– Psalm 119:1 The singular blending of testimony, prayer, and praise in Psalm 119 is admirable. In one verse, the psalmist bears witness; in a second verse, he praises; in a third verse, he prays. It is an incense made up of many spices, but they are wonderfully mixed and worked together to form one perfect sweetness. The blending greatly increases the value of the whole. You would not like to have the first third of the psalm composed of prayer, then second third made up exclusively of praise, and the third portion entirely made of testimony. It is best to have all these divinely sweet ingredients intermixed and worked together into a sacred unity, as you have them in this thrice-hallowed psalm. Its prayers bear witness, and its testimonies are fragrant with praise. This wonderful psalm, from its great length, helps us to marvel at the immensity of Scripture. As it keeps to the same subject, it helps us adore the unity of Scripture. Yet, from the many turns it brings to that one subject, it helps us see the variety of Scripture. How manifold are the words and thoughts of God! In His Word, just as in creation, the wonders of His skill are displayed in many ways. About the Author Charles Haddon (C. H.) Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a British Baptist preacher. He started preaching at age 17 and quickly became famous. He is still known as the “Prince of Preachers” and frequently had more than 10,000 people present to hear him preach at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. His sermons were printed in newspapers, translated into many languages, and published in many books.

    The Old Testament Speaks offers a clear picture of the archaeological, geographical, historical, and linguistic dimensions of God's covenant with his people from the time of Abraham to the coming of the Messiah. The Old Testament Speaks examines the historical and religious life of the Hebrews, integrates the development of non-hebraic cultures with conventional biblical history, and reviews the best modern scholarly research in placing the Scriptures in their Near Eastern setting.Samuel J. Schultz emphasizes the importance of letting the Scriptures tell their own stories. He makes selective use of the best and latest literature in Old Testament studies, and offers a balanced perspective. Schultz sifts the facts and follows them to their inevitable conclusions. However, when the evidence is not definitive, he exercises caution, presenting his own interpretation as only one of several possible views. Schultz also appraises the impact of recent archaeological and historical findings on the understanding of key portions of the Old Testament.The Old Testament Speaks contains all the relevant material -- biblical and nonbiblical -- necessary for classroom use or personal study of the Old Testament. Schultz provides outlines that reflect the historical background and summarize the contents of each biblical book, as well as charts and maps to help visualize the biblical narrative. He has also revised and updated the biblio-graphies at the end of each chapter.

    When faced with difficult trials, many people have resonated with the book of Job--the story of a man who lost nearly everything, seemingly abandoned by God.In this thorough and accessible commentary, Christopher Ash helps us glean encouragement from God's Word by directing our attention to the final explanation and ultimate resolution of Job's story: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Intended to equip pastors to preach Job's important message, this commentary highlights God's grace and wisdom in the midst of redemptive suffering.Taking a staggeringly honest look at our broken world and the trials that we often face, Ash helps us see God's sovereign purposes for adversity and the wonderful hope that Christians have in Christ.Luke's carefully researched and orderly account of the life of Christ is one of the finest pieces of historical writing from the ancient world. More importantly, it boldly proclaims the story and significance of Jesus, emphasizing his "gospel" as good news for the whole world.In this illuminating commentary, respected pastor R. Kent Hughes explores Luke's historical claims about the life of Christ and his overarching message, offering helpful insights into the biblical text and pastoral reflections on how it applies to everyday life.Written to help preachers and Bible teachers communicate God's Word more effectively, this commentary explores how the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus constitute the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and guarantee salvation to all who believe on his name.Part of the Preaching the Word series.

    Join me with ideas, energy, images, and stories. This is not my chronological diary. You can watch me on television for that. This is how we prevail with joy—and exactly how an exciting president is leading the way against all odds.” —Congressman Matt Gaetz

     Think of Ruth and Esther, two Old Testament heroines of the faith. Singled out as the only women to have Bible books named after them, Ruth and Esther lived in very different worlds, one a poor peasant and the other a powerful queen. Yet both dared to do the right thing when confronted with the easy way out, and God rewarded them for their courage and commitment. As you study the Books of Ruth and Esther, you will appreciate anew the tough choices of faith these women made, and you will be encouraged to do the same as you rely on the God: who accomplishes His purposes through people who trust Him.

    In such ministries expositions of the life of Elijah have always been prominent. His sudden appearance out of complete obscurity, his dramatic interventions in the national history of Israel, his miracles, his departure from earth in a chariot of fire, all serve to captivate the thought of preacher and writer alike. The New Testament sustains this interest. If Christ Jesus is the Prophet "like unto Moses," Elijah, too, has his New Testament counterpart in John-the greatest of the prophets. And even more remarkably, Elijah himself in living person reappears to view when, with Moses, he stands on the mount of "the excellent glory," "to speak of the strife that won our life with the incarnate Son of God." What a superb honor was this! As Moses and Elijah are the names which shine in dual grandeur in the closing chapters of the Old Testament, they likewise appear as living representatives of the Lord's redeemed host-the resurrected and the translated-on "the holy mount," their theme the exodus which their Savior and Lord was to accomplish at the time appointed by the Father.Arthur Walkington Pink was an English Christian evangelist and Biblical scholar known for his staunchly Calvinist and Puritan-like teachings. Though born to Christian parents, prior to conversion he migrated into a Theosophical society (an occult gnostic group popular in England during that time), and quickly rose in prominence within their ranks. His conversion came from his father's patient admonitions from Scripture. It was the verse, Proverbs 14:12, 'there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death, ' which particularly struck his heart and compelled him to renounce Theosophy and follow Jesus.

