Growing in Grace – September 2026

September 2026

“And the famine was over all the face of the earth” (Genesis 41:56).

“And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn [wheat] in Egypt … And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them … and spake roughly unto them” (Genesis 42:3, 7).

We will return now to the story of Joseph and his brothers. It happened just as Joseph had interpreted Pharaoh’s dream. There were seven years of very good harvest, but then began the seven years of poor harvests. Jacob and his family needed food, and when he heard that there was wheat available in Egypt, he sent Joseph’s ten brothers there to buy some. But of course, the person they had to buy it from was Joseph! Worse still, Joseph recognized them, although they did not recognize him. Now what would happen?

Joseph could have said to himself, “Now that I am a powerful man, here is my chance to take revenge on those awful brothers of mine that sold me as a slave. I will put all of them in jail.” He could also have said, “Now that I am powerful, I can forgive them. All the bad things they did to me happened many years ago. I will just forget about it.” Or, Joseph could have immediately told them who he was, just to see the looks of surprise and concern on their faces.

But Joseph did not do any of those things. He loved his brothers, but he wanted them to realize the wrong they had done, and to repent of it. That is why he started out by speaking roughly to them, and accusing them of being spies. If you read the whole story in Genesis 42, you will see that Joseph insisted that they bring their youngest brother Benjamin down to Egypt. As a guarantee that they would do this, Simeon (one of the older brothers) would have to stay in Egypt as a prisoner until they came back again.

However, Joseph did two things that showed his love for them, even though they did not understand it. First of all, he gave some extra food for their journey, and secondly, he gave them back the money they had brought to pay for the wheat in their sacks.

The Lord Jesus has treated us in grace too. Even though we did not want Him, He loved us, and died to save us. But in order to be saved, there needs to be repentance for our sins, and the Lord often deals with us before we are saved, to make us realize that we are sinners.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Copy link Print

“Their land also is full of silver and gold … their land is also full of horses … their land also is full of idols” (Isaiah 2:7-8).

The prophet Isaiah prophesied to the nation of Israel, specifically to Judah, more than 700 years before the Lord Jesus was born into this world. Although God had not yet brought judgment down upon the people, He shows clearly through Isaiah how bad they had become. They were a wealthy people, with plenty of silver and gold. Also, they had many horses, and in those days horses and chariots were the main part of a good army. No doubt they had confidence in those horses and chariots, and felt that they could defend themselves.

However, the Lord then says that the land also was “full of idols.” They still had Solomon’s temple, and still carried on with the worship of the Lord to some extent, but they were mixing it with the worship of false gods. Eventually God was going to have to judge them for this. They had been warned before, and now Isaiah gives them another warning.

Does all this remind you and me of the world we live in today? In the so-called Western world, we have enough money, and most countries have good armies, navies, and air forces to defend themselves. Many people in Western countries are confident that everything is going to be all right, and that their good life will just keep on going.

But there are also many idols. They are not the same kinds of idols that are spoken of in our verse for today. Most people we know do not have physical idols in their home. Rather, their idol is in their heart. What we have instead are the things of this world — nice homes, fancy cars, boats, summer cottages, good food, nice clothes, and many other things. There is nothing wrong with any of these things, and they do not have to become idols, but if they are what people’s hearts are going after, those things can make them forget about eternity. Satan is using all this to persuade people that everything will be all right. Many will end up like the rich man in Luke 12, who trusted in his good harvest, yet did not realize that he would die that night.

It is very important to consider our souls’ salvation, and to accept the Lord Jesus now. Then we can live for Him in this world, and know where we will spend eternity.

Monday, September 28, 2026

Copy link Print

“Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day … And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:9, 41).

Two years after the dreams of the chief butler and chief baker, the Lord allowed Pharaoh to have two dreams. You may read about them in Genesis 41. Pharaoh realized that these dreams meant something, but no one could help him understand. But then the chief butler remembered how Joseph had interpreted his dream, and Pharaoh called for Joseph. Joseph quickly shaved, changed his clothes, and came into Pharaoh’s presence.

When Pharaoh told his dreams to Joseph, Joseph immediately explained to him what the dreams meant. There were going to be seven years of good harvests in Egypt, followed by seven years of poor harvests. Not only did Joseph explain the dreams, but he gave Pharaoh some advice. He told Pharaoh to set a wise man over all the land of Egypt, who would arrange to store up 20% of all the good harvests, so that there would be food during the years of poor harvests. Pharaoh thought this was a good idea, and chose Joseph to be the man in charge.

Suddenly everything changed for Joseph. Instead of being in prison, he was the highest person in the government of Egypt, next to Pharaoh himself. He had his own chariot, and when it went down the street, everyone had to bow down out of respect for him. It was worth waiting all that time in prison, for now God had put him in a high position.

All this will happen to the Lord Jesus too. Today this world does not want to hear about Him, but when He comes and judges this world, and then sets up His kingdom, we read that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10). Men may mock at the Lord Jesus now, but in a coming day all will own Him as Lord.

The chief butler had a chance to honor Joseph when he was a prisoner, but he forgot about him. Later on, he too had to bow before him. How much better it is for us to believe on the Lord Jesus now, and own Him as our Lord and Savior today.

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Copy link Print

“But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house [prison] … Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him” (Genesis 40:14, 23).

If you read the whole of Genesis 40, you will see that both the chief butler and the chief baker of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had done something to displease him. They were put in prison, where Joseph was, and one night each of them had a dream. When they told their dreams to Joseph, he was able to tell them what their dreams meant. The chief butler would be restored to his place as butler, but the chief baker would be executed. And so it happened, but then the chief butler forgot all about Joseph, although Joseph had asked him to use his influence with Pharaoh to try and get him released from prison.

Why was the chief butler given back his position, while the chief baker was hanged? We are not told why Pharaoh did this, but in their dreams there is something that shows us why it happened. The chief butler brought ripe grapes, which he pressed, and then gave the cup to Pharaoh to drink. He brought to Pharaoh that which speaks of the blood of Christ, and he was forgiven.

