It's all about Him

1 Samuel - Chapter 7

Samuel has some advice for the people: "Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves

1 Samuel - Chapter 6

The Philistines have captured the ark, and had brought the presence of God into their cities.  For them this was a disaster and each town that housed the ark was struck down with disease.  The Philistines are therefore desperate to get rid of the ark. Christians welcome the presence of

1 Samuel - Chapter 5

The Philistines have defeated the Israelites in battle, and they have taken the ark of the covenant back to their stronghold at Ashdod. After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set

1 Samuel - Chapter 4

In this chapter we read about a battle between the Israelites and the Philistines: The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. When the soldiers returned to camp, the

1 Samuel - Chapter 3

In this chapter God calls Samuel into his service.  he does this in person, calling him by name: Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back

1 Samuel - Chapter 2

Hannah gives a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God, which is prophetic. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” This was prayed before there was a king in Israel and is looking ahead to the earthly kings in Israel, and also to

1 Samuel - Chapter 1

The book of 1 Samuel begins with the birth of Samuel.  His mother has been unable to have a child: In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and

Ruth - Chapter 4

In this chapter we see Ruth married to Boaz.  Boaz, as the kinsman-redeemer, represents Jesus; and his marriage to Ruth gives him a gentile bride, who represents the church. The book ends with a genealogy showing that Ruth and Boaz are ancestors of King David, and therefore also of Jesus.

Ruth - Chapter 3

The next part of Ruth's story takes place at a threshing floor - One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, "My daughter, I must find a home for you, where you will be well provided for. Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is

Ruth - Chapter 2

In this chapter we meet Boas: Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz. Boaz is named in both of the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke. It is important that Boaz is a

Ruth - Chapter 1

This book is the story of a woman from Moab, named Ruth.  She is one of the few women named in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1: Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father

Judges - Chapter 21

In this chapter the Israelites are facing the extinction of the tribe of Benjamin - firstly because they had taken justice into their own hands and killed all by a few hundred men from that tribe;  and secondly because they had rashly taken a vow not to allow the men

Judges - Chapter 20

In this chapter there is a civil war, as the tribe of Benjamin fights against the rest of Israel, as a result of the acts in the previous chapter. And as there is now a judgement on sin, reference to Jesus return. The tribe to take the lead in judgement

Judges - Chapter 19

This is one of the most unpleasant chapters in the Bible.  A woman who is not even named is abused, killed and dismembered.  Looking through the chapter for Jesus was difficult.  In fact, I would suggest that he is not there.  And that is the whole point.  The chapter begins:

Judges - Chapter 18

In this chapter we read about the tribe of Dan, in the land of the tribe of Ephraim, and we see that they bring idolatry into the land. There the Danites set up for themselves the idol, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were

Judges - Chapter 17

In this chapter we see a man named Micah.  He is in need of God, but is seeking him the wrong way.  He is then joined by an unnamed priest: A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in

Judges - Chapter 16

Samson loves Delilah and she is trying to find the secret of Samson's strength.  He says to her: “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb." There was a similar

Judges - Chapter 15

In this chapter we see another miracle by God, which looks ahead to Jesus as the living water. "Because he (Samson) was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, “You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands

Judges - Chapter 14

We read in this chapter events in the life of Samson.  On two occasions we are told that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power.  On the first occasion he tore apart a lion that was roaring towards him, with his bare hands.  on the second occasion

Judges - Chapter 13

In this chapter we begin the story of one of the best known of the judges - Samson.  The angel of the Lord (Jesus) visits Zorah and Manoah - Samson's parents, to tell them that they are going to have a baby boy, and to tell them how

Judges - Chapter 12

Here we read the origin of the word shibboleth: The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he replied, “No,” they said, “All right, say

Judges - Chapter 11

In the previous chapter the people were waiting for a leader to save them.  in this chapter that leader is revealed.  It is Jephthah, and he saves his people just as Jesus saves the world.  The comparisons between Jesus and Jephthah are seen in the opening verses of the chapter.

Judges - Chapter 10

In this chapter the people are sinning and following other Gods, and God says that he will not save them.  But then God has mercy on them and can bear their misery no longer.  The people gather together to resist the Ammonites, but they recognise that they need a leader

Judges - Chapter 9

In this chapter there is a parable of the trees: One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honoured,

Judges - Chapter 8

In this chapter the people are looking at Gideon as a saviour and as a king: The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” Gideon's response looks good: But Gideon told them,