How can we live well in a world that can feel meaningless? Ecclesiastes invites us to face the hard truth that our lives are very brief and mostly out of our control. But that doesn't mean God leaves us to despair.In this searching and uplifting commentary, Eric Ortlund helps us see that our earthly lives are gifts from God. This life may be brief and frustrating, but it is good - and deeply worth treasuring.About the Hodder Bible CommentaryThe Hodd...

Why Suffering Exists: God's Purpose for Pain in the Life of Job and throughout ScriptureWhy does God allow suffering? The pain of suffering can be overwhelmingly mysterious, but the Bible does provide answers. Throughout Scripture, God allows trials in order to accomplish specific purposes in the lives of his people. When faced with suffering they experience spiritual growth; repentance from sin; or, as in the Old Testament story of Job, the chance to demonstrate d...

' . his hand pierced the fleeing serpent' (Job 26:13 ESV)One of the most challenging passages in the Old Testament book of Job comes in the Lord's second speech (chapters 40-41). The characters and the reader have waited a long time for the Lord to speak - only to receive what is traditionally interpreted as a long description of a hippopotamus and a crocodile (Behemoth and Leviathan).The stakes are very high. Is God right to run the world in such a way that allows such terr...

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions that help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) "Gospel Glimpses" that highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) "Whole-Bible Connections" that show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redempti...

Designed to strengthen the global church with a widely accessible, theologically sound, and pastorally wise resource for understanding and applying the overarching storyline of the Bible, this commentary series features the full text of the ESV Bible passage by passage, with crisp and theologically rich exposition and application. Editors Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton, and Jay A. Sklar have gathered a team of experienced pastor-theologians to provide a new generation of pastors and oth...

While still relatively unknown to the general public, early twentieth century American horror author H.P. Lovecraft left an indelible stamp upon popular culture. Images of tentacled horrors, forbidden tomes, and protagonists struggling against the insanity that comes with the revelation of the terrible truth of reality–Lovecraft pioneered all of these. Best known for his short story “The Call of Cthulhu,” Lovecraft instantiated his philosophy of cosmicism into every one of his tal...

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) "Gospel Glimpses" highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) "Whole-Bible Connections" show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption, culminating...