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The Daily Walk 2026

The Daily Walk includes devotion and Bible readings for each day of the year and informative charts and insights that will help you understand more as you read from Genesis to Revelation in 2026.

Daily Walk February 1 - 15, 2026

Leviticus

Led out of bondage by a holy God, Israel must now learn what it means to be His holy people. Thus, Leviticus, the book of worship, follows Exodus, the book of deliverance. Leviticus addresses the question, “How can a sinful people worship and serve a holy God?” Taking its name from the priestly tribe of Levi, Leviticus outlines regulations concerning the priests and the worship in the tabernacle. It describes the appointed feasts and festivals and contains God’s instructions for His provision for man’s sin: the blood atonement.

February 1

Leviticus 1–3

1–3 Offerings of Praise and Dedication

Key Passage:
Leviticus 1

Overview

With the tabernacle completed, God now gives Moses instructions on the five types of sacrifices to be offered in the tabernacle. Three of them—the offerings of an aroma pleasing to the Lord—were voluntary expressions of worship tailored to the person’s ability to give. In the burnt offering, the worshiper declared his total commitment to God. Through the meal offering, he acknowledged that his material possessions belonged wholly to the Lord. By means of the peace offering, the worshiper publicly expressed his thanks or made a vow of spiritual service to God.

Your Daily Walk

Today, you will read about three Old Testament sacrifices prescribed for each Israelite. But did you know that the New Testament describes at least three “sacrifices” prescribed for each believer—three ways for you to offer a sacrifice to God today? Instead of a whole burnt offering, you can offer your body as a pleasing sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). In place of a grain offering, you might offer from your material possessions a pleasing sacrifice by helping someone in financial need (like the Philippians did for Paul; see Philippians 4:18).

Instead of the peace offering, you could offer the “sacrifice of praise” to God (Hebrews 13:15), a verbal expression of thanksgiving for His care and provision in your life.

Today would be a good time to offer a pleasing aroma to God. Take one of the three sacrifices described above and put it to work by committing each part of your body to God’s service (living sacrifice), writing a check to someone in need (pleasing sacrifice), or sharing God’s goodness publicly in your life (sacrifice of praise).

Insight - Sacrifices for the 21st Century

Animal sacrifices, so essential to Old Testament worship, ceased with the Messiah’s once-for-all-time sacrifice on the cross. Yet Peter tells us that all believers are priests who should continually offer up “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Peter 2:5).

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February 2

Leviticus 4–7

Offerings for Restoration

Key Passage:
Leviticus 4–5

Overview

In addition to the three offerings of aroma pleasing to the Lord, God gives the Israelites two additional sacrifices. Both are required when sin has broken fellowship with God. The sin offering—covering sins of uncleanness, neglect, or thoughtlessness—provided restoration for the sinner while teaching the seriousness of sin and its consequences. The restitution offering—covering sins of injury to God and to others—provided not only for the restoration of the sinner, but for compensation to the injured party as well.

Your Daily Walk

In the margin, list five unpleasant but beneficial experiences from daily life—things you dislike doing (like going to the dentist), but know are good for you.

You probably don’t enjoy the whine of the dentist’s drill, but after all the poking and drilling and bitter taste, you find you enjoy a healthier mouth. Being corrected by a boss when you’ve made a mistake isn’t pleasant either, but afterward, you’re glad your boss cared enough to confront you with the truth.

In the Christian life, there are some equally painful but profitable exercises—such as obeying the biblical principle of restitution. When an Israelite caused injury to another, God’s command was clear: “Make it up to him.” Likewise, as a Christian, you have an obligation to repay those whom you have injured.

Think back over the past week. Is there someone whose character or possessions you have damaged? Have you asked for forgiveness? (That’s hard.) Have you repaid what you owe? (That’s harder still.) Take the initiative today to offer a restitution offering to God. You’ll find the peace of mind and restored relationship well worth the pain.

Insight - And If You Need a Model to Follow…

Zacchaeus, the tax collector who trusted Christ (Luke 19:1-10), beautifully illustrates restitution at work. The Law told a sinner to restore what he had taken or damaged, plus 20 percent. In his gratitude, Zacchaeus offered to restore fourfold what he had taken.

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February 3

Leviticus 8–10

Holy Office of the Priest

Key Passage:
Leviticus 9:23–10:7

Overview

Israel’s tabernacle, the place of communion with God through sacrifice, is entrusted to the custody of Aaron and his sons. The priestly corps must undergo a 10-step consecration process and a 7-day dedication period before they can begin their ministry of mediation. God’s blessing—made visible by His fiery presence—suddenly turns into a curse as judgment falls on two of Aaron’s disobedient sons. Their deaths remind all Israel of the solemn responsibility of serving a holy God. Obedience, not expedience, should mark God’s people.

Your Daily Walk

Nothing is as hard to gain, and as easy to lose, as a good reputation. One philosopher has observed, “To have lost your reputation is to be dead among the living.” Perhaps as a child, you heard your parents say, “Remember, what you do and say reflects on us.” Your parents were telling you that the family’s reputation was either being tarnished or enhanced by your actions.

Perhaps that’s why God responded with such frightening judgment upon Nadab and Abihu. By their carelessness and disobedience, they threatened God’s reputation both inside and outside the nation of Israel—a grave sin indeed.

Our lives as Christians may be the only “Bible” some people will ever read. Do we reveal a holy God by our commitment to holiness, or do we smear His reputation with inconsistent lives? Write this thought on a card and carry it with you: “God’s reputation is at stake in my life. I want to maintain it, not stain it.”

Then, each time you are tempted to stray from God’s holiness, pull out that card. Read it; think about it; then let God strengthen you to be holy—and wholly His.

Insight - The Danger of Failing to Live Up to Your Name

Nadab and Abihu were in danger of damaging not just their own reputations. If allowed to continue in their sinful ways, they would have dishonored both their families and the godly names they carried.

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February 4

Leviticus 11–15

Holiness in Daily Life

Key Passage:
Leviticus 11:44-47; 13:59; 14:54-57

Overview

Worshiping a holy God demands a holy people. For this reason, God gives Israel a series of regulations dealing with ceremonial uncleanness. Four areas are specified: dietary laws (describing edible and non-edible animals); childbirth matters; leprosy and other skin disorders; and bodily discharges. Each set of commands follows a general pattern. The worshiper’s defilement is first described, then the means for regaining his purity are prescribed. It’s a lengthy, detailed section—because holiness demands attention to detail.

Your Daily Walk

In Leviticus 11:44, God told Moses to tell the Israelites: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Isn’t God demanding something impossible and unattainable? Isn’t He being unreasonable when He says: “Be holy”? From a human viewpoint, the task seems impossible.

It is impossible by human efforts alone to live up to the righteous demands of a holy God. But the Law was designed to teach the Israelites to depend on God. Just as He provided sacrifices and rituals for cleansing His less-than-perfect people, so He wants to teach you that only through the supernatural provision of a sinless Savior, Jesus Christ, can you hope to achieve holiness.

Paul puts it this way: “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord [by faith, trusting in Him], continue to live in him [by faith, trusting in Him]” (Colossians 2:6). In Christ’s strength, you can live a holy and pure life. Complete this thought from Leviticus 11:44: “Be holy [how? when? where? with whom?] because I am holy.” Then work today on developing the habit of holiness in one area of your life.

Insight - Leprosy Then and Now

It is doubtful that modern-day leprosy (called Hansen’s Disease and caused by bacteria) is the same as Levitical leprosy (a variety of skin conditions) or New Testament leprosy (which apparently was a white, scaly disease, much like eczema or psoriasis).

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February 5

Leviticus 16–17

Holiness in National Life

Key Passage:
Leviticus 16

Overview

The great Day of Atonement, observed each year, was Israel’s most significant act of worship. On that day, the nation gathered to watch in expectation as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of atonement, which would cover the sins of the entire nation for another year. Because blood was the central element in Israel’s national and personal redemption, God prohibited the use of blood for any purpose other than sacrifice to Him.

Your Daily Walk

What would you do if God gave you the responsibility of atoning for your own sins? What would you offer as payment to satisfy His righteous demands: the deed to your house? Your savings account? Your awards and achievements? your spotless reputation? As sincere as these offerings might be, they would never be adequate to make amends for your sins.

Each year, as the nation of Israel stood before the tabernacle on the Day of Atonement and watched the high priest carry the blood of the sin offering into the Holy of Holies, the people were reminded once again that atonement was God’s idea. It was His provision for the forgiveness of sinful people. He took the initiative to establish a sacrifice of atonement, which provided a blood substitute for the guilty nation.

Just as God provided the way to cover Israel’s sins, so too He has sent His own Son as the once-for-all-time atonement for your sins (1 John 2:2). As you rejoice over that wonderful truth, make a list of three friends who need to experience Christ’s forgiveness of sins. Pray today for each of the three names and be ready to share the truth of the gospel with them when God opens the door.

