Why did God Punish Ancient Israel?
It wasn’t just apathy or failure to perform religious ceremonies for which ancient Israel faced God’s judgments. It was also what they failed to do for each other.
Tag: Bible
How the Restoration Can Inform Biblical Scholarship
An encounter with Isaiah can sometimes challenge faith rather than expand it. Bible scholars can sometimes add to the confusion. Dan Ellsworth’s new resource helps people navigate several difficult issues to ensure the text blesses and strengthens us.
Trusting God to See Our Whole Heart
It’s easy to sometimes think God only wants to hear “nice” feelings and positive sentiments in our prayers. Thank goodness the Book of Psalms demonstrates otherwise.
Prophets Can’t Win
People tend to seek information that affirms what they already think. But prophets are called to a very different task. And whether prophetic teaching is subtle or direct, the public reception is often sadly predictable.
David’s Other Sin with Bathsheba
In addition to the clear violations against chastity, David’s behavior towards Uriah and Bathsheba reflects an ancient warning against the very exploitation of the powerless we continue to see around us today.
The Ambiguity / Authority Tradeoff in Scripture
Why all the intense feelings over competing interpretations of particular passages of scripture? Maybe because of what the winning conclusion says about the authority of scripture as a whole.
Imperfect Families and Covenantal Relationships
To those who are quick to assume that God’s loving support comes mostly to families without problems, I would recommend the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Abraham and the Stranger at Sodom and Gomorrah
Why were Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed? The answer provides a path that may help heal our relationships and our nation.
The Mark of the Beast is More Than a Punchline
If journalists had greater religious literacy, they could have predicted and addressed religious concerns that vaccine passports resembled the mark of the beast rather than resorting to ridicule.
Bites of the Best Books: March 2021
This month, passages about the most potent moral figure in Western culture, the influences on Augustine,
and the enduring wisdom of the prophet Jeremiah.
The Witness of Women
The Jewish holiday of Purim which is celebrated today, honors Queen Esther, who risked the wrath of her Persian husband-king to save her people. This essay is a tribute to women who have risked much to witness both anciently and in our day.
Building Israel: The First Few Millennia Are Always Hardest
An institutional lens is useful for thinking about Israel as the unfolding “Kingdom of God,” since it is a durable, multifaceted social structure that has been important for thousands of years.
