Hebrews 13:8. As we think about the start of a new school year, with all the changes that brings, our link back to “Signs of hope through the Bible” will be Jesus – “the same yesterday, today and forever. All may change, but Jesus never, Jesus is the same”. God’s unfolding signs of hope carry […]
Psalm 45; Isaiah 53:1-12; John 1:1-18; Acts 2:22-41. We come to the end of our brief skip through the Old Testament and focus on the One to whom it all points. Promises of a king to sit on David’s throne are found alongside images of a Suffering Servant. There are also specific prophecies which give […]
Ezra 1:1-7; Psalm 126; Luke 24:13-35; Acts 1:1-11. The old hymn says: ‘God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform’ – like working through a pagan emperor to bring the Jewish exiles home and restore Jerusalem. (The books of Ezra & Nehemiah tell the story, which is also behind several prophetic books.) As wonderful […]
2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Psalm 137; Matthew 5:1-12; 1 Peter 5:1-14. Land devastated, temple destroyed, hopes dashed! What future was there after the Babylonian conquest and exile in a foreign land? Yet God promises to restore His people and works through this key period to refine them. Much of the Old Testament as we know it […]
1 Samuel 16:1 – 1 Kings 2:11; Psalm 23; Mt. 22:41-46; Acts 13:16-39; . David is Israel’s most famous and celebrated king, who gives his name to the promised Messiah (Son of David). However, the Bible doesn’t try to make out that he was perfect and his many failings are set out alongside his famous […]
1 Samuel 16-17; Psalm 23; Luke 1:26-33; Romans 1:1-6. In 1 Kings 11:4 & Acts 13:22, David is described as being a man with a ‘heart after God’. It’s a beautiful expression and reminds us of the love Israel’s most famous king had for the Lord. Not that David was perfect – far from it! […]
Joshua 1; Psalm 114; Luke 20:9-19; Romans 4. Exciting tales of battle etc. may thrill some but raise questions for others! However we feel about the conquest of Canaan, these accounts help us understand the Bible and also the troubled Middle East today. God’s purpose for His people is that they live in a way […]
Exodus 1-2; 15-16; Psalm 78:12-29; John 6; Hebrews 11:23-29. The dramatic story of the Exodus is the single most important event in the Old Testament and a powerful image of salvation through Jesus Christ in the New. God rescues the Israelites from Egypt, guides them to the Promised Land and provides for all their needs. […]
Exodus 1-4; Psalm 90; John 8:29-58; Acts 9:1-19. The story of Moses continues next week but here we learn about his narrow escape from infanticide, developing sense of ethnic identity and miraculous call to deliver God’s people from bondage. At the burning bush, Moses finds himself on holy ground – as did those who met […]
Genesis 37:1-50:26; Psalm 25; John 13:1-15; Romans 5:1-8 Surely one of the most popular and best-known stories in the Bible – and not just because of that musical! From the naivety and impudence of youth, Joseph becomes a man of wisdom, faith and hope. Yet the work God does in his life is through painful […]