Shadows of Good Things to Come

About the Book

Many people enjoy reading the Bible daily but fail to get the most from their effort because their reading lacks a practical aspect. Some are so caught up in the intricacies and minutiae that they fail to consider the principles that apply to their own lives. As a result, their Bible reading becomes ritualistic instead of truly devotional, creating a barrier to spiritual growth rather than drawing them closer to their God. This simple book attempts to help people cross that great divide. It is also true that many men feel ill prepared to lead devotionals at home. If that is the case for you, I suggest reading the chapter from the Bible and then the related article yourself in private, looking up the other scriptures references as well, and then doing the same before your family, adding in any comments and changing any wording that you wish in order to make it understandable and age appropriate for those present. In this way, you can add a spiritual dimension to your family life and become more comfortable in your role as the spiritual leader of the home. While this should never replace your own study, hopefully it may provide a pathway to that study and help in your growth as a spiritual leader at home while also helping your family. While you could simply read this material in the conventional manner from cover to cover, I believe a more beneficial approach would be to integrate it with your reading of the first five books of the Old Testament. By reading each chapter in the inspired text first and then reading the related discussion here, you will grow to look for the applications in scripture and consider how God’s Word should be implemented in your life. Whether you choose to read one chapter per day or the entire book in one sitting, my prayer is that you find yourself challenged not only to understand more of God’s book but also to live its message and draw nearer and nearer to its Author.

About the Author

Kevin W. Rhodes, B.S., M.A., has been preaching for twenty years, serving local congregations, training preachers, and holding singing seminars and marriage seminars. He is the author of How to Study the Bible: A Practical Guide to Biblical Hermeneutics, Shadows of Good Things to Come: A Devotional Survey of the Pentateuch, and A Consequence of Legitimacy: Domitian’s Conflict with the Senate and the Imperial Cult’s Conflict with Christianity, and co-author of Sound Words Revisited. He and his wife, Tracy Anne, have been married happily for seventeen years and have two daughters.