Category

Genesis 25–27=The Blessing Passes on to Jacob Bible Background: We’ve heard God’s promise of blessing to Abraham and Sarah and to their descendants forever. Isaac marries Rebekah. After years of infertility, she gets pregnant with twins-and almost wishes she... Read More →

DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE STORY OF ISAAC’S BIRTH Bible Background: God has promised to Abraham and Sarah that they will be ancestors of a great nation; and that through them-all the families of the earth will be blessed. There’s just this one little problem: no... Read More →

Genesis 12 = Call of Abram and Sarai Bible Background: This is where the stories of God and God’s world move from “pre-history” to identifiable people, places, and dates. God’s dealing with humankind now focuses on one older, childless couple, to whom God... Read More →

GENESIS 6–9 NOAH AND THE FLOOD Bible Background: This is the first big story in the Bible after Adam & Eve and Cain & Abel. It’s one of those “pre-history” stories, where writers are looking back and trying to explain how we got where we are, and... Read More →

Genesis 1=The First Story of Creation Bible Background: The 1st story of the Bible is fittingly, the 1st creation story! Genesis 2 offers another account, which is quite different! That tells us the writers/editors of Genesis weren’t trying to solve all the mysteries of... Read More →

Luke 12:13f The Rich Fool Bible Background: More often than the other Gospels, Luke writes about money and the gap between rich and poor. Rich people do not come off very well in Luke, with the exception of Zacchaeus who pledges to give half of his wealth to the poor. In... Read More →

Mark 10:17-31 “The Rich Man and Jesus” Bible Background: It’s important to know that Mark 10 shows Jesus on the way to the cross. He has spoken seriously about what it means to follow him. This story is about a good man, who seeks to follow Jesus, but is held... Read More →

Matthew 6:19f “Trust God!” Bible Background: In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus’ teachings are summarized in “The Sermon on the Mount”, which was probably not one long sermon, but more a collection of Jesus’ sayings. This section invites hearers... Read More →

Ruth 4=A Happy Ending! Bible Background: We saw Ruth propose marriage to Boaz; Boaz accepts. In Act 4, he makes it official. They get pregnant; have a son; and name him Obed. Obed will become the father of Jesse-whose son will be David, the King. Amazing! Digging Deeper: 1. Boaz... Read More →

Ruth 3 = Making Things Happen! Bible Background: The short story of Ruth takes a dramatic change as Naomi sends Ruth to meet Boaz at night on the threshing floor. The plot gets suggestive of a romantic seduction, and the ‘happy ending’ is just about to unfold! Digging... Read More →