Insight - No Private Sacrifices Allowed!

The restrictions against private sacrifices outside the tabernacle (17:3-4) were to prevent the people from copying their pagan neighbors, who often poured their blood sacrifices into the ground as food for their gods. Only properly ordained priests in the proper location (the tabernacle) could offer Israel’s sacrifices.

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February 6

Leviticus 18–20

Holiness for the Individual

Key Passage:
Leviticus 19

Overview

In addition to the regulations governing national holiness, God provides Israel with laws governing personal conduct and purity in relation to the family, the community, and society in general. Because obedience is His primary concern, God requires that violators of His laws be punished, and that the punishment be appropriate to the crime committed. God’s strict guidelines for living reflect His desire that His people “be holy… because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own” (20:26).

Your Daily Walk

“Love your neighbor as yourself” (19:18) rolls off the tongue with a familiar ease. But putting it into practice is another matter. Of all God’s commands, it may be one of the most difficult to keep. Why? Because loving your neighbor means being involved in your neighbor's life. That’s hard to do because a human being’s natural tendency is toward selfishness, not selflessness.

The Old Testament Law was difficult to keep because it made very specific demands on individuals. If an Israelite had questions about how to relate to his neighbor, the Law provided the answers (19:9-18). The New Testament is just as specific, and just as demanding—especially when it speaks of your relationship to your “neighbor.” Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) points out that your “neighbor” is anyone who needs your help and whose need God has equipped you to meet.

Put God’s command to love your neighbor into practice today by seeking out someone who needs help with yardwork, housework, or homework. Assist them in love and treat them as you would yourself.

Insight - “Do Like Me to Be Like Me”

More than 40 times in chapters 18–22, we read God’s words: “I am the Lord,” and “Be holy.” Without a doubt, the holiness of the Redeemer is the compelling reason for His insistence on practices of purity by the redeemed.

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February 7/8

Leviticus 21–23

Holy Priests and Holy Feasts

Key Passage:
Leviticus 21

Overview

Privilege carries with it responsibility, and in the case of Israel’s priests, the responsibilities of serving a holy God become quite demanding. The priests must avoid defilement, which others might ordinarily experience. They must be free of physical defects to serve in the sanctuary. They must bear the responsibility for maintaining purity in Israel’s sacrificial worship. They must preside at Israel’s yearly feasts and sacred assemblies. It is a demanding assignment to lead a nation in corporate worship of a holy God—a privilege not to be taken lightly or entered into casually.

Your Daily Walk

If you discovered that your dining room had been “bugged,” would you have some embarrassing conversations to explain?

Unfortunately, in many Christian homes, the main course for Sunday dinner is often “roast preacher.” It’s an easy habit to slip into, but one that can produce harm and bitterness.

In Israel’s system of worship, the priests carried much of the responsibility for leading corporate worship. Today, the church no longer has a “priestly class,” but it does have those specially gifted, trained, and set apart for the work of the ministry (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1).

Like the priests of Old Testament times, these leaders have given of their time and energy in order to lead you in worship.

How often do you “remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you” (Hebrews 13:7)? Take a few minutes to write a thank-you note to your pastor or church leader, expressing gratitude for the consistent spiritual investment that person makes in your life.

Insight - Probing a Priestly Prohibition

Priests with physical defects were excluded from offering sacrifices (21:17-21), though they were entitled to the privileges of priesthoods such as eating the priestly portion (21:22). God was not relegating them to second-class status, but merely showing that the special service of sacrificing unblemished animals before a holy God required unblemished priests.

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February 9

Leviticus 24–27

Holiness in the Holy Land

Key Passage:
Leviticus 25

Overview

The closing chapters of Leviticus contain a variety of instructions for Israel when the people occupy the promised land. Oil and bread must be provided for the sanctuary. The death penalty must fall on those who blaspheme the name of God. The land must be given periodic rest during the sabbatical and jubilee years. God promises to honor obedience to His commands and reward disobedience with stern judgment. The work of the Lord must be faithfully supported by the tithes of God’s people, and vows must not be entered into lightly.

Your Daily Walk

People are born with an innate desire to possess. Children at play argue loudly, “That’s mine!” Though adults usually tend to be more civilized about it, you’ll find the same sentiment voiced repeatedly: “I want what’s mine!”

God recognized this tendency in His people and instituted ways to help teach them a crucial spiritual truth. Every seventh year, all land was to remain uncultivated in order to remind the nation that the land belonged not to them, but to God. And every 50th year, known as the Year of Jubilee, all land that had been sold was to be returned to its original owners. God would give the land a Sabbath of rest (25:2). They could enjoy it—not as permanent owners, but as foreigners and temporary residents (25:23).

How do you view your possessions? Do you hold on to them tightly, or have you recognized them as something graciously loaned to you by God? Remember, a steward is someone who owns nothing but is responsible for everything entrusted to his care. To reinforce that truth, choose one room of your house and list everything in it. Then across the list, write these words: “Mine by stewardship, His by ownership.” Get the picture?

Insight - Captivity Foretold

One of the earliest predictions of the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities occurs in today’s reading (26:33-35). Israel knew from the start what would happen if the people disobeyed God’s Word. Yet centuries later, it would come true.

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Numbers

Numbers is the chronicle of Israel’s years of wilderness wandering between Sinai and Moab. Named for the two numberings of the nation, the book begins about a year after the Exodus and ends 40 years later as a new generation prepares to cross the Jordan and occupy the promised land. Detailing the lives of such men of God as Moses, Caleb, and Joshua, Numbers teaches that while God’s discipline may sometimes be severe, He patiently waits to reward those who obey His Word.

February 10

Numbers 1–4

Counting and Camping

Key Passage:
Numbers 3

Overview

With the laws given and the ceremonies specified, God now commands Moses to count the people and position them in a square formation around the tabernacle. The number of fighting men (603,550) suggests a total population of more than three million men, women, and children. The Levites are then positioned and numbered, and each priestly group is assigned a work detail related to the care and transport of the tabernacle.

Your Daily Walk

What is it that we all have the same amount of, but no one ever seems to have enough of? (Hint: The answer is not IQ, money, or credit card accounts.)

You probably guessed it. The one commodity shared equally by all members of the human race is time. Whether you are a peasant or a president, God’s gracious gift of time comes to you in bite-sized, 24-hour chunks—no more, no less. Perhaps you have been frustrated in your attempt to manage your time and accomplish everything you set out to do each day. If so, consider this: You have all the time you need to accomplish everything God intends for you to accomplish today. That means if you are too busy to do the things you know God wants you to do, then you are busier than God intends for you to be.

Analyze your time priorities. Across a sheet of paper, draw seven columns for Sunday through Saturday, and divide each day according to the way you normally spend it. Is there adequate time for sleep? Bible study? prayer? recreation? family activities? If not, what would need to change for God to be honored in your use of time?

Insight - The World’s Largest Campground

\If the population estimate of three million is accurate, and a minimum living space is allowed for each Israelite’s family and flocks, the camp of Israel must have been enormous—covering more than 100 square miles (about twice the size of San Francisco). Yet through a detailed, God-given plan for pitching, striking, and moving camp, Moses maintained order in the nation.

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February 11

Numbers 5–8

Cleansing and Congregating

Key Passage:
Numbers 5:11-31; 6:1-21

Overview

With the Israelites numbered and positioned, God further prepares the nation for entering the promised land by giving Moses instructions for cleansing and worship. First, Israel must be free of defilement from immorality and suspicions. The people must sense the sanctity of binding commitments such as the Nazirite vow. They must provide for the material needs of the tabernacle. And they must have a purified group of Levites to minister effectively for them in the corporate worship and celebration of the nation.

Your Daily Walk

A jealous husband. A suspicious wife. The combination can eat like acid into the marriage relationship. For this reason, God provided the seemingly strange ritual of Numbers 5:11-31 in order to deal decisively with jealousy and suspicion in the home. The ordeal by “bitter water” was designed to dramatize the bitterness and heartache caused by festering jealousy.

Today, the problem of jealousy remains just as widespread and malignant. But God’s prescribed cure has changed somewhat. According to James 4:7-10, it involves three parts: (1) submission to God; (2) confession to one another; (3) restoration in forgiving love. As with Numbers 5, the process is painful, but necessary.

Examine your heart right now. Are you harboring suspicion or jealousy toward a spouse, Christian friend, or family member? The place to begin is by talking to God. Confess your wrong attitude and appropriate His forgiveness. Then confront the other party in love. It won’t be pleasant, but when the alternative is simmering bitterness and broken fellowship, wouldn’t you agree that God’s way is best?

Insight - No Wine, Corpses, or Haircuts Allowed

The requirements of the Nazirite vow might seem strange unless understood in their symbolic sense. Wine symbolized comfort and enjoyment. Death and corpses represented defilement. Long hair stood for God-given strength and dignity. By avoiding the former two and maintaining the latter, a Nazirite declared his or her total devotion to God.

