Category: Bible Insights

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

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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Naaman’s Servant Girl

Naaman

An unnamed Israelite girl is captured in a raid. Then they force her to work as a slave in the household of the enemy commander, Naaman. Although Naaman is an accomplished military leader, he suffers from a limiting physical ailment.

He has leprosy, a contagious skin disease that can cause a loss of feeling, decay, and even deformation.

Though she could have been bitter over her forced servitude, the young girl instead desires the best for her master. She tells him of the prophet Elisha who can heal Naaman of his terrible disease.

He proceeds at once and is healed—as soon as he overcomes his pride, humbles himself, and follows Elisha’s instructions. Naaman then affirms the power of God and pledges to worship only him.

Though she had every reason to remain quiet, the girl’s confidence in God’s power and her willingness to speak up, led to a man’s healing and God praised.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 2 Kings 5-7, and today’s post is on 2 Kings 5:1-19.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

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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Bible Insights

Don’t Burn the Bible

don’t burn the Bible

We Would Never Burn Scripture, but Ignoring a Passage Is As Bad

God tells his prophet Jeremiah what to say. Jeremiah dictates it to his scribe, Baruch, who records it in a scroll. The scroll eventually makes it to the king.

Though the people who hear Jeremiah’s words take his warning seriously, the king does not.

As the scroll is read to the king, he periodically gets up and cuts that portion from the scroll. Then he throws it in the fire. He does this until the entire scroll is burned up. He destroys the words of God.

We would never burn the Bible, would we?

But what do we do when we come across a passage we don’t like or disagree with? The easy solution is to ignore it. Another approach, which takes more effort, is to justify why the passage doesn’t apply to us today.

Sometimes we use other Scripture to do this.

Either way the result is that we disregard the parts of the Bible that make us uncomfortable. The outcome of ignoring a Bible passage is little different than if we cut out those words and burnt them.

After the king does this, God tells Jeremiah to do it again. He must dictate God’s words a second time to Baruch. Baruch must write them down again. What a laborious process, to handwrite as someone else dictates.

As a writer, I’d worry about rewriting something a second time if I lost the first draft. Surely the second take would be different. Maybe the words would be better or maybe they wouldn’t be as good, but they definitely wouldn’t be the same.

However, this isn’t the case with Jeremiah and Baruch. God tells them to write down the same words, and they do. But the text also receives an addendum.

It says many other similar words were added. Not only was God’s original message re-documented, but additional text expanded upon it.

If the king didn’t like version one, he certainly wouldn’t like version two. But that’s what he gets when he burns the Bible.

God takes his words seriously, and so should we.

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Jeremiah 35-37, and today’s post is on Jeremiah 36:23-24, 32.]

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.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
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​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: The Mother of Jabez

Mother of Jabez

Though an entire book was written about his prayer (The Prayer of Jabez), we actually know little about Jabez. The Bible only mentions him in two obscure verses, buried among a lengthy genealogy.

We know even less about the mother of Jabez, not even her name.

We do know his birth is difficult, and the name she gives him reflects the physical pain his arrival caused her. This is all we know about her.

However, we can infer more of her traits from the character of her son. Jabez is an honorable man, more honorable than others.

We also know he has a deep connection with God, for when Jabez prays a bold prayer, God answers it.

We can implicitly connect these qualities with his mother, the woman who raised him. Surely Jabez’s mother is a godly woman, who taught her son how to live an honorable life, follow God, and to pray with effectiveness.

What more could a mother give to her son?

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 1 Chronicles 1-4 and today’s post is on 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

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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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Deborah

deborah

Deborah’s story is in the book of Judges. Though they call her a judge, she is primarily a prophetess, a person who hears from God. Judge Deborah is notable as the only female judge listed in the book of Judges.

Judge Deborah receives a message from God for Barak. Through her, God commands Barak to raise an army and attack their enemy.

God even promises Barak he will prevail, but Barak balks, saying he will do it only if Deborah goes with him.

