If God be for us, who can be against us?

Bible commentators recognize this chapter as a difficult one to interpret. It is good to approach this chapter as having three major sections: 1) the coming destruction of the land which will come because of 2) their rejection of the good shepherd and 3) their acceptance of the evil shepherd. This chapter points to the rejection of Jesus Christ as Messiah and to the acceptance of the antichrist and the destruction of the land of Israel during the Tribulation.

In this chapter, we learn three great lessons: 1) your sin will surely catch up with you and find you out; 2) the judgment of sin is more than you can ever imagine; 3) God shows great mercy to those who truly repent and turn to Him.

David is at the height of his reign with multiple victories on the field, and a great spiritual victory when he lifts the grandson of his enemy to a place of blessing and prominence.

In this last section of the song of Moses, Moses contrasted the Rock of Israel with the rock of the other nations. God also promised to revenge His people. Moses closed the song with a plea to observe God’s commandments. The law is not a vain thing. It is your life by which you prolong your days in the land. The same day, the Lord told Moses to ascend Mount Nebo where he would see the Promised Land before he died.

Abram came up out of Egypt and returned to Bethel. He came to the place where he had previously built an altar and there he called on the name of the Lord. Strife between his herdsmen and the herdsmen of Lot brought a division between the two men. Lot chose the well-watered plains of Sodom. After Lot departed, God renewed His promise of land to Abram and told him to walk up and down in it.

This passage carefully argues for justification by faith. In justification, our sins are imputed to Christ to be paid for on the cross while the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. This passage argues against justification by works, for justification by faith, and for justification by faith for both Jews and Gentiles. In the last argument, Abraham is used to prove that justification by faith applies to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews.

Abner had killed Joab’s brother, Asahel, in battle. Joab cannot wait for the Lord but must exact his own vengeance.

The six-day creation story as found in Genesis (along with the seventh day of rest) provides a perfect picture of the seven dispensations as generally taught by dispensationalists. Match each day of creation with the corresponding dispensation and you see some very interesting parallels.

Samuel, the gift of God to a praying mother, ministered in his early years. God worked in his life and used him mightily.