Podcasts about Naphtali

In this study we will take a look at the women within the Bible. We will look at each one of them and see how their story influences our lives today.As we continue our study in this fantastic insight of the Women of the Bible, this morning we will finish our study on Deborah and Jael.Deborah (a bee) & Jael (wild or mountain goat) – Warrior WomenDeborah is one of the major judges (other words more of a charismatic military leaders, not a justice type judge figure) in the story of how Israel takes the land of Canaan. Deborah summons Barak to lead the battle against the Canaanites; he agrees, but only if she accompanies him. Barak and his warriors destroy all the Canaanites except Sisera, who seeks refuge with but is killed by Jael. Later rabbis acknowledged Deborah as a prophet but, due to their discomfort with women leaders, blunted her impact by speculating about her husband, reading her self-identification in the Song of Deborah in Judges 5 as hubris, and minimizing her role as judge. Deborah led the Israelites in peace and in war. She was a prophetess, but when war came she devised a battle strategy that gave the out-numbered and badly equipped Israelite troops victory over their Canaanite enemy. Meanwhile woman, Jael, used a tent peg and a mallet to finish off the unfortunate enemy general, Sisera.The story of Deborah describes the unlikely victory of the Israelites, led by the wisdom of Deborah, over superior Canaanite [do you remember who these people were?] forces. After the battle, the defeated Canaanite general Sisera was killed by a Kenite woman called Jael. Deborah's achievement was significant because the battle gave the Israelites their first access to the fertile and prosperous Plain of Esdraelon and part of the Plain of Sharon.Jael's story is similar to the one told about David and Goliath. A small, weak person, Jael, triumphs over a terrifying and apparently invincible warrior, Sisera. The story celebrates the defeat of Israel's enemies and the power of Israel's Elohim. The story of Deborah and Jael contains four main sections: 1 Deborah, a judge of Israel, summoned Barak (Judges 4:1-11, 5:1-18). When war and oppression come, Deborah acted as a leader of the people. She chose the most able military general and told him what he must do. 2 The battle was fought: Sisera fled (Judges 4:12-16, 5: 19-23). The superior enemy forces were routed, their troops were slaughtered, and the Israelites were jubilant. Their faith in their Yahweh was strengthened. Sisera, the enemy general, fled from the battlefield towards the encampment of Jael the Kenite woman. 3 Jael met Sisera, and killed him (Judges 4:17-24, 5:24-27). Jael called Sisera into her tent, hid him and fed him. After he fell asleep Jael killed him by driving a tent peg through the side of his head. She was hailed as a national heroine by the pursuing Israelite forces, led by Deborah and Barak. 4 The mother of Sisera (Judge 5:28-30). Sisera's mother and the noblewomen who surrounded her waited for her son to return. But as the reader knows, he was already dead by Jael's hand. The Song of Deborah (Judges 5) is dated at about 1285-1265BC, near when these events happened. It is a vivid picture, giving more details than Judges 4. For example, it contains a series of curses on those tribes who did not help in the battle, planting the seed for a later separation of the northern and southern tribes of Israel.Deborah is the only woman judge mentioned in the Book of Judges. The people of her time had no difficulty in accepting her as a judge. This suggests that judges were seen as ‘Yahweh's people', and their gender was unimportant.It is always sin which puts things out of Yahweh's order, and all kinds of complications follow. At this time, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Yahweh, and "Yahweh sold them into the hand of Jabin “one who is intelligence', king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor “village”; the captain of whose host was Sisera “battle array”, which dwelt in Harosheth “workmanship” [so called from the different races, possible giants included]of the Gentiles." Again and again, this history had been repeated. Yahweh had fulfilled His word, "If ye will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments; and if ye shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but that ye break My covenant: I will also do this unto you;…I will set My face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you." (Lev. 26:14-17.) The Battle: Phase 1Deborah summoned as many Israelite tribesmen as she could get – the main contingent was from Naphtali and Zebulun. Some of the tribes would not come, but those who did camped at Mount Tabor.It was hilly ground, easily defensible, with a flanking position facing the Jezreel Valley. There was excellent visibility in all directions. The sloping ground gave the Israelites security against any Canaanite chariot attack.The main Canaanite army base was at “Harosheth of the Gentiles.” This must have been close to the Valley of Jezreel, for the site of the decisive battle was near Megiddo, in the western section of the valley.Just before the battle, a flash flood swelled the nearby Wadi Kishon and turned the battleground into deep mud (documented in the Song of Deborah 5:4-5), giving the Israelite foot soldiers the advantage over the Canaanite chariots. The Battle: Phase 2Deborah guessed that when Sisera was told about the Israelite deployment, he would concentrate all his forces at Mount Tabor, to contain Barak.Eventually, Sisera would have reasoned, Barak would be forced out into the open to fight on the open plain – where he could be defeated.But Deborah had a second force at her disposal, militia she had gathered from Ephraim. She used this body of soldiers to draw Sisera away from his vigil opposite Mount Tabor, towards the swampy area of the Kishon River in the western part of the Jezreel Valley.She must have provided good reason for him to abandon his first position – tantalizingly, the Bible does not tell us what it was.But it must have been a movement threatening the unprotected plain. Only this would have induced Sisera to break camp and move in the direction of the Kishon River, to secure the narrow pass between the Carmel and the Tivon hills leading from the Jezreel Valley into the coastal plain. Whatever this feint was, it worked.The Battle: Phase 3The opposing forces watched each other for a few days. One guesses that Deborah was waiting for rain to turn the Kishon and its tributaries into a mire. When she received the confirmation she hoped for, she gave Barak the sign to attack: ‘Up, for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand' (Judges 4:13).Her assault caught Sisera's troops in the flanks or rear, or possibly both. At that point the Ephraimite force joined the main battle. ‘And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak' (Judges 4:15).There was a wonderful irony in this. Baal, the main god of the Canaanite forces, was god of storms and weather. He was worshipped by the Canaanites, with Anat, a fierce goddess who fought vigorously to protect her family. Yet the Canaanites lost the battle because of a storm!The Israelites could hardly believe their luck. Yahweh, their Elohim, was clearly superior to the gods of the Canaanites.Abandoning his army, Sisera fled on foot away from the battlefield, towards the encampment of Jael, the Kenite woman (Judges 4:12-16).Jael had her own tent, separate from her husband's tent. At this period in Israelite history it was still common for several women to be married to one man. In such a case, each wife had her tent, which she made, pitched and maintained herself. When she had children, they lived with her in this tent.‘So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. Then he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty”. She opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. He said to her “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anybody comes and asks you “Is anyone here?” say “No”.When Sisera arrived at the encampment in the last stages of exhaustion and terror, Jael saw him and called him to her tent.  One point to notice is that Sisera went into Jael's tent, not the tent of Heber her husband. The ancient laws of hospitality in the Middle East were very strict. A guest, once ritually invited into the home, had to be protected and cared for, even at the expense of everyone else in the house. But only the chief man of the household could offer ritual hospitality. Sisera went into Jael's tent. She covered him with a rug, which suggests that he was afraid and wanted to hide. He asked for water. She gave him a drink of goat's milk. Exhausted from the battle and his flight, he fell asleep.Faced with a man who was far superior to her in physical strength, Jael used her wits and courage. She took the wooden hammer used to put up her tent and one of the pegs that held the tent ropes, and then with one expert blow she drove the peg deep into the side of Sisera's head. Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com 

Peter Leithart, Jeff Myers, James Bejon, and Alastair Roberts continue their discussion of Judges 4, following Deborah and Barak from the summons to battle through Sisera's defeat at the Kishon. They explore the story's echoes of the Exodus, the significance of Barak's name, and the return of Zebulun and Naphtali to the fight after their earlier failures in Judges. Along the way they consider Heber the Kenite's relationship with Israel and Canaan, Jael's coming role, and whether the torrent in Deborah's song describes a flood, Barak's army, or both. The episode closes with Sisera fleeing on foot while Barak pursues and destroys his army. Give to our work and become a partner! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the new Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! ______________________ Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres ________ Theopolis on Youtube www.youtube.com/c/Theopolisinstitute Theopolis Blog: theopolisinstitute.com/theopolis-blog/ Website: theopolisinstitute.com Twitter: @_theopolis

00:00:00 1 Chronicles 1 – The Genealogies from Adam to Abraham and Esau00:04:49 1 Chronicles 2 – The Sons of Israel and the Lineage of Judah unto David00:10:13 1 Chronicles 3 – The Sons of David and the Royal Line of Solomon00:12:46 1 Chronicles 4 – The Posterity of Judah, Jabez's Prayer, and the Families of Simeon00:18:11 1 Chronicles 5 – The Line of Reuben, Gad, and the Half Tribe of Manasseh00:21:49 1 Chronicles 6 – The Sons of Levi, the Singers, and Their Cities00:28:58 1 Chronicles 7 – The Sons of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher00:34:18 1 Chronicles 8 – The Posterity of Benjamin and the Stock of Saul00:37:40 1 Chronicles 9 – The Inhabitants of Jerusalem after the Captivity and Saul's House00:43:06 1 Chronicles 10 – The Overthrow of Saul and His Death on Mount Gilboa00:44:57 1 Chronicles 11 – David Anointed King at Hebron and the Catalogue of His Mighty Men00:50:13 1 Chronicles 12 – The Company that Came to David at Ziklag and Hebron00:55:27 1 Chronicles 13 – David Fetcheth the Ark from Kirjath-jearim and the Death of Uzza00:57:23 1 Chronicles 14 – David's Prosperity, His Children, and Victories over the Philistines00:59:20 1 Chronicles 15 – The Levites Bring Up the Ark to Jerusalem with Joy01:03:19 1 Chronicles 16 – David's Festival Sacrifice, Psalm of Thanksgiving, and Order of Worship01:07:49 1 Chronicles 17 – Nathan's Prophecy of the Davidic Covenant and David's Prayer01:11:40 1 Chronicles 18 – David Subdueth the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, and Edomites01:14:04 1 Chronicles 19 – The Messengers Humiliated by Hanun and the Defeat of the Ammonites01:17:14 1 Chronicles 20 – Rabbah Spoiled and the Giants of the Philistines Slain01:18:44 1 Chronicles 21 – David Numbereth the People and Buyeth the Threshingfloor of Ornan01:23:28 1 Chronicles 22 – David's Preparation for the Building of the House of the Lord01:26:31 1 Chronicles 23 – Solomon Made King and the Distribution of the Levites01:30:15 1 Chronicles 24 – The Divisions of the Sons of Aaron by Lot01:33:41 1 Chronicles 25 – The Number and Offices of the Singers01:36:57 1 Chronicles 26 – The Divisions of the Porters, Treasurers, and Officers01:41:13 1 Chronicles 27 – The Captains for Every Month and the Rulers of the Tribes01:45:40 1 Chronicles 28 – David Exhorteth the People and Giveth the Pattern of the Temple to Solomon01:49:49 1 Chronicles 29 – The Offerings of the People, David's Thanksgiving, and His Death

(This podcast was previously published on, November 3, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   Judges 6   25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him (to Gideon), Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:   26  And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.   27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.   28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.   29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.   30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.   31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.   (If Baal is a god, let him plead for himself.)   32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him (against Gideon), because he hath thrown down his altar.   33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.   34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.   (The blowing of a trumpet signals the people to action or causes the people to pay attention.)   35 And he (Gideon) sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.   36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,   37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.   38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.   39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.   40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.  

