Israel prepared to...

Deuteronomy 30:4b “From there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back” (NIV). Observation: God spoke in this passage of restoration. Through Moses, He predicted that Israel would stray even though they were now poised to enter Canaan, their land of...

Galatians 6:1–2 “If someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. … Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (NIV). Observation: Paul emphasized how believers ought to relate to one another. He...

Galatians 5:1, 7 “Do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. … You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?” (NIV). Observation: Paul’s direct words are self-evident in their meaning. He challenges the...