Malachi 4 Pastor David Groendyk This is a very short chapter, but it packs a serious punch. Verses 1–3 continue the dispute between the people and God from the end of chapter 3. Remember the charge that God brought against his people in 3:13: the people had spoken against God by saying that it was vain to serve him, because evildoers prosper all the time and consistently escape God’s punishment. Therefore, what difference does it…

Malachi 3 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin The Lord’s prophet Malachi brings three more charges against the Jews in this chapter. The first is actually mentioned in the last verse of the previous chapter, in 2:17, when the Lord accuses them of wearying Him by their false accusations. The second accusation, in 3:7, denounces them for having turned away from the Lord and His statutes. And the third complaint, found in 3:13, accuses them of…

Malachi 2 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson Douglas Stuart in his commentary on Malachi in An Exegetical & Expository Commentary: The Minor Prophets edited by Thomas E McComiskey uses the following outline 1:2-5                First Disputation 1:6-2:9             Second Disputation 2:10-16            Third Disputation 2:17-3:5           Fourth Disputation 3:6-12              Fifth Disputation 3:13-4:3           Sixth Disputation 4:4-6                Summary Challenge Most readers will notice the following pattern as seen in 1:2-5 Assertion by God                    I have loved you (1:2a) Questioning by Israel             …

Malachi 1 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin Malachi was one of the postexilic prophets, along with Haggai and Zechariah, who prophesied to the remnant of Judah upon their return from exile in Babylon. His prophecy comes in the form of an oracle, which, is either a divine response given to a question asked by God’s people or to a pronouncement made by God without His being asked a question. If you skim the book of…

Philippians 4 by Pastor David Groendyk In many ways, I think Paul’s reminder that “our citizenship is in heaven” (3:20) could be the header for Philippians 4. Remembering where our true citizenship lies changes our perspective about everything in life. In verse 2–9, Paul is exhorting the believers in Philippi to stay focused on the right things. Euodia and Syntyche are virtually unknown in Scripture, except for the fact that they are arguing with each…

Philippians 3 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson One way to look at this book is to divide 1:12-2:30 at the truth of the gospel and 3:1-4:1 as the truth against error.  Then 3:1-11 may be called the gospel against the Legalists; 3:12-16 the already and the not yet; and 3:17-4:1 the gospel against the Libertines (Reformation Study Bible).  The first group we might call the Legalists because they taught the way to come to Christ…

Philippians 2 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Bowlin For many years, this has been one of my favorite chapters in the Bible for it speaks so wonderfully of the work of Christ and of the work of the Spirit in the life of a believer saved by grace. It begins in vv.1-2 with Paul’s plea to the believers to share the same mind, the very mind of Christ, and to have the same love, the very…

Job 42 Devotional by Pastor Mark Hudson Now we are the concluding chapter.  This is Job’s time to repent and stand in wonder.  Job realizes that he was presumptuous and the way he questioned God and His justice was wrong.  As godly of a man as Job was, Job, like his friends, had put God in a theological box.  Job was somewhat aware of God’s majesty and glory but Job still had God nicely enclosed…

Philippians 1 by Pastor David Groendyk The letter from Paul to the church in Philippi was written during the first of Paul’s imprisonments in Rome sometime around 61 AD. You can read about the history of Paul founding this church and his experiences in this city in Acts 16:11–40. The very same themes you read about in Acts 16 are the same themes Paul emphasizes in his letter. The major themes are justification (how we’re…

Job 41 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence The Behemoth, a land monster mentioned in the previous chapter, ought to be considered together with the Leviathan, the great and fearsome monster of the sea. There are two different schools of thought concerning these monsters that God mentions and that Job must have had some familiarity with. The Literalists have for years stated that the Behemoth was an ancient description of the Hippopotamus and that the Leviathan was…

Job 40 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk God ends his first speech where he began: telling Job to give him an answer. Job’s response in verses 3–5 is prescriptive for every human being on the earth, and especially for Christians. Job has no answer, and he realizes how small he is compared to God. Can there be any other conclusion after hearing God speak in chapters 38–39? “I am of small account.” This is a…

Job 39 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk God continues his speech to Job. Whereas the first half of God’s speech emphasized God’s power in creating the entire universe, from the constellations to the deepest trenches in the ocean, this second half of his speech focuses on his governing of every different kind of creature. The emphasis now is on God’s breadth of knowledge and design rather than his sheer might. Do you know how many…

Job 37 by Pastor David Groendyk Elihu concludes his speech to Job in this chapter. The majority of this chapter describes God’s power and control over nature and the weather. The Old Testament wisdom books frequently go back to God’s sovereignty over Creation to teach us about God. Why use nature and weather as their prime examples? Michael Barrett, in a devotional section he wrote on this chapter says, “Few things are less predictable than…

Job 36 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Which is better in your mind, to sin just a little or to be greatly afflicted? The Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs would state emphatically that “there is more evil in the least sin, than there is in the greatest affliction.” But do we really believe that? Most of us would much prefer to avoid affliction altogether then to turn our backs on all sin. And the proof of the pudding…

Job 35 Devotionalby Pastor LawrenceIs it truly profitable to serve the Lord? What do we really get if we obey Him? There is nothing wrong with asking such questions. After all, even Jesus exhorted us to count the cost of following him to see whether or not we want to start out on that journey in the first place. The questions are good, but our answers are not always right and good. Back in chapter…

Job 31 by Pastor David Groendyk Here is Job’s final monologue in the book. He will speak again later, but only very briefly. These are his final words in an extended format. The whole chapter is essentially Job’s final appeal before God and before his friends that he is innocent and undeserving of the judgment being poured out on him. Job is a good model for us in that, despite all of his trials and…

Job 30 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence In comparison with his sweet reminiscences of the past and his earnest longing for restoration in the future presented in the previous chapter, Job now seems to be stuck in his own personal prison in the present. Previously young men stood up in his presence and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths when he spoke, but now the young men laugh at him, even those who…

Job 29 Devotional by Pastor Lawrence Most of us can relate to Job in terms of our disappointment with some aspect of life in fallen world. We also know what it is like to reminisce of the good old days when we were oblivious to certain miseries and heartache that we now know through painful experience. But notice in the first four verses that what Job misses the most is the intimate fellowship of God.…

Job 28 by Pastor David Groendyk Job continues his monologue, now turning to the idea of wisdom in general. Verses 1–11 are a set-up for what comes after them. Human beings are capable of many great things. We search to the farthest limits for valuable metals and gems, we’re industrious and full of ingenuity, and we’re able to bring so many of the earth’s hidden treasures to light. And yet, wisdom is unknown to mankind…

Job 25 Devotional by Pastor David Groendyk This is the last time that one of Job’s friends tries to counsel him. Bildad speaks for the third time but is cut off before he can really get going, and you can see why when you read this chapter. Again, the question is posed, “How can man be in the right before God?” Eliphaz asked this question twice in his accusations against Job (4:17; 15:14), and Job…

Job 27 by Pastor David Groendyk Rather than endure any more hot air, Job takes up a lengthy monologue that silences his three friends. Remember Bildad had been cut short in his third speech, and poor Zophar doesn’t even get to begin his third speech. The next few chapters are all related in that Job discusses things which are revealed by God and things which are hidden by God. In verses 1–6, Job once again…