Category: Bible Insights

Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.

Do We Live in a Spirit of Fear or Spirit of Freedom?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 12, 2020

God Provides the Antidote When We Face Fear

We live in a time where there is much to fear. Whether by mandate or out of personal concern, we cower in our homes afraid of what is happening in the world around us.

We sequester ourselves and exist with little community to encourage us. Aside from those we live with, we are alone.

Though we anticipate this time of isolation is but for a season, we know not how long this season will last. It could continue for weeks, or it could persist for months. Or it could morph into our new normal.

In addition to concerns about health, many also carry concerns about finances. Too many have ceased working and wonder how they will pay their bills or have enough food to eat. It seems there is indeed much to worry about.

But worry is the world’s perspective. As followers of Jesus we must look to him for our future and not let the influence of the world dictate our outlook.

A Spirit of Fear

In the Bible, Paul writes to his protégé Timothy that the spirit of fear does not come from God (2 Timothy 1:7). If fear doesn’t originate with God, then it must come from someplace else: our adversary, the devil.

Satan wants to foment fear within us. He desires to hold us captive, keeping us from living the life of freedom God would have us to live (consider Proverbs 12:25).

Though fear is a normal response to the unknown and to pressures outside of our control, as followers of Jesus we shouldn’t give in to that fear. Holding onto a spirit of fear has no place in our lives.

We should cast our fears (our cares) on Jesus because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Power

Through God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, we do not need to quake in fear. Instead we have power, supernatural power. We don’t wield this on our own but through Jesus (Luke 24:49).

If we follow Jesus, he provides us with all the power we need to overcome any fear that may beset us.

Love

In addition to Holy Spirit power, we carry with us the love of God. Through God’s love we can respond to adversity, helping those we can and loving them in the name of Jesus (Matthew 10:40-42).

Sound Mind

Through the Holy Spirit, we also have a sound mind. Other translations render this phrase as discipline, self-discipline, self-control, sound judgment, or wise discretion.

Let’s claim all these understandings as the Holy Spirit’s provision to us so that we may live a life not controlled by fear, which dictates irrational behavior.

Instead he equips us to make sound judgments and not panic in the midst of the world’s anxiety. (Check out 2 Corinthians 10:5, Colossians 3:2, 1 John 4:4, and Philippians 4:8).

A Parting Question about a Spirit of Fear

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he asks them a rhetorical question: “if God is on our side, who can oppose us?” (Romans 8:31). We will do well to ask ourselves the same question.

[Discover more about the Bible at ABibleADay.com: Bible FAQs, Bible Dictionary, Books of the Bible Overview, and Bible Reading Plans.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags fear, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Paul, supernatural

Bible Insights

Do We Answer When God Calls?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 9, 2020

When God Calls People to Him, Some Come and Others Run Away

As the prophet Hosea wraps up his writings, he gives us some insight into the heart of God. He writes that the more God called his people, the more they ran away from him (Hosea 11:2). When God calls, what is our response?

When God Calls Us

Imagine God beckoning for us, longing for us to be in a relationship with him. With much expectation, he calls our name. But instead of hearing his call and running into his arms, we turn our back on him and run in the opposite direction.

It’s as if he offers us a high-five and we leave him there, hanging, poised to receive a response we will never offer.

How this must grieve him.

We’ve all had this happen to us. We extend ourselves to others: to family, neighbors, friends, and the church. But instead of receiving the response we hope for, the reaction we long for, we hear only silence or receive a sharp rebuff.

Now multiply that by thousands, by millions, and by billions. That’s how many of humanity’s numbers snub God’s call and ignore his persistent love.

It breaks my heart, and more surely must break his—a billion times over.

God Loves Us

Yet God responds, not in anger, but in love. He still cares for his people. He still wants the best for them. Though he heals them, they do not realize it comes from him (Hosea 11:3). They do not attribute their good outcomes to his loving care for them.

When God calls us, may we answer. When he heals us, may we thank him.

How does God call us? How will we respond? Will we grieve him or delight him?

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Hosea 8-11, and today’s post is on Hosea 11:2-3.]

Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags heal, Hosea

Bible Insights

God Gives Us Options

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 2, 2020

In the book of Hosea, God calls the young man, Hosea, to be his prophet—telling him to marry a prostitute, (see “Hosea Shows Us God’s Unconditional Love”). This is one of God’s most scandalous directives.