    But the variety of the testimony can be lost by limiting one's interpretations or application of the prophetic word. Interpreting the Prophetic Word helps readers understand the harmony of the voices that reveal God's purposes in redemptive history. Dr. Willem VanGemeren explains clearly and fully the background of the prophetic tradition. He then interprets the message of the major and minor prophets, using historical context and literary form and structure as tools in his analysis. He concludes with an explanation of the relevance of the prophetic word today. Dr. VanGemeren's extensive research and scholarship is presented in a readable way to unlock the door of prophecy for readers. He helps them to interpret prophecy and invites them to listen to the prophets and to lives the prophetic word.

    Eswine's study helps us address these topics boldly ourselves and grounds them in the person and work of Jesus.

    Akin, and Tony Merida, this new commentary series, projected to be 48 volumes, takes a Christ-centered approach to expositing each book of the Bible. Rather than a verse-by-verse approach, the authors have crafted chapters that explain and apply key passages in their assigned Bible books. Readers will learn to see Christ in all aspects of Scripture, and they will be encouraged by the devotional nature of each exposition. Exalting Jesus in Ezra-Nehemiah is written by Jim Hamilton.

    Through the years, our understanding of Jesus has been shaped by different cultural influences, and many Christians have forgotten that Jesus was a Jewish man living in a Jewish land, observing Jewish customs, and investing his life into Jewish men and women.Trading the popular, but inaccurate Western perspective of the Bible for the context in which Jesus actually ministered in 2000 years ago, author Robby Gallaty reveals the fascinating Hebraic culture, customs, and nuances many Christians have never experienced or learned about.By uncovering the teaching of the first and second century rabbis and Christian theologians, and highlighting little-known Jewish idioms and traditions, Gallaty takes Christians on a biblical journey to rediscover a forgotten Jesus from a biblical perspective, deepening your relationship with God.

    Peterson speaks to Christians who realize the necessity for prayer and yearn for it but who find their prayer unconvincing and unsatisfying. Addressing the causes of this dissatisfaction, Answering God offers guidelines for using the Psalms as dynamic tools for prayer.

    In the modern church it tends to be the last part of the Bible that anyone looks at seriously. Because Leviticus is largely concerned with subjects that seem incomprehensible and irrelevant today — rituals for sacrifice and regulations concerning uncleanness — it appears to have nothing to say to twenty-first-century Christians. In this excellent commentary on Leviticus, Gordon Wenham takes with equal seriousness both the plain original meaning of the text and its abiding theological value. To aid in reconstructing the original meaning of the text, Wenham draws from studies of Old Testament ritual and sacrifice that compare and contrast biblical customs with the practices of other Near Eastern cultures. He also closely examines the work of social anthropologists and expertly utilizes the methods of literary criticism to bring out the biblical author’s special interests. In pursuit of his second aim, to illumine the enduring theological value of Leviticus, Wenham discusses at the end of each section how the Old Testament passages relate to the New Testament and to contemporary Christianity. In doing so, he not only shows how pervasive Levitical ideas are in the New Testament but also highlights in very practical ways the enduring claim of God’s call to holiness on the lives of Christians today.

    Living in light of our death reorients us to our limitations as creatures and helps us see God’s good gifts right in front of us—enabling us to live wisely, freely, and generously. Drawing on wisdom from the book of Ecclesiastes, David Gibson teaches us to embrace this countercultural mind-set and live life backward: to take the one thing in the future that is certain—our death—and work backward when it comes to our priorities, goals, desires, and decisions. If we do this, we'll learn that only with a proper perspective on death can we find meaning and satisfaction in life—and see just how great God is.

    In Joseph and the Way of Forgiveness, he offers us his riveting novelistic version of the Biblical tale in which Jacob's favorite son is sold into slavery and eventually becomes viceroy of Egypt. Tolstoy called it the most beautiful story in the world. What's new here is the lyrical, witty, vivid prose, informed by a wisdom that brings fresh insight to this foundational legend of betrayal and all-embracing forgiveness. Mitchell's retelling, which reads like a postmodern novel, interweaves the narrative with brief meditations that, with their Zen surprises, expand the narrative and illuminate its main themes.By stepping inside the minds of Joseph and the other characters, Mitchell reanimates one of the central stories of Western culture. The engrossing tale that he has created will capture the hearts and minds of modern readers and show them that this ancient story can still challenge, delight, and astonish.

    It will not call off the Quest for its origins." The opening chapters of Genesis -- important at any time -- have been the focal point of controversy for more than a century. Few topics have been so hotly debated by theologians, philosophers and scientists alike. Henri Blocher argues that our primary task is to discover what these key chapters of the Bible originally meant. Only then will we be able to unravel the knotty issues surrounding human origins. Taking into account a vast array of scholarship, Blocher provides a detailed study of creation week, the image of God, the significance of male and female, the garden covenant, the Fall, the curse and the promise of redemption. He also offers significanct theological insights into the creation-evolution debate.