Old Testament

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Old Testament

Wanting to learn more about the Old Testament? Here are some posts on topics, scholarly questions, and more on Old Testament passages. Some are our own thoughts and some are the thoughts of prominent Christian scholars.

Old Testament

Psalm 41: For the Betrayed, Broken, but Blessed

Do you feel broken? Sick? Chewed-up and spit-out by life’s issues? In today’s world, it’s easy to feel numb from the constant barrage of bad news and division within our own communities. When the world feels the hopeless, the Bible proves to be our only source of lasting hope. Read…

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Old Testament

Joshua: A Theological Overview

How familiar are you with the book of Joshua? Whether you studied it briefly or are crafting a commentary of your own, this narrative continually teaches you something new. For some perspective, here is an excerpt from the introduction to Joshua from the ESV Expository Commentary (9 Vols.). We adapted…

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Old Testament

Giving Thanks in the Midst of Hardship: Jonah 2

It’s easy to love God when things are going well. When we get a promotion, heal from a sickness, or receive good news about a tough situation, one of our first reactions can be (and should be) to praise God for His favor in our lives. However, as followers of…

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Historical

5 Reasons Israel Wanted Saul as King

In First Samuel, we see Israel transition from a system of Judges to a monarchy. Although the narrative does give us a close-up view of what got the nation to this point, it’s helpful to zoom out and examine the factors at play. Why would Israel prefer a system like…

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Historical

David’s Eternal Dynasty: A Post-Exilic Perspective

Maybe when you first started reading the Bible, you were confused by the existence of 1 and 2 Chronicles. Aren’t they just a rehashing of other books? As you got to know Chronicles, you found that, while extremely similar, they were written after the Babylonian exile. As the Chronicler pieced…

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Old Testament

The Essence of Covenant Theology

When studying the Word, it can be easy to lose sight of what a word, verse, chapter, or book is really about. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses instructs the people of Israel about their actions in the promised land. Within this speech, he touches on something that reveals the heart of…

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Old Testament

A God Who Sings Over Us

When you think of God, what human analogies pop up in your mind? A Father with His children? A Painter with a canvas? A… singer? In Zephaniah, the Bible gives us this image of a God who sings over us. Let’s explore the meaning of this beautiful imagery. The Lord your God…

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Old Testament

Should We Put God to the Test?

Humans are fickle creatures in a broken world. Sometimes, when we feel a dissonance between what we know and what we see, our first inclination is to test God. Throughout the Word, we see moments where He takes our questions, our anger, and our faithlessness and remains faithful and patient…

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Historical

What is an Asherah Pole?

Have you ever read the Old Testament and wondered what the references to “Asherah poles” meant? Why were they so popular? To answer these questions, we have the IVP Bible Background Commentary. Let’s see what it has to say about Asherah and her poles. The Short Answer Asherah poles were…

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Old Testament

Preaching from Leviticus: A Christological Approach

For many Christians, the book of Leviticus is a tough nut to crack. We know it’s important because it’s in the Bible, but we often still avoid preaching from this Old Testament book. It’s much more fun (and popular) to talk about the Law from the perspective of Romans or…

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