What is intriguing is that God does not indicate which prostitute. God gives options. The choice is left to Hosea!

While he could have opted for the first one he saw, picked one at random, or altruistically selected the one who was most needy or deserving of being rescued, I suspect he did none of those.

Remember, Hosea is a guy. He most likely chose the most attractive, most alluring prostitute! If that is correct, the story becomes even more shocking.

But God does give us choices. When God tells us to do something, either through the Bible or the Holy Spirit, it is usually in bold strokes. He gives the big picture, such as feed the poor, cares for the sick, or take care of orphans and widows.

The details are left to us. God gives us options. We determine how we comply. We can factor in our personality, our resources, and our preferences, and, yes, even our passions in determining how we do what God tells us.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Hosea 1-4, and today’s post is on Hosea 1:2-3.]

Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Hosea, serve God

Bible Insights

Hosea Shows Us God’s Unconditional Love

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 1, 2020

In the Bible, many of the prophets are instructed by God to do some strange and bizarre things. Isaiah is a case in point. Perhaps the most extreme, however, is Hosea.

In short, God tells him to marry a prostitute so that his life can become an object lesson of God’s unconditional love.

Imagine young Hosea coming home one day and telling his parents: “Guess what? God called me to be his prophet!”

His parents beam with pride, until a bombshell is dropped on them, “…and he told me to hook up with a prostitute.”

That seems so inappropriate, ill-advised, and ungodly, yet that is what God says to do—and Hosea obeys.

The strangeness doesn’t stop there, however. When his ex-hooker-wife gets pregnant, God tells Hosea to give the kids some unbecoming names.

His daughter is given a name that means “not loved” and his second son, a name that means “not my people.” This suggests that Hosea has reason to question who actually fathered his wife’s children.

Next, his wayward spouse splits, returning to her former way of life. So, God tells Hosea to go find her and take her back.

Although this chain of events was a horrific ordeal for Hosea, it is a profound object lesson for us: regardless of what we do, how badly we act, or how far we stray, God loves us unconditionally and pursues us relentlessly.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Hosea 1-4, and today’s post is on Hosea 1:2-3.]

Learn more about all twelve of the Bible’s Minor Prophets in Peter’s book, Return to Me: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope from the Minor Prophets

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Hosea, love

Bible Insights

Beware the Adulteress

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 31, 2020

The book of Proverbs contains the majority of the Bible’s mentions of the word “adulteress” (seven times in Proverbs compared to five times in the rest of the Bible).

It refers to a woman who commits adultery, that is, she has sex with someone other than her husband. In today’s language, that is referred to as “cheating.”

Solomon warns his son—and all men—to stay away from the adulteress.

The Law of Moses notes that both the adulterer (the male participant) and the adulteress (the female participant) should be put to death (Leviticus 20:10). That is how serious God views the breaking of marriage vows.

Although the majority of modern society takes a much more casual perspective on lifelong monogamy, God’s staunch opposition to adultery hasn’t changed. Fortunately, his response has.

In the Old Testament (as mentioned above), the prescribed response to adultery is judgment. However, in the New Testament, Jesus—God’s son—demonstrates a kinder, gentler response: mercy (John 8:1-11).

Remember, however, that even though Jesus will give both the adulterer and adulteress mercy and forgiveness, the offended spouse may not likely be so understanding.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Leviticus 19-21, and today’s post is on Leviticus 20:10.]

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags adultery, forgiveness, mercy, Proverbs

Bible Insights

We Should Be Like Jesus

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 25, 2020

To Discover WWJD We Need Only Look at What the Bible Says

Jesus goes to the synagogue in his hometown to worship God with his family and friends. It’s his turn to read scripture and the day’s scheduled passage is from Isaiah.

It’s a prophecy—about Jesus. After he reads it, he simply confirms that he fulfills this prophecy (Luke 4:16-21).

Isaiah’s Prophecy

In the section Jesus reads, Isaiah prophetically tells the people that the coming savior will move in Holy Spirit power to:

proclaim good news to the poor
bind up the brokenhearted
proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners
proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God
comfort all who mourn
provide for those who grieve in Zion
bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes

Be Like Jesus

This is essentially Jesus’s job description: to speak truth to those who are seeking, provide help to those in need, and give hope to those who hurt. As his followers we should do the same.

