Author: nickjones2011

What a shocking event! How do you feel about the LORD putting Uzzah to death for steadying the ark of God? Does it seem a bit extreme? Whatever you make of it, surely it’s a pointer to the divine origin of Scripture – you just wouldn’t make this stuff up! As biblical scholar Dale Ralph…

Finally David is recognised as king, it looks so promising! Here is a king who will bring justice and defeat their enemies and bring peace and prosperity to Israel. No wonder first Chronicles 12 tells us that there was joy in Israel. Psalm 122 seems a fitting song of celebration, here are God’s people finally…

God is amazing! Psalm 106 begins and ends with praise. Everyone should praise God for He is truly amazing, and yet the psalmist asks the question, “who can declare all his praise?” The answer is in v3 – only those who do righteousness at all times. Who is that? The rest of the Psalm shows…

What do you want to be remembered for? In today’s readings we see how two Sauls end their lives. The first Saul was the first king of Israel. His death notice reads: So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted…

How tragic to see the king desperately seeking out someone to speak to the dead for him (1 Sam 28). Before you feel sorry for him, he’s brought this tragedy on himself by refusing to listen to (and obey) God’s Word (ch 15). He’s also got rid of the priests who spoke God’s word (ch…

David is still on the run. God has rejected Saul as king (ch15), David had been anointed as king (ch16), but Saul is still reigning as king, and does not want the kingdom to pass to David. He fears David and seeks to destroy him. David acts with the utmost integrity as twice he refuses…

Paul and Silas had just had trouble in Philippi, so when they get to Thessalonica, they take a nice well earned break, No! You might expect that, but instead they carry on with the same thing that got them in trouble – preaching about Jesus (Acts 17). They last 3 Sabbaths, and then have to…

I’m often struck that when Paul and Silas are beaten with many blows and thrown in prison that they sing hymns to God. How can they sing when they have been through so much, especially since it’s because they are followers of Jesus that they have faced such suffering? How can they view their present…

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” So goes the old rhyme, but I’m sure you’ll know words can and do hurt. Words can be powerful and can be used to destroy someone. In 1 Samuel 22 we hear of Doeg’s awful betrayal of the priests who stood by…

David felt trampled on and oppressed all day long. He must have been in a bad place – the heading of Psalm 56 tells us he had fled to Gath. Where is Gath? It’s Goliath’s hometown! David is not going to receive a warm welcome there! He’s fled from Saul and ended up in Gath…