Text:  Genesis 49:13-33 God's Sovereignty in Predicting the Future of His People (Gen. 49:13-21,27) Zebulun's inheritance would be marked by economic stability. Issachar's inheritance was marked by strength, but also bondage. Dan's inheritance would be marked by courageous leadership, but end with a legacy of idolatry. Jacob's hope: "I will wait for Your salvation, O Lord." (v. 18) Gad's inheritance would be marked by a readiness for battle. Asher's inheritance would be marked by abundant provision. Naphtali's inheritance would be marked by beauty and fruitfulness. Benjamin's inheritance would be marked by fierce boldness.   God's Sovereignty in Sending a Savior for His People (Gen. 49:22-27 Joseph's inheritance is marked by fruitfulness and strength that is rooted in God's mighty character. Joseph's prophecy foreshadows Christ, the Suffering Savior and Shepherd of our souls. God's Sovereignty in the Death of His People (Gen. 49:28-33 As Jacob dies, he pleads for his body to be buried in the land of promise. Jacob's request signifies his faith in God's word of promise. Main Idea: God's covenant promises find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ our Salvation

(This podcast was previously published on, November 1, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   Judges 4  (Deborah)   1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.   2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.   3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.   4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.   5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.   (Deborah was given a message for Barak, the captain of the army of God, who had delayed going to war.)   6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?   7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.   8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.   9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.   And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.   10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.   11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.   (Here is a connection with friends of God and notice that Heber had "severed himself" from the enemies of God and no longer lived with the Kenites.  So we see that some of this group would not be supportive of Sisera though they did give him some information but that information lured Sisera to his downfall and his eventual death.)   12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.   13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.   14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee?   So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.   15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.   16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.   (God shows all of the enemies of the children of Israel being destroyed.)   17 Howbeit Sisera (the captain of the host of Canaan) fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.   18 And Jael (Herber's wife) went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.   (She appears to support Sisera.)   19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.   20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.   21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him (to Sisera), and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.   22 And, behold, as Barak (the captain of the army of Israel) pursued Sisera, Jael (Herber's wife) came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest.   And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.   23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.   24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

We ended last week… talking about the difference between the tribes of Reuben and Meroz… and the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. When God called Reuben… they seriously thought about going… but they didn't. Meroz had the opportunity to go… and they didn't. But when God called Zebulun and Naphtali… they actually went. And that left us with a question: When God places an opportunity for obedience in front of us… do we merely think about it—or do we act? Zebulun and Naphtali acted… they obeyed. Well tonight… Deborah's gonna to show us somebody who acted. Her name was Jael.

(This podcast was previously published on, October 28, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...    I Corinthians 14  (The apostle Paul said)   34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.   35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.  

We ended last week… talking about the difference between the tribes of Reuben and Meroz… and the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. When God called Reuben… they seriously thought about going… but they didn't. Meroz had the opportunity to go… and they didn't. But when God called Zebulun and Naphtali… they actually went. And that left us with a question: When God places an opportunity for obedience in front of us… do we merely think about it—or do we act? Zebulun and Naphtali acted… they obeyed. Well tonight… Deborah's gonna to show us somebody who acted. Her name was Jael.

At the time that Marcus Aurelius became emperor in 161, the Roman Empire had enjoyed nearly two centuries of relative peace and prosperity. Over the 19 years of his reign, he would be forced to contend with a cascading sequence of wars, plague, natural disasters and civil conflict that gravely undermined the stability of the empire. Bibliography Amon, Hermann. The Roman Empire Third Century Crisis. Brill, 2026 Ando, Clifford. Imperial Rome, AD 193 to 284: The Critical Century. Edinburgh University Press, 2012. Brown, Peter. The World of Late Antiquity. AD 150-750. W.W. Norton & Company, 1989. Bowman, Alan K., Peter Garnsey, and Averil Cameron. The Cambridge Ancient History. Vol 12, The Crisis of Empire, A.D. 193-337. Cambridge University Press, 2008.  Dio, Cassius. The Roman History. Translated by Earnest Cary and Herbert B. Foster. Vol. 1-9. Loeb Classical Library and Harvard University Press, 1924.  Gibbon, Edward. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 1-3.  Alfred A. Knopf, 1993 Harper, Kyle. The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease and the End of an Empire. Princeton University Press, 2017. Herodian. History of the Roman Empire: From the Death of Marcus Aurelius to the Accession of Gordian III. Translated by Edward C. Echols. University of California Press, 1961. Lewis, Naphtali and Reinhold, Meyer. Roman Civilization: Selected Readings. Vol. II, Columbia University Press, 1990. Potter, David S. The Roman Empire at Bay, AD 180-395. Routledge, 2004. Southern, Pat. The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine. Routledge, 2001. Cover Image: Detail of the ‘Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus.' Dated to 250-260 CE, currently on display in the Museo Nazionale Romano. Opening Theme: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World", Op. 95, B. 178 by Antonín Dvořák.  Closing Theme: Movement II of “Pines of Rome.” Composed by Otto Respighi. Recording of 1959 performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Fritz Reiner. 

09/13/2026 Rev. Siyoung Jung No King in Israel: The Book of Judges (Part 10): God's Wisdom in Our Trials Judges 7:1-8, 15-25 ESV Gideon's Three Hundred Men 7 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.' 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. 4 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,' shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,' shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.” 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. 7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.” 8 So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.   15 As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.” 16 And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. 17 And he said to them, “Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.'” 19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. 20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. 22 When they blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah,[a] as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. 23 And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan. 25 And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan.

7 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed: 5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; 6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; 7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed; 8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 7:1–8.

This verse records the sons of Naphtali in the genealogy of Israel. Study and transcript: https://sharonrpc.org/devotions/1-chronicles-7-13-god-knows-you-by-name

