by Darrell | Jul 31, 2026 | Articles
The book of judges is a teaching book. It shows us the danger of falling away from the Lord. It shows a recurring pattern of Israel’s disobedience, rebellion, and then eventual repentance. It’s easy to look at Judges and think “how terrible it is for them to fall away after all God did for them!” However, we need to shift our thinking to ourselves. We need to learn from the book of Judges so that we do not fall away!
The first clue for us is in chapter 2:10, “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.” At the end of Joshua’s life he had challenged them to make a choice and stick with it and that he and his family chose the Lord. The people said they would also choose to be faithful to the Lord. Joshua tells them what will be needed in order to live up to that commitment. So what happened? In simple terms, they forgot. Judges 2:10 says the next generation didn’t know the Lord or His works, so one generation didn’t pass it on to the next. This is why we read and re-read passages, talk about subjects again and again, and even have weekly reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. We want to remember and we want the next generation to know. This also means that it falls on parents and grandparents to make sure that next generation knows, too.
The pattern in Judges is sin, oppression, and then crying out in distress for deliverance. Somewhere there is a remembrance or someone teaching. Even in the midst of a sinful generation and oppression because of it, someone is teaching. Details aren’t revealed, but it seems clear. This reveals to us that we must continue to teach, even when it seems like everyone is going their own way and wouldn’t want to know about God. Those who are faithful are to continue to be an example, to speak of righteousness in the Lord, and teach others when they can. We see this well in Paul’s evangelism. He had different levels of success at different times. Sometimes it seems like he easily finds willing hearers, and other times, it seems that opposition and deep-seated idolatry is a huge barrier to finding hearers. He kept going and kept searching, just as we should.
Another big lesson I see in Judges is that success is not determined by talent or strength, but by relying on the Lord. From Gideon to Samson, deliverance came by the Lord’s will, not by man’s intentions. It came because God was behind it. It reminds me of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. David states confidently in verse 47, “For the battle is the Lord’s…” It was true for David, for conquering Jericho (and the rest of the land), and it was true during the time of the Judges. It is no different for us today. The battle still belongs to the Lord, and we need to be on HIS side, not forgetful and not rebellious, but people of faith who remember and serve.
by Darrell | Jun 5, 2026 | Articles
In Numbers 33:50-56, there are instructions regarding the conquest of the promised land. They are told to drive out the inhabitants, destroy items associated with their pagan worship, and don’t let even a remnant of them to remain in the land with them. It sounds like a straightforward “battle plan” of conquest, but it is much more.
First, the inhabitants have been judged by God. It was not arbitrary that this was the land that was promised. This is important to notice so that we do not think of God as being unjust. He has acted righteously in taking away the land from this pagan people and giving it to His people.
Second, they were to expel ALL the inhabitants. If they leave any, they will be “barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.” We are looking backward in history and see that very thing happen. They didn’t follow all of God’s instructions, leaving some of the inhabitants and the result was they learned their pagan practices, intermarried with foreigners, and compromised themselves spiritually in so doing. (take some time to consider Psalm 106:43-49 and 1 Kings 11:1-8)
We are not of the Hebrews who were conquering the promised land, but we are a spiritual people of God and there’s lessons to be learned from these commands and their actions in following (or not following) them. The biggest one is to understand the need to rid our lives of impure influences. We may think something is small and poses no threat, but over time, influences can creep in. Our attitudes can change, we no longer hold the line of faith as we once did, or we slowly adopt practices that may be questionable at best. The culture around is always going to be used by our adversary to create conflict and try to convince us to compromise the truth. We need clarity in moral decisions and an unwavering consistency in following God. Paul said:
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor 6:14–18)
The Israelites didn’t follow God’s commands completely, They absorbed some of the impurity of the peoples God had already judged, and it was to their detriment. We must value purity and holiness as people of God, not allowing ourselves to be influenced, but rather for us to be an influence for good in the world we live. We need to be the salt and light in the world and not lose our savor! (Matt 5:13-16)
by Darrell | May 28, 2026 | Articles
In Mark 12:28-34 (the parallel passage being found in Matthew 22), Jesus is asked by a scribe (one who was expected to be an expert in the law) what the greatest commandment is. Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and adds the second greatest commandment as well. It was not new. It comes from Leviticus 19:18. The scribe didn’t ask about the second greatest commandment, but Jesus added it anyway because it is “like it.” These 2 commandments “depend all the Law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). The scribe agrees with him, but is that enough? Jesus says he is “not far from the kingdom of God.” No, it wasn’t quite enough. We know that one must believe in Jesus (John 8:24) and obey Him (John 14:15; 15:10). The scribe’s understanding of these commandments was a good start, but he needed to go a little farther. Many people will believe a great many things Jesus taught and still stop short of full commitment. I would hope that the scribe did indeed go the whole way to being saved, but it is not revealed to us.
Loving God fully is not just a warm, fuzzy feeling. It is a commitment, a prioritization of God in our lives. We are called to give the full measure of ourselves — heart, soul, mind and strength. Nothing held back or reserved. We are seeking Him and desiring to align ourselves with His will.
Loving our neighbors as ourselves is also a high calling for the Christian. Before the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, the question was asked of Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” It was asked in order to justify himself. Loving your neighbor is easy when it’s someone who looks like me, talks like me, believes like me, etc. It’s much more challenging when it goes outside those boundaries. The Jews had been told not to associate with Gentiles to the point that they didn’t think they were their neighbors at all. The parable of the good Samaritan revealed that thinking as flawed.
