Angela Shirley

Pagans vs Israelites

Even pagans believed that their gods helped with the harvests. The Israelites don't even have that much faith in their God.

Jeremiah 5:22 (NET), Jeremiah 5:23 (NET), Jeremiah 5:24 (NET)

Just as God gave the Israelites places to live, he allots these animals places to live in the land of their enemies.

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Isaiah 34:13 (NET), Isaiah 34:14 (NET), Isaiah 34:15 (NET), Isaiah 34:16 (NET), Isaiah 34:17 (NET)

Israel's zeal lessens again.

Compare this to the offerings of reconciliation in Asa's reign (2 Chronicles 15:11)--700 cattle and 7,000 sheep. And even Asa's offering didn't even compare with Solomon's offerings, which were too many…

2 Chronicles 29:32 (NET), 2 Chronicles 29:33 (NET)

Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die

I was surprised to find that this saying appears to be Biblical. However, note that it is what the fatalistic people say on the eve of their destruction, and in vs 14, God condemns them for this attitude.…

Isaiah 22:12 (NET), Isaiah 22:13 (NET), Isaiah 22:14 (NET)

Tired religion

Compare the offerings and worship here to what it was when David or Solomon was on the throne. Here, they give "some" of their plunder and offer up only small livestock. Over the years, their zeal has…

2 Chronicles 15:11 (HCSB)

2 Chronicles 15:11

Compare the offerings and worship here to what it was when David or Solomon was on the throne. here, they give "some" of their plunder and offer up only small livestock. Over the years, their zeal has…

All animals go....?

Do animals and humans go different places after they die? Not necessarily; this rhetorical question basically points out that we can't know if they do; it doesn't say definitively that they do.

Ecclesiastes 3:21 (HCSB)

Smart guy.

Solomon doesn't expect the Israelities to be able to live up to God's expectations.

1 Kings 8:33 (NET), 1 Kings 8:35 (NET), 1 Kings 8:37 (NET), 1 Kings 8:46 (NET)

An offering that brings rejoicing!

Nobody in all of Israel seems to have buyer's remorse. I think that's a miracle in itself. I like that David started things rolling with his own giant donation, and the people managed to outgive him.

1 Chronicles 29:3 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:4 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:5 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:6 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:7 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:9 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:13 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:14 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:15 (NET), 1 Chronicles 29:16 (NET)

Be strong and courageous

Interesting co-optment of God's words of encouraging words to Joshua.

2 Samuel 13:28 (NET)

Possible Sunday School questions

Why do we never talk about Abigail? Why did Nabal have to die?

1 Samuel 25:3 (KJV)

Convenient....

I don't know that Abigail murdered her husband. But she is particularly noted to be clever, and the timing is convenient, and note that she "quickly" (vs 42) became David's wife afterward. Sure, David…

1 Samuel 25:2 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:3 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:18 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:19 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:23 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:24 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:32 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:33 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:34 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:35 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:37 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:39 (KJV), 1 Samuel 25:42 (KJV)

Jephthah vs Gideon

Gideon faced a situation exactly like this, but was able to solve it diplomatically. Maybe this was another consequence of Jephthah's rash vow. Judges 12:1-7, Judges 7:24-8:3, 8:28 and 32  1. These situations…

Judges 12:1 (KJV)

Wow.

That's some smooth talking. I like the irony of this being intended to bring the tribes across the river closer to the others, but actually having the opposite effect.

Joshua 22:10 (KJV), Joshua 22:22 (KJV), Joshua 22:23 (KJV), Joshua 22:24 (KJV), Joshua 22:34 (KJV)

A life of servitude is better than death

Maybe this is kind of tricky, but at least the Gideonites understood the importance, not only of living, but keeping obligations. Like Christianns, the Gideonites vowed to a life of service in exchange…

Joshua 9:20 (KJV), Joshua 9:22 (KJV), Joshua 9:23 (KJV), Joshua 9:24 (KJV), Joshua 9:25 (KJV)

Always remember that you might be wrong.

They trusted the evidence of their own eyes.

Joshua 9:14 (KJV)

Suspense

It's amazing to me that Achan was able to go through with the whole selection process and not just confess as soon as his tribe was selected. Hope springs eternal, I guess. Maybe he kept hoping that God…

Joshua 7:16 (KJV), Joshua 7:17 (KJV), Joshua 7:18 (KJV)

Firstfruits

On one hand, it's easy to see why Achan took things. I bet he wasn't the only person pissed off that God wasn't letting them take the plunder of the first city they had taken after crossing the Jordan.…

Joshua 7:1 (KJV)

Sunday School misconceptions

You know, I've heard the Sunday School version of this story so long that I've had a lot of misconceptions about this story. For instance, every time this story is told, the Amorites are depicted as making…

Joshua 5:1 (KJV), Joshua 5:3 (KJV)

Rahab the Prostitute

Everybody knows the story of Rahab. This was even one of the stories that we learned about in Sunday School. I don't remember if they mentioned that she was a prostitute, though. In fact, the only time…

Joshua 2:1 (KJV), Joshua 2:2 (KJV), Joshua 2:3 (KJV)

Whoa.

Harsh rhetoric.

Deuteronomy 32:25 (KJV)

Don't be that guy.

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Deuteronomy 29:19 (KJV)

IF

Everybody wants to own the blessings of God, but a lot of people don't seem to realize that to receive the blessings of God you actually have to do what he wants you to do. The blessings are only promised…

Deuteronomy 28:9 (KJV), Deuteronomy 28:10 (KJV), Deuteronomy 28:14 (KJV), Deuteronomy 28:37 (KJV)

But what if she kicks him? Do you cut off her foot?

Just wondering.

Deuteronomy 25:11 (KJV), Deuteronomy 25:12 (KJV)

39 lashes

I've always heard that Jesus was given this number of lashes, but the reason given is that that anything beyond that was considered to be fatal. Here, it's because of public humiliation, or something.…

Deuteronomy 25:3 (KJV)