Posts by Alan Allegra

Ruth, Day 4 RUTH and The Kinsman Redeemer Ruth Chapter 4 We come to the end of the story of Ruth, the Moabite. She has endured much after departing from her home. If not already mentioned, this book explains the providential ancestry of David, who would become such a great king. On of the “key themes” of Ruth is redemption. “Redeem” in Hebrew is ga a,“redeemer” (Hebrew: go el, and “redemption” [Hebrew: ge ullah], appear 23 times in Ruth).  What…

Ruth, Day 2 Chosen for Abundance Ruth 2 ” . . . those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with…

Ruth, Day 1 There Is a Redeemer “The Decision To Follow” — Chapter 1  Background The book is named for its central character, a Moabite woman who married the son of a Judaean couple living in Moab. After the death of her husband, Ruth moved to Judah with her mother-in-law, Naomi, instead of remaining with her own people. Ruth then became the wife of Boaz, a wealthy kinsman of her former husband, and bore Obed, who, according to the final…

Esther, Day 5 ESTHER CHAPTER 7 KARMA: “such a force considered as affecting the events of one’s life” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) Remember this old saying: “What goes around, comes around!”?  There are four main characters to focus on in Esther 7. They are Esther, Mordecai, Haman, and King Ahasuerus. They all play a significant part in how God saves His people. Esther and Mordecai may not have been noble in the way Daniel and his friends were; nevertheless, they both illustrate…

Esther, Day 3 Risk and God’s Sovereignty Esther 4:13 – 14 “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a…

Esther, Day 2 THERE IS A PURPOSE IN GOD’S PLAN Mordecai Foils a Plot — Chapter 2:19 – 23 Haman’s Plot — Chapter 3  Esther Chapter 2:19 – 23 The newly-crowned Queen Esther was a Hebrew. She was instructed by Mordecai to keep her background and nationality a secret because she was now the queen of Persia. Mordecai continued to hang around the king’s gate while trying to keep tabs on Esther and to advise her through the beginnings of…

Esther, Day 1 Seizing your Moment Esther 1 – 2:18 In June of 2002, the show “American Idol” took to the airwaves and grabbed the country’s attention. Aspiring artists came from all over the country to perform on the show and possibly get their big break. Lines formed outside of stadiums and other venues with people chasing their dream. The stories that emerged from each season were captivating and inspiring. Some of the participants in the show have gone on…

Nehemiah, Day 6 Nehemiah Chapters 12 – 13 Building the City Wall, and Building Godly People What a celebration! The long construction project was finished and the Jerusalem wall was completed, prompting the festival in Nehemiah chapter 12. The Levites were singing, giving thanks, and playing their musical instruments. The singers even set up villages around Jerusalem (12:29). Everyone was there. It was a joyous occasion, conducted according to the Levitical law as priests and people were purified (12:30). Though…

Nehemiah, Day 5 Nehemiah Chapter 10 – 11 COVENANT: A contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. In Greek, it’s defined as diatheke, which is, however, rendered “testament.”(Easton’s Bible Dictionary). In the back of the old Southern Baptist Hymnals, you could find many things, including, “the Church Covenant.” At Sunday evening services, on occasion, we would read that covenant. It was an “agreement” to abide by certain statutes of…

Nehemiah, Day 3 Nehemiah 6 – 7 So the wall was finished . . . “So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” (Nehemiah 6:15 – 16). In Whitehall, there is a building that is going up and…