Simple Gifts

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”   Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)   If you want to know that...

In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile. The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listener...

The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job? Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later? Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical...

The prophet Amos is famous as a fig-farmer who lived in the southern kingdom of Judah, but prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel. When I think of Amos I am reminded of the problem of place-idolatry, of religious formalism and the placing of our trust in things other than or in addition to the God of Israel. Jenny and I call this "Yahweh-plus," and we think it is definitional of idolatry its...

The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each...

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”   Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)   If you want to know that...

In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile. The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listener...

The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job? Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later? Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical...

Joel means Yahweh (Ya) is god (el) in Hebrew, which is a reverse of the order of the prophet Elijah's name - God (el) is Yahweh (Ya). Both make the case that there is but one God, and He is Israel's God, Yahweh. Both names, I think, are designed to call to mind the passage from Deuteronomy enshrined in Judaism's famous Shema prayer: Deuteronomy 6:4–5 “Hear (Heb. Shema), O Israel: The LORD (Yahweh)...

The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each...

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”   Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)   If you want to know that...

In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile. The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listener...

The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job? Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later? Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical...

Joel means Yahweh (Ya) is god (el) in Hebrew, which is a reverse of the order of the prophet Elijah's name - God (el) is Yahweh (Ya). Both make the case that there is but one God, and He is Israel's God, Yahweh. Both names, I think, are designed to call to mind the passage from Deuteronomy enshrined in Judaism's famous Shema prayer: Deuteronomy 6:4–5 “Hear (Heb. Shema), O Israel: The LORD (Yahweh)...

The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each...

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”   Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)   If you want to know that...

In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile. The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listener...

The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job? Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later? Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical...

Joel means Yahweh (Ya) is god (el) in Hebrew, which is a reverse of the order of the prophet Elijah's name - God (el) is Yahweh (Ya). Both make the case that there is but one God, and He is Israel's God, Yahweh. Both names, I think, are designed to call to mind the passage from Deuteronomy enshrined in Judaism's famous Shema prayer: Deuteronomy 6:4–5 “Hear (Heb. Shema), O Israel: The LORD (Yahweh)...

The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each...

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”   Isaiah 1:18–20 (ESV)   If you want to know that...

In keeping with our intensive study of Israel's history this year, Jenny and I have concentrated our attention on the Exilic and Post-exilic prophets. We've included Jeremiah in this list, even though he spans the immediate pre-exilic period, leading up to the Babylonian exile. The most enigmatic exilic prophet, most certainly, is Ezekiel. His name means "God's strength." We encourage our listener...

The book of Job is wisdom literature, like Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. What can we add to what has already been written on the Book of Job? Is it the oldest book in the canon as its historical milieu would place it, or was it written (down) much later? Is it merely a literary story meant to illuminate the relation between God and man-in-the-created-order, or is it historical...

We continue our project of reading ALL of God's word for our listeners. The book of Daniel is a favorite because of its amazing stories and prophetic visions, but it is also rich in detail and historical context. It opens circa 605 BC, timestamped as "the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah." Jehoiakim, born as Eliakim, was the second-born son of the great reformer Josiah, who died...

The prophetic books of Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel mark a radical change in the life of God's people, Israel. Starting with Jeremiah, the Babylonian exile is predicted, and then experienced. Daniel is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar during Jeremiah's ministry, and after the 586 BC fall of Jerusalem, Ezekiel is called by God to minister to Israel in exile. Indeed, these prophets were aware of each...