But the chief baker brought only baking for Pharaoh, and the birds came and ate it. There was nothing in what the chief baker brought that spoke of redemption, and he was executed.

It was sad that the chief butler forgot about Joseph, for Joseph had been very kind to him. But when things were going well and he was back in Pharaoh’s court, he was not concerned about a man in the prison who was a slave.

Are we sometimes like that as Christians? The Lord Jesus has asked us to remember Him in His death, yet some believers forget about Him, and do not bother to do this. I am sure that Joseph was sad as he realized that the chief butler was not going to remember him, and the Lord Jesus feels it too, when we forget His request to remember Him.

Saturday, September 26, 2026

Copy link Print

“And the Lord was with Joseph … and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian” (Genesis 39:2).

“And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison … But the Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:20-21).

When Joseph was brought down to Egypt, he was sold to a man named Potiphar, the captain of the guard. It must have been very hard for Joseph, for he was only seventeen years old when this happened to him. Yet he worked for Potiphar, and as our verses today tell us, the Lord was with him. Everything he did in Potiphar’s house went well because the Lord was with him.

But then something happened. Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph to do something very wrong, and Joseph refused to do it. Then Potiphar’s wife pretended that Joseph had assaulted her, and her husband believed her. As a result, Joseph was put into the prison, along with bad people. This must have been very hard for Joseph too, for he had not done anything wrong. But once again, we read that even in the prison, the Lord was with him, and Joseph was put in charge of all the prisoners.

All this teaches us something about the Lord’s care for us, even today. Sometimes we seem to be going along fine, and everything works out well for us. We sense that the Lord is with us, helping us with what we are doing. This is what happened when Joseph was in Potiphar’s house; everything went well.

But then Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of doing something he did not do, and he ended up in prison. Sometimes in our lives things go badly for us, even though we have not done anything wrong. In that case we can accept it from the Lord, and even in these hard times, we will sense that the Lord is with us. Joseph must have felt very bad when he was put in prison, but I am sure that he sensed that the Lord was still with him, and would bring some good out of it. This is exactly what happened, as we will see.

Friday, September 25, 2026

Copy link Print

“And Reuben said unto them [his brothers], Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit … that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again” (Genesis 37:22).

“And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites” (Genesis 37:26-27).

As we noticed yesterday, Joseph’s brothers hated him, and could not speak to him in a peaceful way. When he was sent by his father to find out how his brothers were doing, they were very angry. Some wanted to kill him, but Reuben suggested that they put him into a pit. Evidently Reuben intended to come back later, get Joseph out of the pit, and let him go home. But while Reuben was not around, Judah suggested selling him to some Ishmaelites who were passing by with their camels, going down to Egypt.

In those days many people had slaves, and Joseph’s brothers actually sold him as a slave to those Ishmaelites. What an awful thing to do! Can you imagine selling your brother or sister as a slave? Yet that is what Joseph’s brothers did to him. The Ishmaelites took Joseph down to Egypt, and his brothers never expected to see him again.

All this reminds us of the Lord Jesus. His own disciple, Judas Iscariot, was paid thirty pieces of silver for betraying Him. The nation of Israel wanted Him to be crucified, and hoped they would never see Him again.

However, Joseph was not killed, as we know, and the next time his brothers saw him, he was governor over all the land of Egypt. But the Lord Jesus was not only sold by Judas; He was taken out and crucified. However, He rose from the dead, as we know, and is now seated in heaven at God’s right hand.

In addition to selling Joseph, his brothers did something else that was an awful thing to do. They killed a kid of the goats, and dipped Joseph’s coat of many colors in the blood of the kid. Then they took the coat home to their father Jacob, and showed it to him. Of course, it looked as if Joseph had been killed by a wild animal, because there was blood all over his coat. All of the brothers really lied to their father when they did this. Read all of Genesis 37 to see how all this happened.

But as we noted yesterday, God was in all this, and was going to use Joseph in a wonderful way to save his family from starvation during a famine, when there was no food. But Joseph had to go through some real testing first.

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Copy link Print

“Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren … Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children … and he made him a coat of many colors” (Genesis 37:2-3).

Most of you are probably familiar with the story of Joseph, for he is one of the most beautiful pictures of the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament. Here in our verses for today we read of him as a teenager, seventeen years old, out feeding the sheep, goats, and cattle with his older brothers. Joseph was one of the younger ones in the family, and according to the record in the Bible, only Benjamin was younger than he. Perhaps some of you who are reading this are seventeen years old.

Joseph’s father Israel (Jacob) loved him more than any of his children, and while Israel might have had some reason for this, it is not a good thing for parents to have favorites among their children. It is bound to cause trouble. Also, Joseph was upright and behaved himself well, while it seems that already his brothers were not behaving well. It says in verse 2 that “Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.” Those other brothers probably looked after the flocks and herds well enough, but their attitude and conversation were not good. This was another reason why Israel might have liked Joseph more than he liked his brothers.

But then there was another problem. Israel made Joseph a coat of many colors. As a result, Joseph’s brothers actually hated him, and could not speak to him in a peaceful way. This was an awful thing to have happen in a family, and especially a family that knew the Lord. But God was working in all this, and was going to bring blessing out of it.

If we remember that Joseph is a picture of the Lord Jesus, then we remember that although the Lord Jesus never did a single sin, yet His own brothers did not care for Him, and did not believe on Him at the beginning. John 7:5 tells us this. Thankfully, after the Lord Jesus had died and risen again, it seems that His brothers repented, and two of them, James and Jude, actually wrote books in the New Testament.

Also, many others in the land of Israel did not believe on the Lord Jesus. They were glad for Him to heal their sicknesses, raise dead people up, and feed them when they were hungry, but many did not believe on Him. Tomorrow we will see what happened to Joseph because of the hatred of his brothers.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Copy link Print

“And Isaac … took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her” (Genesis 24:67).