What do we want for ourselves? Good things, of course. We want the necessities of life, but we want more than that. Ultimately, we want salvation as well, so we should want this for our neighbors. We should be actively looking for and sharing the answer for that need! And we should be doing it in love (Ephesians 4:15).
Jesus’ simple answer to the scribe’s question has a lot of implications. We would do well to meditate on not only the meaning of those 2 commandments, but also whether we are actively working to fulfill those commandments in our lives.
by Darrell | May 22, 2026 | Articles
There are many ways we might describe someone. If it is someone close to us, we probably use terms that relate to what we see as their most memorable qualities. If someone is describing us perhaps we would want words like kind, honest, dependable, strength of character, etc. For Moses in 12:3 it says, “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.”
Meek really isn’t a word we use much today. Perhaps that is why so many people seem to misunderstand the word. Maybe because it sounds so much like the word weak, that is how people associate it. This is inaccurate though. The best way to define it is “strength under control.” It is not weakness, it is self-control! That is how Moses was described. Was he perfect? Of course not. Did he always exercise perfect self-control? No. But he did stand out as a man under control.
Horses are very strong. Back in the days of chariots and horses for war, horses were bred for strength and endurance, but that wasn’t enough. A strong horse going and doing as it pleased was of no use on the battlefield. They had to be trained. They had to weed out the ones who were too self-willed to be controlled. What they ended up with were massive horses that could be still and calm, but then charge across the battlefield at great speed and without fear of everything going on around them. They had great strength, but it was under control.
We need great strength — of character and spirit. That means we are fully committed, unwavering, and able to exercise control in the face of adversity and temptation. Without self-control, we cannot choose our own path. We will be moved by every event and circumstance that comes our way. It is listed as part of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. It is spoken of negatively when it is lacking in 2 Timothy 3:3. Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
Our walk with God and our reinforcement by His word should be strengthening us. We should be able to exercise greater degrees of self-control as the days go by. We need to be like Moses – meek.
by Darrell | May 15, 2026 | Articles
In Mark 10:13-16 we have a short exchange that is important for us to understand. In the course of Jesus’ teaching the people, parents begin bringing their children to Him. It says that they wanted Him to touch them. They expected a “blessing” upon them from Jesus. Jesus uses it as a teachable moment. In Matthew’s account, 19:13, it states that they wanted Him to lay hands on them and pray. We see this custom in Old Testament passages such as Genesis 48. It shows some level of recognition of His power and authority.
At first, the disciples begin rebuking these parents. They seemed to think that this was a distraction and annoyance. “We have work to do” might be their thought. Jesus, however, did not want to overlook the children and He had a lesson to teach His disciples. Mark says Jesus became indignant. It was unfair to think that Jesus didn’t care about children.
Think about this for a moment — Jesus deals with people all day long. Some of them receive His words. Others turn away. Still others question Him and try to entrap Him. And now, these children are brought to Him. I could see Him having a sense of joy interacting with these children. They don’t have any impure motives. Mark says he took them up in his arms. He embraces them and blesses them. The disciples wanted to cut short a moment that was enjoyable for Jesus.
There was another lesson for His disciples to learn. “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Receive the kingdom without ulterior motives or preconceived notions. Receive it without any barriers that people tend to build up as adults, such as their own sinful desires, their rebellious attitudes, and their unwillingness to change. Receive it with the childlike wonder and amazement at what Jesus offers.
My grandson, Anaiah, loves to explore outside. He picks up the most random things and looks at them intently. Sticks, acorns, leaves, snails, etc. I always wonder what he is thinking. He will examine it from every angle, and some of them he will keep carrying around. Perhaps if people would examine what God says in His word with that kind of intention, we would be better off! More people would see the truth. More people would let it change them! The Word of God is amazing! We should treat it that way and examine it carefully, taking in what is being taught to us.
Be like children. Innocent, inquisitive, and ready to receive!
by Darrell | May 1, 2026 | Articles
Mark 6:1-6
Hometowns can be complicated. There’s history. There are relationships (sometimes going way back to early childhood!). I think we see this with Jesus. He grew up. He was well regarded (Luke 2). But when He goes back to Nazareth, where everyone should have remembered how He grew up (which one would think that would give Him some credibility), they reject Him. He was just a carpenter’s son in their eyes. He was just a son and a brother.
I have often thought of this. What was their barrier to belief? Was it just familiarity? Was it jealousy, since He grew up there and should be just like them? I can’t answer for what was in their hearts. I do, however, notice that Jesus expected more of them. He came teaching and doing mighty works, but they reject Him. He marveled (astounded). No doubt He wants them to believe, but speaking in human terms, I think there would be an added desire since He had personal relationships with people back home.
“A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” All 4 gospels contain this saying. Many consider it to be a common proverb. Jesus had been honored by people in other areas, but in His own hometown, they questioned Him and did not believe. Matthew 13:58 states that Jesus didn’t do many mighty works because of their unbelief. The text indicates He had done some mighty works, but they still don’t believe. And they weren’t going to. At least not now.
Jesus went elsewhere. He didn’t come to preach to those who stopped up their ears so they wouldn’t hear. He came to seek and save the lost, which requires listening, belief, and obedience! He wasn’t finding that in Nazareth so He went elsewhere.
Oh that we would never be in such a situation! We should always be willing to listen to what God has to say in His inspired Word. Even when it’s a hard thing. Even when we are challenged to repent, change, or adopt a different behavior. May Jesus never marvel at a lack of belief in us!
