1 Samuel 25:32-33 – David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.” David was close to making a big mistake. Abigail’s husband, a wealthy man named Nabal, rejected David’s request to share his riches with the people of Israel. David was rightly offended by Nabal’s refusal … but his retaliation would’ve been worse than Nabal’s offense. Abigail was sent by God to keep David from killing Nabal – an action that would’ve brought guilt, regret, and damage to his reputation. Nabal not only lived as a fool, but also died as one. God overruled David’s foolish plans and, by his grace, overrules ours sometimes. He might send someone like Abigail, or change our minds himself. God often protects us from the harm we’d do to others, as well as to ourselves. David would eventually take Abigail as his own wife. By marrying his widow, all Nabal’s wealth became David’s. Everything Nabal worked for, and everything he acquired, now belonged to someone who cared about God. If we don’t manage our money for God, he can give it to someone who does.

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Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 65 - 1 Samuel 25: 32-33

1 Samuel 13:5 – The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Saul had been king of Israel for many years … and was now facing a serious challenge. God had given the land to Israel, but the Philistines wouldn’t give it up, and had the military advantage. This challenge was so great that Saul’s army was quaking with fear, and many were deserting. The prophet Samuel had instructed Saul to wait for his arrival, so he could offer a sacrifice before the battle. Since the prophet spoke for God, this was not a suggestion — it was God’s command. But Samuel didn’t arrive on time and Saul felt compelled to act. Perhaps the prophet was sick, or delayed for some other reason. Saul thought if he waited any longer the battle would be lost. So he offered the sacrifice himself. Samuel wasn’t pleased. He told Saul in verse 13, “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure.” This was a test of Saul’s faith, and he failed. The word of the prophet was the word of God to Saul, and the word of God was: Wait! Taking action ahead of God is always counterproductive… but whoever waits on God never waits too long.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 58 - 1 Samuel 13:5

Judges 21:25 – In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. This is the final verse in the book of Judges, and is a fitting conclusion to the moral and political chaos of the time. God had  led his people out of slavery. Then he led them through the wilderness to the land he had promised. They didn’t conquer the land, however, and were no better morally than the pagans who lived there. What they needed most was a godly king to help them fulfill their destiny. Syncretism is the blending of religious ideas to come up with something new. The people of Israel took a few ideas from God’s word, and blended them with a few ideas from the people groups around them – and proceeded to contradict God’s word at almost every point. Kings were later appointed, and things improved a little. But the kings had problems of their own, and often did more harm than good – until, finally, a righteous king arrived. The people took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” That king was Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the world, and will return as King of kings and Lord of lords. Then we’ll have the king that we need, and the world will be as it ought to be forever. That’s where the Bible – and all of human history – is going.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 51 - Judges 21:25

Joshua 7:6 – Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell face down to the ground before the Ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. Shortly after their miraculous victory over the city-state of Jericho, the Israelites suffered humiliating defeat at the small town of Ai. They were so confident it could be conquered that they recommended only two or three thousand soldiers be sent to overthrow it. To everyone’s surprise, however, Ai scattered Israel’s army, and killed thirty-six of their soldiers. This was a catastrophic disaster.  As Joshua lay face down before the Ark of the Covenant, God revealed the reason for Israel’s defeat: Before the attack on Jericho, God gave clear instructions: “All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into His treasury.” But an Israelite soldier named Achan found some precious things in Jericho, and kept them for himself. God was now withholding his support until Achan be singled out and put to death. Achan could’ve confessed and begged for mercy. He might never outlived the shame, but perhaps he could have saved his own life. But Achan refused to confess until it was too late. We can learn from his mistake, and be prepared to repent and ask for forgiveness when we need it.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 44 - Joshua 7:6

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 – Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. The book of Deuteronomy was written by Moses for the people of God around 1406 BC, while the nation camped in the land of Moab, just outside the Promised Land. In a series of speeches, Moses reviewed the covenant God made with Israel after they came out of Egypt, forty years earlier. The first generation had died, and a new generation needed to hear God’s word before entering the land.  There’s only one God, the creator and sustainer of all that exists. This conviction made Israel unique among surrounding nations who worshipped many gods. Whenever Israel turned to other gods, they became weak. But when they trusted the one, true, and living God, they became strong. How awesome to know that this same God has become our heavenly Father through faith in Jesus Christ! When God’s people came out of Egyptian slavery, he led them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. All they had to do was look, and they could see the presence of God. But as they entered the Promised Land, that was about to change. Here, Moses reminds them not to forget the Lord or his commands.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 37 - Deuteronomy 6:4-6