This verse sounds like the perfect ending to a love-story! But it is really the beginning, the middle and the ending all rolled into one verse. Until that very moment, described in our verse, Isaac had never seen Rebekah before! Read this beautiful story in Genesis 24. Isaac’s father, Abraham, sent his servant to find a bride for his son from those that knew the true God. The servant is a picture of the Holy Spirit who can lead and guide us today. He found a most suitable and also beautiful girl for his master’s son.

It is in our adolescent years that we first begin to look around and wonder whom we might marry. And it is never too early to begin to pray about it. But it is wonderful in God’s Word to see how He gives advice and instruction regarding marriage. The Bible never mentions young people having a “boyfriend” or a “girlfriend.” Friendships, yes, and good times as a group of young people. But we are not to go around trying out this one and that one as a potential partner for life, and “going together” just for fun. Lines can be crossed and hearts can be broken this way.

The Bible gives some guidelines.

We are not to be “unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). You will never find the right girl (or boy) in the wrong place!

Ask the Lord to guide you by His Spirit. “Lord what will Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6).

A loving Father says, “My son, give Me thine heart” (Proverbs 23:26). Once He has our hearts, then He can direct where our love goes.

God has created us with three parts to our being. They are spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). All three of these need to be considered in choosing a partner for life. Don’t just look “on the outward appearance” as Samuel did when looking for a king for Israel (1 Samuel 16:7).

Whom you marry is the second most important decision you will ever make in your life (after that of accepting Christ as your Savior). God’s Word led you to know about His Son, and accept Him as Savior. It can also help you in this next important choice. Also, share these things with your parents and listen to their advice. They know you well! Be on your knees about this as you pass through your teenage years and beyond.

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Copy link Print

“Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God … shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:6-9).

Back in early March we have already looked at verse eight, and seen how God would have us keep our minds occupied with good things instead of bad things. However, there is something special before this verse, and also after it.

In verses six and seven, we are told not to be anxious about things that are not going very well for us, but rather to go to the Lord in prayer about them. We are first of all to accept our circumstances from the Lord, but then to go to Him with our difficulties. When we do this, it does not say that suddenly the Lord will take away all of our problems. No, for the Lord often has something for us to learn through these problems. But the Apostle Paul does say that the “peace of God” will keep our hearts and minds. The word used here for “keep” really means “to guard,” as if there were guards over our hearts and minds, keeping them from being anxious and upset. It is wonderful to have this peace, and it comes from our accepting our problems from the Lord, and then going to Him in prayer about them.

But then we have verse eight, which tells us what we should be doing with our hearts and minds. We can think anxious thoughts, or angry thoughts, but look at those six words in verse eight — true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report; these are the kinds of things that should be in our hearts and minds. Instead of anxious and worried thoughts, God wants us to have good thoughts like these. The Apostle Paul was a good example of all this in his life, and he had taught this to the Christians in Philippi. But then, if they did these things, something wonderful would happen.

Not only would they have the “peace of God,” but Paul said to them, “The God of peace shall be with you.” It is a wonderful thing to have the peace of God, but even more wonderful to have God Himself with us. Sometimes we have to do difficult things in our lives, and it means a lot to us to have someone with us whose company we enjoy. That is what the Lord promises to us. But we will enjoy His company only if we do the things mentioned in verse eight. We cannot think evil thoughts, or even anxious thoughts, and enjoy the Lord’s company.

It is important for each of us to turn our minds to good thoughts instead of fearful or nervous thoughts. To enjoy the Lord’s company is worth it!

Monday, September 21, 2026

Copy link Print

“And he (Judas Iscariot) cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5).

Probably most of you know the sad story of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples of the Lord Jesus. He was not a true believer, and thought that he could get some money by showing the chief priests and scribes where to find the Lord Jesus and arrest Him. He thought that he would get his money, while the Lord Jesus would simply slip away and not get caught. But when he saw that the Lord Jesus was condemned to be crucified, he threw down the money and went out and committed suicide. It is an awful thing when someone does this, yet several people killed themselves in the Bible. King Saul fell on his sword, while a man named Ahithophel hanged himself too.

Most of my life I lived less than an hour’s drive from Niagara Falls, and we often took visitors to see it. Right where the water goes over the falls, there is a strong fence at the side of the road, with a concrete base and strong metal bars above it. People can safely stand there, take pictures, and look at the falls through binoculars. Normally there are security men there, and if anyone even climbs on the concrete, they tell them to get down. But one time when we were visiting at the falls, there was a young woman on the other side of the fence, sitting on the concrete, right at the edge of the falls. I could tell by the look on her face that she was thinking of jumping to her death about 160 feet (about 50 meters) below. A few other people spoke to her, but she paid no attention to them. I went into the souvenir shop nearby to ask for some help, but they did not seem very interested. They said, “This happens all the time; she won’t really jump!”

I came back, wondering what to do, when a younger man, much bigger than I was, came over. He did not speak out loud to me, but made some hand gestures to indicate that he would save her, so I quietly moved out of the way. Then he carefully got behind the woman where she could not see him, quickly reached over the fence, grabbed her with both arms, and pulled her to safety. As you may imagine, she fought back, kicking and screaming, but he was strong enough to hold her. Eventually she settled down, and a few minutes later the police came and took her away.

She was saved that time, but I could not help but wonder what her real problem was, that she wanted to jump off the cliff and kill herself. I wished I had had a chance to tell her about the Lord Jesus.

If poor Judas had only repented and asked for forgiveness, he could have gotten saved. But although he felt that he had done wrong, he did not repent, and he is one man whom we know went to hell. You and I should not even think of killing ourselves if things are going badly for us. The Lord loves us, and is willing to help us.

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Copy link Print

“Jehovah is exalted; for He dwelleth on high … and He shall be the stability of thy times” (Isaiah 33:5-6 JND).

The expression “times” is often used in English to describe a period of time that is characterized by certain things. For example, we might speak of the “the times of Elijah,” which would define the character of the days when Elijah lived. Some of you are probably familiar with a hymn where every verse starts out, “Our times are in Thy hands.” Here in our verse we are told that the Lord shall be the stability of our times. Of course this was originally spoken to the nation of Israel, but you and I can apply it to ourselves.