God Empowers the Weak (2) (audio) David Eells, 9/9/26 God wants us to trust Him alone. (Jer.17:5) Thus saith the Lord: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. God calls this “departing from the Lord” when you trust in the arm of the flesh. That's departing from the Lord. When you do it the way the world does it, when you don't have any difference, any separation, any sanctification between you and the world, that's departing from the Lord. (Jer.17:6) For he shall be like the heath (or like a tumbleweed) in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited. (7) Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose trust the Lord is. (8) For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Now that sounds like the wilderness that's coming, doesn't it? And he's telling you who will make it through and prosper and be blessed going through it. It's the person who puts his trust in the Lord. But the person who trusts in the “arm of the flesh” is going to be blown away like a tumbleweed. That's why we're preparing to get in the Ark now. There's a flood coming that's going to take a lot of people away and it's not only the fault of the teachers, but the people who listen to them because it's the easy way. There's no death-to-self in it; there's no becoming like a child in it. God is preparing to show you there's a difference between His method and the method of the world. (2Ch.16:11) And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. (12) And in the thirty and ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet; his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. (13) And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. (14) And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had hewn out for himself in the city of David … What offended God here is that Asa sought his help from the physicians and not from the Lord, meaning that there is a difference.  But Asa's problem was not in just that area. He began to trust in the arm of the flesh in so many things. When Asa ruled over Judah, Judah was at war with the northern 10 tribes. (2Ch.16:1) In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any one to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. (2) Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, (3) [There is] a league between me and thee, as [there was] between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. Judah was bribing the Syrians to break their league with the northern 10 tribes of Israel, so that they could whip them. Well, Asa made a big mistake because he robbed God in order to bribe these people. He looted out of the Lord's treasuries and hired himself some insurance. He took God's money to do this. And you know, we do the same thing a lot of times. If the enemy seems too big, many times we'll take God's money to try to whittle him down a little bit. That's not permitted, and God rebuked Asa for it. In the first place, Asa was bowing down to the god of fear because the enemy was bigger than he was. But throughout history, the enemy was always bigger than God's people when they won, so he shouldn't have bowed down to fear in the first place. In the second place, Asa should not have used God's money. Did you know that all of your money is God's money? It's not our money, so Asa shouldn't have used God's money to buy insurance against his enemy or to strengthen himself against his enemy. But he didn't know God's plan. God had a great plan. (2Ch.16:4) And Ben-Hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel (the northern 10 tribes); and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali. (5) And it came to pass, that when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease. (6) Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and he built there with Geba and Mizpah. Look! He had success! He bribed the Syrians to break their league with his enemy and it worked. You'd say, “Well, he accomplished what he wanted to do. In a way, he won the war.”  Asa used God's money to do something that worked; he hired insurance and it worked, but God didn't see it that way. (2Ch.16:7) And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and hast not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand. You see what God was planning? He had planned to give to Judah both Israel and Syria. He was going to let Judah conquer both of them. Instead, Judah got worried, and they bribed Syria to break their pact with Israel, so that they would only have one to conquer. However, God said, “You've made a mistake. I was going to give them both to you. It would have cost you nothing and I was going to give them both to you.” That's the way it is when we run for our insurances and our assurances of the world in our strengthening ourselves. See, God wants to give it all to us. Look. (2Ch.16:7) ... Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and hast not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand. (8) Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge host, with chariots and horsemen exceeding many? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand. (9) For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him. Herein thou hast done foolishly; for from henceforth thou shalt have wars. Do you understand what God was saying here? He was saying, “Look, if you'd have done it My way, you wouldn't have had to conquer this problem again. This would have been the end of it. But, okay, since you did it your way, you're going to have wars from here on.” So we won't necessarily have to fight if we just do it God's way the first time. God would have given the whole enemy, vastly outnumbered as Judah was, He would have given all of them to Israel, but Judah used money to make themselves strong.  God gives you His help for free, but the alliance that you make with the world using your money is costing you something. When you make yourself strong with the strength of the world with your money, which is really God's money, it is taking from God. Think about that now. It's not your money; it's God's money. You're taking God's money and you're giving it to the devil's kingdom to make yourself strong against an enemy that God would give you anyway and give you for free. An alliance with the world is not God's method, and it wasn't His plan for Asa. That was Asa's problem. Asa had fallen into this trap of putting his trust in the arm of the flesh and it made Asa angry when God rebuked him. (2Ch.16:10) Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in the prison-house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing…. Many of God's people are doing the same thing with their money when they bow down to the gods of insurance. What are you doing when you buy insurance? Isn't it because you don't believe the Word of God? “Oh, we need insurance,” you say. Oh, really? Think about why we need insurance. Is it not because you trust the security insurance companies provide with their large financial reserves? You're trusting in them in case something happens, as if God isn't on His throne. God knows things are going to happen. He also knows He's going to provide. So what you're doing is robbing God's money and giving it to another god. I've hardly ever seen a greater miracle than when God told me to get rid of my insurance. And, let me tell you, when I called my insurance man and got rid of my house and car insurance, it really shocked him. But I don't think it was maybe a week or two later that I saw one of the biggest miracles I've ever seen, and God proved to me that dropping my worldly insurance was His way for me because He blessed me so abundantly. I had pulled my car into this little old quickie supermarket and gone inside when I heard this big crash. The whole front of the store, all the glass in front of the store, just shook. A car had run up in that parking lot and slammed right into my car, and I had just gotten rid of all of my insurance. It slammed right into my little Datsun station wagon that wasn't but a little tin box anyway. I knew something had happened when I looked out of that store, but when I went outside, I tell you what, I was just totally awed by the power of God. This big old Buick had just wrapped itself around the corner of my Datsun station wagon. I mean hit it right on the plastic tail lens of my Datsun, and it just notched the front of that Buick from top to bottom. The hood, the grille, the bumper- they were all caved in about a foot. The plastic tail lens of my Datsun had caved in that car from top to bottom. It was an old Buick, too – an old heavy car built like a tank; hit my car and it literally wrapped around my car.  When I went outside, the driver had backed up about a foot and was out there looking at it with his eyes just as big as saucers. I said, “Oh, man!” If I hadn't seen that, I'd have never believed it because it just totaled out the whole front of his car. And there wasn't a scratch on my car. While he was standing there looking at it, I took my thumbnail and I scraped the paint off of the plastic tail lens where his hood hit my wrap-around tail lens on the corner of that Datsun station wagon. That was the only mark on my car! No, he couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it, either. But you see, I didn't have any insurance. I'd put myself in the hands of the Lord. You know, I'd become like a child, in a way, because I put myself in the hands of the Lord.  Now we have to obey the law, but at this time in Louisiana, we didn't have to have any insurance, and I didn't have any insurance. Nobody ever collected off of me, but boy, I collected off some other folks. I don't say that to be bragging; I'm just saying God did miracles for me because of that. In every way that I didn't have insurance, He was my assurance. Well, I wasn't even thinking right when I saw this; I was just awed. I mean, the guy got in his car and took off, and after he left, I thought, “Boy, I missed the best chance in the world of witnessing to somebody,” so I jumped in my car and caught him at the next red light. I got out and I witnessed to him. I told him that was God! I said, “God did that because I didn't have any insurance.” When I said, “It's a miracle,” he said, “It must be.” I remember the first thing he said when I went outside and looked at the car. He said something like, “Boy, they sure must build them better than they used to.” You know that was totally stupid. His car would have cut a path right through the middle of my car, and he wouldn't have been scratched. It would have been the other way around. Those old Buicks were tough, and mine you could dent with your elbow. A Datsun station wagon? You could knock the car tail lens out with your elbow. I'm telling you there's just nothing there.  This was one of those positions I was put in where I was made so weak and the situation I was facing was so strong that it was totally ridiculous. But I'd just gotten rid of all my insurance. When you put yourself in the hands of God, He takes that very seriously. Whatever you do and however it turns out, when you put yourself in the hands of God, you're going to be the blessed one. Another time when I got in a wreck, God didn't protect my vehicle, but I was so glad He didn't. I had a little Toyota truck that I loved. I was going down the interstate on my way to work, and I saw the car in front of me slowing down. The whole line of traffic was slowing down because somebody was stopped in the middle of a bridge, and I was slowing down, but the fourth guy back was looking off down the river instead of looking at the bridge, and he just scooped us all up. Bang! Bang! Bang! It was just one right after another. Well, the guy in front of me was hurt really badly. He had slammed into the steering wheel, and it jammed up in his chest, and he had lung blood just gushing out of his face. I've shot enough deer to know that it was lung blood. It was bright red because it has a lot of oxygen in it.  So I got up in his cab, and I pulled him out, and I laid him down on the concrete there beside his truck, with his head on the curb like it was a pillow. And the lung blood literally piled up from the road up to his face. That's how it was coming out of him. It came out jelly-like. I'm just telling you what a miracle God did. I knelt down there right beside him, and I prayed for him, and I commanded him to be healed in the name of Jesus. There were people all around me just looking at me doing that. Then the medics came and put him in the ambulance. I immediately left there and went home to call the hospital, and they told me there was nothing wrong with that man. The nurse said, “We turned him loose. He went home.” I said, “Lady, if you'd seen the pile of blood out there on the concrete, you'd know there was something wrong with him.” She said, “Well, I don't know, maybe he had a scratch in his nose or something, but there was nothing wrong with him we could see. We turned him loose and he went home.” Praise the Lord! Now, even though my truck was totaled out and at that time I didn't have any insurance, I got my truck fixed, and I still had $1500 in my pocket. It was a real blessing. I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Not only that, what really tickled me the most was this: While I was standing there beside the highway with that man's blood on my arms from picking him out of the cab, somebody from work also came by. It was a Christian guy and he knew I'd preached walking and speaking faith. He saw me standing there with that blood on my arms and said to me, “You'd better go to the hospital.” I kept saying, “There's nothing wrong with me,” but he thought I was speaking faith. He insisted, “You better go to the hospital!” I told him again, “There's really nothing wrong with me,” so he drove off, and he went and told my boss. When I got to work, he and my boss and a bunch of people were standing around waiting for me. They were giving me the once-over with their eyes. They were looking me up one side and down the other, and I told them, “Look, I told him there was nothing wrong with me. It wasn't me. It's the other guy who got hurt. There's nothing wrong with me.” It was really hard to convince them. They thought I was just speaking faith. Well, anyway, that time God fixed my truck. The next time, of course, we didn't have any insurance either and God bought my house with their insurance money. He plundered Egypt right on down and bought my house and car with their insurance money. You know, even in our ignorance, sometimes God blesses us, right? Sure, there is a worldly method that can bring success. Didn't Asa get success by bribing Assyrians to break their pact? But God didn't agree with his method. Asa's method worked. He conquered his enemy and, in fact, it broke the war off totally. But even though it was successful, Asa used God's money to do it. He used God's money to buy insurance. God didn't agree with it. This is not to condemn anybody. This is just so that we know for the future what God can do. God doesn't appreciate insurance because it's a false god. It's something that we're counting on for our salvation in the future. And here's something we really ought to think about: Suppose things come on us because we have insurance. I'll give you a good example that just stuck with me so well, which the Lord showed me. When I worked at Exxon, I was working with this guy on pumps in the field; his name was Melvin. One day we were working on this old slurry pump. It's an old crude pump. Crude is real bad about staining. It's almost like paint. If it gets on you, it will stain you almost permanently. And so I was working with him on this old pump, and the gauge on the top of the pump showed that it was empty, no pressure. The bleeders were open to make sure that there wasn't pressure, that when we broke into it, we wouldn't come into pressure. The bleeder was plugged and the gauge was broken, so when we were breaking into this thing, we were breaking into a pump that had pressure on it, and it was pressurized crude oil.  So, he and I were working on the head of this pump and we'd taken all the bolts out, but the gasket was holding the head stuck onto the thing. I tapped on it a little bit, but it wouldn't break loose, and Melvin was standing right there beside it. I walked away from the pump to get a bigger hammer so I could rear back and hit that plate and it would break the gasket surface. The minute I walked away, the thing popped off and blew crude all over him. Just all over him. Now I'd been talking to Melvin about the Lord a lot. In fact, he'd been converted to the Lord by my testimony to him. But he said, “You planned that, didn't you?” It was like I just walked away and all of a sudden BOOM! and it was crude oil all over him. He was black from top to bottom, clothes and everything. And he said, “Well, don't worry about it; I have a change of clothes in my locker.” I said, “Oh, that's the reason you got it and I didn't get it. I don't have a change of clothes.” So God knew I couldn't afford to get that way because I didn't have a change of clothes. You get the point? Melvin prepared for a disaster and he got one. He had full faith that he was going to have one, and he got what he believed for. See, we don't realize that God is sovereign. If we prepare or we insure for disaster, He can bring one. Sometimes we think, “Oh, thank God I prepared!” But actually, we could have brought on the disaster in the first place. Melvin and I left this pump, and after he had changed his clothes and everything, we went to another pump. This is a very rare thing. Well, believe it or not, this other one was the same kind of pump, and almost the same thing happened. And I was standing right beside him this time, right beside him when the flange broke open. It was amazing to me how two things in a row could happen like this. The flange broke open and it squirted out of one place from that thing and drowned him from top to bottom with crude oil. But just before this happened, Melvin said, “You're never gonna get me like that again.” I said, “Melvin, you better watch those positive statements. God is listening.” We left right there and went over to work on this other pump. Sure enough, we had checked that one even with a rod, but evidently it was plugged up somewhere else- the bleeder with a rod and everything- and the plate just backed up just a little bit. It squirted a stream and hit Melvin and squirted him from top to bottom with crude oil. I said, “I told you about those positive statements, Melvin.” This was the second time. It was a good thing he was a good-natured guy, and he really was, but he got it twice in a row. Well, I'm sure he learned something from that because it was impossible for something like that to happen twice. It was just impossible for us to be working on the same kind of equipment because we worked on everything from turbines to motors to pumps to drivers, and here we were working on a reciprocating pump. There weren't even that many of them out there, and we worked on one right after another, and he got it on both.  God takes offense when you insure yourself, and when you do, He causes you to lose the battle. In the last case we looked at, it seemed like they made the right decision because what Asa did worked. The only thing is, he robbed God by trusting in a false god. God even gave Asa temporary victory in it, but then the prophet came and prophesied to him that he wasn't going to get out of wars because of that. In other words, he didn't do it right that time, so another war was coming. We have to understand that if we don't do it God's way, we haven't gotten out of anything. Another trial just like it is right around the corner because these trials are put there for us to be overcomers and to overcome something in us that's wrong. And trusting in the world is wrong. It's offensive to God. (2Ch.20:35) And after this did Jehoshaphat the king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah the king of Israel; the same did very wickedly: (36) and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. (37) Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath destroyed thy works. And the ships were broken so that they were not able to go to Tarshish. (21:1) And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David…. So we see that Jehoshaphat lost his life because of his insurance, and Asa lost his life because of his insurance. They trusted in something other than the Lord. You know, our help does not come from anything that we can do or anything that we can eat. (Exo.15:26) … I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Help comes from God. Divine help comes from God. It doesn't come from anything we can eat. In fact, whatever you eat, God says it's good and to be received with thanksgiving, if it is sanctified through the Word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4,5). See, God sanctifies your food. He makes it what you need. Whatever you eat, God will make it what you need, if you sanctify it through the Word of God in faith. As a matter of fact, I want to show you something. See, there are all kinds of insurance. We think, “Well, we're not getting enough vitamins.” That's not what the Bible says.  Now we're not putting anybody under laws about vitamins; this is just an example. (1Ti.4:1) But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, (2) through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; (3) forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats…. Why do they command to abstain from meats? Because they say they're unclean. They say they're not healthy. Why does the world say that pork, for instance, is not healthy? Because they have statistics to prove that pork is not healthy. But who is that talking about? It's talking about the world. We are not the world. The statistics that work for them don't work for us. Paul says this is a doctrine of demons to us. Now, they have the statistics to prove that for the lost world, pork is not a healthy meat, but that's not us. Read what it says to Christians. We are the ones who are delivered from the curse. They are not delivered from the curse. We are delivered, so he calls it a doctrine of demons “to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth” (1Ti.4:3). See, if you know the truth, you can eat those meats because you're free from the curse, if you know the truth. If you really believe what he's saying, you can do this; it will have no bad effect upon you. He said they are “created to be received with thanksgiving.” God created them for that purpose for those who love the truth and know the truth. Only those people won't be hurt. These doctrines of demon teachers are going to tell you they're not all good; some of them you better stay away from, and they take that from Old Testament doctrine about unclean meats. But what did those unclean meats signify? Remember that Peter saw the unclean animals coming down out of Heaven on a sheet (Acts 10:11,12) and God said, “rise, Peter; kill and eat (Act.10:13). (14) But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. (15) And a voice [came] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.” And God did this to Peter three times (Acts 10:16) to make sure he got the point. The sheet came down out of Heaven. God said, “What I make clean, don't you make unclean.” Then three men showed up at his door, inviting him to come and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10:19). And when Peter went before the Gentiles, he said he perceived that they were acceptable to God (Acts 10:28) because of the revelation he had just received about the unclean animals. You see, men are beasts. Gentiles represent unclean animals in the Scriptures.  We're not to partake of unclean animals. If you listen to unclean people, to Gentiles, pagans, their thinking gets into you and, in a way, you're eating what they're saying. Jesus said you're supposed to eat of His Body (John 6:51). His Body is clean. His Body represents the Word, right? He was the Word made flesh. If you eat His body, it goes into you and becomes you. It becomes a part of you. If you do that with an unclean person, you partake of their thinking, their word; it goes into you, and it still becomes a part of you. So God said not to partake of these unclean people, whom the unclean animals represented. That's the revelation that God gave to Peter.  (1Ti.4:4) For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected…. Nothing. Because He said it's good. If God said it's good, it's good: “What I make clean don't you make unclean.” Remember what God said to Peter. “If I say it's clean, it's clean.” In fact, when the disciples were talking about eating only certain things, Jesus said, “not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man (Mat.15:11). (18) But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man. (19) For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings: (20) these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.” Out of his thinking are unclean thoughts. These defile man. It's not what he eats or his unwashed hands. It's what comes out of your mouth, what comes out of your thinking, that defiles you. Worry about that. Don't worry about eating pork is what He's saying here. (1Ti.4:4) For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving: (5) for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer. It is to be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified through the Word of God and prayer. “Sanctified” means “set apart unto God.” Can the world do that? No, they're under the curse. They can't do that. Jesus told the disciples, And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you (Luk.10:8). (Eat what is put before you.) (3) Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. (7) And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (8) And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  (1Ti.4:6) If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed [until now:] (7) but refuse profane and old wives' fables…. And that's what these rules of men are. “Don't do this, don't do that; take this and take this,” and all that other garbage. That's not God's plan. That's just like the insurance. That is going after other gods. That's putting your trust in other things. You don't need that. Where does our health come from? It comes from the fact that Jesus became cursed for us so that we could be blessed (Galatians 3:13,14). He bore the whole curse. If I'm blessed and He took all of my curse, then I have to be healthy. I have to be delivered. That's where my faith should be. I am healthy. I don't have to go looking for health by listening to a bunch of quacks who think this drug or this herb or this vitamin is going to heal or keep me. No, that's just crazy, and it's just not Biblical. Our health comes from what Jesus did on the cross. It's something that you accept because of what happened; it's past tense. But people don't believe that's enough, so they think, “I have to do something else to get health. The cross is not enough. Jesus is not a good enough provider, so I'd better get insurance.” Stop and think about these things we're doing. We are trusting in false gods. It is offensive to God. Insurance is common sense to the world, but look at how many times the insurance is the very thing that caused God to bring the curse. And everybody says, “Oh, praise God! Thank God I had that insurance!” No. The curse came because you have insurance. Read here carefully and see if you get the point Jesus is making. (Mat.16:5) And the disciples came to the other side and forgot to take bread. (They didn't provide for themselves.) (6) And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. (7) And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread. (8) And Jesus perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread? (9) Do ye not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? (10) Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Do a little arithmetic in your mind here to figure this thing out.  (11) How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees? (12) Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. See, before we look at this carefully, what was the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Their teaching was the Law, salvation by works. In everything, salvation was by works to the people under the Law. Now, the disciples thought, “Well, we don't have provision, we didn't bring bread. We should have stored up some bread and brought it with us.” That was what they were thinking, but Jesus wasn't talking about that.  He said, “Don't you remember the five loaves of the 5000 and how many baskets you took up?” And that was 12. Remember, there were 5000 people to feed. They had five loaves to feed them, and after the miracle, they took up 12 baskets of leftovers. That's a miracle, right? Jesus wants you to compare these two miracles. In the next miracle, He says, “the seven loaves of the 4000.” There were fewer people to feed and they started with more to feed them. They had seven loaves and the baskets they took up were only seven.  In other words, when they put in more, God put in less, and there was less left over. Jesus is saying to the disciples, “Look at these two miracles carefully. Don't you remember? When you didn't put in, God made a bigger miracle. When you put in, God made a lesser miracle and there was less left over. Understand the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They think it's by their own strength.” And that's how the Law worked, by the way. God just gave them the Law and said, “Okay, you keep it or else.” The strength of the Law was the individual's own strength. But what Jesus was saying is, “Don't worry because you didn't bring bread. God's still here. This is not a problem. Don't you understand? Don't you remember what happened?” Look, when you put in less, God puts in more. The less that you have to put in, the more God puts in to show you that it was Him. But the more you put in, the less God puts in. It's that way in everything. The more of self that goes into something, the less of God is going to be there. We must decrease so that He may increase. Remember John the Baptist? (Joh.3:30) He must increase, but I must decrease. That's the truth. That's for all of us. The more we decrease, the more God will increase. Remember, God wants salvation to be by grace – unmerited and unearned, not of your wisdom. (Ephesians 2:8). God is not dealing with us the way He deals with the world. Don't look at the world and think that's the way God wants to deal with you. The world is totally different. He wants all of our salvation, deliverance, prosperity and blessing to come by grace. It has to come freely and trusting in the promise of God. He's called us out of this world (1 Peter 2:9) and He's dealing differently with us. When this life is over, we're going to see how great God is and how little we are. This is the whole point. (Rom.4:4) Now, to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. See, if you could earn it, God would owe it, but God will not permit that. Think about it again now. “To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt.” That's your works, right? This salvation would not be by grace. You'd be making your way to Heaven and God would owe it to you. Think that's ever going to be possible? It's not possible. He's sovereign and He's not going to permit it.  Even where God permits the world's works to save them, He won't permit your works to save you. (Rom.4:5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. You see, God calls a person righteous because they walk by faith. (Rom.4:17) (As it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. (18) Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations…. See, it looked hopeless. God made a promise and then He waited 40 more years until Abraham and Sarah were ancient, when it couldn't possibly come to pass. God waited because, if He had done it right there, everybody would have said, “Oh, it's possible; maybe Abraham did that.” No. God waited until Abraham couldn't do that, and then God brought it to pass to prove it was Him. He wanted all the credit. In our circumstances, it may also become increasingly impossible. Don't lose faith, because the more impossible it gets, the more possible it is for God. Why? Because when you're in the position of weakness, that's what God likes. It's where He wants you to be. It's where He gets all the credit for the miracle, and He looks greater in the eyes of the world when these great things happen. (Rom.4:18) Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. (19) And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb; (20) yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, (21) and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Now, there was one time when Abraham and Sarah decided to have a little insurance (Genesis 16) and God permitted them to do that, but ultimately, it brought a great curse upon his seed. God's plan and what He is doing is so wonderful. You should have more courage and more faith when things get impossible, because every time in the Bible, that's where they were when the miracle came. Be encouraged when you see the odds against you, as the world calls it, because that's when they're in your favor. 