Exodus 32:15-19 – Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. Moses had been on top of Mount Sinai with God for nearly six weeks, and the people were growing restless. In Moses’ absence, they turned to his brother Aaron, and asked for gods to lead them. Aaron collected gold from the people, and melted it down to create an idol in the shape of a calf. By breaking the tablets in front of God’s people, Moses was demonstrating how violently the people had broken their covenant with God. This was a recurring problem since God’s people broke the covenant often, and had to renew it again and again.  Aaron’s failure reminds us of our need for a perfect high priest — Jesus Christ. Such a high priest truly meets our need for one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Hebrews 7:27 says that, unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for all of our sins.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 30 - Exodus 32:15-19

Exodus 2:1-2 – Now a man of the tribe of Levi married to a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. This is the beginning of the story of Moses. At this point, the people of Israel were living in Egypt. To reduce the threat of too many Israelites, Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill baby boys at birth, so they wouldn’t grow up to become an opposing army. Moses’s parents may’ve prayed for a girl, and been disappointed when they had a boy. They couldn’t bring themselves to part with their child at once, however, so they hid him for three months. When he could no longer be concealed, they put him in a box, and placed it in the Nile River. Miraculously… when Pharaoh’s daughter came to bathe in the river, she saw the box, and brought the baby inside. Growing up an Egyptian prince, Moses enjoyed every advantage, including the best education. Moses was chosen by God, and God was overseeing everything to be sure it went according to plan. The same is true for all who believe in Christ. “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,” wrote Paul in the book of Ephesians. Our lives don’t always make sense at the time, but one day we’ll see that everything went according to God’s plan — for our good, and for His glory.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 23 - Exodus 2:1-2

Genesis 28:10-11 – Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. Jacob was at a low point when God appeared in a dream, and affirmed the promise he’d given to Abraham, and to his father Isaac, and now to Jacob. Verses 12-14 say, “He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.” The stairway to heaven which Jacob saw in his dream speaks of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said, “You will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” This is helpful for understanding how Jesus read the Old Testament. “These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,” he said. Jesus saw himself through the Old Testament, and we are not wrong to see him there as well. From beginning to end, the Bible points to Jesus Christ. He came to save us from our sins, and restore us to a greater paradise than the one Adam lost.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 16 - Genesis 28:10-11

Genesis 12:1 – The Lord said to Abram, Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. The nation of Israel begins here. Here the story of scripture shifts from God’s relationship with the world in general, to God’s unique relationship with Abraham and his offspring — the Israelites. Abram wasn’t chosen by God because he was better than anyone else, but simply because God chose him. He became so important to the Bible’s story, however, that his name is mentioned more than two hundred times. Abraham was living in a pagan culture when God broke into his life, and told him to move to a Promised Land. Abraham chose to listen to God… and for much of his life, Abraham lived in a tent, traveling through the desert. He’s an example to those who refuse to settle down in this world as they journey to the next. The book of Hebrews tells us, in its beloved “Hall of Faith” chapter, that Abraham “Was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” God also promised Abraham, “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” This anticipates the gospel of Jesus Christ who, two thousand years later, was born to Abraham’s bloodline. Because the gospel of Jesus Christ has spread throughout the world, the world has been blessed through Abraham. The God of Abraham keeps His promises … and we can trust Him.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 9 - Genesis 12:1

Genesis 3:21 – The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. The only way to get skin from an animal is to kill it… so we know this was the first animal sacrifice. Adam and Eve had never seen an animal die. But, naked and ashamed, they needed the animal’s skin to cover their humiliation. To make His point, God may have made them watch the slaughter of this innocent victim: throat slit, body trembling, it was a bloody object lesson to portray the terrible cost of sin. The Old Testament is filled with the blood of sacrificial animals — sheep, goats, bulls, and more. But all the blood of all the animals ever sacrificed could never take away sins, says the book of Hebrews. That required nothing less than the shed blood of Jesus Christ — God in human flesh. Sin is man taking the place of God. Our salvation came through God taking the place of man. Adam and Eve were clothed with the skin of a beast, but all who believe are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Just like clothes cover our physical shame, the blood of Christ covers the shame of our hearts… and presents them white as snow to God. The first animal sacrifice pointed ahead to the sacrifice of Christ.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Lesson 4 - Genesis 3:21

