So, whatever happened to the American Dream? No, we’re not all marching in the streets, blaming our lack of success on racism or sexism, longing for some sort of government-organized solution to climate change or economic stagnation. On the other hand, we don’t all believe that limiting immigration or reducing…

From Imperial Roman persecution to the Muslim conquest of the Byzantine Empire to the Viking invasions to the Spanish Inquisition, to royal attempts to enforce use of a prayer book, God’s people have always faced opposition. So, what should we do when modern rulers try to stop us from doing…

There was good reason for rejoicing. God’s people had been allowed to return to the Promised Land after 70 years in exile. Moreover, God had blessed them during those difficult years – while only 4,600 people (or perhaps families) had been carried off into exile (Jeremiah 52:28-30), 42,360 people came…

Given the date that Daniel received the vision that makes up the last three chapters of his prophecy, it’s hard to understand why he was so upset (Daniel 10:2). After all, by the third year of Cyrus’ reign (Daniel 10:1), the people of Israel had already been given permission to…

Where it comes to Bible study, it’s much easier to get caught up in the details than it is to keep the big picture in mind. And the same thing was true for Daniel. He had a dream that was as fascinating as it was frightening, a vision of four…

How should Christians respond to an unjust, tyrannical government? In our increasingly polarized political climate, this is the question that all too many Americans believe will face us, regardless of who wins the Presidency in November. But a casual glance at history should put all of this breathless panic into…

Hurricane Laura smashing into Louisiana. Wildfires consuming thousands of acres in California, Oregon and Washington state. We’ve hit the half-year mark in our battle with COVID, with a vaccine still months away, at best. Oh, and a glance at the calendar reminds us that, regardless of our overwhelming military might,…

The Tabernacle, and the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem all needed a source of clean water. The priests used this to wash themselves before entering the presence of the Lord or approaching the Altar to offer sacrifices (Exodus 30:17-20). So, it’s no surprise that Ezekiel’s vision of a perfect…

What does Ezekiel’s vision of a Temple mean for us today? Today’s passage gives us a few more hints. Back in chapters 10 and 11, in a vision he received several years earlier, Ezekiel had seen God’s glory departing from the Temple because of His people’s unfaithfulness (10:4, 18-19; 11:22-23)….

Bible Reading for September 8 – Ezekiel 40-42 Many study Bibles have some sort of diagram summarizing the description of the Temple that Ezekiel describes. And let’s face it – such pictures really help us make sense of his vision. So, why in the world didn’t God just tell Ezekiel…