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February 12

Numbers 9-12

Criticizing and Complaining

Key Passage:
Numbers 9–10

Overview

Finally, the day has arrived for the nation to pull up stakes and set out for Canaan. As silver trumpets herald the journey’s commencement, the huge camp prepares to march. The long-awaited move has begun. But all too soon, gratitude turns to grouchiness: The people complain about their daily diet of manna and express jealousy over Moses’ leadership. In the midst of miraculous provision, there is persistent complaining, until at last the weary Israelites arrive at Kadesh-barnea, on the very border of Canaan.

Your Daily Walk

How many things can you think of that were truly “good” about the “good old days”?

When you experience adversity—even though you’re obeying God—you may catch yourself looking back on the “good old days” with a twinge of nostalgia. Memory is selective. Current difficulty often seems to bring to mind only the best of yesterday.

The Israelites had hardly broken camp when they began to complain about God’s daily provision of manna. To hear them tell it, you’d think they had left paradise in Egypt (11:5). But their foresight was even worse than their hindsight, for they forgot God’s promise of future blessing. God never intended for His children to spend the rest of their lives in the desert, eating manna.

Have difficult times caused you to look longingly at the way life used to be? To help you keep your eyes focused on God’s purpose for you, write these verses on an index card and carry it today:

“One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Keep looking up, and you’ll never want to look back.

Insight - Ark in the Middle, Ark in the Front

Compare Numbers 2 and 10, and note that the ark enjoyed a position of prominence both in the camp and on the march. Can you suggest a reason for each position?

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February 13

Numbers 13–16

Death in the Wilderness

Key Passage:
Numbers 13

Overview

At the Lord’s command, Moses selects one man from each tribe to form a spying party to survey the land of Canaan. They return 40 days later, all having seen the same thing but divided in their opinions as to what it meant. The majority opinion: “The people are stronger than we are.” The minority opinion: “We shall surely overcome.” Disheartened and faithless, the people threaten to stone Moses and return to Egypt rather than face what seems to them a certain massacre. God’s punishment for their unbelief is severe: one year of wilderness wandering for each day the spies were in the land—and death in the wilderness for that entire generation. Yet, God’s plans will not be ultimately thwarted, as seen in the laws that He gives them to practice in the land.

Your Daily Walk

Two bricklayers were asked what they were doing. The first replied, “I’m laying brick”; the second, “I’m building a great cathedral.” Same task, same bricks, two different perspectives.

On the verge of entering the promised land, the Israelites evaluated the spies’ report. The land flows with milk and honey, but it also overflows with fortified cities and giants. Obviously, there could be only one response—“Let’s go!” The question was, in which direction? Joshua and Caleb responded with faith: “Let’s go forward!” The other 10 spies responded with feelings: “Let’s go back to Egypt!” The majority opinion prevailed, and Israel traced circles in the desert for 40 years.

Where is God stretching your faith today? Spy out your situation and make a list of what you see. Then ask yourself two questions: “How could I respond to this without faith? How should I respond to this in faith?” Then do the thing that will please God.

Insight - “Hey, Moses, You Remind Me of Someone…”

He was a humble man. His own people wanted to stone him, but in turn, he asked God to spare their lives. He was innocent, but he had to share the same punishment as his followers. He eventually delivered them into a new life in the promised land. Does Moses remind you of Someone else you know?

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February 14/15

Numbers 17–20

Aaron and Levites in the Wilderness

Key Passage:
Numbers 18, 20

Overview

As the grumbling generation marches through the wilderness outside the promised land, their discontent focuses on Moses and Aaron. Only a miraculous budding of Aaron’s rod can convince the people that Aaron represents God’s authority. In this context of rebellion, God again emphasizes the Levites’ role in the service of the tabernacle and provides the red cow as a means of cleansing the people from the ever-present defilement of death. Eventually, Moses is affected by the nation’s complaining attitude as well. In a moment of anger, he strikes the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded, and so forfeits his privilege to set foot in the promised land.

Your Daily Walk

In the margin, write three things that you feel are essential for your future security. Now go back over your list and cross off any item that could easily be destroyed by a natural disaster or a financial reversal. Is there anything left?

God made it clear to Aaron and his family that their security lay in Him alone, even as they enjoyed their new homeland. God had faithfully supplied Aaron’s daily needs in the past (18:18-19), and He would do the same in the future. This was also true for the nation as a whole. God had been their great Sustainer, and would continue to provide even when they possessed wealth of their own.

Though owning property or having a bank account is not wrong, the danger is in allowing such things to crowd out your daily dependence on God. You may be in “good hands” financially, but you’re in better hands with God. Reread Numbers 18:20 to remind you that true security comes from God.

Insight - Don’t Touch That Grave!

Because a Jew was defiled by touching a human grave (19:16), tombs in Israel were often whitewashed so that unwary passersby could avoid contact with them. This helps explain why the Pharisees were offended when Jesus denounced them in Matthew 23:27 as “whitewashed tombs.”

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Daily Walk January 16-31, 2026

January 16

Genesis 45–47

Joseph’s Family Honored in Egypt

Key Passage:
Genesis 47

Overview

Joseph, no longer able to maintain the masquerade, reveals his true identity to his terrified brothers. His explanation of recent events (45:5-8) reveals the spiritual perspective that sustained him through years of heartache and uncertainty. In keeping with the prophecy given to Abram (15:13), God assures Jacob that a sojourn in Egypt is divinely approved (46:3). So the entire family of 70 moves to Goshen, which will become home for the fledgling nation Israel for the next 400 years.

Your Daily Walk

The contrast must have been striking. Into the court of the most powerful king on earth hobbled an old man dressed in the rough garb of a Bedouin tent dweller. Pharaoh was granting an audience to Jacob out of respect for Joseph. And Jacob, the seemingly insignificant old man, blessed the king (47:7-10).

Pharaoh didn’t know it, but he was being blessed by none other than Israel. For all his immediate importance, Pharaoh would subsequently fade into oblivion. Even his name would disappear from historical records. Yet this old shepherd would continue to occupy a place of honor throughout the centuries. God’s people would be called the “children of Israel,” and God would now identify Himself as “the God of Jacob.” From Jacob’s line would come the King of kings, who “will reign over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:33).

Appearances can be deceiving. You, like Jacob, may not look like a V.I.P. in the eyes of the world. But you are. Your importance, like Jacob’s, does not stem from what you have made of yourself, but from what Jesus has made of you. See if you can complete this sentence 10 ways: “Because I am a child of God, I am____________.” Then live out your identity today as a child of the King.

Insight - “You Did It…He Did It!”

“Do not be distressed…for selling me…God sent me” (45:5) is a classic statement of God’s providence. Looking back, Joseph could clearly see both elements—human and divine—at work in God’s plan.

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January 17/18

Genesis 48–50

Final Days of Jacob and Joseph

Key Passage:
Genesis 50

Overview

Chapters 48–50 conclude the Book of Genesis by recording the final acts of Jacob and Joseph, along with their deaths and burials. Jacob’s blessing upon Joseph’s two sons, announcing that the younger would be more honored than the older, is in keeping with the pattern established in Genesis (Isaac instead of Ishmael, Jacob instead of Esau, Joseph instead of Reuben). As his final earthly act, Jacob blesses each of his 12 sons, giving a divinely guided pronouncement on their future. Jacob’s body is embalmed and taken back to Canaan for burial, while Joseph’s body remains in Egypt until the release of the newly born nation of Israel.

Your Daily Walk

Do you sometimes wish your life could count more for God—that you could have more of an impact for good in the lives of those around you? You plod along faithfully, but nothing much ever seems to come of it. In fact, you’re tempted to throw in the spiritual towel.

God’s plan is larger than any one person. Amazingly, He weaves together the lives of many different people to accomplish His will. Joseph is a good example. Torn from his family, ill-treated, and imprisoned, he later emerges as ruler in Egypt. And why? “God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (50:20). Joseph’s family and the entire nation of Egypt soon owed their survival to Joseph’s leadership.

How many lives do you touch every day? The number might surprise you: your spouse, your parents, the kids, the boss, the teacher. Don’t forget your neighbors, your co-workers, the server, and the cashier. Select one name and one way God could use you to touch that life with a smile, a kind word, a thoughtful act. Then allow God to use you today for good.

Insight - Egyptian Mortuary Service

Embalming usually took 40 days and was available in three different price ranges. When completed, the coffin was left standing upright against the wall of the burial chamber.

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Exodus

During the nearly 400 years since the close of Genesis, the descendants of the patriarchal family have experienced good news and bad news. The good news: They have grown into a nation numbering several million. The bad news: They have become oppressed slaves in the land of Egypt. Exodus is thus the book of redemption from bondage to Pharaoh into a covenant relationship with God. From Egypt to Sinai, Israel learns of God's might and power and the importance of national worship.

