Today’s reading. Why did Jonah run away from God in the beginning of this story? It wasn’t because he was afraid. It wasn’t because he didn’t want to be a prophet. It was because he didn’t want to be a prophet to the Ninevites: “That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for… Read More ›
Today’s reading. Just last night, I had a conversation about the nature of the universe. Is it an amalgam of blind forces acting upon one another, a series of impersonal laws that dictate how everything must be? Or is the universe a personal place, created by a personal God, over which he has given his… Read More ›
Today’s reading. God’s mercy shines through in this passage. He mercifully gives his word a second time to his prophet, Jonah, despite his track record (3:1). Post-fish, Jonah is obedient and brings God’s message to the people of Nineveh: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (3:4). Maybe the reason Jonah didn’t want to… Read More ›
Today’s reading. This is a folk song. Maybe country. The singer starts by telling us he’s going “solve my riddle” (49:4). He’s going to let us in on one of life’s mysteries. He was probably wearing the ancient Jewish equivalent of a cowboy hat while singing it too. The psalmist is not rich, and wants… Read More ›
Today’s reading. Jonah is such a cool picture of the gospel. His song in chapter two is as good a statement of what an individual experiences in the gospel as anything. Though Jonah had run from God, God had gotten his attention with the storm and the being thrown overboard thing. Now, Jonah finds himself… Read More ›
Today’s reading. This is sort of a love song to Jerusalem, God’s city, Mount Zion. God is the one the psalmist is praising (48:1), but Zion is the central image of the psalm. I imagine that after ancient baseball games, the Jerusalem Yankees would play this psalm over the loud speakers as the fans departed…. Read More ›
Today’s reading. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! (Psalm 139:7-8) Jonah has clearly forgotten the words of this psalm, but the Lord hasn’t. God calls Jonah (who is… Read More ›
We are a day ahead in our plan, and after a very busy weekend, I am going to take this morning off. We will pick up in Jonah tomorrow.
Today’s reading. Some would have you believe that the Bible “guarantees” the end of the world today. Of course, most any serious reader of the Bible (Christian or not) could tell you that it is not a date book. There are no secret numbers hidden within its pages, no codes or prophecies that evaded Jesus… Read More ›
Today’s reading. (Last post for Genesis. Congrats everyone!) (Sorry for the late post. The Prince concert last night was awesome.) Here we get to see what takes place after Israel dies. His children keep their word to him and carry his body back to the land of Canaan to be buried alongside his fathers. He… Read More ›