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In chapter 7 Paul is answering specific questions which are unknown to us. His points about marriage are made in the expectation that the end times were upon them. Hence, some of his advice would seem to go contrary to Torah - remaining single for example. (This episode ends abruptly. We actually went on to chapters 8 and 9, but they form a unit with chapter 10 and will be presented next time.)

In Scripture a yoke can be either a punishing burden impossible to bear or a tool to get useful work accomplished. Scripture presents the Pharisaic understanding of the Torah as the former while Christ described His yoke as easy and light. One of the dividing lines between the two is that Christ's words are true and the Pharisaic interpretation is not.

The birth of Samuel. Samuel's mother, Hannah, was barren and bitter about it. Her prayer and promise to God flows from that anguish of soul. After the birth of her son, she makes a song of praise. Mary's prayer, although shorter, is essentially the same. The background on the Priest Eli and his corrupt sons sets the scene for the entire book - the importance of fathers and the consequences of their failure.

Paul uses the metaphor of leaven to condemn immoral behavior within the church. The idea being that if sin is tolerated and excused, it will spread and infect others. He instructs them to expel flagrant sinners from the body. He also chastens them about taking disputes between brothers to the secular authorities. In cases where secular law does not comport with God's law injustice will be the result.

Both Chanukah and Thanksgiving are celebrations to thank God for a successful rebellion against government that has exceeded its authority from God and become oppressive. God has never been impressed with human government, Historically when it has become oppressive and hostile to Him, He has supported rebellion.

God enters the conversation, rebukes Job's friends and gives Job an opportunity to present his case. Wisely, Job simply falls down in worship. At the end, Job forgives his friends and God restores to him double what he had lost. God's soliloquy is some of the greatest poetry ever written.

Introduction and background to the letter. Paul first addresses factionalism within the church. Paul had planted the church earlier (Acts 18) and guided it for 18 months before moving on. Apollos had then come along and continued to teach there. Apparently, some new Christians had come to believe that there was some conflict between the two. Paul denies that, comparing himself to a foundation builder and Apollos to the one who erects an edifice on the prepared foundation.

In Genesis 26 Isaac was run out of Gerar because he had become too powerful. As he moved, he reopened the wells his father had dug and which the Philistines had plugged up. As he did so, the Philistines drove him off and claimed the wells for themselves. In the story of Abraham and Isaac's wells and the Philistine's reaction, we have the entire plan of salvation and the basis of all the antisemitism in the world today. Consider the hatred that would cause herdsmen to stop up wells in the desert.

In this second half of Elihu's statement, he gives a beautiful poem to the greatness of God. In this, he urges Job to consider his own insignificance in relation to God's majesty. Everything he says is true, but does not actually apply to Job's situation.

Having conquered the land, Joshua released the eastern tribes to return to their land and their families. These tribes built an altar by the Jordan to serve as a witness that they would always be a part of the people of God. As his final official act, Joshua and the tribal elders renewed the covenant with God.

At his death God's promises to Abraham had not been fulfilled. Although he did have six sons, the only land he possessed was a burial plot for his wife. Yet Scripture says he was blessed in all things and and was full - contented. That is because he had a purpose and realized that God's plan would take generations. So too with us, having a purpose is what gives meaning to our lives.

Elihu has not spoken because of his youth, yet he does not find Job righteous. He believes that God does not punish for vengeance sake. Rather, punishment is meant to turn man from the path of destruction and set his feet on the path of righteousness.

Although there was still much land to conquer, Joshua proceeded to define tribal allotments on the west side of the Jordan River. For political reasons, he began with Judah and Joseph, putting them astride the central ridge and separated by the Saddle of Benjamin. The remaining seven tribes sent out survey parties and divided the rest of the land into parcels. Those parcels were assigned by lot, one to each tribe.

Faith and trust are related but distinct concepts. In relation to God, faith is the belief that He exists and that His word is true and reliable. Trust, on the other hand, involves acting on His word especially when one cannot see how that will turn out. When Abraham was told to sacrifice his son, he had no doubts about God's existence or that he had heard His word. So he obeyed, trusting that somehow God would honor His promise to establish a covenant with Isaac.

Having heard the accusations of his three friends, Job offers a summary defense of his life. He goes through a list of things that men do to be considered wicked and declares that he as never done any of them.

After the series of battles attendant to the 'long day', Joshua continued with the conquest of the south. With that complete, the King of Hazor gathered an army of all the peoples in the north. They gathered at the waters of Merom; very many horses and chariots. Joshua came up from the south and destroyed that army as well as all of the towns from which they had come.

Mark 12 begins with the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. This parable raises several questions. Who is it addressed to? There are at least three groups. In each context, what are the pathologies being addressed? What fruit does the owner expect in each context? How does this apply today?

Bildad expresses a common Christian belief, that it is inherently impossible for any man to be pure in God's eyes. Job answers that he understands the vast gap between man and God. He says, however that man is God's creation and is not inherently evil.

Gibeon lies in the Saddle of Benjamin astride the north- south ridge route as well as the east-west route from the Jordan Valley to the coastal plain. It was a major city in a very strategic location. After the destruction of Ai, the Gibeonites knew that they were next and so planned a deception to get Israel to make a covenant and spare them from destruction. Once that covenant was made, the southern Canaanite kings attacked Gibeon forcing Israel to defend it.

After observing humanity for over 1600 years, God was disappointed with His creation and decided to destroy it all and start over. The proximate reason for that decision was the state of the human heart - evil continually. After the flood, His assessment did not change. So what did change that prompted Him to decide not to re-flood the place?