January 19

Exodus 1–2

Birth of Moses

Key Passage:
Exodus 2:11-22

Overview

Exodus opens where Genesis leaves off: with Jacob’s descendants multiplying in Egypt. A new ruler emerges who respects neither Joseph’s memory nor the Israelites’ human rights. Though Pharaoh attempts to kill all newborn Hebrew males, the infant Moses is providentially spared and raised in the very palace of the one who sought his death. At the age of 40, Moses aims to do the right thing (deliverance) in the wrong way (murder) and spends the next four decades in exile, tending sheep in the Midian wilderness.

Your Daily Walk

The man sitting by the desert well was lost in his thoughts. With dejection on every line of his face, he felt much older than his 40 years. Moses was miserable—and with good reason.

He was the one man in all of Egypt who might have had a chance to bring relief to his people. He had position, training, natural ability, and the desire to help. But in one foolish act, he killed a man and forfeited all the advantages he had hoped to use.

Satan delights in convincing believers that they are of no use to God. And God delights in building cathedrals out of rubble. Moses’ life needed reconstruction, to be sure. But when that rebuilding process was complete, he was a monument to God’s grace.

Where in your life have you nearly given up hope that God could ever salvage the situation? First, walk a mile in Moses’ sandals. Study his failures. Learn about God’s patience in his life. Then find your own “desert well” to sit by and meditate on the encouraging words for discouraged disciples found in Exodus 3:10-14.

Insight - The Ark Revisited

The same Hebrew word for ark (as in Noah’s) describes the vessel used by Moses’ mother to hide him in the bulrushes. Once again, we see God deliver His chosen from destruction by water after an obedient act of the faithful (Noah and Moses’ mother, of Levi’s lineage; see Exodus 2:1).

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January 20

Exodus 3–6

Confrontation with Pharaoh

Key Passage:
Exodus 3; 6:1-13

Overview

After 40 years of reflection, Moses concludes he is permanently disqualified from God’s service. In a remarkable debate with the living God, Moses offers four excuses and begs the Lord to send someone else as His spokesman. Finally, when God provides Aaron as a mouthpiece, Moses confronts Pharaoh with God’s message. As predicted, Pharaoh not only denies God’s demand but also increases the misery of the Hebrews. Moses’ popularity with his people plummets, but God assures Moses that He will keep His promise of deliverance.

Your Daily Walk

The church has been likened to a football game in which thousands of spectators, desperately in need of exercise, are watching a handful of players, desperately in need of rest. Are you a spectator or a player?

Before you pull out your list of reasons excusing you from active duty in your church, eavesdrop on an 80-year-old shepherd as he argues with a burning bush. With good reason, Moses anticipated resistance and rejection from his own people—to say nothing of Pharaoh. Besides, he had a speech impediment and an inferiority complex. Surely God was showing poor judgment (so Moses thought) in His choice of a deliverer for His people.

Patiently, thoroughly, God gave His rebuttal: “I can use this bush, that rod in your hand, or even your stammering lips—whatever is available—to accomplish My plan and fulfill My promises. For all that you lack, and everything you are not, I AM.”

God probably isn’t recruiting you to lead a nation out of bondage. But He definitely wants to show what He can accomplish through you. In response to His promise that “I AM all you need,” will you answer, “I am available”?

Insight - Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick

God subsequently used Moses’s staff to turn water into blood, bring hail and lightning, summon locusts, divide the Red Sea, bring water out of rocks, and signal victory in battle.

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January 21

Exodus 7–10

First Nine Plagues in Egypt

Key Passage:
Exodus 7; 8:25-32

Overview

Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to release God’s people prompts Him to unleash nine devastating plagues against Egypt. Moved by this display of God’s power, Pharaoh repeatedly promises to release the nation. But when the time arrives, his heart is hardened and he breaks his word. To shatter Pharaoh’s unyielding will, God prepares one last plague—death in every unprepared home in the land.

Your Daily Walk

Have you ever yielded to the temptation to take what you thought was a shortcut, only to find yourself hopelessly lost? Maybe you’ve experienced the same thing in your spiritual life as you looked for a shortcut to accomplish God’s will.

Alternate routes may look attractive, but they can often have un- expected consequences. Pharaoh offered Moses four shortcuts to releasing the people from bondage (8:25, 28; 10:11, 24). None of the four conformed to God’s specific instructions. They were only attempts by Pharaoh to hide his refusal to obey God. Moses detected Pharaoh’s motives, for he knew that anything short of obedience is disobedience.

That principle is still true today. There is no safe alternate route when the Bible clearly states: “This is what the Lord says.” Nothing short of doing God’s will in God’s way will guarantee that you arrive at your intended destination. Look up the following verses to discover how God wants to guide you from the pages of His Word:

The Bible is a ___________ and a __________ (Psalm 119:105).
The revelation of God’s Word gives ___________ (Psalm 119:130).
The best place to hide God’s Word is ___________ (Psalm 119:11).

Now map out God’s route to one of your destinations today.

Insight - Terror in the Sky
The locust, often a tool of divine judgment in the pages of Scripture, is one of nature’s most destructive creatures. A locust swarm may number more than 100,000 insects per square mile and has the capacity to eat thousands of acres of vegetation in a single day.

The God of Israel Vs. The "gods" of Egypt

“I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord” (Exodus 12:12). (See Exodus 18:11; Numbers 33:4.)

The religion of ancient Egypt is very difficult to analyze, for the Egyptians were one of the most polytheistic people of antiquity. The total number of their gods is uncertain, but most lists include at least 80. Most living creatures and many inanimate objects became the embodiment of some deity (Romans 1:23), and even Pharaoh himself was considered to be divine, on a level with other deities in the Egyptian pantheon (Exodus 5:2).

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January 22

Exodus 11–12

Tenth Plague, Passover, and Exodus

Key Passage:
Exodus 12:1-8, 37-51

Overview

In the end, it’s no contest. Death touches every Egyptian family as the final plague brings destruction to every firstborn child and beast. But the Israelite homes escape death because their households are protected by the blood of a sacrificial animal slain as a substitute for the firstborn. Pharaoh, the stubborn monarch, finally commands the Hebrews to leave, and the long-awaited Exodus begins. Passover thereafter becomes an annual memorial of the salvation of God’s people from their Egyptian homes of bondage.

Your Daily Walk

“One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4).

If someone were to write an article titled “What to Do Between God’s Miracles,” it might consist of a single word: Remember. The mighty supernatural acts of God on behalf of His people have been relatively few and far between. One of God’s purposes for such spectacular demonstrations has been to reveal His power quietly at work behind the scenes. Because miracles like the 10 plagues occurred infrequently, God’s people were instructed to recall the past as a basis for faith in the present. And as an aid to feeble memories, God instituted memorials such as the Passover—to be observed regularly by His people throughout the generations.

What was a good idea then is a good idea now. Are there objects in your home that can remind you of God’s faithfulness in the past—a picture on the wall, a cancelled check, a scrapbook? Are there certain dates you could designate “Memorial Anniversaries” to recall special provisions of God? Select your own memorial today and plan now to recall a mighty act of God in your life. Like Passover, make it a yearly habit to recall God’s goodness.

Insight - Israel’s Severance Pay for Forced Labor

In their eagerness to remove the Israelites (and the plagues) from their land, the Egyptians turned over vast quantities of gold, jewelry, and clothing—fair payment for 400 years of slave labor.

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January 23

Exodus 13–15

Crossing the Red Sea

Key Passage:
Exodus 14:19–15:27

Overview

Things get worse for the Israelites before they get better. God leads His band of three million refugees to the intersection of Baalzephon and the Red Sea, a seemingly inescapable dead end. Pharaoh, experiencing yet another change of heart, dispatches a crack chariot division to bring the Israelite Exodus to an end. Instead, the Egyptian army meets its end in the swirling waters of the Red Sea. Moses watches the people’s panic turn to praise as they walk across the seabed dryshod and sing a great song of jubilation to their Savior God.

Your Daily Walk

You are seated in church when you hear the words, “Please bow your head and worship the Lord in the quietness of your own heart.” You set your bulletin aside and close your eyes. Then you think to yourself, What am I supposed to do now?

Worshipping God is a skill seldom taught and infrequently practiced. At its root, worship involves recognizing the “worth-ship” of another. It is a response to God's greatness. People in the Bible worshiped God for who He was (His person) and for what He did (His works), because His actions are always consistent with His character.

If you had been standing with the Israelites on the far banks of the Red Sea as the waters swallowed up the Egyptian army, you would have had no trouble responding in an attitude of worship. Even today, you can join in their chorus of praise. Read through their song in chapter 15 again, making a list of God’s actions (conduct)—which prompted worship from His people—and a second list of what is proclaimed about God’s attributes (character). Now you, too, should be ready to “sing the praises” of your God and Savior today.

