Few sermons or Bible studies focus on Ezra or Haggai, two brief Old Testament books named for relatively unknown figures. But the message of both of these books—their emphasis on building for God, obedience to his Word, and openness to his Spirit—is one that needs to be heard clearly today.

In this Bible Speaks Today volume, Robert Fyall's pairing of Ezra with Haggai enhances ...

The book of Psalms is a treasure. These one hundred and fifty inspired poems have shaped the worship, prayers, and theology of God's people for thousands of years. While many of its riches are readily apparent, a deeper look into the nature and purposes of the book reveals further layers of meaning with abundant implications for the Christian life.

In Treasuring the Psalms, ...

The letter to the Philippians illuminates a warm relationship between the apostle Paul and the Philippian believers. Despite difficult situations being experienced on both sides, Paul finds ample reason to celebrate what God in Christ has done and is doing in the believers' lives.

Jeannine K. Brown's commentary on Philippians explores the themes of this epistle and how its ...

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Most Christians have heard a familiar description of the Samaritan woman in John 4: she was a sinner, an adulteress, even a prostitute. Throughout church history, the woman at the well has been seen narrowly in terms of her gender and marital history. What are we missing in the story? And what difference does our interpretation ...

The evil that afflicts our lives often leaves us confused and directionless, wounded and powerless. How should we respond to evil's power to assault us? How can we understand God's work in a world that seems all too often to be permeated with evil?

Narrating her own wrestling with evil as well as engaging in biblical and philosophical analysis, biblical scholar Ingrid Faro ...

Being responsive to God is at the heart of prophecy. But readers of ancient prophecies and apocalyptic literature—including those in the Old Testament—can come away thoroughly perplexed. Are the prophets speaking about their own times, about our present, or about some still-unrealized future?

It's common to study prophecy with a focus on the sole question of prediction and ...

The church has too often lost its way in reading the Old Testament for lack of sound principles of interpretation. When careless habits get us off track, we can lose sight of what the Bible is really saying, derailing our own spiritual growth and even risking discredit to God’s word.

We need a consistent approach to give us confidence as faithful interpreters. In Wisdom ...

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

When the Reformers of the sixteenth century turned to this biblical text, originally written by Paul to the first-century church in Corinth, they found truths that apply to Christians regardless of their historical context. For example, Reformed theologian Wolfgang ...