https://michaelbasham.com/Perhaps you're like a lot of people who say they don't believe in God but aren't really atheists. Maybe you simply haven't made a final decision because you haven't had a real chance to know the Truth! But even if you have doubts or questions on your mind or heart that need answering in order for you to be convinced, if you're sincere and really want the answers, if you really want to know God, He will show you!Even if you don't believe in God or the Bible or anything else, you can put God in a test tube and prove He exists!--And you are the tube! You just need to put God in you and see what happens! If you'll just sincerely pray, "God, if there is a God out there somewhere, show me! Reveal Yourself!," He will! Once you admit the possibility, then you're giving God a chance and there's a tiny spark of faith, a little mustard seed of faith has begun to grow! And God will honor that faith by letting you see and feel and know the proof!God loves faith! He loves us because we believe Him!--And once we believe, then He will prove Himself in many ways so that you will no longer have to believe purely by faith. He will prove Himself to you by answers to prayers and miracles, even the change in your own lives and the lives of others. And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.JDG.4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.JDG.4:3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.JDG.4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.JDG.4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.JDG.4:6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?JDG.4:7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.JDG.4:8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.JDG.4:9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.JDG.4:10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.JDG.4:11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.JDG.4:12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.JDG.4:13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.JDG.4:14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.JDG.4:15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.JDG.4:16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.JDG.4:17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.JDG.4:18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.JDG.4:19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.JDG.4:20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.JDG.4:21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.JDG.4:22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.JDG.4:23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.JDG.4:24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.Chapter 5JDG.5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,JDG.5:2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.JDG.5:3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.JDG.5:4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.JDG.5:5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.JDG.5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.JDG.5:7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.JDG.5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?JDG.5:9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.JDG.5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.JDG.5:11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.JDG.5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.JDG.5:13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.JDG.5:14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.JDG.5:15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.JDG.5:16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.JDG.5:17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.JDG.5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.JDG.5:19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.JDG.5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.JDG.5:21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.JDG.5:22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of their mighty ones.JDG.5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.JDG.5:24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.JDG.5:25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.JDG.5:26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.JDG.5:27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.JDG.5:28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?JDG.5:29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself,JDG.5:30 Have they not sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil?JDG.5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.BUY MY SUPERNATURAL NOVEL!https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Romance-Episode-1-ebook/dp/B07ZRJV6SHDOWNLOAD THE APP!fringeradionetwork.cOM

(This podcast was previously published on, October 9, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   Deuteronomy 32:3-4 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.   HE is the Rock, HIS work is perfect: for all HIS ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is HE.  

 Dr. Naphtali Hoff trains school leaders and teachers to perform at their best without running themselves into the ground. A former educator and school leader himself, Dr. Hoff now coaches and trains school leaders on management, productivity, and delegation across the country. He's the author of three books, and his newest, Becoming the Delegating School Boss, is the one most relevant here — it helps school leaders clear their plates and empower their teams. Dr. Naphtali Hoff joins the Ruckuscast to break down why so many principals resist letting go, and what it actually takes to build a team you can trust. Every principal has felt it: the sense that if they left the building for a day, something would fall apart. That's not a compliment — it's a delegation problem, and it's quietly running good leaders into the ground. This episode breaks down why school leaders won't let go, and the exact framework for handing off real work without losing control of it.

God Shall Scatter His EnemiesTo the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.68 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;    and those who hate him shall flee before him!2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;    as wax melts before fire,    so the wicked shall perish before God!3 But the righteous shall be glad;    they shall exult before God;    they shall be jubilant with joy!4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;    lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;his name is the Lord;    exult before him!5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows    is God in his holy habitation.6 God settles the solitary in a home;    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,    but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.7 O God, when you went out before your people,    when you marched through the wilderness, Selah8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,    before God, the One of Sinai,    before God,[a] the God of Israel.9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;    you restored your inheritance as it languished;10 your flock[b] found a dwelling in it;    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.11 The Lord gives the word;    the women who announce the news are a great host:12     “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”The women at home divide the spoil—13     though you men lie among the sheepfolds—the wings of a dove covered with silver,    its pinions with shimmering gold.14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,    let snow fall on Zalmon.15 O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;    O many-peaked[c] mountain, mountain of Bashan!16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,    at the mount that God desired for his abode,    yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,    thousands upon thousands;    the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.18 You ascended on high,    leading a host of captives in your train    and receiving gifts among men,even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.19 Blessed be the Lord,    who daily bears us up;    God is our salvation. Selah20 Our God is a God of salvation,    and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies,    the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.22 The Lord said,    “I will bring them back from Bashan,I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,23 that you may strike your feet in their blood,    that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”24 Your procession is[d] seen, O God,    the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—25 the singers in front, the musicians last,    between them virgins playing tambourines:26 “Bless God in the great congregation,    the Lord, O you[e] who are of Israel's fountain!”27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,    the princes of Judah in their throng,    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.28 Summon your power, O God,[f]    the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem    kings shall bear gifts to you.30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds,    the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute;    scatter the peoples who delight in war.[g]31 Nobles shall come from Egypt;    Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.32 O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;    sing praises to the Lord, Selah33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;    behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.34 Ascribe power to God,    whose majesty is over Israel,    and whose power is in the skies.35 Awesome is God from his[h] sanctuary;    the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.Blessed be God!+++For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com. Every weekday at 3:30 am and 7:30 am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on KSPD 94.5 FM and 790 AM Boise's Solid Talk in the Treasure Valley,  Idaho, USA.If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them.  If you enjoy The Gospel for Life, please give us a rating and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. That helps us a lot!Phone: (208) 991-3526E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.comPodcast website:  https://www.790kspd.com/gospel-for-life/to donate on line https://www.reformationboise.com/donate

00:00:00 Joshua 1 – Be Strong and of a Good Courage and Meditate Day and Night00:03:10 Joshua 2 – Rahab the Harlot Hid the Spies and Bound the Scarlet Thread00:07:11 Joshua 3 – Israel Passeth Over Jordan on Dry Ground Before the Ark00:10:21 Joshua 4 – Twelve Stones Out of Jordan Taken for a Memorial00:14:16 Joshua 5 – Circumcision at Gilgal, Manna Ceaseth, and Captain of the Host00:17:09 Joshua 6 – Walls of Jericho Fall Flat After Compassed Seven Days00:21:59 Joshua 7 – Accursed Thing of Achan and Israel Smitten at Ai00:26:56 Joshua 8 – Ai Taken by Ambush and Law Written Upon Stones at Mount Ebal00:33:16 Joshua 9 – Craftiness of Gibeonites with Old Sacks and Mouldy Bread00:37:38 Joshua 10 – Sun Standeth Still and Five Kings Slain in the Cave00:45:38 Joshua 11 – Kings of the North Smitten at the Waters of Merom00:49:40 Joshua 12 – Catalogue of the Thirty and One Kings Which Joshua Smote00:52:32 Joshua 13 – Much Land Yet to Be Possessed and Inheritance Transjordan00:57:55 Joshua 14 – Caleb Wholly Followed the LORD and Asketh Hebron01:00:43 Joshua 15 – Borders of Judah and Caleb Giveth Achsah His Daughter to Othniel01:07:45 Joshua 16 – Lot and Coast of the Children of Ephraim01:09:26 Joshua 17 – Lot of Manasseh, Daughters of Zelophehad, and the Wood Country01:13:27 Joshua 18 – Tabernacle Set Up at Shiloh and Land Described in Seven Parts01:18:04 Joshua 19 – Lots of Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan01:24:14 Joshua 20 – Six Cities of Refuge Appointed for the Slayer Unawares01:26:04 Joshua 21 – Forty and Eight Cities Given by Lot unto the Levites01:31:58 Joshua 22 – Altar of Witness Built Beyond Jordan by Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh01:39:02 Joshua 23 – Joshua Waxeth Old and Warneth That Snares and Traps Shall Be Unto YouDownload One-Year Reading Plan:https://andrewhorval.substack.com/p/kingjamesbibleinoneyearBooks:https://andrewhorval.substack.com/p/booksPodcast & More:https://andrewhorval.substack.com01:42:01 Joshua 24 – Covenant Renewed at Shechem, As for Me and My House We Will Serve the Lord

08/16/2026 Rev. Paul Bang   Judges 4: 1-24   English Standard Version     Deborah and Barak 4 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. 2 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand'?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. 17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?' say, ‘No.'” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. 23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Archaeologist Jodi Magness and her team have been excavating a synagogue in the ancient village of Huqoq in Lower Galilee where they’ve found an incredible collection of mosaics, paintings, and carvings. Particularly rare, however, is a mosaic telling the biblical story of Deborah and her role in Israel’s battle against the Canaanites; there’s no other known ancient depiction of this heroine. During twenty years of oppression by Canaan, Deborah, a prophetess, “was leading Israel” (Judges 4:4). At God’s prompting, Deborah urged Israel’s general Barak to mount an attack on the Canaanite forces and their commander, Sisera. Barak heeded God’s instructions to “take . . . ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor” (v. 6) and Deborah lured the enemy’s army to the area. The Canaanite troops indeed fell in the battle, and though Sisera initially fled on foot, he too ultimately met his demise. “On that day God subdued . . . Canaan before the Israelites” (v. 23) through the courageous obedience of Deborah and Barak. The Bible preserves for us a literary mosaic of historical events in the life of God’s people—collectively and individually. Through it we’re offered examples from which we can glean courage to heed God’s instructions even in the face of hardship and struggle. We can trust Him to equip us with the strength to do so.