Insight - Taking the Scenic Route

Israel’s God and Guide (in the form of a cloudy pillar) steered the travelers away from the most direct route to Canaan, the “way of the sea,” for at least two reasons: (1) to avoid certain warfare; and (2) to take Israel to the mountain of God (3:12). The nation needed to learn to walk with God before learning to fight for God.

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January 24-25

Exodus 16–18

Israel’s Journey to Mount Sinai

Key Passage:
Exodus 16:1–17:7

Overview

Only days after the miracle of the Red Sea, grumbling and discontent began to surface among the people on the march. The nation God delivered by faith must now learn to walk by faith, and they have much to learn. Of prime concern is finding sufficient water and food to sustain a caravan of three million people in the desolate wilderness. A month into the journey, when food and water supplies are exhausted, the people cry out anxiously to Moses. Miraculously, God provides manna, quail, and water in abundance to remind them that He is the source of their supply. Even Moses must learn this lesson. Exhausted from attempting to administer the nation single-handedly, Moses follows his father-in-law's advice and selects assistants to help him with the work.

Your Daily Walk

Have you found that your blessings arealso your biggest problems? The things you thought would bring you the greatest joy are, in fact, the things that cause you the most headaches. For instance: the new car (which spends more time in the shop than on the road), the long-awaited child (who now has the house under siege), the unexpected promotion (which produced those equally unexpected ulcers).

Israel learned the hard way that blessings bring responsibility. Daily manna was a wonderful provision from God, but it had to be collected and eaten in a particular way. God’s presence in the pillar of cloud and fire was comforting, but it meant unquestioned obedience. When the pillar moved, Israel moved.

Make a list of some of God’s recent blessings to you, including the ones that seem to give you grief. Next to each, put an obligation that is yours if you enjoy the blessing as God intended.

Insight - A Subtle Prophecy

The water from the rock at Rephidim beautifully symbolizes Christ, our life-giver (John 7:37-39). The smitten rock illustrates Christ's death, resulting in an outpouring of life through the Holy Spirit because of accomplished redemption.

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January 26

Exodus 19–20

The Ten Commandments

Key Passage:
Exodus 20

Overview

Israel could scarcely be called a nation. Up to this point, she’s just a vast group of unorganized people. Self-government was impossible in Egypt, and as yet, there are no laws. But at Mount Sinai, in a setting designed to remove distractions and focus attention on God, the people receive their charter as God’s chosen nation. After declaring their willingness to obey the commands they are about to receive, the Israelites spend two days preparing themselves to hear God. On the third day, beginning with an awe-inspiring display on Mount Sinai, God delivers the spiritual and moral principles by which the nation’s social and religious life will be conducted.

Your Daily Walk

“The Christian life is a bunch of dos and don’ts!” “The Christian life is liberty to do as I please!”

To be sure, in Christ there is freedom from bondage to sin and release from the guilt of past failures. But liberty does not mean license to live as you please. Just because the Israelites were free from Egyptian slavery did not mean they were free to follow their every desire. God still wanted them to live as His chosen people, so He gave them rules for their daily conduct—not a list of dos and don’ts to spoil their fun, but a series of commands for their protection and profit.

Imagine what a football game would be like without rules: no boundaries, no clock, no referees, no time limit. And probably no fun. Rules are essential for the enjoyment of life.

Read your way slowly and thoughtfully down the list of commandments in today’s reading again. Try to think of at least one reason why each command would make your life happier or safer if you kept it unquestioningly. Is there one you need to work on?

Insight - What Was the Hike up Sinai Like?

Mount Sinai is best identified as Jebel Musa, a 7,363-foot peak on the southern end of a mountain ridge two miles long and one mile wide. Before it stretches a plain adequate to hold Israel’s camp.

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January 27

Exodus 21–24

Civil and Ceremonial Laws

Key Passage:
Exodus 24

Overview

The law given by God to Israel at Sinai falls into three categories: moral and spiritual laws (Exodus 20), civil and social laws (Exodus 21–23), and religious laws (Exodus 24–Leviticus). Today’s reading contains the civil and social laws that comprise “the Book of the Covenant” (24:7), given alongside the Ten Commandments. Following a formal ceremony ratifying the covenant, Moses is called again by God to Mount Sinai to receive further revelation.

Your Daily Walk

Some things bear repeating, and even then, they don’t always sink in. God’s word to Israel in the first two commandments could hardly have been clearer: “No other gods … no idols.” Yet He would later repeat those same warnings again and again. He wanted to impress upon His people the seriousness of His lordship, and to make certain they understood the necessity for exclusive devotion to the God of Israel.

God knew that we eventually worship that which we serve (23:24). Therefore, whatever or whoever commands our attention becomes our god. Recognizing that fact can help us guard against idolatry. Here are two good questions that point to the real “Lord” of your life:

1. What do you think about when your mind is in neutral?

2. What do you do during your idle moments?

Review your own loyalties, and then fill in the blank: “An objective observer of my life over the past week would conclude that _______________ is my god.” Is there something that needs to change so that you, like Israel, have “no other gods” besides the Lord?

Insight - A Forbidden Recipe

The prohibition against boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk (23:19) made little sense to modern scholars until archaeological discoveries revealed that the practice was current in Canaan as a pagan magic spell connected with agricultural fertility rites.

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January 28

Exodus 25–27

Design of the Tabernacle

Key Passage:
Exodus 25:1-9

Overview

During Moses’s stay on the mountain, God reveals His detailed plans for the tabernacle in which He will dwell and receive His people’s worship. No item is overlooked in God’s design of this portable tent of worship. Everything is to be done “according to the plan shown you on the mountain” (26:30). God’s dwelling place with His people, Israel, will be the central structure in the camp and the focus of the nation’s attention and activities.

Your Daily Walk

How big is your God? Having studied the tabernacle in detail, keep in mind this was a portable building, capable of being dismantled and carried around as Israel journeyed. Though God’s presence uniquely inhabited the tabernacle, the fact that it could be disassembled for travel reminded the Israelites that their God could not be confined to four walls. He was with them in the fire and cloud; He could divide great seas and drown mighty armies; He could provide water from rocks and manna from the morning dew. Contrast this with the pagan gods of neighboring nations—powerless idols that had to be carried on their worshipers’ shoulders (Isaiah 46:5-7). Israel’s priests carried God’s temporary house on their shoulders, but Israel’s God carried them!

If at times you find yourself wishing God were a little more flexible, yielding more to your own desires and expectations, consider this fact: If God were small enough for you to control, He would not be strong enough to help you in times of need.

If you can, visit your church sometime today, and in the quiet, worshipful atmosphere of the silent sanctuary, spend a few minutes praising the God you serve—a God no building can contain.

Insight - How Would You Like to Hang These Drapes?

The Jewish historian Josephus explained that the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was four inches thick. It was so sturdy that it could not be torn apart by horses tied to it, pulling in opposite directions.

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January 29

Exodus 28–31

Special Instructions for Priests

Key Passage:
Exodus 29

Overview

No center of worship is complete without people to minister in it and utensils to use in the worship services. Chapters 28–31 describe the priests, Israel’s representatives before God, who are chosen to lead the worship in the tabernacle. Everything about them is special, from the clothing they wear to the elaborate sacrifices needed to prepare them for ministry, as well as the utensils and supplies they use (such as incense, perfumes, oil, the altar, and the basin) in the tabernacle worship. Even the designers and construction workers are handpicked by God.

Your Daily Walk

Preparing a priest for service in the tabernacle was no small chore (chapter 29). The most curious part of the ceremony involved killing a ram and applying the blood to the tip of the priest’s right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot (29:20). The blood was a picture of cleansing. Before the priest could minister before the Lord, he had to be cleansed from the sin that polluted him. Then he needed to be dedicated to the Lord from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Every part of him, from his ear (which hears God’s Law) to his hand (which does God’s will) to his foot (which follows in God’s steps) must be surrendered to the will of God.

Does God have that kind of control over your whole life? If not, starting with your head, give each part of your body to Him in a prayer of dedication: “Lord, take my eyes; help me to look at those things that please You. Take my ears; help me to listen to things that build up, not tear down…” Then you, like Israel’s priests, will be ready to do His will—from head to toe.

Insight - Mystery Stones

The Urim and Thummim were probably two flat stones kept in the high priest's breastplate and used to determine the will of God. Each may have had one dark side and one light. Some scholars speculate that they were tossed into the air and allowed to fall to the ground. Two dark sides showed “yes,” two light sides showed “no,” and one of each showed “no reply.”

