Month: March 2020

  • Firmly Wrong

    Psalm 107:1–16; Numbers 20:1-13; 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 (read online ⧉) The Israelites were out of water…again. They complained…again. Yet, there is something different here. It’s subtle. There seemed to be a stronger issue with the leaders (Moses and Aaron), rather than God. Oddly, despite an expressed desire to already be dead, God did not seem…

  • Flawed and Honored Vessels

    Psalm 107:1–16; Exodus 15:22–27; Hebrews 3:1–6 (read online ⧉) Water is essential to survival. Not having water was a death sentence. What made the waters of Marah too bitter to drink can only be guessed. It would have been horrible to be thirsty (3 days in the desert) and find the saving source of water…

  • What Say You?

    Numbers 21:4–9; Ephesians 2:1–10; John 3:14–21 (read online ⧉) You may recognize the description of the snake on a stick. This is almost identical to the Rod of Asclepius, which is often used (along with, erroneously, the caduceus) to symbolize medical organizations or people. Asclepius was the Greek god of healing, so it makes sense.…

  • Control or Trust?

    Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Daniel 12:5–13; Ephesians 1:7–14 (read online ⧉) Many of Daniel’s visions are held up in the church today as applying to today. There are fundamental truths in Daniel’s visions (and the visions of other prophets), but we all must be very cautious when trying to apply them to today. Daniel, himself, didn’t…

  • Salvation Praise

    Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22; Genesis 9:8–17; Ephesians 1:3–6 (read online ⧉) Destined to be a child of God. This is such a comforting phrase. As in all comfortable things, there is a danger. This comforting phrase is often, and understandably, taken as being directed toward individuals. Yet, if we use both Old Testament and New Testament…

  • A Bad Mix?

    Psalm 84; Ezra 6:1-16; Mark 11:15-19 (read online ⧉) The restoration of the temple was not only of religious significance; it was also of cultural, societal, and political significance. This would be perceived as the raising of the Hebrews to a point of greater significance than in the past, though not in the highest levels…

  • Temple by Proxy

    2 Chronicles 29:1–11, 16–19; Psalm 84; Hebrews 9:23–28 (read online ⧉) King Ahaz, King Hezekiah’s father, destroyed utensils used in the worship of God, and shut the doors of the temple (prevention of worship), and put altars all around Jerusalem to worship other gods. King Hezekiah sought the restoration of the temple and the right…

  • God’s Temples

    1 Kings 6:1–4, 21–22; Psalm 84; 1 Corinthians 3:10–23 (read online ⧉) Can you imagine a huge building on a hill, covered in gold? Imagine as the rays of the rising sun hit it. Or how the violet rays of the setting sun would dance upon the gold, reflecting all around. We often condemn those…