As I write this is 2022, we are certainly living in very mixed-up times, and things are not very stable. The Covid virus has upset all of our lives, and we hardly know from day to day what will happen. Regulations about the virus change rapidly, and everyone’s ability to travel has been disrupted. Supply chains for various things are not the same as they were, and often things we expect to find in stores are not available to us. Children are having to study at home instead of going to school, and people are often not allowed to visit even close relatives in the hospital. In some countries many people are out of work, and find it hard to buy food. On top of all this, various nations are trying to make themselves stronger and more important, and are causing trouble for other nations.

In the middle of all this, we might be tempted to “throw up our hands,” and to say, “What is the use? We cannot be sure of anything today!” Some people are reacting like this, and some are so discouraged that they are committing suicide. But here in our verse we are reminded that the Lord is the stability of our times. He never changes, and what He has said in His Word will surely come to pass. He has promised to look after us all the way home to heaven, and “all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Let us not be discouraged or upset by the changes in this world. Rather, let us draw closer to the One who never changes. We can rest on what He says.

Saturday, September 19, 2026

Copy link Print

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid [young goat]; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling [fat domestic animal, like a young cow] together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 11:6-7).

In the world in which we live today, many animals prey upon other animals, and eat them as their food. Some animals are called herbivores, for they eat grass, leaves, and other vegetation. But others are carnivores, for they eat meat, and prey on other animals. This is part of the effect of sin in this world, and although it is the way the world operates today, it is not according to the mind of God.

After we are called home to be with the Lord at His coming for us, the Lord Jesus will come to judge this world. After the judgment is completed, God will set up what is called the millennium. This is a time of a thousand years when the Lord Jesus will rule as King over this world, and will have His rightful place. He was rejected when He came the first time, but when He comes back again in judgment, He will come in power and glory, and take the place that belongs to Him.

When this happens, quite a few things will change in this world, and we see one of them in our verses today. Animals will not fight with one another, or prey on one another, in the millennium. Today, a wolf will always attack a lamb, and a leopard will attack a goat, but in the millennium they will live together. A lion will always attack a calf or a cow, but in that day the lion will eat straw (or grass) like the ox. Today the teeth of carnivores like lions, wolves, and leopards are adapted for eating meat, but in that day they will change, and be fit for eating grass and straw. Hawks and eagles will not go after squirrels and mice, and cats will not catch birds. Instead of being afraid of wild animals, a little child will be able to lead them.

What a wonderful time awaits this earth, when the Lord Jesus comes and reigns! You and I will be heaven, but we will be able to see and enjoy all this wonderful blessing on the earth.

Friday, September 18, 2026

Copy link Print

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah 9:6-7 JND).

There are many verses in the Old Testament that tell us details about the coming into this world of the Lord Jesus, and these two verses are some of them. Hundreds of years before the Lord Jesus was born, Isaiah wrote these words by inspiration. That means that the Holy Spirit led him to write them. There are several important details to notice in these verses.

First of all, it says that unto us a child “is born,” but unto us a Son “is given.” Why is this? It is because the Lord Jesus was always the Son of God, away back in a past eternity. He never became the Son of God; He was always in that relationship with God His Father. But He had never been a child before. He became a man when He was born into this world, and in that sense He was born.

Secondly, we see five special names that the Lord Jesus has. Certainly He is wonderful, for everything He did, and everything He is still doing, fits the definition of the word “wonderful.” The word “wonderful” means something that is excellent and admirable. But then He is also called “counsellor.” That means that He is able to give us good advice in any situation. Others may give us advice, but nothing is as good as the advice the Lord gives us.

Next, He is called “the mighty God.” Although the Lord Jesus became a man, He is God, and always was God. He has all the power of God, and even when He was here in this world, He was just as much God as He was before He became a man. Again, we cannot understand how He could be God and man in one person, but He was. And He is still a man! He will remain a man for all eternity, in order to enjoy our company.

Then He is called something that we cannot totally understand, and you will notice that I have used the J. N. Darby translation. He is called “the Father of eternity.” How could someone be the Father of eternity? We cannot imagine anything like that, for we cannot really “wrap our minds around” the idea of eternity. Yet this is a name of the Lord Jesus.

Finally, He is called the “Prince of peace.” This is a beautiful name, for His work on Calvary’s cross has made peace with God for us. Eventually His work will bring peace to this world for all eternity! This is the only place in the Bible where this name of the Lord Jesus is used, but how beautifully it describes who He is and what He has done.

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Copy link Print

“In all things shewing thyself a pattern [example] of good works” (Titus 2:7).

No matter how old you are, there is someone younger who is looking up to you! I have seen this played out in the meeting room after meeting as the children run around and play together. One little boy may just be six months older than the others, and yet the smaller ones run behind him and usually let him lead. What kind of example are you setting for others younger, and sometimes even older than you are?

My father told me this story about himself when he was a young boy. He walked into the living room of their home one day, and there was his older brother sitting in a chair, reading his Bible. My father looked at him, and then asked, “Are you memorizing your Sunday school verse?” The answer was, “No.” “Well, then are you answering your Scripture Searcher questions?” Again, “No.” But then his brother explained, “I’m just reading my Bible.”

Just reading his Bible! My father never forgot that, and it had an influence on his life. His brother was only four years older than he was, and it was a good example. If the older brother had come to him and told him one day that he should be reading his Bible more, I do not think it would have had nearly the impact on his life. We lead and influence others by example. We never know when others may be watching and imitating what we do. But, as well, it may be something that should not be copied, as we can be an influence for bad as well as good.

In our verse today, we are told to be an example of good works in all things. If our daily prayer is that we want to be more like our Lord Jesus, then all of this will fall into place. He will make you a blessing to others by the way you walk each day. You will not know until we get to heaven how many have been blessed, and how many lives changed, through your example.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Copy link Print

“What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?” (Isaiah 5:4).