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January 30

Exodus 32–34

Incident of the Golden Calf

Key Passage:
Exodus 33–34

Overview

Six weeks have passed since the people made their solemn vow of fidelity to God. Concluding that Moses has died on the mountain, they insist on creating a replica of an Egyptian god. Coming upon this grotesque scene, Moses dashes the newly inscribed tablets to pieces, dramatically proclaiming the broken covenant. He destroys the golden calf and orders the Levites to slay guilty Israelites. Israel’s repentance, Moses’ selfless intercession, and God’s faithfulness to His promises account for a renewal of the covenant. New tablets are engraved and Moses experiences yet another encounter with God on Mount Sinai.

Your Daily Walk

“I can’t understand teenagers. One minute they want to be treated like adults; the next minute they act like children.”

This oft-voiced exasperation of many a parent illustrates a fact about growth. The process of maturation does not always move in a consistently forward direction. Everyone at one time or another reverts to former patterns of behavior.

The incident of the golden calf is but one of many cases of backsliding in Israel’s history. One lesson is clear: Believers are not immune from the practice of reverting to old habits and patterns of living. It may occur in an unguarded moment, such as an outburst of temper. Or it may be the result of impatience, when God’s timetable seems agonizingly slow. Or it may be because of the world’s culture that still lures your unguarded heart.

Take a personal inventory of your spiritual life. Have you made a commitment to the Lord in recent weeks? If so, have you followed through on it, or did you revert to your previous behavior? If you see a “golden calf” in your life, deal with it now.

Insight - The Golden Calf—A Lingering Legacy

Calf worship was expressly forbidden in the law (Exodus 20:4-6) and shown to be utterly useless by the plagues in Egypt. Yet, at least twice in Israel’s history, golden calves spelled destruction for the people (see Exodus 32; 1 Kings 12:28).

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January 31

Exodus 35–40

Tabernacle Erected and Occupied

Key Passage:
Exodus 40

Overview

The Book of Exodus closes with a detailed account of the construction of the tabernacle, the new place of residence for the God of Israel as He accompanies His people to Canaan. Notice the many steps involved in the project: Moses organizes the needed workers and materials; skilled artisans do the actual construction; Moses inspects the finished work; the tabernacle is erected and the furniture set in place; and finally, the glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle, showing God’s pleasure with the structure. From start to finish, the entire project is done “just as the Lord had commanded” Moses.

Your Daily Walk

God has always sought to dwell in the midst of people. Think back to the opening chapters of Genesis. There you find Adam and Eve in the garden. And in the cool of the evening, God walks through the garden, seeking face-to-face fellowship with His creation.

In today’s reading, God’s glory takes up residence in the tabernacle in order to accompany the Israelites on their journey to Canaan. Later in Israel’s history, God’s presence will reside in Solomon’s magnificent temple. And today God’s Holy Spirit indwells every child of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The lesson is clear: God wants to identify Himself with those who are truly His. More specifically, God wants to identify Himself with you, to fellowship with you, to spend time with you, and to help you get to know Him better.

How do you go about building a relationship like that? Jot down the first five things that come to mind. Now use your list to help you organize your day and assign priorities to your activities. Place “time with God” at the top of the list. After all, that’s His greatest desire: to walk and talk with you. If that’s your greatest desire, tell Him so right now.

Insight - A Long Way to Find Freedom

Exodus begins with a mob of miserable slaves held captive in Egypt, yet ends with an emancipated nation in fellowship with God and on its way to Canaan. No wonder Exodus is called the “book of redemption.”

TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Congratulations! You’ve started your new year the right way by beginning a journey through the Bible with this devotional guide.

But every walk demands a first step. Have you taken the crucial first step in the Christian life … the step of faith to salvation? Unless you take that step, your so-called relationship with God will meander aimlessly, and your path will lead only to frustration and defeat. But take this mandatory step, and your walk with Jesus will be vibrant and fulfilling for all eternity. Consider these stepping stones on the path of salvation:

All people are sinners. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
The penalty for sin is death.“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
Salvation comes by personal trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

Christ paid the price on the cross for every one of your sins so that you might have eternal life. By believing in His death, burial, and resurrection all on your behalf, you enter into an eternal relationship with God.

“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Free salvation awaits you. Take the first step now, and watch your pathway unfold!

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Daily Walk January 1 - 15, 2026

Genesis

Genesis traces the inception of the universe, the creation of man and woman, marriage, worship, sin, judgment, civilization, and redemption. The first portion (chapters 1–11) presents a wide-angle view of God’s dealings from creation to Babel—a period characterized by human faithlessness. But chapters 12–50 focus on God’s relationship with one man (Abraham) and his descendants over the next four centuries, during which a nation is founded and salvation is promised for the fallen human race.

January 1

Genesis 1–2

Creation of the Universe and Man

Key Passage:
Genesis 2:4-25

Overview

The first two chapters of the Bible begin at “the beginning.” Chapter 1 gives a concise overview of the progress of creation, climaxing in the creation of humanity. Chapter 2 takes a zoom-lens look at day six. There, the details emerge of how God’s image-bearers were created—man from the dust of the ground and woman from his rib. The stage is set, the characters are in place, and the drama can begin.

Your Daily Walk

“When all else fails, follow the directions.” That tongue-in-cheek advice is based on a law as universal as gravity—the Law of Design, which states: “Things work well when they function according to the way they were designed; they work poorly (or not at all) when that design is violated.” God, the Master Designer, made the water, sky, and land; then He made creatures suited for each environment. So it should not surprise you to discover that birds make terrible submarines, or that fish can’t climb trees.

The same design apparent in both the solar system and the desert flower is built into humans and their relationships. The husband is the head of the home and the spiritual leader of his family; the wife is his helper. When we follow God’s design for marriage, there is harmony, and He is glorified.

See how many ways you can complete this sentence: “By God’s design, I am __________.” If you get stuck, consult Psalm 139:14; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 2:10; 5:21–6:9; Titus 2:14. With God’s help, you can become all you were created to be.

Insight - Big Questions, Bigger Answers

The first verse in the English Bible uses only 10 words to answer four of the most basic questions that thinking individuals ever ask: (1) What is there? (2) How did it get there? (3) Did it have a beginning? (4) Who or what is responsible? The answers have been graciously supplied by the only One who was there at the time. (The correct answers are: (1) the heavens and the earth; (2) it was all created; (3) yes; (4) God.)

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January 2

Genesis 3–5

Entrance and Extent of Sin

Key Passage:
Genesis 3

Overview

The perfect environment into which Adam was placed is now shattered by the entrance of sin. Satan, posing as the subtle serpent, challenges God’s only prohibition on Adam and Eve’s use of the garden. Disobedience follows as the first family eats from the forbidden tree and is expelled from Eden. The results of their sin are devastating, as humanity and the whole creation fall under the penalty of death. Cain becomes the first murderer, and the downward spiral continues from Adam to Noah, paving the way for God’s sweeping judgment upon the wickedness of the world

Your Daily Walk

Have you ever seen an advertisement for a new “miracle product,” then gone out and bought it, only to discover it fails to live up to its billing?

Satan has been overselling his “product”—sin—for thousands of years. He first tried this approach with Eve in the Garden of Eden. Notice the promise: “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (3:5). Eve believed his claim and tried his product. The result? Pain, bitter disappointment, expulsion from the garden, separation from God, death.

Where has Satan tested your resistance to temptation? What are some of the false promises he wants you to believe to sell you on sin? “If it feels good, it must be right. Everyone else is doing it, so it must be OK. It won’t hurt to do it just once.”

When tempted today to fall for one of Satan’s false promises, respond instead with this scriptural promise from James 4:7— “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Insight - Same Scheme, Different Results

Compare Genesis 3 with Matthew 4:1-11, and you’ll notice an interesting fact. Satan tempted Jesus in the same three ways that he tempted Eve (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life; see 1 John 2:16). But in Jesus’ case, Satan failed on every count.

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January 3/4

Genesis 6–9

Noah’s Ark

Key Passage:
Genesis 6

Overview

In the course of its rebellion, humanity becomes so sinful that God prepares to execute the death sentence on the entire race. In grace, He directs Noah—a righteous man who walks with God—to build a great barge-like ship to escape the coming judgment. Noah obeys God, and while the floodwaters purge the earth, the ark preserves human and animal life for a fresh start. After a safe landing “on the mountains of Ararat” (8:4), God gives new directions and makes new commitments to Noah and his descendants, saying: “I will remember my covenant” (9:15).

Your Daily Walk

Just imagine: “You say you get tired of waiting for God to right the wrongs in your day? Maybe you should quit your job and sign on with Noah & Sons Shipbuilders. They’re short of help, and you will be welcome if you know anything about building triple-decker cargo ships. Nobody’s ever tried this kind of thing before. But Noah is convinced God told him to do it. Says he’s working against a deadline too.

“The contract calls for 120 years—no more, no less. Ol’ Noah figures the Lord wants to give people another chance to turn back to Him. God’s not in any hurry. That’s because He’s long-suffering. But the Lord won’t wait forever. When the time comes, it’s going to get really wet around here. God always keeps His word—and just at the right time too.

