The rulers of this world are seldom friendly to the cause of God. The Lord Jesus comes down from heaven to save sinners, and at once Herod the king seeks to destroy Him. These verses also show that Jesus is a “Man of Sorrows” even as an infant. Trouble awaits Him as soon as He enters into the world. His

These verses show us that there may be true servants of God in places where we wouldn’t expect to find them. Men and women may be born in dark places of the earth, like these wise men, and yet like them be made wise unto salvation. It is not always those who have the most religious privileges who give Christ

The name Jesus means “Saviour”. It is given to our Lord because He saves His people from their sins. This is His special job. He saves them from the guilt of sin, by washing them in His own blood. He saves them from the dominion of sin, by giving them the Holy Spirit. He saves them from the presence of

We’re going to be looking at the book of Matthew using commentary by J.C. Ryle that has been edited for brevity and clarity. Matthew begins with a long list of names. Sixteen verses are taken up with tracing a line from Abraham to David, and from David to the family in which Jesus was born. Don’t ever thing that these

The Book of Judges began at the end of Joshua's life when the Land of Canaan had been apportioned to the tribes of Israel, but had not yet been fully conquered. As the tribes moved to occupy their allotted lands a pattern soon developed: a generation would forget the LORD; He would discipline them (usually through oppression by their enemies,

Another way the LORD has been pleased to use the events recorded at the end of the Book of Judges is to set the stage for the establishment of the kingship in Israel. Unwilling to submit to God's Kingship, the Israelites will demand a king like the nations around them. The LORD will give them Saul, a Benjaminite of Gibeah

The disturbing events at the end of the Book of Judges show us just how low the Israelites have sunk in this period. Idolatry has become prevalent. The Levites are not supported by the tithes of the people. At least one Levite, Jonathan, is willing to engage in false religion for profit. The men of Gibeah act like the people

Following the advice of their Israelite brethren, the men of Benjamin go to Shiloh and hide themselves in the vineyards at the time of a feast. When the young women of the town come out to dance in celebration the men of Benjamin rush them and carry off enough women to be the brides of the remaining 200 Benjaminites who

The Israelites have vowed not to give their daughters in marriage to the men of Benjamin, yet after the destruction of Jabesh-Gilead and the forced marriage of the young women of that town to the survivors, 200 Benjaminites remain without wives. The solution the Israelites propose is as disturbing as the earlier one. They encourage the men of Benjamin to

The civil war in Israel has left only 600 men of Benjamin alive. The Israelites who fought them have vowed that they will not give their daughters in marriage to the Benjaminites. Wives have been found for 400 of these survivors by destroying the town of Jabesh-Gilead and forcing the young women into marriage with them, but that leaves 200