When I was growing up, there was an older brother who used to tell us that this verse was the “key verse” to the whole of the Old Testament. What did he mean? He meant that this verse summarized all of God’s dealings with man in the Old Testament. Let me explain.

In all of the Old Testament, God was testing man, to see if there was any good in him, in his natural sinful condition. He tested man in various ways, and no matter what the Lord did, man always failed. It was no use; he was a sinful creature, and nothing good could come out of him. Of course the Lord knew ahead of time that sinful man could not do anything good toward Him, but God did this testing to prove to man that he was thoroughly sinful.

In the Old Testament the nation of Israel was always looked at as God’s vineyard. Perhaps you have seen a vineyard with grapes growing in rows. As I have told you before, I grew up on a fruit farm, and we grew grapes. The vines had been properly grafted, and we cultivated them, put manure on them, and pruned them. They always produced good bunches of grapes.

However, in the fence rows between the fields on that farm there were wild grapes. You could eat them, but they were very small and rather sour. No one would ever buy them at a market, and we left them for the wild animals to eat.

You can imagine how upset we would have been if we had cultivated, fertilized, and pruned our good grapevines in our vineyard, and then found that they produced only wild grapes! We would wonder whatever happened, yet that is what God said about all His testing of man. The Lord did everything possible to give sinful man a chance to produce something good for Him, but nothing worked. Man produced only wild grapes.

There is only one way we can produce something good for God, and that is to have a new life in Christ. In order to give us this new life, the Lord Jesus had to come and die on the cross. Now He wants to give new life to whoever will come to Him.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Copy link Print

“The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness [pride] of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11).

As you all can see, this verse is from the book of Isaiah, and occurs early in the book, in the second chapter. The same verse (vs. 17) is repeated in this chapter, but with a slight variation. In verse 11 it is the lofty (high) looks of man that are humbled; it could read “the lofty eyes of man shall be humbled.” God hates a proud look, and in Proverbs 6:17 we read that “a proud look” heads the list of seven things that the Lord hates.

However, a proud look only shows what is going on inside the person, for we do not have a proud look unless there is pride inside. Later in verse 17 of Isaiah 2, we find that the Lord gets to the root of the problem, for it says that “the loftiness (pride) of man shall be bowed down.” Eventually only the Lord will be exalted, which is the way it should be.

Today we see man doing his best to honor himself, and to have the first place. As I write this in 2022, the various nations in the world are all trying to be recognized as being powerful, and worthy of recognition. Some smaller nations are spending a lot of their budget on military power while their people go hungry. Others are trying to get control of certain areas of the world, even to the point of invading other nations that are close to them. Everyone wants power and influence.

But there is a day coming when the Lord Jesus will come back to this world in judgment, and when He takes control, our verse for today will be carried out. All the pride of man will disappear, and the Lord Jesus will be exalted. In that day, you and I will already be with Him, and share that glory.

Monday, September 14, 2026

Copy link Print

“Love is strong as death … Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it” (Song of Solomon 8:6-7).

Love is a very strong force; it is certainly one of the strongest emotions among human beings. Sad to say, hate is also a strong emotion, and both love and hate have been responsible for making people do things they might otherwise not have done. Sometimes love has made people give up their lives to save others.

When I worked in the emergency department of my hospital, a very sad accident happened, yet it showed how much a husband loved his wife. The couple were traveling on the freeway and had a flat tire near the hospital. After pulling over onto the shoulder, they had opened their trunk to get the spare tire out. Suddenly they heard two loud blasts from an air horn on a big truck, and when they turned around, they saw that the truck had lost a wheel, which was coming straight for them at 60-70 mph. (100-110 km. hr.). The wife froze with fear and seemed unable to move.

Instead of jumping to safety himself, the husband gave his wife a violent shove, and sent her tumbling into the ditch. But then the wheel from the truck struck him, killing him instantly. They brought him to the hospital, but there was nothing we could do for him. He had died to save his wife. She was not hurt at all, except for slight bruise or two.

It was a heroic act for that husband, and his wife will always remember that he died in order to save her. But there is One who did much more than that for us. The Lord Jesus’ love was stronger than all the mighty waters of judgment that He bore for our sins. He could say, “All Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over Me” (Psalm 42:7). Yet He gladly went through it all, so that He could have you and me with Him in heaven. He made a way so that we could be saved, but He had to suffer and die in order to do it.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Copy link Print

“Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out” (Song of Solomon 4:16).

I have mentioned previously that I grew up on a fruit farm. It was always beautiful to see the blossoms come out on the various fruit trees in the spring. In our area they usually came out about mid-May, and the whole orchard would be white with the pretty blossoms. We used to like to go for a walk in the orchard and smell them. Each kind of fruit tree had a distinct smell.

Sometimes, when we stood on the edge of the orchard, and a nice breeze was blowing, we could really smell the fragrance from so many trees in bloom. But here in our verse we find both the north wind and the south wind mentioned. The north wind is usually strong and perhaps cold, while the south wind is often softer, and warmer. We liked the south wind in the spring, but we did not like the north wind, for it sometimes blew so strongly that it actually blew some of the blossoms off the trees.

Why does Solomon mention both the north and south winds? It is because we are like the garden of the Lord, or that orchard with the blossoms. The Lord sometimes allows a strong wind in our life — perhaps an unhappy experience that we wish we did not have to endure. But that strong wind makes the fragrance flow out to the Lord, for often we learn more by a difficult experience than we do when everything is going well.

But the Lord allows the south wind too. He knows when we need some encouragement, and a time when things go well for us. Then the nice smell of His garden (us!) comes from the south wind too. The Lord can use difficult times in our lives, and also easy times, to allow us to give some enjoyment to Him.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Copy link Print

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; for our vineyards are in bloom” (Song of Solomon 2:15 JND).

In the verses just before this one, Solomon has been describing the way everything starts to grow in the spring — the flowers appear, the birds sing, and the plants begin to bloom. Then he gives us a warning. The little foxes come out in the spring too, and when the vines begin to bloom, those little foxes nip off the new buds. Then, of course, no grapes will form, for the buds are gone. Foxes do not normally eat buds from plants, as they feed on mice, squirrels, wild rabbits, etc. They nip off the buds just to be mischievous.