“You can start by sawing those gopher logs into planks…”

Make a list of the faith-inspired steps of obedience that Noah took in chapters 6–9. Noah obeyed God by picking up a hammer and a saw. What is God asking you to do today to join Noah’s faithful ranks?

Insight - When Came the Rainbow?

God decreed the rainbow to be a tangible sign of His promise never again to destroy the earth by flood. However, Scripture does not indicate whether the rainbow had previously existed and was then chosen by God as a sign, or whether it was a new phenomenon, suggesting a changed climate after the flood.

PLACING THE BOOKS OF
Genesis and Exodus

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January 5

Genesis 10–11

Babel and the Spread of Nations

Key Passage:
Genesis 11:1-9, 27-32

Overview

Chapters 10–11 explain the origin of nations after the flood. Beginning with Noah and his three sons, God repopulates the world. But since the root of sin has not been removed from the hearts of the people, the fruit of sin becomes apparent once again in proud, disobedient actions. So God scrambles the languages, causing humanity to disperse over the face of the earth—as He had initially been commanded. After describing generations of self-serving humans in general, the narrative shifts to one man in particular—Abram—from whom God will build a new nation.

Your Daily Walk

What’s so crucial about obeying God? He’s patient and forgiving. And He will always give you another chance. Right?

Think back over the opening chapters of Genesis. In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve a forest of trees to enjoy and only one tree to avoid. What happened? They ate fruit from the forbidden tree and were promptly evicted.

After the flood, God gave Noah’s descendants one command: “Be fruitful…and fill the earth” (9:1). How did they respond? “Let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may…not be scattered over the face of the whole earth” (11:4). Once again, judgment followed disobedience.

God’s commands are not to be analyzed, debated, or disregarded. They are to be obeyed. If you believe that, complete this sentence: “I will save myself some grief if I obey God today [how?].”

Insight - 4,000 Years After Babel

How many languages are there in the world today? According to Wycliffe Bible Translators, there are almost 7,000, with about 500 of them with a complete Bible translation. Today, nearly 2,000 language groups don’t have a single verse of Scripture available in their languages. These groups are mainly in these three areas: Central Africa/Nigeria; Mainland and Southeast China; and Indonesia/Pacific Islands. (source: www.wycliffe.org)

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January 6

Genesis 12–14

The Call and Travels of Abram

Key Passage:
Genesis 12:1-9; 13:14-18

Overview

Chapters 12–14 describe God’s call of Abram to leave his home in Ur and then again in Haran (both in modern-day Iraq) and travel to a distant but unspecified new land. Abram faces many potential distractions along the way: the death of his father in Haran, a severe famine, and the worldly pursuits of his nephew Lot. But God is looking for a man of faith who will trust Him completely to keep His promises. For Abram and his descendants, those promises include receiving a great name, becoming a great nation, and experiencing great blessings in the face of impossible odds.

Your Daily Walk

How much room have you allowed in your life for God to redirect your steps?

Close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you are Abram. God has just told you to pack your belongings and prepare to move. “Move where?” you respond. “To a place I’ll show you at the proper time.” So you obey. You quit your job, load up your furniture, pack up your family, and head out of town. Destination: Unknown! If this sounds far-fetched, reread the opening verses of chapter 12. That is precisely the challenge Abram faced.

Suppose God told you to do something that just didn’t fit into your own master plan for your life. Would you be willing to respond by faith and trust Him one step at a time—for finances, a place to live, a new church, a new circle of friends? During a quiet moment today, take a walk and get alone with God. Be candid with Him. If you’re available, tell Him so. If you’re not but you want to be, tell Him that too. Then relax and let Him lead.

Insight - Walking in Abram’s Sandals

While Abram’s faith was growing, so was his stamina. After walking 600 miles from Ur to Haran, Abram set out at the age of 75 for the land of Canaan, 400 miles away. He later made a 400-mile round trip to Egypt for a total of 1,400 miles.

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January 7

Genesis 15–17

Covenant with Abraham

Key Passage:
Genesis 15

Overview

Today’s reading describes the Abrahamic covenant as it was given by God, confirmed, and symbolized. God’s promises to Abraham are given in great detail, confirmed with a unilateral treaty, repeated, and established by the sign of circumcision. But as the years pass with no evidence of fulfillment, Abraham acts in foolish impatience. The result is a son, Ishmael, who will cause his father's heartbreak, constantly reminding Abraham of the price of his unbelief.

Your Daily Walk

How would you spend today if you thought you might have no tomorrow? For Abram, this was more than an academic question. With his little army of 318 men, he had just thrashed a band of warring kings, rescued his nephew Lot, and brought back the kidnapped people and goods. Now, in the long, lonely night hours that follow, he is scared. Scared that his enemies might return to continue the battle. Scared that his life might be snuffed out while he is yet childless.

In his moment of deepest need, with fear eating away at his faith in God, he hears a voice: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield” (15:1). God surrounded Abram with His presence, removed Abram’s fears, and confirmed His promise. And Abram “believed the Lord” (15:6).

What fear paralyzes you most often? Fear of failure? Fear of the unknown? Write it down, along with the words of Genesis 15:1. Thank God that He can—and will—exchange that fear for His strength and comfort.

Insight - Hagar’s Treatment—Abusive or Acceptable?

After 10 years of fruitless waiting for a son, Sarah offered Abram her personal Egyptian maid, Hagar, hoping to produce a son by her. The Hurrian laws from that period describe this as a customary practice. If a son was born, he was regarded as the wife’s. But the painful lesson from Ishmael’s birth is clear: God’s will is done in any way, but God’s way is not God’s will.

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January 8

Genesis 18–20

Destruction of Sodom

Key Passage:
Genesis 18

Overview

Chapters 18–20 relate to crises in the lives of two of Abraham’s family members: his wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot. Lot’s life of compromise and worldly pursuits stands in stark contrast to the life of faith demonstrated by his uncle. In response to Abraham’s fervent prayers, God spares Lot while destroying his hometown for its wickedness and perversion. Yet, even a man of faith like Abraham can stumble when he takes his eyes off God. On a trip to Gerar, Abraham lies about his beautiful wife, Sarah, calling her his sister to save his own skin from King Abimelech.

Your Daily Walk

Try to imagine the most difficult miracle God could ever perform. If you were to select “The Miracle of All Time,” what would it be? Jot down what comes to mind.

How does your miracle compare with the one described in 18:9-15? God promised Abraham and Sarah a son. At first, that may not appear very spectacular, but consider the obstacles. Abraham was 99 years old at the time, and Sarah was 90. For her whole life, Sarah had never been able to bear children and was now beyond childbearing years. Yet even the time of Isaac’s birth was appointed by God. No wonder God asked: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (18:14).

If you could ask God for one miracle today, what would it be? Help you overcome a past failure? Conquer a dismal self-image? Rebuild a shattered marriage? Write that miracle in the margin of your Bible next to Genesis 18:14, and daily remember the truth that God specializes in impossible cases.

Insight - Where Is Sodom Today?

After its destruction by burning sulfur (19:24-28), Sodom is never mentioned again in the Bible as an occupied city. Today, locations at the southern end of the Dead Sea stand out in satellite photos because of their white ash content. Round balls of nearly pure sulfur were found embedded in the ash.

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January 9

Genesis 21–24

Isaac’s Birth and Sarah’s Death

Key Passage:
Genesis 21:1–22:19

Overview

The climax of more than 20 faith-stretching years for Abraham and Sarah comes in the birth of Isaac, their miracle son and heir. But soon Abraham’s faith is tested again as God calls upon him to sacrifice that treasured son upon an altar. Abraham obeys, showing that the experiences of the past two decades have not been in vain. For his faithfulness to the point of death, God rewards Abraham with further assurances of blessing. In the closing years of Abraham’s life, a time saddened by Sarah’s death, one crucial detail remains: finding a suitable bride for Isaac.

Your Daily Walk

Have you ever wished you had a timer that would tell you exactly when God would fulfill His promises in your life? A way to tell with assurance when your prayer would be answered for a helpmate, the salvation of a loved one, or the end of an extended illness? Abraham must have wished for such a timer on many occasions as he waited year after year for the son God had promised to give him. But in the birth of Isaac, God demonstrated that, though His promises may not come speedily, they will come certainly. “At the very time God had promised him” (21:2), He fulfilled His long-standing covenant.

It’s easy to impose your own preconceived timetable upon God’s promises … and difficult to deal with the frustration and anxiety that result when God doesn’t answer “on time” according to your expectations. Try this instead: Memorize Genesis 21:1-2. Let the words remind you throughout the day that the timing of the Creator of time is always perfect.

