There once was a Prophet Balaam. He was famous through the Middle East. When hordes of Israelites fled Egypt and invaded the Middle East like locusts , they destroyed everything in their path. When they pitched their tents in the plains of Moab, King Balak was terrified that he and his people might be next. … Continue reading Balaam’s Talking Ass: The Funniest Scripture Story
We all have a fight/flight response. Whenever we are threatened, our adrenalin surges, and we either confront the threat or we run away. This is human nature. The Old Testament contains three memorable stories of people who unsuccessfully tried to run away and hide from the Lord. Adam and Eve Adam and Eve were the … Continue reading You Can’t Hide from the Lord: 4 Old Testament Stories
Rabbi Jacob Milgrom, Dean of Near Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley, concluded that Hosea 6:6 was the most important verse in “the Prophets” in the Old Testament. (See: “Jacob Milgrom,” Wikipedia.) I was surprised, because I had no clue about Hosea 6:6. But he may have been right. Hosea 6:6: “For I desired mercy, … Continue reading Is Hosea 6:6 the Most Important Old Testament?
I learned in church as a child that Goliath was about 10 feet tall. I was impressed! According to the King James Version (KJV), based on the Hebrew Masoretic Text, Goliath was “six cubits and a span” (1 Sam. 17:4). “Cubit” comes from Latin meaning “elbow.” A cubit is the length from the tip of … Continue reading How Tall Was Goliath — Really? 10 Feet or 7 Feet?
We all have a fight/flight response. Whenever we are threatened our adrenalin surges and we either confront the threat or we run away. This is human nature. The Bible contains three memorable stories of people who unsuccessfully tried to run away and hide from the Lord. Adam and Eve Hiding Among the Trees Adam and Eve were … Continue reading You Can’t Hide from the Lord
Quotes on Friendship C.S. Lewis, British scholar, author, and Christian apologist, declared: “To the ancients, friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves: the crown of life and the school of virtue. The modern world, in comparison, ignores it.” (Four Loves, p 87) King Solomon “The Wise” wrote: “A friend loveth at … Continue reading Sacred Friendship – David and Jonathan
Moses instructed Joshua, his military commander, to prepare the Israelites for battle against Amalek and his people. While Joshua fought in the plains, Moses oversaw the battle from a hill top. “I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.” Aaron and Hur accompanied Moses. Whenever Moses … Continue reading The Role of Counselors – Moses, Aaron, and Hur (Exodus 17:8-13)
"Sunday Sermon" There are at least two interpretations of this important verse. First, people perish if they lack the guidance of prophetic vision and revelation. Second, people perish if they lack their own vision, foresight, direction, and goals. Prophetic Vision The English Standard Version (ESV) warns that the people perish, “where there is no … Continue reading “Where there is no vision, the people perish” — Proverbs 29:18
One of the challenges of studying the scriptures, especially the Old Testament, is knowing which verses were meant to be interpreted literally and which verses were intended to be interpreted figuratively. Studying ancient literature, I learned that certain numbers were intended to be figurative, symbolic, or even magical. One key to spotting these figurative numbers is their repetition. Their too frequent use goes beyond mere coincidence. The Number “8” is … Continue reading The Number “8” in Scriptures Means “New Beginnings”
Introduction I attended the National Conference on Jewish Law for several years. The participants were devout Jewish law professors, rabbis, judges, lawyers, and one non-Jew -- me. On Saturday, I was taking notes on one of the lectures. The man seated to my right nudged me with his elbow and snapped, “It’s Shabbat.” In other … Continue reading Law of Noah (Telestial), Moses (Terrestrial), and Jesus (Celestial)
The London Edition 