tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41070762009-12-23T01:39:08.618-05:00Christian Living -- Biblical Reflections -- Thoughts and OpinionsDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04728625888821946056noreply@blogger.comBlogger356125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4107076.post-1136350485797857702006-01-03T23:52:00.000-05:002006-03-11T14:49:14.940-05:00

Josiah's Reforms Start The Briefest of Histories There is a problem with the text of Jeremiah that, for me, adds a dynamic element to its understanding. But first, some background to help you understand the problem. Background Somewhere between 300 and 200 B.C. the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek. This translation is known today as the Septuagint--named for the

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Manuscripts and ChaosStart Jeremiah chapter 1 is about the call of Jeremiah and the fortitude with which he would be strengthened. He would have a hard message and long weary and hard years to drive it home. And so he begins: Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,     Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying,         Thus says the LORD,             I remember

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This is part 2 of a series that looks at music. You can start at the beginning by clicking here. Note: An audio of this teaching is available from the Biblical Studies Foundation. Click here to listen. As mentioned yesterday, history is full of condemnation for new musical styles that today seem fine. Today, I want to look at music in the Scriptures. There is no letter of Paul or any succinct

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Note: An audio of this teaching is available from the Biblical Studies Foundation. Click here to listen. I put together these thoughts some time ago when I realized how controversial music can be among Christians. I have come across those who say that the New Testament clearly teaches that we are never to sing with instrumental accompaniment. There is a prominent seminar speaker who teaches, in

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My work has been very busy and it has been hard to carve out the time needed for the next essay, but it is coming. In the meantime, for those of you who might be curious about what I sound like as a teacher, the Biblical Studies Foundation has posted an audio of my Music in the Church teaching. Don

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Not Just the Weeping ProphetStartManuscripts and Chaos Jeremiah opens with a list of kings under whose reigns Jeremiah lived:The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son

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Josiah's ReformsThis post begins a series of essays that will work sequentially through the book of Jeremiah. This is not to say that Jeremiah is not a book that deserves a complete analysis, but it is ground that has been covered by many people—and sometimes a slightly higher level can offer perspectives that a detailed look cannot. And so it is my plan to work through the book and comment on

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It is a common dodge. When presented with the gospel and the claims of Jesus the Messiah, many will say, “I believe that Jesus was a good teacher.” Their assumption is that this is enough to fend off the greater claims. They are, of course, thinking of things like the Lord’s Prayer, the Beatitudes, and most especially the Golden Rule.But if Jesus were just a man, we could not actually say that he

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Consider these verses:For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17, NASB 95) First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of

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Closing Comments Here are the closing words in the book of Hebrews: Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let

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In the New Covenant, Jesus is our high priest. Unlike the old order, where the high priest may change from year to year, Jesus is our priest forever. Unlike the blood of goats and bulls shed in a copy of heavenly counterparts, Jesus' blood was taken to the real thing and provides a permanent cleansing of the should. This gives us access to the presence of God and access to help that was

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The Eternal MessiahWhat does this passage tell us about the nature of the Messiah?Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no

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The Writer begins to close his letter with several pithy proverbial type statements: Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. Marriage is to be held in honor among

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When the Son SpeaksIn the opening verses of this letter, the Writer wrote: God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2, NASB 95)With these opening words, he began his proclamation of the greatness of the Son

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Two MountainsSo much of Hebrews has been about comparing elements of the New Covenant with the Old Covenant. After a brief section in which he speaks of the faith that unites the two covenants, the Writer returns to the theme of New Covenant superiority: For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a

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Body LifeTo look at the hall of faith, we see that we are to set our sights on Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith. To then look around at the actual people in our churches, we must wonder whether we could ever pull it off. A good distribution of people in a church would have many new believers, some in-between, and several mature men and women of faith. The churches that grew in the

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. Carrot and StickThe Writer tells us to "keep our eyes on Jesus." That is the carrot. To become like Him and have His approval is a great reward. To be with Him is a great reward. But if we take ours eyes off Him, what then? Here is what the Writer says about that:You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. How Should We Then Live?In this study, we have seen the greatness of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant--and we have sampled the accomplishments of the saints of old. Now What?The Writer begins the answer to this question with this: Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. Faith's WorksThe Writer of Hebrews concludes his essay on faith this way: And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire,

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. JerichoThe Writer moves from Moses to the first battle for the land of Canaan: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. (Hebrews 11:30, NASB 95)The normal way to lay siege to a city is to encamp around it and wait for dwindling supplies within to take their toll. If need be, siege engines can be

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. MosesWhat is most interesting about the vignette of Moses is what the Writer of Hebrews leaves out:By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. Abraham and IsaacThe Writer is still not done with Abraham:By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, Â?In Isaac your descendants shall be called.Â? He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. AbrahamUp to this point, the Writer of Hebrews has given short pithy synopses of early men of faith. With Abraham, we get a few substantive paragraphs. By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. NoahThe story of Noah is familiar to most young children--at least those who still come from nominally Christian and Jewish households. The imagery of all those animals being collected on the ark is a delight to children's ears. The Writer of Hebrews has a more sober view:By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in

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To start at the beginning of this series, click here. EnochNext in the Hall of Faith is Enoch. Here is what the Writer says about him:By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God

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