Insight - The Issue Was Obedience

God’s command to Abraham to offer Isaac did not mean God was condoning human sacrifice (a common pagan practice in Abraham’s day). Rather, God was testing Abraham’s faith in His covenant promises. Check Hebrews 11:17-19 and James 2:21-23 for added insight into this event.

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January 10-11

Genesis 25–26

Isaac’s Family and Works

Key Passage:
Genesis 25:19–26:5

Overview

The story of Isaac continues, focusing on his family and work. Though Abraham has died, God’s promises to him live on in his son Isaac and his twin grandsons, Esau and Jacob. Sin, too, lives on—as demonstrated by Jacob’s theft of his brother’s birthright (Genesis 25:33) and by Isaac’s imitation of his father’s deception (Genesis 26:7). Despite human failings, God’s covenant remains sure, as He says to Isaac: “I will…confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham” (26:3).

Your Daily Walk

“God has no grandchildren.” This means that each generation must be personally related to God by faith. It’s not enough that your parents trust Christ as their Savior; you must commit yourself. It is a personal, individual decision. You become a child of God by faith in Christ. So do your children and your grandchildren. Seen that way, it’s clear that God has no grandchildren.

And so it is with the promises of God. Each succeeding generation must learn to receive and rest in them personally to enjoy their benefits. God has promises for you today that Christians have been claiming for centuries.

Check up on your relationship with Christ. Is it strictly firsthand, based on personal faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross? Or are you relying on secondhand knowledge from your parents, your church, or your friends to get you through? You can become a child of God right now by believing on His Son (John 1:12). Then you can discover the joy of finding God’s timeless promises true in your own life. But the choice is yours. God said, “I will …” What do you say?

Insight - A Family Tradition

The cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, was originally purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite as a tomb for Sarah. It would soon become the burial place for Abraham himself (25:9); Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah (49:30-31); and Jacob (50:13).

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January 12

Genesis 27–31

Jacob’s Birthright and Dream

Key Passage:
Genesis 27, 29

Overview

Chapters 27–31 introduce the third major character of the patriarchal era: Jacob (“he grasps the heel”, “supplanter,” or “deceiver”), a man who lives up to his name. The theft of the family blessing intended for his twin brother, Esau, demonstrates his scheming character. But it is through Jacob that God’s promises—made more than a century and a half earlier—begin to be fulfilled to a greater degree. During a 20-year stay in Haran, Jacob works for one wife and gets three more in the bargain, fathers 11 sons and a daughter, and amasses huge quantities of livestock and servants—the nucleus from which God will fashion a new nation.

Your Daily Walk

For every Jacob, you’ll usually find a Laban. For every individual who insists on doing things his own way, giving God a helping hand, there is often a painful head-on collision with someone who is at least his equal as a schemer.

Laban became God’s rod of discipline in Jacob’s life. There’s no doubt God was accomplishing His purpose with Jacob despite his stubbornness and conniving (28:15), but Jacob could have spared himself 20 years of grief if he had learned to wait on God.

Have you noticed “The Laban Principle” at work in your own spiritual life? A family member, a fellow employee, or a creditor may apply God’s stroke of discipline. But the goal is always the same: to help you develop spiritual maturity.

Write out a one-paragraph description of what you are going to do the next time you feel like rushing ahead of God. Chances are, before the week is out, you’ll need it—and use it.

Insight - Marital Bliss…or Marital Blisters?

The wisdom of God’s original one-man/one-woman blueprint for marriage is illustrated in the sad example of Jacob’s household, where jealousy, bickering, and scheming between Leah and Rachel were regular occurrences. Refresh your memory of family life God’s way by rereading Genesis 2:23-24. Then look up 1 Kings 11:1-8 to discover another man for whom multiple wives meant multiplied woes.

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January 13

Genesis 32–36

Struggles of Jacob and Esau

Key Passage:
Genesis 32

Overview

In chapters 32–36, Jacob the schemer becomes Jacob the servant of God. After leaving his Uncle Laban, Jacob fears the inevitable reunion with his estranged brother, Esau. But before he can be reconciled to Esau, he must first be reconciled to God. At the ford of Jabbok, he wrestles with the angel of the Lord, insisting on a blessing before he will release him. The angel assures him of God’s continued presence, and leaves him with a new name—Israel (in Hebrew, the name Israel sounds like “he struggled with God”; see Genesis 32:28)—and a permanent limp. After an emotional reunion with Esau, Jacob returns to Canaan, where God confirms the promises He made to Abraham and Isaac—promises of a large posterity and a new homeland.

Your Daily Walk

Is it possible to be a rich Christian in the will of God? That question would have brought a chuckle from Abraham or Jacob. Both men were fabulously wealthy in their day. Jacob, in particular, shows how a person blessed by God can gain great wealth in the world. His own personal testimony is found in 32:10: “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups.” When he first crossed the Jordan, all Jacob owned was the staff in his hand and the clothes on his back. Now, some 20 years later, it takes two companies of men to carry all of God’s blessings back across.

Reflect on the material possessions God has given you. Could it be that God has prospered you so that you, in turn, might be a blessing to others? If so, who are the “others” God has brought into your life for that purpose? If God brings someone to mind, write that individual’s name in the margin. Then let Jesus’ own words in Acts 20:35 spur you to action.

Insight - When God Prospers Someone, Look Out!

Beginning with nothing, Jacob amassed such wealth over 20 years that when he left for Canaan, he could afford to give his brother Esau 550 animals as a gift without straining the family budget.

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January 14

Genesis 37–40

Joseph’s Enslavement and Imprisonment

Key Passage:
Genesis 37, 39

Overview

Beginning with chapter 37, the narrative focuses on the next generation: Joseph, dreamer of dreams. Though the favorite son of his father, Jacob, Joseph alienates himself from his brothers by his forthrightness. Envy grows into hatred, until finally the brothers sell him into slavery. Taken to Egypt, Joseph continues to suffer injustices, first at the hands of Potiphar’s wife, and later from the forgetful chief butler. While Joseph is resisting the temptation of immorality, his brother Judah falls prey to the same sin. Clearly something is needed to insulate the chosen family from moral corruption for the next four centuries while it multiplies into a mighty nation.

Your Daily Walk

“I know some of the things I do to be accepted by my friends are wrong. But if I don’t go along, they’ll laugh at me.”

Joseph could relate to that statement. He learned firsthand the consequences of doing what was right. He could have avoided much discomfort by deciding to disobey his father or to give in to Mrs. Potiphar. Loyalty to his convictions carried a price tag.

But faithfulness had its compensations too. Note the repeated expression in chapter 39: “The Lord was with Joseph.” Which would you rather be: a guilt-ridden brother trying to explain Joseph’s disappearance, Judah trying to untangle the mess created by his lack of restraint, Potiphar’s frustrated wife, or Joseph? Only one of those individuals was truly free.

Where is compromise threatening to dull your faith? Ask God to give you the courage to stand true to Him with love and tact. Then take the next opportunity to set the record straight and make your convictions known to all parties involved.

Insight - Clothes Mark the Man

Joseph’s famous “coat of many colors” was probably an ornamented, ankle-length coat with long sleeves. It identified the wearer as a favorite son and perhaps indicated Jacob’s intent to make Joseph chief heir of the family fortune.

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January 15

Genesis 41–44

Joseph’s Egyptian Rule

Key Passage:
Genesis 43–44

Overview

A difficult dream sent by God to Pharaoh jars the memory of the chief butler, and Joseph is soon promoted from prisoner to prime minister because of his God-given insight. The dream is a reliable forecast of the prosperity and famine in the years ahead. The worldwide famine prompts Jacob to send 10 sons to Egypt for grain, where Joseph, recognizing them immediately, proceeds to teach them a painful lesson. A series of confrontations culminates in chapter 44, where the brothers unknowingly fulfill Joseph's boyhood dreams.

Your Daily Walk

For years, Joseph’s brothers had lived with their cunning deception of Jacob. The secret was so complete that Jacob probably blamed himself for the loss of his favorite son. And the other sons, though seeing their father's agony, maintained their conspiracy of silence at his expense.

But they overlooked one witness to their crime—God. As Judah discovered: “God has uncovered your servants’ guilt” (44:16). God gave them time to set things right, then He applied pressure. The result was a band of frightened men haunted by the memory of their lost brother. Guilt, anxiety, and uncertainty were their constant companions until their wrong was set right through confession and restoration.

As a sinner in the presence of God, you have two choices. You can carry the anxiety of your “secret” sins until God chooses to expose them. Or you can confess those sins to God and to those you’ve wronged, and as a result find forgiveness and peace. Because of Jesus’ death, you can take steps today to make things right with a brother or sister, pastor or neighbor, spouse or roommate. Will you do it?

Insight - Whatever Happened to the Tribe of Joseph?

Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, were later “adopted” by Jacob (48:5). Consequently, the descendants of Joseph would later comprise two tribes of Israel, named respectively for his two sons.

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