Even in the eleventh hour of human history, as God’s great wrath is poured out prior to the return of Jesus, there is hope for deliverance. Whereas humans have been tasked with sharing this “eternal gospel” (Matthew 28:18-20), an angel is assigned to do so at this age’s end. This eternal gospel remains universal in scope - “to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.” It is for all people, in every nation, in every age.

Achan’s sin caused God to be furious, and he withheld his blessing and protection from Israel. Achan’s misappropriation of riches, which had nothing to do with the battle against the people at Ai, led to the loss of a battle. The sin affected all of Israel. In this case, Achan lost his life because of his sin.

The saying goes that hindsight is 20/20. As we reflect back on key moments in our lives, we see certain decisions with greater clarity. Had we known then what we know now we might have acted differently. But, what if God’s unseen hand guided in choices and decisions made?

Describing Rahab as a prostitute, something that she did in Jericho, does not do her justice. We are, after all, talking about King David’s great-great-great grandmother. She is not just a footnote in history; she is in the genealogy of the savior of the world (Matthew 1:5)! Rahab is, in her actions, a savior for the Israelites, especially the two spies who trusted her, and is an ancestor to Jesus, the most consequential figure in human history. The Son of Man, the Son of God, the anointed king of the coming Kingdom of God.

Our great hope is that this world’s kingdom will become the kingdom of God and Christ, that the dead will be raised, and the people of God rewarded. While this is our hope, it is not something we merely mark the passing of time with as we await its fulfillment. Hope matters today in that it is motivating. No passage describes it better than 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

Great songs come in many forms. There is much to be gleaned from a simple lyric – Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so; and there is much to contemplate from an imaginative and thoughtfully written gem that paints an image in the mind: “Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; were every stalk on earth a quill, and everyone a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky”.

During the eleventh hour of this age, as Jesus declared, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” Matthew 24:14. The descriptive scene of Revelation 7 reveals the fruits of these labors.

change is coming, it is easier to start laying the groundwork for succession, but that can be short-sighted. There is wisdom in succession plans that consider the unknown. No one knows how many days they have left to live in this age. Illness can come on suddenly, and tragic accidents happen frequently.

It is Sunday morning. What are you going to do this morning (or, depending on when you read this, what did you do this morning)? It is the first day of the week; did you spend it on yourself, or did you give some of your time in worship of Yahweh our God and in remembrance of his son, Jesus, our savior? Most of those reading this likely attended a local church this morning, but some of you may have needed to work, or perhaps there was another reason for not being in church today.

We are told that all the Israelites, all the elders, and several warriors from other areas were fully committed to the decision of making David king.