Posts by Josh Moody
Judges 13-15: Character Faults
Judges 13-15, Psalm 88, Mark 7:1-23, 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 Judges 13-15: Samson is perhaps the strangest of these judges, almost a crypto-superhero figure with enormous powers and odd/questionable behavior. It begins purely enough with this mother and father having a supernatural visit from an angel of the Lord, who announces that they are to have a child—in language…
Read MoreJudges 10-12: Foolish Vow
Judges 10-12, Psalm 87, Mark 6:45-56, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Judges 10-12: A similar pattern—the downward spiral—begins again. Tola (10:1-2) and then Jair (10:3-5) rise to lead Israel for long years, but afterwards Israel again does what is evil in the sight of the Lord (10:6). They are going after other gods and abandoning the one true God, the…
Read MoreJudges 9: Betrayal and Judgment
Judges 9, Psalm 86, Mark 6:30-44, 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 Judges 9: Things are going from bad to worse. And as we read this story of debauchery and betrayal, we must read the backcloth of night against the shining sun that we have had revealed to us in Christ, our true King—and be grateful. Gideon named his son Abimelech…
Read MoreJudges 8: Faithful unto the End
Judges 8, Psalm 85, Mark 6:14-29, 1 Corinthians 10:14-33 Judges 8: Gideon begins by showing savvy leadership wisdom towards the complaints of the men of Ephraim (8:1-3). He pours oil on troubled waters, soothes bruised egos, and negotiates a way to keep unity around the common cause of God’s honor and his victory. Gideon appears…
Read MoreJudges 6-7: For the LORD and for Gideon!
Judges 6-7, Psalm 84, Mark 6:1-13, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Judges 6-7: The pattern begins again. Rebellion, ruin, and then rescue. First Israel rebels (6:1). Then they are in misery and oppression because of their rebellion (6:2-6). Then they cry out to God for rescue (6:7). He then sends them a prophet to tell them exactly…
Read MoreJudges 4-5: Victory!
Judges 4-5, Psalm 83, Mark 5:21-43, 1 Corinthians 9:13-27 Judges 4-5: The story of Deborah has troubled the conscience of those who believe in a male pastorate or eldership for many years, but it need not do so. First of all, the New Testament describes the role of women in ministry with eminent examples of…
Read MoreJudges 1-3: Downward Spiral
Judges 1-3, Psalm 82, Mark 5:1-20, 1 Corinthians 9:1-12 Judges 1-3: The Book of Judges is one of the most rewarding, as well as most surprising, studies in the Old Testament. It has a clear overall message and structure: God’s people—once the generation that knew Joshua had died out—failed to keep God’s covenant (Josh. 24:31;…
Read MoreJoshua 24: Covenant Renewal
Joshua 24, Psalm 81, Mark 4:21-41, 1 Corinthians 8 Joshua 24: The covenant renewal at Shechem. A blessed day, long in the memory of Israel, and symbolic of our covenant with Christ and our call to commit to him. Joshua gathers the people (24:1), and then tells them what God says. “Thus says the Lord”…
Read MoreJoshua 22-23: Obedience
Joshua 22-23, Psalm 80, Mark 4:1-2, 1 Corinthians 7:17-40 Joshua 22-23: We have different assemblies in these chapters, with different consequences and results. First Joshua summons the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (22:1). He tells them that they have done their duty in helping their brothers subdue (though not yet totally conquer)…
Read MoreJoshua 20-21: Promises, Promises
Joshua 20-21, Psalm 79, Mark 3:20-35, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 Joshua 20-21: The arrangement of the land that has been subdued, though not yet totally conquered, continues. The cities of refuge—places where someone who has unintentionally killed another person might fly for refuge and be protected from vengeance from the relatives of the person unintentionally killed—are…
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