Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. 2 They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. (Isaiah 46:1-2) I love this image. Isaiah prophesies the Persian conquest of Babylon under Cyrus the Great. As the Babylonians flee the coming onslaught, they pack their idols along with the rest of their belongings. (As they’re…
Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow his ways; they did not obey his law. (Isaiah 42:24) Jesus promised us we would face trials and tribulations in this life, which means we will be tempted (with alarming regularity) to ask that tormenting question, “Why?” Why me? Why is this happening? Why would a good God allow such suffering in the life…
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17) If I could give my one-word answer to the question above, I think it would be No. I do not think the church—and I am speaking about myself here, too—is ready for the messiness that will come with revival. Let me explain. I had a conversation recently with someone who is looking for a…
Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick. Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain. All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful,…
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25) If you’re at all like me, there are days when you wonder if God really loves you—is really willing to keep putting up with you—given how “prone to wander” you are. And yet here in Hebrews 7:25 we have this precious promise: Jesus is able to save us completely. There is no crevice of…
“The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.” (Isaiah 1:11-13) If you were…
For the last few years, I’ve always meant to write my personal Top 10 Books of the year, but never managed to get around to it. Today all that changes (at last). In no particular order, here are the top 10 books I read in 2021. Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin (ed. John McNeill). In the interest of honesty, I should mention that I started this the year before, but it was well…
David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1) After David becomes king over Israel according to the promise of God, and establishes his rule against pretenders to the throne, he remembers his beloved friend Jonathan. Jonathan, you may remember, was Saul’s son, and thus should have been David’s enemy. But Jonathan loved David and believed God’s promises to him.…
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. . . . The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. (Proverbs 12:1, 15) If these proverbs are true (as they are, of course), then we are living in an increasingly stupid culture. (I apologize for the bluntness of the language, but I am simply quoting God’s Word here. Those of you with small children in the home likely…
When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:22) If you’ll permit me, I’d like to offer one more thought about evangelism before we press on to other topics. And while Leviticus may be a strange place to go for outreach advice, it’s where I am in my yearly Bible-reading plan. Leviticus is never an…