(This podcast was previously published on September 13, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   The Old Testament and the children of God:   Moses selected men from the tribes of Israel and they assisted him in judging the people.  There were 600,000 men (plus women and children) in the wilderness so it became too much for Moses to do all the work alone.   Moses' father-in-law suggested another plan for Moses in dealing with the people.   Exodus 18   8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.   9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom HE had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.   10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, WHO hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.   11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly HE (God) was above them.   12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.  

Last week… we left off… with Israel standing on the edge… of one of the greatest victories in the entire Book of Judges. If you'll remember… God had already promised Barak the victory. So… he gathered ten thousand men… from Zebulun and Naphtali… and marched them up Mount Tabor. Meanwhile… Sisera assembled all nine hundred of his iron chariots… and positioned his army near the Kishon River…. exactly where God had promised Barak He would draw him. Then Deborah looked at Barak and said, "Move on, for this is the day the LORD has handed Sisera over to you. Hasn't the LORD gone before you?" (Judges 4:14, HCSB) And that's exactly what happened. The LORD… stepped onto the battlefield. • He sent the storm. • He flooded the Kishon River. • He removed the advantage… of Sisera's iron chariots. And Scripture tells us, "The LORD threw Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army into confusion before Barak..." (Judges 4:15, HCSB) Folks... that's where we stopped. The battle had been won. The army had been broken. But there was one man... ONE MAN… who was still alive! And that's where we pick up tonight.

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Teaching by Josh Clark Week 6: From Refuge to Rest (Ch 20-21)1. Cities of Refuge (20:1-9)- See Num 35:9-34, Deut 19:1-13- Cities of refuge were set up to:  - Protect anyone who committed an accidental murder    - Provide a punishment for the murder - exile from the land  - Prevent unnecessary violence or revenge from the avenger of blood    - This highlights the sanctity of life for the victim & accidental murderer- How did it work?  - If there was an accidental murder, the murderer would flee to the city of refuge and plead their case.    - If they were guilty, the avenger of blood could kill them (Num 35:16-21).    - If they were innocent they had to live in the city  - Vs 9 The city for anyone in the land- How long did they have to live there?  - Until the High Priest died- Bigger problem found in Num 35:33-34  - Innocent blood shed pollutes the land- Land can only be cleansed through death of the murderer (Num 35:33) or death of the high priest (Josh 1:6, Num 35:32)2. Levi's Allotment (21:1-42)V 1-3- Num 35:1-8V 4-40- Levitical Allotment:  Kohathites (Aaron's descendants) - Judah, Simeon, Benjamin - 13 cities  Remaining Kohathites - Ephraim, Dan, Half-Tribe of Manasseh (West) - 10 cities  Gershonites - Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Half-Tribe of Manasseh (East/Bashan) - 13 cities  Merarites - Reuben, Gad, Zebulun - 12 cities  Total - Throughout Israel - 48 cities- No portion was given to the Levites in the land (13:14, 33; 14:3-4, 18:7)- Their inheritance was:  - The tithes that support the Levites (13:14)  - The Lord (13:33; 18:7)3. Promise Fulfilled, Possession Ongoing (21:43-45)These verses are a great summary of the book of Joshua- 43 summarizes the land given in ch 13-21- 44 summarizes the conquest in ch 1-12- 45 summarizes the book as the theological ideal - God is faithful to his promises.- Complete or Partial Conquest?  - 13:1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess."  - On the east side of the Jordan they failed to drive out the Geshurites and Maacathite (13:13)  - On the west side they failed to drive out the Jebusites (15:63), the Canaanites in Gezer (16:10), Canaanites in the cities of Manasseh (17:12)- V 44 "Rest"  - 2 kinds of rest in the book of Joshua - rest from war, rest of a settled life    - There are still enemies to drive out but the enemy has been definitively defeated    - The settling will depend on their faithfulness to God's command to drive out the people. In order to experience the blessings of Eden the people need to obey the God of Eden.      - Num 33:55-564. Christ Connection- The rest that we find in Joshua was never intended to be the final rest, but always pointed to the greater rest found in Jesus.  - Heb 3:7-4:13- As long as it is called "today" (in other words everyday) trust and believe in the Lord. Let faith propel you to act in hope and obedience until you enter his rest.

Send us Fan MailThis Podcast is part of a 10-year project to complete an in-depth, daily study of the entire Bible, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Episode Notes: Our Family Tree - Part Two. (1 Chronicles Chapters 4-7)Welcome back to the podcast. Today we continue our journey through the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles, a journey through names, families, tribes, and stories that stretch across centuries. If you joined us for Episode One, you'll remember that we explored the sweeping genealogy from Adam all the way to the exile. Now, in Our Family Tree – Part 2, we turn to chapters 4 through 7, where the Chronicler continues tracing the tribal lines of Israel.  These chapters may look like more of the same, more names, more lists, more genealogies, but tucked inside them are flashes of story, hints of character, and moments of spiritual insight that reveal how God works through ordinary people and imperfect families. In these chapters, we meet: The tribe of Judah, with its mixture of heroes and failures.The tribe of Simeon, whose story reminds us how choices shape destiny.The tribe of Reuben, the firstborn who forfeited his privilege.The tribe of Levi, the priestly line entrusted with worship, and the tribes of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, and Ephraim, each carrying their own history, strengths, and scars.These chapters will show us how God preserves identity even through exile and how He weaves His purposes through both white eagles and black sheep. It also demonstrates how He honours faithfulness across generations, and how every tribe, every family, every name plays a part in preparing for His presence. So today, we're going to slow down, walk through these tribal genealogies, and discover the spiritual treasures hidden inside them. Because behind every name is a story. Behind every tribe is a calling. And behind every genealogy is a God who remembers His people.Support the showThis podcast is not associated with the Bible Project YouTube channel or any other associated podcasts that use the name 'Bible Project'. It is entirely the work of Jeremy R McCandless...Follow and support me on Patreon.Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | PatreonTo receive my weekly newsletter and keep up to date with all five of my podcasts, subscribe at:Jeremy McCandless | SubstackCheck out my other Podcasts.My History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.comThe L.I.F.E. Podcast: (Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment Podcast).https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.comThe Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891The Classic Literature Podcast:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle, and now also on Audible, Visit:Amazon.com: Jeremy R Mccandless: books, biography, latest...

Teaching by Josh ClarkWeek 5: Inheriting the Promise (Ch 13-19)Opening Activity: What are specific ways you have seen God's faithfulness?1. Outline of Chapters 13-1913:1-7 The Remaining Land (to be conquered)13:8-33 Moses's Allotment to the 2 1/2 tribes  13:8-14 Eastern tribes' boundaries  13:15-23 Reuben  13:24-28 Gad  13:29-31 1/2 Tribe of Manasseh14:1-5 Explanation of Allotment for 9 1/2 tribes14:6-15:63 Judah's Allotment  14:6-15 Caleb's Inheritance  15:1-12 Judah's Boundaries  15:13-19 Caleb, Achsah, & Othniel  15:20-63 Judah's Cities16:1-17:18 Allotment of the Tribes of Joseph18:1-19:51 Allotment of the Remaining Tribes  18:1-10 Introduction - Joshua Sends Surveyors  18:11-28 Benjamin's Allotment  19:1-9 Simeon's Allotment  19:10-16 Zebulun's Allotment  19:17-23 Issachar's Allotment  19:24-31 Asher's Allotment  19:32-39 Naphtali's Allotment  19:40-48 Dan's Allotment  19:49-51 Joshua's Allotment2. The Process of Allotment (14:1-5)- V 1 This is a joint effort between Joshua, Eleazar the priest, and the heads of the tribes- V 2 They cast lots to discern who received what allotment of land- V 2b, 5 The land was allotted as the Lord commanded (Num 26:52-56)3. Caleb's Inheritance (14:6-15; 15:13-19)14:6-15- V 7 Caleb was 40 when he went to spy out the land and when he received the promise- V 8 "made the heart of the people melt" compared to "wholly followed the Lord my God"- V 9 The promise made to Caleb (Num 14:24, 30; 32:12; Deut 1:34-36)- V 10 Caleb is 85 years old when he receives the fulfillment of the promise  - 5 times throughout the passage Caleb refers to what the source of his faith is: God's promise to him (14:6, 10a, 10b, 12a, 12b)15:13-19 Three Examples of Faith- Caleb - drives out the sons of Anak- Othniel - drives out the inhabitants of Debir- Achsah - makes a bold request for more in faith4. The Daughters of Zelophehad (17:3-6)- Num 27:1-11; 36:1-12- Features of their faith:  - Request is made before they have entered the land  - Request was untraditional- The problem: if Zelophehad's daughters marry men from another tribe, the land they inherited will be transferred to their husbands' tribes, removing it from the inheritance of their father's tribe.5. Discontentment in the Tribes of Joseph (17:14-18)- Deut 20:1- The problem is not that God has not provided an adequate amount of space, but that the tribes of Joseph don't believe God is adequate to lead them to victory- God's victories yesterday put today's challenges in perspective6. Shiloh (18:1; 19:51)- This moment reveals a couple of things:  - The divine will was made known to Joshua, Eleazar, and the tribal leaders during the allotment  - With the tabernacle erected at Shiloh, the wilderness period was over and they were making their home in the land  - God dwelled in the midst of his people7. Christ Connection- Just as Joshua, Caleb, Othniel, Achsah, and the daughters of Zelophehad trusted God's promise and received their inheritance, we too receive an inheritance by faith.- Like the inheritance of Zelophehad's daughters, which could not be taken away through human schemes or legal maneuvering, our inheritance cannot be stolen, revoked, or diminished.- 1 Peter 1:3-5- The God who promised the inheritance is the God who preserves his people until they possess it.