She consents, although confirming that because of his reluctance, the honor of killing the enemy’s leader, Sisera, will go to a woman.

While we may infer this woman is Deborah, it is actually another woman, Jael. Even so, Deborah receives more credit than Barak for the overall victory.

Although Deborah lives in a male-dominated society, when a man doesn’t do what he is supposed to, she steps in to ensure action is taken.

We commend her for her faith and her bravery. She is a strong example to all, both men and women.

[The story of Judge Deborah is in Judges 4 and 5.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

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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Bible Insights

Disobedience Can Have Long-Term Consequences

drive out the people in the promised land

When God Tells Us to Do Something He Has a Reason and We Should Obey

After Joshua leads the people of Israel into the Promised Land and takes control of it, he divides the territory among the tribes.

Though they have conquered enough of the area to occupy it, remnants of other people, such as the Canaanites, still live there. (It’s often called the land of Canaan.)

It’s up to each tribe to fully take control of their assigned region and drive out the people that live there.

We can debate who has the right to live there. Is it the Israelites who God promised could live in this land? Or is it the people who live there when the Israelites arrive?

Of course, if we go back a few centuries, we see that God first gave this land to Abraham.

This means Israel is merely reclaiming what God gave them through Abraham long ago. Who has a rightful claim to this land?

Drive Out the People Occupying the Promised Land

However, the discussion of rightful leadership isn’t the point in this post. The point is, what will the people of Israel do once they repossess the land? God tells them they are to drive out the people living there.

This is another item we could debate. Why can’t they peacefully coexist? Why can’t they get along? It seems fair, but God knows that these other nations will negatively influence his people, causing them to disobey him and turn from him.

Though we don’t want to make an isolationism theology based on this passage, we do see how important it is to guard ourselves against ungodly influence.

For the territory given to Ephraim and Manasseh, the Bible says that they didn’t dislodge the people who lived in Gezer.

As a result the Canaanites continued to live there. They caused great problems for God’s people in the coming years and centuries.

We see their reoccurring threat throughout the book of Judges, and they’re still around during the days of Ezekiel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.

The disobedience of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh to purge their area of ungodly influences cause problems for their descendants for centuries.

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Joshua 16-18, and today’s post is on Joshua 16:10.]

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.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
​
​Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.

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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Ruth

Ruth

Ruth is Loyal to God and to Her Mother-In-Law

Ruth is a widow and foreigner who remains faithful to her mother-in-law, Naomi. She leaves her family to follow Naomi to Israel. The reason for her loyalty to her mother-in-law is a mystery, since Naomi is a bitter woman at this time.

However, Ruth also expresses a devotion to God.

When they return, she goes out to glean grain, at great physical risk, so she and Naomi will have some food. The young widow finds favor with Boaz, who knows of her fine reputation.

Naomi sets about to find another husband for her widowed daughter-in-law, targeting Boaz and developing a strategy to bring that about. The result is capturing Boaz’s attention.

He sets out to make Ruth his wife, deftly dealing with another possible suitor.

Boaz and Ruth marry. She has her first child, Obed. Obed is the father of Jesse, the father of David. That makes her the great grandmother of King David and a direct ancestor of Jesus.

Let’s review: Ruth’s loyalty to her mother-in-law and God rewards her. She marries again, is saved from poverty, and has a son.

As a result, she’s later honored by Matthew who includes her in the family tree of Jesus, one of only four women mentioned.

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

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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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Eve

women in the bible-eve

Eve (along with her husband, Adam), is a well-known biblical figure. I’m surprised she’s only mentioned by name four times in the Bible, twice in Genesis and twice in the New Testament.

I’ve never understood why Eve bears the heaviest criticism for disobeying God. Adam is likewise culpable, and he could have—and should have—put a stop to eating the forbidden fruit.

More contemptible is the serpent, who resorted to lies to trip up Eve.

Because of their actions, all three—Adam, Eve, and the serpent—suffer consequences, which they will pass on to future generations.