Though it will take a lifetime to put these things into practice, this is why God leaves us here on earth and what we should do with our time here. It starts with the Holy Spirit.

If we love him we need to do what he would do, starting today. We need to be like Jesus.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Isaiah 61-63, and today’s post is on Isaiah 61:1-3.]

Read more about the book of Isaiah in For Unto Us: 40 Prophetic Insights About Jesus, Justice, and Gentiles from the Prophet Isaiah available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags follow Jesus, Holy Spirit, Jesus

Bible Insights

Paul Shares His Story

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 19, 2020

The Tenth Sermon in the Book of Acts

The tenth sermon in the book of Acts: Acts 25:10-Acts 26:22 (specifically Acts 26:2-29)

Setting: A hearing before Festus in Caesarea

Speaker: Paul

Audience: Festus, King Agrippa, Bernice, high-ranking military officers, and prominent city leaders.

Preceding Events: Paul, in an effort to avoid being assassinated in Jerusalem, appeals his case to Caesar (whom he likely assumes will grant him a fair trial).

Overall Theme: Paul shares the story of his life, always the devote follower of God, at first opposing those who follow Jesus and later becoming one of them, with the purpose of telling the Gentiles about Jesus.

Scripture Quoted: none directly, though some of Paul’s story and the words spoken by Jesus are recorded in Acts 9:3-18 and again in Acts 22:3-21.

Central Teaching: Paul hopes and prays that everyone will follow Jesus.

Subsequent Events: Since Paul appealed his case to Caesar, he cannot be set free and instead is sent to Rome.

Key Lesson: Paul’s zealous pursuit of God is worthy of emulation, but despite having done nothing wrong or illegal, Paul remains imprisoned for his faith.

This post is from the series “Sermons in the book of Acts.” Read about sermon #9 or sermon #11.

Read more about the book of Acts in Tongues of Fire: 40 Devotional Insights for Today’s Church from the Book of Acts, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Paul, sermons in Acts

Bible Insights

Do You Believe God’s Message?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 18, 2020

Faith Comes from Hearing God’s Message About Jesus and Believing

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet asks, “Who has believed God’s message?” Isaiah then goes on to prophetically proclaim what Jesus will do. He will suffer and die for us, sheep that have wandered off.

He will take upon himself the punishment for our mistakes (Isaiah 53).

Who will believe this?

In Isaiah’s time, few believe what he says, what God says through him. Though they have reason to place their hope in God and the Savior he promised to send, most of them don’t. They reject Isaiah’s words and the God who sent him.

We see this phrase from the book of Isaiah quoted twice in the New Testament. Both John and Paul refer to this passage.

John Quotes Isaiah

John repeats this verse from Isaiah to remind his readers that the Jews—or at least most Jews—still weren’t believing God’s promise. And they weren’t seeing Jesus as the fulfillment of that promise (John 12:38). Some things never change.

Paul Quotes Isaiah

Later, in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, he gives the people there a brief history lesson. He reminds them that not all the Israelites accepted God’s promise of a future Savior.

The Jews rejected God then, just as some of them continue to reject him. Though God will continue to extend his offering to his people, other nations will find him too (Romans 10:16-21).

Do We Believe Today?

What is our response to God’s good news today? Do we believe God’s message about Jesus who came to save us? Though we fall short of God’s expectations, Jesus can make us right and reconcile us with Papa.

Say “yes” to Jesus today.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Isaiah 52-54 and today’s post is on Isaiah 53:1.]

Read more about the book of Isaiah in For Unto Us: 40 Prophetic Insights About Jesus, Justice, and Gentiles from the Prophet Isaiah available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Apostle John, believe, Isaiah, Jesus, Paul

Bible Insights

More Proverbs from King Solomon

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 17, 2020

We Can Learn From the Many Wise Sayings in the Bible

We consider the book of Proverbs as being a collection of wise sayings from King Solomon. This is mostly correct. However, it also includes proverbs from other people. The book opens with Solomon giving instructions to his son.

Then the king adds some more wise sayings. After that we see proverbs from other people, either compiled by Solomon or added by someone else later.

More Proverbs

Beginning in chapter 25, we encounter a section where we read more proverbs from King Solomon. However, these additional proverbs were compiled and added to Solomon’s initial writings several centuries later.