Isaiah 9:1–5 contains one of the most beloved prophecies in Scripture, yet it also raises important questions about how biblical prophecy works. In this episode, we explore Matthew's citation of Isaiah 9:1–2 in Matthew 4:15–16 and examine why this prophecy appears to be a remarkable example of a prediction that never experienced a contemporary fulfillment in Isaiah's day, but awaited its fulfillment in the coming of Jesus Christ centuries later.We also consider an often-overlooked detail: Matthew cites only a portion of Isaiah's prophecy. What does that suggest about the remainder of the passage? Could the unquoted portions point beyond Christ's first coming to the future completion of His kingdom at His second coming?Along the way, we examine the historical significance of Zebulun and Naphtali—the first regions devastated by the Assyrian invasions. Isaiah's prophecy declares that the very territory that first experienced darkness, humiliation, and judgment would become the place where a great light would first appear. Jesus intentionally begins His public ministry in Galilee, bringing light to the very region where the wound first occurred.This biblical pattern provides a powerful analogy for understanding trauma and healing. Just as Christ brought light to the place where Israel's suffering began, healing often involves returning to our own "first wounds" and reexamining them in the light of Jesus' presence. We discuss how repentance—not merely as remorse, but as rethinking and reframing our experiences through the lens of Christ—can become an important part of the healing journey.Join us as we explore biblical prophecy, the ministry of Jesus, the nature of trauma, and practical resources for healing. Discover how the Light who first shone in Galilee continues to bring healing to the places of darkness in our own lives.Key Passages: Isaiah 9:1-5Matthew 4:12-17Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The Sons of Issachar • Friday Service Website: www.PastorTodd.org To support this ministry: www.ToddCoconato.com/give The Sons of Issachar: Understanding the Times and Knowing What the Church Must Do 1 Chronicles 12:23–40 (NKJV): 23 Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord: 24 of the sons of Judah bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred armed for war; 25 of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor fit for war, seven thousand one hundred; 26 of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred; 27 Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites, and with him three thousand seven hundred; 28 Zadok, a young man, a valiant warrior, and from his father's house twenty-two captains; 29 of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand, until then the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul; 30 of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their fathers' house; 31 of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; 33 of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks; 34 of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear; 35 of the Danites who could keep battle formation, twenty-eight thousand six hundred; 36 of Asher, those who could go out to war, able to keep battle formation, forty thousand; 37 on the other side of the Jordan, from the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all kinds of weapons of war for the battle, one hundred and twenty thousand valiant men. 38 All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king. 39 And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. 40 Moreover those who were near to them, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys and camels, on mules and oxen, provisions of flour and cakes of figs and cakes of raisins, wine and oil, oxen and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel.

7/5/2026: Rev. Jacob Kim   No King in Israel: A Series in the Book of Judges (Part 2): Drive Out Your Idols, Or Else   Judges 1:22-2:5   English Standard Version     22 The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23 And the house of Joseph scouted out Bethel. (Now the name of the city was formerly Luz.) 24 And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.” 25 And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go. 26 And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day. Failure to Complete the Conquest 27 Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. 28 When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely. 29 And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. 30 Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor. 31 Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, 32 so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out. 33 Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them. 34 The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. 35 The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor. 36 And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward. Israel's Disobedience 2 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.' But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” 4 As soon as the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 And they called the name of that place Bochim.[a] And they sacrificed there to the Lord.

In this study we will take a look at the women within the Bible. We will look at each one of them and see how their story influences our lives today.As we continue our study in this fantastic insight of the Women of the Bible, this morning we complete our study on Rachel and LeahNames in the Bible often say something about the person:Rachel means 'ewe', a female sheep, a symbol of prosperity and security for nomadic people Leah means 'weary or wild cow' Jacob means 'heel grabber', either his brother's heel at the moment of birth or his brother's inheritance later on; the name can also mean 'deceiver' Laban means 'white'; it was sometimes linked with leprosy Reuben means 'behold, a son!' Joseph means 'may he add or increase'The story contains five different episodes:   1 Rachel meets Jacob at the well, Genesis 29:1-14 2 Leah and Rachel marry Jacob, Genesis 29:15-30 3 Rachel has a son, Joseph, Genesis 29:31-15, 30:1-24 4 Rachel and Leah leave with Jacob, and Rachel takes the sacred household deities, Genesis 30:25-43, 31 5 Rachel has a son, Benjamin, and dies soon after, Genesis 35:16-30In our last study we learned about Jacob leaving his homeland and traveling to his mother's homeland of Haran to find a wife. There at the well Jacob meets his future wife Rachel. But hold on Rachel as we learned had a older sister Leah. When Jacob went into their father and asks for his daughters hand in marriage, Labin tricks Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. So we see that Jacob must fulfill his promise to Labin for the hand of Rachel. As the story unfolds we see Leah producing children for Jacob. However we see that Rachel faced a different problem. No matter how she prayed to Yahweh, no matter how much she was loved by Jacob, Rachel did not conceive. In desperation she gave her maid Bilhah [timid, bashful] to Jacob, so that he could conceive a child with Bilhah as a surrogate mother for Rachel. This practice was common in the ancient world [Code of Khammurabi section 145]; the woman became a concubine instead of a servant, and it was a step up the social ladder for her. She might become the mother of the future tribal leader.  Bilhah had a son, whom Rachel named Dan [judge]. Then she had a second son, and Rachel called him Naphtali [my wrestling]. In response, Leah gave her own maid Zilpah [trickling] to Jacob, and this resulted in yet more sons: Gad [troop] and Asher [happy]. A bitter rivalry grew up between the two women.  We pick up our story in Genesis Chapter 30(1-4) Rachel, out of frustration, gives Jacob her maid Bilhah to bear children through her.(5-6) The birth of Dan.(7-8) The birth of Naphtali.(9-11) The birth of Gad.(12-13) The birth of Asher.(14-18) The birth of Issachar.(19-20) The birth of Zebulun.(21) The birth of Dinah.Finally we read in verse 22 that Yahweh remembers Rachel and opens her womb.Verses 23, 24, “She conceived and bore a son and said, 'Elohim has taken away my reproach'; and she named him Joseph (let me add or adding), saying 'May Yahweh add to me another son!'” Rachel and Leah flee with JacobAt this stage, Jacob felt Yahweh calling him to return to his homeland. Rachel and Leah were also dissatisfied by the way things were panning out financially, and felt they are not getting what they were entitled to as Laban's daughters. It was time to go. They both urged Jacob to take action. It seems that Rachel in particular was still angry at her father for what he had done to her. Before they set out, she took the small figurines that represented the spirits of ancestors and the protective deities of her father's family (the teraphim), telling no one at all what she was doing. This was not a random act of malice, for years ago on what should have been her wedding night, Laban had stolen Rachel's happiness. Now she stole something that was precious to him - pay-back for a life-time of bullying. But her act had wider significance than this, because the teraphim (This word occurs only in the plural, and denotes images connected with magical rites. The teraphim, translated, "images", in the Authorized Version, carried away from Laban, by Rachel, were regarded by Laban as elohims, and it would, therefore, appear that they were used by those who added corrupt practices to the patriarchal religion) were a form of title deed, and the person who possessed them could claim the tribe's wealth. Ownership of the household deities was the privilege of the head of the family, and by taking them Rachel secured this position for her husband.  The whole family group assembled; ready to return to the land of Jacob's father, Isaac. They crossed the Euphrates and headed towards the hill country of Gilead. But it was not going to be as easy as that. Laban pursued them, caught up with them, and confronted them. Where were the household elohims? They were missing and Laban wanted them back.  This was news to Jacob. He did not know Rachel had taken them, since she had kept them hidden and had not told anyone what she had done. Jacob then made one of those foolish pronouncements that give the reader a hint that something bad is coming: he indignantly denied knowledge of the theft, and said that whoever had done such a thing should die. Laban searched the tents of Jacob, Leah, and the two maids to find the teraphim- each woman in a polygamous marriage had her own separate tent.  Laban found nothing. Then he went into Rachel's tent, where the teraphim were hidden. What he did not know was that Rachel had hidden them in the saddlebags of her camel. She greeted her father respectfully but did not rise from where she was sitting. She explained modestly that she could not do so, since she was menstruating.     'Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.'This meant that the cloth on which she was sitting was ritually unclean, and could not be touched by anyone. Most ancient tribes had customs that allowed menstruating women to withdraw from physical contact with the tribe while they had their periods, and women welcomed this time of rest from their usual tasks. Rachel's manner towards her father was so sweet and yielding that Laban did not argue or tell her to move, and the upshot was that he left her tent empty-handed. She had used the laws of ritual cleanliness to her own advantage. The irony was that it was a lie. She was already pregnant with a son.Since Laban could not find the teraphim, he had to back down. The two men made a face-saving covenant, and early the next morning Laban said good-bye to them all, and left.When Laban was gone Rachel's family moved on, and on the way to Ephrath she went into labor. This time things did not go well for her. The pains were very bad, and Rachel suffered terribly. To comfort her, the midwife told her it would be a boy. It was, but Rachel would not live to see him grow. She died in childbirth.  Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com

And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the west and the south.

Life can seem pretty dark at times; yet the darker things get, the more Christ's light will shine! Join us for today's study in Isaiah 9 where we'll look into prophecies of light in the midst of darkness and judgment.  DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1.    Isaiah 9 continues God's message that began back in Chapter 8 of both judgment and restoration. Verse 1 introduces us to the person who will bring about their restoration. How will the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali be made glorious? According to the podcast, why do they play such an important role in that region? How does referring to them as "Galilee" give us a time stamp of when these events are to take place? 2.    In verse 2, what is the great light that they will see? 3.    In verse 3, what will be the people's response to the work of God spoken about in this passage? 4.    In verses 4 & 5, what will God be accomplishing among them? What does He do to their oppressors? What is the extent of this victory? 5.    Who is the "child" being spoken of in verse 6? What will be His domain? What will He be called? What do these names signify about His character and His work? 6.    The podcast explained that the wording of verse 6 teaches us an important aspect of the nature of Christ. How does the phrases a "Child who is born" and "a Son who is given" give us a window into Christ's preexistent nature and His incarnation? 7.    In verse 7, why is it a joyful blessing to see that the Lord's "zeal" accomplishes all of this? 8.    Despite these wonderful promises of this Messiah, Isaiah 9 continues on to proclaim judgment. What is the Lord's message for Jacob and Israel in verse 8? How do they respond to this message in verses 9 & 10? What does their insistence on rebuilding what God has judged, reveal about their heart to obey (or lack there of)? 9.    What does the Lord's judgment look like in verses 11 to 15? 10.    In verse 16, what role do the false teachers have in this judgment? In verse 17, what is the Lord's view of them? 11.    What picture of judgment does Isaiah give in verses 18-20? How do the people respond to the Lord in verse 21? Why do you think they would respond this way? Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon just in time for the Genesis relaunch in January! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.   

Welcome to your daily devotion for June 9, 2026. Today, Pastor Balla shares "Your Procession Is Seen O God" from Psalm 68:24–27. In this uplifting Christian devotional and Bible study, we join the great procession of God's people entering the sanctuary with singers, musicians, and tambourines. True worship centers not on us but on "my God, my King." This psalm points to Jesus Christ—the true King welcomed on Palm Sunday, revealed at the cross, and triumphant in resurrection. Notice that Benjamin, the least tribe, leads alongside Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali. In God's kingdom, every believer has a place regardless of status. If you long for authentic worship, Christian community, or assurance that you belong to God's family, this daily prayer brings encouragement. Please like, share, and subscribe for more daily devotions. Support this ministry at https://buymeacoffee.com/whitegandalph or visit https://buymeacoffee.com/whitegandalph. Thank you for listening—God's Peace be with you.Hashtags:#Psalm68 #WorshipTheLord #DailyDevotion #PastorBalla #GodsProcession

Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

God's Mercy With Gideon's Doubt by Autumn Dickson The book of Judges records a time period in which Israel had no centralized prophet. There was apostasy and partial restorations as the Israelites would sway into worshipping like the Canaanites did. The Lord sometimes sent judges to help Israel against their enemies. These judges were charismatic, military leaders. Some of the judges would save all of Israel; other judges were more regional. Gideon was one of these regional judges, primarily protecting Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Ephraim. Gideon is interesting because he struggled with his faith in the Lord, and yet, the Lord was merciful. There are plenty of instances in the scriptures where the Lord doesn't seem to respond to that very well. Right after the Red Sea parted, the Israelites demanded a sign of Moses to show his favor with God. They were complaining and challenging Moses to show a sign. The place was named Massah as a memorial to their lack of faith. When Zechariah was told that his wife would have a son, he didn't believe it because she was old. He was struck as a mute. Thomas the apostle was likewise rebuked for his lack of faith. Gideon receives not just one, but multiple signs from the Lord. The angel burns up his offering to the Lord. His blanket is covered with dew while the ground is dry one night; his blanket is dry while the ground is wet one night. As he stands in the camp with his 300 men to go against the Midianites, the Lord encourages him to go spy on the Midianites and see what they're saying in order to receive comfort. He does so and overhears a Midianite sharing a dream in which a barley loaf came and flattened a tent. The Midianite's companion interprets it as God helping Israel defeat them. Here is Gideon's response. Judges 7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. Multiple signs! God continually blesses Gideon and gives him signs to encourage him along. In fact, Gideon didn't even ask for the last sign. The Lord just gave it to him, and He gave it to Gideon in a powerful way. It would have been one thing to send a dream to Gideon about defeating the Midianites. It would have been easy for Gideon to wonder if it was just wishful thinking. In comparison, hearing the mighty Midianites have a dream and interpret it as defeat by the Israelites was much more powerful in calming Gideon's fears. So why did Gideon get multiple signs while others seem to be rebuked for asking for the same thing? I think there are a lot of reasons because the Lord works according to individual circumstances, but I want to talk about two potential reasons that can be applied in our own lives as we work to approach the Lord. The first reason the Lord was willing to work with Gideon is because the Lord is wise enough to understand that Gideon didn't have much of a relationship with the Lord. The fact that his father had a Baal altar implies that Gideon's family had fallen into idolatry. How much did Gideon know about God? We know Gideon had some knowledge of God because he asks about the deliverance from Egypt, but how much had Gideon experienced God? There's a difference. How much could the Lord reasonably expect Gideon to trust Him? The Lord knew Gideon, but did Gideon know the Lord? The Lord isn't looking for blind, obedient dogs. He is looking to have a true relationship with us. The fact that Gideon was cautious about running into danger isn't a sign that Gideon is faithless; it is more an indication that Gideon did not yet know the Lord. So what does this teach us about our own lives? The Lord will not begrudge us the time it takes to learn how to trust Him; He doesn't mind allowing us to approach Him until we've built up a number of encounters and start to understand His character. David fought off two wild animals before he fought off Goliath. We recently read about Moses whose trust in the Lord was extremely fragile in the beginning; Moses grew to the point where he encouraged the Israelites to have faith in the face of certain death even though he did not yet know the plan for rescue. The Old Testament gives us a front row seat to watching people experience the Lord and grow in their trust of Him. In contrast, imagine a powerful stranger coming up to you and saying, “Trust me.” When you ask them why you should trust them, they respond with, “Because I told you to.” Um…what? You may not immediately hate them or be wary of them, but you're not going to give them your darkest secrets or social security number (or hopefully you won't…). The Lord understands that He is a stranger to us; He is the one who put the veil there. He understands that we need experiences with Him before we're ready to run into danger when He asks. Once again, He isn't looking for blind, obedient dogs. He wants His children to be wise and consciously and voluntarily choose Him. He gave Gideon experiences because Gideon likely hadn't had many previously. He was patient with Israel. He was patient with Moses. The Lord has no problem being patient. If He seems impatient in specific scenarios, we can usually assume it's for the benefit of the person He is working with. He is trying to get their attention or get them moving. Which leads me to my second reason: The Lord allowed Gideon to approach Him multiple times for signs because Gideon's heart was soft. Over and over and over and over and over we read about the Lord responding with intensity in response to a hard heart and responding with mercy and encouragement to a soft heart. Gideon's heart was obviously soft. Look at this verse. Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Gideon approaches the Lord so humbly. When the angel gave him a sign, Gideon immediately built an altar unto the Lord. That night, Gideon went and took down the altar of Baal according to the direction of the Lord. We see this multiple times with Gideon. He approaches the Lord in humility and asks for help knowing the truth. Gideon was willing to follow the truth and power and peace; Gideon was just trying to make sure he was looking in the right direction before moving forward. It is only when we've closed our heart off to that truth and power and peace that the Lord shakes the earth to reach us. I think of the Egyptians that saw all the same signs as the Israelites but didn't bother to ask whether they should follow after the same God as the Israelites. I think of Rahab and her people. The Canaanites were all terrified, but it didn't change who they put their faith in. Only Rahab was willing to follow the Israelite God and was spared because of it. You would think that people would open their eyes and ask, “Is there something here?” You would think that they would pause long enough and open their hearts so that the Lord could speak to them. Gideon asked, but Gideon was likewise prepared to follow through. This was part of why the Lord was so willing to encourage him along. I testify of a Lord that responds with wisdom. He knows what He is doing. He will not condemn us for approaching Him for reassurances if we're doing so with the intent to follow after Him. He doesn't even condemn us when we struggle; His intensity is not a sign of condemnation. It's a sign of God's love in trying to reach us! However the Lord is working in your life, you can take it with the perspective that He is trying to do what's best for you. I'm grateful for a Lord who is wise and can train me so purposefully and deliberately. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

The Tribulation: Hell on Earth   Our springboard text is Revelation 6:16-17: “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”   These words, ripped from the throats of kings and great men, rich men and chief captains, mighty men and every bondman and every free man, echo across the shattered landscape of a world in collapse.    As the sixth seal bursts open, the sky rolls up like a scroll, mountains and islands are moved out of their places, and the sun turns black as sackcloth while the moon becomes as blood.  Men do not cry out for mercy; they scream for the rocks to crush them rather than face the wrath of the Lamb. This is the Tribulation—the seven-year period of divine judgment poured out upon a Christ-rejecting world. It is hell on earth, the time of Jacob's trouble, the great tribulation spoken of by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:21 as unparalleled in human history.    The book of Revelation, the unveiling of Jesus Christ, lays it bare in vivid, terrifying detail. We will walk through it in the exact prophetic timeline John received, seal by seal, trumpet by trumpet, bowl by bowl, pausing at the parenthetical texts the Holy Spirit inserts to show us the behind-the-scenes reality of salvation and conflict amid the judgments. After the messages to the seven churches in Revelation 1–3, John is caught up through an open door in heaven in chapter 4.        There he sees the throne of God, the four living creatures crying “Holy, holy, holy,” and the twenty-four elders casting their crowns. In chapter 5 the Lamb as it had been slain takes the seven-sealed scroll from the right hand of Him who sits on the throne. Heaven explodes in worship: “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Then, in chapter 6, the Lamb begins to break the seals, and hell on earth is unleashed in perfect, ordered fury. The first seal: Revelation 6:1-2. “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”  A counterfeit Christ rides forth—the Antichrist—deceiving the nations with a false peace. No arrows yet, only a bow; he conquers through diplomacy and lies before the sword is unsheathed. The world cheers a man of peace who is in reality the man of sin. The second seal: Revelation 6:3-4. “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”    Global war erupts. The red horse rider turns the planet into a slaughterhouse. Brother against brother, nation against nation—blood flows in rivers as the false peace shatters. The third seal: Revelation 6:5-6. “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”  Famine stalks the earth. A day's wages buys only a quart of wheat or three quarts of barley—bare survival. The rich may still afford luxuries, but the masses starve while inflation and scarcity crush the poor. The fourth seal: Revelation 6:7-8. “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”  One-quarter of the world's population—billions—die in a single stroke from war, famine, plague, and wild beasts turned savage. Death rides with hell at his heels, reaping a harvest so vast the imagination recoils. The fifth seal: Revelation 6:9-11. “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”      The martyrs cry from beneath the altar, their blood crying out for vengeance. More will join them—tribulation saints slaughtered for refusing the beast. Then comes the sixth seal, and the parenthetical pause is not yet. The cosmic cataclysm of Revelation 6:12-17: earthquake so violent every mountain and island moves, sun black, moon blood-red, stars falling like untimely figs, sky rolling up like a scroll. Men of every class hide in caves and beg the rocks to fall on them—“from the wrath of the Lamb.” This is only the beginning.   Now the first major parenthetical text breaks the chronological flow in Revelation 7. While the judgments continue on earth, heaven reveals two groups preserved and saved amid the horror.    First, the 144,000 Jewish evangelists: Revelation 7:4-8. “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”      Twelve thousand from each tribe—Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin—sealed on their foreheads with the seal of the living God.    These are not the church; they are literal Jews, protected supernaturally so they cannot be harmed by the coming trumpet and bowl judgments. They become the greatest missionary force in history, preaching the everlasting gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people while the world burns.   Because of their fearless proclamation—and the ministry of the two witnesses yet to come—an innumerable multitude is saved. Revelation 7:9-17: “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands… These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”      Millions upon millions—Gentiles from every corner of the globe—turn to Christ during this hellish time. They endure hunger, thirst, scorching heat, and persecution, yet they stand before the throne, palms waving, singing of salvation. The 144,000 Jewish evangelists and the two witnesses are the instruments God uses to reap this vast harvest even as wrath falls. The seventh seal brings silence in heaven for half an hour—Revelation 8:1—then the seven trumpets. The first four are ecological and cosmic disasters affecting one-third of the earth. First trumpet: Revelation 8:7. “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.” Burning hail and blood rain down; one-third of the planet's vegetation is incinerated.   Second trumpet: Revelation 8:8-9. A burning mountain—perhaps a meteor or volcano—plunges into the sea. One-third of the sea turns to blood, one-third of sea creatures die, one-third of ships are destroyed. Oceans become graveyards. Third trumpet: Revelation 8:10-11. A star named Wormwood falls on one-third of the rivers and springs. Waters turn bitter; “many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.”   Fourth trumpet: Revelation 8:12. One-third of the sun, moon, and stars are struck. The day and night lose one-third of their light. Darkness deepens over the planet.   Then an angel flies through heaven crying, “Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” The three woes are announced.   The fifth trumpet—first woe—Revelation 9:1-12. A star falls, given the key to the bottomless pit. Smoke darkens the sun and air. Locusts pour out—demonic hordes with the power of scorpions. They do not touch grass or trees or those sealed by God, but only the unsealed men. “And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”    Picture it: locusts shaped like battle horses, crowned like gold, faces of men, hair of women, teeth of lions, iron breastplates, wings roaring like chariots, tails with scorpion stings. For five long months men are stung again and again. The agony is unbearable—burning, electric torment that drives them mad. They claw at their flesh, beg for death, but death refuses to come. This is hell on earth, demonic torture let loose by divine permission. Their king is Abaddon—Apollyon—the destroyer. The sixth trumpet—second woe—Revelation 9:13-21. Four angels bound at the Euphrates are loosed for a precise hour, day, month, and year. An army of two hundred million horsemen is released. “And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed…” Fire, smoke, brimstone, and serpent-like tails with heads that wound. One-third of surviving mankind is slaughtered.  Yet the rest “repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood… Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” Even after billions dead, hearts remain stone.   Now the second major parenthetical section: Revelation 10 and 11.  A mighty angel with a rainbow crown and feet like pillars of fire stands on sea and land, holding a little open book. John eats it—sweet as honey in the mouth, bitter in the belly.    He is told he must prophesy again. Then the temple is measured; the outer court is given to the Gentiles for forty-two months. And the two witnesses appear: Revelation 11:3-12. “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies.”      They shut heaven so no rain falls, turn waters to blood, and smite the earth with plagues as often as they will. For 1,260 days they torment the beast's kingdom. Then the beast from the bottomless pit kills them. Their bodies lie in the street of the great city for three and a half days while the world rejoices and sends gifts. But suddenly breath enters them; they stand on their feet. A voice from heaven calls, “Come up hither,” and they ascend in a cloud while their enemies watch. A great earthquake follows, killing seven thousand. The two witnesses—likely Enoch and Elijah or Moses and Elijah—preach, perform miracles, and add to the harvest of souls alongside the 144,000.   The seventh trumpet sounds: Revelation 11:15. “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Heaven rejoices, but the third woe is still to come in full force.   Revelation 12–14 forms the third great parenthetical block, filling in the cosmic and earthly drama. A woman clothed with the sun gives birth to a man child who is caught up to God's throne.    The red dragon—Satan—is cast out of heaven with his angels. “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”    He persecutes the woman (Israel) who flees to the wilderness for 1,260 days. Then the beast rises from the sea—Revelation 13—the Antichrist, empowered by the dragon, with a healed deadly wound that causes the world to worship him. He blasphemes God for forty-two months and makes war on the saints.    The second beast—the false prophet—rises from the earth, performs miracles, makes fire come down from heaven, and forces the world to worship the image of the beast. He causes all to receive a mark in the right hand or forehead—the mark of the beast, 666—without which no one can buy or sell. Those who refuse it are beheaded.   Yet amid this, the 144,000 stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion in Revelation 14:1-5, singing a new song no one else can learn—virgins, firstfruits, without guile.    Three angels fly through heaven: one preaches the everlasting gospel, another announces Babylon's fall, the third warns with the most terrifying words in Scripture: “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark… The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.”    Then the harvest of the earth—both the reaping of the saved and the grapes of wrath trodden outside the city until blood flows to the horse bridles for two hundred miles. Finally the seven bowls—the last plagues, in which the wrath of God is filled up—Revelation 15–16. These are poured out rapidly, one after another, more intense than anything before. First bowl: Revelation 16:2. Noisome and grievous sores break out on everyone who has the mark of the beast and worships his image.    Open, festering ulcers cover their bodies; they cannot sit, cannot lie down, cannot escape the burning pain.   Second bowl: Revelation 16:3. The sea becomes as the blood of a dead man; every living soul in the sea dies. The oceans are one vast, stinking cemetery of rotting flesh.   Third bowl: Revelation 16:4-7. Rivers and fountains turn to blood. The angel of the waters declares it just: “For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” Fourth bowl: Revelation 16:8-9. The sun is given power to scorch men with fire. Men are burned with fierce heat. Instead of repenting, they blaspheme the name of God “and they repented not to give him glory.”   Fifth bowl: Revelation 16:10-11. The seat of the beast is plunged into darkness. Men gnaw their tongues for pain from the sores and the darkness, yet “they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”     Sixth bowl: Revelation 16:12-16. The great river Euphrates is dried up, preparing the way for the kings of the east. Unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouths of the dragon, beast, and false prophet—demonic miracle-workers gathering the armies of the world to Armageddon for the battle of the great day of God Almighty.   Seventh bowl: Revelation 16:17-21. “It is done.” Voices, thunders, lightnings, the greatest earthquake in history. Every island flees, mountains disappear. The great city is divided into three parts; the cities of the nations fall.    Babylon is remembered before God to receive the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And “there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent”—one hundred pounds of ice falling from the sky. Men blaspheme God because the plague of the hail is exceeding great.   Revelation 17–18 details the fall of Babylon the great—the religious and commercial system that intoxicated the nations with her fornication and persecuted the saints.      She is made desolate, naked, eaten, and burned with fire by the ten kings who once supported her. The merchants of the earth weep over her in one hour her riches are destroyed.   All of this is the Tribulation—hell on earth. One-quarter of mankind dead at the fourth seal, another third at the sixth trumpet, billions more from famine, plague, hail, scorching, demonic torment, and war.        Yet through it all, the 144,000 sealed Jewish evangelists and the two witnesses proclaim the gospel, and a great multitude no man can number is saved out of the great tribulation, washing their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. Most harden their hearts, refusing to repent even as they gnaw their tongues and scream under the hailstones. The wrath of the Lamb is poured out without mixture—pure, undiluted, terrifying justice.   The Tribulation ends with the return of the King in Revelation 19. Heaven opens; the white horse rider—Faithful and True—comes with the armies of heaven to tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. The beast and false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire. Satan is bound. The thousand-year reign begins. But the question remains from our springboard text: “Who shall be able to stand?” Only those whose robes are washed in the blood of the Lamb. The Tribulation is coming. It is the time of God's wrath poured out on a world that has rejected His Son.    Yet even in the darkest hour, grace abounds for those who will call upon the name of the Lord. The 144,000 will preach, the two witnesses will testify, and multitudes will be saved. But for those who take the mark and worship the beast, there is only fire and brimstone forever.   This is the Tribulation. This is hell on earth. May we heed the warning and be found among those who stand before the throne, palms in hand, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb.