Looking specifically at Eve, she receives three punishments: pain in childbirth, a desire for her husband, and him ruling over her.

The middle phrase doesn’t make much sense, but the NLT renders it differently: “you will desire to control your husband.”

So before Adam and his wife messed up, things must have been the opposite: childbirth was easy, women did not seek to control their husbands, and men did not rule over their wives.

Going forward, women would desire to control their husbands, and husbands would rule their wives.

However, in the beginning there was neither controlling nor ruling; there must have been equality, with God intending spouses to live as equals.

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

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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Bible Insights

Can We Cause God To Change His Mind?

Hezekiah

Hezekiah and Moses Plead with God for a Different Outcome

In Isaiah we read about King Hezekiah. The king is sick, and Isaiah comes to him with a dire message from God. Through Isaiah, God tells Hezekiah to put his affairs in order because his illness is fatal. Death looms.

Though few of us would welcome death, knowing when our end would occur might bring about a certain appreciation. This would give us an opportunity to say our goodbyes and get our estate organized for our heirs.

Hezekiah Prays and Cries to God

But Hezekiah doesn’t give God a heartfelt, or even a respectful, “Thanks for the heads up.”

Instead the king cries bitter tears and reminds God—as if God needed reminding—of his lifetime of faithfulness, devotion, and good living.

Guess what happens next?

God hears Hezekiah’s prayers and sees his tears. God changes his mind. Instead of sticking to the plan that the king’s end is near, God pledges to give him another fifteen years of life (Isaiah 38:1-5).

Moses Also Seeks God’s Favor

However, long before the reign of King Hezekiah, Moses and God have another interesting exchange. When God’s chosen people decide to worship a golden calf instead of him, God has enough.

He says he’ll destroy his people and start over with Moses to make a new nation.

If this happened to me, I’d bow my head in false humility and say something like, “As you wish.” But not Moses. Instead he tries to talk God out of it. Moses fights for the nation of Israel even though they don’t deserve it.

God listens to Moses’s reasoning and he relents from destroying his people as he had planned (Exodus 32:9-14).

God wants to do good things for us, and sometimes all we need to do is ask.

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Isaiah 35-38, and today’s post is on Isaiah 38:1-5.]

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.

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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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Anna

anna

Anna is widowed after only seven years of marriage. A devout woman, she dedicates her life to God, spending as much time as possible in the temple fasting, praying, and worshiping him.

Anna is at least eighty-four years old when Mary and Joseph show up to consecrate Jesus. First, she recognizes him as the savior who the people have been expecting for centuries.

Then she thanks God she lived long enough to see Jesus and then tells everyone about him.

After a lifetime of devotion to God, he rewards her by allowing to to see Jesus. How many other people were likewise as devout, but never got to see him?

God calls us to focus on him, but we may not receive any reward for our loyalty during our lifetime. Will we be faithful anyway?

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 1-3, and today’s post is on Luke 2:36-38.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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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Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Childless, Elizabeth and husband Zechariah are getting old; their chance for kids is slim. Still they pray for the improbable. Despite not receiving what they yearn for, their faith remains strong. They are a righteous couple who honor God.

One day at work, an angel shows up and tells Zechariah that he and his barren wife will finally have a son—not just any son, but a special one.

He is to be set apart for service to God, the Holy Spirit will empower him, and he will spark a nationwide revival.

They are to name him John.

Elizabeth does indeed get pregnant. In her sixth month, Mary—who will later give birth to Jesus—comes for a visit. Inside Elizabeth, John jumps for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice.

Then the Holy Spirit comes upon Elizabeth and she prophesizes, blessing Mary and her unborn baby.

When John is born, Elizabeth and Zechariah’s friends and family celebrate with them. They praise God and share in her joy for finally having a baby.

Elizabeth and Zechariah prayed for a child even when it no longer made sense; God answered their prayers by giving them a son named John, John the Baptist.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 1-3, and today’s post is on Luke 1:57-60.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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.