The little foxes are like the small temptations in our lives. They may not seem like much, but they spoil our enjoyment of the Lord, and spoil our ability to bear fruit for the Him. We need to be careful to catch those “little foxes” before they cause real trouble in our lives.

When I say small temptations, what am I talking about? We are talking about that invitation to go somewhere that you know your parents would not agree with. Or that temptation to go and buy something that you know would not please the Lord. Perhaps it would be looking at something on the internet that you know is sinful. Or maybe reading something that brings evil thoughts into your mind. These are all like those “little foxes” that spoil our fellowship with the Lord.

These temptations may seem like small things, and Satan may persuade us that it does not matter if we give in to them now and them. But just as a grape vine can be spoiled when a fox nips off the new buds, so you and I can ruin our Christian walk by allowing even small sins in our life.

Friday, September 11, 2026

Copy link Print

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).

Although many of you who read this may be too young to remember the event, the date of September 11, 2001 was a turning point in this century. On that date terrorists hijacked two commercial airplanes and flew them directly into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, NY, U.S.A. The severe damage to the buildings, coupled with the fires that broke out, eventually caused the buildings to collapse, with the loss of thousands of lives. All of us who are older can remember where we were, and what we were doing, when it happened.

Many people who worked in those two buildings tried to escape, but found it impossible. Quite a few realized that they were not going to make it out of the buildings alive, and were able to telephone loved ones and say some final words to them before they died.

However, a few people, twenty in total, were in those two buildings when they collapsed, and yet are alive today. Most of them were in Stairwell B of the North Tower, trying to get out of the building, but then the building suddenly collapsed. For some reason this particular stairwell did not collapse, and it protected them. Some of them were rescued within a short time, while others were buried for hours under the mountain of debris that fell on them.

Why were those people safe? It was because that stairwell remained intact when the building fell, and they were protected to some extent. Most suffered some injuries, and some suffered severe injuries. Most of them had nightmares for years afterward, and found themselves unable to work properly, or even to relate properly to their loved ones. They all suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which means that they continued to have horrible memories of what happened to them, and to others.

The people who were saved in Stairwell B did not know that it would not collapse. They just happened to be there when the building fell down. But you and I know that the only safe place from the judgment of God against sin is the blood of Christ. Are you saved, and under the shelter of the blood of Christ?

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Copy link Print

“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders” (Deuteronomy 33:12).

This beautiful verse comes near the end of the book of Deuteronomy. In some parts of that book, particularly toward the end, Moses had to warn the children of Israel of what would happen to them if they disobeyed the Lord, and worshiped false gods. He spoke very faithfully to them, for he said, “I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you” (Deuteronomy 31:29). The Lord Himself knew very well that the children of Israel would not follow His ways, but would rebel against Him.

Yet the Lord was gracious to them, and gave them a wonderful blessing through Moses, just before he died. Moses loved the Lord, and he loved the people of Israel. He had led them through the wilderness for forty years, and had seen and heard all of the complaining and rebellion that had happened during that time. Yet he blessed the people, urging them to be faithful to the Lord, so that they would enjoy His blessing.

How beautiful are the words of our verse today! Just as Israel was beloved of the Lord, so we are also. The Lord wants to protect us “all the day long,” and keep us “between His shoulders.” The shoulders in a man are his place of strength, and you may remember that when the shepherd had found the lost sheep (Luke 15:5), he placed it on his shoulders and brought it home. The Lord Jesus wants to carry us too, and keep us from harm. He was willing to do this for the children of Israel, and is willing to do it for us too.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Copy link Print

“Abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28).

I don’t suppose that any of you are already looking back on your life with regrets! But if you approach old age someday, there are likely quite a few things that you may wish you had taken time to do or learn. Other things, you will wish you had not wasted the time on! You might wish you had really spent time on those piano lessons, and later in life could enjoy the results more. Or perhaps you will wish you had become fluent in another language. Both are very useful skills. How about those many hours on computer games and social media?

But there is one thing you will never regret, and that is every moment spent with the Lord Jesus, and in doing something for Him. Here is a favorite hymn of mine. If you do not know it, you can put the first line into your computer search engine and enjoy hearing it sung. It is truly beautiful and heart-searching.

By and by when I look on His face,
Beautiful face, thorn-shadowed face;
By and by when I look on His face,
I’ll wish I had given Him more.
More, so much more,
More of my life than I e’er gave before,
By and by when I look on His face,
I’ll wish I had given Him more.
By and by when He holds out His hands,
Welcoming hands, nail-riven hands;
By and by when He holds out His hands,
I’ll wish I had given Him more.
More, so much more,
More of my love than I e’er gave before,
By and by when He holds out His hands,
I’ll wish I had given Him more.
In the light of that heavenly place,
Light from His face, beautiful face;
In the light of that heavenly place,
I’ll wish I had given Him more.
More, so much more,
Treasures unbounded for Him I adore,
By and by when I look on His face,
I’ll wish I had given Him more.

Grace R. Adkins

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Copy link Print

“Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers [different] seeds … Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together … Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together” (Deuteronomy 22:9-11).

Perhaps you are surprised that the Lord would give these instructions to the children of Israel. After all, what could be wrong with sowing a vineyard (a field where you grow grapes) with different kinds of seeds? When I was growing up, I lived on a fruit farm, and we used to grow grapes. We grew several different kinds of grapes — some were purple, some were red, and some were green. We grew them in the same field, but the Israelites were not to do that.

Also, they were not to plow with an ox and an ass (a donkey) together. They probably would not work very well together, for an ox tends to go slowly and steadily, while a donkey might be stubborn and slow sometimes, and want to go fast at other times.

Finally, they were not to make a piece of clothing with different kinds of material. They were not to mix wool and linen in the same piece of clothing. Today many different kinds of material are used to make clothing. Some of it is natural material, such as wool, but other material is synthetic, or manmade, such as rayon, nylon, acrylic, Gore-Tex, spandex, etc. More than half of the fibers used in clothing today are synthetic. In many cases these different kinds of fibers are mixed together in a piece of clothing. Again, the children of Israel were not to do this.

