Daily Bread — Monday, May 20, 2024
A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor uncover his father’s bed. (Deuteronomy 22:30) Reading this in the 21st century, one might think that to point out something of this nature is unnecessary. However, God knows the heart of man which is why Scripture clearly...
11 Iyar — Into the Ark
According to one traditional viewpoint, it was on this day that Methuselah died, thus signaling Noah that it was time to enter the ark. (There’s another tradition that believes his death occurred on 11 Cheshvan). Regardless of which tradition is correct, the point is...
Daily Bread — Sunday, May 19, 2024
If any man takes a wife, and goes in to her, and detests her, and charges her with shameful conduct, and brings a bad name on her ... then the father and mother of the young woman shall take and bring out the evidence of the young woman’s virginity to the elders of...
10 Iyar — The Glory Has Departed
Tradition believes that, on this day, the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines. In addition to this tragedy, Hophni and Pinchas, the sons of the High Priest Eli, were killed and the High Priest died as well. It was also on this day that a message was...
Daily Bread — Saturday, May 18, 2024
You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not wear a garment of different sorts, such as wool and linen mixed together. (Deuteronomy 22:10-11) Once again we have instructions that, on the surface, might leave us wondering why Moses felt it...
9 Iyar — Failure To Commit
During the Messiah’s ministry, He encountered many types of people and had different types of exchanges with these people. For the most part, He exhibited great compassion for those He met but there were occasions, though, when He chided some for their...
Daily Bread — Friday, May 17, 2024
You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds of seed, lest the yield of the seed which you have sown and the fruit of your vineyard be defiled. (Deuteronomy 22:9) This instruction, in conjunction with other similar commands, prohibits the mingling of mutually...
8 Iyar — In the Ghetto
It was on this day in 1516 that Jews were compelled to move into a restricted area in Venice, Italy. The area they were restricted to was, formerly, the site of a foundry where slag was stored for the manufacture of weapons. The Venetian term for a foundry is ghetto...
Daily Bread — Thursday, May 16, 2024
If a bird’s nest happens to be before you along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, with the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. (Deuteronomy 22:6) In the grand scheme of things, why did...
7 Iyar — Walls Can’t Withstand God’s Correction
It was on this day that Nehemiah dedicated the rebuilt outer wall of Jerusalem. On this same day, approximately 500 years later, the Jews surrendered that same wall to the Romans. Nehemiah had to rebuild the wall because, decades before him, the people of Judah...
Daily Bread — Wednesday, May 15, 2024
A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 22:5) Okay -- so how can we possibly find inspiration in such a commandment? I mean, to most of...
6 Iyar — With the Promise Comes the Travail
It was on this day in 1948 that the British Mandate over Palestine officially came to an end, 28 years to the day, after it had begun in 1920. And as we shared in the previous devotion, it was on this day that Israel officially became a nation. It was also on this day...