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the Lord, to repair and amend the house:11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.12 And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses.15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,21 Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.23 And she answered them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,24 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard;27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord.28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.30 And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord.31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book.32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.

What should we do about those who don't really seem to be as much a part of the church as others? 1Chronicles 7 looks forward to the hearing of God's Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord's Day. In these nineteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God has a special care for the inclusion in His church of those among His people who seem weak or unworthy. The passage presents a detailed genealogical record of several tribes—Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, and Manasseh—emphasizing their numbers and valor, not for pride but to affirm God's sovereign blessing and purpose in every lineage. Though some tribes were small or marginalized, such as Issachar or Naphtali, or descended from concubines and daughters without male heirs, the Chronicler highlights their inclusion and significance as part of God's unified people. The central theological theme underscores the divine order of the body of Christ, where every member, regardless of perceived status or size, is essential and valued according to God's will. This historical account serves as a pastoral reminder to the post-exilic community that no part of God's people is expendable, and all are vital to His covenant purposes. Ultimately, the passage calls for humility, unity, and trust in God's wisdom in assembling His church, where every individual, by divine design, contributes to the whole.

In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.4 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand.9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

Judges 5:18 highlights the courageous obedience of Zebulun and Naphtali, who prioritized faithfulness over safety by standing exposed on the battlefield, exemplifying a faith that acts despite risk.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Jesus  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: Today’s episode is financially supported by an anonymous listener who is thankful for Gods abundant and unceasing provision. You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4:13–17 -And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, [14] so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: [15] “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” [17] From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: https://venmo.com/CareyNGreen  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ NON-ENGLISH VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/

Study Passage: Numbers 13:1-33The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” 3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel. 4 And these were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; 5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; 6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; 8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; 9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; 10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; 11 from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi the son of Susi; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; 14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; 15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 16 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua. 17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes. 21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

#top .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-5d41e5e3afb4aaf570dfd7daf98ecacd{ padding-bottom:10px; } body .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-5d41e5e3afb4aaf570dfd7daf98ecacd .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{ font-size:25px; } .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-5d41e5e3afb4aaf570dfd7daf98ecacd .av-subheading{ font-size:15px; } Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 10Genesis 29:31 – 30:43 LISTEN HERE Through My Bible – April 10 Genesis 29:31 – 30:43 (EHV) https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0410db.mp3 See series: Through My Bible Genesis 29 Jacob's Family 31 The Lord saw that Leah was not loved, and he allowed her to conceive, but Rachel had no children. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, [1] because she had said, “The Lord has looked at my misery. So now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. [2] 34 She conceived again and gave birth to a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi. [3] 35 She conceived again and gave birth to a son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. [4] Then she stopped having children. Genesis 30 1 When Rachel saw that she was bearing no children for Jacob, Rachel was jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.” 2 Jacob's anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you fruit from your womb?” 3 She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Go to her, so that she may bear a child for me, and my family will be built up through her.” 4 So she gave her servant girl Bilhah to Jacob as a wife, and he went to her. 5 Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. 6 Rachel said, “God has judged in my favor. He has heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him Dan. [5] 7 Bilhah, Rachel's servant girl, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel said, “I have had a desperate struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali. [6] 9 When Leah saw that she was no longer bearing sons, she took her servant girl Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Zilpah, Leah's servant girl, bore Jacob a son. 11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad. [7] 12 Zilpah, Leah's servant girl, bore a second son for Jacob. 13 Leah said, “I am blessed, for women will call me blessed.” She named him Asher. [8] 14 At the time of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found mandrakes [9] in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son's mandrakes.” 15 She said to her, “Isn't it bad enough that you have taken away my husband? Do you want to take away my son's mandrakes as well?” Rachel said, “He will sleep with you tonight for your son's mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come to me, because I have hired you with my son's mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me the wages I deserve, because I gave my servant girl to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. [10] 19 Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Leah said, “God has given me a great reward. Now my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne six sons for him.” So she named him Zebulun. [11] 21 Afterward, she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah. 22 God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived, bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” 24 She named him Joseph [12] and said, “May the Lord add another son to me.” Jacob Versus Laban 25 After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go home to my own place in my own country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go, because you know how much I have served you.” 27 Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have learned by divination [13] that the Lord has blessed me because of you.” 28 So he said, “Set your wages for me, and I will pay them.” 29 Jacob said to him, “You know how well I have served you, and how your livestock have fared under my care. 30 For before I came, you had very little, and it has been multiplied many times over. The Lord has blessed you wherever I set foot. Now isn't it time for me to provide for my own household as well?” 31 Laban asked, “What shall I give you?” Jacob said, “You do not have to give me anything. But if you will do this thing for me, I will continue to take your flock to pasture and watch over it: 32 I will pass through all your flocks today and take all the speckled and spotted sheep, every dark brown sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled goats. These will be my wages. 33 This is how I will be able to prove my honesty whenever you demand an accounting of my wages: Any goats that are not spotted or speckled, and any lambs that are not dark brown that are found with me will be treated as stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Very well. We will do what you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed all the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had any white on it, and all the dark brown sheep, and handed them over to his sons. 36 Then he separated himself from Jacob by a three days' journey, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban's flocks. 37 Jacob took fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He peeled stripes on them so that the white inside the branches was visible. 38 He put the branches that he had peeled into the gutters of the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so the flocks would see them. They conceived when they came to drink. 39 The flocks conceived in front of the branches, and the flocks produced streaked, speckled, and spotted animals. 40 Jacob separated the lambs, and he made the flocks face toward the streaked animals and all the black animals in the flock of Laban, and he kept his own herds separate and did not put them into Laban's flock. 41 And whenever the stronger animals in the flock were in heat, Jacob laid the branches in the gutters where the flocks could see them, so that they would conceive while looking at the branches. 42 But when the weak animals in the flock were in heat, he did not put the branches in. So the weaker animals were Laban's, and the stronger were Jacob's. 43 The man became much wealthier and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys. Footnotes Genesis 29:32 Reuben means Look, a son. Genesis 29:33 Simeon means he heard. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like joined to. Genesis 29:35 Judah means praise. Genesis 30:6 Dan means judged. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means struggle. Genesis 30:11 Gad means fortune. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy. Genesis 30:14 Mandrakes were thought to be an aphrodisiac and fertility drug. Genesis 30:18 Issachar means wages or reward. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun means live with or honor. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add. Genesis 30:27 The meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-aocsdx-89cb4ca21532423cf697fc393b6fcee0{ height:10px; } The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-4vzadh-3f04b370105df1fd314a2a9d83e55b26{ height:50px; } Share this entryShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare by MailLink to FlickrLink to InstagramLink to Vimeo

Well tonight… we pick back up where we left off. And we begin taking a look at another tribe. Tonight… we look at the tribe of Naphtali.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Gospel Matthew 4:12-23 or 4:12-17 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

Friends for this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, our first reading from the prophet Isaiah and our Gospel from Matthew both have a section that's a little weird. While most preachers skip over these sections to get to the better-known and understandable parts, I want to dwell, on purpose, on the strange parts—and they have to do with the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Friends for this Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, our first reading from the prophet Isaiah and our Gospel from Matthew both have a section that's a little weird. While most preachers skip over these sections to get to the better-known and understandable parts, I want to dwell, on purpose, on the strange parts—and they have to do with the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/HermanJoin the Angel Guild today where you can stream Thank You, Dr. Fauci and be part of the conversation demanding truth and accountability.  Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeOne Question for Mark Kelly and His Supporters // The Tim Walz Matrix // The OTHER Christmas MiracleEpisode Links:Kelly: “People should be able to tell the difference between something that is unlawful and something that is lawful." Welker: "That puts a lot of burden on the troops to make a decision in real time." Kelly: "A reasonable person can tell something that is legal and something that is illegal." Kelly is openly encouraging dissent and threatening prosecutions for actions that Democrats will deem illegal should they reclaim power.The "Double Tap" War Crimes Hoax is a complete joke. Democrat Senator Mark Kelly accidentally admits on air to Rachel Maddow that there were no specific illegal orders from President Trump behind the viral video stunt warning the military to defy the White House.Tim Walz says he takes no responsibility for the Somalis who've been robbing Americans of billions in Minnesota and funneling those dollars back to terr*rists in Somalia. You'll notice he doesn't deny it's happening, of course. Walz is complicit.Tim Walz's new flagWhat Does God's Word Say?Isaiah 9:1-79 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—2 The people walking in darkness    have seen a great light;on those living in the land of deep darkness    a light has dawned.3 You have enlarged the nation    and increased their joy;they rejoice before you    as people rejoice at the harvest,as warriors rejoice    when dividing the plunder.4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat,    you have shatteredthe yoke that burdens them,    the bar across their shoulders,    the rod of their oppressor.5 Every warrior's boot used in battle    and every garment rolled in bloodwill be destined for burning,    will be fuel for the fire.6 For to us a child is born,    to us a son is given,    and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be called    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the greatness of his government and peace    there will be no end.He will reign on David's throne    and over his kingdom,establishing and upholding it    with justice and righteousness    from that time on and forever.The zeal of the Lord Almighty    will accomplish this.