Reflections and meditations about the Bible by Peter DeHaan, PhD.
Who Will Roll Away the Stone? Today’s passage: John 20:1, along with Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1–3, and Luke 24:1 Focus verse: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. (John 20:1) With the Sabbath over, Mary Magdalene can again do manual labor. She returns […]
David Found Strength in God When His Men Wanted to Kill Him When David and his men return from battle, they find that the Amalekites had raided their base, taken their families, and stolen all their belongings. David’s men are mad, and they blame him. They’re so inflamed with anger that they talk about killing […]
He Has Risen! Today’s passage: John 20:1–18 Focus verse: Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18) Jesus dies. His body is prepared for burial and his human shell is placed in a tomb. A large stone seals the entrance. But this isn’t the end. In many […]
Even If God Sets Us Up for Success, We’ll Fail If We Don’t Obey Him God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel, ask for a king. This isn’t what God wants, but he gives them what they request. He gives them a king. At God’s direction, Samuel anoints Saul as king, appointing him ruler over […]
Read What Scripture Says about Jesus’s Resurrection Happy Easter! And Happy Resurrection Day! Today is the time when we remember—and celebrate—Jesus overcoming death and rising from the dead. Each gospel account of Jesus in the Bible tells us about Easter: Matthew The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that […]
Happy Good Friday Today is Good Friday. Happy Good Friday! Seriously. Today is the day we remember Jesus’ sacrifice so that we could be made right with God. It stands as the ultimate sacrifice to end all sacrifices. For many people, Good Friday is a solemn day, in which we take time to gratefully recall […]
Today’s passage: Matthew 21:7–11, Mark 11:7–11, Luke 19:35–38, and John 12:12–16 Focus verse: The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:9) Having secured the colt for him to ride, the disciples lay their coats on the donkey as a makeshift saddle for Jesus. […]
We don’t know the name of Jephthah’s daughter, but we do lament what happened to her, all the while applauding the honorable way she accepts her fate, showing her faith and confidence in God in the process. Here’s her brief story: When the elders of Gilead ask Jephthah to lead them into battle against their […]
The Teacher Makes a Big Ask Today’s passage: Matthew 21:1–6, Mark 11:1–10, and Luke 19:28–34 Focus verse: “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.” (Matthew 21:2) As Jesus and his followers approach Jerusalem, […]
Serving God or Being Self-Serving? In reading about Balaam’s story in the post “The Error of Balaam, it’s difficult to see what he may have done wrong. Indeed, based on this record alone, he seems like an upstanding guy. Therefore, we need to dig into his story to what he did wrong. There are several […]