“Before Abraham was born, I AM” – John 8:58ff   Jesus’ declaration is a challenge. It’s a WWE smackdown. He’s in a contentious dispute with the Pharisees–again. This particular argument concerns who their respective fathers are. Read John 8 for context. It always puts a smile on my face. They claim Abraham as their father and accuse Jesus of being illegitimate. In John 8:44, He tells them their father is the devil. That’s a scene I’d like the replay of when we get to heaven. Jesus is telling the Pharisees He is the I AM of the burning bush. That claim is utterly outrageous. It’s either blasphemy, or it’s true.…

This name closes out the year-long study on the Names of God. I am deeply grateful to Ann Spangler for letting me share her insights through this blog. If you haven’t gone through the book yet and you’re looking for something to do in 2025, I can’t recommend it enough. This is the perfect name to wrap the year up with because it ties the persons of the Trinity together so well. Ehyeh is I Am in Hebrew, and we first encounter it at the burning bush. Then Moses replied to Elohim, “Suppose I go to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The Elohim of your ancestors has…

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— Galatians 3:13     We’ve explored the name of Jesus as Savior. What depth of meaning does Redeemer add? A drowning man needs a savior, one who will pluck him out of the ocean waves. But a drowning man who’s shackled to a boulder needs someone to break his bonds. If you’re wearing cement shoes of sin, you’ll sleep with the fishes. Bless the LORD, my soul, And do not forget any of his benefits; Who pardons all your guilt, Who heals all your diseases; Who…

Yet as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last, He will take his stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I will see God, Whom I, on my part, shall behold for myself, And whom my eyes will see, and not another. – Job 19:25-27  Job, who lived before Moses, knew of the Redeemer. In Genesis 3, Moses recorded the first details of our redemption generations after Job declared his certain hope of redemption.   And I will make enemies Of you and the woman, And of your offspring and her Descendant, He shall bruise you on the…

I’ve been dreading this post for weeks. It’s Christmas time, the time to celebrate the joyous birth of our Savior–Hark the Herald and O Come, All Ye Faithful. Gloria in Excelsis Deo. And yet, this week, we’re looking at the man of sorrows. His parents fled because Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus spent His whole life under a cloud of suspicion that He was illegitimate. During His earthly ministry, His own family rejected Him. He was an itinerant – homeless – rabbi. Dirt poor. The precious Christ child grew up to be a man of sorrows, an Ish Makoboth. The Suffering Servant came to suffer and die for our…