It sure didn’t take much to transform Nathanael’s snarky cynicism into full-blown hero-worship, did it? When he first heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, he immediately assumed the worst. But when Jesus proved that He had miraculous powers of knowledge, Nathanael instantly agreed that He must be the long-awaited Messiah….

When we think about tithing, it is too easy to fall back into the sort of legalism that Jesus criticized. Instead, this passage invites us to consider tithing in terms of blessings. First, we should consider those who benefit from the tithe. The last verse of the passage reminds us…

In the Old Testament times, a veil separated the part of the Temple where God was from the part where the priests and people were. Only the High Priest could go through this veil, and then only once a year, and then only if he brought the blood of animal…

In the difficulties of life, it’s easy for us to imagine that we are being treated unjustly, that God doesn’t see what’s going on with us, or even perhaps that He is unable to help us out. But that’s why, earlier in this chapter, Isaiah reminds us that God is…

Sometimes our greatest disappointments follow what we thought would be our greatest triumphs. In the previous chapter, God answered Elijah’s prayers, demonstrating His power so clearly by consuming a sacrifice with fire from Heaven. At the same time the prayers of the prophets of Baal had no effect at all,…

In this well-known story, we usually focus on the character of Samuel, and his willingness to listen to the word of the Lord. And we often draw the correct application that we should follow his example, that we should also be open to hearing and spreading God’s word. But there…

It doesn’t seem that Rebekah learned much about the need for family communication after her plot to trick her husband. In today’s passage, she hints broadly to Isaac that they should send their son Jacob away so that he can marry one of his cousins. But her real concern was…

In verse 33, we see Isaac trembling violently when he discovers that Jacob has deceived him. But instead of reversing course and condemning Jacob’s treachery, he immediately reaffirms the blessing. Why would he do this? In the first place, people in the ancient world took words a lot more seriously…

Yesterday, we saw that Isaac’s favoritism, his focus on worldly pleasures and his disregard for the prophecy God gave to his wife set the table for family discord. Today, we see Rebekah and Jacob getting in on the dysfunction, without apologies. Instead of trying to reason with Isaac, Rebekah instantly…

Before we jump ahead to the problem of Jacob and Rebekah trying to deceive Isaac, today’s passage reminds us that Isaac wasn’t without sin himself. Back in Genesis 25:28, we learn that Isaac preferred his son Esau over his son Jacob, even though they were twins. Moreover, we learn that…