Revelation 10:1-3 – Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He planted his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. This mighty angel is so wonderful some believe he’s Jesus Christ. But we know he’s not Jesus Christ because John described him as “another” mighty angel, like the seven angels who sounded the seven trumpets. This is an angel of importance, however, which tells us something about our future. Psalm 8:5 says that people were created “a little lower than the angels,” but will be exalted ABOVE the angels – just as Jesus “was made lower than the angels [but is] now crowned with glory and honor” (Hebrews 2:7). Mankind was created in the “image of God” (Genesis 1:27), but that is never said of angels. Believers are called “children of God” in First John 3:1, but that is never said of angels, either. Paul wrote in First Corinthians 6:3, “Do you not know that we will judge angels?”  When we consider the glory this “mighty” angel possesses, we can begin to imagine the sort of glory God has planned for us, his redeemed children.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Episode 50 - Revelation 10:1-3

Jude 1:1 – Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. Jude was the half-brother of Jesus Christ, and full brother of James. Just like his brothers, Jude didn’t believe in Jesus during his earthly ministry, but came to believe after Jesus rose from the dead. There is a distinction between the “general call” of God -- and the “effective call” of God. Jesus said in Matthew 22:14, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” That is the “general call” of God. The “effective call” of God is the one that converts a sinner to himself. When we understand the effective call of God, we give glory to him for our conversion, and take none of the credit ourselves. God is the one who saves us, and God is the one who keeps us. We must believe and obey, of course, but it is the Father who keeps us for his Son. Jude wrote that believers are “kept for Jesus Christ.” This concept is “preservation.” In Philippians 1:6, Paul reinforced that concept: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” By understanding the doctrine of preservation, we can give all glory to God for keeping us, and take none of the credit ourselves.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Episode 49 - Jude 1:1

2 Peter 2:21 – It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. There have always been some people who appear to receive Christ, but later walk away from him. But what about the young man who comes to Christ right out of high school, and makes a good start. Then he goes off to college, and he no longer prays, reads his Bible, or goes to church. Is he still going to heaven? Was he ever really saved? Believing family and friends may hope for their salvation, but these words are not encouraging. Even so, scripture does tell us that whoever comes to Christ can never be lost. Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28). The reason Judas walked away from Christ is because he never truly believed. But then, Peter denied Jesus three times with a curse, so is there a way to tell the difference between a “Peter” and a “Judas”? Not really. The status of those who fall away can’t be known, unless or until they return to Christ. Either they’ve temporarily lapsed, or they’ve renounced faith in Jesus. If they ever truly believed, however, they will return—even with their dying breath.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Episode 48 - 2 Peter 2:21

James 4:4 – You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. God loves the world, and wants us to enjoy it. But when he sent his Son into the world, people killed him, and still rebel against him. When Christians are too at home in the world they become worldly, and come under God’s rebuke. The problem with worldliness is that it happens so gradually that we don’t perceive the danger—like a boat with a slow leak. The boat belongs in the water, but if enough water gets in the boat, it’ll sink to the bottom. Christians are a witness in the world, but if the world fills up the hearts of Christians, they’ll sink, as well. Paul wrote to Timothy about a follower of the Lord who fell away from faith. He said, “Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me” (2 Timothy 4:10). Demas had the privilege of working with one of the greatest followers of Christ in history. But he loved the world so much that he walked away from Paul. Worldliness is any affection for this world that reduces our affection for the world to come. If we hope to get to heaven, we should throw out everything that’s pulling us down.

Learn the Bible in a Year - Episode 47 - James 4:4

Hebrews 9:12 – He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Under the Old Covenant, the high priest entered the holiest room in the temple once a year with blood from an animal sacrifice. This was surpassed by Jesus Christ, who brought his own blood into the presence of God. He’s not only our great High Priest, but also our perfect sacrifice. The fact that he did it “once for all” means his sacrifice is good enough for everyone, and can never be repeated. Since we have a great high priest, as well as a perfect sacrifice, it’s no longer necessary to go to the Temple to offer the blood of animals. Jesus fulfilled the religious system of the Old Testament, and he also replaced it. Jesus had predicted this in Mark 13:2, when he said to the priests in the Temple, “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one (of them) will be thrown down.” This was fulfilled in AD 70, when the Romans marched into Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, putting an end to the earthly priesthood and the sacrificial offerings for sins. God ordained the Old Testament religious system, then sent Christ to fulfill it for eternity. How wonderful are his works!

Learn the Bible in a Year - Episode 46 - Hebrews 9:12

What’s the Bible all about? Now you can learn — and understand — your Bible from Genesis to Revelation through these concise, easy to understand lessons from Learn the Bible in a Year. Brought to you by Bibles For The World, one of the leading providers of Bibles to people across the globe, Learn the Bible in a Year is designed to help you not just read through the Bible in a year, but to LEARN what God’s Word is all about. The full series of 365 lessons is available at http://biblesfortheworld.org/book, and supports spreading the Gospel to unreached peoples around the world.

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