Posts by Josh Moody
Nehemiah 1-2: Leadership
Nehemiah 1-2, Proverbs 9, Luke 16:1-9, 1 Timothy 6:1-10 Nehemiah 1-2: It is hard, if not impossible, to comment on all the good things in these two chapters regarding faith, leadership, and God’s answer to prayer. Note, for example, Nehemiah’s interest in the work of God (1:2). We are always to be interested in how…
Read MoreEzra 10: Our God Is an Awesome God
Ezra 10, Proverbs 8, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Timothy 5:16-25 Ezra 10: The principle at stake here is one that is reaffirmed in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 7:39), but it is important to understand the nature of the problem. What mattered was not the “race” of the people concerned—Israel was always meant to be a…
Read MoreEzra 9: Repent
Ezra 9, Proverbs 7, Luke 15:1-10, 1 Timothy 5:1-15 Ezra 9: Things are going well, but then there is calamitous news. The officials come to tell Ezra that the people had intermarried with the nations who were not following God, and that the leaders and the officials had led the way in this intermarrying (9:1-2).…
Read MoreEzra 8: Fearing God in Prayer
Ezra 8, Proverbs 6, Luke 14:25-35, 1 Timothy 4 Ezra 8: The recording of the genealogy of those who returned with Ezra (8:1-14) reveals that there are none of the tribe of Levi (8:15). Therefore, to fulfill obligations in the Law, Ezra recruits successfully (8:16-20). He is careful to ensure that all is done properly…
Read MoreEzra 7: The Hand of God
Ezra 7, Proverbs 5, Luke 14:15-24, 1 Timothy 3:11-18 Ezra 7: Ezra is now introduced. And we are told “the hand of the Lord his God was on him” (7:6). Nothing matters more than this: that God is with us, that his blessings go before us, that his hand for good is on us. This…
Read MoreEzra 4-5: Tactics of Defense
Ezra 4-5, Proverbs 3, Luke 13:22-35, 1 Timothy 2 Ezra 4-5: A great work is underway, and as usual opposition comes. Consider the cunning of the opposition and its very real threat to the rebuilding project: First, they attempt to infiltrate the ranks of the true followers of God (4:2) and so dilute their faith…
Read MoreEzra 3: Joy and Tears
Ezra 3, Proverbs 2, Luke 13:10-21, 1 Timothy 1:12-21 Ezra 3: This chapter records how the Israelites first rebuilt the altar and then began the work of rebuilding the temple. What caused them to begin this great work, and what was the effect of their faithfulness? They began because “fear was on them because of…
Read MoreEzra 1-2: God’s Purposes Cannot Be Thwarted
Ezra 1-2, Proverbs 1, Luke 13:1-9, 1 Timothy 1:1-11 Ezra 1-2: As prophesied by Jeremiah, according to God’s Word, the people return from exile. God uses Cyrus, whom Isaiah calls God’s “shepherd.” Though he does not “know God,” he will still be used by God to glorify God. The rest of these two chapters unfold…
Read More2 Chronicles 34-36: With God, Failure Is Never the End of the Story
2 Chronicles 34-36, Psalm 150, Luke 12:49-59, 2 Thessalonians 3:14-18 2 Chronicles 34-36: The story finally ends on a note of strange hope—Cyrus proclaiming the rebuilding of the temple (36:22-23). But in the meantime, we must wade through the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of further kings. Josiah was a good king…
Read More2 Chronicles 30-33: The Consequences of Ruler-ship, for Good or Ill
2 Chronicles 30-33, Psalm 149, Luke 12:38-48, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 2 Chronicles 30-33: By the end of these chapters we feel like asking, “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13). But to begin with, we read more of the good king Hezekiah. He institutes a Passover feast (2 Chron. 30). He sends letters throughout the country…
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