They did not understand why the Lord told them to do this, but there is a lesson for us in what the Lord told them. God does not like mixtures, because it reminds us that you and I, as Christians, are not to mix with this world. A few days ago, we saw that the Israelites were not to eat land animals unless they had a cloven hoof, and we saw that this also teaches us the truth of separation. God wants His people to be separate from this world, and all of these mixtures in our verses for today were telling the Israelites not to mix things. We are not under the law today, but we can remember the lesson that God teaches us in these instructions.

Monday, September 7, 2026

Copy link Print

“And the Lord said unto Moses … Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it” (Exodus 17:5-6).

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod … and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water” (Numbers 20:7-8).

In our verses today, we find two occasions when the Lord brought water out of a rock, so that the children of Israel and their animals could drink. The two occasions were almost forty years apart, for the first one happened at the beginning of the wilderness journey of Israel, and the second one was close to the end of that journey. In both cases the Lord brought water out of the rock. In the first case Moses was told to hit the rock, but the second time he was told simply to speak to the rock. Why was this?

The rock is a picture of the Lord Jesus, and when He went to the cross, it was as if He were struck with the rod. There God punished Him for our sins, and He suffered the judgment of God that we deserved. However, this happened only once; it did not need to happen again. We read in the Bible, “Now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). After the Lord Jesus died, blessing flows to us simply if we ask Him; He does not have to suffer again.

For this reason, when the people wanted water a second time, the Lord told Moses simply to speak to the rock. Sad to say, Moses was angry because the people had complained to him, and instead of speaking to the rock, Moses struck the rock twice. God was gracious, and the water came out just the same, but because Moses disobeyed the Lord, he was not allowed to go into the land of Canaan. It was important for Moses to listen to the Lord, for even though he did not understand why, the Lord’s instructions about how to get water for the people were a picture of the Lord Jesus.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Copy link Print

“And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old … fifty shekels of silver … And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be … twenty shekels … And if it be from a month old even unto five years old … five shekels of silver … And if it be from sixty years old and above … fifteen shekels” (Leviticus 27:3-7).

We will not go into all the details of the passage in which these verses are found, but it is very interesting to see the value that was placed on individuals at various ages, under the law. We see that small children under the age of five were valued at five shekels, and those from five up to twenty were valued at twenty shekels. That is probably the age group in which most of you are!

Then, those from twenty to sixty had the most value — fifty shekels. Finally, those who were over sixty were valued at fifteen shekels.

It is perhaps easy to see why those from the ages of twenty to sixty were valued the highest, for those are the years of our life when we have our greatest strength, and can do the most work. However, it makes some of us in my age group feel rather small, for those over sixty were worth only fifteen shekels. I left sixty behind many years ago!

Notice that you young people are valued at more than we who are over sixty — you are valued at twenty shekels, and soon, if the Lord does not come, you will be over twenty, and be worth fifty shekels. Although I feel sure that the Lord is coming soon, yet He may leave us here a little longer. Then you will have the privilege of taking on more of the work of the Lord, and of taking the responsibility of honoring Him in this world. Of course, we trust that you are doing that already, but there comes a time in all of our lives when we must step out and take responsibility.

I knew a man who started out well for the Lord, but who decided about the age of twenty-five to live for this world instead. He was successful in business and well-liked in worldly society. He lived for this world for about forty years, but then he became ill, and the Lord used this to draw him back to Himself. He really wanted to live for the Lord again, but he was old and not well, and he did not have the strength to do much. Eventually he went to be with the Lord after two years. How bad he felt that he had wasted most of his life! You do not have to do that; you can choose to live for the Lord while you are young.

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Copy link Print

“But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat” (Genesis 9:4).

“Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof” (Leviticus 17:14).

“Wherefore my sentence is … that we write unto them, that they abstain [keep away] from … things strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:19-20).

We have been speaking a little about some of the dietary restrictions that God gave to the Israelites, and how that these things all had a spiritual meaning. There were some animals they could eat, and some they were not to eat.

However, there is one thing mentioned in the Bible that people were never to eat, whether before the law was given to Israel, or after it was given. Likewise, the same rule applies to us in Christianity. We were noticing a few days ago that now, under Christianity, we are permitted to eat any animal, but as we see in the third verse quoted above, there is one thing that even Christians are not supposed to eat. That one thing is blood.

In some parts of the world they are fond of eating blood, and things made from blood. There are some countries of the world where they make blood sausage, and in those same countries they make blood pudding. In some cultures people still drink blood today, thinking it has some special merit for them.

However, all this is forbidden to you and me, as Christians. Why is this? It is because, as the Lord says in the second verse above, “the life of all flesh is the blood thereof.” He is the only one who can give life; man cannot give life. Also, it is the blood of the Lord Jesus that washes our sins away. For these two reasons God reserves the blood for Himself; we are not to eat it.

Right after the flood, when God first allowed people to eat meat, He carefully told Noah not to eat the flesh (meat) with the blood. Then, when He gave the law to Moses, again He warned them not to eat the blood of any animal. Finally, under Christianity, we are also told not to eat blood. It is good for us to be clear on this, and to see why God forbids the eating of blood.

For thousands of years man did not really understand how blood is the life of the body. A British physician, William Harvey, is usually credited with discovering the circulation of the blood in the 17th century, although there is good evidence that an Arab physician had really made this discovery back in the 13th century. But the Lord knew all along that the blood was the life of the body, and He does not want man to eat it.

Friday, September 4, 2026

Copy link Print

“When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean” (Leviticus 15:2).

“This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days” (Numbers 19:14).

Those of us who are alive today are very familiar with germs and viruses, and we know how they work. As I write this we are in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we know how easily that virus has spread over the whole world. However, man has known about germs for less than 150 years. Before that time people did not understand how disease was spread, and a lot of infection was passed from one person to another because of carelessness in the way sick people were treated. Before man understood about germs, surgeons often operated on people without even washing their hands or using clean instruments. As you may imagine, the rate of infection after surgery was very high.

