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Terror on Every Side
Pashhur is not the name the LORD has called you, but rather Magor-missabib, Terror on Every Side. – Jer 20:3ff The American government has failed to protect American citizens, Afghanis who supported our efforts, and millions of innocents who will suffer under the Taliban regime. Families who just wanted a better life for their children are being slaughtered. Underground church leaders, their congregations, and missionaries chose to stay, knowing they would be killed. I have cried over the reports of the Taliban’s savagery and duplicity, begging God to do something. I have felt crippled by shame over the actions of my government. But El Roi, the God Who Sees, is sovereign. In…
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Chief Prefect of the the Wise Men
I’ve been trying to wrap my head around Daniel’s life for a few years now, and one of his job titles has me stumped. Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon, and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel 2:48 That term “wise men” is a catch all for conjurers, sorcerers, astrologers, diviners, and magicians. The occult was a big deal in Babylon. Temples dotted the landscape like Subway restaurants. I can think of no one more opposed to the institution of Babylonian wise men than Daniel the prophet. And yet,…
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He is Risen! What’s next?
Yesterday we celebrated Easter. After last year’s online service, I was incredibly grateful to celebrate in person with my church family. Our church has a tradition of singing the Hallelujah Chorus on Easter, and anyone in the congregation who wants to sing along comes up and sings with the choir and orchestra. With COVID (how many times in the last year have you started a sentence with, “With COVID…” I’m so done.) they did things a little differently. We still had the orchestra, but no one came up front. The orchestra played along with the socially distanced video they did last year. The first frame of the video was…
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Our Covenant Keeping God
I’ve been wrestling with the period before the Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem for years now, trying to get my head around God’s longsuffering love and His people’s rejection of Him to follow after all sorts of false gods. Besides the fact that He is the one true God, He’s just so much better than any of them. Why did they so foolishly chase after idols? Many in Judah were worshipping Molech, Ba’al, Asherah, and the gods of Egypt. What was the appeal? Were they just trying to cover all their bases? I think pride was a big part of it. It’s so human to want to think…
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What can we learn from an ancient toilet?
Two weeks ago, I wrote about God loosing the loins of kings. Today, I’m captivated by a 2,500 year old toilet. What’s so interesting about a stone potty? Videos like this make me wish I’d been an archeologist. Weeds Raw meat Tapeworms Why am I excited about 2,500 year old weeds and raw meat? This discovery dates to the first temple period when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. The analysis of the dirt below the toilet confirms II Kings 25:3. On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.…