This addendum occurs under the guidance of King Hezekiah, a direct descendent of Solomon. If I count correctly, King Hezekiah is the great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandson of King Solomon.

Not only does Hezekiah add Solomon’s wisdom to the book of Proverbs, he also honors his wise ancestor by doing so.

As I read through this additional compilation of Solomon’s sage advice, one passage jumps out as more familiar than the others. Solomon gives counterintuitive instructions about how to treat those who oppose us, our enemies.

He says if our enemy is hungry, feed them. If they’re thirsty, offer them water. This will benefit them, and we will receive rewards from God when we do so.

This thought-provoking instruction seems unwise. Yet at the same time it seems aligned with what Jesus might’ve said centuries later.

Paul’s Letter to the Church in Rome

If this concept seems a bit familiar, that’s because Paul quotes this proverb in his letter to the church in Rome. Paul cites this passage just after he tells the Romans to not take revenge but to turn the wrongs afflicted on them over to God.

Paul wraps up this teaching by saying that we should not be overcome by evil. Instead we should overcome evil by doing what is good (Romans 12:19-21).

Because Paul shares this verse in his letter, he elevates the importance of this proverb. This also serves as a reminder to not overlook the words of the Old Testament, including this section with more proverbs from Solomon.

The whole Bible—not just the New Testament—can help us in our walk with Jesus.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Proverbs 25-28, and today’s post is on Proverbs 25:21-22.]

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags King Solomon, Paul, Proverbs, wisdom

Bible Insights

4 Guys Named Simeon in the Bible

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 15, 2020

Distinguishing Between the Many Men in the Bible Named Simon and Simeon

When I write a blog post, I never know which one will resonate with people. A perennial favorite—which always surprises me—is 9 guys named Simon in the Bible.

The only post is more popular is 4 angels in the Bible with names. And in case you’re curious, the third most popular post is about the mother of Jabez.

When people read the post about 9 guys name Simon, they sometimes contact me to tell me I left out a couple. I panic over the thought that I missed a few, but when I investigate, I discover they’re confusing Simon with Simeon.

Just as there are multiple guys in the Bible named Simon, there are several guys in the Bible named Simeon. They are:

1. Simeon One of Jacob’s Twelve Sons

Simeon’s descendants become the tribe of Simeon. He (along with the tribe that bears his name) appears thirty-four times in the Old Testament and twice in the New Testament.

The Bible records two stories about Simeon. One is that he, along with brother Levi, avenge the rape of their sister Dinah by annihilating the city of Shechem.

It’s a shocking account where the punishment far exceeds the crime committed (Genesis 34).

Later, in dramatic fashion, Joseph takes his older brother Simeon from the brothers and ties him up before sending the rest of them on their way (Genesis 42:24-36).

Spoiler alert: Joseph later frees Simeon and a happy reunion takes place.

2. Simeon Who Blesses Baby Jesus in the Temple

In the story, which appears only in Luke’s biography of Jesus, we read of a devout and righteous man called Simeon. He lives in expectation that God will soon send his Savior to rescue the people.

The Holy Spirit tells Simeon that he will live to see this happen.

One day, prompted by the Holy Spirit, Simeon goes to the temple. He sees the eight-day-old baby Jesus. He scoops up the child and praises God. Simeon blesses Mary and Joseph and prophesies about Jesus (Luke 2:25-35).

3. Simeon, an Ancestor of Jesus

In Luke’s genealogy of Jesus, he includes Simeon (Luke 3:30). We know nothing more about him from the Bible other than he’s an ancestor of Jesus.

[I don’t know how I missed this Simeon in my initial research, but I did. Thank you to Richard Murray for pointing this out.]

4. Simeon, Also Called Niger

This Simeon is one of the leaders in the church in Antioch along with Barnabas, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. All we know about this Simeon is that Luke labels him as a prophet and a teacher (Acts 13:1).

Though it’s possible that this is the same Simeon who blessed Jesus as an infant, it’s unlikely because we can assume that Simeon is already quite old at that time and these two passages occur forty or more years from each other, suggesting that there are two Simeon’s in the New Testament.

Keeping people straight in the Bible can present a challenge because different people have the same names. In addition, some names are similar, such as Simon and Simeon. But now we’re armed with a list of who they are.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags Dinah, Jesus, Levi, Simeon, Simon