I like the story of King Joash / Jehoash (1 Kings 11-12).
When he was just born (under a year old, comparing 11:3 and 11:21), the person who thought they ruled Judah (Athaliah) killed all the kings sons. Why such ruthlessness? She wanted to rule, and felt threatened that a new heir to the throne had been born.
Someone recently pointed me to this poem, where each line is associated with a verse of Scripture, entitled The Father’s Love Letter.
One of the things I like about it is (even allowing for several / many misappropriations of Bible verses) that it is a heart-warming exposition of the love of God for his people. God’s love for his people is part of his glorious character, and it is good to see facets of it laid out.
But I have to admit to not being too keen on it as a piece of writing.
I’m enjoying Peter Enns, NIV Application Commentary, Exodus more than I expected to. He has clearly spent a lot of time with the Hebrew text of the book, and has a lot of helpful observations to make.
For example, the word for “worship” in 4:23 is of the same root as the word for “work” in 5:9. (‘bd). The conflict between Yahweh and Pharaoh is being seen in yet one more respect – which king will successfully command the work/worship of the Hebrews.
I'd like to welcome my friend James Gould to the blogosphere.
James has just started a degree in Biblical Studies at Sheffield, having done a youth-work year-out with us last year. He's concerned to end his degree loving God more than when he began.
So, rather than e-mail all his friends separately with every issue his course raises, he thought he'd start a blog and ask his questions where we can all find them. To start with, they're a bunch of OT questions, often Pentateuch ones.
Welcome, James. And if any readers of this blog ever fancy peaking at his and posting him the odd comment by way of reply - I know he'd be grateful.
At St James, Audley we are about to start a sermon series on Exodus – the whole book in 8 sermons.
I get to preach on 1:1-7:7, 12-14, and the first of the tabernacle sections.
Phew… it’s hard work. And I’m trying to work out why.
The whole thing isn’t long, but here are a couple of paragraphs
One of the members of our church gave me an A5 piece of paper a few weeks ago. A copy of this had gone through the letter box of every house on his estate, and he wanted to know more about it.
The sheet came from an organisation called “Advent Books”, and invited the reader to send off for a free book entitled The Great Controversy and/or to sign up for a free postal Bible course.
The Great Controversy
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father.
I’m always trying to find these. So to save me hunting, I’ll put them somewhere.
(William Perkins, chapter 7 of The Art of Prophesying, entitled “Use and Application”)
What do I notice when I read what Perkins is actually saying (as opposed to what people imagine him to be saying)? He’s saying:
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