However, the Lord knew about germs, and He gave His people Israel some very good instruction about how to treat sick people so that disease would not be spread. We see from our first verse that if a man had a “running issue” out of his flesh, he was unclean. A running issue was simply a sore that discharged pus, or something like that. If you read Leviticus 15 down to the end of verse 13, you will see all the restrictions that were placed on someone with a sore like that, so that infection would not be spread to others.

Also, whenever a man died in a tent, everything in the tent, and all those who came into the tent, were unclean. The man may not have died of an infectious disease, but the people were not to take any chances. Anything in the tent, or anyone who came in while the dead man was there, was unclean for a whole week. They had to stay separate from other people, and then be purified with running water before they could come back and socialize with other people again.

Perhaps you have become upset over some of the restrictions that the government has placed on us during this Covid pandemic, but we see from our verses that the Lord Himself put restrictions on the Israelites, in order to prevent the spread of disease. He knew about germs and viruses even if man had not discovered them yet, and He gave His people good instruction.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Copy link Print

“Every winged crawling thing that goeth upon all four shall be an abomination unto you” (Leviticus 11:20 JND).

“Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth” (Leviticus 11:21).

“These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind” (Leviticus 11:29).

In our verses today we see further instructions that God gave the Israelites about what they could eat and could not eat. In the first verse, God showed them that small creatures that creep on the ground were unclean to them, and could not be eaten. This would refer to little creatures like insects that can fly, and yet often walk along the ground. You and I would probably say we would not like to eat them anyway!

However, you may remember that John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey. Why was it all right to eat locusts? In our next verse, it also says that they could eat beetles. Why was this? It was because those little creatures have strong hind legs, and can leap for a long way above the earth. When I was a boy, we used to try and catch grasshoppers on the farm, and we were sometimes surprised at how far they could leap with just one spring of their strong hind legs.

This is a picture of you and me, as Christians. Even though we live on this earth, and like the grasshopper, the locust, and the beetle, have to walk on it, yet we also have the ability to leap above this world, and not stay down at its level. For this reason they were regarded as clean animals, and the Israelites could eat them.

In the last verse for today, we get the same good lesson. There are many animals that walk on this earth, but many of them live very close to the ground. Maybe you have never seen a weasel, but they walk very close to the ground, and go after other animals that live in holes in the ground. A mouse walks close to the ground, and so does a turtle, or tortoise. There are other animals listed in this same class, such as the lizard and the snail, both of which live close to the ground. They are a picture to us of those who live for this world, and are not able to rise above it.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Copy link Print

“These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat” (Leviticus 11:9).

Here we find another rule that the Israelites had to follow, and it too has a lesson for us. Many people in this world love to go fishing, and there are quite a few varieties of fish in the lakes, rivers, and oceans of this world. But some of these fish were unclean to the Israelites, and some were considered clean.

First of all, the fish that they could eat had to have fins. Perhaps you have seen fish with fins, and most fish who have fins have seven of them. They usually have a fin on top, called a dorsal fin, and others called caudal, pectoral, and adipose fins, etc. These fins help keep the fish from rolling over, and help it to steer itself through the water.

Fins on the fish are a picture to us of having direction in our Christian life, and being able to go where the Lord wants us to go. Without fins, a fish would have a hard time directing itself properly. It would tend to roll over easily, and would have a hard time changing direction, or even stopping, if it needed to. The Lord wants us to have purpose and direction in our Christian life.

But the fish that could be eaten also had to have scales. When I used to clean fish that other people had caught, I never liked fish with scales, as those scales had to be scraped off with something rough and sharp, before you could get at the good meat underneath. But scales speak of protection, like the armor of God. We read about this armor of God in Ephesians, chapter 6.

As we go through this world, Satan is going to attack us. We need the whole armor of God for protection, and the scales on the fish speak to us of this.

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Copy link Print

“These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat” (Leviticus 11:2-3).

Under Christianity we are permitted to eat any animal on this earth, for we read in 1 Timothy 4:4, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.” But back in the Old Testament, when the nation of Israel was under the law, they were not to eat certain animals. In our verses today, we see two things that had to be true of land animals before they were allowed to eat them.

First of all, the animal had to be “clovenfooted;” that is, it had to have a double hoof. Quite a few animals have a cloven hoof, such as the cow, the pig, the goat, the sheep, the deer, the antelope and even the giraffe. Why were the Israelites permitted to eat only animals with a split hoof? There can be different thoughts as to this, but a cloven hoof probably is a picture to us of separation from evil. If an animal has only one part to its hoof, everything in that hoof is together. But if it has a cloven hoof, there is a separation. The hoof speaks of how we walk.

We who belong to the Lord are to be separate from this world and its wickedness, for we now have a new life in Christ, and are no longer part of this world. We are to walk a separate path, just as this law in Israel reminded them that they were to be a separate people for the Lord.

However, in order to be considered a clean animal, it had to do something else. That animal also needed to chew the cud. Animals who do this are called ruminants. We get our word “ruminate” from the same root, and this word means to think about something very carefully. What does chewing the cud mean? When a cow eats grass, it eats it quickly and swallows it. But then, sometime later, it brings that food back into its mouth, and chews it again. Then, when it swallows it the second time, it goes into a different part of its stomach. (A cow actually has four parts to its stomach.)

This means that we not only read or listen to the Word of God, but that we bring it back to our minds afterward, and think about it. This is important, for it is easy to read something and then quickly forget what we have read. But if we think carefully about what we have read, it becomes part of us, and we are more likely to act according to what we have read or heard.

In order for an animal to be clean for the Israelites, it had to have a cloven hoof, and also chew the cud. They could not eat the pig (no bacon!), for example, for although it has a cloven hoof, it does not chew the cud. They could not eat a rabbit, for although it chews the cud, it does not have a cloven hoof. We must remember both to be separate from the world, and to think about what we read in God’s Word.